(Yicai Global) May 11 -- Gong Yu, founder and chief executive of Chinese video site iQiyi, has offered reassurance that jobs are not at risk from artificial intelligence, saying the technology can instead be used to improve the company’s output.

Speaking at yesterday’s 2023 iQiyi World Conference, Gong said staff who create content for movies and television shows have the highest level of human intelligence, and will be the last to be replaced by AI.

AI already plays a big role in creative industries such as film and TV series making, and its influence, though still at an early stage, is growing, especially in production management and tools it provides. For instance, the use of virtual cinematography can greatly reduce the time spent on post-production. 

Standing in front of a screen that showed images generated by the AI image creator Midjourney, Gong noted that practitioners in this sector do not have to worry. Instead, it is more important for them to use and understand the tools available, he said.

Half of iQiyi’s staff are engineers, most of whom work on content distribution, and they will have to spend some time working on technological research and development regarding new methods of content creation, he added.  

IQiyi’s intelligent production systems already use AI generated content in the scripting stage to help develop the story outline, as well as to pick out roles, scenes and props, Vice President Liu Huangfu said yesterday. The systems can analyze a 350,000-word script within a minute, with an accuracy rate of 99 percent, which can improve the efficiency of production. 

During production, the systems can upload information such as the director’s opinions onto the cloud server for the reference of those responsible for the post-editing, and it can also be discussed by producers during the review process, Liu said. 

IQiyi has been exploring the application of AIGC in the video space since last year, Chief Technology Officer Liu Wenfeng said on a conference call on Feb. 22. “We’ve been investing in AI for computing, audio and video technology, and others to improve the efficiency and quality of content production and enhance viewer experience, and will continue our investment in this area.” 

Beijing-based iQiyi announced a strategic tieup with internet giant Baidu on Feb. 15 and the two firms have been exploring AIGC application scenarios using Baidu's Ernie chatbot. This can further expand iQiyi's capabilities in content creativity, production, efficiency, and user experience, said Liu Wenfeng. 

During yesterday’s event, iQiyi also unveiled a list of over 270 new TV series, variety shows, and movies, from historical costume dramas to more modern urban stories and science fiction. 

Editor: Tom Litting