JD.com, a leading e-commerce platform in China, has announced on its official WeChat account that it will host a livestream shopping event featuring an AI clone of its CEO, Liu Qiangdong, China’s CGTN reported.
The AI clone, powered by JD’s language model ChatRhino (Yanxi in Chinese), will take centre stage during Tuesday night’s livestream, sharing Liu’s insights on “food, reading, and lifestyle.”
The video accompanying the announcement highlighted the AI’s ability to mimic detailed human movements, such as pinching the thumb and index finger together, the report says.
In the broader context, content creation has emerged as a critical arena for China’s tech giants aiming to drive market growth.
Bytedance’s Douyin (TikTok in China) previously dominated this sector, but now other major players, including Tencent with its WeChat Channels and Meituan, are intensifying their efforts.
Meituan has even launched a recruitment initiative for top-tier content creators, offering salaries up to 30,000 RMB ($4,143) per month and additional bonuses ranging from 8,000 to 18,000 RMB.
The annual report on China’s internet audiovisual services highlights the massive reach of this sector, noting that over 1 billion people are active online audiovisual consumers. Short video apps boast the highest user retention, with more than 70 percent of consumers regularly engaging with short videos and livestream shopping.