China's First AI-Generated Feature Film Struggles at Box Office Amid Industry Optimism

China's first fully artificial intelligence-generated feature film, titled Sanxingdui: Future Past, has grossed 1.7 million yuan, equivalent to approximately £191,000, at the box office. According to the film's producer, the production cost tens of millions of yuan to make. A screening attended by The Guardian in Beijing took place in a virtually empty cinema.

The narrative follows a future society where decision-making is completely outsourced to algorithms and AI, resulting in a global catastrophe. Characters include astronauts navigating ancient Egypt and archaeologists moving through space-time vortices, centered on a plot to unlock a hidden code within bronze sculptures from the ancient kingdom of Shu. While humans handled the editing, all visual elements and certain sound effects were generated using artificial intelligence.

Reviewers and critics noted various technical imperfections in the computer-generated imagery. Characters reportedly exhibited realistic appearances at times while triggering the uncanny valley effect at others, with Chinese characters appearing more realistic than non-Chinese counterparts. Furthermore, figures in the film displayed repetitive motion patterns, particularly when running.

Despite the commercial failure, industry participants suggest the release marks an initial step for AI cinema in the region. Independent film critic Yu Yaqin attributed the poor box office return to the film lacking entertainment value rather than the technology itself, noting that investors continue placing high value on AI productions. A Beijing-based screenplay developer reported that most projects she encountered over preceding months involved artificial intelligence, driven by expectations of lower production costs and reduced labor requirements.

The broader market for artificial intelligence-generated content in China already includes tens of thousands of microdramas uploaded monthly to streaming platforms. This mobile-focused sector has grown into an estimated $3 billion industry. Analysts and commentators suggest that ticket pricing may also have influenced the cinematic release's reception, as audiences can access similar short-form AI content on mobile devices for free compared to paying cinema admission rates.