Recently, on some short video platforms, such a "thrilling" scene is seen from time to time: the camera swept across a room, there are dozens of computers on the table, and the anchors on the screen are live online selling goods in real time, but the caption reads: "It's so scary. The 200-square-meter live broadcast base is empty, all of which are AI digital people live broadcasts." However, when the camera focuses on the computer screen and carefully examines it, the anchors appearing in the camera are as realistic as real people.

Since ChatGPT was born, it has once again aroused people's attention and heated discussions about artificial intelligence. Many industry fields have also accelerated their attempts to "intelligent". In the field of live streaming and sales, such "AI digital anchors" have appeared. The reporter noticed that in some companies in Jinan, AI digital anchors have begun to replace real people and appear in the live broadcast room.

This time, AI will "take" whose job it has? Some companies in Jinan are using "AI digital anchors" instead of real people and appear in the live broadcast room.

Virtual anchors are on duty in batches

"Digital people live broadcasts have been tested for 3 days, and it is very stable, and there are no system problems or platform violations." Chen Lei, general manager of Maimang New Media, has been deeply engaged in the field of self-media for more than ten years. When "AI digital people anchor" appeared, he keenly captured this new trend.

Chen Lei introduced that digital people are not a new word. Previously, Luo Tianyi, Liu Yexi and others were all very popular virtual idols, but they are still different from the current popular digital people anchors.

AI digital people, also known as "2D hyperrealistic digital people", have an image that is closer to ordinary people. If you don't distinguish them carefully, you will easily mistakenly think that they are real people. "With AI technology, a virtual digital person can be generated or a real person can be 'cloned'. Chen Lei reminded, "Compared with the former, the latter will have risks such as infringement of portrait rights."

A few days ago, Chen Lei officially introduced the "AI Digital Anchor" to the live broadcast room. "A variety of water parks will soon become hot spots for consumption. We posted a group buying link in the live broadcast room, and then automatically explained it with 'AI Digital Anchor'."

Chen Lei also pointed out that the functions that "AI digital anchors" can achieve are still very limited, and in form it is more like a "recording broadcast". The blunt statement is the "mouth replacement" of the live anchor. "The effect of a single digital anchor is limited. Now many companies make many digital anchors online at the same time."

24 hours a day without falling live broadcast

In Chen Lei's opinion, the reason for choosing "AI digital anchor" is very simple, it is cheap.

Over the years, selling anchors have become a regular position in many companies. The reporter saw from some recruitment platforms that in Jinan, the monthly salary of recruiting an anchor ranges from a few thousand to tens of thousands. "This is just the basic salary, and usually there must be a commission." Chen Lei introduced that it is even more difficult to recruit experienced mature anchors, "The labor cost of the enterprise is very high."

Compared with this, the advantages of "AI digital anchor" are particularly obvious. The reporter's search found that on the market, the annual service price of the digital anchor business generally ranges from several thousand yuan, and the maximum is only tens of thousands of yuan, and some are as low as a few hundred yuan. It also focuses on a "working hard" that can sell goods continuously for 365 days and 7×24 hours a day, without paying five insurances and one fund, let alone get commissions.

However, Chen Lei also admitted that after testing, "AI digital anchor" can indeed solve the anchor's manpower problem, but put forward higher requirements for operations. "If no one guides in the comment area and relying solely on digital anchors, it is actually difficult to achieve transformation."

Therefore, Chen Lei believes that "AI digital anchor" is not a top priority. We should look at it rationally at present. "It cannot completely replace people, it can only replace some 'novice' anchors."

Digital people bring new business opportunities

Recently, the Douyin platform released the "Platform Specifications and Industry Initiatives on Artificial Intelligence Generated Content", responding to popular public concerns such as virtual human live broadcasts, AI-assisted Generated Content, and whether traffic supports AI content, and corresponding constraints are made.

"The industry generally believes that this is the only pass issued by the platform, and the constraints also mean regulations. In the future, more platforms will follow up and express their attitude." Chen Lei said that "AI digital anchors" may usher in faster popularization.

Up to now, many major Internet manufacturers have entered the market. At the end of February this year, Tencent released the AI intelligent creation assistant "Tencent Smart Film", which focuses on everyone being able to create digital people; and as early as last year's Baidu World Conference, it proposed to achieve "one digital person per person". Business departments in Nanjing and other places have also launched digital people-related entrepreneurial plans to help merchants develop online.

Chen Lei also shared the business of digital anchors on his Moments. With a welfare price of 2,980 yuan, he can get the first use of 60 minutes and 20 shared digital anchors, and will also give away online learning courses and 1-to-1 technical service support.

"In the past, many concepts were a gust of wind, but the industry is generally optimistic about AI digital anchors." Chen Lei also boldly predicted that digital people may become the standard configuration of the company in the future.