iQIYI's AIGC series 'The Ferry Man' surpasses RMB 8 million in revenue‑sharing, highlighting the monetization potential of AI‑generated content in China's streaming market
Executive summary: iQIYI announced that the cumulative revenue‑sharing for its AIGC series 'The Ferry Man' exceeded RMB 8 million as the third instalment debuted on October 1 2026. This milestone demonstrates that AI‑generated content can generate substantial revenue‑sharing returns, signalling growing investor and producer confidence in AIGC productions within China's streaming ecosystem.
Who is involved: iQIYI, its production partners, and viewers of the series.
Likely next: iQIYI may continue to release further instalments of 'The Ferry Man' and expand its AIGC content slate, while competitors assess similar AI‑driven series.
iQIYI announced that the cumulative revenue‑sharing earnings for its AIGC drama 'The Ferry Man' surpassed RMB 8 million when the third episode was released on October 1 2026. The figure represents the share of income distributed to production partners, calculated from viewership numbers and box‑office performance tied to the series.\n\nThis milestone shows that AI‑generated content can reach a level of commercial viability that matches that of conventionally produced dramas in China’s streaming market. By proving that an AIGC title can attract sufficient audience and advertising support to generate meaningful revenue shares, the result validates the economic case for integrating generative AI into content creation pipelines, potentially lowering production costs and shortening time‑to‑market.\n\nIn the near term, rival platforms and studios are likely to allocate more budget to experimental AIGC projects, testing similar revenue‑sharing structures and hybrid human‑AI workflows. Advertisers and regulators will monitor how the model scales, as broader adoption could reshape content supply chains and investment priorities across the industry.
What's next — scenarios
Base Case: Steady AIGC Monetization Growth (55%)
Media companies will allocate 10-15% of their pilot production budgets to AIGC-driven series by mid-2027 to lower content creation costs.
- At least two additional platforms announce revenue-sharing models for AIGC video content within 60 days.
- Production cost savings for subsequent AIGC episodes are reported to exceed 30%.
Upside: Rapid Regulatory Approval and Scale (25%)
Streaming platforms will accelerate AI-first content pipelines, doubling the release frequency of micro-dramas and squeezing traditional low-budget production houses.
- Government media agencies issue favorable guidelines or awards for AI-generated artistic works.
- 'The Ferry Man' surpasses RMB 20 million in revenue-sharing before the end of Q4 2026.
Downside: Viewer Fatigue and Cost Pressures (20%)
Investment in AIGC video will stall as audience retention drops after the novelty wears off, forcing platforms to revert to traditional human-led production.
- Viewership metrics for 'The Ferry Man' experience a sharp decline (>50%) by the final episodes.
- Production partners publicly complain about insufficient margins after accounting for underlying AI tool licensing fees.
What to watch
- Quarterly financial disclosures from iQIYI and competitors regarding AIGC project margins (Q4 2026)
- Audience retention rates and user reviews for subsequent episodes of 'The Ferry Man' (October-November 2026)
- New regulatory circulars concerning AI-generated video content in China's streaming sector (Next 90 days)
- Announcements of new AIGC drama slates by Tencent Video or Alibaba's Youku (Next 60 days)
Timeline
- — iQIYI AIGC Series "The Ferry Man" Exceeds RMB 8 Million in Revenue-Sharing as Third Instalment Debuts on October 1 (PR Newswire)
Analysis — what this means
Sectors affected
- Online entertainment streaming
- AI-generated content production
- Digital media licensing
Historical parallels
- Ancient Wushu Meets AIGC: How Cangzhou Is Reimagining Its Cultural Story (PR Newswire, Sept 28 2026)
- GeeLark Expands Its AIGC Suite and Opens AI Content Creation to Free Users (PR Newswire, Aug 28 2026)
Key entities
Sources
- iQIYI AIGC Series "The Ferry Man" Exceeds RMB 8 Million in Revenue-Sharing as Third Instalment Debuts on October 1 — PR Newswire
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