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| Qi Wei Responds After AI Drama Trailer Sparks Debate Over Camera Angles and Costume Design. |
Qi Wei has officially stepped into the AI era, but her first digital drama project has already run into a very human problem: viewers have opinions. The Chinese actress unveiled her official digital double on 6 August, introducing Han Qingxia in the upcoming AI drama Endless Summer Apocalypse (末日盛夏).
The project was meant to showcase how performers and artificial intelligence could work together, yet its first teaser immediately attracted criticism over a low-angle opening shot beneath the character’s skirt and questions about whether the costume fits a post-apocalyptic survival story.
The scene quickly became one of the most discussed parts of the teaser, with viewers questioning why the camera needed to begin from such a low position and linger briefly before moving upwards.
Some felt the framing distracted from the introduction of Han Qingxia as a capable heroine in a dangerous world, while others argued that the criticism was being directed at a short promotional clip that was never intended to represent the finished series.
There was also criticism of the character's wardrobe. Han Qingxia appears in a short skirt with exposed legs and a cropped design despite being presented as someone navigating a post-apocalyptic environment.
For some viewers, the outfit raised an obvious practical question: if civilisation has collapsed and survival is the priority, why does the wardrobe department appear to have received a completely different memo?
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| Qi Wei’s AI Avatar Makes Debut in Endless Summer Apocalypse as Fans Question Creative Choices |
The reaction has not been universally negative, however. Some fans have welcomed Qi Wei's decision to experiment with AI rather than simply watching the technology develop from the sidelines.
Others are intrigued by the possibility of using digital performers to create large-scale action sequences, monsters and environments that would be enormously difficult and expensive to produce through conventional filming.
Qi Wei has also made it clear that she is not treating the project as a simple experiment in replacing herself with a computer-generated version.
Speaking to The Beijing News after the trailer was released, she described AI as something already happening rather than a distant development. Her argument is that actors and singers will not simply disappear; instead, their roles and working methods will be redefined.
Her decision to authorise the use of her likeness is particularly notable because she says the process was deliberate rather than something imposed on her.
According to the actress, she has spent around two years considering how Endless Summer Apocalypse could be adapted, testing different approaches including conventional filming, virtual production, mixed live-action and AI-generated imagery before settling on a more extensive AI-driven model.
The actress had already experimented with virtual versions of herself around a decade ago, when the technology required far more elaborate scanning processes.
She recalled having facial modelling work done and being photographed from hundreds of angles. Today, she said, the process can be achieved far more quickly using high-resolution images and dynamic video.
That does not mean creating a convincing digital double is effortless. Qi Wei admitted that one of the biggest challenges was making the character actually resemble her consistently. A completely fictional AI character only needs to look convincing.
A digital version of a real actress has a much higher standard to meet because viewers immediately notice when the face, movements or expressions stop looking like the person they know.
For Han Qingxia, the team has drawn from images and video of Qi Wei across different periods of her career. The actress has also participated in capturing key emotional and dramatic expressions, while her original voice forms the basis for an AI-assisted vocal performance adapted to the character.
Interestingly, Qi Wei does not intend for Han Qingxia to become the permanent name of her digital identity. She explained that Han Qingxia is simply the name of the heroine in Endless Summer Apocalypse. Her digital double could appear under different identities and designs in future projects, although the face would remain hers.
That distinction matters because Qi Wei views the digital version as more than a single character. She has described it as one part of a broader digital identity that could eventually appear across different forms of entertainment. In other words, Han Qingxia may have a post-apocalyptic shopping spree today and an entirely different career tomorrow.
The actress is also unusually outspoken about maintaining control over the process. She said her agreement involves limited licensing rather than permanently handing over ownership of her likeness.
She also retains approval and veto rights over the script and completed version of Endless Summer Apocalypse, partly because she is not only providing the likeness but is also involved in producing the project.
That approach reflects one of the biggest questions surrounding AI-generated entertainment in China: who actually controls a digital version of a famous performer once it exists?
Qi Wei argues that the answer needs to remain with the person whose career created the value in the first place. She compared the arrangement to other entertainment licensing deals, where usage has defined terms, boundaries and expiry dates rather than becoming an unlimited transfer.
She also acknowledged that a digital character is unlikely to belong to one person alone. Han Qingxia combines Qi Wei's likeness, the creative work of the production team, the character foundation created by the original author and the contributions of numerous other creators. If the project eventually becomes commercially successful, she believes those contributors should have a fair share of both revenue and rights.
That philosophy is also why she says she intends to be selective about future partnerships. Her concern is not simply whether AI can reproduce her appearance, but whether the material associated with that image is good enough to protect the reputation she has spent years building.
“If you authorise your image, you're not just authorising a face,” is essentially the message behind her argument. A recognisable performer brings an entire professional reputation with them, so allowing the likeness to appear everywhere without meaningful oversight could create problems that are much harder to fix later.
The actress is nevertheless realistic about where the technology could lead. She admitted that an AI version of herself may eventually perform actions she cannot physically do.
While watching the digital Han Qingxia, she said she found herself comparing the character's performance with her own, joking that there were moments where she thought she could act better, while admitting there were action sequences the digital version could handle far more easily.
That confidence comes with a dose of realism. Qi Wei said people can be confident without becoming blindly confident, particularly when technology is developing this quickly. A tool that looks impressive today may seem primitive surprisingly soon.
The production team is already learning that lesson. Endless Summer Apocalypse is still being refined, with the first season expected to arrive towards the end of 2026. Qi Wei said one of the biggest challenges is effectively trying to keep pace with AI development itself. Problems that previously took teams weeks to solve can suddenly disappear after a new model or technical update arrives.
That makes the project something of an unusual race. The filmmakers are not simply making a drama with a new production method; they are creating the drama while the technology itself continues changing underneath them.
The post-apocalyptic setting was chosen partly because it plays to AI's strengths. The original story involves huge survival sequences, monsters, chaotic shopping centres, large crowds and elaborate action.
One particularly ambitious sequence sees Han Qingxia moving through a collapsing shopping centre on roller skates while gathering clothing, luxury goods, food and entire shelves of supplies before standing in an emptied mall with a cold drink.
On paper, it takes only a few sentences to describe. On a conventional film set, it could send a production budget into a very uncomfortable conversation. With AI-generated environments and effects, the creators believe they can come much closer to the extravagant scale imagined by the original story without having to physically build every collapsing shelf and ruined city.
That is ultimately where Qi Wei sees the strongest case for AI. She does not want it to become a machine for producing cheaper versions of yesterday's dramas. Instead, she wants the money and time saved through technology to be redirected towards ideas, writers, directors and other creative contributors.
Fans, meanwhile, remain divided over whether Endless Summer Apocalypse is genuinely pioneering or simply another AI experiment looking for a story. Some are excited to see Qi Wei taking control of her digital likeness and testing what the technology can do.
Others remain sceptical, particularly after the teaser's controversial camera angle and costume choices. There are also viewers who think both sides have a point: the technology itself is fascinating, but impressive technical tricks cannot automatically make a good drama.
For now, Qi Wei appears determined to keep pushing forward rather than waiting for the AI conversation to settle down. She believes digital versions of performers could eventually exist alongside conventional acting, virtual entertainment and other forms of storytelling, with the performer still controlling where and how their likeness is used.
Whether Endless Summer Apocalypse becomes a genuine breakthrough or simply an ambitious first attempt remains to be seen. The teaser has certainly succeeded at one thing already: people are talking about it.
The bigger test will come when the finished series arrives later this year and viewers can decide whether Han Qingxia feels like the future of Chinese drama or simply a very expensive experiment that still needs a few more prompts. What do you think of Qi Wei's AI move and the controversial teaser — clever innovation, questionable creative choices, or a bit of both?