Digital workers turn heads as they promote products

Streaming services

But as capable as AI is, experts have said it will not completely replace humans.

Zhu Yongxiang, a professor at Communication University of Zhejiang who has been following the development of livestreaming services in China, said, "Digital human livestreamers have advantages and limitations.

"Based on the current technological level, virtual hosts might be considered more suitable for brand promotion, as they can perform the repetitive tasks required of human hosts. But as the underlying logic of livestreaming services is trust, it will be difficult for digital personalities to build trust with an audience."

Tao shares the same view.

"For the time being, there is really no way for digital human livestreamers to replace real humans in establishing trust with fans, but AI-generated content is evolving so rapidly that I dare not make any presumptions about what might happen in the future," Tao said.

Data from iiMedia Consulting show that 948 newly registered companies offered livestreaming services last year.

Some 47.5 percent of the users surveyed believe that human livestreamers and virtual ones will coexist in the future. In addition, the demand for virtual hosts is expected to be as high as 9 million in 2025, the data show.

Ye said the use of digital employees also comes with its own set of challenges.

On the one hand, such employees must have access rights to data systems to operate like human workers, Ye said. On the other hand, giving digital employees equal status as human workers can have serious repercussions, as the former are not accountable for their actions.

"Digital employees can be both capable and dangerous if their application is not well regulated and controlled," Ye added.