AI Digital Humans Earn Millions on Livestreams: The Virtual Host Industry Booms
GMV from AI digital-human livestream commerce tops 100 billion yuan; 24/7 streaming becomes a brand staple as the industry chain takes off.
In 2026, AI digital-human livestream commerce boomed. Top digital-human hosts pull in over a million yuan in monthly GMV, and the whole industry chain exceeds 100 billion yuan.
A new generation of AI digital humans delivers natural expressions, lifelike voices and real-time interaction — viewers can barely tell them from real hosts. Brands can generate a bespoke digital-human persona in ten minutes for round-the-clock livestream selling, at roughly one-twentieth the cost of a human host.
Platforms such as Guiji Intelligence, HeyGen and Synthesia offer end-to-end solutions from persona generation and scriptwriting to real-time interaction. Douyin, Kuaishou and Taobao have all opened dedicated digital-human streaming zones. Regulators, however, now require digital-human streams to be clearly labeled to avoid misleading consumers.
This is an original analysis by the AI Tools Daily editorial team, based on publicly available information. Opinions are for reference only.