AI-generated content, or AIGC, is revolutionizing the short film industry by producing digital text, images, and videos, empowering creators to explore diverse styles and innovative content.
In late August, China Media Group (CMG) launched an AI-themed evening gala, displaying short videos entirely created with AIGC.
According to data, the event has attracted over 600 million views as of September 5.
Huang Zhongzhong, the creative partner of China-based AI creative studio Kling AI, was involved in producing one of the short films showcased at this event.
"Traditional film special effects require large investments and take a long time, but with AI, the process has become much easier. We completed this short film in about a week," said Huang.
According to Huang, the AI tool he used was advanced enough to create expressive visuals and natural movements.
"We had strict requirements for generating the first and last frame storyboards. Kling AI met our needs with consistent character modeling, detailed props, accurate scene reproduction, smooth transitions, and realistic physical movements," he said.
The AI-themed evening gala highlighted the rapid growth and potential of AI generated content in China.
"Since June 2024, Kling has grown its global user base to over 45 million. In the second quarter of 2025, Kling's revenue exceeded 250 million yuan (about 35.09 million U.S. dollars)," said Wang Ruoxuan, senior product operations manager of Kling AI.
"AI has become a valuable tool for filmmakers. It inspires more creators to experiment with different styles and content, fostering a vibrant and diverse market," said Liu Mengya, dean of the Digital Media School at the Beijing Film Academy.
AI-generated content transforms China's short film industry
The Sudan conflict now in its fourth year has pushed millions into poverty, even forcing some families to rely on animal fodder to survive.
Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023, following months of escalating tensions between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and head of Sudan's ruling council, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF commander and al-Burhan's former deputy.
Nearly 6.9 million Sudanese were pushed into extreme poverty in 2023 alone, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Currently, around 70 percent of the population are estimated to live in poverty in the country, compared with 38 percent before the war, said UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan Luca Renda.
At the Tawila Camp in North Darfur State, Salha Musa, a displaced widow from El Fasher, is struggling to provide her six children with minimal resources.
Water is available from wells, but other essential services are absent. Inflation and scarcity have forced families to rely on unconventional foods. Everyday staples have disappeared from local markets, leaving vulnerable families at risk of malnutrition.
"Since we arrived in Tawila a month ago, we've been suffering from a severe lack of services, except for water, which we draw from wells. We have no other services here, and we desperately need assistance. Our children aren't receiving an education, and I'm a nurse, but I can't find work," said Salha.
The UNDP warns that Sudan's economy has collapsed under the weight of the ongoing conflict, with GDP falling sharply and more than 13 million people displaced. Extreme poverty rates now surpass those of the 1980s.
"Life is incredibly difficult for us poor people. If we don't have money, what are we supposed to do? Will we starve to death? After the price of corn flour became so high, we stopped buying it. I don't know why they're raising prices or hoarding goods. Flour has completely disappeared from the markets here. After that, flour became expensive and unavailable," said Summia Ahmed, another displaced woman from El Fasher, adding that her family has even started relying on "Ombaz", a kind of animal fodder, as their food.
UNDP projections show that peace could lift millions out of extreme poverty, but delays and continued conflict risk locking the country into decades of low growth and deprivation.
For families like Salha's and Summia's, the road ahead remains uncertain, as conflict continues to dictate daily survival in Sudan.
Sudan conflict pushes millions into poverty
