Analysis: Southeast Asia Has a Big Audience for AI Micro Dramas, but Not Enough Paying Viewers

When Malaysian film distributor Teng Lee Yein traveled to Shanghai in June to learn about the business in China, she witnessed a mobile entertainment industry operating as if it was on fast forward.

Chinese tech and media companies were churning out AI-generated micro dramas for global markets, especially Southeast Asia, at production costs that were a fraction of those of live-action shows.