A nationwide regulatory storm targeting animated micro-serials and AI-generated content is about to come. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has recently officially announced that a special governance campaign will be launched nationwide before March 2026, for the first time including all AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) works in a classified and tiered review system. This means that any AI-generated animation short video in the future, if not pre-reviewed and obtained a filing number, cannot be launched; existing compliant content that has already been launched must also complete a supplementary review by the end of March 2026, otherwise it will be forcibly removed.

This regulation directly targets the chronic problems in current online audiovisual content: vulgar jokes, distorted values, and abuse of children's characters. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television has clearly drawn multiple red lines:

It is strictly prohibited to use the image or voice of scandalous figures as creative materials;

It is strictly prohibited to conduct secondary subversive creations using well-known IP such as "Peppa Pig";

It is strictly prohibited to alter classic animation dialogues, inserting violent, pornographic, or adult language.

These behaviors are deemed to seriously harm the physical and mental health of minors and must be "zero tolerance" targeted. In fact, as early as September this year, the Beijing Cyberspace Administration had already launched a special campaign for the protection of minors online, cleaning up a large number of "modified" children's animation content. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's nationwide action marks the transition of regulation from local pilot projects to institutionalization and normalization.

AI-generated content becomes a new focus of regulation

With the popularization of AIGC technology, AI one-click generation of animated short videos has become a trend, but with it comes the risk of content control. Some creators use AI tools to quickly generate "borderline" content, using the name of classic characters to carry out vulgar marketing, forming a "traffic - monetization - removal - switch account and start again" gray cycle. The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television's inclusion of AIGC in the review scope means that the era of "AI-generated = no liability" has officially ended — technology can no longer be an excuse to avoid responsibility.

Market regulation vs. creative freedom? The industry is entering a period of restructuring

According to Omdia data, the global micro-short drama market is expected to reach 11 billion US dollars in 2025, with China contributing as high as 83%, becoming the core engine of the global micro-short drama ecosystem. However, behind the unbridled growth, issues such as content homogenization, value deviation, and copyright confusion have become increasingly prominent. Although this governance may temporarily suppress the activity of some creators, in the long run, it will drive the industry from "traffic-driven" to "quality-driven".

AIbase believes that the real purpose of regulation is not to suppress innovation, but to create space for quality content. When AI is no longer used to mass-produce "electronic trash", but becomes a tool to tell good stories and convey positive values, Chinese micro-short dramas will have the potential to upgrade from "hit factory" to "cultural export platform". March 2026 will be a key node in this transformation — those who comply will survive, those who cross the line will withdraw, and audiovisual content in the AI era must "act with benevolence".