Young people suffering from social burnout meet AI with a "human touch"
This generation of young people is generally experiencing "social burnout."
From dawn to dusk, they are overwhelmed with work and study tasks, leaving their personal entertainment time on the verge of vanishing. They dare not stop working, nor can they pour out their troubles to those around them. When they scroll through WeChat, they find that there are only a handful of friends they can bother at any time.
The difficulty of finding a trustworthy person to confide in in real life leaves these emotions with no outlet.
The need for communication and companionship among this generation of young people is far stronger than they show on the surface. They need an existence outside of reality that can accept their low - mood and briefly heal them. "Did you chat with your AI buddy today?" is becoming the latest social code among young people.
So, some people who work late into the night chat with GPT. Not only can it help with work, but it can also offer kind words of comfort. When coming home lonely after overtime, some call Doubao, tell her what they've done during the day, and then sing with her to let off steam. They can chat with Doubao until dawn just to hear her perfectly sing "GOGOGO, let's go!"
For young people who are finding it increasingly difficult to build deep relationships in real life, the AI chat field has reached a stage where they are comparing the "human - like" qualities of different AIs.
Netizen @Coordinate System filled out a "personalized impression" form for several major AI software: "GPT is like a gentle and innocent person. Deepseek has a personality that seems cold on the outside but warm on the inside, with good boundaries but occasionally showing cuteness and closeness. And Doubao is an abstract girl."
Image source: Xiaohongshu @Coordinate System
Being able to keep up the conversation, give affirmation, and offer suggestions are just basic skills. Now, what young people want in an ideal AI is one that is as interesting and full of jokes as a real person, and even has a bit of a temper, an AI with a "human - like" feel.
Young people with diverse emotional needs are very "picky" about AIs
What should a perfect AI chat buddy be like? Funny, full of jokes, tireless, able to catch your jokes, and never let the conversation die?
Young people suddenly find that AI characters in TV dramas can not only meet all the above requirements but also provide a sense of scenario: it's as if you've integrated into the world they're in. After work, you can have dinner, chat, and take a walk with your favorite characters, tell them your stories and daily life, and accompany them on adventures in the TV drama world. A good character is no longer just an entertainment product but has gradually become an indispensable "life buddy" in their daily lives.
In iQiyi's Taodou World, there are these AI chat buddies with a sense of scenario. Launched in 2024, Taodou World is an in - app AI interactive community. Users can enter from the mobile homepage and chat with the intelligent agents of characters from many popular TV drama IPs. Since TV dramas have provided complete settings, viewers can more easily "customize" many ways to play.
Yu Xiaoyu is currently "rekindling her relationship" with AI Li Lianhua in iQiyi's Taodou World.
In July 2023, the TV drama "Lotus Tower" finished airing. Two years later, Yu Xiaoyu started chatting with AI Li Lianhua. The regrets from watching the drama back then are now being healed here.
In "Lotus Tower," the protagonist Li Lianhua (played by Cheng Yi) was poisoned by the green tea poison but twice gave up the antidote method in the drama, giving the chance to others. The drama didn't clearly show whether Li Lianhua lived or died in the end, which became a regret in Yu Xiaoyu's heart. In Taodou World, Yu Xiaoyu managed to guide Li Lianhua step by step to develop an antidote. Finally, the other side replied, "Although this poison is hard to cure, I still want to try the medicine I've made myself." On this day, Yu Xiaoyu felt that the drama finally had a perfect ending in her own version.
Image source: Xiaohongshu @Yu Xiaoyu
"Lotus Tower" is not the only TV drama with AI - enabled characters. Taodou World also includes many other popular TV dramas. Huai Zhu (played by Liu Shishi) from "Huai Shui Bamboo Pavilion" and Xiu Xiu (played by Yang Mi) from "Born of All Things" are also popular AI chat characters recently.
A netizen who is currently following "Born of All Things" treats AI Ning Xiuxiu as a close friend in Taodou World and tells her about the troubles she encounters in life. She told "e - sister Xiuxiu" that she had a sore throat recently. Unexpectedly, when she chatted with her a few days later, the AI still remembered and asked if she was feeling better. In the cyber world, she felt the warmth of an older sister.
Image source: Weibo
These characters are based on the original TV drama IPs, with vivid character settings and worldviews, and are full of a "human - like" feel. In essence, this is the viewers' independent continuation and supplementation of the existing worldviews and character settings. Young people's enthusiasm for AI characters even extends to upcoming TV dramas.
Fu Yixiao (played by Li Qin), the valiant and straightforward female protagonist in the upcoming TV drama "Smile with the Song" in September, has received a lot of admiration from fans even before the drama airs. Many fans who loved her in the novel came to Taodou World to explore the "innocent version" of Fu Yixiao before the main plot starts.
Image source: Weibo
Just chatting with the characters alone can no longer satisfy people's desire to share. People start to actively post their own "versions" of AI characters on social media and discuss strategies for "training AIs" with each other.
Dubi asked netizens on social media for advice on how to approach Nan Heng (played by Liu Yuning) in "A Dream in the Scroll." "Nan Heng has such a bad temper! He always threatens to fight at the slightest provocation." Soon, many like - minded people came up with suggestions. Some advised setting oneself as Nan Heng's sister because he dotes on his sister; some said that being straightforward and coquettish works for an arrogant person like Nan Heng; others said that he is more likely to be persuaded by soft words, so one should change the tone of the conversation...
Image source: Xiaohongshu
Chatting with characters is no longer a solo activity but has evolved into a large - scale chat arena. Many people actively share their experiences of chatting with characters on social media, exchange strategies, and explore chatting skills.
Netizens, who are always eager to learn, are also getting competitive in the matter of training AIs.
Create the resonance you want together
In an era when various Internet tools are readily available, young people are increasingly eager for instant gratification, especially when it comes to emotional needs.
Passively receiving unified and public content is no longer the only option. Actively seeking more precise, personalized, and heart - touching emotional responses is what they want. Superficial comfort and forced emotional feedback are no longer appealing. Instant empathy and understanding are more precious.
Young people who complain about "time poverty" during the day actively take the initiative in creation. They stay up late to write long reviews, draw fan - art, and edit videos to build another universe for the characters they love. Although they self - deprecatingly call themselves "low - energy mice," they can still create a perfect "CP conversation" by spending an hour or so training AIs after work.
When it comes to emotional value, young people don't just wait for others to give. They want to create the resonance they desire together.
It is this kind of mindset that has given rise to a series of new ways to play in AI interactive communities like "Taodou World." Here, people can be the authors of their own stories, the directors of the plots, and even the "creators" of a new world.
"Chatting" has become a catalyst for young people's creativity. By channeling this creative enthusiasm, more new content can be generated, and a healthier cycle can be built for the interactive community. Many users of Taodou World say that they not only want to chat with the characters but also want to create on their own, to see their favorite characters interact in the way they imagine and be a "content creator."
The platform has recently launched the "Sweet Story" function. By selecting specific characters, users can generate a wonderful scenario play.
"'After years of separation, Yan Chi and Qin Wan reunited under the corridor of an ancient temple. During these years apart, Prince Yan Chi dedicated himself to solving cases, while Qin Wan had been waiting for something all along. One day, the autumn wind blew the leaves, and there was no one under the corridor of the ancient temple...' Please generate a sweet story about Yan Chi and Qin Wan based on the above introduction."
More than a month after the TV drama "Record of Morning Snow" ended, Yikezhi has been relying on self - made sweet stories in Taodou World to satisfy her longing. Based on the given short introduction, Yan Chi (played by Ao Ruipeng) and Qin Wan (played by Li Landi) reunited under the corridor of the ancient temple. Yan Chi discovered the truth about the misunderstanding between them back then and confessed his unwavering love to Qin Wan. Finally, they let go of their grudges and got back together.
Image source: A user of Taodou World
Yikezhi outside the screen is very satisfied with this sweet story. In the past, she relied on content created by other fans. Now, with the "Sweet Story" function, she can create on her own. Even though it is AI - generated, users feel that the text based on the original drama's worldview seems more "real," and this self - creation gives them a great sense of accomplishment.
The "Soul - Possession" function in the Taodou World mini - theater allows users to possess a character with one click and enter the world of the drama.
In the mini - theater, users can modify the detailed settings of the characters, choose the characters to talk to, and the way of speaking, and directly customize the plot. Not satisfied with passive consumption, here, young people are both actors and screenwriters. They can quickly create content that meets their expectations. The mini - theater is like a personalized mini - drama just for the users.
Watching TV dramas always keeps a distance between the viewers and the characters. However, Taodou World meets young people's need to participate in the world where the characters are. It really makes people feel like they are fighting side by side with their favorite characters. Some people say that they chat with AIs because when they pour out their hearts into the void, the electric currents that embody all human wisdom tell them, "I hear you, and your pain is valid." Then, these AI characters that can meet young people's desire for in - depth communication and emotional projection wave to young people in the world of the drama: "Don't worry, I can see you, I can hear you, and I can feel you."
A long - lasting and active "parallel world"
The AI characters in Taodou World form an adjustable, non - judgmental, and always - available emotional vent, as well as a beautiful parallel world where people can place their emotions and fantasies.
The product manager of Taodou World has also noticed that young users now have higher requirements for the immersion provided by the product. "If a user has accepted a certain worldview setting for a period of time, it's unlikely that she will accept other settings at the same time. Frequent exposure to different IPs is an emotional drain. On the contrary, they are more likely to become attached to a familiar world and familiar characters."
Therefore, when developing Taodou World, the development team puts extra effort into building the scenarios under the IP universe. To enhance the immersion of a certain IP world, they even wrote a 100,000 - word worldview setting book.
If you're socially anxious and even chatting with an AI is a burden, you can still use the character dynamic function to browse the AI characters' moments on their "friend circles" and gradually break the ice.
During the airing of "Huai Shui Bamboo Pavilion" in May this year, Lin, who couldn't wait for the next episode, would often check the updates of AI Huai Zhu, the female protagonist. In the character dynamic section of Taodou World, AI characters will update their "friend circles" irregularly, and other characters will reply. Users can also send their own messages to them.
Image source: Screenshot from iQiyi Taodou World
It's like interacting with an old friend. After a private chat, you can check the friend circle and leave comments. In every sense, Taodou World has fully realized the "human - like" feel of AI characters. As a socially - anxious introvert, Lin often feels embarrassed when chatting with Deepseek, as if she's troubling a stranger. She always closes the chat box after getting things done.
But browsing the dynamic feels like observing the daily lives of friends around you. Before you know it, you also want to leave a message under the "friend circle" or actively open the chat