AI-generated videos on Chinese social media
AI-generated videos are actively circulating on Chinese social networks, featuring lonely elderly women expressing their feelings of sadness over the absence of family. This new trend is actively used by parents trying to convince their children to get married. The videos are labeled as 'Generated by AI', highlighting their artificial nature and simultaneously creating an emotional impact on viewers.
The marriage crisis in China
In 2024, China recorded the lowest number of new marriages since 1980 — only 6.1 million. This figure indicates a growing problem with the number of marriages in the country, accompanied by a decline in birth rates. The number of newborns in 2024 was only 9.54 million, which also raises concerns in society.
Parents are trying to break the trend of 'lying flat' (tang ping), where the youth refuse career pursuits and traditional life goals. Currently, the use of AI videos has become not only a new means of self-expression for elderly women but also a tool for social pressure on the youth, aiming to revert to traditional family values.
This phenomenon reflects deep changes in Chinese society, where young people increasingly choose other priorities, leaving parents searching for ways to influence their decisions.
This trend indicates changes in the cultural context of China, where traditional family values are increasingly questioned by the younger generation. The growing number of AI-generated videos points to new modes of communication between generations and the potential use of technology to address social issues.
How the youth will respond to these parental appeals and whether this will lead to an increase in marriage rates remains a question that requires further analysis.