China has taken decisive action against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in creating misleading marketing content. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced on Friday that it has penalized a series of online accounts that utilized AI to impersonate public figures in livestreams and short videos. These accounts were found to be engaged in false promotion and online infringement, significantly harming the online ecosystem and generating negative impacts. The CAC has also urged online platforms to intensify their efforts in combating such activities, resulting in the punishment of over 11,000 impersonation accounts to date. The regulator emphasized its commitment to holding platforms accountable and maintaining a stringent enforcement stance against AI-enabled impersonation in livestream sales. A recent incident involving an AI-generated deepfake of Chinese actress Wen Zhengrong, used by unscrupulous merchants to impersonate her in livestream sales, sparked widespread online discussion. The deepfake was so convincing that it appeared as though Wen was simultaneously hosting multiple livestreams, promoting different products while wearing different outfits. The CAC’s actions underscore China’s proactive approach to regulating the ethical use of AI and protecting the integrity of online content.