Chinese women are increasingly using AI-generated videos of homeless men inside their homes to test their partners’ affection, a trend raising concerns over the misuse of AI content.
On social media platforms, some women said they created images and videos showing vagabonds entering their homes or being offered food, then sent them to their husbands or boyfriends to see their reactions. Some posts went viral, receiving hundreds of thousands of likes.
In one case on October 17, a woman in Anhui province sent AI-generated images to her husband while he dined out. Believing the images were real, he called the police. Officers arrived to find the footage was entirely AI-generated and warned the woman that she was “fear mongering” and wasting public resources.
Other similar pranks led to neighbors or property managers being called, prompting legal consequences. Lawyer Zhou Zhaocheng explained that under China’s Public Security Administration Punishment Law, sending such AI content can result in up to 10 days in custody and a 500-yuan fine. If it spreads widely and causes panic, offenders could face up to five years in prison for fabricating false information.
Critics on social media condemned the pranks, warning they undermine trust and public safety. While AI-generated content is increasingly used in advertising—such as videos featuring Chinese Olympic champions or TV hosts promoting products—the rise of prank content highlights the risks of unregulated AI media.
Authorities have begun cracking down on misleading AI-generated promotions, including a recent case in Beijing involving fake fish oil ads.
