BEIJING, July 11, 2025 — On July 10, iQIYI, China’s leading online entertainment platform, proudly announced the launch of the “Beyond Tools, Toward Teammates” AI Short Film Creation Competition. This worldwide initiative aims to inspire the next wave of storytellers to reimagine the possibilities of AI-driven video production. Organized by iQIYI International in collaboration with Google and ByteDance’s Volcano Engine, the competition seeks to hasten the adoption of cutting-edge AI creative tools for visual storytelling, empowering creators to innovate and discover efficient methods to streamline their creative workflow, allowing them to focus on artistic expression.
Registrations for the competition officially open on July 15th, inviting creators of all backgrounds and skill levels to submit original works. Submissions can range from Short Dramas and Short Animations to Vertical Micro Dramas, with no genre restrictions. Creators globally can register and submit their video entries via the official competition website before September 30th. Winners are scheduled to be announced in November.
“AI is transforming the creative process, and iQIYI is spearheading this evolution by integrating AI across our entire ecosystem. We perceive AI as a vital creative collaborator that boosts imagination and efficiency,” stated Wenfeng LIU, President of iQIYI’s Infrastructure and Intelligent Content Distribution Business Group. “The ‘Beyond Tools, Toward Teammates’ AI Short Film Creation Competition reaffirms our commitment to empowering creators and driving innovation throughout the entertainment industry through technology. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with creators worldwide to unleash AI’s boundless potential in storytelling and shape the future of content creation.”
Participants will gain exclusive, free access to advanced AI tools provided by Google and ByteDance’s Volcano Engine. This includes Google Veo 3, an AI video generation model, and the Volcengine platform, a cloud service that features its video generation model, Doubao Seedance 1.0 pro. The availability of tools may vary depending on the participant’s location to ensure compliance and optimal performance.
About the Competition: A Platform for Global Creativity
iQIYI encourages creators from all corners of the globe to participate in the competition, either individually or in teams of up to five, to demonstrate their talents. Submissions should be between 1 and 5 minutes in length, delivered in full HD (1080p or higher), and must utilize AI tools for at least 70% of their creative content. To reach a wide audience, all entries are required to include both Chinese and English subtitles.
A judging panel composed of a diverse mix of experts from academia, the entertainment industry, and media will evaluate each submission based on creativity, effective use of AI, production quality, emotional resonance, and originality. Finalists and winners will be publicly announced, with top entries showcased on the iQIYI International platform and receiving official promotional support.
Prizes include a grand prize of USD $3,000, three second-place awards of USD $1,500 each, five third-place awards of USD $600 each, and two special awards of USD $800 each for Best Creativity and Best Narrative. Additionally, multiple Excellence Awards will be granted, comprising certificates and promotional assistance to enhance winners’ visibility.
The competition provides dedicated support channels, expert-led training sessions, and clear guidelines on compliance and best practices, making it simpler than ever for creators to bring ambitious AI-driven stories to life.
Embedding AI Across Every Aspect of Entertainment
The “Beyond Tools, Toward Teammates” AI Short Film Creation Competition serves as a prime example of iQIYI’s overarching AI strategy, illustrating how iQIYI is integrating AI throughout the content creation process and beyond. By democratizing access to AI video creation tools within the competition, iQIYI is not only fostering experimentation and innovation among global creators but also reinforcing its dedication and leadership as a technology-driven pioneer in entertainment.
From content ideation and creation to production, distribution, and promotion, iQIYI has already implemented AI across the entire content lifecycle. Its proprietary AI tool – Imaging Studio – aids creators in generating concept posters, character designs, and scene layouts, having produced over 100,000 images in Q1 2025 alone. Furthermore, AI-powered platforms are capable of automatically generating diverse video and graphic content based on a deep understanding of storylines and audience engagement patterns. In the past year, one of its AI applications generated over 640,000 short videos, collectively achieving more than 10.8 billion views across various platforms.
iQIYI’s support for creators includes AI tools that streamline creative workflows, virtual production technologies that enhance filming efficiency and quality, and AI-driven personalized recommendations and virtual assistants that boost audience engagement.
For inquiries, contact: iQIYI Press,
SOURCE iQIYI Inc.