The creators of BABYQUEEN, a Chinese girl group built with artificial intelligence (AI), admitted this month they faked member Mity's pregnancy to write her out and ease the load of running five virtual personas, drawing widespread criticism online.
Rather than simply retiring a character, the team reached for pregnancy and maternity leave, then conceded the explanation was inappropriate. The episode also opened a window into the economics of an AI idol industry now competing with real musicians and influencers for attention.
