Tencent Video’s Sun Zhonghuai: “The Next 12 Months Will Be a Critical Window for AI Feature Films

Tencent Video’s Sun Zhonghuai: “The Next 12 Months Will Be a Critical Window for AI Feature Films”

On December 4, the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival opened in Sanya, Hainan. During today’s main forum, Sun Zhonghuai — Vice President of Tencent and Chairman of Tencent Online Video — delivered a keynote speech centered on how AI is reshaping content production in the film and television industry.

Sun stated that generative AI is rapidly evolving from “toys” to “tools,” becoming deeply integrated into every stage of filmmaking. He believes AI is redistributing creative power across the industry, laying the foundation for what he calls a new renaissance in film and television production.

AI’s Immediate and Long-Term Impact

According to Sun Zhonghuai, AI’s short-term value lies mainly in cost reduction and efficiency improvements, making visual production faster, lighter, and more controllable. However, the true long-term potential lies in quality enhancement, enabling imagination itself to become calculable and scalable.

He pointed out two notable industry trends already validated by the market:

Short-form > long-form

Virtual content > live-action content

Short videos and animated content are adapting to AI far faster than traditional long-form and live-action productions.

Current Limitations of AI Video Technology

Despite rapid progress, Sun acknowledged that AI filmmaking still faces critical challenges:

Inconsistent visuals — As shot duration increases, character details drift noticeably, failing professional production standards.

Stiff performance details — AI-generated micro-expressions and movements still lack the emotional depth of human actors.

Limited resolution — Most AI-generated content remains at 1080p; true 4K, let alone theatrical-grade quality, is still out of reach.

He emphasized that no long-form AI film today meets full industry standards, and no company has yet built a stable, replicable AI production pipeline comparable to traditional film workflows.

However, Sun remains optimistic: AI’s iteration speed is collapsing these gaps. “Every three months, it rewrites creative possibilities,” he said, expressing confidence that these difficulties are temporary.

A Critical 12-Month Window for AI Feature Films

Sun Zhonghuai believes the industry is approaching a major inflection point. While a fully industrial-grade AI feature film has not yet emerged, multiple creators and studios are exploring this frontier. He predicts the next 12 months will be crucial for the first true AI feature films to appear.