Wuhan Court Rules AI Production Costs Relevant in Copyright Cases

On September 28, 2026, a Wuhan court awarded 20,000 RMB (approximately $2,900) to a plaintiff in a copyright infringement case involving an AI-generated short drama. This ruling marks a significant development in China's copyright landscape, extending protections for AI-created works. The court determined that the drama qualified as a protectable audiovisual work because human employees made creative decisions throughout its production, asserting that 'the AI was just a tool.' This follows a 2023 Beijing court decision that granted copyright protection to an AI-generated image. The short drama was produced using AI tools in early 2026, and another company copied the work just one day after its release on WeChat. The ruling emphasizes the importance of maintaining records, such as scripts and project files, to demonstrate the creative input of human authors in AI-assisted projects.