Citi: AI short-drama supply is surging. Why does Citi prefer platforms, IP and tools?
China released 13 times as many short dramas in the first eight months of 2026 as in all of 2025, but advertising budgets and viewing time have not kept pace with the expansion in supply, putting pressure on producers’ profits. Citi believes returns are more likely to accrue to businesses controlling traffic, quality rights and generation tools; opportunities to cut costs in long-form series and films are constrained by content quality and the costs of existing projects.