AI Short Drama Plagiarism of Dance Works: Creator Rights Protection Guide & China's First Criminal Case Analysis

On May 9, 2026, Bilibili classical-style photographer Yanshi-Guoguo published a video titled "AI Short Drama Plagiarized My Entire Dance Work," sparking nationwide discussion about AI content copyright boundaries. On the same day, People's Daily Online hosted an "AI Comic Drama and Short Drama Copyright Protection Seminar" in Beijing; and on May 7, China's first AI short drama infringement criminal case delivered its first-instance verdict—the defendant who recorded over 1,700 works for profit received an eight-month prison sentence.

Three events converging on the same day marked AI content copyright protection's formal transition from industry discussion to judicial practice. This article combines real cases and expert perspectives to provide creators with a complete rights protection guide.

I. Yanshi-Guoguo's Experience: When Dance Choreography Is Replicated by AI, Is It Infringement?

1. Incident Recap

Bilibili creator Yanshi-Guoguo (37,000 followers) stated in their video that a certain AI short drama used their original dance work's complete choreography without authorization. Comparison footage shows the AI-generated character's dance movements highly consistent with the original video's camera angles, rhythm, and positioning.

The video's tags include: #dance #artificialintelligence #noreposting #AIinfringement #originalcontentisnoteasy. It quickly gained traction after posting, with interaction data exceeding a thousand likes and saves by the evening of May 9.

2. Legal Classification: Dance Works Are Protected by Copyright Law

According to Article 3 of the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China, "dance, drama, quyi, and other artistic works" are statutory protected subjects. Core criteria include:

• Originality: Whether the choreography reflects the author's individualized expression (not generic dance step combinations)

• Reproducibility: Whether it can be fixed and disseminated (video recording satisfies this)

• Substantial similarity: Whether the AI-generated content's similarity to the original exceeds reasonable reference

Yanshi-Guoguo's dance work fully meets these criteria—the choreography is original and has been fixed as a video file. The AI short drama's unauthorized complete replication constitutes infringement.

II. China's First Criminal Case: AI-Generated Content Confirmed as "Work"

1. Verdict Details

2. Milestone Significance: First Judicial Confirmation of AI-Generated Content as "Work"

The prosecution and court clearly stated in the verdict:

"The AI short dramas in this case are not simple 'one-click generation' from keyword input, but the result of creators' deep involvement through original scripts, character design, plot arrangement, style prompts, and more. This process reflects human individualized conception and original expression, meeting the Copyright Law's standards for 'work' recognition and receiving legal protection."

This verdict carries triple legal significance:

1. AIGC content rights confirmation: First time AI-generated content with substantial human involvement is recognized as a "work"

1. Criminal red line established: Unauthorized recording, bulk bundling, and public sale of AI content for profit constitutes copyright infringement crime

1. Technology neutrality not applicable: Use of technical means (such as screen recording) cannot serve as an excuse to evade copyright responsibility

III. Complete Creator Rights Protection Guide: From Evidence Collection to Claims

1. Step One: Preserve Evidence (Golden 72-Hour Rule)

After discovering infringement, complete the following within 72 hours:

• Screen recording: Use screen recording software to fully document the infringing video playback (including URL, post time, likes, and other metadata)

• Blockchain notarization: Use platforms like "Rights Guardian" or "Notarization Cloud" for timestamp certification, approximately 50–100 yuan per use

• Notary office evidence collection: For high-value works (such as commercial dance in advertising), commission a notary office for on-site evidence collection, approximately 800–2,000 yuan

2. Step Two: Send Infringement Notice (Platform Complaint)

According to Article 14 of the Regulations on Protection of the Right to Network Dissemination of Information, written notices to platforms should include:

1. Rights holder's identity information and contact details

1. Ownership proof of the infringed work (such as original video files, creation process records)

1. Infringing content URLs and infringement facts

1. Clear request for removal or blocking

Bilibili complaint portal: https://ts.bilibili.com/, processing typically takes 3–5 business days.

3. Step Three: Attorney Letter Warning (Deterrent Effect)

For commercial infringement (such as AI comic drama companies using works en masse), commission a law firm to send a formal attorney letter. Core content includes:

• Infringement fact determination and legal basis

• Compensation amount calculation (referencing legitimate licensing fees or actual losses)

• Deadline for rectification (typically 7–15 days)

4. Step Four: Civil Litigation (Claims Path)

If negotiation fails, file a civil lawsuit with the court at the place of infringement or the defendant's domicile. Compensation is calculated in three ways:

Method 1: Rights holder's actual losses — applies to works with clear licensing contracts or sales data. Calculated by lost licensing fees during the infringement period; if your dance's legitimate licensing fee is 5,000 yuan/time and the infringer used it 10 times, the claim is 50,000 yuan.

Method 2: Infringer's illegal income — applies when the infringer's financial records are available (such as public platform revenue-sharing records). Calculated by ad revenue or paid viewing income generated by the infringing video. For example, if the AI comic drama earned 30,000 yuan in Douyin ad revenue, the court may award the full amount to the rights holder.

Method 3: Statutory damages — applies when the first two methods are difficult to prove. The court determines the amount based on work type, infringement circumstances, and subjective malice, ranging from 500 to 5 million yuan. Most cases in practice use this method, with typical awards usually within tens of thousands of yuan.

IV. Industry Pain Points: Why Is Rights Protection So Difficult?

Tang Haozhen, head of litigation and rights protection at China Literature, identified three core pain points in AI content copyright governance at the seminar:

1. Cross-Format Comparison Difficulty

"Creating infringement 'color palettes' between text works and audiovisual works is time-consuming and resource-intensive." For example, when dance choreography is converted to AI comic drama animation frames, frame-by-frame comparison is needed to confirm similarity. This requires massive human and material resources, with no automated comparison tools available.

2. Ambiguous Standards

The judicial boundary between "reference" and "infringement" remains unclear. Judicial standards differ from public perception—ordinary creators believe "identical movements mean plagiarism," but courts may rule it "fair use" or "independent creation."

3. High Costs, Low Returns

The process is complex (evidence → complaint → attorney letter → litigation), timelines are long (typically 6–12 months), and compensation amounts are limited (statutory damages usually within tens of thousands of yuan). Varying platform review standards further diminish actual protection effectiveness.

V. Prevention Over Protection: How Creators Can Prepare in Advance

1. Copyright Registration (Lowest-Cost Protection)

• China Copyright Protection Center: http://www.ccopyright.com.cn/, registration fee approximately 300 yuan/work, review cycle 20 business days

• Blockchain notarization platforms: Such as "AntChain" or "ZhixinChain," approximately 1–5 yuan per use, generating real-time timestamp certificates

2. Watermarks and Digital Fingerprints (Technical Protection)

Add invisible watermarks to published dance videos (such as steganography). Even after AI extracts the movements, the source can be traced. Some platforms already support automatic copyright detection, such as Bilibili's "Original Declaration" feature.

3. Standardized Licensing Contracts (Essential for Commercial Collaboration)

If allowing others to use dance works for AI training or adaptation, always execute written licensing agreements specifying:

• Scope of use (AI comic drama/short video/live streaming only)

• License term (typically 1–3 years)

• Revenue sharing ratio (per view or flat fee)

VI. Platform and Regulatory Response: Four-Party Collaboration to Strengthen Protection

The "AI Comic Drama and Short Drama Copyright Protection Seminar" proposed building a four-party collaborative protection system:

Judicial level (Supreme People's Court / National Copyright Administration): Improve laws and regulations, clearly define AI-generated content ownership and infringement standards; unify judicial standards and increase damage awards. The first criminal case verdict is a milestone in this direction.

Platform level (Bilibili/Douyin/Kuaishou etc.): Establish key IP early warning and AI proactive filtering mechanisms; simplify copyright complaint processes to improve protection efficiency. Bilibili's "Original Declaration" feature and 3–5 business day processing time are already industry benchmarks.

Industry self-regulation (AIGC industry associations/creator alliances): Implement mandatory labeling of AI-generated content so users can instantly identify AI-created works; establish training material licensing mechanisms to regulate the copyright chain at the data source. China Literature's proposed "whitelist system" can serve as a reference template.

Regulatory level (National Radio and Television Administration / Ministry of Culture and Tourism): Strengthen long-term copyright protection mechanisms and increase enforcement; develop industry standards and conduct special rectification campaigns. The surge in AI short drama infringement cases in Q1 2026 already demonstrates the urgency of regulatory intervention.

VII. Three Pieces of Advice for Creators

Yanshi-Guoguo said at the end of their video: "Original content is not easy—please respect every creator's hard work." Behind these words lies the frustration and persistence of countless people.

For creators currently facing AI infringement, here are three practical recommendations:

1. Evidence before exposure: Don't publicly accuse without first preserving evidence, to avoid counter-claims of defamation

1. Leverage platform rules: Platforms like Bilibili and Douyin have established copyright protection mechanisms; the complaint process is more efficient than litigation

1. Collective action reduces costs: When multiple creators face similar infringement, they can commission the same law firm for collective litigation, splitting costs

The first criminal case verdict has already sent a clear signal—technical means cannot serve as an excuse to evade copyright responsibility. For creators like Yanshi-Guoguo, the law is on your side.