Despite the backlash and removal of the courses, there are indications that the restrictions could be reversed. The accounts of these AI course creators have not been permanently deleted and some have regained the ability to receive new followers. While the Chinese government has not directly addressed the issue, it has been tightening regulations on the livestreaming industry in recent years. Meanwhile, pirated versions of the courses are being resold on social media at a fraction of the original price.
Key takeaways:
- Chinese social media platforms have started to suspend, remove, or restrict the accounts of influencers who have been selling AI courses, following complaints about the quality of the courses and difficulty in obtaining refunds.
- One of the most successful of these influencers, Li Yizhou, sold his courses over 250,000 times last year, potentially generating over $6 million in revenue.
- All of the classes by Li and other AI gurus have been removed from Chinese social media and e-commerce websites, and their accounts have been hidden from search results or blocked from gaining new followers.
- Despite the backlash and restrictions, there are signs that the restrictions could be reversed, as the accounts of these influencers have not been permanently deleted and some have regained the ability to receive new followers.