Virtual Idols Embrace the AI Moment: From Costly to Profitable
Viral Song "No Backbone" Sparks Cross-Strait AI Idol Boom
Source: 剁椒Spicy（ID: ylwanjia） | Image: Midjourney
A catchy track titled "No Backbone" went viral across the Chinese internet in October, transforming a parliamentary clip of Taiwan politician Wang Shijian into a meme hit. Originally written by musician Wang Bo, the lyrics were pulled directly from Wang’s legislative questioning.
The band Innokids reworked the song into a female vocal–guitar track, adding politically charged lines and propelling it into official media coverage from China News Service, China Taiwan Net, Xinhua, and People’s Daily.
Xinhua reposts Innokids’ "No Backbone" version
In just a few days, the song reached 2 million views on Douyin and amassed 200 million+ cross-platform plays. This phenomenon reflects the AI-fuelled resurgence of virtual idols in 2025.
---
Global AI Idol Rise in 2025
AI-powered virtual idols have exploded worldwide:
- Innokids and their hit “No Backbone” in China
- Yuri (SURREAL) by Hanqing Studio – over 7 million plays
- LOHO 乐活乐队 founded by ex-Tencent exec Huo Jin, choosing an anime-style AI idol path
- U.S. producer Timbaland’s TaTa, launching the “A-Pop” genre
- Korea’s virtual boy band PLAVE – 1M+ albums and sold-out concerts
AI idol TaTa
PLAVE virtual boy band
These AI idols are no longer motion-capture avatars but AI-native creations, reinventing content pipelines, fan interaction, and monetization models.
剁椒Spicy interviewed Ma Chao (Innokids) and Huo Jin (LOHO) for an inside look at how AI is powering this new wave.
---
How AI Is Rebuilding the Virtual Idol Pipeline
Hyper-realism wins audiences
> “99% of users think we’re real people. If this is AI, some said it feels heartbreaking,” — Ma Chao
Innokids’ human-style idols blur reality so convincingly that many users can’t tell they’re AI-generated. Under Yuri’s SURREAL MV, audiences reported zero “uncanny valley” sensation.
Anime-style strategy
LOHO 乐活 sticks to anime-styled IP, continuing League of Legends-tier worldbuilding and art, but replacing traditional tools with AI.
> “Human-style AI idols make audiences focus on the AI itself; anime-style shifts attention to the work’s quality,” — Huo Jin
---
AI Democratization: Lowering Cost & Time Barriers
Key breakthroughs:
- Music models (Suno, Udio) – original songs in hours
- Video tools (Sora, Keling, Jimeng) – MV production faster than ever
- AI now enables individuals to manage all production phases once handled by multiple specialists
Ma Chao’s process:
- AI generates dozens of song versions.
- He selects the best melodies & instrument sections.
- He splices phrases like assembling LEGO.
- Manual mixing refines the final track.
> “We don’t have a single song purely AI-generated. Human aesthetics are key.”
---
AI Virtual Band — LOHO 乐活
AI has cut production costs by up to 90%, compressing cycles from months to days.
This is a creative revolution, not just tool evolution.
---
Avoiding AI "Junk Music"
Ma Chao warns of low-quality “plastic” songs flooding platforms:
> “We must avoid producing electronic garbage.”
He stresses:
- Invest in lyrics that tell resonant stories.
- Use AI as inspiration, not a final product.
- Keep human taste and values central.
---
From “Paper Characters” to “Soulmates”
Tech alone isn’t enough; emotional depth makes idols live in public memory.
Example: K-POP: Demon Hunting Girl Group incubated virtual idol groups with full backstories — enabling strong fan bonds.
Innokids’ Yingzi persona:
- Realistic life in Beijing
- Engages with social topics
- Downplays AI identity to let the content lead
“Yingzi” & Innokids founder Ma Chao
---
LOHO's Futuristic IP Worldbuilding
LOHO's narrative:
- Set 50 years in the future
- Two factions:
- Resonators – embrace AI integration
- Discrepants – defend human uniqueness
Rich worldbuilding → Disney/Marvel-style longevity.
---
Monetization: From Burning to Earning
Main Channels
- Music Royalties – steady but not standalone income
- Brand Endorsements – market validation (Yuri x The North Face)
- Virtual Concerts & Merchandise – new growth blue oceans
- IP Derivatives – expanding into MP3 collections, blind boxes
Yuri x The North Face
---
Virtual Concert Potential
From Hatsune Miku’s Project SEKAI ($800M in four years) to live-stream tips, the model is proven.
Offline concerts possible; online formats need:
- 90–120 min AIGC video
- Special live song remixes
---
Emerging Supporting Platforms
Tools like AiToEarn官网 help creators:
- Publish AI content cross-platform (Douyin, YouTube, X, Instagram, etc.)
- Track model performance with AI模型排名
- Connect generation → publishing → analytics → monetization
---
K‑POP: Witch‑Hunting Girl Group
---
Looking Ahead: Symbiosis of Real & Virtual
> “The future is coexistence — AI-empowered human creators and human‑empowered AI idols.” — Ma Chao
Winners will:
- Master storytelling
- Create emotionally resonant IP
- Blend artistry & technology
Chinese teams are now competing globally with unique aesthetics and tech power.
---
Key Takeaways:
- AI reshapes the content pipeline, lowering cost/time barriers.
- Human refinement & storytelling remain crucial.
- Monetization demands mixing royalties, brand collabs, merch, and events.
- Platforms like AiToEarn bridge creation and monetization globally.
- The boundary between real and virtual will continue to blur — the most impactful idols will feel alive.
---
Would you like me to also convert this into a concise executive summary with bullet points for faster reading? That would make this article even easier to digest for decision-makers.
