Today we visited Studio76, a production and distribution company that gave us a glimpse into the evolving media industry in Taiwan and how AI is playing a huge role in that evolution. The company works in two main areas: first, the studio side, which produces TV shows and films; and second, the distribution side, where they license and sell content both domestically and internationally. They have a library of over 4,000 hours of content and have already earned recognition for eight award-winning series, including Kill for Love and You Have to Kill Me. Their shows span genres like horror, thriller, comedy, romance, BL (Boys’ Love), and sports drama.
One of interesting parts of the visit was learning about how censorship shapes their creative choices. In China and several other countries, restrictions are tight—BL content is outright banned, and violent scenes often get cut (like the 8 minutes removed from Kill for Love). To work around this, Studio76 sometimes retells stories with a gender swap to keep the plot interesting while avoiding censorship issues. They also prefer adapting mid-sized intellectual properties (IPs), since those bring less pressure and are easier to secure than well-known titles.
What really stood out, though, was how they’re using AI in partnership with a tech company called AIM2M to transform old movies and shows into webtoons. Traditionally, turning a show into a manga-style series could take nine months and cost $1,000,000 NTD. With their AI-assisted process, it only takes two weeks and cuts 70% of the costs. The AI can analyze scenes in 360 degrees, meaning it can even generate new angles and moments that weren’t originally filmed. For now, this tech is only being used in Taiwan, but they’re hoping to expand to Korea, Japan, and beyond. Honestly, I hate that we’re in this era of constant remakes—live-action this, book-to-movie that. I’m tired! It feels like originality is being pushed aside in favor of reboots and reimaginings, and while the AI webtoon project is impressive from a technical standpoint, a big part of me just wants to see more new stories instead of recycled ones. On top of that, it takes away from real artists. I get that artists can’t copyright a specific style—Studio Ghibli is already dealing with AI tools copying their distinct look—but that doesn’t make it right. Real artists should be hired to create this kind of work. Letting AI do most of it not only strips away the human touch that makes art meaningful, but it also puts actual artists out of jobs.
What I do like, however, is that they also use AI for translating and subtitling their content. While human editors still step in at the end, the bulk of translation is now done by AI in nine languages, including English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic. It’s a practical solution for a global media company trying to reach wider audiences more efficiently.
Visiting Studio76 made me reflect on how complex the future of media really is. On one hand, I admire how they’re adapting to technological change—using AI to subtitle in multiple languages makes their content more accessible and allows for faster international reach. But on the other hand, the use of AI in creative storytelling leaves me uneasy. While it’s efficient, it also raises real questions about the value of human creativity and what we lose when we let machines do the imaginative work. As someone who loves film and storytelling and is wary about the prominence of AI in our lives, I worry that we’re prioritizing speed, convenience, and profit over originality and artistry. Studio76 is clearly pushing boundaries and trying to innovate, but I hope that as the industry continues to evolve, there’s still room for human voices and new ideas that aren’t just reboots or generated content. Creativity shouldn’t be something we cut corners on!