It was pure luck.
Anyone who has written Chinese science fiction knows that the current Chinese sci-fi market is highly competitive, but 80% of the market belongs to Liu Cixin. The remaining 20% is usually unread by anyone. There are few opportunities and intense competition, and readers are nowhere to be found. Therefore, many science fiction authors are confused, even paralyzed by uncertainty.
They don’t dare write far-future science fiction because it’s challenging to sell film and TV rights. They don’t dare write strong-concept alternate worlds because they fear readers won’t understand, so everything must be grounded in Earth and Mars. They don’t dare write new narrative modes because they assume readers are stupid and don’t treat readers as adults. In short, they can’t write anything.
Then, when writing, there’s no way out, especially for novels – there’s no outlet except writing for whatever competitions exist. Writing for competitions often makes it difficult to guarantee 100% sincerity, so the works produced tend to lack soul. Without a soul, they first fail to move the author and thus cannot move readers either.
Therefore, before encountering AI, I had already decided to first translate my novel-length science fiction into English and self-publish on Amazon KDP to build up some popularity, then figure out how to return to Chinese science fiction. Not because I look down on Chinese sci-fi but purely because I had no opportunities.
The novels I write with Chinese protagonists need to be published in English first – this is regrettable. But this was the only method I could think of. Publishing Chinese science fiction novels requires specific data. But if the books aren’t published, how can there be data? I had to take the long way around to find the data.
Everything was lifeless and stagnant until I encountered AI. AI filmmaking is simply too suitable for science fiction adaptation – once I saw it, I had to dive deep into it.
The first problem – not daring to write far-future science fiction – was immediately resolved. Previously, making a far-future sci-fi film would cost billions of yuan. Now, one person with one computer can create a decent far-future science fiction spectacle for just a few thousand yuan. And the spectacle is one of the core elements of science fiction novels.
Even though current AI cannot truly replace CG, it has already reached levels previously unimaginable. Far-future science fiction takes place in a world completely different from today’s Earth – this world requires an absolute atmospheric feel. Perhaps existing AI cannot create consistent spaceships, but creating an atmospheric feeling is absolutely feasible.
Furthermore, science fiction writing typically emphasizes concepts over emotions. This also aligns with current AI. Current AI filmmaking cannot compete with live-action short dramas because it has no advantage in terms of cost or time. It has even less advantage in expressing intense emotions.
However, since many people have recognized the opportunities for science fiction adaptation in the AI era, the current domestic AI science fiction quality varies significantly, and there’s even homogenization in artistic style and narrative storytelling. Sometimes, it’s just concept stacking without substantial content.
The reason I constantly emphasize computational universe science fiction on my public account is because this is my true intention. I want to use AI to visualize my novels, allowing more people to intuitively experience the computational universe. This isn’t a tech media account but an author’s account.
I want to share the creative process behind the Computational Universe because there’s a unique beauty in seeing it unfold. During the Renaissance period, patrons who funded artists could also observe the creative process and become friends with the artists. This is a unique experience.
AI can help science fiction authors directly film their own works, bypassing intermediaries and directly reaching science fiction audiences and readers. This was previously unimaginable. Without needing to sell film and TV adaptation rights, science fiction authors can adapt their own works.
For the first time in history, Chinese science fiction authors can identify their readers and understand their audience. No more guessing at readers’ thoughts, no more imagining all readers as intellectually inferior. No, science fiction is a genre of literature that explores different societies emerging from technological civilization.
Moreover, science fiction is also about creating worlds. Strong world-building IPs have new possibilities for cost reduction thanks to AI. The science fiction I write never takes place on Earth but in the computational universe, where the universe itself is a giant computer. If you didn’t know the true meaning of the Computational Universe before, now you do.
I know what I want to write is fantasy literature, whether science fiction or fantasy – I chose science fiction only because I was once a programmer with a closer affinity to computer science. Since AI can now allow Chinese science fiction authors to reach readers, we must give readers something truly hardcore.
Follow me and explore AI filmmaking together.
