Named "Dong Dong," the virtual idol, a
computer-generated character, is "a passionate, Beijing-born 22-year-old
woman who loves winter sports," according to Alibaba's description.
Since early February she has appeared in nightly broadcasts
via Taobao Live, Alibaba's livestreaming services.
In her hours-long livestreaming sessions, Dong Dong can be
seen sharing bits of Olympics-related trivia, promoting Olympics-related
merchandise, and dancing.
Dong Dong was created by DAMO Academy, Alibaba's research
arm for advanced technology.
Virtual idols have gained massive popularity in China over
the past few years. Chinese consultancy iiMedia estimated that the virtual idol
market in China would reach a value of CNY 6.22 billion in 2021.
Among the most famous virtual idols is Luo Tianyi, a pop
singer with over 5 million followers on China's Twitter-esque social media site
Weibo.
Created by Shangha-based Shanghai-based Henian Information
Technology, Luo Tianyi performed an original Olympics-themed song during the
run-up to the games. © Reuters
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