BEIJING: A member of a Chinese AI-generated girl group has sparked online backlash after announcing she was pregnant.
She said she would temporarily leave the group to rest and recover, prompting criticism that the creators were using women's real-life experiences as a publicity stunt.
Mity, also known as Kim Min-ti, is part of BABYQUEEN, a five-member virtual girl group styled after South Korean pop acts.
The group announced on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu that Mity was "expecting a baby" and would take temporary maternity leave.
They added that her return would depend on her "physical condition".
The announcement asked fans to be understanding and send their blessings, while refraining from excessive speculation about the virtual idol's private life.
Mity subsequently posted an apology on the group's social media account, saying her personal circumstances had affected the group.
"I'd first like to apologise, as my personal issues have affected the group," she wrote, adding that she had "recently confirmed her pregnancy" and would take a break to "focus on resting".
The post quickly drew disbelief and ridicule online, with users questioning how an AI character could become pregnant.
One commenter asked: "What exactly does it even mean for an AI girl group member to be pregnant?"
Another joked: "Even AI has to get pregnant now? Human civilisation is doomed!"
The controversy worsened when BABYQUEEN released a teaser for a new song featuring its four remaining members just an hour after Mity's statement appeared.
The timing led people online to accuse the creators of using a fake pregnancy to drum up publicity for the new single.
Critics also argued that using pregnancy and childbirth as a dramatic plot point trivialised genuine female experiences.
Beyond the jokes, the backlash raised serious questions about ethics in AI entertainment and the trend of virtual idols fabricating realistic personal lives.
Amid the criticism, a creator behind the project admitted that the story was simply a way to reduce their workload.
"As I am unable to manage all these AI characters by myself, I thought of removing some of them," she explained. "That's why I chose this inappropriate reason to have Mity leave the group."
The creator, who mentioned she was a student, acknowledged that using a pregnancy as an excuse was a poor decision.
The team behind the group also spoke about the pressure of running the project, explaining that as students, they had not yet made any money from their work and were now facing online harassment and personal attacks.
The incident highlights the growing challenges for creators of virtual entertainers.
While AI idols can build fanbases and promote music or brands, BABYQUEEN's stunt has sparked a broader debate about whether fictional storylines cross an ethical line when they turn sensitive human experiences into marketing tools.
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