AI is revolutionizing China's mid-year online shopping extravaganza with virtual avatars taking center stage. For instance, JD.com has introduced an AI avatar modeled after its founder, Richard Liu, who hosted a livestream event. In just under an hour, the AI avatar attracted over 20 million views and drove sales surpassing 50 million yuan. This strategy isn't limited to JD.com alone; various online retailers are deploying digital anchors that mimic human voices, expressions and gestures.