AI is becoming part of soap opera storylines and in-show ads

In short: Soap operas are increasingly putting AI into the story itself, and in some cases, turning it into a branded feature inside the show.

What's going on

For years, artificial intelligence in soap operas mostly stayed behind the camera. Writers and producers used it as a helper for tasks like drafting scripts, matching characters to scenes, supporting casting choices, and planning how to keep viewers watching. In other words, AI was a tool for making the work faster, not something the characters talked about.

That is changing in some markets, including South Korea and India. Some recent Korean drama storylines show characters using AI chatbots (a computer program you can talk to, like texting a help desk) as part of everyday life. One example mentioned in reporting is Nice to Not Meet You, where a main character asks an AI chatbot for advice on career choices, fashion, and grooming.

In India, the shift goes beyond plot and into advertising that is built into the story. Reporting about Zee TV describes Google Search’s AI Mode appearing inside the fictional world, with characters using it to make routine decisions. The reporting frames this as “prompt placement,” meaning the show is not just showing a logo, it is showing the act of asking an AI tool questions, like a tutorial woven into the drama.

What to watch

AI is also being used to make some soap-style content faster, especially short, phone-first dramas, with AI assisting or generating scripts, dialogue, images, animation, and music. As more shows treat AI like a normal part of life on screen, viewers may see more storylines, and more in-story branding, that teaches people how to use these tools.

Source: NYTimes