Rice bowls taken away! Short-drama actors become the first casualties of AI technology

What happened

Two veteran Chinese internet figures — Zhou Hongyi (周鸿祎) of 360 Group (Qihoo 360, 奇虎360) and Fu Sheng (傅盛), chairman and CEO of Cheetah Mobile (猎豹移动) — were the center of a brief but public spat this week that ended in an abrupt apology. It has been reported that on March 20 Fu posted in multiple WeChat groups accusing Zhou of owing money, reportedly claiming the sum was at least 100 million yuan, with screenshots of the messages circulating online. 360 Group responded the same day saying it has preserved evidence and would pursue legal remedies against what it called falsehoods; the company also said it was focused on products, not online drama. Two days later Fu published a long apology on his personal social feed, blaming a late-night, alcohol-fueled impulse and thanking intermediaries for mediation.

Background

The exchange reopened a wound that goes back more than two decades. Fu was an early protege of Zhou’s, having worked at Zhou’s 3721 and later at Qihoo 360 where he led the team that built the flagship security product, 360 Security Guard. Fu left in 2008 and later founded companies that evolved into today’s Cheetah Mobile, positioning the two firms as competitors and even litigants over the years. The pair staged a very public rapprochement in early 2024 amid China’s AI boom, appearing together at events; but the industry’s new battleground — both parties are now pushing AI offerings nicknamed “lobster” (龙虾) and related models such as Fu’s so-called “Sanwan” — has re‑elevated tensions.

Why it matters

This episode is more than a personal quarrel. It illustrates how reputations, investor confidence and business “rice bowls” can be quickly imperiled in China’s high‑stakes AI race, where product launches, social posts and legal threats move markets just as fast as code. It has been reported that the so‑called “lobster” products have drawn global attention, and the tussle arrives against a backdrop of intensifying domestic AI competition and broader geopolitical pressure — notably U.S. export controls on advanced chips — that is forcing Chinese firms to sprint on models and ecosystems. Who benefits from such short, public dramas — founders, users, or competitors — remains an open question; for now both sides say they will “focus on products.”