Promo video for HarmonyOS Zhixing (鸿蒙智行)-powered AITO (问界) M9 on Huawei (华为) Tuling Longxing (途灵龙行) platform sparks AI controversy as on-site footage emerges

Video controversy and on-site rebuttal

A short promotional film for the all‑new AITO (问界) M9 — reportedly running HarmonyOS Zhixing (鸿蒙智行) on Huawei’s (华为) new Tuling Longxing (途灵龙行) vehicle platform — has become the latest flashpoint in debates over AI-generated media. The clip, released on May 16, was flagged by several short‑video platforms with automated AI warnings, and it has been reported that one influencer uploaded a screen recording to China’s National Anti‑Fraud Center for analysis and was told the footage bore signs of AI generation.

To cut through the dispute, blogger @AIMIKKKK today published what he describes as on‑site, real‑world footage demonstrating the M9’s active suspension. The new video aims to show the systems in action and rebut claims that the promotional material was synthetically produced. The AI‑labeling and third‑party detections remain unverified by Huawei; reportedly, platform flags and detection tools are increasingly sensitive to cinematic edits and CGI-like stabilization.

Product context and pricing

Huawei’s site has already posted option lists for the HarmonyOS Zhixing‑powered AITO M9 line. The range includes the ordinary M9 Max+/Ultra and the M9 Ultimate as a separately optioned flagship, offered in five‑ and six‑seat layouts with both range‑extended and pure‑electric powertrains — all four‑wheel drive. The top M9 Ultimate extended‑length model, when fully specced, is currently estimated at about 879,800 yuan (~¥87.98万) and, with HUAWEI ADS 5 advanced driver assistance, taxes and insurance, could approach a near‑million‑yuan on‑road price.

Why it matters

This episode is about more than one car ad. It underscores growing anxiety about deepfakes and synthetic media in China’s fast‑moving auto and tech ecosystems — and illustrates how platforms, creators and regulators are scrambling to set detection norms. For Western readers: AITO is a smart‑car brand closely associated with Huawei’s software and services strategy rather than a conventional automaker, and HarmonyOS Zhixing is Huawei’s vehicle‑oriented software stack aimed at integrating in‑car AI and connectivity.

Geopolitically, the row comes as Chinese tech firms push harder into software‑defined vehicles amid global trade frictions and export controls on certain semiconductors. Trust in audiovisual authenticity is becoming a commercial as well as a regulatory battleground. Huawei has scheduled a product launch for the new M9 series on May 27 at 14:30; expect the company to address both product specs and the controversy there.