iQIYI reports steady membership growth amid AI expansion

iQIYI released on Monday its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, reporting total revenue of 6.23 billion yuan ($914.2 million).

The Chinese online entertainment platform said a strong lineup of drama series helped drive sequential growth in membership revenue and reinforced its leading position in China's online drama market, citing data from Enlightent.

Popular titles during the quarter included The Punishment 2, Born to be Alive, Pursuit of Jade and How Dare You!?, while the variety show Wander Together topped market share rankings for the quarter, according to the company.

Membership service revenue rose two percent from the previous quarter, supported by longer subscription durations and the continued expansion of higher-tier S-diamond memberships. iQIYI said refined membership offerings and bundled services helped improve user retention.

The company's overseas business maintained strong growth momentum, with overseas membership revenue increasing more than 40 percent year-on-year and average daily subscribers reaching a record high.

Among overseas markets, Brazil and Mexico each recorded membership revenue growth of more than 100 percent year-on-year, while Indonesia posted growth of over 80 percent.

Chinese dramas also continued to gain traction internationally. According to Google Trends cited by the company, Pursuit of Jade ranked as the most-searched Chinese drama during its release window across 15 overseas markets.

Beyond streaming services, iQIYI said its experience business also expanded steadily. The company's self-operated merchandise business posted solid sales growth, while iQIYI LAND Yangzhou received positive market feedback for its immersive entertainment experiences. New iQIYI LAND projects are currently under development in Kaifeng and Beijing.

The company also highlighted its growing use of artificial intelligence in content production and operations. During the quarter, iQIYI launched Nadou Pro, an AI-powered production platform designed to support studio-grade content creation, production and commercial collaboration.

In addition, the company unveiled 16 projects under its "Peter Pau × iQIYI AI Theater" initiative, covering genres including science fiction, thriller, wuxia and fantasy. According to iQIYI, AI tools were used in multiple production stages, such as character design, scene generation and storyboarding.

The company said it plans to further leverage AI technologies to reduce production costs, shorten production cycles and expand its content ecosystem.