Over the past year, several Chinese influencers have made millions of dollars selling short video lessons on AI, capitalizing on people’s fears about the technology’s impact on their livelihood. However, the platforms they thrived on have started cracking down on their accounts, according to MIT Technology Review.

Just weeks ago, WeChat and Douyin began suspending, removing, or restricting accounts belonging to these “AI gurus.” While influencers frequently turn anxiety into engagement and profits, the latest actions show how Chinese social platforms are trying to contain potential harm before it escalates.

The backlash began in February as frustrated students complained on social media that the courses fell short of their promises, lacking substantive content. One user, Bessie, posted on Xiaohongshu that a $27.50 course from influencer Li Yizhou consisted mostly of short, shallow videos urging purchases of a $275 “advanced” package.

Despite lacking an AI background, Li pivoted to stoking AI fears after ChatGPT’s release. His entry-level package sold over 250,000 times, potentially generating over $6 million in revenue, according to data site Feigua. Other influencers like “Teacher He” and Zhang Shitong also offered basic AI lessons at similar prices despite limited expertise.

In addition to quality complaints, some buyers reported difficulties obtaining refunds. A Beijing AI community accused Li of profiting off their free user content.

By late February, the major platforms hosting the get-rich-quick video lessons appeared to take note of the groundswell of criticism. All courses from Li and the other AI gurus were scrubbed from prominent Chinese sites like WeChat and e-commerce services. Their accounts have remained but were temporarily restricted from gaining new followers on some platforms.

The social app companies have not specified what rules were violated, and a representative for Zhang Shitong claimed refunds were processed normally. While marketing promises may have been overstated, it is unclear if activities truly qualified as “scams.” The platforms declined to comment on their decisions.

However, signs indicate the restrictions could be temporary. Rather than deleting accounts permanently for violations, the AI gurus’ accounts have remained on major platforms and regained some functionality this month.

The Chinese government has not addressed the phenomenon directly, but the incident reflects an ongoing crackdown by authorities and platforms on undesirable influencer actions and content. Questions remain about what lasting impact this controversy will have.

Amid the removals, some pirated versions of the paid lessons have emerged on file-sharing services, traded for a few dollars instead of the original prices. This demonstrates sustained public demand but further undercuts the influencers’ abilities to monetize.