![A member of Chinese girl group BabyQueen, generated using AI. [Photo = Xiaohongshu]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/10/14/news-p.v1.20261014.3dec2e5d49f8424e8c681d8a7b25b9cf_P1.jpg)
"I'm pregnant, so I'm leaving the group."
Fans in China were stunned by the sudden announcement from a girl group member — only to receive a second shock when it emerged that the member they had believed to be real was in fact an AI-generated virtual character.
According to Chinese outlet Dashang News, a letter purportedly written by Miti, a member of AI girl group BabyQueen, recently circulated on social media. Miti said she had confirmed her pregnancy and wrote that "after much discussion, I will be leaving the team to rest," adding, "It was not an easy decision, and I am truly sorry to the members and staff who have been preparing for our comeback."
It later emerged, however, that Miti was not a real person but an AI-generated virtual character. The production team had presented her as a real individual throughout her time as an active member.
As the controversy spread, the production team said they had decided to write Miti out of the group "due to the burden of managing multiple AI members," acknowledging that "the way her departure was explained was inappropriate, but it was all fictional."
They also said BabyQueen was "a character created as a hobby by fans who love K-pop," adding that it "was originally made purely for personal enjoyment with no commercial intent whatsoever."
The team went on to say that "because there were no opportunities for live stage performances, we chose the format of AI virtual characters — and unexpectedly, it drew a great deal of attention."
123@heraldcorp.com
