Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms the creative industry. Tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT are central to this shift. One of the most intriguing developments in marketing today is the rise of Virtual Influencers. These digital personalities are amassing followers, collaborating with major brands, and even becoming brand ambassadors.
Take LilMiquela, a digital character created by an agency that has worked with brands like Calvin Klein, Prada, and Samsung. With 2.5 million Instagram followers, she exemplifies the rapid potential of AI Influencers in the world of social media marketing.
But what are AI Influencers, and what makes them so intriguing?
AI Influencers are fully digital personas created through advanced computer graphics and generative AI (genAI). Created and managed by specialized agencies, they engage audiences across social media platforms just like human influencers.
Unlike VTubers, controlled by real people behind their virtual avatars, AI influencers are completely synthetic. They're designed from the ground up to serve specific purposes in marketing and content creation. They do not represent any real-life individual but are entirely fictional characters, allowing brands full control over their appearance, personality, and messaging.
While AI Influencers and VTubers both exist in the digital realm, they are fundamentally different in their creation and operation. VTubers are avatars controlled by real individuals, allowing them to maintain a degree of anonymity. The person behind the avatar is responsible for the personality and content of the VTuber, which often leads to more authentic and personal connections with their audience. The VTuber IronMouse is currently the most popular female creator on Twitch, with over 9K average viewers.
AI Influencers, on the other hand, are digital marketing tools. Virtual personalities, such as Shudu, the world's first AI supermodel, are not the avatars of a real-life counterpart. Instead, they are created, managed, and controlled by agencies for specific marketing objectives. Shudu, created by The Diigitals agency, has appeared on the covers of Vogue and Cosmopolitan, working with luxury brands like Balmain.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of virtual influencers, including AI Influencers, saw significant growth. Traditional content creation was impacted by lockdowns and social distancing, while digital influencers were able to stay active and produce content without facing restrictions.
As people turned to social media for connection and entertainment during the pandemic, virtual influencers filled a unique niche. They offered a fresh and innovative way for brands to reach consumers who were spending more time online than ever before.
Brands quickly recognized the potential of collaborating with virtual influencers. Unlike human influencers, who may have unpredictable schedules or personal issues, AI influencers are always available and can be programmed to align perfectly with a brand's image and messaging. This reliability made them an attractive option for marketers aiming to maintain a consistent online presence.
Moreover, virtual influencers can be designed to embody specific traits or lifestyles that resonate with target demographics. For instance, some may promote sustainability, while others might focus on luxury or fashion. This level of customization allows brands to tailor their marketing strategies more effectively, reaching niche audiences with precision.
The rise of AI Influencers offers several advantages for brands, particularly in marketing:
With AI Influencers, brands have full control over their digital persona—from appearance and messaging to the frequency of posts. This level of control enables brands to tailor their marketing strategies precisely to their target audience and brand values.
Unlike human influencers, AI Influencers don’t require breaks, providing a consistent presence on social media. They are not affected by real-life issues, emotions, or scandals that can sometimes disrupt human influencers.
Over time, Virtual Influencers could become more cost-efficient compared to human influencers. After the initial development, they can be reused across multiple campaigns, reducing the costs associated with celebrity endorsements or booking high-profile influencers. However, as this trend is fairly new, we’re currently lacking conclusive data to assess the direct cost advantages.
While AI Influencers offer many benefits, they also pose significant risks:
One of the biggest challenges AI Influencers face is their perceived lack of authenticity. Human influencers build trust through genuine emotional connections, while AI Influencers are entirely synthetic. Especially now, as the public is increasingly skeptical of fake news and false advertising, AI influencers may be perceived as disingenuous marketing tools.
AI Influencers can fall into the Uncanny Valley, where their near-human appearance feels unsettling or off-putting to viewers. This can impact how well audiences connect with these digital personas.
There are growing ethical concerns around the use of AI Influencers, particularly when it comes to representation and exploitation. For instance, using AI models to represent marginalized groups, such as Shudu, a black AI model created by a white male, raises issues of cultural appropriation and exploitation. There is a debate over whether using AI Influencers instead of real-life content creators, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, is ethically sound or merely a cost-cutting measure.
Authenticity is a cornerstone of influencer marketing, relying on the genuine emotional connections that influencers forge with their audiences. But is this sense of authenticity exclusive to human influencers?
AI Influencers, being purely digital creations, naturally face skepticism from viewers who may find it harder to connect with virtual personas. However, audiences can still form bonds with AI Influencers through compelling storytelling and engaging content, much like they do with fictional characters. In fact, as social media evolves into a platform for self-promotion rather than true reflection, even human influencers struggle to maintain genuine authenticity.
Ultimately, authenticity on social media is more about perception than reality. Users often find online personalities authentic as long as they align with their personal interpretation of what's “real” and “authentic”.
One of the main challenges AI influencers face is the uncanny valley effect, where a digital character appears almost but not quite human, causing discomfort. While some AI Influencers, like Shudu, successfully blur the line between what's real and artificial through highly rendered and stylized imagery, others can come across as fake.
When AI Influencers appear too realistic, they risk alienating audiences. However, as technology in 3D modeling and generative AI improves, these issues are expected to diminish.
Brands need to find the right balance between realism and creativity when designing AI Influencers to ensure they are appealing without crossing into the uncanny valley.
The ethical concerns surrounding AI Influencers are significant, particularly when it comes to issues of representation. Creating AI models that embody certain races, genders, or sexual orientations without the lived experiences of those identities can be seen as exploitative or offensive.
For example, a digital influencer representing a marginalized group without facing any associated real-world challenges can be perceived as disingenuous or, at worst, a form of digital blackface.
Anything associated with genAI often also suffers from a very bad reputation, especially in the gaming community. For example, Wizard's of the Coast, known for Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, is constantly under fire for their alleged use of AI in their production.
Brands should carefully consider potential backlash, especially if they start AI influencer campaigns without thorough planning and assessment.
The future of AI Influencers looks promising. With advancements in AI technology, brands could further customize AI Influencers to reflect their exact messaging and audience needs. Established companies like Wendy’s and Duolingo, which have popular mascots, may create AI versions of their characters to engage followers more interactively.
As technology evolves, we may see more sophisticated and realistic digital personas that can form deeper connections with audiences. The key will be finding the right balance between automation and authenticity, ensuring that AI Influencers resonate with their target audiences.
Cost-efficiency will likely drive the development of AI influencers. If brands can manage to take on the initial costs of designing, writing, and building up their personal AI Influencer, they will have a very strong tool at hand that can be adjusted and used based on their campaign needs.
One of the most exciting benefits of AI Influencers is the ability to deliver hyper-personalized marketing at scale. In the future, these digital personas may analyze vast amounts of user data to create content targeted to specific audiences. Using advanced algorithms and AI insights, virtual influencers will connect with consumers in a targeted way. They will adjust their appearance, messaging, and tone to fit the preferences of different audiences.
For instance, an AI Influencer can seamlessly shift from promoting eco-friendly products to luxury items, depending on the user’s interests and online behavior. This level of personalization allows brands to craft highly focused campaigns that drive engagement and increase conversion rates, offering a competitive edge in the crowded social media space. With AI Influencers, marketers can consistently deliver content that feels relevant and timely, creating stronger, more meaningful connections.
Looking ahead, the integration of AI Influencers with augmented reality (AR) technology could revolutionize the way brands interact with consumers. Imagine a future where AI Influencers are not just confined to social media feeds but can appear in real-world settings through AR, allowing users to engage with them in more immersive and interactive ways.
For example, shoppers could use their smartphones or AR glasses. They could see AI Influencers showing products in their own space. They might try on clothes virtually. The AI could even guide them through a store with personalized shopping tips.
This fusion of AI and AR would enable brands to create highly engaging, experiential marketing campaigns that blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds. By bringing virtual influencers into real-life scenarios, companies can enhance user experience, drive deeper engagement, and create memorable brand interactions that go beyond traditional online marketing. As AR technology continues to develop, this could become a game-changing feature in the world of digital marketing.
AI Influencers represent the next big thing in digital marketing, offering brands unlimited control, consistency and cost-efficiency in their social media marketing.
However, mainstream acceptance is nowhere near. Issues of authenticity, the uncanny valley effect, and ethical considerations about representation and exploitation pose critical obstacles that brands must navigate carefully when considering AI influencers in their marketing.
As AI technology continues to improve, the line between real and artificial will blur. Brands that successfully integrate AI Influencers into their strategies while addressing audience concerns will be well-positioned to thrive in the evolving world of social media marketing.
Marketers should carefully watch this trend, recognizing both the potential and challenges that come with leveraging AI Influencers in their campaigns.
