Fake AI Influencers: The Future of Marketing?

In 2024, AI influencers—entirely digital yet with lifelike personas—took social media by storm.

Opinions are split on implementing advanced AI, especially as it grows in sophistication. But the fake social media influencer could make a lot of sense in a marketing landscape where authenticity is often questioned. 

Here’s why:

Users Embrace Idealized Personas—Real or AI

To some, the idea of AI influencers subtly posing as real human beings can feel unsettling. But it raises an important question: “When has social media ever been entirely authentic?”

Since their inception in the early 2000s, social media platforms have blurred the lines between fiction and reality. From early MySpace and Facebook users creating curated versions of themselves, to Instagram personalities perfecting their feeds, many of us have grown used to seeing idealized projections rather than raw authenticity. 

Members of Gen-Z, in particular, report feeling pressured to present carefully crafted versions of their lives, where every post aligns with a certain image.

This distinction between who we are in real life and who we portray online has become the norm. AI influencers simply extend this practice further. While they don’t exist in physical form, these digital figures embody the same illusions that some human influencers project.

Audiences are already receptive to these polished, often filtered versions of reality, making the presence of AI influencers a natural evolution in this space.

AI Influencers Are Already Thriving 

These artificially curated personalities are already dominating feeds, and users are often blissfully unaware.

Whether deployed for virtual fashion shows, brand campaigns, or advertisements, artificial personalities are building large followings and admiration from followers.

Here are two of the most interesting AI influencers:

Rozy.Gram (175,000 Instagram Followers)

A 22-year-old South Korean AI model with an endless array of talents, Rozy.Gram can sing, DJ, and she models for Calvin Klein and Tiffany & Co.

Human models are limited by their talent, energy, and emotional sanity; few can pose for brands, sing, and DJ all within the space of a few hours. But for artificially designed Rozy, this is an effortless process. There is no limit on the number of shoots or digital events the 22-year-old could represent on a given day.

In 2023, Rozy generated an estimated $2 million in revenue for her creators, thanks to her popularity and limitless capacity to promote products. Alongside her modeling gigs, Rozy has already launched her own album, skincare line, and clothing brand. 

Rozy’s success highlights the flexibility AI influencers bring to the table—showing how these virtual personalities can scale and adapt in ways human influencers can’t.

Lu Do Magulu (7.2M Instagram Followers)

That’s right – Brazilian AI influencer, Lu Do Magulu, has amassed over seven million followers on Instagram. Lu, which his short for Luiza, generally shares lifestyle content, unboxing videos, and product reviews. And she’s already among Brazil’s most influential social media figures.

The AI influencer, first created in 2003 as the voice of the popular magazine Luiza, generates estimated annual earnings of $16.2M and has played a pivotal role in changing attitudes towards violence against women in her native country. 

Magulu’s success in increasing engagement demonstrates the versatility of AI influencers – they are not just digital billboards for brands but have the potential to influence social and political change with intentional communication methods. 

AI Influencers Are More Reliable Than Humans

For digital marketers and brands, the rise of AI influencers opens new opportunities, overcoming many of the time-consuming and costly barriers associated with traditional influencer marketing.

Human influencers often come with fluctuating fees, contractual limitations, and unpredictable schedules that can complicate brand partnerships.

Additionally, there’s the unpredictable “human element”—moods, appearance, age, or even personal beliefs can change over time, sometimes misaligning with a brand’s goals. In some cases, brands have had to end partnerships due to influencers’ problematic behavior or legal issues, risking brand image and continuity.

AI influencers, on the other hand, offer a consistent, fixed identity tailored to align precisely with a brand’s values and objectives.

By eliminating the uncertainties of human behavior, AI personalities ensure that a brand’s message remains reliable and consistent, creating a dependable presence in an evolving digital space.

AI Influencers Are Cost-Effective

According to Forbes, switching from human to AI influencers can reduce costs by up to 60%, eliminating fees, travel, and logistic expenses.

Of course, there are start-up costs associated with the creation of an influential AI figure. But, once birthed, the AI digital celebrity can generate an unlimited amount of content for your social media marketing plan, at the touch of a button. They are infinitely scalable with minimal additional investment.

Will AI Influencers be Used Appropriately? 

It is imperative cost-effective influence over large, often impressionable audiences is used with good intentions.

Despite the clear benefits of AI influencers, it feels like a matter of time before we witness a digital incarnation of Andrew Tate, or a similarly controversial figure. That is an equally interesting prospect, though for quite different reasons.