Seeing was believing — until AI entered the chat. AI influencers are the latest trend to emerge from the artificial intelligence revolution. These digital personas are reshaping the social media and influencer marketing landscapes as we once knew it, blurring the lines between fiction and reality. Naturally, there’s a business opportunity here.
AI influencers range from fully AI-generated brand ambassadors to virtual models like Lil Miquela, whose digital personas are shaped by human oversight. These figures collaborate with major brands, promote products, and engage with fans in ways that feel eerily human.
How did we get here? And more importantly, how can businesses use the power of AI influencers to support their own narratives? Let’s dig into the AI influencer trend and what it says about the future of influencer marketing, authenticity, and our obsession with digital identity.
Contents:
What Are AI Influencers?
AI Influencers vs. Human Influencers
Benefits of Working with AI Influencers
Downsides of AI Influencers
What Are the Ethical Concerns Surrounding AI Influencers?
How Businesses Can Collaborate with AI Influencers
What Are AI Influencers?
AI Influencer definition: A digital persona with a social media following who can influence others’ behaviors, actions, and decisions.
AI influencers are creating a new generation of social media influencers. These computer-generated characters use AI technologies to create their images, whether they’re static images, videos, voiceovers, or other content.
These influencers use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create their appearances. In some cases, they might look like real people. Others might look like cartoons or digital characters.
Most importantly, they only exist in the virtual world. You’ll never see AI influencers in your favorite cities shooting videos or snapping selfies.
AI Influencers vs. Human Influencers
Human influencers build personal connections by presenting themselves authentically. They connect with their audience from a first-person perspective. They might go by names other than their birth-given one, but their followers know their faces; essentially, they’re who they appear to be.
AI influencers take a different approach. They might present themselves as digital avatars, 3D cartoon characters, or photorealistic images. How they appear online might not be what they look like in real life. They’re using AI tools like generative AI and motion capture technology to craft a persona.
Essentially, an AI influencer is a digital version of a human influencer. The difference is that AI influencers might or might not be based on real-life people. And unlike traditional influencers, AI influencers may represent more than one person.
TIP: Don't miss our blogs on how to leverage generative AI for advertising and content creation!
Benefits of Working with AI Influencers
Just like working with human influencers, AI influencer marketing can bring a wealth of business benefits. Here are just a few reasons why brands and companies are working with AI influencers.
AI influencers offer cost-effective marketing
Price-wise, the same pricing dynamics that apply to micro influencers and macro influencers hold true for AI influencers, as well: The bigger the following, the more it will likely cost to work with the influencer.
However, AI influencer marketing costs tend to be a fraction of what you’d pay a human influencer with a similar following.
For example, a human with a million-plus followers might charge $250K per post. But the company behind Lil Miquela, a well-known AI influencer with 2.5 million Instagram followers, charges just $9,000 per post.
This means brands can get significant exposure for pennies on the dollar compared to using high-profile celebrities. Still, for the expense to be worth it, you’ll need to consider whether the AI influencer shares your audience and brand values and can help you reach your goals.
TIP: For other cost-effective strategies to help you maximize your influencer marketing efforts, download our free Ultimate Guide to Influencer Marketing!
Brands gain more control over messaging
When working with human influencers, it’s best to let the influencer flex their creative muscles. After all, they know what their followers like and don’t like and can create content that speaks to them.
With AI influencers, you can have a greater level of involvement. The human creators behind the AI personas can make them say or do whatever you want. They’re not limited by time or location — including the option to be in multiple places working with multiple brands at once.
This also means brands have more control over the message the influencer shares. Humans are emotional creatures who infuse their own personalities and emotions into their content. They pass these feelings and beliefs on to their audience.
On the one hand, this is the driving force behind influencer marketing — it’s what helps the influencer grow a loyal following. On the other hand, it also means brands have to be careful about who they partner with and make sure they align on tone, style, language, and other factors.
AI influencer marketing helps brands scale
Human influencers face limitations (availability, resources, creativity, etc.), that can make it challenging for brands to work with them. AI influencers don’t share these same challenges, paving the way for scalability.
Brands can create or work with multiple virtual influencers at any time, tailoring each one to different audiences or markets. Influencers can connect with followers night and day, which means you get more content at a faster rate. They don’t get tired and are always ready for their next assignment.
It’s a unique way to stand out
AI in influencer marketing is still pretty new, and marketers love to experiment with all things new and shiny. It’s something different to explore, learn, and eventually master.
And since not many brands are going all in on AI influencer marketing, there’s ample opportunity to be a pioneer in this area.
TIP: Curious to learn how influencer marketing benefits businesses? These influencer statistics show how you can amplify your message with the help of the right people.
Downsides of AI Influencers
Several drawbacks to using AI influencers are keeping their human counterparts in business. Digital personas aren’t likely to replace humans, and these downsides help to explain why.
AI influencers lack the human touch
Social media users look to influencers to figure out what to wear, places to visit, foods to try, and so much more. Digital avatars can’t fully replicate the human element because they lack real experiences that make their recommendations authentic.
Think about it: How would an AI persona know what chicken tikka masala tastes like, or understand the physical and emotional impact of providing clean water to third-world countries?
In an era where authenticity remains a top priority, using AI in influencer marketing can seem like an adventure in the opposite direction.
They’re subject to technical limitations
AI influencers are only as good as the technology behind them. Even always-on AI personas will need tech updates and upgrades. Malfunctions happen, plus there’s the risk of having your tech hacked or hijacked.
Creating lifelike AI influencers takes significant time and computing resources, not to mention a ton of human thought and creativity.
The novelty might wane
AI influencers are trending hot, but there’s no guarantee the interest will last. Like any new, shiny marketing tool, the novelty may eventually wear off. All the resources you’ve invested in AI influencers might not provide the payout you initially planned — which might make it harder to free up resources to pursue other technologies.
There’s a new learning curve to conquer
AI influencer marketing is new territory. This means you may need to establish new methods of measuring influencer marketing, new standard operating procedures, and new workflows and approval processes.
If you’re using an influencer marketing suite, you’ll need to make sure it evolves to include AI influencers and their relevant data (e.g., audience size, engagement rates).
Platforms like Klear by Meltwater can remove some of the guesswork and shorten this learning curve by integrating AI influencers with the tools and processes you’re already using.
All of these things take time, not to mention testing. The results may be well worth the effort, but it’s still too new to make any assumptions regarding ROI.
What Are the Ethical Concerns Surrounding AI Influencers?
Digital influencers seem trendy and engaging, but beneath the polished aesthetics lie a minefield of concerns:
- Who is behind the digital influencer?
- Who can be held accountable as the influencer starts shaping opinions and decisions?
- How transparent are they about being artificial?
- What’s the potential for AI influencers to spread misinformation?
- Can I trust their endorsements since they lack real-world experience?
- Am I contributing to job loss by engaging with AI influencers?
- Should I let a robot shape my thoughts and actions?
The bottom line: AI should augment human skills, not replace them entirely. However, AI can be a touchy subject among marketers and creatives, especially as AI tools threaten to take away jobs or replace tasks that some humans believe are best left to people.
How Businesses Can Collaborate with AI Influencers
AI influencers are here to stay, at least for now. They create a unique opportunity to reach your audience in new ways.
Your first priority is to find AI influencers in your niche. Klear streamlines the process of finding, vetting, managing, and monitoring influencers — human and digital — by centralizing all of your efforts in one platform. Discover the key opinion leaders in your niche, view the content they’ve posted, see engagement rates, and make informed decisions before you partner with them.
Then, watch the magic unfold as influencers, both AI and human alike, post content on your behalf and put more eyes on your brand. Track deliverables, costs, conversions, and more to help you see how your efforts are paying off.
Using AI influencers brings tangible business results. Learn more about how to find them with Klear when you request a demo by filling out the form below!
