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Abstract

trying to relate to <a href="https://www.papermag.com/lil-miquela-sexual-assault-vlog#rebelltitem10">traumatic experiences in her vlog</a>, which was deemed to be highly distasteful. Miquela isn’t real and someone had to make up this fake scenario, presumably to make the character more relatable and popular, which just doesn’t sit right with me.</p><figure id="90c5"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*jU8D1wJIYI9OX4tw"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@barbarazandoval?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Barbara Zandoval</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="68ed">The First Problem</h2><p id="5b21">Human influencers are allowed to say what they want to say, they can work with who they want and turn down brand deals, they need breaks in between work and also live their life.</p><p id="836a">AI influencers don’t have these limitations.</p><p id="443d">They can be programmed to say whatever the brand wants them to say and behave in whatever way they need to.</p><p id="21bd">So why would a brand want to work with a human, when in the future AI influencers could have the same reach and influence as humans?</p><p id="9cc0">In the future, many more brand deals could be signed to AI, than to real human influencers.</p><h2 id="f7e4">Problems 2 & 3</h2><p id="74d8">Human influencers can speak up about problems or issues and they have the ability to speak the truth about how they are feeling and what they think.</p><p id="bfee">Whereas AI characters can be programmed to say whatever they need to in order to fit a narrative.</p><p id="bb59">This leads to the issue of truth and misinformation. We all know how AI can be used to generate pretty convincing deepfakes, and in the future, it may not be clear if an influencer is a real person or the creation of a company or government with anterior motives. Will we be able to keep AI influencers ethical?</p><figure id="b9c1"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*ftqWq841JYg4LJ6U"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@martinjernberg?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Martin Jernberg</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="a147">The Big Opportunity</h2><p id="213a">It will soon be possible to become an influencer without actually being one yourself.</p><p id="1c1c">As AI tools become more sophisticated and available, people may be able to gain a following online from the comfort of their office chair.</p><p id="61bb">They can then secure deals with brands just like human infl

Options

uencers and they may even be able to sell the AI influencer.</p><p id="083c">Traditional influencers may also want to create an AI version of themselves to help build their brand — as long as it’s properly disclosed of course.</p><h2 id="4590">Takeaways</h2><p id="4ed8">AI influencers are a very real thing, and although still quite new, they pose threats and give opportunities for the future — depending on the angle you take.</p><p id="ca94">They might eventually compete with humans in the virtual world, and they may give opportunities that didn’t exist before.</p><p id="4b41">Let me know what you think about this by <b>leaving a comment</b> on this story, and if you’ve enjoyed reading it, be sure to<b> take a look at some of my other popular stories </b>listed down below<b>.</b></p><div id="0057" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/googles-ai-improving-diversity-in-the-fitting-room-or-just-a-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing-aa0607272419"> <div> <div> <h2>Google’s AI Improving Diversity in the Fitting Room — Or Just a Wolf in Sheep’s clothing?</h2> <div><h3>AI In The Fashion and Modeling Industry</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*Y0seUOtCxjBROkcA)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="3615" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/another-fad-diet-or-a-sustainable-lifestyle-8f82420d7f8e"> <div> <div> <h2>Another Fad Diet or a Sustainable Lifestyle?</h2> <div><h3>Why one meal a day (OMAD) didn’t work for me</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*n8HLwAZFbIfqbYG7)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="a607" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/if-you-want-to-feel-energized-do-this-every-morning-ed72d18fd699"> <div> <div> <h2>If You Want to Feel ENERGIZED — Do THIS Every Morning</h2> <div><h3>Channel Your Inner Caveman to Feel Refreshed</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*aCkr-3BCC0KFIX6q)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Your Favorite Influencer at Risk Losing Everything to AI.

Nobody Anticipated This.

In the upcoming years, influencers may find themselves needing to compete with their AI counterparts.

Brands may choose to go with a CGI-generated AI solution to promote their products, rather than ‘real’ influencers.

On the flipside, this may be a huge opportunity for solo-preneurs and those looking to start their thing online, in the virtual space.

While on a surface level, all of this seems impossible, AI influencers have already started to take off, and are even working with well-known billion-dollar brands.

The idea for this article arose after I read Econsultancy’s Digital Shift Q1 2023 Report and an article I found in the New York Magazine, which is where I found out that AI influencers are a very real thing.

We would never think that AI influencers would be feasible as surely we would only be able to relate to human influencers, but this is really starting to take off.

There is a lot to unpack with these AI Influencers, they present both a lot of danger and opportunity while proving to be controversial.

Meet Miquela Sousa

Perhaps the most successful influencer, Miquela Sousa, will be the case study for this discussion.

Miquela is an Instagram influencer, documenting her life, just like any other influencer you will find on the platform — with the caveat that she is a CGI character.

Miquela just like any other influencer, posts to her Instagram account and promotes different brands on her pages, and was even featured in a Calvin Klein ad where she was seen kissing Bella Hadid while wearing CK apparel.

Miquela also has her own YouTube channel to which she posts her music videos and other content.

Understandably, Miquela was been quite controversial over the years, notably when she was trying to relate to traumatic experiences in her vlog, which was deemed to be highly distasteful. Miquela isn’t real and someone had to make up this fake scenario, presumably to make the character more relatable and popular, which just doesn’t sit right with me.

The First Problem

Human influencers are allowed to say what they want to say, they can work with who they want and turn down brand deals, they need breaks in between work and also live their life.

AI influencers don’t have these limitations.

They can be programmed to say whatever the brand wants them to say and behave in whatever way they need to.

So why would a brand want to work with a human, when in the future AI influencers could have the same reach and influence as humans?

In the future, many more brand deals could be signed to AI, than to real human influencers.

Problems 2 & 3

Human influencers can speak up about problems or issues and they have the ability to speak the truth about how they are feeling and what they think.

Whereas AI characters can be programmed to say whatever they need to in order to fit a narrative.

This leads to the issue of truth and misinformation. We all know how AI can be used to generate pretty convincing deepfakes, and in the future, it may not be clear if an influencer is a real person or the creation of a company or government with anterior motives. Will we be able to keep AI influencers ethical?

The Big Opportunity

It will soon be possible to become an influencer without actually being one yourself.

As AI tools become more sophisticated and available, people may be able to gain a following online from the comfort of their office chair.

They can then secure deals with brands just like human influencers and they may even be able to sell the AI influencer.

Traditional influencers may also want to create an AI version of themselves to help build their brand — as long as it’s properly disclosed of course.

Takeaways

AI influencers are a very real thing, and although still quite new, they pose threats and give opportunities for the future — depending on the angle you take.

They might eventually compete with humans in the virtual world, and they may give opportunities that didn’t exist before.

Let me know what you think about this by leaving a comment on this story, and if you’ve enjoyed reading it, be sure to take a look at some of my other popular stories listed down below.