Artificial intelligence continues to reshape marketing, and influencer strategy is no exception. Over the past two years, AI-generated personalities have gone from novelty to viable marketing tools, sparking debates about authenticity, ethics, and effectiveness. While headlines suggest that AI influencers may someday replace human creators, the current landscape shows a more nuanced reality.
The Current AI Influencer Landscape
The line between influencer and creator is blurring, giving rise to what we call the “influecreator.” These are individuals who build communities through creativity, authenticity, and influence — whether human or AI-generated.
Virtual influencers such as Aitana López and Lil Miquela are securing major sponsorships and reportedly earning thousands of dollars per month. Their ability to create content at scale and maintain “perfect” brand alignment makes them attractive to certain marketers. For example, Lil Miquela has collaborated with brands like Samsung, PacSun, Calvin Klein, and Prada, while Aitana López has partnered with Olaplex, Brandy Melville Spain, and Intimissimi in her fitness and lifestyle niche.
Social platforms are also adapting. Since early 2024, Meta has required AI-generated content labeling across Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. As synthetic content becomes more common, this level of transparency is essential to maintaining credibility and helping audiences confidently distinguish between human and AI creation.
Despite the attention, adoption of AI remains cautious. Surveys show that roughly 35–40% of marketers have experimented with AI influencers, but only a small fraction of global brands have integrated them into full-scale campaigns. For most, AI remains a test-and-learn tool rather than a core strategy.
At the regulatory level, the FTC has emphasized ‘double disclosure,’ requiring that content is clearly marked as both paid and AI-generated when applicable. These guardrails signal that while innovation is welcome, compliance and transparency will be critical to scaling adoption.
Why Brands Are Testing AI Creators
There are clear advantages that explain the growing curiosity:
- Control: Virtual personalities don’t go off-script, ensuring full brand alignment.
- Speed & Scale: AI content can be produced rapidly across languages, formats, and scenarios.
- Novelty Factor: Early adoption drives buzz, tapping into consumer curiosity and press coverage.
The most common applications so far include:
- Fashion campaigns and lookbooks,
- Product explainers or demos where focus is on the product, not the persona, and
- Gaming and entertainment IP campaigns, where “virtual mascots” feel like a natural fit.
At the same time, there are limitations to using AI creators:
- Engagement vs. Trust: While AI content draws attention, audiences remain skeptical about authenticity.
- Authenticity Gap: Human-led campaigns rooted in real-life stories outperform when emotional connection matters.
- Compliance Challenges: Disclosure requirements and legal reviews add time and complexity to what’s often billed as a faster solution.
These factors explain why AI influencers remain a niche tactic rather than a dominant force.
Market Outlook
Human influencers still dominate both adoption and engagement, but forecasts show that spending on AI-generated creators will grow at a faster percentage rate year-over-year. According to Grand View Research, the virtual influencer market is expected to reach $8.5 billion by 2030, a significant increase, though still only a fraction of the overall influencer economy.
Sources:
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/virtual-influencer-market-report
https://influencermarketinghub.com/ai-marketing-benchmark-report/
https://www.creatordb.app/blog/influencer-marketing-trends-2025/
What This Means for Marketers
The key takeaway is that AI influencers are not here to replace humans; they are here to complement them. For now, the smartest use cases are tactical: scaling creative production, experimenting with new formats, and driving short-term novelty.
When it comes to trust, cultural connection, and community building, human creators remain unmatched. Brands that lean too heavily on AI risk alienating audiences who value authenticity.
For agencies and clients, the real opportunity lies in blending the two: leveraging AI for efficiency while continuing to invest in human-led storytelling to drive long-term impact.
Bottom Line
AI influencers are a developing trend, not a disruptive replacement. They offer operational advantages and campaign flexibility, but they can’t replicate the lived experience, trust, and cultural relevance that human influencers bring. As technology evolves and regulations mature, we can expect AI influencers to find their place: supporting roles within broader, human-centered strategies.
Sources
1. Meta — AI-generated content labeling announcement (2024-2025)
2. Harvard Business Review — Should Your Brand Hire a Virtual Influencer? (2024)
3. Influencer Marketing Hub — Benchmark Report 2024
4. FTC — Endorsements & Testimonials Guidelines (2024)
5. The Australian — AI Influencers Exposed: The Authenticity Crisis (2025)
6. Grand View Research — Virtual Influencer Market Size & Forecast (2025–2030)
7. inBeat — AI in Influencer Marketing: Tools, Trends, and Best Practices (2024-2025)
8. inBeat — AI in Influencer Marketing: Statistics & Trends
9. CreatorDB — AI Influencers and Brand Partnerships (2025)
10. CreatorDB — AI Influencers and Brand Partnerships / Influencer Trends 2025
11. Favikon — Who Is Aitana López? (2025)
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