They are perfectly polished and always on-brand, these digital personalities are taking up increasing space in your feeds, the chances are this will only increase in popularity. Created using artificial intelligence, they’re designed to grab your attention, spark engagement, and most importantly, drive sales. For English brands, they offer a tempting package: full creative control and round-the-clock content.
But being word perfect and looking utterly professional is not enough it’s also about trust. While AI influencers might tick the consistency box, questions are growing around their authenticity. Can a virtual persona, no matter how lifelike, really build the kind of emotional connection needed to move audiences? That’s when the water muddies.
What’s clear is that social media marketing is changing. The role of the influencer is shifting from someone who simply has reach, to someone who can represent a brand with precision, data-led insight, faultlessly. A marketer’s dream for some or a creativity killer for others.
There are many English speaking influencers and we are a big target for marketing companies based in England and abroad. Obviously English is the most common language and is just as easy a language to replicate as any other.
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Ethically again the waters are muddied, what is right and what is wrong? If audiences can’t see the difference between human beings and AI, is that misleading? When digital avatars sell real products with synthetic smiles and programmed personalities, who’s accountable?
Transparency matters, because the more blurred the line between real and artificial the harder it is for consumer to trust what they are seeing, and there is the question of brand integrity too.
There is more to consider. AI influencers often appear to be flawless with perfect skin, symmetrical features, designer wardrobes, it’s all designed to trigger aspiration. Not real world imperfections, that level of ‘perfection’ risks pushing already harmful beauty standards even further. How can audiences ever measure up to this level?
Traditional influencers are not out of the game, it’s just the game has changed. A hybrid model is emerging where they coexist. While AI offers efficiency and control for brands, human creators provide the authenticity, emotional connection, and lived experiences that audiences still crave and trust most. Spontaneous humour and the odd human quirk cannot be truly replicated by AI.
Then there is another complication the rise of lowlife AI scammers. Wherever this an opportunity to steal peoples money you can be sure they will find ways to deceive. They can and do create AI generated marketing scams and with the use of AI they are more convincing than ever.
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Opinion
AI influence is inevitable there is no getting around it, and yes it will be harder to tell the difference between real and fake particularly for the younger generation. But the human element will always remain, human beings don’t look and behave perfectly all the time. A sense of humour and the ability to make what looks like a slip up, can be endearing and offer the difference. AI can’t do humour and even it does it will probably show a perfectly polished smile.
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But it is only a matter of time before the traits are replicated even more closely to the real human experience. There will also be an increase in scammers using AI for their ill gotten gains.
But for now common sense still remains and if ‘someone’ looks perfect in every way and almost too good to be true they probably are AI generated, but only probably.
