In an age where digital perfection is just a prompt away, a new generation of influencers is rising—flawless, tireless, algorithmically optimized, and entirely… not real.

AI influencers, or virtual personas powered by artificial intelligence and design, are no longer just futuristic curiosities. They’re shaping influencer marketing trends in 2025 and beyond. They’re fronting campaigns, partnering with global brands, and challenging the very definition of what it means to “influence.”

But as I reflect on this digital evolution, a question lingers: Can AI truly replace the heart of human influence?

A new kind of influence: What AI brings to the table

Brands are embracing AI influencers for good reason. These virtual influencers don’t miss deadlines or go off-message. They don’t take breaks or age. They can be tailored to fit any brief, brand aesthetic, or content cadence—with total consistency.

• Take Lil Miquela—a virtual 19-year-old with over 2.6 million followers. She’s partnered with Prada, dropped music on Spotify, lunched the new BMW iX2 and even kissed supermodel Bella Hadid in a Calvin Klein campaign.
• Or Imma, the pink-haired digital fashionista from Japan, who’s “lived” in an IKEA showroom and worked with Puma and Watsons. Her content, both serene and stylish, blurs the line between CGI and candid.
• And then there’s Noonoouri, the doll-like avatar signed to Warner Music, championing sustainability while walking runways—digitally. And in the latest move, has partnered with Barbie for a reality-traversing collabration.

It’s scalable, efficient, and—when done right—surprisingly effective. And the market is taking notice.

According to Straits Research, the global virtual influencer market is projected to reach USD 111.78 billion by 2033, growing at a staggering CAGR of 38.4%.

And it’s not just industry buzz—these AI personas are already outperforming their human counterparts on key metrics. In fact, virtual influencers now earn engagement rates nearly 3x higher than human influencers on platforms like Instagram. But when it comes to long-term trust and human connection, the story becomes more nuanced.

Human vs AI influencers: Where machines miss the mark

Yet, for all their aesthetic appeal and algorithmic prowess, AI influencers remain what they are—simulations. They can mimic empathy. They can mirror trends. But they cannot draw from lived experience.

Trust and relatability aren’t just built through perfect content—they’re earned through imperfection, vulnerability, and emotional nuance. According to Forbes, only 12% of consumers trust virtual influencers as much as human ones.

In the realm of wellness, activism, or storytelling—categories rooted in authenticity—the gap is hard to ignore.

The ethics of AI influencers: What we must confront

As AI becomes more embedded in digital marketing, ethical questions must take center stage.

• Transparency: Are consumers told when they’re engaging with an AI influencer? Many campaigns blur the line, intentionally or otherwise. Disclosure is no longer optional—it’s foundational to trust.
• Bias and Representation: Most virtual influencers conform to narrow beauty ideals—slim, youthful, and often Eurocentric. Who gets to decide what the “ideal” digital persona looks like? And what happens when these visuals shape real-world perceptions?
• Consent and Control: Perhaps the most alarming frontier is where AI blurs the line of identity and personal autonomy. In one recent case, an influencer’s AI clone—developed to interact with fans—began engaging in sexually explicit conversations without her consent. This isn’t just a PR problem—it’s a violation of personhood. It forces us to ask: who owns your voice, your likeness, your digital self?
• Accountability: In 2023, AI rapper FN Meka was dropped by Capitol Records after backlash over racial stereotyping. There was no single person to blame—yet the harm was real. If a virtual influencer spreads misinformation or reinforces harmful stereotypes, who is held responsible?

These aren’t edge cases—they’re early warnings. As creators, brands, and technologists, we can’t afford to treat ethics as a footnote to innovation. If AI is to shape culture, it must also be held to the same moral and legal standards as the humans it seeks to emulate. Otherwise, we risk scaling influence without accountability—and that’s a future no one can trust.

The future of influence is still human at heart

So where does that leave us? We’re entering a new era—one where AI is likely to be a part of the influencer space. Tools like AI can help creators scale, automate, and augment—but they must never replace the essence of what makes influence meaningful.

Human influencers continue to offer what algorithms cannot:

• Empathy rooted in experience – They connect because they’ve lived what they share.
• Unscripted spontaneity – They bring unfiltered moments AI can’t improvise.
• Community built on trust – Trust is earned through consistency and vulnerability.
• Advocacy grounded in purpose – When people speak out, it’s not programmed—it’s personal.

And we’re already seeing examples of how AI can be used in more purposeful ways.

In 2024, Kenza Layli, a Moroccan virtual influencer, was crowned the first-ever Miss AI in a global competition that celebrated not just visual appeal, but also cultural representation and social advocacy. Her platform focuses on women’s empowerment and inclusivity, showing how AI personas can reflect values—not just aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the South Korean virtual K-pop group MAVE: continues to captivate fans with its AI-enhanced performances—brought to life by real human choreographers and vocalists behind the scenes. This fusion of creativity and technology doesn’t dilute human input; it amplifies it.

These are examples of how AI, when anchored by human values, can expand what influence looks like—without erasing where it came from. The brands and creators who will lead this space are those who champion both innovation and human-centricity—those who know when to automate, and when to show up with a human voice.

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Have a question on marketing and branding? Want to know how I can help you drive growth for your business? Reach out to me at joyce.liong@gmail.com