Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media

An investigation found that brands are quietly deploying AI-generated influencers on social media, prompting calls for greater transparency. Companies are increasingly using AI-generated content that purports to show genuine customer experiences while giving no obvious indication the people featured are not real.

Some content creators making AI influencer material have been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements preventing them from discussing their work. Examples include Once, a photo app whose Instagram promotions feature videos of a bride praising the app; Reality Defenders analysed the content and concluded the brand has likely used AI-generated influencers.

Once did not respond to a request for comment. Maket, an app that uses AI to design housing projects, posted a video in which a woman appears to be AI generated; Maket said: "AI-generated influencers have been one of several ways for us to test creative concepts and marketing hooks at a small scale before investing in broader campaigns.

ai generated, ai influencers, social media, brands, transparency, customer experiences, ndas, once app, maket app, reality defenders