Have you seen the Oscar-winning movie created by Alex Garland, Ex Machina? Or maybe you are a fan of HBO’s Westworld? If so, you are likely familiar with the Uncanny Valley Theory. Uncanny valley describes the unsettling feeling you get in response to humanoid robots or hyper-realistic computer-generated characters. Even though the advancement of technology these two productions portray is not yet upon us, a similar trend is taking over the marketing world – the virtual influencer. 

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At this moment, there are approximately 150 virtual influencers, and that number is constantly growing. From brand-specific influencers, such as KFC’s virtual Colonel Sanders, to those that promote multiple brands, such as Lil Miquela, one of the first AI influencers developed who has partnered with Coachella, Dior and Prada, virtual personalities are taking over.

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What are AI Influencers?

AI influencers are virtual personalities managed by brands or media agencies and created with computer graphics technology and Machine Learning algorithms. They are just like regular influencers – people who have gained fame and influence through social media, blogs, and other online channels. Well, there’s one small difference – they are not real.

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Similar to actual influencers, AI influencers have millions of devoted followers, they manage to gather a loyal and engaged audience, and they have the power to influence the behaviour and life choices of their fans. And that’s exactly why so many brands want to associate themselves with powerful and influential personalities — even if they don’t exist in the real world.

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How exactly do they work? Powered by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, these personalities can not only appear in photos or move around in videos on social media, but they can also interact virtually with users as if they were real people. However, even though they have an AI in their name, AI Influencers still heavily rely on real people.

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Has science gone too far? Maybe, but it’s been exceptionally favourable for marketing specialists who want to capitalise on this trend.

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Will AI Be the Fuel Virtual Influencers Have Been Waiting For

Some virtual influencers on social media, like Miquela, VNCCII, AI Angelica, and AI Ailynn, are frequently referred to as artificial intelligence, or AI. Miquela, for instance, identifies as an AI robot who resides in Los Angeles. When in reality, she is a CGI figure interacting with her admirers through a human crew.  

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As of right now, none of these digital influencers are truly supported by AI. The current generation of virtual influencers still relies on a human team to interact with fans in some way because fully AI-powered virtual influencers are not yet a reality.

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However, it doesn’t mean that it won’t be possible in the future. Some virtual influencers are already using elements of AI, such as AI-generated images or AI-chats. As technology develops, it may soon be possible for the virtual influencers to operate on their own and create their content without so much human involvement. Ultimately, this should make it possible for virtuals to interact with their followers and community in real-time and in a more authentic way without the need for a human-powered team.

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There will need to be appropriate safeguards in place to ensure the AI is building a deeper connection with followers and a more immersive experience, rather than potentially harmful outcomes, should AI capabilities someday take over their own social media channels and create material without human input.

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Why should Brands use AI Influencers in Digital Marketing?

In modern marketing, if you can’t keep up, you lose. There’s no way around it – if they want their brand to stay afloat and outperform their competition, marketing specialists must always keep an eye on the current trends. 

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In the cruel world of marketing, there are no exceptions to this rule. And that’s exactly why you should use the potential of virtual influencers. Even though they are not fully AI-generated yet, they can still benefit your business.

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1. Increased engagement

One of the most important goals for brands when partnering with influencers is to increase engagement on social media. And when it comes to virtual influencers, they can be more engaging than the real ones.

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According to the study conducted by Hype – Journal, Virtual Influencers have almost three times the engagement rate of real influencers. Quite surprising, isn’t it?

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Well, it can be easily explained by the curiosity AI influencers spark on social networks. As simple as that, people actually want to talk to robots. This, or the fact that, as they are machines, they know exactly what to answer to get more engagement.

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2. Narrative freedom

When negotiating with AI influencers, brands don’t have to deal with a real persona – they are talking with a marketing team, which can create a fully customized and controlled narrative for the brand. 

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Everything can be the way your brand wants it to be, giving you more control over the online representation of your brand and the creative freedom to develop an influencer that fits your strategy perfectly. There’s no place for controversies real influencers so often provoke – you have it all under control.

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3. Connecting with new generations

Millennials and Generation Z are very much proficient with the Internet and technology. However, the real potential lays in the Alpha generation, born after 2010, which is already growing up in the digital age.

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The new generations will interact with technologies much more naturally and instinctively. They will grow up in an era of much more interactive and immersive technologies, defined by an effective relationship between humans and machines.

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The Alpha generation — and the ones that will follow — will interact with virtual characters much more closely, and having them as the customers will force brands to leverage the newest technologies.

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4. Association with technology and innovation

By creating an AI influencer or forming a partnership with one, you can show that your brand is tuned with the trends. Using Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Metaverse, you can show that your business supports the newest trends in technology.

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For future-forward customers, there’s nothing more important than the fact that your brand stays up to date.

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AI Influencers - summary

Just like regular influencers, AI-powered ones can support your marketing activities, strengthen branding, and enhance relationships with consumers. All this is supported by advanced technology that will probably transform the relationship between humans and robots in the future.

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Even though AI influencers don’t exist physically, they already exist in marketing strategies and the lives of their followers. And you should never underestimate the impact they have.

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