Wojtek Kokoszka is CEO of AI-first referral and influencer marketing platform Mention Me
By Wojtek Kokoszka, CEO of Mention Me
The phenomenon of AI influencers is becoming increasingly widespread.
Since Lil Miquela – dubbed the original AI influencer – first “stepped” onto the scene, the market has quite literally grown arms and legs. The technology has moved fast enough that what was then seen as revolutionary is now virtually outdated as new and improved AI influencers hit the scene, with new entrants breaking into the film and music industries as well.
But while these new influencers are attracting brand deals and earning millions, they’re kicking up a lot of controversy.
How sentiments are changing towards AI influencers
Consumers – the true brand fans – sit on the other side of the fence, still battling with the cost of living as their favorite brands opt for cheaper alternatives than investing in genuine, human influencers.
It’s creating a perfect storm of building resentment and mistrust. What businesses need to weigh up at this point is the short-term cost benefits versus long-term consumer relationships.
Ultimately, following a short period of excitement, consumers will rebel against AI content creators, labelling their outputs as “fake news” and turning on brands that push machines pretending to be human. We’re starting to see it happen already, and it’s only set to increase.
The initial success of AI influencers is undeniable from brands’ perspectives. Lil Miquela alone has already featured in ad campaigns for large, global organisations like BMW, Calvin Klein and Prada, and reportedly brought in roughly £7.4 million in 2023.
During Milan Fashion Week in 2018, Prada did a takeover of its Instagram account with Lil Miquela to engage fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes content. Such high-profile and public use cases paved the way for other brands to get involved and capitalize on the cost savings associated with AI influencers over experienced, human content creators.
However, the tides are turning for Lil Miquela and her fellow AI peers.
Turning tides
While early adopters contributed to the buzz – and profited from it – in reality, it’s not sustainable.
As AI influencers become more mainstream and inevitably garner greater attention and criticism, these same brands risk alienating themselves from their customer base and damaging their reputation in the long term.
Consumers value authenticity, and when the boundaries between humans and AI are pushed by the creators, it can cause substantial backlash. For example, the creators behind Lil Miquela felt some controversy following the announcement of her leukaemia diagnosis as part of a campaign with the National Marrow Donor Program.
While the intent behind the campaign was admirable and incredibly important, questions were raised about the delivery. Similarly, SheerLuxe faced backlash from its brand fans after the introduction of a new team member who ended up being AI.
At the front of consumers’ minds is the notion that their favourite brands are starting to elect AI options rather than pay a real human for their genuine life experience.
By narrowing in on the short-term profitability of AI influencers, brands are missing a trick. The trust and authenticity that comes from identifying influencers who are genuine brand fans is second to none.
Businesses that are turning to AI in their influencer marketing are on to something, but it doesn’t start – or end – with swapping out human content creators in favour of AI knock-offs.
Where the real value of AI in influencer campaigns sits
The success of influencer campaigns has already been well documented. So far, brands with ambassador programmes see 37 percent higher customer retention, and 78 percent of TikTok users say they’ve bought a product after seeing it featured by a creator.
To quantify the impact of influencer campaigns further, data shows that brands see an average return of £6.50 for every £1 spent on influencer marketing, with the top 13 percent of businesses achieving an ROI of £20 or more.
If it’s already such a profitable marketing tactic, why cut corners with AI and risk long-term reputational damage?
Instead, businesses should be using AI in a way that helps their brand team scale their influencer marketing programmes, not as a way of replacing human authenticity and creativity. As an example, instead of brand teams having to spend hours scrolling through social profiles, AI can vet these individuals and help surface authentic, high-performing micro-influencers and brand ambassadors that exist within their consumer base.
AI can also support businesses with tracking campaign performance. Whether focused on revenue, referrals or LTV, AI can support brands in creating organic growth loops.
It all comes back to one simple point: people don’t like machines pretending to be human. Trends like the rise of AI influencers will trigger a short period of excitement before being cast aside as fake news.
Those who opt for authentic and genuine advocacy will come out on top in the long run every time.
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