Move over human influencers—there's a new star rising in the social media sphere, and it's not human at all. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves as virtual influencers, reshaping the landscape of online influencing and making staggering sums of money in the process.
Aitana Lopez, one such AI-generated influencer, is causing quite a stir. This pink-haired virtual persona isn't just gaining followers at a rapid clip; she's also pocketing around Rs 83,000 per post, captivating over 200,000 devoted followers across social media platforms. The AI avatar has even caught the attention of Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma, who highlighted the potentially overblown influence of AI in a recent post on X (formerly Twitter).
Interestingly, Paytm itself, under Vijay Shekhar's leadership, is embracing AI by trimming its workforce and pivoting toward artificial intelligence for various operational facets.
Behind the scenes, Deanna Nunez, a co-founder of the advertising agency Clueless, is credited with birthing Aitana Lopez. Frustrated with the escalating demands and costs of human influencers, Nunez turned to AI to craft a virtual influencer, and thus, Lopez came into existence. This pink-haired sensation is now pulling in a staggering Rs 9 lakh monthly, boasting almost 200,000 followers who eagerly anticipate each sponsored post, for which businesses are shelling out $1,000 apiece.
The trend doesn't stop there. AI is swiftly carving a niche in the endorsement arena, with renowned figures like Kim Kardashian leveraging AI avatars to promote brands like KKW Beauty through Noonuri. Luxury labels like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Prada, and Givenchy are also jumping on the bandwagon, utilizing virtual influencer Lil Miquela to push their products.
In a world where AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, its role in influencing consumer behavior and shaping social media trends is clearly on the rise.