Maya Kensington
Influencers leverage their unique tastes, experiences, and expertise to build trust with their audiences, making them invaluable assets for brands. the rise of hyperrealistic generative AI poses a significant challenge to this exchange of credibility.
According to research conducted by Meltwater and YouGov, only 28% of consumers view generative AI as suitable for influencer marketing. In contrast, 47% accept its application in product advertising, while 53% endorse its use in entertainment content, highlighting influencer marketing as one of the least accepted areas for this technology. This skepticism is valid, especially as the distinction between genuine creators and AI-generated personas becomes increasingly blurred.
Realistic AI-generated influencers now feature prominently in testimonial videos, product demonstrations, and haul videos, promoting products that appear authentic. images of actual public figures can be altered to give the impression they endorsed products they never interacted with. Often, viewers lack obvious reasons to suspect that the influencer they are watching is not real.
This scenario contrasts sharply with the initial wave of virtual influencers that captured social media attention a few years ago. AI-created characters like Lil Miquela and Shudu merged aspirational fashion with cutting-edge technology. Their artificial nature was part of their charm, allowing brands to explore innovative storytelling methods. Followers were aware that these accounts were not human yet chose to engage with them nonetheless.
Today, the simplicity of creating AI influencers and the difficulty in identifying them have blurred the lines between creative exploration and misleading representation. This shift places greater responsibility on brands to clearly communicate the role of AI before audiences must discern the truth themselves.
Research indicates that consumers are particularly sensitive to being kept uninformed. In the markets surveyed, 59% of respondents reported a decline in trust toward brands that do not disclose their use of AI. 86% emphasized the importance of transparency regarding the use of generative AI in content creation. These figures underscore a critical expectation: audiences want brands and creators to be upfront about AI’s involvement.
Instagram has reached a similar conclusion based on its observations on the platform. In a recent announcement, the company revealed updated labels for AI-generated profiles, noting that “people don’t like encountering a profile that appears human, only to later discover that it is AI-generated.”
As a result, Instagram replaced the more ambiguous “AI Creator” label with the clearer “AI-generated profile” designation and has restricted the visibility of accounts featuring synthetic personas that are not clearly identified. This change signifies a pivotal shift in how social media platforms address misleading AI content, but it is unlikely to be the last. Brands must proactively safeguard the credibility of their influencer marketing initiatives as platforms adapt to these developments.
Enhancing external trust necessitates improved internal visibility. This entails establishing robust vetting processes for creators, documenting partnerships meticulously, and monitoring the content published under your brand’s name. Implementing a centralized and consistent workflow for managing influencer activities and brand monitoring simplifies the identification of potential issues before they escalate.
Above all, brands must prioritize transparency regarding their use of generative AI. Ensuring clear disclosure becomes an integral part of the audience experience rather than an oversight or an afterthought. Notably, the use of generative AI does not have to be a dealbreaker for all audiences. Concealing this technology, however, can quickly lead to distrust.
Brands cannot control every piece of content that appears online, especially as deceptive AI-generated materials proliferate and become more challenging to detect. brands can set the standards for their influencer programs. By clearly outlining AI’s role within these programs, brands provide audiences with compelling reasons to trust the content they encounter.
For further insights into consumer expectations regarding brands utilizing AI, consult the Meltwater and YouGov’s Public Perception of AI-Generated Content report.
David Bridges
Cameron Steel
