Brand influencers promote brands. Mostly they are presentable real human beings. Of late, AI-created brand influencers appear, and on the strength of their personality draw lacs of followers — attractive eyes, flawless lighting and a crafted life. They enact micro dramas, are tireless and location agnostic. They can be rendered in any outfit, language or setting. There are no travel costs and maintenance costs. No scandals could be associated with them. They do not fall sick. Synthetic stars do not deviate from the script. Cost reduction amounts to almost a third of the costs when real persons are influencers. They do not forget lines and do not need lunch breaks or restroom breaks.
Still such synthetic persons leave a residue of artificiality. However, tools such as Nano Banana Pro from Google has changed this. It has changed what ‘real’ looks like on screen. The oddly smooth skin of synthetic stars has become close to real, the lettering is malformed, shadows have become real and the imagery is precise enough to look like real.
A new set of creators have entered the ecosystem. They offer operational advantages. Campaigns can be scaled faster. The content can be produced around the clock. Synthetic influencers can be deployed across geographies and languages.
There is no possibility of total replacement of human element. Human touch makes possible improvisation, nuance and emotional resonance. It drives engagement. In future, hybrid models where both human creators and synthetic influencers are combined could emerge.
Human element previously made the promotion authentic. However, these days AI mimics imperfections and relatability. Authenticity is a factor, but its definition demands a relook. There could be a shift towards IP-driven, always on virtual talent. Once an AI persona is built, the content costs decline remarkably. Brands in future will have their own proprietary AI talent. Contracts will be negotiated with IP retainers. A hybrid layer will exist where a virtual influencer interacts with real human beings. This will be disclosed to consumers.
Soon budgets will be earmarked for AI influencers. Good influencers will not be replaced, but mid-tier creators who are after volumes of average work will be replaced.
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