Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media (The Guardian, 6/21/26)

[highplainsdem]

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jun/21/brands-using-ai-generated-influencers-to-promote-products-on-social-media

Brands promoting their products online are quietly deploying AI-generated influencers on social media, an investigation has found, prompting calls for greater transparency.

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Clarissa Mansbridge, a former celebrity manager who has previously worked with Katie Price, creates images of AI influencers for brands as part of her Mia Metaverse portfolio. She says brands approach her because she has the technical ability to create hyperrealistic, aspirational digital humans.

-snip-

“If you sign with a brand, they’ll make you sign an NDA saying you can’t talk about the fact they’re using [AI], because consumer trust is still being built. I call it plausible deniability.”

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“Brands want high-end photography, but they don’t want to pay $20,000 to $70,000 for a traditional photoshoot,” she said. “Unfortunately, human influencers killed the market for themselves. Brands are moving to AI to cut out issues like bad press, personal opinions, hourly rates and photographers.”

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I'd call that fraud. Fraud that deserves a boycott. The last thing fraud-via-AI-and-lies deserves is consumer trust.

This article helps show just dishonest the reasoning behind AI use is.

[AZJonnie]

1. Feel like about 75% of ads that play before videos on YT are very obviously AI

As if the ads aren't annoying enough to begin with, they're not even real people or voices

I ain't buying anything advertised in this way, esp. if it's using fake people in their ads.

[Redleg]

2. Definitely seems like fraud.

'Tis a brave new world. We soon won't be able to separate truth from fake/falsehood.

[snot]

3. I wish we'd pass laws that

(1) Require that AI-produced or -altered content be prominently labelled as such, and in the case of violations, impose fines large enough to serve as an effective deterrent; and

(2) Require ALL AI-generated materials to fully disclose and properly cite all sources relied on in producing the AI's results. The results could include a button or link that, when clicked on, would generate the list.

This would ensure that the original creators of the source content could receive fair compensation and credit; and it would also help AI users in assessing the likely accuracy of the AI results.