Meet Lil Miquela. She’s worked with high-end fashion brands like Prada and Calvin Klein as an influencer. She’s reportedly earned an average of $2 million per year since 2016. She doesn’t sleep, eat, travel, age or miss deadlines. She also isn’t real.
AI has edged its way into influencer marketing, a practice that used to be a safe bet to be driven purely by humans. Synthetic influencers like Miquela now represent a new facet of influencer marketing, one that’s outearning some human influencers.
Projections from PR firm Ogivy in 2024 estimated that AI virtual influencers would account for 30% of influencer marketing budgets in 2026. Brands are interested in hiring them. Creators are eagerly developing them.
And brands, creators and customers alike are calling into question what “influence” really is and why it works at all.
What Synthetic Influencers Are (and What They Aren’t)
Influencer Marketing Hub defines synthetic influencers as “digital characters or avatars given a personality by their creators and made to act and look like any normal influencer would.” They’re built by humans and powered by AI technology, and some are becoming as famous as real celebrities.
“It’s no different than creating a fictional character like Flo or Jake from State Farm, or even the Geico gecko,” shares John Francis, VP of sales and marketing operations at IZEA.
To create a virtual influencer with AI, creators need to combine character design, 3D modeling, a unique voice, story arcs and personality traits. Just like creating any type of character, learning how to create a virtual influencer with AI requires consistency and attention to detail.
An important distinction is that synthetic influencers aren’t parading around as real people.
“The real appeal is scale and predictability,” says Luana Ribeira of Dauntless PR. “They can run campaigns across multiple markets and languages at the same time and without limits on capacity or needing time off. Brands can control the whole output.”
Brands Betting on Synthetic Influencers
Fashion and beauty are leading in this space. Major brands are putting famous virtual influencers in real campaigns, like Coach featuring virtual influencer Imma alongside Camila Mendes and Lil Nas X.
Brands like Prada first used CGI influencers in campaigns in 2021, and other brands have gone as far as creating full characters, like Yoox’s Daisy in 2018 or Puma’s Maya from 2020. In 2026, the trend continues with the benefit of hindsight coupled with a growing interest in AI.
Virtual influencers among smaller brands offer proof. Guery Cordovadisla, co-founder of Domepeace, says they are experimenting with AI for influencer marketing to promote men’s scalp care.
“We’re using a synthetic spokesperson named James, a bald Black man built to speak to bald confidence,” explains Cordovadisla. “For us, the win is consistency: James can teach routines, explain ingredients and show before-and-after expectations without needing a full production day every time.”
As virtual influencers move deeper into mainstream marketing, some are crossing a new threshold. They’re evolving into brands themselves, with earnings that mirror the luxury names and goods they’re promoting.
Digital analytics company Kapwing recently provided estimates of the top virtual influencers’ earnings based on follower count. The top creator, Brazil’s Lu of Magalu, generated an estimated $2.5 million over 74 sponsored Instagram posts within a year. By contrast, the top-earning human influencer, Mr. Beast, is reported to have generated $85 million last year, showing there’s still a drastic gap between human and virtual influencer earnings.
Looking at the whole influencer picture, that gap might be closing. Lu of Magalu’s earnings came within $100,000 of the lowest earner out of the top 50 creators of 2025.
Where Brands Can Get Synthetic Influencing Right—and Horribly Wrong
Creators and brands execute on new ideas as quickly as technology allows. Given the speed of AI advancements, which Axios says is changing our world faster than most people realize, AI influencer marketing is emerging as a practical test for how brands can redefine trust and credibility at scale.
Francis is taking advantage of what he calls a “democratization of creativity” to independently create an Instagram virtual influencer: Nico Tailsen. “With Nico, I’m building a story. He lives in New York City, near the Flatiron District. He was born in New Zealand. He grew up in the U.K. He has a chocolate lab named Sydney. He works for a clothing brand called Francisco Clothing.”
Currently, Francis is focusing on consistent content for Nico in fashion, cooking and luxury goods, with the goal of testing how AI influencers make money. “I wondered, could I grow a following on Francisco Clothing that has real demand? Then I could bring it to the fashion industry and share how we have a million followers asking where to get these man bags or coats or shoes. It gives us demand to fill.”
Kylie McMullan of Finch Media sees scalable potential for brands that want to capitalize on trends and invest in entertainment value. To achieve results, she predicts storytelling will be a key driver.
“When my kids watch animated films, they really connect with the characters, even though they know they’re not real,” McMullan explains. “There’s a story arc that they resonate with, and we’re probably going to see the same with synthetic influencers. If they’re promoting products, for example, we know they haven’t tried the product, but there’s authenticity around the storytelling.”
It’s still a “Wild West” territory, with no clear rules or laws. Experts suggest approaching AI in influencer marketing with a heavy dose of caution.
“If using virtual influencers is just to churn content and cut costs, audiences will see straight through it,” shares Ribeira. “But if you’re using it transparently to amplify what your brand already stands for, rather than pretending it’s something it’s not, you may be onto a winner.”
Cordovadisla believes virtual influencers are pushing the whole industry toward always-on brand characters. Controllable personalities can post on schedule, stay on-message and iterate like paid ads. “That is the opportunity. The risk is the same thing: When everything is perfectly controllable, audiences start looking harder for what’s real.”
For Cordovadisla, trust and transparency are guiding principles, not afterthoughts. “We treat [James] as a brand character, not a ‘real guy,’ because long-term trust is the whole game.”
The Future of Influencer Marketing Isn’t ‘AI versus Humans’
This shift to virtual influencers doesn’t force brands to choose a side. The real test is whether brands can use new tools responsibly without losing the human trust that made influence valuable in the first place.
“I do think this will be fast developing,” admits Francis. “I think we’ll be looking at something completely different in a year.”
What is an AI influencer?
An AI influencer is a digital character created using AI-assisted tools. Brands or creators own and operate these characters and use them in marketing campaigns similarly to human influencers.
How are AI influencers created?
AI influencers are created through a studio-style process that involves character design, 3D modeling and defining a personality and voice. Human teams manage the behind-the-scenes process, such as scripting, posting and developing a consistent tone and values.
Are AI influencers profitable?
They can be. AI influencers like Brazil’s Lu of Magalu have earned millions of dollars per year in brand deals.
Does TikTok allow AI influencers?
Yes, TikTok allows AI influencers, provided they comply with content and disclosure guidelines.
How much do AI influencers make?
AI influencer earnings vary widely based on reach, production quality and demand.
Photo provided by peopleimages / shutterstock.com
