Brands Hesitate on AI Influencers Amid Backlash and Authenticity Concerns

Brands are increasingly divided on whether to embrace AI influencers or steer clear of them. While these digital personas were once seen as the future of influencer marketing, their popularity is waning. According to transaction data from Collabstr, a leading influencer marketing platform, brand partnerships with AI social accounts dropped by about 30% in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Part of the decline stems from growing consumer backlash against what many call "AI slop"—low-effort, generic content that feels artificial and uninspired. High-profile missteps have fueled the skepticism. Fashion brand Guess faced criticism for using an AI-generated model in a Vogue ad, while the emergence of an AI actor named Tilly Norwood sparked backlash from SAG-AFTRA. Beauty brand Dove has since banned the use of AI models altogether. “Brands are genuinely worried about backlash,” said Mae Karwowski, CEO of influencer marketing firm Obviously, which has not worked with AI creators this year. “When people see content that’s clearly replacing a real person, it triggers negative reactions.” The challenge for marketers lies in navigating the fine line between innovation and inauthenticity. Collabstr defines AI influencers as virtual personas like Lil Miquela—digital characters with large followings—or accounts that feature only AI-generated content. Beyond full AI influencers, brands are experimenting with other AI-driven formats. Some use AI avatars to mimic user-generated content without a real audience. Others are creating digital twins of real creators, using their likeness with consent to expand content reach. Billion Dollar Boy’s CMO Becky Owen noted that the initial excitement around AI influencers has faded. “It was shiny, different—breaking up the monotony of people holding products and saying ‘buy this,’” she said. “Now it feels like junk mail. Lazy. Uninspired.” Despite the retreat from full AI influencers, marketers remain optimistic about AI’s broader role in influencer campaigns. A survey by Billion Dollar Boy found that 79% of senior marketers in the US and UK plan to increase investment in AI-generated creator content this year. AI tools are proving valuable in post-production. Once a campaign is filmed, revisions can be time-consuming. AI video platforms like Mirage (formerly Captions) can quickly edit and adapt content, helping preserve the value of a creator’s contract. Karwowski said Obviously plans to test such tools soon. As AI advances—especially with tools like Sora 2—fully synthetic content may soon be indistinguishable from real footage. “We’ll reach a point where people won’t even realize they’re engaging with AI,” said Collabstr cofounder Kyle Dulay. “They’ll just see engagement and spend on it, not knowing it’s AI.” Yet, the core issue remains: authenticity. Successful influencer marketing thrives on trust and personal experience. “An AI can’t speak to a real personal experience with a product,” said Keith Bendes, chief strategy officer at Linqia. “Authenticity is the opposite of what AI influencers deliver.” For now, brands are choosing caution. While the allure of creative control and scalability remains, the risk of reputational damage keeps many from going all in. The future of AI influencers may depend not on how advanced the technology becomes, but on whether it can ever truly feel human.