An investigation has found that brands are using AI-generated people to promote products online, sometimes in ways that appear to present fictional characters as genuine customers.
Brands are increasingly turning to AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media, raising new concerns about transparency, consumer trust and the future of online advertising.
A recent investigation found that companies are using hyperrealistic digital avatars in promotional posts, videos and product testimonials. In some cases, the content appears to show ordinary customers praising a product or sharing a personal experience, even though the people shown are not real.
The practice is attractive to brands because AI-generated influencers can be cheaper, faster and easier to control than human creators. They do not require photoshoots, travel, contracts, scheduling or reputation management in the same way as real influencers. A single synthetic face can be adapted for multiple campaigns, markets and platforms.
But critics say the technology creates a serious risk of deception when viewers are not clearly told that the person on screen is artificial. The concern is especially strong when AI-generated content mimics the language and style of user-generated reviews, such as a customer explaining how a product helped them or why they recommend it.
The Guardian investigation reported examples of AI content used in ways that could make audiences believe they were seeing real customers rather than computer-generated personalities. It also noted that some AI influencer work is produced under non-disclosure agreements, making it harder for consumers to know when a campaign is synthetic.
Consumer advocates are calling for clearer labelling rules. In the UK, regulators currently focus on whether an advert is misleading, but there is no broad AI-specific rule requiring brands to disclose when a promotional person or testimonial has been artificially generated. In the European Union, the AI Act is expected to bring stronger transparency requirements for certain synthetic or deepfake-style content.
Retailers and advertisers, however, are pushing back against rules they see as too broad. A European retail association representing major brands has asked for AI-generated advertisements to be exempt from some EU transparency requirements when the content is not intended to deceive, arguing that excessive labelling could overwhelm consumers and weaken the value of disclosure.
The controversy reflects a wider shift in the creator economy. AI-generated models and influencers are no longer experimental novelties. They are becoming part of mainstream marketing, especially in fashion, beauty, lifestyle and app promotion. Some companies see them as a way to reduce costs and produce polished content at scale.
Yet the same features that make AI influencers useful to brands also make them risky. Unlike human influencers, synthetic personalities cannot genuinely use a product, form an opinion or share lived experience. When they appear to offer personal testimony, the result can blur the boundary between marketing fiction and authentic recommendation.
The issue is not simply whether AI should be used in advertising. Many brands already use AI for editing, design, translation and campaign planning. The deeper question is whether audiences have the right to know when a “person” promoting a product does not exist.
As synthetic media becomes more realistic, trust may become the most valuable currency in digital marketing. Brands that disclose clearly may face short-term awkwardness, but those that hide AI-generated endorsements risk something more damaging: convincing consumers that even the most personal-looking recommendation online may not be human at all.
