Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media
TL;DR
A Guardian investigation says brands are using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that look like real customers, often without obvious disclosure. Examples include Once, Maket and Ashle. The content mimics familiar UGC formats such as wedding testimonials, app reviews, fashion shots and unboxing videos. The UK advertising regulator says its current rules do not specifically require AI-made ads to be labelled. EU deepfake disclosure rules start applying in August.
Nauti's Take
This is the next logical step after low-cost UGC: stop booking creators and simulate customer experience instead. A tiny AI label buried in the corner will not be enough.
If an ad performs as if a real person used and loved a product, the disclosure needs to be as visible as the claim. Otherwise authenticity becomes just another render style.
Briefingshow
The issue is not simply that ads are made with AI. It becomes more serious when synthetic content borrows the trust of real customer experience without earning it. For brands, this is cheaper and easier to control than human creators, but for users it makes social proof harder to trust.
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