---
title: "Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media"
slug: "ki-influencer-auf-instagram-marken-tarnen-werbung-als-echte-kundenerlebnisse"
date: 2026-06-21
category: tech-pub
tags: []
language: en
sources_count: 1
featured: false
publisher: AInauten News
url: https://news.ainauten.com/en/story/ki-influencer-auf-instagram-marken-tarnen-werbung-als-echte-kundenerlebnisse
---

# Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media

**Published**: 2026-06-21 | **Category**: tech-pub | **Sources**: 1

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## TL;DR

- A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.

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## Summary

- A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.
- Examples include Once, Maket and Ashle. Reality Defenders assessed several posts as likely AI-generated; Ashle removed images from social media after questions from the Guardian.
- Maket described AI influencers as a small-scale test for creative concepts and marketing hooks. That reads more like a performance experiment than meaningful transparency for users.
- The UK advertising regulator says there is no specific rule requiring AI labels on promotional content. EU rules for clearly labelled deepfake-style content are due to start applying in August.

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## Why it matters

A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.

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## Key Points

- A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.
- Examples include Once, Maket and Ashle. Reality Defenders assessed several posts as likely AI-generated; Ashle removed images from social media after questions from the Guardian.
- Maket described AI influencers as a small-scale test for creative concepts and marketing hooks. That reads more like a performance experiment than meaningful transparency for users.
- The UK advertising regulator says there is no specific rule requiring AI labels on promotional content. EU rules for clearly labelled deepfake-style content are due to start applying in August.

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## Nauti's Take

This is the predictable end point of performance marketing treating authenticity as just another format. AI influencers are cheap, controllable and free from human risk, but they push advertising toward deception-by-design. If a brand simulates real people, it should have to label that clearly. Otherwise creator marketing becomes a stage set of invented customers.

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## FAQ

**Q:** What is Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media about?

**A:** - A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.

**Q:** Why does it matter?

**A:** A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.

**Q:** What are the key takeaways?

**A:** A Guardian investigation found brands using AI-generated influencers on Instagram that appear to show real customer experiences, often without an obvious signal that the people are not real.. Examples include Once, Maket and Ashle. Reality Defenders assessed several posts as likely AI-generated; Ashle removed images from social media after questions from the Guardian.. Maket described AI influencers as a small-scale test for creative concepts and marketing hooks. That reads more like a performance experiment than meaningful transparency for users.

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## Related Topics

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## Sources

- [Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jun/21/brands-using-ai-generated-influencers-to-promote-products-on-social-media) - The Guardian AI

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## About This Article

This article is a synthesis of 1 sources, curated and summarized by AInauten News. We aggregate AI news from trusted sources and provide bilingual (German/English) coverage.

**Publisher**: [AInauten](https://www.ainauten.com) | **Site**: [news.ainauten.com](https://news.ainauten.com)

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*Last Updated: 2026-06-23*