Virtual Fame, Real Issues: The Risks of Using Virtual Influencers
- Influencer marketing is a huge industry grossing over 21.1 billion US dollars in 2023 alone
- A new trend in influencer marketing is on the rise in the form of virtual influencers, which are computer-generated characters instead of human beings
- While virtual influencers have their pros, there are rising concerns about computer-generated influencers
- In this article, we delve into the risks and concerns brands and companies should consider before opting for a virtual influencer
Source: Getty Images
You’ve heard of social media influencers, but have you heard about virtual influencers? A virtual influencer (VI) is a fictional computer-generated character. Globally, there are more than 200 virtual influencers.
The use of virtual influencers has grown exponentially in recent years because these AI-generated characters can be anything from human-like influencers to customised cartoon characters.
Virtual influencers promote and market services and products online and on social media platforms like human influencers.
Why companies use virtual influencers
According to Private Internet Access (PIA), computer-generated influencers (CGI Influencers) do have their pros:
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- They are cost-effective
- They have adaptable personas
- They do not age, which allows longer partnerships
- There are no travel expenses
- Brands have total control over their campaigns
- They can make marketing campaigns more unique
However, concerns surrounding virtual influencers are on the rise.
Virtual influencers can lack realism
Although virtual influencers, or CGI influencers as they’re also known, take creators many hours to create, these digital influencers can lack human authenticity.
A human influencer can convey an emotion or share a real experience or interaction, but CGI influencers can only simulate these experiences. Although these simulations are improving and becoming more humanised, only a human can really connect with an audience on a deeper level.
Reports indicate that people and brands still like to connect with real people.
Consumer privacy could be at stake
Virtual influencers can adapt their responses by learning from their interactions with followers.
These VI’s are likelier to reply when they spot audience keyword-triggering responses.
Brands could exploit this by having their VIs interact more with followers, thus baiting their audience to engage even more.
This unique feature is great for a brand, but not for its human followers, who might give VIs their personal information without realising to whom they’re giving it and for what purpose.
Generally, followers interact with these CGI influencers via social media platforms that require a login. However, if users do not change their privacy settings, they could unknowingly share all their details with other companies and brands.
This poses a huge threat to consumer privacy.
Virtual influencers still need real creators
Many brands and services find the idea of a CGI influencer appealing, but ultimately, a creator still needs to design the virtual influencer. Not only do virtual influencers require a person to create them, but they also rely heavily on their creators for content, experiences and interactions.
On the other hand, human influencers can create spontaneous content at will and in real-time based on their present experiences, like local cleaning guru, Mbali Nhlapho does.
CGI influencers are limited by their creators' ideas, content, and simulations, which can lead to repetition and a lack of human-like interaction.
Ethical concerns
CGI influencers are often created under a blanket of mystery. In many cases, their creators are anonymous, which raises concerns about who should be held accountable for their influence or marketing messaging.
Further ethical challenges arise when audiences are unaware that they’re engaging with virtual influencers.
It’s vital that creators inform their audience about their use of CGI influencers for transparency and ethical dilemmas.
Virtual influencers can create unrealistic expectation
In this digital age, virtual influencers can portray characters or personas often unobtainable to humans.
Their unrealistic beauty and lifestyle standards can leave audiences feeling self-conscious or cause severe psychological damage, especially to a younger audience.
Virtual influencers run the risk of spreading misinformation
With the rise of artificial intelligence, online information spreads faster than wildfires. Because CGI influencers are brought to life by creators, there is a risk they want to spread fake or biased views.
The risk of misinformation spreading if an audience is unaware that they’re engaging with a virtual influencer is even higher.
Creators must keep ethical considerations in mind and use their CGI influencers responsibly to ensure they do not become catalysts for spreading misinformation or biased information.
What does the future hold for virtual influencers?
Although there are many pros to consider when deciding between real and virtual influencers, brands and services should also consider cultural representations and the sensitivity of the target audience.
While creators can design CGI influencers that are visually appealing and representative, they must also consider the diverse cultures these influencers serve. To ensure creators use their CGI influencers responsibly, more guidelines and policies must be implemented.
Virtual influencer technology will soon become more human-like and interactive, which may cause the lines between reality and the virtual world to blur even more.
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Source: Briefly News
