New Delhi: AI is being used to create virtual influencers that look exactly like real humans. Remarkably, their engagement rates are three times higher than those of human influencers. ‘Lil Miquela,’ one of the top three AI influencers, has a net worth of approximately $16 million (over ₹150 crore). These AI influencers are giving human influencers stiff competition.
They are securing deals with major companies like Prada, Netflix, Adidas, and Hugo Boss. According to a recent report by Grand View Research and another study, female-styled ‘AI influencers’ account for 68% of the revenue generated in this market segment. They earn nearly 40 times more than typical human influencers. Women aged 18 to 34 make up 44.76% of the followers for these virtual influencers on Instagram—a figure nearly double the corresponding percentage for standard influencer accounts.
Lu do Magalu: A virtual star created by the Brazilian magazine ‘Luiza.’ She earns approximately ₹25 crore annually and has millions of followers on social platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Lu do Magalu
Lil Miquela: Several fashion houses, including Prada and Calvin Klein, have partnered with this virtual avatar. She has a net worth of around ₹150 crore and over 2.2 million followers on Instagram.
Aitana Lopez: A virtual Spanish model with pink hair. The agency that created her secures major sponsorships from brands such as Amazon Spain and Gioselin. Her annual earnings exceed ₹1 crore.
Aitana Lopez
The craze for AI-generated influencers is growing in India as well.
The trend of AI-generated influencers is gaining momentum in our country too. With an engagement rate of approximately 55%, India is at the forefront of this global trend. Many major domestic brands are incorporating them into their campaigns. An AI influencer named ‘Kyra’ has around 240,000 followers; ‘Naina Avtar’ has 370,000 followers, while the AI model ‘Vrittika Patel’ has over 100,000 followers.
