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Should we buy into virtual influencers?
Brands need good spokespersons. “Digital humans” have many plus points, even if they lack authenticity.
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Germany’s National Tourist Board launched a digital campaign that introduced Emma, an AI-generated “travel influencer”.
PHOTO: GERMAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD
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Blessed with blonde hair, perfect complexion and a sunny personality, Emma seems the ideal spokeswoman for German tourism. In her mid-30s and madly passionate about travel and technology, she speaks 20 languages including English with a slight British accent. As I plan my holiday to Germany this Christmas, I am intrigued by her enthusiastic Instagram posts. Except that her posts fascinate and repel me in equal measure because Emma isn’t a real person. In fact, she’s an entirely artificial intelligence (AI)-generated virtual influencer.
Virtual influencers, often referred to as digital humans or computer-generated imagery influencers, are AI-generated characters that possess realistic looks, personalities and active social media profiles.
