AI may be reshaping everything from production pipelines to creative strategy, but when it comes to cultural shifts, AI influencers are at the forefront.
A new study from Billion Dollar Boy reveals a huge crossroads in the creator economy. Do we embrace virtual influencers, or should we be concerned?
Surveying 6,000 people across the US and UK, including consumers, creators, and marketers, BDB’s findings paint a nuanced portrait of an industry grappling with its next evolution.
In a fascinating stat, 76% of consumers say they trust virtual influencers for product recommendations. A further 68% trust them to guide their purchase decisions.
That level of credibility suggests virtual influencers have moved well beyond the early-stage novelty era. Today, they’re building loyal communities, earning sponsorships, and commanding cultural influence once reserved for their human counterparts. For creators, the mood is noticeably more anxious.
62% say virtual influencers are increasing competition, and 59% believe virtual influencers contribute to already overwhelming content saturation.
However, the report also emphasises a key point: the most successful virtual influencers demand significant resources, needing dedicated teams for world-building, storytelling, and character development. Consequently, while the threat of competition from virtual personas is genuine, it may currently be more of a symbolic concern than an immediate reality for human creators.
Digital twins
Digital twins, which are AI-generated replicas of real creators, are emerging as a middle ground. Ethical or not, 85% of creators are open to creating a digital twin in partnership with a brand.
Many see them as a path to reduce workload and burnout; something 52% report having experienced, with 37% having considered quitting the industry altogether.
Brands are taking note, too. Investment in digital twin technology is projected to rise 60% annually, hitting $73.5 billion by 2027.
But while creators see opportunity, consumers see risk. 57% of consumers believe digital twins erode trust in creator content.
Only 28% of creators share that concern.
This gap mirrors wider debates about authenticity in the AI era. Early adopters, particularly in fashion and modelling, have shown how digital twins can expand a creator’s capacity and open doors to new types of collaborations. But the broader creator economy hasn’t yet defined the rules, roles, or norms that make digital twins feel transparent, ethical, and aligned with the creator’s true voice. It’s still a grey area.
Becky Owen, Global CMO of Billion Dollar Boy, argues that AI personas are entering a critical cultural pressure test.
“AI personas open up extraordinary creative possibilities, but possibility doesn’t always equal utility. Just because we can create virtual influencers or digital twins doesn’t mean audiences will engage. We’re in the middle of a cultural reset as AI-generated content floods feeds, and what we’re seeing in real time is a backlash against anything that feels like a shortcut.
She notes that audiences are already pushing back against AI-generated content that feels cheap, rushed, or inauthentic.
“Audiences are always drawn to effort, to honesty, to storytelling, to the visible work behind creativity. That’s what can’t be replaced. For virtual influencers and digital twins to succeed, they must have a clear purpose, a role that’s genuinely useful, and a foundation of transparency around licensing, identity, and consent. Without that, the risk isn’t just irrelevance, it’s rejection.”
It’s clear AI influencers aren’t going away any time soon. Should creators be more concerned than they reportedly are about consumer trust? Only time will tell.
