Brands promoting their products online are quietly deploying AI-generated influencers on social media, an investigation has found, prompting calls for greater transparency.

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Clarissa Mansbridge, a former celebrity manager who has previously worked with Katie Price, creates images of AI influencers for brands as part of her Mia Metaverse portfolio. She says brands approach her because she has the technical ability to create hyperrealistic, aspirational digital humans.

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“If you sign with a brand, they’ll make you sign an NDA saying you can’t talk about the fact they’re using [AI], because consumer trust is still being built. I call it plausible deniability.”

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“Brands want high-end photography, but they don’t want to pay $20,000 to $70,000 for a traditional photoshoot,” she said. “Unfortunately, human influencers killed the market for themselves. Brands are moving to AI to cut out issues like bad press, personal opinions, hourly rates and photographers.”

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