AI Beauty Influencers Deceive Consumers with Fabricated Lives
Digital avatars posing as real women are leveraging personal struggles to sell products, raising ethical concerns.
A growing number of artificial intelligence-generated influencers are populating social media platforms, deceiving millions of consumers by fabricating personal narratives to promote beauty products. These digital avatars, often presented as relatable women facing issues like divorce, menopause, and aging, are used to endorse items through affiliate links, with their creators earning commissions.
These AI influencers, such as Holly Lorne and Lauren Miller, present flawless appearances and share seemingly personal stories designed to resonate with older, female audiences. Lorne, for instance, claims to be a 42-year-old ex-skincare researcher recommending products, while Miller details her struggles with an abusive husband and a subsequent post-divorce transformation. However, neither individual is real; they are digital creations whose accounts do not disclose their AI nature. Lorne's Instagram account (@holly.lornee) has 16,000 followers and Miller's (@llaurenmillerr_) has 41,000, both linking to products for sale.
The creators of these avatars earn up to 25 percent commission on sales made through affiliate links. Some may also generate income by selling courses on creating realistic AI avatars and evading detection on social media platforms. Consultant dermatologist Dr. Anjali Mahto notes that AI influencers offer brands complete control over a persona's age, appearance, history, and messaging.
The setup cost for an AI influencer can range from £80 to £15,000, with monthly running costs between £40 and over £8,000. While major brands like Nars, Maybelline, and Prada have employed virtual ambassadors, the issue arises when AI influencers are not transparently identified. Sara McCorquodale, CEO of CORQ influencer intelligence platform, states that brands avoid disclosure because they believe consumers would be deterred.
Jennifer Carter (@jenniferwellnesslife), a 52-year-old AI influencer from California with 96,000 followers, claims a biological age of 26.9 and shares a narrative of overcoming post-divorce confidence loss, recommending strength training, sleep, hydration, and an anti-aging supplement. Some of her videos have garnered over two million views.
Experts express concern that this practice not only deceives consumers into purchasing products under false pretenses but also promotes unattainable beauty standards and exploits insecurities for profit. Dr. Mahto highlights the potential for these influencers to imply that youthfully radiant skin is achievable through specific product purchases.
There is a growing backlash against undisclosed AI influencers. Lifestyle publisher SheerLuxe faced criticism for using four AI influencers for beauty tips, and beauty company Slate Brands deleted its AI perfume influencer Iris Lane's profile following widespread anger. Dr. Mahto argues that using invented individuals to describe experiences they have never had undermines consumer trust in product formulations, evidence, and claims.
To identify potential AI influencers, consumers are advised to examine who manages their accounts, verify the claims made, and check if product endorsements align with product release dates. While reporting deceptive accounts can lead to their removal, as non-disclosure of AI content violates platform policies like Meta's, new ones frequently emerge. McCorquodale suggests the UK adopt a system like Norway's, which requires digitally altered posts to be clearly stamped, enabling consumers to make informed choices about the influencers they follow and the endorsements they trust.