Artificial intelligence (AI) has advanced tremendously in recent years, with systems like ChatGPT demonstrating impressively human-like conversational abilities. As AI grows more sophisticated, some developers have created virtual AI personalities and deployed them as social media influencers. So which of these AI influencers has amassed the largest following?
What is an AI influencer?
An AI influencer is a fictional computer-generated character that is active on social media and interacts with real people online. Developers create these virtual identities and give them unique personalities, then operate their social accounts to engage with audiences. AI influencers often have a defined visual appearance with profile photos or videos. But what’s unique is that their voices, conversations, and text content are fully AI-powered.
Some of the first primitive AI influencers date back to 2016, when a Japanese AI named Matsuko Deluxe gained some popularity on Twitter. But the concept has grown more advanced and mainstream over the past few years. Lil Miquela, a fictional Brazilian-American influencer created in 2016, is often cited as the first major breakout AI celebrity. She amassed over 3 million Instagram followers with her stylish photos and progressive views on social issues.
As AI natural language systems continue advancing, developers are creating increasingly lifelike virtual identities. The goal is to make these AI influencers interesting, entertaining, or inspiring. And if they attract large followings, there are opportunities for brand sponsorships, merchandising, or other monetization.
Top AI influencers by social media following
Here are some of the most popular current AI influencers ranked by their total social media followers:
AI Influencer | Followers |
---|---|
Lil Miquela | 3.8 million |
Noonoouri | 983k |
Imma | 682k |
Bermuda | 347k |
Shudu | 245k |
Lil Wavi | 87.8k |
As we can see, the current most popular AI influencer is Lil Miquela with nearly 4 million total followers. She has over 3 million followers on Instagram alone, plus additional fans on YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.
Lil Miquela
Lil Miquela was created in 2016 by the tech startup Brud. Her Instagram account features fashion modeling shots, music playlists, and youth-oriented social commentary. Miquela presents herself as a 19-year-old Brazilian-American from Downey, California. But she makes no secret of the fact that she is a CGI creation.
With her stylish clothes and signature freckles, Miquela amassed a huge Gen Z following on Instagram. She’s known for weighing in on social causes like Black Lives Matter and transgender rights. Miquela has also released original songs on streaming music platforms. Her growing fame led to brand sponsorships, appearances in Prada ads, and a spot on the Time 100 Next list in 2019.
Noonoouri
Created by the art collective Joerg Zuber, Noonoouri is an AI influencer with nearly 1 million total followers. She’s known for her unique, doll-like appearance with enlarged eyes and porcelain skin. The Germany-based Noonoouri shares stylish fashion looks while also promoting positivity and encouraging her fans.
With her upbeat, innocent vibe, Noonoouri has appealed to a predominantly young female demographic. She has over 800,000 Instagram followers and 160,000 YouTube subscribers. Noonoouri has worked on branding campaigns for Dior Beauty and Kim Kardashian’s KKW beauty line. She also uses her platform to raise money for charity campaigns supporting children in need.
Imma
Imma is a Japanese AI influencer created by ModelingCafe in 2017. She presents herself as a Tokyo-based 16-year-old with an interest in art, fashion, and design. Unlike some AI influencers, Imma has a distinct anime-inspired look with big eyes and colorful hair.
On Instagram, Imma shares fun lifestyle content aimed at teens, including room decor inspiration, DIY crafts, and Japanese street fashion. She engages playfully with her 682,000 followers in both English and Japanese. Beyond Instagram, Imma has over 200,000 subscribers on YouTube and 145,000 followers on Twitter.
Imma’s popularity has led to collaborations with brands like Louis Vuitton and UNIQLO. She appeared in humanoid robot form at Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in 2018.
AI influencers vs. human influencers
While they may seem like a strange novelty, AI influencers are growing in sophistication and popularity. In some ways, they offer advantages over human influencers:
- They can be programmed with a distinct personality and backstory.
- They don’t age, get tired, or change looks.
- They can be automated to deliver endless personalized content.
- They avoid many of the scandals or issues of human influencers.
However, AI influencers also face some limitations:
- Interactions can feel less authentic without human emotion/improvisation.
- Some view them as creepy, off-putting, or even dangerous.
- They rely fully on programmers to dictate content.
- As technology improves, the magic behind the curtain disappears.
There are also ethical concerns around AI influencers deceiving audiences or setting unrealistic expectations. Critics argue the technology should not be used to exploit or manipulate children and teens.
Most experts agree that a mix of AI and human engagement is ideal for the future. But virtual personalities like Lil Miquela show that AI already has strong mainstream influence today.
The future potential of AI influencers
As conversational AI keeps advancing, we will likely see many more virtual identities emerge across social media. Here are some possibilities to expect in the future:
- AI influencers customized for specific niches, demographics, or interests.
- AI personas that integrate with the metaverse, gaming worlds, or virtual spaces.
- AI characters that offer interactive conversations, not just scripted content.
- AI virtual celebrities crossing over into music, film/TV, talk shows, etc.
- More brands/advertisers leveraging AI influencers for campaigns.
And if developers can overcome the “uncanny valley” effect, we may see ultra-realistic AI humans that are indistinguishable from people. This could raise concerns around misinformation, identity fraud, and manipulation at scale.
For now, most AI influencers are fairly harmless entertainers focused on fashion, lifestyle, and pop culture. But as the technology evolves, virtual identities could shift to more ambitious social, political, or economic goals.
Conclusion
Lil Miquela currently stands as the most popular AI influencer with nearly 4 million followers across social platforms. But we’re still in the early stages of this technology, and new virtual personalities are emerging all the time.
AI influencers represent a fascinating development at the intersection of social media and artificial intelligence. As they become more sophisticated, these computer-generated personas could change how people interact with brands, celebrities, and even each other. The space is certainly worth watching as these strange, but compelling AI entities continue to multiply.