With 2.2 million followers on Instagram, Lil Miquela is among the world's most engaging virtual influencers. Her presence highlights the growing impact of artificial intelligence in digital culture.

Miquela debuted in 2016, created by Brud, an artificial intelligence company in Los Angeles, US. She represents a blend of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) and AI. According to Virtual Humans, Miquela is a 19-year-old girl born in the US, with Spanish and Brazilian heritage. She currently works as a model and singer, garnering over 70,000 monthly listens on Spotify. Miquela's YouTube channel has nearly 300,000 subscribers.

A simulated image of Miquela attending the Met Gala in May. Anh: Instagram/ @lilmiquela

Some news outlets report that each of Miquela's Instagram ad posts is worth approximately 10,000 USD. Over the past decade, she has collaborated with several luxury brands, including Gucci, Dior, Chanel, and BMW. She appeared in a Prada promotional campaign during Milan Fashion Week 2018 and filmed a video with supermodel Bella Hadid for Calvin Klein in 2019.

According to SCMP, Aitana Lopez is currently one of the most notable virtual beauties, managed by Spanish AI company The Clueless. She launched on Instagram in 2023 and has since amassed over 400,000 followers. Anh: Instagram/ @fit_aitana

While Lil Miquela heavily features CGI, Aitana appears more human-like. She is depicted as a 25-year-old Spanish woman with pink hair, a toned physique, and tanned skin. Aitana focuses on lifestyle and beauty content. She has partnered with various brands, such as cosmetics brand Llongueras, accessory company Golden Concept, Amazon Spain, and game developer Razer. Euronews reported in 2023 that she earns an average of 3,000 euro per month, sometimes reaching up to 10,000 euro.

In an interview with Vogue in April, Andy Garcia, creative director of The Clueless, stated that Aitana was created as a social experiment to understand what brands and audiences seek. Garcia explained, "We created several characters based on social media trends and phenomena, and Aitana proved to be the most effective product."

Virtual beauty Luka Moretti works with May Kogel, a company specializing in creating and providing virtual models. Her Instagram account has nearly 350,000 followers, with many videos reaching millions of views. Anh: Instagram/ @luka_moretti_

According to her creators, Luka is 25 years old and 1.76 m tall. Her face combines graceful features with sharp eyes. She is suitable for brands looking for a beauty that is both unique and gentle. Beyond her appearance, she stands out with several facial tattoos, including the word "Loyalty" beneath her eye.

AI beauty Mia Zelu has nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram and is also a hyper-realistic model, similar to Aitana and Luka. Anh: Instagram/@miazelu

Mia Zelu is created and managed by ZELU House, an AI model production company. Mia's personal page features content on fashion taste, lifestyle, and music. She also appears in several AI short films posted on her profile.

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Shudu Gram, one of the world's most famous virtual models, is the result of CGI and AI technology. She has been active on Instagram since 2017 and now has over 200,000 followers. Anh: Instagram/ shudu.gram

Her personal profile describes Shudu as the world's first digital supermodel. She has collaborated with luxury brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton. The creator behind Shudu is British visual artist and photographer Cameron-James Wilson. He also founded The Diigitals, the world's first company specializing in virtual models, according to Virtual Humans.

According to the article "AI-generated fashion models: innovation, illusion or a step too far?" in Conversation in August, an increasing number of AI characters are entering the fashion market. Most brands choose AI because the technology helps them increase diversity, improve efficiency, reduce costs, and suit various promotional campaigns.

However, this trend also faces backlash. A 2024 study by academics at Loughborough University in the UK suggests that the perfect appearance of AI models can provoke envy and create unrealistic beauty standards.

Phuong Thao