Aitana Lopez appeared at the Coachella Music Festival in the US with pink hair, a boho-style belt, and a fashionable outfit. She held a famous brand's cup holder, a familiar item for young people at events. However, Aitana is not a real person.
She is an artificial intelligence (AI) character created by the technology company The Clueless from Spain, boasting nearly 400,000 followers on social media. Through modeling and advertising contracts, Aitana Lopez earns up to 10,000 USD each month. Despite her biography explicitly stating she is a virtual product, many accounts still leave complimentary comments. A male actor with 5 million followers once messaged Aitana to ask her out on a date in real life.
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Aitana Lopez, an AI model influential on social media, checked in at the Coachella festival in California, 10/4. Photo: Instagram/@fit_aitana |
On social media, content from virtual key opinion leaders (KOLs) is intricately crafted, making it difficult to distinguish from real people. They film makeup tutorials, post exercise photos, share travel experiences, or showcase check-ins at sports events. Photo manipulation at popular events or alongside celebrities is a common tactic for virtual characters to attract engagement.
Currently, thousands of virtual KOLs are active on Instagram and TikTok. Reports estimate this market size reached 6.33 billion USD in 2024 and is projected to rise to 11.78 billion USD by 2033. A survey by data analytics firm Sprout Social shows that 50% of UK consumers are comfortable with brands using virtual KOLs for advertising, and 41% are willing to follow them. This acceptance is largely due to social media users being accustomed to heavily filtered and edited images.
This industry has grown significantly, leading to the creation of an AI Character of the Year Award (WAICA) with a total prize value of 90,000 USD. Over 2,000 virtual candidates compete in categories such as modeling, writing, music, and football fandom.
Virtual KOLs first emerged about ten years ago with the first generation, Lil Miquela, from the US. This character was previously chosen by luxury brands like Prada and Calvin Klein to promote their campaigns.
Ruben Cruz, Aitana’s creator, stated that his company decided to use AI because many projects were canceled due to personal issues of human models. With AI, brands avoid risks from personal scandals, and virtual characters can work 24/7 anywhere in the world without incurring travel or accommodation costs.
Media experts predict that by 2030, most major brands will create their own "virtual representative face."
However, the overuse of virtual figures sometimes carries risks, especially when marketing campaigns deliberately construct narratives involving illness or emotionally deceive audiences, leading to ethical controversies.
Experts note that KOLs who rely solely on appearance will be the easiest to replace by AI. In fields requiring trust and in-depth knowledge, such as mental health or parenting, machines cannot yet compete.
The core value of a successful influencer lies in creativity, empathy, and compelling human stories—qualities that AI cannot replicate.
Bao Nhien (According to Independent)
