Research from the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network also found four-fifths of influencers also fail to identify commercial content properly.
Around one in six influencers are AI-generated, while four our five creators fail to identify commercial or advertising content on their social media channels, a new study has found.
Research from the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) analysed 228 influencers from across the globe, and identified that 15% of these so-called influencers were actually synthetic characters created using AI.
A further 92% of influencer accounts published commercial content, but only one in five made reported if it was advertising. And of those that do identify commercial content, it is often not clear or visible – and could go unnoticed by the audience.
According ICPEN, more than a third (69%) of influencers who use AI to alter then content fail to disclose it and the lack of transparency is becoming a key issue.
Another trend emerging is the lies fully virtual influencers are telling. The study found that while 65% of influencers did disclose their non-human identities (the AI-generated characters), more than half referred to “personal experience claims”, such as in travel or health, which were untrue.
The report stated: “The sweep [influencers analysed] uncovered the presence of several practices that could potentially harm consumers.
“Given the prevalence of these practices on social media and the popularity of influencers across all age groups, the participating members of the sweep recommend continued commitment from the industry, regulatory bodies and legislators on ensuring transparency on social media.”
Consumers have illustrated a fatigue with AI content. Research from The Harris Poll found that 78% of consumers believe that AI means ads feel “less authentic”, and often find brands “cringey” for the over-use of it.
This has translated into a loss in potential customers with 63% saying they would be “less likely to purchase from a brand that uses AI-generated ads”, and 73% reporting they would be “less likely to trust an ad” they suspected was made using AI.
