Brands Deploy AI-Generated Influencers Without Disclosure

Major brands are deploying AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media platforms without clearly disclosing that the people featured aren't real, according to an investigation by The Guardian.

The investigation found multiple examples of companies using synthetic personas that appear to show genuine customer experiences. Some content creators producing AI influencer material are being required to sign non-disclosure agreements preventing them from discussing their work, according to the report.

Current regulatory gaps

No specific rules currently require brands to inform consumers when advertising content uses AI-generated people. The EU's Artificial Intelligence Act will mandate clear labeling of AI-generated or manipulated content starting in August, but this legislation won't apply in the UK.

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority confirmed it has no explicit rules prohibiting undisclosed AI-generated promotional content. An ASA spokesperson told The Guardian the regulator would only assess whether ads are misleading, not whether AI use itself is problematic.

Examples in practice

The Guardian identified several cases. Reality Defenders, a deepfake detection firm, analyzed content for Once, a disposable camera-style photo app. Instagram videos showed what appeared to be a bride praising the app at her wedding, with content flagged as likely AI-generated.

Another example featured an apparently AI-generated woman promoting Maket, an AI-powered housing design app. Maket acknowledged using "AI-generated influencers" as one way to "test creative concepts and marketing hooks at a small scale."

A fashion brand called Ashle posted images that appeared to show a woman wearing its clothes, including one photo where the subject had an extra finger—a common AI generation artifact. After The Guardian's inquiry, Ashle deleted photographs from its social media and said the removed images featured designs no longer in its collection.

The economics driving adoption

Clarissa Mansbridge, who creates AI influencer images for brands through her Mia Metaverse portfolio, estimated that 40% to 60% of content from major brands is now AI-generated, with creators bound by NDAs.

"Brands want high-end photography, but they don't want to pay $20,000 to $70,000 for a traditional photoshoot," Mansbridge said. She noted brands are moving to AI to avoid issues like "bad press, personal opinions, hourly rates and photographers" associated with human influencers.

The practice extends to user-generated content (UGC)—paid content designed to look like authentic customer reviews. Marketing agencies are actively pitching AI-generated unboxing videos to businesses as a cost-effective alternative to real customer content.

Why it matters

This trend represents a fundamental shift in how brands present product endorsements to consumers. When promotional content appears to show real people sharing genuine experiences but actually features synthetic personas, it undermines the authenticity that makes influencer marketing effective—and raises questions about consumer deception. The practice is particularly concerning given research from Which? showing 70% of people cannot correctly identify all real versus fake videos. Without clear disclosure requirements, consumers have no reliable way to distinguish authentic testimonials from AI-generated marketing material, potentially eroding trust in online content broadly.

Consumer group Which? called for transparency, with editor Lisa Barber stating: "Companies must be transparent when content has been created using AI, particularly if AI-generated influencers are appearing in the content."

These findings were first reported by The Guardian's Sarah Marsh.