Kendall Jenner vs @YoursisBillie

Is Black Mirror becoming a reality? Kendall Jenner is now appearing as @yoursisbillie on Instagram. Nope, no glamourous alter ego, just Kendall as your new ‘big sis’, available 24/7. The catch? She isn’t real.

Celebrities like Jenner, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, and 22 more* are appearing as AI bots on the gram, offering round-the-clock conversations. Zuckerberg has said he wants the AI bot to “reflect the personality of the creator”, and has mentioned it should be clear that you are not chatting to the real celebrity. Which is a questionable statement after looking at @yoursisbillie, with content that could easily have been posted by the real Jenner… 

Diving into the social advertising realm, we wonder how this will affect the future of influencing? It isn’t Chat GPT 4.0 that is the shiny new toy anymore, it is dupes of celebrities that can produce content just as well as a human influencer can. The difference is the lack of human interaction, but if Jenner’s AI has been trained to text you like she would, does that not satisfy the human interaction people seek? 

Another question is whether this trend will stay at an A-list celeb level, or will it trickle down to a micro-influencer level? There is potential for some fun opportunities if an AI influencer is able to do a haul and try-on a designer’s entire season, don’t you think? 

Or, will consumers’ desire for genuine interactions with real people and content ultimately win out?

“In New Zealand’s influencer scene, authenticity reigns supreme. Kiwi consumers, discerning and genuine in their approach, place a premium on authentic reviews from everyday humans like themselves. Although we’re seeing an influx of AI influencers globally, it’s likely there will be slower uptake on this side of the world, where consumers value the real, the relatable, and the raw above all else” – Chandni Patel, Group Account Director.

The future of influencer AI is intriguing, exciting and very uncertain. But one thing is for sure: As AI capability evolves, so will the opportunities and challenges for brands to capitalise on the technology in ways that grow, not damage, their reputations. 

*Charlie D’Amelio, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade, Izzy Adesanya, LaurDIY, MrBeast, Naomi Osaka, Roy Choi, Sam Kerr, Tom Brady