With AI generation tools already in use, the new era of influencer marketing will see authenticity and creativity rewarded in the creator economy, according to former reality TV star and Managing Director of Disrupt, Stevie Johnson.
In a speech at Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon today (14 November), titled Creativity over Charisma: AI’s Blueprint for Next-Gen Influencers, Johnson said the role of AI and deep fake influencers is taking its toll on the influencer marketing landscape, but creativity will replace charisma in winning over brands in future.
‘Today more than ever, more people are capitalising on the creator economy, making a living off of it, and both brands and platforms are investing in it, giving creators more ways to create, optimise, and monetise their content.
‘These changes have professionalised and grown the industry, but we’re about to see massive changes to it because of the rise of artificial intelligence, in terms of reduced barriers to entry and further growth, plus business model evolution,’ he said.
The danger of deep fakes
With three out of four (74%) creators concerned about the use of AI for creating deep fakes, AI-generated manipulations of individuals have already been used to violate privacy and infringe copyright & intellectual property.
Earlier this year, celebrity podcaster Joe Rogan, found himself at the centre of a deep fake scam. In a fabricated 28-second video clip of the popular JRE podcast, which largely has a younger male audience, Rogan and guest, Andrew D. Huberman, appeared to actively promote a male libido booster.
On the issue of AI deep fakes, Johnson added: ‘While AI has its benefits, the deepfake threat opens up a whole world of deep trouble for influencers and content creators.
‘Deepfakes pose a massive risk to our industry and to content creators themselves because the technology will undermine two crucial pillars – trust and authenticity.’
During the speech, Johnson also suggests:
- AI tools will disrupt the creator economy and transform the way content is created and consumed
- Human creators will not be displaced but will be empowered to scale their production
- Reliance on AI will lead to an over-abundance of content making it difficult for creators to stand out.
Featured image: Steve Gale / Unsplash
