With the value of the global influencer marketing market exceeding PLN 118 billion, this means that the virtual influencer segment is already worth nearly PLN 5 billion.
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Experts argue that this is only the beginning of changes that may permanently transform the way brands communicate with their recipients.
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The popularity of digital creators is primarily due to their advantages over human influencers. According to the above-mentioned analyses, they generate up to three times higher audience engagement than traditional creators with a similar number of followers.
— They work great in highly visual projects and wherever 24/7 availability is needed. No breaks, no time limits, no image risk – emphasizes Jakub Muszkiet, head of ZW Agency belonging to By The People Group, quoted by “Rzeczpospolita”.
For brands, this means the ability to run campaigns without fear of image crises, health problems or professional burnout of creators. It's no wonder that more and more companies are considering cooperation with digital characters.
The forecasts are impressive. According to Global Market Insights, the so-called the avatar economy is expected to grow by nearly 31% on average. annually, reaching a value of USD 93.4 billion by 2035. The development will be driven not only by social media, but also by the gaming industry and projects related to the metaverse.
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Google and YouTube rely on digital clones
Google wants to become one of the leaders of the new trend. The company released the Gemini Avatar feature in May, which allows you to create realistic digital equivalents of users. The tool uses the owner's face and voice, and the entire configuration process using a smartphone takes only a few minutes.
Similar solutions are also being developed by YouTube, which implements AI avatar creation functions to generate Shorts videos based on text commands. Artists are also already taking advantage of the opportunity to create digital equivalents. One of the most famous examples is American rapper Snoop Dogg, who created his own virtual doppelganger.
The technology arouses admiration, but also fear
However, the development of the market is accompanied by serious questions about ethics and trust. Experts indicate that increasingly realistic avatars can be used for disinformation or misleading recipients.
In response, some social media platforms are tightening their rules. Meta's Instagram and TikTok limit the reach of content deemed derivative or unoriginal, and Pinterest has already begun promoting content created by people.
The low level of trust in AI-generated content also remains a problem. Research shows that although users willingly use algorithm recommendations, they are much less likely to consider them a reliable source of information. In Poland, according to ClickMeeting data, only a quarter of respondents would be willing to follow an influencer created by artificial intelligence, while more than half show no interest in such a solution.
— The priority must always remain function and effectiveness in solving problems, not just the visual persona – emphasizes Krzysztof Lewiński, president of Armatis Polska, quoted by “Rzeczpospolita”.
