Influencer marketing changes fast and often, and now AI influencers are popping up everywhere. The big question is: Are these digital personalities actually making more money than real people?
Let’s dive into the numbers and find out which type of influencer gives brands the best bang for their buck.
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What Are AI Influencers?
AI influencers are computer-generated personalities that look and act like real people on social media. They post content, interact with followers, and promote brands just like human influencers do. Some famous examples include Lil Miquela, who has over 3 million Instagram followers and works with luxury brands like Prada.
These digital personalities use advanced technology like 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, and voice generation to create content. They can work 24/7 without getting tired, sick, or causing scandals.
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Who Actually Earns More?
Here’s where things get interesting. The numbers show a huge gap between AI and human influencers when it comes to earnings.
Human Influencers Dominate the Pay Scale
Recent research reveals that human influencers earn 46 times more than AI influencers per post. The average human influencer makes about $78,777 per post, while AI influencers only earn around $1,694.
This massive difference shows that brands still value the human touch. Real people bring authenticity and emotional connections that AI can’t match yet.
Revenue Streams Tell a Different Story
The way these influencers make money is also very different:
- 37% of human influencers earn money through brand partnerships
- Only 8% of AI influencers make money from brand collaborations
- 31% of AI influencers promote adult content compared to 15% of human influencers
This data shows that AI influencers are finding their niche in specific markets, but they’re not breaking into mainstream brand partnerships like humans are.
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Engagement Is the Real Performance Test
Money isn’t everything. Let’s look at how well these influencers connect with their audiences.
Human Influencers Win the Engagement Game
The engagement numbers strongly favor human influencers:
- Human influencers get 5.8 times more likes per post than AI influencers
- Posts by humans receive an average of 414,754 likes compared to 71,491 for AI influencers
- For sponsored content, human influencers generate 266% more engagement than AI influencers
However, some studies show mixed results. One report found that virtual influencers can achieve engagement rates up to three times higher than human influencers, with average rates of 5.9% versus 1.9%. But other data suggests AI influencers like Lil Miquela only achieved 0.6% engagement for BMW compared to 3.6% for human creators.
Cost Analysis Breakdown
Now let’s talk about what it costs to work with each type of influencer.
AI Influencer Costs
Creating an AI influencer requires a big upfront investment:
Plus, you’ll pay $200 to $1,500 per month for ongoing costs like API usage and cloud infrastructure.
Human Influencer Costs
Human influencers have different cost structures:
- Per-post fees ranging from $50 to $1 million+ depending on their status
- Travel and accommodation expenses for campaigns
- Production costs for photo shoots and content creation
- Risk management costs if controversies arise
Long-Term Cost Comparison
A Gartner survey found that replacing human influencers with AI can reduce campaign expenses by 30%. This happens because AI influencers eliminate fees, travel costs, and logistics expenses.
Here’s how the costs break down over time:
The Advantages of Each Approach
Let’s break down each option to see which comes out on top in terms of advantages.
Why AI Influencers Are Gaining Ground
Complete Control: Brands have total control over AI influencers’ actions and messaging. No risk of off-brand behavior or scandals.
24/7 Availability: AI influencers can create content and engage with followers around the clock without breaks.
Scalability: You can create multiple AI influencers or scale content production without human limitations.
Cost Efficiency: After the initial investment, AI influencers are cheaper to maintain long-term.
Why Human Influencers Still Rule
Authenticity: Real people create genuine emotional connections with their audiences.
Trust Factor: Consumers trust human influencers more, leading to better conversion rates.
Adaptability: Human influencers can quickly pivot based on trends and real-time feedback.
Creative Storytelling: Humans bring personal experiences and creativity that AI can’t replicate yet.
Market Growth and Future Predictions
The AI influencer market is growing fast. The global market was valued at $6.95 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $8.3 billion in 2025. Some projections suggest the virtual influencer market could hit $37.8 billion by 2030.
Despite this growth, 58% of U.S. consumers over 18 follow at least one virtual influencer, and 35% have purchased products endorsed by these digital figures.
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The Bottom Line: Which Is More Lucrative?
Right now, human influencers are clearly more lucrative in terms of direct earnings and brand partnerships. They make 46 times more money per post and get much higher engagement rates.
However, AI influencers offer better long-term cost efficiency for brands. They’re cheaper to maintain, completely controllable, and can work non-stop. For brands running large-scale, long-term campaigns, AI influencers might provide better return on investment.
Use a Hybrid Approach
The most successful brands aren’t choosing between AI and human influencers – they’re using both. Human influencers excel at building trust and emotional connections, while AI influencers handle consistent messaging and 24/7 engagement.
This hybrid approach lets brands maximize the strengths of both types while minimizing their weaknesses. As AI technology improves, we’ll likely see the gap between human and AI influencer effectiveness shrink.
The future of influencer marketing isn’t about replacement, it’s about integration. Brands that figure out how to use both human authenticity and AI efficiency will win the marketing game.
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