AI Clones Are Coming For The Influencer Economy

"Digital twins" could help creators scale content and brand deals.

Influencers may no longer need to be in front of the camera to grow their brands and businesses. Artificial intelligence is making it possible for creators and celebrities to build digital twins that can replicate their online personas for branded content, fan interactions, and other opportunities. That shift could create a new revenue stream for creators, but it also raises the question of who owns the digital version of yourself.

In January, social media star Khaby Lame, who has more than 162 million followers on TikTok, reportedly entered a deal allowing a Hong Kong-based company to create an AI avatar of him for product sales and brand deals. Lame was reportedly set to receive $975 million in stock for the deal, while the company projected that his digital twin could generate more than $4 billion in annual product sales. The company’s stock later fell more than 90% from its January high.

Lame’s experience illustrates both the upside and uncertainty surrounding AI-powered creator businesses. The global content-creator industry is projected to grow from $314 billion to more than $2 trillion over the next decade, while creator advertising spending continues to outpace broader media growth, according to data cited by Vanity Fair.

AI companies are betting creators will use digital twins to increase that output without increasing their workload. Platforms such as HeyGen and Descript market tools that allow users to produce videos with AI avatars rather than appearing on camera for every recording.

For creators building businesses around their personal brands, however, the contract may matter more than the technology.

Caryn Marjorie, a lifestyle influencer who previously licensed her likeness for an AI chatbot, warned about the loss of control that can follow once a digital replica is released.

“I think one of the biggest pitfalls is people not realizing that once you give up your likeness, there’s only a certain level of control you can have after it’s been released,” Marjorie told Vanity Fair.

Talent agencies are already treating digital likenesses as valuable intellectual property. Creative Artists Agency (CAA) created an internal system known as the CAA Vault to capture and securely store clients’ digital likenesses, including facial features, bodies, and voices. CAA says the goal is to give talent greater control while opening opportunities for commercial use.

Alex Shannon, CAA’s head of strategic development, said the agency captures “terabytes of data for every single client” and emphasized that clients retain ownership and control over how their likenesses are used.

Attorney Robert Freund, who works with creators and talent agencies, cautioned that creators can “very quickly inadvertently lose control of your identity” if they sign away likeness rights without understanding the terms.

For Black creators, entertainers and entrepreneurs whose brands are often built around identity and cultural connection, the stakes are especially significant. An AI replica could help a creator take on more brand work, produce localized campaigns or interact with audiences around the clock. But poorly negotiated rights could allow companies to monetize a likeness long after the original deal ends.