For “Influencers and AI” report, HypeAuditor surveyed 620 Instagram influencers to gather insights into their attitudes toward:
AI tools for content creation,
Digital clones,
AI generated content.
Survey was conducted from August 1, 2024 to August 30th, 2024.
The survey was distributed electronically using the contact details available in the HypeAuditor database.
Due to rounding, not all percentage totals in this report equal 100%.
Comparison calculations are made from total (not rounded) numbers.
Key Findings
Widespread AI adoption: 83% of Instagram influencers have used AI tools for content creation, with 76% using them specifically for generating images, videos, and captions.
Frequent AI usage: A significant portion of creators – 23.9% always and 38.5% often – are integrating AI into their regular workflow, suggesting that AI tools are becoming indispensable in content creation.
Quality concerns: While AI usage is rising, 31% of respondents expressed concerns about the quality of AI-generated content, with 45% believing that AI-generated content could make it harder for human influencers to stand out.
Content overload: 64% of respondents fear that AI-generated content may contribute to content overload on social media platforms.
Digital clone hesitations: Only 13% of respondents feel "very comfortable" with the idea of creating a digital clone of themselves for brand promotions, while 26% are "somewhat comfortable."
Loss of control: 33% of influencers are most worried about losing control over how their digital clone is used, with 30% willing to share their clone with multiple brands simultaneously.
Most creators use AI
The statistic that 83% of Instagram influencers use AI tools for content creation highlights the growing integration of technology in the influencer marketing industry.
AI tools can streamline various aspects of content production, including image editing, video enhancements, automated captions, and even content planning.
AI-driven tools like chatbots and digital clones allow influencers to engage with followers in real-time, even automating some interactions.
This trend reflects a shift toward more tech-enhanced creativity, enabling influencers to focus on their personal brand while AI handles repetitive tasks.
AI is Dominantly Used for Content Creation
The vast majority of content creators (76%) use AI tools primarily for content creation (images, videos, captions).
This underscores the importance of AI in automating and enhancing the creative process.
There is potential for growth in AI tool adoption for strategic, administrative, and data-driven tasks, as creators continue to explore how these tools can support areas beyond content creation.
Frequent Use of AI Tools
A significant portion of creators, with 23.9% using AI tools always and 38.5% using them often, suggests that AI is becoming a regular and integral part of their workflow.
More than 60% of respondents rely on AI tools frequently, indicating a growing comfort and reliance on AI to enhance efficiency and creativity.
Overall, the data indicates a positive trend toward AI adoption, but it also shows that there’s room for growth, particularly among those who are less frequent users.
Quality of AI Content is the Biggest Concern
For 31% of respondents, the primary worry is the quality of content produced by generative AI.
This indicates that despite the growing use of AI tools, many creators feel that AI may not yet consistently meet the creative or professional standards required for their content.
Overall, while AI is being increasingly adopted, these concerns highlight the areas that need to be addressed—ensuring content quality, ethical use, control over creative processes, legal clarity, and affordability will be key to further integrating AI into content creation.
Content Overload
With 45% of respondents believing that AI-generated content will make it harder for human influencers to stand out, there is a clear concern that the growing presence of AI in content creation could dilute the uniqueness and personal touch that influencers bring.
A striking 64% of respondents believe that AI-generated content will lead to content overload on social media platforms.
This highlights a growing fear that as AI simplifies and speeds up content production, social media might become flooded with excessive content, making it harder for individual voices to stand out and for users to navigate through the noise.
Mixed Comfort Levels with the Idea of Creating a Digital Clone
Only 13% of respondents feel very comfortable with the idea of creating a digital clone of themselves, while a larger group (26%) is somewhat comfortable.
This suggests that a small but significant portion of influencers are open to the concept and see potential value in digital clones for brand collaborations.
Many creators might appreciate the potential convenience or novelty of digital clones but remain cautious about how such tools could impact their brand and authenticity.
Loss of Control is the Top Concern
The largest portion of respondents (33%) are most worried about losing control over how their image is used. This reflects a significant fear among influencers that brands might manipulate or misuse their digital clone in ways that don’t align with their values or personal brand.
Maintaining control over one's image is critical in the influencer industry, where authenticity is a key factor in maintaining audience trust.
Digital Clones and Brands
While there is some openness among influencers to the concept of digital clones, many have clear boundaries around control, legal protections, and usage limits.
Brands that want to explore this space will need to ensure that influencers feel comfortable with the terms and retain some level of autonomy over their digital representation.
Growing Belief in AI-Generated Influencers
A significant portion of respondents (42%) believe that AI-generated influencers will become popular in the near future.
This suggests that many content creators recognize the increasing capabilities of AI and foresee its integration into the influencer space.
This group likely sees AI influencers as a logical next step in the evolution of digital marketing, offering brands a way to create highly customizable, scalable digital personalities.
AI Tools Survey Methodology
For this survey, we targeted Instagram influencers to gather insights regarding their attitudes toward AI tools, digital clones and granting rights for brands to use these digital representations.
The survey was conducted as follows:
Sample selection: We surveyed 620 Instagram influencers. These influencers were selected from the HypeAuditor database, which contains verified influencers.
Demographics: The survey focused primarily on English-speaking influencers, with the majority of respondents based in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. This geographic focus was intended to capture opinions from influencers operating in markets where English is the dominant language and where digital and influencer marketing practices are highly developed.
Survey distribution: The survey was distributed electronically, utilizing the contact information available within the HypeAuditor database. Influencers were invited to participate via email, ensuring the survey reached a diverse range of individuals across different content niches, including lifestyle, fashion, beauty, fitness, and technology.
Limitations: This survey is subject to certain limitations, including its focus on predominantly English-speaking markets, which may not fully capture the views of influencers from non-English speaking regions. Additionally, as the survey was conducted electronically, it may reflect biases inherent in the demographics of influencers who are more engaged with digital platforms and comfortable with online surveys.
About HypeAuditor
HypeAuditor provides a comprehensive set of tools for brands to discover and analyze influencers on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch and Twitter, verify their authenticity, and track the results of influencer marketing campaigns. HypeAuditor’s mission is to provide the ultimate analytical services to ensure that brands and agencies work effectively with creators.
Founded in 2018, HypeAuditor is a leader in AI-powered analytics for transparent and fraud-free influencer marketing. HypeAuditor applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to determine behavioral patterns, identifying fake followers, and ascertaining engagement on influencer accounts and sponsored posts. The HypeAuditor platform has more than 500,000 users, and key customers include Dior, GroupM, Influence4You, L’Oréal, Ogilvy, TAKUMI, and Unilever. To learn more, visit HypeAuditor.com.
Author: Nick Baklanov
