The creator economy's hottest debate: Can influencers post AI ads without alienating their fans?
Influencers are facing significant backlash for promoting AI products, leading to a shift in marketing strategies. Companies are now advising creators to avoid controversial topics to prevent negative sentiment from their audiences.
Why it matters
It illustrates the growing tension between the creator economy and public skepticism toward artificial intelligence.
Getty Images; BI Influencers are taking heat for promoting AI brands. They're weighing big paychecks from AI companies against potential anger from their fans. Creators, managers, and AI companies are using different strategies to navigate this tricky market. Influencers are being pelted with virtual tomatoes for promoting AI companies — and it's prompting strategy shifts and high-stress decisions in the creator economy. At the height of summer, OpenAI brought a group of influencers to a luxury resort in upstate New York to dine on farm-to-table cuisine, learn how honey is made, and post about it online. The "Summer Camp" experience, which OpenAI said was tied to the launch of its ChatGPT Work product, quickly drew hate in comments sections. "Looks like a nice spot for a data center," one user commented on an influencer's post showcasing the pastoral setting. Others chimed in, calling it "dystopian" and "morally bankrupt."
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