The below snapshot of this Instagram influencer @Laila.Khadraa is not that of a real person. She’s an AI conceived by PUMA and created by an agency called LOOP.

This is not unique or unheard of anymore, it’s actually becoming commonplace with brands trying to reach teenagers in (cost) effective ways.

Let’s look at this example and what it gets right and wrong.

What it gets right (in theory)

To teens & Gen Z, the “realness” of an influencer isn’t limited to whether they’re human or an AI —so long as they’re interesting and post relatable content, they don’t really care. (A 2024 study by Sprout Social documents that 46% of Gen Z would be more interested in a brand using AI influencers, compared to Millennials & above).
When it comes to Gen Z, 33% say their online identity is their most authentic self. Compare that to Millennials, Gen Z & Boomers who poll at <5% on the same question. This difference is explained by the fact Gen Z have grown up in a world where social media has always existed to them, they are savvy about navigating it and their IRL and digital personas have converged. So Laila feels native to their world - even authentic.
As a byproduct of the above, teens are comfortable forming bonds with avatars and digital versions of others - so ultimately when shaping an image of a ‘Teen influencer’, this audience is accustomed to a REPRESENTATION of someone that embodies their style, values, and/or opinions, rather than the person themselves.

What it gets wrong (in practice)

How Laila ‘comes to life’ is incredibly manufactured and inauthentic. She doesn’t reflect or represent the realness and messiness of the teenage experience - but a sanitised depiction that positions itself as aspirational.
There’s no creative reason that this teenager needs to be an AI. When brands have used AI influencers well, the concept of how to use them plays on the ’talent’ is an AI. See the BMW x Lil Miquela collab from 2023… the concept is built around that if this car can make an AI feel real, imagine that it can do for you - hence the tagline “Make It Real”.
The whole position of this character is AI for AI’s sake. It’s not clever or insightful. It’s just using an AI to do exactly what you’d hope a human would do - whilst avoiding to pay for one.
It’s deceiving, to an easily deceived audience. Go through its Instagram history and yes the launch post in April acknowledges it’s an AI, but mostly it’s just passing off like she’s real, and people seem to fall for it. I can only hope the comment “Wow beautiful shot you are very talented model” is referring to the ai model it’s been trained on.

So is it working?

Well, it’s hard to say. But from some very light investigating its IG audience it looks like 30-40% of its followers (and those commenting) and likely AI’s as well, so if the vision was to reach a point where we all watch machines interact with each other and be entertained by it - we’re inching ever closer. Thanks PUMA!

Dave Matthews