INSIDE THE RISE OF AI INFLUENCERS WITH IDEA FARM

Exclusive interview with Lewis Davey, Co-Founder Pixelagency.ai Founder & Creative Director at IDEA FARM

You’ve built a career around making brands culturally relevant through human creativity. What convinced you that the next frontier of storytelling might involve entirely virtual personalities?

AI Influencers have been around since 2018, but the technology has made huge strides in the past 18 months – and now hyper-realistic virtual personalities are exploding in popularity. Having worked in PR for 16 years, I think it’s good to be curious and I committed myself to learning about this space and becoming a bit of an expert – I was particularly interested in how brands could leverage AI Influencers as a new marketing channel. At Pixel what we present to brands is how AI Influencers can solve specific business challenges, drive efficiencies, and reach new audiences. This technology is much more than fancy images on Instagram.

Launching the world’s first AI Influencer Talent Management Agency sounds less like a business expansion and more like a prediction. What future did you see emerging that others weren’t paying attention to?

We launched Pixel 18 months ago with the intention of operating like a traditional talent management agency, connecting brands with existing AI Influencers. It’s certainly evolved, as the industry has gained more traction – and we’re banking on all brands owning their own AI Ambassador in the future.

Pixel isn’t just representing AI influencers, it’s helping brands create them. Why do you believe ownership of digital talent will become strategically important for brands?

Custom build AI Influencers is where we think the future is for brands. This is desirable for brands because they have an always-on marketing asset that can be online 24/7, with full creative control and tailored brand messaging. The AI Influencer can slot into their influencer portfolio, working alongside human influencers.

How do cultural sensitivities in the Middle East actually strengthen the case for AI Ambassadors rather than limit them?

I’ve always felt strongly that the Middle East is the perfect market for AI Ambassadors to thrive. There are reputational risks that come with working with real influencers, whereas a brand can have full control over messaging with its own AI Ambassadors. There’s 200 nationalities in Dubai – the other big selling point for AI Ambassadors is they can communicate in hundreds of languages, giving brands a versatile asset to target different demographics.

From a technology standpoint, what sits behind a successful AI Ambassador today, generative AI, language models, synthetic media, behavioural design, or something else entirely?

Of course, technology is important, and through our exclusive deal with The Clueless – the team behind the world’s biggest AI Influencer, Aitana Lopez, we’re bringing the best Gen-AI tools and talent to the GCC. But for me, it’s still the importance of the human behind the AI Ambassador – this is typically talented creatives, or social content creators, planning content schedules, leaning into culture and trends, and engaging with followers. Humans still have an important role in the storytelling element.

What safeguards should exist as AI-generated personalities become increasingly indistinguishable from humans?

It’s a fast-moving industry, and new rules and regulations will undoubtedly continue to come in. The EU will release new legislation in August, which could include the requirement of a watermark. The main one right now, which all our clients follow, is AI disclosure on Instagram. In an industry witnessing significant change, it’s important that responsible operators like Pixel and other partners work together to steer the industry in the right direction.

In an era of misinformation and rapidly evolving news cycles, how valuable is having a communication asset that is always accurate, controlled, and aligned with brand values?

I think it’s super important. During the recent conflict, we saw a segment of human influencers become unreliable, either posting misleading or sensationalised content. That’s troublesome for brands, so owning their own AI Ambassador that aligns with their values is going to become increasingly important. Now is the perfect time for brands in the Middle East to future proof their influencer strategy and consider an AI Ambassador.