The beauty contest features polished travel influencers representing the likes of Morocco and France, humanitarian activists dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues and women’s health advocacy and of course, social media models with perfectly symmetrical faces clad in skin-tight activewear.
But there’s a catch: All were made using artificial intelligence.
A shortlist of 10 AI-generated influencers made it to the final judging stages of the world-first competition, vying for a $20,000 prize purse and the chance to be crowned “Miss AI.” If you were at all skeptical about what the results of such a competition might tell us about the nature of AI influencers and the people who create and control them, the list will probably do little to quell your concerns.
Since the World AI Creator Awards (WAICA) announced the pageant, in partnership with content platform Fanvue—a similar platform to OnlyFans—in April, about 1,500 AI creators from the U.S., Africa, South America, India, Japan, South Korea, and Europe entered their contestants, which were judged on three criteria: realism, tech and social clout. The final shortlist includes Kenza Layli, a voice for feminism in the Middle East. Anne Kerdi, a promoter of French tourism and ocean conservation and Aiyana Rainbow, the face of LGBTQ+ activism.
Now, in a pageant in which the contestants were real women, this lineup might seem impressive. But as none of these women are actually self-proclaimed endometriosis warriors or bastions of empowerment, these identities are merely symbolic. These characters represent an idealized version of womanhood ascribed by their creators and largely influenced by the social media and celebrity landscape.
Responses to the pageant have been mixed. Some see the competition as a showcase of technical and creative talent, celebrating the hyperrealism of AI influencers and ushering in an exciting new paradigm of digital marketing.
“The creators shortlisted have established impressive and engaged audiences in a short space of time,” says Michael Bloch, one of the pageant’s judges and a PR expert, “and that’s really appealing for brands seeking new ideas for partnership opportunities.”
