Thoughts on Modeling Influencers

Fascinating piece,  Have thought about who 'influencers' are and if they could be reasonably modeled.  Twinned?  Virtual?   Is there also a kind  of influencer model akin to a Language model, which show what comes next to influence most?    Then construct the right thing to make it happen?   Recently became more connected to Youtube, so seeing the specifics.  Thoughts?   Thinking it further.  Someone want to examine?

Virtual Influencers in the Real World ,  By Logan Kugler

Communications of the ACM, March 2023, Vol. 66 No. 3, Pages 23-25     10.1145/3579635

The next time you buy a flashy new outfit after browsing Instagram, or tap the heart button on a particularly compelling TikTok video, you might discover that the person who posted it isn't real—and you might not care at all.

That is, if virtual influencers (and their creators) get their way.

A virtual influencer is a digital personality that posts on social media to build an audience of passionate fans, just like a human influencer; at least, that's how it seems. In reality, a team of humans uses computer-generated imagery (CGI), motion capture, and marketing magic to give a digital avatar a voice, a life, and a brand.

The result makes virtual influencers seem like, well, real people. Just like human influencers, virtual ones share behind-the-scenes posts about their 'lives', as well as promoting their favorite products and brands. Virtual influencers usually sound and/or look like humans—or cartoonish representations of them—though they don't try too hard to hide the fact they are artificial.

Not that audiences seem to care. Top virtual influencers like Lil Miquela, Lu, Noonoouri, and Hatsune Miku have millions of social media followers and routinely post about their lives, feelings, and views. Their followers appear as invested in their lives as they are in the lives of human influencers, if the tens of thousands of likes and comments on virtual influencer posts are any indication.

Virtual influencers even turn digital clout into real-world cash. It's common for virtual influencers to work hand-in-hand with brands to star in their advertisements and promote their products. At least one has even been signed by a talent agency that usually works with human actors and artists. ... '   (more at link)