Do they look human? Review on virtual influencers

A new type of social media influencer, known as a virtual influencer, has gained prominence, driven by technological breakthroughs and artificial intelligence. Despite the increasing interest of researchers and practitioners, there is a lack of clear understanding of this current phenomenon. As this research domain is still in its infancy, a comprehensive and insightful review of the extant research is needed, and the current study aims to close this gap using a framework-based scoping review. A total of 81 peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. Key findings were categorised into themes, contexts, and methodologies using the TCM framework. Based on this analysis, several research gaps have been identified, and directions for future research are suggested. This study advances our understanding of virtual influencers by providing a framework for future research development, motivating scholars to examine this phenomenon.