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<p>Influencer marketing is an established strategy in digital corporate communications that relies on the authenticity and persuasiveness of influencers. With the increasing spread of artificial intelligence (AI), this area is changing. AI influencers are increasingly conveying corporate messages as virtual personalities. A&#xa0;key feature of AI influencers is their digital perfection, which manifests itself in an idealized aesthetic appearance. This article examines the effect of this digital perfection on the perception of AI influencers. In an experimental study (<i>n</i> = 100), AI influencers were presented in three different levels of perfection (perfect, moderately perfect, imperfect). The results show that consumers associate a&#xa0;higher degree of digital perfection with lower competence, humanity, and credibility. These findings underscore the importance of deliberate imperfection in the design of AI influencers to strengthen consumer trust in virtual influencers and promote positive perceptions. Finally, recommendations and implications for research and practice are presented.</p>

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Zwischen Ästhetik und Authentizität: Die Wirkung digitaler Perfektion von KI-Influencern in der Unternehmenskommunikation

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月26日

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  • Katharina Klug,
  • Leondra Biethmann

摘要

Influencer marketing is an established strategy in digital corporate communications that relies on the authenticity and persuasiveness of influencers. With the increasing spread of artificial intelligence (AI), this area is changing. AI influencers are increasingly conveying corporate messages as virtual personalities. A key feature of AI influencers is their digital perfection, which manifests itself in an idealized aesthetic appearance. This article examines the effect of this digital perfection on the perception of AI influencers. In an experimental study (n = 100), AI influencers were presented in three different levels of perfection (perfect, moderately perfect, imperfect). The results show that consumers associate a higher degree of digital perfection with lower competence, humanity, and credibility. These findings underscore the importance of deliberate imperfection in the design of AI influencers to strengthen consumer trust in virtual influencers and promote positive perceptions. Finally, recommendations and implications for research and practice are presented.