Influencers are increasingly finding their likenesses hijacked by AI-generated deepfakes used in fake adverts, without their knowledge or consent. Cases include lifestyle blogger Emily Schuman, whose altered image was used to promote a GLP-1 telehealth firm, a make-up brand and a blood-testing company she had no connection to, prompting confused followers to question her endorsements. Researchers say this represents a new threat to creators, whose personal brand and credibility are central to their livelihoods, since a damaged reputation can undermine their entire business.

Experts note that influencers and celebrities are especially easy to impersonate because vast quantities of their images and footage are available online to train AI models. Figures such as Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tom Hanks have all been deepfaked for promotional scams, alongside smaller creators including Arielle Lorre, Jessi Caparella and Elaina St James. Surfshark research estimates global consumers may have lost up to $3.7bn to deepfake scams in 2026, with social media impersonations accounting for roughly half of those losses, and creators say fake posts are difficult to fully eliminate as new ones appear as soon as others are removed.