Vodafone’s new ad proves even influencers can be replaced

EuropeVodafone’s new ad proves even influencers can be replaced

British telecom company Vodafone is testing the limits of technology

In a video uploaded to the TikTok account of its German subsidiary, a young brunette woman can be seen talking up the company’s connectivity speeds and a 120-euro cashback promotion. 

Yet, the woman doesn’t really exist. In reply to a user who picked up on the telltale signs of AI, including the disappearing and reappearing moles on her chin, the company noted that it was experimenting with the technology. 

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“…we’re trying out different styles—as AI is now such a big part of everyday life, people are experimenting with it in advertising too,” the company responded in German. 

The telecom company has in the past experimented with using AI in advertisements, including in an advertisement “The Rhythm of Life,” published last year. The advertisement started with a birth followed

The ad was “100% AI-produced without a single real pixel,” Vodafone’s global senior brand identity and communications manager Amr El Badry told Ad Age in December 2024. 

Vodafone did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment.

Vodafone’s most recent TikTok experiment comes as AI influencers become more commonplace. One AI influencer, Lil Miquela, has 2.4 million followers and charges $73,920 per post, according to The New York Times.

Lil Miquela has taken selfies with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has attended the VMAs, and complains on her Instagram about deepfakes of her proliferating online. In the background, the influencer is controlled

Influencers are among the most recent jobs being challenged

Even some of the people who helped create the technology for this latest AI-driven work revolution have warned about the potential for displacement. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei earlier this year made waves

The “Godfather of AI” Geoffrey Hinton told the Financial Times “rich people are going to use AI to replace workers,” leading to a huge unemployment spike and record profits. Even Bill Gates, who has been generally optimistic on AI and encouraged Gen Z workers to experiment with it, said being experienced with AI may not prevent job displacement.