The Rise of Virtual Influencers: A New Frontier in Social Media Engagement
In recent years, virtual influencers—computer-generated personalities—have gained significant traction on social media, rivaling real humans in terms of activity and engagement. Companies are increasingly investing in the "digital human economy," a burgeoning market predicted by Gartner to reach $125 billion by 2035. With the advent of AI image generators like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, creating these virtual influencers has never been easier, allowing anyone to design fabricated personas that interact with audiences as genuine internet personalities.
One such innovative company, 1337 (pronounced Leet), is harnessing generative AI to foster a community of AI-driven micro-influencers. These smaller content creators, characterized by hyper-personalized interests and diverse backgrounds, target niche audiences passionate about topics such as gardening, emo music, vintage fashion, classical literature, and more. Emerging from stealth mode today with $4 million in funding, 1337 is ready to leave its mark on the influencer landscape.
Rather than simply generating influencers, 1337 empowers users to contribute ideas about what these personalities say and do. “Today, we have a unique opportunity to blend human interaction with early-stage AI,” said co-founder and CEO Jenny Dearing. “In a social media world saturated with influencers who often feel overly commercial or impersonal, 1337 is poised to introduce a diverse range of AI-driven entities that engage users in innovative, dynamic ways.”
Entities: The Future of Digital Interaction
At the heart of 1337’s vision are its “Entities,” a collection of AI-driven influencers, each possessing unique skills, traits, and interests. For example, there’s Daria (she/her, they/them), a 19-year-old music blogger passionate about emo culture and mental health advocacy. Inspired by her cousin's vinyl collection, Daria channels her passion into a blog aimed at those grappling with mental health challenges.
These Entities have rich, detailed lives. They share personal insights about their homes, favorite hangout spots, and philosophies. 1337 offers a broad array of Entities for followers to engage with, each characterized by varying ages, gender identities, nationalities, and professions. They maintain their own Instagram accounts, LinkedIn profiles, and public Spotify playlists, allowing followers to interact through comments and direct messages.
“Our mission extends beyond simple chatbot exchanges; we’re creating entities that evolve with their niche communities, adapting to the ever-shifting digital landscape,” Dearing elaborated. “In doing so, we’re breaking new ground and redefining social media engagement and online interaction.”
Currently, the Entities are in beta and are set to launch officially in January 2024. They are crafted using a combination of user collaboration and advanced AI models, such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 for written content, Midjourney for artistic design, and proprietary technology developed by the 1337 team. Co-founder Robin Raszka, previously the founder of an AI avatar startup sold to Google, lends significant expertise to the project, supported by a skilled team including Jan Maly, a former machine learning engineer at STRV, and key advisors from leading tech companies.
Innovative Engagement and Revenue Models
Users can engage with the Entities by participating in Discord chats, where they can generate captions and visuals depicting the Entities in various scenarios. 1337 also features an “Entity Point of View” mode, providing users with insights into how each Entity perceives their surroundings. A dedicated moderation team ensures that all content aligns with established guidelines related to the Entities' characteristics and voices.
As the creator economy grows, 1337 compensates users for their contributions, with plans to implement a revenue-sharing model once the Entities build followings. “Brand collaborations will follow a revenue-sharing structure that prioritizes supporting creators over 1337,” stated Dearing. The company is also exploring equity opportunities for creators, similar to successful models spearheaded by platforms like Substack.
Looking ahead, 1337 aims to empower solopreneurs and small influencers to forge new pathways for connecting with their audiences, scaling their businesses effectively. Exciting developments are on the horizon, including features that allow Entities to speak, host podcasts, and produce video content, with audio capabilities scheduled for release in mid-2024.
Investors backing 1337’s vision include Credo Ventures, GFR Fund, Treble Capital, Roosh Ventures, and notable angel investors like Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue and model Natalia Vodianova. The funding will primarily focus on expanding its global creator community, which has already attracted hundreds of contributors.
“Today, the most dynamic applications of large language models and diffusion models can be found within human creativity and connectivity. We believe the next wave of AI will significantly influence social media, impacting creators, audiences, and advertisers alike,” emphasized Karolina Mrozkova, general partner at Credo Ventures.
In this exciting era of digital influencers, 1337 is positioned to redefine how brands and consumers engage online, forging connections that blend creativity with cutting-edge technology.
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