How Virtual Beings Make Real Money- Fake people, real profits

When Lil Miquela, a Brazilian-American virtual influencer created by LA-based startup Brud, first appeared on Instagram in 2016, many dismissed her as a gimmick.

Fast forward to 2025: she has more than 3 million followers, has modeled for Prada and Calvin Klein, and earns millions annually from brand collaborations.

What began as an experiment in marketing has turned into a new category of economic actor: the digital human.

Today, virtual influencers, AI call center staff, and metaverse avatars are generating revenue streams and being treated as valuable corporate assets.

Revenue models of digital humans

1. Influencer models

Virtual influencers like Lil Miquela, Shudu, and Imma offer brands something human influencers cannot:

• - No scandals

• - 24/7 availability

• - Fully customizable image and persona

For brands, this means lower risk and higher ROI.

• Lil Miquela:

• Debuted in 2016, acquired by Dapper Labs in 2022. Appeared in global campaigns for Prada, Calvin Klein, Chanel; released a music single; earns several million dollars annually.

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  Shudu:

• Created in 2017 by British photographer Cameron-James Wilson, dubbed the “world’s first digital supermodel.” Featured in Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty campaign and luxury fashion editorials. Sparked debate about cultural appropriation since she was created by a white male artist as a Black woman avatar.

• 

  Imma:

• Developed in Japan by Aww Inc. in 2018, now with ~400K Instagram followers. Known for pink bob hair and Tokyo street style. Worked with IKEA, Porsche, Valentino; appears as a hologram at events.

2. AI employees

Corporations are replacing human roles with digital staff. Samsung’s NEON project imagined AI “employees,” while Japanese banks have deployed digital human tellers. Instead of hiring call center staff, companies can deploy AI avatars that work 24/7, maintain consistent customer experience, and reduce overhead costs.

3. Avatars and creators

In entertainment, avatars are becoming stars. Korean cyber-singer Eternity and Japanese VTuber Kizuna AI earn money through fan merchandise and livestream donations, rivaling human celebrities. Avatars allow creators to monetize content without being physically present expanding the creator economy into new territory.

Where the money flows

• - Advertising & Branding → influencer campaigns

• - Customer Service Automation → AI staff replacing call centers and tellers

• - Content Creation → VTubers, virtual idols, AI performers

• - Metaverse Assets → avatar skins, virtual goods

• - Subscription Relationships → fans paying to interact with digital companions (e.g., Replika, Character.AI)

In short, digital humans are moving into four pillars of the human economy: advertising, labor, creation, and relationships.

Why companies love digital humans

• - Cost savings: no salaries, benefits, or vacation leave

• - Risk control: no scandals, unions, or personal issues

• - Scalability: one avatar can talk to thousands at once

• - Brand control: companies fully shape the persona and narrative

To executives, digital humans are predictable, controllable, and endlessly reusable assets.

The unresolved challenges

Yet, serious questions remain:

• - Authenticity: Do consumers really trust a product endorsed by a virtual influencer?

• - Ethics: Will AI staff accelerate job loss?

• - Legal rights: Who owns the profits generated by a digital human?

• - Emotional risk: Over-attachment to virtual companions could fuel new forms of social issues.

The economics of digital humans are powerful, but their ethics and legal frameworks remain unfinished.

Conclusion: When “virtual” becomes “real”

What began as a “fun experiment” is now a corporate strategy. Within the next decade, we may find ourselves saying:

• “The influencer I followed was never human.”

• “The bank employee I spoke to was an AI.”

• “My favorite singer doesn’t exist in real life.”

These aren’t futuristic hypotheticals—they’re already becoming mainstream economic activity.

Digital humans are no longer science fiction. They’re a new workforce, a new celebrity class, and a new layer of the global economy.