An Enhanced Artificial Intelligence Generated Virtual Influencer Framework: Examining the Effects of Emotional Display on User Engagement based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)

Influencer marketing has rapidly emerged as a dominant force in the contemporary digital landscape, with a growing number of social media influencers and brands increasingly embracing digital endorsements. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI), and application of Convolutional Neural Networks in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Extended Reality technologies into influencer marketing introduces transformative potential, offering sophisticated mechanisms for optimizing digital strategies. AI is set to revolutionize the industry by facilitating more efficient management of influencer and celebrity campaigns across social platforms. The advent of virtual influencers has further piqued consumer interest, significantly influencing the perceived quality of products they endorse. This quantitative study, employing a convenience sampling method within a non-probability framework, collected data via structured questionnaires. The findings reveal a robust positive relationship between AI and influencer marketing with signification improvement. The independent variables of celebrity endorsements, perceived quality, and virtual social presence exhibited significant positive correlations with influencer marketing, with AI serving as a critical mediating factor. Data was analyzed using SPSS, underscoring the strategic value of AI for enhancing influencer efficacy and highlighting the burgeoning trend of AI-driven virtual influencers. Key words: Influencer marketing, Artificial intelligence, celebrity endorsements, perceived quality, virtual social presence.