Artificial and misfit: The sincerity challenge of AI influencers in social advocacy

This research investigates how consumers evaluate AI influencers in the context of social advocacy, focusing on the psychological mechanism of issue-influencer fit and the moderating role of influencer race and issue involvement. Across three studies, AI influencers were consistently perceived as less sincere when discussing racial issues compared to human influencers, due to lower perceived influencer – issue fit. This indirect effect was amplified among individuals with higher issue involvement, further lowering overall attitudes toward the influencer. While race (Black versus. White) influenced perceived issue-influencer fit, it did not moderate the effect of influencer type. The findings offer theoretical contributions to the match-up hypothesis literature and provide practical guidance for brands navigating the strategic use of AI influencers in social advocacy campaigns.