AI influencer awards season is upon us | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.AI influencer awards season is upon usComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...AICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AINewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechAI influencer awards season is upon usEntries are judged on their ‘authentic narrative’ and whether they have the right number of fingers.Entries are judged on their ‘authentic narrative’ and whether they have the right number of fingers.by Robert HartCloseRobert HartAI ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Robert HartMar 23, 2026, 12:01 AM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: The VergeRobert HartCloseRobert HartPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Robert Hart is a London-based reporter at The Verge covering all things AI and Senior Tarbell Fellow. Previously, he wrote about health, science and tech for Forbes.First came the AI beauty pageant. Then the AI music contests. Now, there is an award for AI Personality of the Year — perhaps the inevitable next step for the AI influencer economy as it transforms from quirky novelty into a serious and lucrative industry.The contest, a joint venture between generative AI studio OpenArt and AI-powered creator platform Fanvue, with backing from AI voice company ElevenLabs, opens on Monday and runs for a month. The organizers said it is intended to “celebrate the creative talent ‘behind’ AI Influencers” and recognize their growing commercial and cultural clout.Contestants will compete for a total prize fund of $20,000, which will be split between an overall winner and individual categories of fitness, lifestyle, comedian, music and dance entertainer, and fictional cartoon, anime, or fantasy personality. Victors will be celebrated at an event in May that the organizers are dubbing the “‘Oscars’ for AI personalities.”To enter, you must develop your AI influencer on OpenArt’s platform and submit it at www.AIpersonality.ai. You’ll be asked for social media handles across TikTok, X, YouTube, and Instagram, as well as the story behind the character, your motivations for creating it, and details of any brand work.Among those assessing contestants are 13‑time Emmy‑winning comedy writer Gil Rief, the creators of Spanish AI model Aitana Lopez, and Christopher “Topher” Townsend, the MAGA rapper behind AI-generated gospel singer Solomon Ray. According to a copy of the judges’ briefing seen by The Verge, contestants will be scored on four criteria: quality, social clout, brand appeal, and the inspiration behind the avatar. Specific points include reliably engaging with followers, portraying a consistent look across social channels, accurate details like having the “right number of fingers and thumbs,” and having “an authentic narrative” behind the avatar.The contest is open to established creators and novices alike, though existing AI influencers will still need to submit material produced on OpenArt’s platform, Matt Jones, head of brand at Fanvue, told The Verge.Despite being designed to celebrate creators of virtual influencers, Jones said that entrants don’t need to publicly identify themselves. “If a person who created this amazing piece of work wants nothing to do with the press or to expose themselves or to have their name out there, that’s obviously fine,” he said. “There would be no need to thrust anybody into the limelight here. We would just celebrate the piece of work.”That creators can remain anonymous feels odd for a contest judging authenticity, particularly in an AI influencer ecosystem built on fictional people, fake personas, and fabricated backstories. That same anonymity has also helped grifts flourish with little accountability, from the AI white nationalist rapper Danny Bones to MAGA fantasy girl Jessica Foster.There’s familiar baggage too, including persistent questions about originality, whether AI-generated work, or even a likeness, has been lifted from real creators, and whether these tools simply reproduce the same old biases in synthetic form. Organizer Fanvue has already faced criticism for this in the past: in 2024, a Guardian columnist described its “Miss AI” beauty pageant as something that “take(s) every toxic gendered beauty norm and bundle(s) them up into a completely unrealistic package.”To Fanvue’s Jones, creators inevitably leave something of themselves in the AI characters they make. “You can’t help but put a little bit of yourself into the stories that you tell and the characters that you make,” he said, urging creators to “lean into that.” The idea feels at home in the influencer economy: not strictly real, but a form of synthetic authenticity the internet already knows how to handle.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Robert HartCloseRobert HartAI ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Robert HartAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AICreatorsCloseCreatorsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All CreatorsNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularThe improved battery-powered Starlink Mini is hereGemini task automation is slow, clunky, and super impressiveThe new MacBook Pro is still fast as hellHalide co-founder is suing former partner for bringing source code to AppleThe gen AI Kool-Aid tastes like eugenicsThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Verge recently published an article by Robert Hart, “AI influencer awards season is upon us,” detailing a new contest designed to recognize and celebrate the growing commercial and cultural impact of AI-generated influencers. The contest, a collaborative effort between OpenArt, Fanvue, and ElevenLabs, aims to “celebrate the creative talent ‘behind’ AI Influencers,” offering a $20,000 prize pool across various categories including fitness, lifestyle, comedy, music, and even fictional character representations. Contestants must develop their AI influencers on OpenArt’s platform and submit details about their characters’ social media presence, backstories, and intended brand work. The judging criteria centers on four key areas: quality, social clout, brand appeal, and the inspiration behind the avatar, with specific points awarded for engagement, consistent visuals, accurate details like physical attributes, and an “authentic narrative.”

Robert Hart highlights that while the contest is open to both established creators and novices, existing AI influencers must utilize OpenArt’s platform. Notably, entrants are permitted to remain anonymous, a decision that, according to Fanvue Head of Brand Matt Jones, is intended to avoid excessive publicity and focus on the work itself. This anonymity raises concerns, however, given the already existing issues of questionable originality and potential bias within the AI influencer ecosystem. The judging panel includes figures like comedy writer Gil Rief, the creators of the Spanish AI model Aitana Lopez, and Solomon Ray, the MAGA rapper behind an AI-generated gospel singer, reflecting the diverse range of AI influencer content being produced.

Jones emphasized that creators inevitably imprint a portion of themselves into their AI characters’ stories and narratives, encouraging entrants to “lean into that.” He defended the contest’s approach by asserting that it’s not about producing a perfectly realistic portrayal, but rather acknowledging the evolving nature of synthetic authenticity within the internet landscape.

The article points out a concerning trend – the proliferation of AI influencers built on fictional personas and fabricated narratives, alongside the associated issues of originality and potential bias. The contest’s organizers acknowledge these concerns, but the emphasis on “authentic narrative” within the judging criteria is particularly noteworthy, arguably attempting to address these issues despite the inherently artificial nature of the participants. The contest's launch also reignites pre-existing criticisms leveled against platforms like Fanvue, such as the “Miss AI” beauty pageant, which was described as relying on "toxic gendered beauty norms." Ultimately, the contest represents a significant step in the commercialization and increased visibility of AI influencers, but also a potential amplification of existing challenges and ethical considerations within the field.