Millions Fooled by an AI Influencer… And That’s the Real Story episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 2, 2026 · 4 MIN

Millions Fooled by an AI Influencer… And That’s the Real Story

from Rethinking Tech · host Rethinking Tech

RT UpdatesShe was a soldier.She was political.She was profitable.And she wasn’t even real.An AI-generated influencer built a massive following, made money, and influenced opinions—without people realizing it. But this isn’t just about one fake persona.It’s about how the internet is designed to shape what you believe.🎙️ Episode Intro:In this episode of Rethinking Tech, we unpack the rise of AI influencers—and why they’re more powerful than they seem.This isn’t about politics.It’s about how influence is engineered in the digital age.Because what looks like content…might actually be behavior design.📌 What this episode covers:The rise of AI-generated influencers and digital personasHow one AI character built trust and monetized attentionWhy people couldn’t tell it wasn’t realThe role of algorithms in shaping beliefs and behaviorHow online content subtly “guides” users over timeThe intersection of AI, influence, and political narrativesWhy this isn’t about one group—it applies to everyone💡 Why this matters:You don’t need to be convinced all at once.👉 The internet nudges you👉 The algorithm learns you👉 The content evolves with youAnd before you realize it…Your beliefs may not be entirely your own.Because in the age of AI—Influence isn’t loud.It’s engineered.🔗 Connect with Us📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠⁠

RT UpdatesShe was a soldier.She was political.She was profitable.And she wasn’t even real.An AI-generated influencer built a massive following, made money, and influenced opinions—without people realizing it. But this isn’t just about one fake persona.It’s about how the internet is designed to shape what you believe.🎙️ Episode Intro:In this episode of Rethinking Tech, we unpack the rise of AI influencers—and why they’re more powerful than they seem.This isn’t about politics.It’s about how influence is engineered in the digital age.Because what looks like content…might actually be behavior design.📌 What this episode covers:The rise of AI-generated influencers and digital personasHow one AI character built trust and monetized attentionWhy people couldn’t tell it wasn’t realThe role of algorithms in shaping beliefs and behaviorHow online content subtly “guides” users over timeThe intersection of AI, influence, and political narrativesWhy this isn’t about one group—it applies to everyone💡 Why this matters:You don’t need to be convinced all at once.👉 The internet nudges you👉 The algorithm learns you👉 The content evolves with youAnd before you realize it…Your beliefs may not be entirely your own.Because in the age of AI—Influence isn’t loud.It’s engineered.🔗 Connect with Us📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠⁠

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Millions Fooled by an AI Influencer… And That’s the Real Story

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This episode was published on April 2, 2026.

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RT UpdatesShe was a soldier.She was political.She was profitable.And she wasn’t even real.An AI-generated influencer built a massive following, made money, and influenced opinions—without people realizing it. But this isn’t just about one fake...

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