The Real IP Issues With Virtual Influencers

Social media and virtual reality (VR) represent two of the most head-turning areas of trendsetting and tech development. As such, it is no surprise that they would end up coming together uniquely, with the rise of so-called "virtual influencers." Cutting-edge technology and marketing experts with a keen eye for the cultural zeitgeist work in tandem to create these fictional personalities - who, on the surface, have very few differences from real-life social media influencers.

Often (but not exclusively) deployed in verticals like fashion and cosmetics, they cultivate and exhibit aesthetics relevant to their target audiences, to boost brand awareness and revenue for the products and businesses they sponsor. Like their human counterparts, influencers usually "exist" almost entirely on Instagram. While their rise is so new that it is hard to accurately project a future, there have already been indications that they could be the epicenter of new, precedent-setting Intell