Why This AI Influencer Earns 40 Times More Than Its Human Counterparts

Artificial intelligence-powered influencer Lu from Magalu has shared 74 sponsored Instagram posts over the past year, paid for by brands like Netflix and Hugo Boss, according to a recent report by video editing platform Kapwing. As the face of Brazilian retail platform Magazine Luíza, Lu boasts 8 million followers on Instagram and 7.4 million on TikTok. Human accounts of this size command sponsored post rates of more than $34,000, according to Kapwing’s estimate. If Lu earns that much per post, she likely made upwards of $2.5 million from May 2024 to May 2025. The average human influencer earns just $65,245 per year—nearly 40 times less—in comparison, according to ZipRecruiter. Magazine Luíza, also known as Magalu, created Lu’s persona in 2003, Kapwing says. Six years later, the retailer started posting YouTube videos that showed her—a somewhat realistic-looking, animated brunette woman—unboxing goods and giving product reviews. More recently, Magalu has pushed to turn Lu into a full-fledged social-media personality, tapping advertising giant Oglivy to lead this transformation. Aline Izo, the São Paulo-based company’s senior manager of marketing, told The Observer in 2021 that “in Brazil, Lu is not a sales gimmick” but “an influencer in the true sense of the word.” She emphasized Lu’s influence: “When she takes a stand on something—for example on bringing awareness to domestic abuse or standing up and advocating for LGBT rights—people pay attention.” Independent AI influencer Lil Miquela is the second highest-earning virtual content creator on Instagram, according to Kapwing. Miquela’s account has 2.4 million followers, but the influencer is leagues behind Lu in terms of earnings: Kapwing estimates she only made about $74,000 from May 2024 to 2025. This disparity is likely due to the amount of sponsored posts each account shared over that time period. According to Kapwing, Lu posts four times as many ads as “any other virtual influencer among the top ten earners” it identified. BY ANNABEL BURBA @ANNIEBURBA