Encouraging people to take climate action remains one of the most important and yet difficult tasks of this century. With climate change scepticism still prevailing, it is crucial to figure out innovative ways to encourage pro-environmental action.
Virtual influencers (social media influencers that are not human) could be part of the solution. Their avatars and posts are created using computer-generated images and increasingly with artificial intelligence. Compared to their human counterparts, virtual influencers do not have a private life, are less likely to be involved in scandals and have a lower carbon footprint. What’s more, due to their lack of free will, their content can be more easily tailored to the needs of the advertisers (for example, governments or charities promoting climate goals).
