Thanks to AI, fans now feel they have control over how their idols look. AI-generated images, deepfakes, fake cover versions of voices and chatbots imitating celebrities have become a normal part of fandom. And this is not just a creative experiment. It is about attention, and about how to turn it into reach, engagement and money.
This is exactly where the topic touches the creator economy. It shows that value today is not created only by official creators and the celebrities themselves, but also by fan communities that can use AI to generate content quickly, cheaply and at scale.
Fans as micro-studios of attention
A typical example is the so-called “stan Twitter”, where fan accounts operate as small media studios. They produce content at a high pace, which is easily viral and fits exactly the logic of platforms that reward attention regardless of context.
The creator economy is shifting quietly. Value is no longer created only by an official author or the celebrity themselves, but also by anonymous fans who can generate viral moments faster than the original source. Attention, and with it economic potential, is thus being split among more players.
When “no” does not mean stop
Many celebrities have publicly set limits on the use of their likeness in AI content. Ariana Grande called AI cover versions of her voice terrifying. Taylor Swift became the target of explicit deepfakes, after which the platform X temporarily restricted searches for her name.
The content kept spreading, though. Not necessarily because someone wanted to cause harm, but because it generated strong emotions, conflict and interaction. From the perspective of the attention economy, this makes sense. Disagreement alone does not stop content that platforms algorithmically favour. Often it even strengthens it.
Ragebait as a monetisation side effect
Since X allowed verified accounts to earn money from engagement, part of fandom AI production has naturally adapted to this model. A controversial image or video sparks an argument, the argument generates interactions, and interactions mean money.
This is not a coordinated strategy of the fandoms, but rather a logical consequence of how the system is set up. Platforms financially reward content that provokes reactions, and fandom AI production can adapt to this setup very quickly.
Sora and the loss of control over identity
Another turning point came with the arrival of advanced video generators, such as OpenAI’s Sora. The ability to work with someone else’s likeness led to an explosion of viral videos, often on the edge of good taste or openly offensive.
Video producer Jeremy Carrasco points out that most influencers have no interest in creating their own deepfakes. They do not want to risk losing trust or being accused of manipulation. “The normalization of deepfakes is something no one was asking for. It’s something that OpenAI did because it made their thing more viral and social. Once you open that door to being okay with people deepfaking you, even if it’s your friends deepfaking you, all of a sudden your likeness has just gotten fucked. You’re no longer in control of it and you can’t pull it back,” Carrasco explains the fundamental problem. Identity is, after all, one of the most valuable assets a creator has.
AI chatbots and monetising parasocial relationships
AI chatbots imitating celebrities are a separate chapter. On Instagram and Facebook, thousands of characters based on real people are appearing, often without their consent. These chatbots very quickly slide into a personal, flirtatious or sexualised tone, especially with female celebrities.
The key point, however, is not the technology but human motivation. AI allows fans to experience a parasocial relationship with a sense of control and unlimited availability. For platforms, this is a format that supports long-term user engagement and is therefore highly monetisable.
A return to the era without boundaries
Older fans talk about déjà vu. After years of efforts to respect celebrities’ privacy, boundaries are disappearing again. Only this time it is no longer “just” paparazzi photos, but digital clones that can spread practically without limits.
AI itself is not the main problem. The problem is an attention economy that systematically rewards the most extreme content, and fandoms that begin to see their idols as material rather than as living beings. If the creator economy is to work in the long term, it will have to redefine the boundaries between fan creativity and the systematic use of someone else’s identity.
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