British telecoms company Vodafone is testing out a new spokesperson who appears as a woman in a red hoodie who speaks German and touts the benefits of high-speed home internet services.
One important note about this influencer: She’s AI-generated.
The character appears in a TikTok video posted three times on Vodafone’s official account, which has received more than two million views collectively. According to The Verge, the video has also appeared as an advertisement on X. In response to comments on the videos, the company said the AI spokesperson was part of various advertising tests it’s conducting.
In one response from the company’s social media team, translated from German, Vodafone said: «We’re trying out different styles. AI is so much a part of everyday life now that we’re trying it out in advertising too.»
A spokesperson (AI or otherwise) for Vodafone did not immediately return an email about the AI advertising.
Just last month, transportation company ScotRail reversed a decision to use an AI-generated voice on its trains after complaints.
