Aitana, a 25-year-old woman with pink hair hailing from Barcelona, regularly receives private messages from celebrities inviting her out. However, there’s a catch—Aitana isn’t real.
She’s an AI-generated model, the first of her kind in Spain, created during a challenging time.
Her creator, Rubén Cruz, founder of The Clueless agency, found himself facing a slump with few clients.
Rubén Cruz said ” We started analyzing our work process and realized that many projects were being delayed or canceled due to issues beyond our control. Often, it was because of problems with influencers or models, not design”.
So, they decided to create their own influencer to use as a model for the brands that approached them.
Meet Aitana, a vivacious 25-year-old with pink hair hailing from Barcelona, whose physical appearance borders on perfection.
According to her creators, this virtual model can rake in up to €10,000 a month, though the average typically hovers around €3,000.
“We created her to improve our livelihoods and avoid dependence on individuals with egos, quirks, or solely profit-driven motives,” explained Cruz.
Aitana’s income streams are quite diverse.
She commands just over €1,000 per advertisement and has recently been chosen as the face of Big, a sports supplement company. But that’s not all—she also shares lingerie photos on Fanvue, a platform akin to OnlyFans.
In a matter of months, she’s amassed over 121,000 Instagram followers, garnering thousands of views and reactions to her photos. What’s more, she receives private messages from celebrities, oblivious to her virtual nature.
“One day, a prominent Latin American actor messaged her for a date. He boasts around 5 million followers and some of our team grew up watching his TV series,” shared Cruz.
“He had no clue Aitana wasn’t real,” he added.
How do you bring an AI to life?
Bringing an AI to life involves weekly meetings where the agency team crafts Aitana’s experiences. They plan her activities, decide on her destinations, and curate the photos uploaded to engage followers curious about her life.
However, there are no conventional photoshoots or wardrobe changes. Instead, a blend of artificial intelligence and design experts utilize Photoshop to orchestrate scenarios, like Aitana spending a weekend in Madrid.
“In the initial phase, we realized people follow lives, not just images. Since she isn’t real, we had to infuse a semblance of reality to establish a connection with her audience. We had to weave a narrative,” shared the graphic designer.
Unlike traditional models, who often maintain a neutral persona to serve as a ‘blank canvas’ for designers, Aitana boasts a distinct personality.
Aitana was conceived as a dynamic fitness enthusiast, characterized by determination and depth. On her website, she describes herself as outgoing and compassionate.
“A lot of deliberation went into crafting Aitana. We designed her based on societal preferences—considering popular tastes, hobbies, and trending niches in recent years,” explained Cruz.
Through trend analysis, they observed a Europeanized fascination with Oriental culture, influencing choices like Aitana’s pink hair and gamer persona.
Aitana’s immense success spurred her creators to develop a second virtual model named Maia, described as “a bit more reserved.”
The names weren’t chosen randomly either; both contain the acronym for artificial intelligence (AI).
Democratizing Model Usage?
The agency is flooded with requests from brands seeking personalized virtual models.
“They desire an image that isn’t tied to a real individual, one that embodies their brand values. This eliminates continuity concerns if they need to terminate someone or can no longer rely on them,” explained Cruz.
Moreover, there are significant cost savings. Upon realizing the earnings of real influencers, the agency found it “anomalous.”
“Consider Kim Kardashian, who earns a million euros for an Instagram post without curing cancer. No one should earn a million euros for a social media upload—it seems absurd to me,” Cruz remarked.
The agency sees this as a potential means to lower market prices and empower small businesses unable to afford extensive advertising campaigns.
However, the initiative faces criticism. Many worry that the unrealistic perfection of these models could foster obsession among the younger generation to attain unattainable standards.
Additionally, there’s backlash against the highly sexualized image portrayed by these models. In response, the agency argues that they’re simply reflecting the existing aesthetic cultivated by real influencers and brands.
“If we diverge from this aesthetic, brands won’t engage. To alter this paradigm, we need to change brands’ perspectives. After all, the world at large is already sexualized,” the creators defended.
