Generative AI is making it easier than ever to create influencers who don’t actually exist. These synthetic personas can build audiences, promote products and even shape political conversations — often without people realizing they aren’t real. So what happens when influence itself can be engineered at scale? We sit down with Charlie Warzel, a staff writer at The Atlantic, who explains how AI-generated influencers are fueling a “volume game” online, why authenticity may matter less than we think and how this trend could deepen misinformation and political division. Plus, what to look for if you’re trying to spot who’s real — and who’s not — in your feed.

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