Note: This episode was recorded when this show was known as Human Internet Theory.

A top venture capital firm is funding one company to create thousands of fake AI influencers, after also funding another company that builds tech to detect them. This is the new "synthetic social web," an emerging industry that is targeting the work of human creative professionals.

Which is what this channel is about: the changing landscape of online and the creative professional industry.

In this episode, you'll learn about:

1. Doublespeed AI, the A16Z-backed company with the tagline "never pay a human again."
2. The "disease and the cure" investment strategy involving the detection company, Doppel.
3. The new wave of startups (like MakeUGC and Creatify AI) built to create fake, synthetic user generated content.
4. The distinction between "tools" and "services" that aim to replace human labor entirely.
5. The impact of this on the jobs creative professionals and the loss of authenticity online.

This episode breaks down the companies and business models that are replacing human writers, editors, and creators, and explains what is at stake for the future of the human internet.

Mentioned in this video (references and sources):

Doublespeed AI https://doublespeed.ai

Doppel: https://www.doppel.com

VC Firm: Andreessen Horowitz (A16Z) and doublespeed: https://speedrun.a16z.com/companies/doublespeed

A16Z and Doppel: https://a16z.com/announcement/investing-in-doppel

Report: 404 Media on Double Speed https://www.404media.co/a16z-backed-startup-sells-thousands-of-synthetic-influencers-to-manipulate-social-media-as-a-service

Podcast Source: Double Speed founder on phone farms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMO0VYTBC7U

High school students: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-27/teens-struggle-to-tell-if-social-media-videos-are-real-or-ai/105924186

Synthetic generated UGC Startups:

1. https://Creatify.ai
2. https://Zeely.ai
3. https://Arcads.ai
4. https://Tagshop.ai
5. https://www.makeugc.ai
6. https://creatorkit.com/ai-actors

Human Internet Theory Newsletter https://humaninternettheory.com

About and Support

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Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Contact Jen at https://jendehaan.com

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About Jen

Host: Jen deHaan has a background of almost 30 years in tech, education, & instructional design and 10 years in improv and performance.

Jen's website: https://jendehaan.com

Made and produced by Jen deHaan in British Columbia, Canada.

Mentioned in this episode:

Podcast Performance Lab

This episode was released prior to the rebranding of this podcast. It was known as Human Internet Theory and is now known as Podcast Performance Lab.