Theguardian iconTheguardianSep 12, 2026 ~1 min source read

Deepfakes are wrecking influencers’ credibility, one fake ad at a time

They're now battling AI versions of themselves Earlier this year, Emily Schuman, the creator of the lifestyle blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, saw a photo of herself she didn't recognize on Instagram. In a sponsored ad, Schuman, who has more than 500,000 Instagram followers, is holding up a vial of GLP-1 drugs, advertising the telehealth company Gala.

Deepfakes are wrecking influencers’ credibility, one fake ad at a time

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They're now battling AI versions of themselves Earlier this year, Emily Schuman, the creator of the lifestyle blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, saw a photo of herself she didn't recognize on Instagram.

In a sponsored ad, Schuman, who has more than 500,000 Instagram followers, is holding up a vial of GLP-1 drugs, advertising the telehealth company Gala.

The ad was based on a digitally altered version of a selfie Schuman had taken in her car and posted on Instagram years earlier.

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The useful part

They're now battling AI versions of themselves Earlier this year, Emily Schuman, the creator of the lifestyle blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, saw a photo of herself she didn't recognize on Instagram. In a sponsored ad, Schuman, who has more than 500,000 Instagram followers, is holding up a vial of GLP-1 drugs, advertising the telehealth company Gala. The ad was based on a digitally altered version of a selfie Schuman had taken in her car and posted on Instagram years earlier.

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  • Once her followers got wind, they flooded her inbox with questions about the sponsorship as it didn't seem consistent with Schuman's personal brand.

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Influencers aren't just battling competitors for brand deals. Schuman had never heard of Gala and had nothing to do with the ad. Soon after, Schuman discovered this was just the beginning.

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