OpenArt and Fanvue have launched the first challenge dedicated to AI-created influencers: the “AI Personality of the Year” promises a prize pool of up to $90,000.
There’s a new frontier in the creator economy, and it doesn’t have a human face. Or at least, not entirely. AI-generated influencers are moving from a simple viral curiosity—sometimes even a threat—to a full-blown industry, and today they’re taking another leap: official awards are coming. With the "AI Personality of the Year," OpenArt and Fanvue are offering over $90,000 (just under €80,000 at the exchange rate) to find the best digital personalities of 2026. It’s not just a creative competition, but a clear signal: virtual influencers are becoming a structured, competitive, and increasingly central business in digital marketing. And this time, anyone can try.
How does the first challenge dedicated to virtual influencers work?
The "AI Personality of the Year 2026" is a global competition lasting four weeks, open until April 19, that aims to identify the best digital personalities created with artificial intelligence. Behind the initiative are OpenArt, a platform specializing in AI content generation, and Fanvue, an infrastructure designed to monetize virtual creators, with the technological support of ElevenLabs.
The competition is divided into five main categories: entertainment, lifestyle, comedy, fitness, and anime or fantasy worlds. Each participant must create an original virtual influencer and have them compete within one of these areas, creating coherent and recognizable content.
The prize structure is complex and progressive. Over the four weeks, weekly winners are selected who receive $200 and visibility on the organizers’ platforms. But the heart of the competition is the grand prize: the overall winner receives $6,000 in cash (approximately €5.2 thousand), plus $2,000 in promotions, priority visibility on Fanvue, and access to affiliate programs.
There are also intermediate prizes: the best in each category can earn up to $5,000, while audience recognition—such as the most viral video or user favorite—adds further financial bonuses.
Projects aren’t evaluated by algorithms, but by an entirely human jury composed of industry experts, creators, and marketing professionals. Criteria include technical quality, narrative ability, commercial appeal, and social media impact. Creating a realistic face isn’t enough: to succeed, you need to build a true digital identity capable of attracting an audience.
How to participate and win almost €80,000
Participating in the challenge is relatively simple on paper, but it requires strategy and creative vision. The first step is to create a virtual influencer through OpenArt, defining their aesthetic, personality, communication tone, and niche. You need a character with a story, an identity, and a recognizable style. Not an avatar.
Once created, the influencer must "live" online. Participants must open or use a public account on TikTok or Instagram and post at least four pieces of content during the competition period. Each post must include official tags to be considered valid.
A key aspect is the ability to build real engagement. The jury evaluates not only visual quality, but also audience response: followers, interactions, and virality become decisive factors. In other words, the winner isn’t the one who creates the most realistic avatar, but the one who manages to transform it into a true influencer.
The recognition system rewards both consistency and excellence. You can start by winning small weekly bonuses, but the goal is to scale up to the grand prize, which—including cash and benefits—is close to €80,000 total considering the entire prize pool distributed.
An important detail? The competition is open to everyone, including emerging creators, and allows anonymous participation. The focus is on the project, not on the person creating it. A paradigm shift that puts pure creativity, amplified by AI, at the center.
Fake influencers: a growing $46 billion market
If this competition is making headlines, it’s because it fits into a booming economic context.
The virtual influencer market, valued at approximately $6 billion in 2024, is expected to grow to $46 billion by 2030. These numbers quickly bring it closer to the more established sectors of digital marketing.
AI influencers are already being used by brands for advertising campaigns, collaborations, and sponsored content. They offer clear advantages: they don’t age, they don’t make public mistakes, they can produce content 24/7, and they are completely controllable.
At the same time, technology has reached such a level that distinguishing a virtual influencer from a real one has become increasingly difficult. Digital personalities are increasingly credible, complete with voice, expressions, and coherent storytelling.
The creation of an official award marks a step, perhaps without return, towards the legitimacy of the sector. As with other creative industries, the introduction of competitions and awards is a sign of maturity. And those who are ultimately rewarded are the human personalities behind the scenes: the creators, storytellers, and strategists who bring these identities to life.
Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Arriva il premio da quasi €80.000 per i profili fake creati con l’AI. Come funziona?
