#rp25 speaker Vera Lenz-Kesekamp: Virtual influencers - real, fake or whatever?

Virtual influencers exemplify a fundamental shift in digital communication: they are flawlessly designed and artificially created – yet they earn the trust of millions of followers, shape purchasing decisions and influence trends. At re:publica 25, Vera Lenz-Kesekamp will trace the historical development of virtual figures and highlight how technological innovation – particularly through AI – is creating new forms of identity.

The marketing professor will explore both the economic potential and the ethical, social and psychological risks: How do virtual influencers reshape concepts such as authenticity, trust and role models? What impact do they have on beauty ideals, social participation and interaction? And how are power structures shifting in an economy increasingly shaped by non-human actors?

Vera Lenz-Kesekamp is President of Euro-FH (formerly Vice President for Digitalisation & AI) and heads the department of Business, Digitalisation and Management. She is a Professor of Marketing with a focus on Online and Social Media Marketing at Euro-FH and Dean of the Bachelor's programme in Online Marketing & Social Media (B.A.).