An India-based medical student reportedly built and operated a popular AI-generated Instagram influencer that amassed millions of followers by posting patriotic, political and lifestyle content aimed at conservative audiences in the United States, according to a WIRED report cited by the New York Post. The account featured a blonde virtual influencer named “Emily Hart,” who was depicted in images wearing a bikini, a MAGA hat, posing with firearms, ice fishing, drinking beer, and sharing strongly worded political statements. According to her profile, she was a registered nurse who resembled Hollywood actor Jennifer Lawrence, with the AI-generated persona presented as part of a MAGA-themed content stream.The profile quickly gained traction, reportedly reaching 10,000 followers within a month, with several reels garnering millions of views.The creator, identified as “Sam,” a 22-year-old orthopedic surgeon in training in India, told WIRED that he developed the AI persona while studying medicine and sought to monetise it amid financial pressures and plans to move to the United States after graduation.He reportedly used Google’s Gemini AI for guidance and decided to build a virtual influencer targeting a conservative American audience. According to him, the tool suggested that “the conservative audience (especially older men in the US) often has higher disposable income and is more loyal,” as cited by WIRED.The account posted politically charged content, including statements such as: “Christ is king, abortion is murder, and all illegals must be deported,” along with other provocative captions. Sam also experimented with creating a liberal counterpart but said it did not gain similar traction.He monetised the account through merchandise sales and subscription-based platforms such as Fanvue, which allows AI-generated content. Paid subscribers were reportedly given access to exclusive material, including AI-generated images and adult-themed content.“I was spending maybe 30 to 50 minutes of my day, and I was making good money for a medical student,” he said, adding that the operation generated thousands of dollars monthly.He further told WIRED, “I don’t feel like I was scamming people.”According to the report, the Instagram account was taken down in February for “fraudulent” activity. A related Facebook account was also removed following publication of the investigation.Experts cited in the report said AI-generated personas on social media are becoming increasingly realistic, raising concerns about misinformation, authenticity, and their impact on social media ecosystems and political engagement.
