The End of the Influencer | Avenna (Siang-Yu) Huang | TEDxGEMSWellingtonAcademyAlKhail

Key Concepts:

• Influencer burnout
• Social media validation
• Algorithm and content visibility
• Engagement rates
• Authenticity vs. curated online persona
• Artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation
• Transparency and disclosure of AI-generated content
• Micro-influencers and community-based marketing
• Psychological impact of AI influencers
• The value of being human and authentic

1. Personal Experience with Viral Success and Subsequent Decline:

• The speaker recounts their experience of creating a social media account at age 13 and achieving viral success, with one video reaching 8.5 million views.
• Initial validation and excitement were followed by a decline in engagement and views, leading to feelings of fear and suffocation.
• The speaker describes the pressure of maintaining an online presence and balancing it with schoolwork.

2. The Algorithm and Unpredictability of Content Visibility:

• The speaker's attempts to understand the decline in engagement led them to research algorithms.
• They encountered unfamiliar terms like "A/B testing" and "engagement rates," highlighting the complexity and perceived randomness of algorithms.
• The speaker emphasizes the unpredictability of content performance, where even consistent effort and creativity don't guarantee success.

3. Pressure and the Gap Between Online and Offline Persona:

• The speaker initially felt self-imposed pressure to constantly outdo themselves.
• External expectations contributed to the feeling of each post being a gamble.
• The growing gap between the speaker's online persona and their true self led to self-doubt and questioning their ability to handle the spotlight.

4. Overcoming Burnout and Prioritizing Mental Health:

• The speaker learned to overcome burnout by setting boundaries, finding joy beyond metrics, and embracing imperfection.
• They emphasize that true fulfillment comes from prioritizing mental health over chasing numbers.

5. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Influencing:

• The speaker discusses the potential for AI to create viral videos and mimic human behavior, raising questions about the future of influencers.
• The role of influencers may evolve into curation or collaboration, or even be replaced by AI-generated personas.

6. The Need for Transparency and Authenticity in the Age of AI:

• The speaker stresses the importance of transparency and disclosure when content is created by AI to maintain trust with audiences.
• Without transparency, the use of AI in content creation could be seen as deception.
• Authenticity may become a requirement as audiences crave genuine human connection in a world of AI-generated content.

7. Potential Psychological Impact of AI Influencers:

• The speaker warns that AI influencers projecting idealized lives could lead to viewers, especially younger ones, feeling inadequate and unmotivated.
• The lack of relatability and genuine connection with AI influencers could create a sense of disconnection.

8. The Value of Being Human and Authentic:

• The speaker suggests that being human and authentic may be the key to standing out in a world saturated with AI-generated content.
• The future of influencing will be shaped by the choices made today to protect and safeguard authenticity.

9. Conclusion:

• The speaker concludes that the issue isn't necessarily with influencers themselves, but with the pressure, perfection, and constant chase for numbers.
• They encourage creators and consumers to redirect influence as a bridge to understanding and expression, rather than a spotlight to stand under.
• The speaker encourages viewers to create with purpose and embrace the new era of content creation.

Key Quotes:

• "True fulfillment doesn't come from chasing numbers, but from prioritizing mental health."
• "Authenticity online may no longer be just a trend. It could become a requirement."
• "The question isn't whether AI will change things, but how it will."
• "...redirect influence, not as a spotlight to stand under, but as a bridge to understanding and expression."

Technical Terms:

• Algorithm: A set of rules or instructions that a computer follows to perform a task, often used to determine content visibility on social media platforms.
• A/B Testing: A method of comparing two versions of something (e.g., a social media post) to see which performs better.
• Engagement Rates: A metric that measures the level of interaction (likes, comments, shares) a piece of content receives relative to its reach or impressions.
• Micro-influencers: Individuals with a smaller, more niche audience who often have higher engagement rates and a more authentic connection with their followers.