Earlier this morning I was ok TikTok when a video popped up by a girl named Danah who was giving a tour of the new Villa Shams Beach Club which opened last week. I quickly realized it was AI generated. The account owner wasn’t trying to hide it or anything, the video was labeled as being AI-generated and her profile description said she was virtual. So I reached out to the creator to find out more about Danah.
@danah.vibeskw Virtual Visit to Villa Shams ☺️ اول زياره افتراضيه بالعالم الموازي حق فيلا شمس #villashams #messilabeach #messilabeach🇰🇼 #GlowAndGo #VirtualWithStyle #DanahVibes #kuwait🇰🇼 #دانة_الذكاء_الاصطناعي #عمار_يا_كويت🇰🇼 ♬ original sound – Danah.vibes
Danah is the creation of Abdulaziz Al-Rashed who runs @ai.lenskw, a Kuwait based studio that generates AI content. He created Danah after he saw an opportunity to blend realistic virtual characters with content that resonates with people. Danah is a new kind of influencer, one that merges advanced AI visuals with meaningful content, while still feeling like a real person people could connect with. To him Danah isn’t just a digital face, she was built to reflect real emotions, cultural identity, and beauty in a way that feels relatable yet aspirational.
I don’t think we lack influencers for us to need virtual ones, but he did mention something I found interesting. One of the goals behind creating Danah was to support business owners who can’t appear on social media, either for cultural reasons or simply because they’re shy. Danah is a showcase, an example of how he could create a custom virtual character to speak and present on behalf of owners while preserving their privacy and respecting traditions.
That actually might just work, especially at the pace AI is moving, I wouldn’t be surprised if we soon can’t tell virtual influencers apart from real ones. To be fair, some real influencers look pretty virtual anyway.
If you want check out Danah’s videos, her Instagram account is @danah.vibes and her TikTok is @danah.vibeskw
15 replies on “Meet Danah, Kuwait’s First Virtual Influencer”
This is very clever, smart.
There’s so many things wrong with this, like using a virtual avatar might be one idea, but why not just hire someone to be your spokesperson? Is that hard to do nowadays? This is taking away potential jobs! What next, is this blog going to be run by an AI Mark? 😓
Reminds me of the jobs the computer took.
The whole notion of an influencer is an abomination. The idea that you are influenced by some rando should be deeply insulting to your self worth. Yet, they found a way to make it even worse…
You make it sound like you don’t read tech reviews or movie reviews, or you’ve never taken a recommendation from someone. I didn’t know the writer of the Rolling Stone review of Cypress Hill’s Black Sunday, doesn’t mean I insulted my self worth by going out and buying the CD based on his recommendation. “influencers” have existed long before social media, I’m not a fan of 99% of social media influencers, in the same way I wasn’t a fan of 99% of magazines. You pick and choose the magazines or influencers you want to read and watch. No biggie.
Well sure, if you expand the definition to include tech reviewers and movie scene reporters and Rolling Stone writers, then I agree. But that’s not how most people define influencer.
The line between actual journalism/reporters/expertise – with research, real opinions and substance – and superficial influencers (a term emerged because of social media) is being blurred and that’s not a good thing if you ask me!
good point, but I just meant that we’ve always been influenced by other people way before social media was invented
Well you are here to be influenced what Mark posts, eats where he goes ..
248am need a virtual influencer
AI content is cringe. And I doubt anyone would actually feel ‘connected’ to an AI influencer. I’ve seen a billion other examples of AI influencers online already because the internet is so saturated with AI-generated content now. Their uncanny, perfectly ‘polished’ appearances make me swipe away immediately because…it feels so unnatural.
It’s cool and shiny for a bit but then…we’re bored because guess what, Danah isn’t a real person and she has no real story we can connect with.
The only thing AI is amazing at is shit posting and memes, now that’s top tier content that makes me laugh sometimes. It’s also the reason AI ‘Art’ hasn’t really taken over the entertainment industry like it was originally advertised to be…because most people don’t take an AI story seriously.
And to me, AI devalues whatever product you’re trying to sell, makes it really generic. I would never wish it upon my business.
Let’s support real people, guys. Also, typing prompts is not a talent.
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Can you distinguish between a Kuwaiti AI influencer and a real Kuwaiti Influencer (AKA Fashionista)? Both are perfectly polished, unnatural looking, with no story you can connect with.
Haha, touchè.
That’s true…but an actual person’s review of a product is still way more legitimate than an AI review.
‘Influencers’ are expensive, I remember hearing about a restaurant hiring Fooz for 2500 KD to advertise for the owner, the ad was less than 5 minutes. These AI creations may put them out of business.
Nice but is she spoken for yet ? 😉