AI influencers were hyped, until 2025. Now, brands are pulling back. According to reports, in early 2025 partnerships with AI influencers dropped ~30%, due to backlash and low engagement. Audiences want authenticity, not pixel-perfect robots. In October 2025 especially, the narrative is shifting: real people, mistakes, stories, those are the voices cutting through. So digital marketers should rethink strategies that moderate AI involvement, not eliminate it, to stay trusted.