Technology Creator's Ketchup

Are AI influencers finding their place in a space built on relatability? We asked the teams behind them

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Piyush Singh
New Update
AI influencer

We spoke to the teams behind AI creators Kavya Mehra and Radhika Subramaniam about the vision, the ethical considerations, the audience response, and what it really means to be influential on the internet today. 

We’ve all noticed how the face of influence has shifted over the last decade. These shifts rarely happen in ways we expect. One of the most recent, and perhaps most debated, shifts is the use of AI in creative careers. While many of us have grown increasingly comfortable using AI tools in our daily lives, the idea of AI personalities on the internet still brings out mixed reactions. This justified discomfort is a direct response to the very idea that “influence” is built through human connections, something that one might not feel as genuine when it comes from an AI influencer. But as real creators face growing pressure to be constantly online, emotionally available, and culturally fluent, we’re also seeing the popularity of AI-generated influencers who are built not just to engage, but to endure. They don’t sleep, don’t scroll, and never log off.

This isn’t the start of a tech fairytale. It’s a reflection of where the creator economy is heading and how questions of identity, trust, and cultural representation are being redefined in the process. In India, where storytelling is deeply tied to language, region, and social nuance, the arrival of AI influencers like Kavya Mehra and Radhika Subramaniam forces us to ponder the audience's reaction to them and whether the idea is even viable in the long run in an industry that relies on being deeply relatable.

According to the people who created Kavya and Radhika, these creators aren’t gimmicks but strategic avatars. Kavya is styled as a lifestyle and pop culture commentator, fluent in memes and emotions, meanwhile Radhika is a bilingual travel storyteller. Their existence opens up a layered conversation about the emotional labor of influence, the pressures of digital performance, and the very meaning of authenticity in an age when personalities can be programmed.

In our conversation with the team behind these AI personas, Nitika Shah (Channel Producer at Collective Artists Network), Sudeep Subhash (CEO of Big Bang Social and CRO at Collective Artists Network), Sudeep Lahiri (Head of Channels and Distribution at Collective Artists Network), and Harsha (Chief Technology Officer at Galleri5), we unpacked the vision that shaped their idea, the ethical boundaries they refuse to cross, and the audience responses that surprised even their creators.

Also Read: #KetchupTalks: Patruni Sastry on discussing identities in the Indian context and accidentally becoming a part of 'In Transit'

Here is what they shared: 

Conceptualizing Kavya and Radhika and the key objectives to create them:

With Kavya, Team Collective Artists Network wanted to build a cultural north star, someone who could represent the aspirations and curiosities of young, urban India. "She was our first foray into showing what tech-led storytelling could look like when done with empathy, context, and imagination." Whereas it was different with Radhika. "She was born out of a very specific intent: to reimagine travel and cultural discovery through an Indian, bilingual lens. She isn’t just a content creator,  but also a digital nomad and an educator in disguise." 

The common thread for the two was to find what it would feel like to be influencers who didn’t burn out or scale seamlessly across formats, time zones, and moods while still sounding like people the audience can trust. Kavya and Radhika became the two distinct answers to that same question.

Finding their personalities:

Nitika Shah, Channel Producer at Collective Artists Network, talked about focusing on writing a character arc for Kavya before deciding to create her. "She's luxe, and likes the finer things in life, the girl with a diary full of reflections and a wardrobe of contradictions. She comments on love, loss, cinema, and memes, always with a wink and a thought."

Radhika, on the other hand, is a born explorer. They wanted her to be confident but never cocky who was fluent in English and Tamil while being deeply rooted in the places she visits. "We gave her a journalistic spirit and she asks questions, doesn’t just pose for photos."

Harsha - Chief Technology Officer at Galleri5, mentioned wanting to train the two very different models. "Kavya needed more emotional nuance and a casual but layered aesthetic and Radhika needed multilingual flexibility and spatial awareness." They worked on native sensibilities and even pronunciation that could easily be blended into real-world travel footage.

Planning content for them:

By choosing a more hybrid approach, Nitika Shah highlighted how they wanted Kavya to be much more conversational and reactive. "She comments on pop culture, social issues, and cinema." She became an influencer who rides the wave of what's happening now. Radhika, however, is slower, more immersive in comparison. Her content is editorial in nature and relies more being about a mix of storytelling and travel journalism. "For instance, Kavya might weigh in on a viral Netflix release within 12 hours, but Radhika will take you through Old Delhi at sunrise with a script that's been researched and rewritten three times."

Given the sensitive nature of culture and identity, how did they make sure they didn’t get it wrong:

Harsha, "We’ve baked in both tech and human safeguards." Scripts were passed through culture and language consultants and automated safety pipelines, so both Kavya and Radhika are aligned to a principle they call “human-first AI”. "If a line wouldn’t work coming from a thoughtful real person, it doesn’t go live." Meanwhile, Nikita added how it's even more important for Radhika, who especially operates in sensitive spaces as she’s commenting on local rituals, regional histories, and travel etiquette. "We’re incredibly careful about tone, intent, and phrasing. She’s designed to be a respectful observer, not an omniscient narrator."

What are the ethical lines you won’t cross with AI influencers?

Being aware that these influencers aren't real humans, the teams focused on three things: clarity,  consent and safety. "We never pretend they’re real humans. Their AI identity is never hidden." When it comes to consent, they have ensured not to replicate real faces, voices, or locations without permission. "We steer away from controversy, hate-bait, misinformation, and anything that can’t be defended in the public domain. We also don’t gather personal data from the audience. There’s no personalization that violates privacy. Every like, share, or comment is treated as insight not as ammunition."

Are Kavya and Radhika designed to be scalable?

Sudeep Subhash, CEO Big Bang Social and CRO at Collective Artists Network considers them to be 100 % scalable, calling them both long-tail IPs. "Kavya could easily host a digital talk show, write a book, and collaborate with artists. Radhika could co-create content with tourism boards, lead virtual field trips, maybe even have her own documentary-style channel." Sudeep also mentioned their plans to explore how they can move from content to commerce that not just influences products, but possibly co-creates them. "Think AI co-founders of fashion drops or localised travel brands."

Audience response:

Nitika Shah - Channel Producer at Collective Artists Network says:

Nikita noticed the changing perspective of people toward these AI influencers and how people have been engaging with them differently. "With Kavya, people chat, confess, share vulnerabilities. She’s like a safe-space influencer who is always online, never overwhelmed, never snarky. Radhika, meanwhile, draws in curiosity. People ask her for itineraries, thank her for showcasing lesser-known destinations, or try to quiz her to “catch” the AI." Sudeep also added how they always expected interest. "What we didn’t expect was emotional resonance. That’s when we realised that when done right, AI influencers aren’t replacements for human creators. They’re companions in the content universe."

What’s your personal take on the relevance of AI creators, and how do you see them impacting culture? Tell us in the comments below.

For more discussions, follow us on @socialketchup

 

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