Agencies have mixed feelings about using AI tools for product placements and influencer marketing

By now, spotting influencers in major ads and at events is all but mainstream — but what if artificial intelligence allowed influencers to tap into old-school product placement without actually having to shoot in person with brands?

Imagine seeing more seamless product placements across movies and TV shows that are more story-driven and adaptable to various pieces of content, where brands get virtually inserted onto products, backgrounds or signage in post-production. New AI-backed virtual product placement tools, such as Mirriad, Ryff and Inshorts, can add an election billboard to a movie scene or edit in clothes in the background of a creator’s lifestyle videos without the talent or creators actually featuring those products in the filming. Brands from Hallmark to Univision have been testing this product placement method since 2020.

With these platforms, brands can make product placements far more natural-looking and scalable now — and the hope is this technology can bridge the gap in the world of product placement and simultaneously boost influencer content across channels. For example, Mirriad included its virtual product placement in 2024 TV Upfronts. South Korean ad company Inshorts last year also applied its AI digital product placement to drama “Maestra.”

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