Social media influencers are becoming the new frontline in the race for AI dominance, as tech giants like Microsoft and Google increasingly tap into creator marketing to drive adoption of their artificial intelligence services. Companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta are also enlisting social media creators to produce sponsored content across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, with potential payouts reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This surge in influencer marketing signifies a significant escalation in the advertising war for AI users. Generative AI platforms collectively invested over $1 billion in U.S. digital advertising in 2025, a staggering 126% increase from the previous year, according to Sensor Tower. Now, influencer collaborations are emerging as a critical battleground in this burgeoning AI landscape.
The competitive drive is even extending to major sporting events. Anthropic, for instance, is reportedly allocating millions of dollars for Super Bowl advertising, a strategic move seemingly in response to OpenAI’s recent decision to integrate advertisements within its ChatGPT platform.
In the creator economy, influencers are being compensated by tech firms to promote their AI tools. This can range from crafting LinkedIn posts detailing the utility of Anthropic’s Claude Code to producing Instagram videos showcasing engaging applications of Microsoft Copilot or Perplexity’s Comet assistant.
These AI services have evolved dramatically since OpenAI’s groundbreaking launch of ChatGPT in late 2022. Google has strengthened its market position with the release of Gemini 3, its latest advanced model, in November, while competitors like Anthropic, Microsoft, and Meta have consistently rolled out product updates.
Industry sources indicate that Microsoft and Google have engaged creators in long-term partnerships, potentially valued between $400,000 and $600,000 over several months, though deal specifics remain private.
“We’re witnessing a substantial increase in creator expenditure from AI brands,” noted AJ Eckstein, founder and CEO of Creator Match, an agency that brokers partnerships between brands and creators. His firm collaborates with numerous AI-focused companies, including Anthropic, HeyGen, and Notion.
“The interest from AI brands grows exponentially each month,” Eckstein added, emphasizing that these companies are actively seeking innovative methods to market their tools and cultivate more authentic user connections.
While representatives from Microsoft and Google have declined to comment, Anthropic has distinguished itself with a particularly aggressive approach to creator marketing. In March, the company appointed Lexie Barnhorn, formerly of Notion, to spearhead its influencer marketing initiatives across social media and podcasts. The AI research lab has since secured multiple brand deals with content creators.
One such creator is Megan Lieu, who focuses on technology and AI-related content. Lieu shared that her background as a data scientist has been instrumental in attracting AI brands, leading to her first significant collaboration in mid-2025.
“These brands are keen for their customers to recognize our association with AI,” Lieu stated, boasting a following of nearly 400,000 across various platforms.
Lieu described her most substantial brand partnership to date as one with Anthropic to promote its Claude products. While she did not disclose the exact compensation, she indicated that her sponsored content engagements typically range from $5,000 to $30,000, contingent on the campaign’s scope.
“If you aim to elevate your programming capabilities, Claude Code empowers you through the force of agentic AI,” Lieu shared in a sponsored LinkedIn post for Anthropic.
Anthropic did not offer a comment for this report.
**”Ample Resources for Investment”**
Eckstein highlighted that AI companies possess a considerably larger budget for marketing compared to other sectors, driven by substantial capital infusion. Anthropic recently secured over $10 billion in funding at a $350 billion valuation, while OpenAI was valued at $500 billion late last year. Major players like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta command market capitalizations in the trillions.
Consequently, creators can command fees of up to $100,000 per post, according to Eckstein.
“Some of these larger corporations have such significant financial capacity that negotiation is not a primary concern,” he commented.
Digital advertising expenditures by Google and Microsoft to promote their AI products saw an approximate 495% surge last month compared to the prior year, according to Sensor Tower. OpenAI also significantly expanded its digital ad spending, increasing it more than tenfold in 2025.
Beyond sponsored posts, AI companies are investing heavily in creators through event invitations, early access to new tools, and covering travel and accommodation expenses.
“We collaborate with a diverse range of creators, including artists, filmmakers, designers, and cultural influencers, providing them with early access to our tools and empowering them to showcase the creative potential of AI,” an OpenAI spokesperson informed CNBC.
However, not all creators are eager to accept brand deals associated with AI products.
Jack Lepiarz, known for his Renaissance fair performances and boasting 7 million social media followers, indicated his refusal of any AI-related brand deals.
“I cannot in good conscience endorse something that will make it more challenging for ordinary people to earn a living,” stated Lepiarz, whose content typically revolves around his Renaissance fair appearances.
Lepiarz revealed that he previously declined a $20,000 brand deal to promote an AI product featuring generative image tools.
“Even if the offer were increased to $100,000 or $500,000, I couldn’t envision accepting it,” Lepiarz asserted. “It represents too significant a deviation for me, too large a boundary to cross.”
Some creators have cited ethical, environmental, and creative concerns as reasons for declining collaborations with AI companies. Others have noted that their audiences can exhibit a strong negative reaction to AI sponsorships, fostering apprehension about backlash or being “canceled.”
“AI is lame, unsubscribed,” read a comment on a sponsored post promoting Google’s AI video generator tool Veo, created by Stevie Sells, a prominent creator. Sells did not respond to the comment.
Approximately half of U.S. adults express more concern than excitement regarding AI, according to Pew Research data released in October.
Several creators have informed CNBC that they are forfeiting potentially tens of thousands of dollars in sponsored AI-related deals. Experts in the creator agency space observe that backlash tends to be most pronounced for tools that generate images or video, as many creators perceive these as directly competing with their artistic endeavors.
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