The No-Body Problem: Consumers’ Perception of Corporeality, Human-Likeness, and Intentionality in Virtual-Influencer Advertising

The effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual influencers is uncertain even as they are increasingly used in advertising. Their promotion of beauty products is especially intriguing because such products rely on corporeality—the presence of a physical body—which virtual influencers lack. This research examines how corporeality, human-likeness, and intentionality shape both perceptions of virtual influencers and their advertising effectiveness. Study 1 (N = 141) explored general perceptions of virtual influencers, finding that human-likeness significantly predicted corporeality and intentionality, with corporeality partially mediating the relationship between human-likeness and intentionality. Study 2 (N = 174) showed that the drivers of purchase intention differed as a function of product category, with corporeality predicting purchase intention in a beauty ad but not a technology ad. These findings increase our understanding of consumers’ cognitive and emotional responses to AI-powered persuasion agents. They also highlight the domain-specific role of corporeality in AI influencer marketing and inform strategies for optimizing virtual endorsements.