The Day AI Creators Disrupt the Influencer Economy ─ How Human Creators Can Survive in a World Where a 1-Minute AI Video Generates $1,000

1. The AI Literacy Star Born in the "Sloppy Internet"

As you scroll through the 2025 SNS timeline, you can feel the boundary between reality and AI-generated content dissolving.
Unnaturally glossy skin, unnaturally perfect teeth, and visuals that seem somewhat "dreamlike." Within the few seconds it takes to stop scrolling, we must distinguish between real humans and AI-created "nobodies."

In such a "sloppy" environment, Jeremy Carrasco (account name: showtoolsai), who has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, has gained significant attention. He began posting videos in earnest around June 2025. In less than half a year, he gained over 300,000 followers on both TikTok and Instagram, emerging as a prominent "AI literacy creator."The Verge

Originally, Jeremy dreamed of becoming a YouTuber but worked behind the scenes as a live streaming director and producer.
The turning point came when he realized that discussions about generative AI were being led almost entirely by tech companies. Feeling that there was a lack of voices from creators and video producers, he decided to step into the spotlight on social media.The Verge

His initial concept was "how to utilize AI in video production." He intended to share efficient workflows for short videos and ethical usage. However, his ideal was quickly shattered.

What filled the timeline were not discussions on making AI transparent, but rather how-tos on "how to mass-produce viral content with AI."

He then pivoted to teaching "AI literacy," the ability to discern AI, rather than "how to use AI."

2. The "Sense of Discomfort List" for Detecting AI Videos

A consistent theme in Jeremy's videos is encouraging viewers to "first notice the discomfort" rather than definitively stating, "this is AI." The original article introduces several points of "AI-like" characteristics he highlights, which we'll break down here.The Verge

• Skin and backgrounds are "ambiguously too beautiful"
  → The texture is softly blurred, or background objects are oddly smooth.

• Inconsistency in details
  → The text on background signs is wobbly and unreadable, the shape of a cup changes slightly with each cut, chairs appear or disappear.

• Eyes and mouth move unnaturally
  → Eyes wander, blinking timing is odd, or mouth movements don't perfectly match the audio.

• "Too perfect" stories
  → A series of miraculous luck, with an unrealistically smooth narrative shown in overly polished visuals.

He repeatedly emphasizes not ignoring the "initial discomfort."

With advanced video generation models like Sora 2 becoming freely available, the quality of visuals has rapidly improved, but they still can't fully replicate "human-like" qualities.The Verge

Jeremy repeatedly conveys through short videos that the first step in AI literacy is to trust your sense of "something's off" and take a moment to observe.

3. The Business Model of a 7-Second AI Video Worth $1,000

So why is there so much AI slop?
The reason is simple: "because it's profitable."

According to the article, even by creating a large number of "silly AI-generated cat videos (a few seconds long)" and editing them into a compilation video of about a minute to post on TikTok, there is a significant potential for revenue if it goes viral. If the view count reaches around 5 million, the TikTok Creator Fund might pay about $1,000 (approximately 150,000 yen).The Verge

From the perspective of developed countries, one might think, "Is that all?" However, in developing countries or regions with lower living costs, that amount can significantly support one's livelihood.

Even if the videos themselves don't hold much value, as long as you have a "PC capable of running AI and an internet connection," you can mass-produce them without much time. The structure makes it more rational to "just run it" rather than drawing ethical lines.The Verge

As a result, our timelines are engulfed in a "flood of AI content," burying videos carefully crafted by genuine creators.

4. "AI Herbal Medicine" and AI Beauty Avatars—Malicious Accounts

Among the AI accounts Jeremy highlights, some cannot be laughed off. The article introduces two symbolic examples.The Verge

One is an account featuring an "AI herbal medicine sage" dressed in Chinese-style attire, endlessly giving health and beauty advice. It plays on the stereotype of "Eastern mysticism" for Western audiences, ultimately leading them to purchase an $11 e-book. Jeremy points out that the book itself is likely entirely written by AI. In fact, there have been reports of people unable to obtain the book, making it almost a fraudulent business.The Verge

The other is an account that overlays AI-generated faces or avatars onto existing female creators' videos.
They borrow the original video without permission, replace only the face with an "idealized AI beauty," and post it as content. In some cases, they use the AI-altered appearance to direct users to paid platforms like OnlyFans.The Verge

There are multiple layers of issues here.

• Copyright infringement of the original creator

• Unauthorized "face and body takeover"

• Exploitation in sexual businesses

Victims find themselves in a difficult position, unable to explain "where they end and AI begins."

5. Is "Ethical Generative AI" Possible?

In an interview, when asked if he believes there is generative AI that can be used ethically in the creator's field, Jeremy responds, "I basically think NO."
"The Verge

However, he adds that there are exceptions.

• Improving accessibility (subtitles, language conversion, etc., for helping people)

• Visualizing cultural and historical archives

On the other hand, the current mainstream video generation models are essentially gathering content created by people worldwide "almost without permission" to create large datasets. Hollywood's Lionsgate tried to create a model using only its library but found it lacked enough training data to achieve practical quality.The Verge

"As it stands, it becomes a 'pile of plagiarism' that mixes fragments of someone's work or life without permission," Jeremy criticizes.

6. Platforms are "Lighting Their Own Fires and Getting Burned"

The platforms that could stop the flood of AI slop are TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc. However, the article points out that they are actually worsening the situation.The Verge

• Rules for labeling AI content are not adequately enforced

• Even when reported, responses like account suspension are slow or inconsistent

• They are accelerating the development of their own generative AI video tools and AI advertising tools

Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Amazon, DirecTV, and others are already testing advertising production services using generative AI. Eventually, advertisers might pay directly to the platform's AI tools without going through creators.The Verge

Jeremy states, "Many creators effectively function as small advertising agencies." As brand deals and sponsorships are their main sources of income, if advertising production itself is replaced by AI, "human influencers" will become unnecessary first.
If AI takes over both "advertising production" and "distribution channels," the creator economy could collapse from its foundation.

7. Reactions on SNS—A "Three-Way Battle" of Empathy, Anxiety, and Resignation

These issues have sparked various reactions on social media.

The Verge's Facebook post sharing this article gathered hundreds of reactions and comments, with voices from artists and video creators standing out, saying things like "Finally, an article like this" and "Thank you for voicing our concerns." On the other hand, there are optimistic opinions like "AI is just a tool. Only those who use it well will win."Facebook

On Jeremy's Instagram reels and TikTok videos,

• "After watching this video, my perspective on distinguishing AI from reality has changed."

• "I create AI ads for work, but it makes my heart ache."
  Such comments indicate a growing interest in AI literacy.instagram.com

In the Japanese-speaking world, links to this article are shared on platforms like Threads, with posts reacting to the provocative title "The End of the Influencer Economy."

• "If