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Virtual influencers in social media versus the metaverse: Mind Perception, blame judgements and brand trust

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  • Joel-Edgar, Sian
  • Chowdhury, Soumyadeb
  • Nagy, Peter
  • Ren, Shuang

Abstract

The rise of virtual influencers (VIs) in digital marketing channels, such as social media platforms and the metaverse, raises critical, under-researched questions about blame attribution to these digital entities and its subsequent impact on brand trust. Our research addresses this gap by applying the theoretical lens of mind perception to two studies using an experimental causal chain design approach. Study 1 revealed that consumers attribute higher mind perception to a human VI and consequently place more blame on them in negative scenarios compared to AI-powered VI. Additionally, we found that perceived mind perception was unaffected by the digital channel (social media versus metaverse). Study 2 demonstrated that brand trust diminishes more significantly when an AI-powered VI is blamed compared to a human VI. These insights contribute to understanding the psychological mechanism of blame judgement towards VIs, and highlight the importance for brands to consider the repercussions of using AI-powered VI.

Suggested Citation

  • Joel-Edgar, Sian & Chowdhury, Soumyadeb & Nagy, Peter & Ren, Shuang, 2025. "Virtual influencers in social media versus the metaverse: Mind Perception, blame judgements and brand trust," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:189:y:2025:i:c:s014829632400643x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.115139
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