The report makes one thing clear i.e. people are choosing real connections over polished appearances. As synthetic content becomes more prevalent and overly staged influencer promotions flood timelines, trust is slipping — and audiences are starting to walk away.
Authenticity Trumps the Algorithm
While follower counts still dominate many brand briefs, the findings suggest reach is no longer enough. Consumers are increasingly looking past numbers to assess whether influencers actually connect with their audience. Nearly 40% said relatability was the number-one reason they trusted a creator — not celebrity, not production value, and certainly not follower size.
One in two consumers said they would cut ties with an influencer known to have bought followers. That instinct aligns with admissions from the creator side: roughly one-third of influencers surveyed acknowledged using artificial methods to boost metrics. For brands, the takeaway is clear — inflated numbers can't build lasting trust.
The AI Dilemma
Despite the growing use of generative tools among content creators — with 81% of influencers saying they’ve leaned on AI in some form — a credibility gap is growing. More than a third of consumers express discomfort with AI-crafted content in influencer campaigns, and most want disclosure when it's used.
Audiences aren’t rejecting technology outright; they’re rejecting artificiality. In a landscape already saturated with stylized, overly curated experiences, algorithmic content seems to widen the disconnect. Consumers want to believe that the person behind the camera genuinely means what they say — and that belief is harder to hold when a script, or a bot, is doing the talking.
When Scripts Backfire
Brand control may be a necessary part of campaign management, but when content feels rehearsed or unnatural, audiences don’t just notice — they disengage. The data shows that inauthentic engagement is the most common reason viewers tune out. Behind the scenes, many influencers feel the same frustration. One in four said that being forced to act out of character or promote products they don't trust is their biggest professional challenge.
Consumers aren’t unaware, anymore. Only about a third believe that influencers actually use the products they showcase — and more than half of influencers confirmed they’ve recommended items they didn’t personally support. That disconnect has consequences: over 70% of consumers admitted regretting purchases made based on influencer advice.
A Shift in the Power Dynamic
The report marks a turning point in how marketing teams might approach partnerships. Rather than seeing creators as ad channels, the data suggests a growing need to treat them as collaborators — ones who can bring real voice and emotional insight into the conversation. In a post-AI world where trust has become a rare commodity, what matters isn’t the gloss — it’s whether viewers feel something genuine.
Typeform’s methodology underlines this shift. By using open-ended video prompts instead of traditional surveys, they captured not just what people said, but how they said it — tone, hesitation, emotion. The approach mirrors the very demand shaping today’s digital behavior: less performance, more presence.
The report draws from a diverse sample of respondents across industries like fashion, travel, tech, and finance. Most responses came from North America and Europe, and the blend of consumers, marketers, and influencers paints a layered picture of an ecosystem under pressure — but also one ready for change.
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