Social media influencer marketing faces uncertainty amid algorithm fatigue, regulatory scrutiny, declining consumer trust, and AI-generated influencers. Traditional theoretical frameworks struggle to explain how AI content, algorithmic curation, and synthetic personas reshape influence dynamics.
This special issue examines whether traditional influencer marketing is ending or undergoing paradigm shift in how influence is constructed, monetized, and governed. It explores how authenticity, artificial intelligence, and algorithmic mediation intersect to reshape influence practices while addressing emerging regulatory frameworks.
The issue welcomes empirically grounded contributions from multiple disciplines including strategy, media studies, consumer behavior, and technology management. It particularly encourages interdisciplinary, globally inclusive research examining non-Western contexts, emerging platforms, and underrepresented influencer communities.