The Paradox in AI Influencer Engagement: A Dual Path to Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration

As AI-generated influencers increasingly dominate social media landscapes, their psychological impact on human users necessitates rigorous empirical investigation. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study examines how AI influencers influence the satisfaction and frustration of users’ basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Utilizing a netnographic approach, the research identifies three pivotal psychological mechanisms. The findings reveal a fundamental paradox characterized by a dual-path process; while AI influencers can meaningfully fulfill psychological needs through consistent presence and customizable narratives, they simultaneously risk undermining these needs when perceived as instruments of algorithmic surveillance, commercial orchestration, or emotional inauthenticity. This duality underscores the complexity of AI-mediated engagement, where the same technological affordances can lead to either psychological flourishing or digital alienation. These insights emphasize the urgency for responsible AI design that prioritizes user well-being over mere commercial conversion, offering critical implications for developers, marketers, and policymakers in the evolving era of AI-driven social interaction.