Brooklyn-based content creator Kelly Stranick recently discovered an AI-generated Instagram account using her wedding photos with a digitally altered face, highlighting growing concerns about deepfakes in the creator economy as AI adoption accelerates.

Stranick (@kellygracemae) was alerted by a follower who spotted her wedding photo in a video where Stranick’s face had been replaced with another. The account, which has over 60,000 followers, uses the altered images to promote a disposable camera filter app.

“My immediate reaction was, what the hell? Who is this person taking my wedding photo, putting their face on it, and making content about it?” Stranick told Elle magazine. She initially didn’t realize the account was AI-generated until followers pointed it out.

This isn’t Stranick’s first experience with digital identity theft. Six months after her wedding, a follower alerted her that someone on RedNote had Photoshopped their face onto her body in the same wedding photo.

The incident reflects broader trends in AI adoption across creative industries. According to recent research by Wondercraft, over 80% of content creators now incorporate AI tools in their workflows, with nearly 40% utilizing them throughout their entire creative process from ideation to delivery.

Similar cases are emerging across the creator economy. Beauty influencer Arielle Lorre recently reported that skincare brand Skaind Official created an AI-generated video showing her endorsing their products without her consent.

Transparency Concerns

As AI deepfakes become more sophisticated, transparency issues are gaining prominence. Research from Traackr indicates that 75% of consumers would want disclosure when AI is used to create content they consume.

“It preys on the vulnerability of people who aren’t able to tell the difference,” Stranick noted, expressing particular concern about older audiences who may struggle to differentiate between authentic human testimony and AI-generated content.