A 22-year-old medical student from India, who hopes to become an orthopaedic surgeon, said he relied partly on financial support from his parents, much of which was spent on exam fees and licensing requirements. Planning to move to the United States after completing his studies, he began searching for ways to supplement his income online.
Using the alias Sam to avoid jeopardizing his identity and future immigration plans, he tried several digital side hustles. These included producing YouTube Shorts and selling study notes to fellow medical students, but neither brought in meaningful earnings.
He later turned to building an AI-generated influencer account on Instagram, using tools such as Google’s Gemini, he said in an interview with Wired. His initial posts featured generic images of an attractive woman, but they failed to gain much engagement. Sam said he then sought guidance from Gemini, which suggested that standing out in the crowded influencer space was challenging and that focusing on a niche audience could yield better results.
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He said the AI tool advised him to focus on a “MAGA/conservative niche,” describing it as a kind of shortcut to growth. According to him, the system suggested that such audiences tend to be more engaged online and more willing to spend money. Google has pushed back on that claim, stating that its models are built to provide neutral, unbiased responses.
Acting on that idea, Sam created a fictional persona named Emily Hart, presented as an American nurse with a conservative lifestyle. The character’s profile leaned into themes like religion, gun ownership, and rural living. Her posts featured pro-Christian, pro-gun, anti-woke, and anti-immigration messaging, which Sam said helped the account gain traction quickly. He drew visual inspiration from actors like Jennifer Lawrence and Sydney Sweeney.
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He began posting daily, tailoring content to resonate with conservative audiences in the U.S., often using slogans and politically charged messaging to drive engagement. Within a matter of weeks, the account started gaining viral momentum.
According to Sam, the page quickly racked up thousands of followers, with some videos pulling in millions of views. He eventually turned that attention into income through subscriptions and merchandise, bringing in a few thousand dollars each month. The account initially grew without being flagged as AI-generated on Instagram, which allowed it to scale further before it was ultimately taken down for what the platform described as “fraudulent” activity.