Pinto, Diego CostaNunes, Joana Rita MartinhoSoares, Pedro Francisco Raposo Lopes2025-11-142025-11-142025-10-30http://hdl.handle.net/10362/190741Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Data Driven Marketing, specialization in Digital Marketing and AnalyticsIn recent years, GenAI Influencers have emerged and gained new significance on social media and in marketing advertisements, representing various opportunities. However, this does not prove how users feel when observing content made by artificial intelligence, which complicates how brands can use them. A sample of 110 social media users was randomly selected and watched one video featuring either a GenAI or a Human Influencer. We measured users’ emotions using the Face Reader, a Neuromarketing tool. Afterward, they completed a questionnaire measuring their perception of the Competence and Warmth of the observed influencer. The results showed that human influencers elicited higher levels of emotional engagement and were perceived as more competent. However, no emotional response mediated the relationship between influencer type and intention to follow. A significant interaction was found: Human influencers were favored when perceived competence was high, while GenAI influencers were more effective when competence was low. Warmth, although a strong predictor of intention to follow, did not interact with influencer type. According to these results, GenAI influencers might still be strategically useful even if they do not generate the same emotional or cognitive evaluations as human influencers. Brands may benefit from using GenAI influencers when innovation or costeffectiveness are priorities, and human influencers when emotional authenticity and high competence are crucial. These findings emphasize the significance of matching influencer type with campaign goals and contextual factors, and they provide marketers with useful advice on how to customize influencer strategies based on audience expectations and perceived traits.engNeuromarketingGenAIDigital InfluencersConsumer EmotionsSocial MediaSDG 4 - Quality educationSDG 8 - Decent work and economic growthSDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructuremaster thesis204071283