Aitana Lopez, AI avatar by creative agency The Clueless. | Image: The Clueless This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on AI confusion, follow Robert Hart . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started At first, AI influencers were relatively easy to identify - and to ignore. Aside from the occasional bursts of hype, they didn't seem to change much about the way social media worked. The earliest virtual influencers - Lil Miquela with her blunt fringe and freckles, Imma with her bubblegum pink bob, and Shudu Gram with her flawless complexion - were obviously digital productions. Collaborations … Read the full story at The Verge.