Code Switch The evolution of blackface in the age of AI
Dec 13, 2025
Writer and cultural critic Zeba Blay, known for her insights on race and representation, delves into the unsettling rise of AI-generated Black influencers. She discusses how these hyper-realistic personas can perpetuate harmful stereotypes, eroding society's understanding of real Black experiences. Zeba emphasizes the risks of digital blackface, where often non-Black creators exploit Black imagery for engagement. She critiques the dehumanization it fosters and calls for leveraging real-world Black archives as a resistance against this digital exploitation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Hyperreal Black Personas Capture Attention
- AI-generated Black influencers often adopt a curated, hyper-realized look that signals stereotyped Blackness.
- Zeba Blay warns these images use recognizable Black tropes to grab attention and profit from exploitation.
Digital Blackface Evolves With AI
- Digital blackface describes non-Black people using Black images and memes to emote or entertain online.
- Zeba Blay says this practice now expands into AI influencers that simulate Black people without Black involvement.
Fake Influencer Stokes Real Arguments
- Zeba Blay describes a fake model-like Black influencer who disparages Black men to incite conflict.
- She observed many viewers treat the AI persona as real and ignite heated comment threads.
