Code Switch The evolution of blackface in the age of AI
8 snips
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.
