Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are paying influencers up to $600,000 to promote AI

The next big fight in artificial intelligence is not happening inside a model or a lab. It’s playing out on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

Some of the largest tech companies in the world are now paying creators massive sums to make AI look approachable, useful, and worth trying. Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI have begun hiring influencers in the same way consumer brands have for years. The difference is the size of the checks. According to a recent CNBC report citing industry sources, individual creator deals now reach as high as $600,000.

“Companies including Microsoft and Google have paid creators between $400,000 and $600,000 for long-term partnerships spanning several months,” CNBC reported.

The push goes well beyond a single platform or format. Sponsored posts show up on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Some creators write long posts explaining how to use a new AI tool at work. Others post short videos showcasing features meant to be playful or impressive. The goal stays the same: turn attention into adoption.

The money behind this shift is large and growing. Generative AI companies spent more than $1 billion on digital advertising in the United States in 2025, according to Sensor Tower. That figure rose by 126% from the previous year. Influencer marketing has now moved to the center of that spend, as companies seek ways to reach users without sounding like ads.

That battle is even spilling onto the country’s biggest advertising stage. Anthropic is paying millions of dollars for a 60-second pregame commercial and a 30-second in-game spot during the Super Bowl. The timing aligns with growing competition in consumer AI, including OpenAI’s recent move to start showing ads in ChatGPT.

Creators are already cashing in. Tech-focused influencers say deals range from small campaigns paying a few thousand dollars to longer partnerships that stretch across months. Some companies want creators to explain how tools like Anthropic’s Claude Code fit into daily workflows. Others want lighter content, such as short clips showing what people can do with Microsoft Copilot or Google’s newest AI features.

The products themselves have changed fast. Since ChatGPT arrived in late 2022, AI tools have become easier to demo and easier to sell. Google released Gemini 3 last November. Microsoft, Meta, and Anthropic have shipped steady updates since then, keeping marketing teams busy and creators in demand.

Inside the AI Influencer Boom: Why Big Tech Is Paying Creators Up to $600,000

Microsoft and Google have paid creators between $400,000 and $600,000 for extended partnerships, according to a person familiar with the deals who asked not to be named. Both companies declined to comment.

“What we’re seeing is a massive increase in creator spend from these AI brands,” said AJ Eckstein, founder and CEO of Creator Match, an agency that connects brands with creators. His firm works with several AI-focused companies, including Anthropic, HeyGen, and Notion.

“Every month, we’re getting way more interest from AI brands,” he said. The appeal, he added, comes from creators who already have trust with their audiences and can explain tools without sounding corporate.

Anthropic has leaned hard into this approach. Earlier this year, the company hired Lexie Barnhorn, formerly of Notion, to lead influencer marketing across social media and podcasts. It has since signed multiple creator partnerships.

One of those creators is Megan Lieu, who makes content focused on AI and technology. Lieu said her background as a data scientist helped attract interest from AI companies. She landed her first deal in mid-2025.

“These brands really want their customers to know we are associated with AI,” Lieu said. She has nearly 400,000 followers across platforms.

Lieu said her largest deal so far involved promoting Anthropic’s Claude products. She declined to share the exact amount. Sponsored campaigns usually pay her between $5,000 and $30,000.

“If you want to take your programming to the next level, Claude Code helps you do it with the power of agentic AI,” Lieu wrote in a LinkedIn post sponsored by Anthropic, according to CNBC.

Anthropic did not comment.

There is plenty of money available. Anthropic recently raised more than $10 billion at a $350 billion valuation. OpenAI reached a $500 billion valuation late last year. Microsoft, Google’s parent Alphabet, and Meta all sit at trillion-dollar market caps.

Creators can charge up to $100,000 for a single post, Eckstein said. Negotiation rarely slows things down.

“Some of these bigger companies have so much money to spend,” he said, “that they don’t care to negotiate.”

Digital ad spending from Google and Microsoft tied to AI jumped nearly 495% last month compared with a year earlier, according to Sensor Tower. OpenAI increased its digital ad spending more than tenfold during 2025.

The spending does not stop at sponsored posts. Companies invite creators to private events, offer early access to tools, and cover travel costs. An OpenAI spokesperson said the company works with artists, filmmakers, designers, and cultural partners, giving them early access and room to show what they build.

The money does not convince everyone.

Not Every Creator Is Taking the Money: Some Creators Turn Down AI Deals Over Ethical Concerns

Some creators say they turn down AI deals over ethical concerns, environmental impact, or fear of backlash from their audiences. Resistance often shows up around image and video tools, which many creators view as a direct threat to their work.

“AI is lame, unsubscribed,” one commenter wrote on a sponsored post promoting Google’s Veo video generator.

Public opinion remains split. Roughly half of U.S. adults say they feel more concerned than excited about AI, according to Pew Research.

Jack Lepiarz, a creator known as Jack the Whipper, said he rejects every AI-related brand deal. He has more than 7 million followers and focuses on Renaissance fair performances.

“I cannot in good conscience support something that’s going to make it harder for normal people to make a living,” Lepiarz said. He previously turned down a $20,000 deal promoting a generative image tool.

“Even if they came back with $100,000 or $500,000,” he said, “I couldn’t see myself saying yes to that.”

The influencer economy helped sell makeup, sneakers, and energy drinks. Now it’s being asked to sell artificial intelligence. Whether that trust converts into long-term users remains an open question. What’s clear is that the checks are already clearing.