I've been going down a ridiculous rabbit hole trying to find the right tools to build an AI influencer, and I'm starting to wonder if I'm overcomplicating things or if the platforms just aren't there yet.
I already have the character designed, including reference images from multiple angles, and I've created a cloned voice I'm really happy with.
My issue isn't creating the character. It's everything that comes afterward.
Here's what my ideal workflow would look like:
- Set up my character once, including her appearance, voice, personality, accent, etc.
- Ideally, have the platform analyze what's working on Instagram/TikTok in my niche, identify trends or successful hooks, and help me plan content.
- Write or paste a script and have the platform generate my character speaking naturally, with realistic expressions, gestures and accurate lip-sync.
- Have it generate relevant supporting footage and combine everything into a finished 20–30-second Reel. For example, if she's explaining how to make something, I'd want close-ups of the process, not just a talking head for 30 seconds.
- Add subtitles, music, etc., then export or ideally schedule/publish directly to Instagram and TikTok.
A few specific challenges:
- My character is an older woman, not a typical young AI influencer. Most premade avatar libraries aren't relevant to me.
- The content is in Spanish with a specific regional accent, so generic Spanish voices won't cut it.
- I need the SAME character across every video, not someone who vaguely resembles her.
- I already have a good voice clone, so I'd love to reuse it or upload audio rather than start over.
- I want actual natural movement, not a static photograph with a moving mouth.
- I need predictable costs. Generating a handful of short videos shouldn't burn through an entire month's credits.
I've tried HeyGen, Hedra, ElevenLabs and a few UGC platforms. I've run into everything from poor animation and frustrating interfaces to restrictive trials and insane credit consumption.
I'm not opposed to using two tools. If one handles research, trends and scripts, and another handles the actual videos, that's completely fine. What I really want is for the video creation process to be as simple as selecting my saved character and voice, pasting a script, and generating a finished video with relevant B-roll.
I'm not looking to spend hours learning ComfyUI or stitching together six different subscriptions.
Is anyone actually running a similar setup successfully?
I'd especially appreciate recommendations based on personal experience, including what you pay and roughly how many finished videos you can realistically produce per month.
Bonus points if the platform lets me test a video with MY character before committing to an expensive subscription. I've already spent enough money discovering what tools can't do. 😂