Influencer Mia Zelu went viral at Wimbledon—with one catch: She's A.I.

Part of a fast-growing trend of “virtual influencers,” the account's front-row selfies and tenniscore fashion initially had fans fooled.

ByStephanie Livaudais

Published Jul 16, 2025

Like thousands of tennis-loving influencers, Mia Zelu’s social media feed is full of dreamy Wimbledon content: Front-row seats on Centre Court, chilled Pimm’s cups and a stylish tenniscore outfit. Her picture-perfect posts captured the vibe of the All England Club down to the last detail.

The only catch? Mia Zelu didn’t actually go to Wimbledon.

In fact, she’s not even a real person.

Mia’s entire account—boasting more than 160,000 followers and counting—was created entirely with artificial intelligence.

“Still not over the event… Which Wimbledon match was your fave?” Mia captioned one recent post, as comments poured in from unsuspecting followers:

“It’s my first time seeing you and girl you are STUNNING. Jaw drop fr,” wrote one user. Another gushed, “You’re so lucky to be there, enjoy!!” But not everyone was convinced: “She’s not real guys…” and “Wait, so you aren’t real?! I’m so confused now,” others chimed in.

Mia Zelu has sat front row at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, thanks to the power of A.I.

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Mia’s Instagram bio promises “fashion inspo, daily moments & memories,” and while her A.I. origins are disclosed, the information is hidden away behind a “Read More” button.

“They’ll only notice once it works. But you’ll remember every moment it didn’t—and you kept going anyway,” reads one motivational caption.

“To everyone out there building in silence, doubting in private, hoping in secret—don’t stop. Your time will come. Keep showing up. Never give up.”

A scroll through Mia’s “following” list reveals a network of similar A.I.-generated influencers, including Ana Zelu—the brunette counterpart to Mia’s blonde haired and blue-eyed persona with nearly identical travel and lifestyle content. Ana launched in January 2024, while Mia debuted in March 2025 as her “sister.”

Like a real influencer, Mia Zelu's Wimbledon posts included party scenes and even branded photos. Later, the account seemed to address the controversy via a cryptic song.

Both are part of a fast-growing trend of “virtual influencers” rising on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Lil Miquela, one of the earliest and best-known examples, has amassed 2.4 million Instagram followers since her 2016 debut and has appeared in campaigns for brands like Givenchy and Chanel. Meanwhile, the creators of Aitana, a pink-haired A.I. model based in Barcelona, reportedly make up to $10,000 a month through brand deals promoting everything from supplements to hair care.

Created using A.I. tools and CGI, these avatars can be customized to appear like real people, animated characters or brand mascots—appealing to creators who value privacy, and to brands looking for lower-cost, fully controllable marketing options.

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A post shared by 𝑀𝑖𝑎 𝑍𝑒𝑙𝑢 ♡ (@miazelu)

The creators behind the Zelu accounts remain anonymous, and their goals are unclear. But the content—from luxury travel photos to branded glimpses like a post featuring a Pimm’s logo—suggests that potential real-world sponsorships aren’t far off.

Mia’s posts successfully duped many tennis fans during Wimbledon, and once her A.I. identity was revealed, backlash ensued—sending her viral and amplifying her reach even more.

She seemed to respond to the controversy in a string of cryptic posts, including one featuring a song that asked to “be more than a face in the feed.”

“When a concept doesn’t fit the usual narrative, it’s easy to misread the intention,” her latest caption reads. “The real story tends to unfold over time.”

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