How to Promote AI Models and How Much You Can Earn: A Breakdown of a New Adult Vertical

Just a few years ago, the idea of people spending money on virtual girlfriends would have seemed far-fetched. But in 2025, it's a reality. Neural networks are learning faster, their output quality keeps improving, and their areas of application are expanding rapidly.

Many webmasters still don’t fully understand how the AI-model vertical works. In this article, we’ll walk you through the funnel step by step, show how it works in practice, and explain why men are consciously choosing to engage with digital companions.

Why Men Pay AI Models — and How They're Different From Real Women

Over the past five years, having a virtual girlfriend has become increasingly normalized. Take OnlyFans, for example — some creators there have hundreds of thousands of real fans who are willing to cover their shopping, send gifts, or simply tip as a thank-you for their content. But two years ago, a serious competitor emerged: fully AI-generated models.

At first, no one took the concept seriously. After all, who in their right mind would spend money on a non-existent digital persona? These models don’t have real personalities, interests, problems, or backstories — so how could anyone fall for one? But the reality is much more complex and compelling.

What Professional AI Models Look Like — and How They're Promoted and Monetized

Creating a professional AI model is a multi-step process. It starts with designing the model's appearance, followed by building a digital avatar capable of generating fresh content. Additional features — like voice messages — are often added to enhance realism. This process requires a significant investment of time, effort, and resources.

Most people wouldn’t even realize they’re looking at a virtual persona. These models appear so lifelike that their profiles blend seamlessly into social media. One striking example is Mia Zelu, a UK-based AI model who has attracted over 167,000 followers on Instagram.

One of Mia Zelu’s fans is cricket star Rishabh Pant, who reportedly believed for quite some time that he was chatting with a real woman — despite the model’s profile clearly stating that she was AI-generated.

Just like real OnlyFans creators, virtual models are promoted through social media, which remains the most effective way to attract paying, engaged followers. Right now, AI and everything related to it is at the peak of user interest — making content featuring these models highly viral and widely shareable. The biggest traffic driver is Instagram Reels, where some videos reach up to 70 million views and rack up millions of likes.

These models are monetized through various platforms where users can send tips or pay for access to exclusive content. Most often, creators of AI models choose Fanvue, which is a lesser-known alternative to OnlyFans that permits the sale of AI-generated material. It’s important to note that AI models are not allowed on OnlyFans or Fansly, and even on Fanvue, creators need to be cautious and carefully review the platform’s rules.

If you don’t want to spend time on development, content creation, and technical setup, you can drive traffic directly to a ready-made offer from the Trafee affiliate network. The creators behind these offers have already designed AI models with different looks and personalities, built high-converting funnels, and provided a user-friendly platform where fans feel comfortable.

Who Is the AI Model Fan? A Psychological Portrait of the Audience

The target audience for virtual models consists mostly of single men. While they may seem similar to fans who pay real OnlyFans creators, there’s a key difference. Their loneliness is more emotional than physical. What they truly crave is attention, affection, validation, and the feeling that someone cares about them.

A virtual girlfriend is always available because she has no obligations other than interacting with the user. She exists solely for him and is ready to respond at any moment. The neural network remembers small personal details, stores them, and brings them up at the right time. This creates a strong sense of positive reinforcement for the fan. This type of connection is best portrayed in the films Her and Blade Runner 2049.

For some fans, communicating with AI models feels easier because they have experienced difficulties with real-life relationships. A virtual avatar feels safe, as it cannot hurt or embarrass them. In addition, she is willing to create any kind of content the user desires, which encourages him to pay for a monthly subscription and send tips.

In short, an AI model represents the ideal woman that many men fantasize about. She never gets tired, she is always in a good mood, she requires no affection or effort in return, and she is available around the clock to say exactly what he wants to hear.

How Much Can You Earn from AI Models — and What It Takes

The AI model vertical is still emerging, which means the market isn’t oversaturated with ads yet, and users are showing strong interest in neural network–generated content. That makes it relatively easy and effective to promote these offers through social media and ad platforms. All it takes is a bit of creativity and some testing.

Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Reddit are currently the top-performing channels. On Reddit, for example, there are already dedicated subreddits focused entirely on AI models, and they have hundreds of thousands of active followers.

Payouts in affiliate programs are also quite high at the moment. For example, Trafee offers $35 to $50 per lead. Smartlinks significantly boost conversion rates because they automatically adapt to the user's interests and display the offer that is most likely to appeal to them.

On average, working with AI models generates between \$500 and \$10,000 per month. The exact amount depends on the quality of your creatives, your traffic sources, and the time you’re willing to invest.

Conclusion

AI models aren’t just a passing trend — they’ve become a full-fledged adult vertical in affiliate marketing that’s already delivering consistent profits for webmasters. Since the market is still relatively untapped, now is the perfect time to get in early, experiment with formats, and build a high-converting funnel. With the right strategy, it’s possible to earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars a month.

Virtual girlfriends are the perfect product for the target audience, which means this niche has everything it needs to become one of the leading trends in adult monetization over the next few years.