A viral Instagram account portraying a blonde pro-Trump soldier named “Jessica Foster” amassed more than one million followers in just four months before being revealed as an artificial intelligence creation. The case, reported by The Washington Post, highlights how AI-generated personas can build large audiences online while also generating revenue through subscription platforms.
Viral persona built on patriotic imagery
The account presented Foster as a supposed member of the US military, appearing in photographs and videos next to fighter jets, on military bases and even in scenes alongside US President Donald Trump.
The imagery combined patriotic themes, pro-Trump “MAGA” symbolism and a sexualised visual style that helped the account gain rapid traction on Instagram.
According to The Washington Post, the posts contained multiple signs indicating the use of artificial intelligence, including visual glitches and inconsistencies in military uniforms and insignia.
No record of military service
The newspaper’s investigation found no public record of military service under the name Jessica Foster. A spokesperson for the US military also stated that no relevant records could be identified.
Shortly afterwards, Meta confirmed that Instagram removed the account for violating the platform’s policies.
Links to subscription platforms
The investigation also found that the account directed users to subscription-based platforms.
Initially, followers were redirected to OnlyFans and later to Fanvue, a platform that allows AI-generated models as long as they are labelled as “generated or enhanced”.
In this way, the viral political persona functioned not only as a source of engagement but also as a monetisation mechanism.
A new model of online influence
Experts cited by The Washington Post argue that such accounts represent more than simple online fraud.
They describe the phenomenon as a new form of “attention harvesting”, where anonymous creators build convincing AI-generated female personas, combine them with political symbolism and promote them through social media algorithms in order to generate clicks, revenue and influence.
The case of Jessica Foster illustrates how artificial intelligence is increasingly being used not only to produce fake images but also to construct entire public personas capable of attracting audiences, influence and financial value.