I Built a 120-Image AI Influencer Pipeline for $4.80

Erewhon Smoothie — Lilly and her Cavalier on a Brooklyn sidewalk. $0.04. Rimowa Classic Cabin — airport terminal, golden hour. The suitcase sits beside her like it belongs. $0.04. Hennessy VSOP — candlelit speakeasy, bottle on the table, dog on her lap. $0.04. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 — Montauk beach at golden hour. The hardest shot in the set: only 2 of 30 attempts got the headphones right. $0.04. Four brand partnerships. 120 AI-generated photos. One fictional influencer, her dog, and a $4.80 fal.ai bill. This is the entire pipeline — what worked, what didn't, and why it matters. From Tilly to Lilly Last September, Eline van der Velden announced at the Zurich Summit that her AI-generated actress "Tilly Norwood" was in talks with a talent agency. Emily Blunt, Melissa Barrera, and Whoopi Goldberg publicly condemned it. Van der Velden received death threats. The backlash proved something important: synthetic people are now consistent and believable enough to genuinely threaten liveliho