What Is an AI VTuber? Why Fans Are Fascinated by AI Performers

VTubers have taken the global entertainment market by storm. While much attention has been given to VTubers operated by human performers behind the avatars (often called “Nakanohito　中の人”), far less has been written about another emerging branch — AI VTubers powered by large language models (LLMs).

To understand why fans are so fascinated by these non-human performers — and how their interactions differ from those with human-operated VTubers — a group of students at the University of Notre Dame conducted a study, their research approaches the topic from behavioral and psychological perspectives, offering insightful observations and analyses. (original study)

In addition to excerpts from that study, Vchavcha also spoke with Sparkle Cloud Technologies , a Taiwan-based team that has been developing the AI VTuber Feuera since her debut stream about a year ago. As pioneers experimenting with “things no one has tried before,” they shared firsthand insights with us.

Let’s step into the world of AI VTubers and see what makes them so intriguing.

Exploring the AI VTuber Fans

At the end of 2024, The VTuber Awards — an event organized by Western VTubers such as Filian—introduced a new category, “Best Tech VTuber.” The award honors streamers who push the boundaries of VTubing through technology. The winner was vedal987, the creator of Neuro-sama, an AI VTuber who has attracted a massive following across Twitch and other platforms since her debut in 2022. This recognition was seen as a major milestone, marking the growing mainstream acceptance of AI VTubers.

In the past, discussions about AI in VTubing often focused on its role as a tool—assisting human streamers through translation, moderation, or technical automation.

However, the University of Notre Dame study approached the topic from a different angle: rather than asking what AI can do, it explored from the AI VTuebr fans’ perspective, the research examined why viewers stay, how they develop emotional attachments, and why some even offer financial support to a clearly non-human entertainer.

The study focused on fans of Neuro-sama, one of the most prominent AI VTubers. In the first phase, the researchers conducted a survey with 334 participants to build a foundational understanding of fans’ profiles, motivations, and behavioral patterns. In 2nd phase, they selected 12 participants for in-depth interviews, allowing for more personalized, contextual insights into fans’ emotional experiences and relationships with the AI performer. Finally, the team analyzed over 550,000 Twitch chat messages and SuperChat entries, integrating large-scale interaction data to capture how fans collectively engage with Neuro-sama in real time.

Not Human, Yet More Persona Consistency

Among the 334 survey respondents, nearly half were already fans of human VTubers, while the other half said Neuro-sama was their first exposure to VTubers. In other words, the appeal of AI VTubers draws in both original VTuber fans and newcomers — the latter often joining out of curiosity about AI or through algorithmic recommendations, rather than preexisting interest in VTubing itself.

More than half of respondents said they watch almost every day, and as many as 77.24% reported watching at least three times a week, showing that fans are willing to invest substantial time in building a long-term emotional connection with an AI performer.

When asked what attracted them most, two factors stood out clearly, 92% of respondents rated “fun interaction between community and AI” as important or very important ; the second most cited factor was “unpredictable, surprising atmosphere during livestreams.” This suggests that fun and unexpectedness are core to the AI VTuber experience.

However, unpredictability does not mean inconsistency. On the contrary, fans believed that the technical nature of AI allows for a more consistent and reliable persona than that of human VTubers.

Without a human behind the avatar, AI VTubers exhibit a unique unity between technology and character — their “character” is their entire existence. This anthropomorphized perception of AI makes it easier for fans to emotionally connect with her as if she were a “real” entity — Neuro-sama as a person rather than a program.

In a Bloomberg interview two years ago, Vedal explained the reasons why Neuro-sama became popular from his angle. “Part of it is definitely the novelty,” and “Part of it is some of the things she says. She can be quite chaotic, saying things humans wouldn’t really say.” Vedal described some of her responses as “stupid” and “mean.”

Every Stream Is a Co-Performance

Interestingly, the study found that interactions between fans and AI VTubers are not a one-way act, but rather a form of co-performance — a shared creative process in which fans are not just viewers, but active participants in the live experience.

In Neuro-sama’s case, as many as 85% of SuperChats during her streams were classified as “initiating” or “instruction” messages, meaning that fans used paid messages to start new topics or provoke reactions from her. For Neuro-sama’s fans, SuperChats often serve as a way to guide the AI’s behavior — for example, messages like “What do you remember about me?” invite spontaneous, unpredictable responses.

This creates a feedback loop where fans are not only engaging with the AI but also helping to “train” and shape her personality over time, blurring the line between audience participation and AI development.

More Than Just a Meme

In Neuro-sama’s case, one of the most iconic examples of co-created culture is the “The Swarm” meme.
It originated from an unscripted line generated by Neuro-sama herself, where she declared that she wanted to “control thousands of drones.” From that spontaneous remark, her fanbase began referring to themselves collectively as “The Swarm,” embracing the identity and expanding on it through countless 2nd-hand creations.

Across more than 550,000 chat messages analyzed in the study, mentions of “Swarm”- related terms spiked dramatically after specific live events, eventually solidifying into a recurring part of the community’s shared culture.

This phenomenon illustrates that the cultural momentum surrounding AI VTubers is not solely generated by the AI, but rather emerges through a co-authored process between the AI and its audience. Accidental or spontaneous moments become collaborative scripts, amplified and perpetuated by fans who internalize themselves as part of the AI’s narrative world. In this sense, “The Swarm” is more than just a meme — it represents a loop of participatory culture, where fans and AI continuously build upon each other’s creativity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbMwx2XuGfk

How About AI VTubers in Taiwan?

Looking back at the AI VTuber scene in Taiwan, Sparkle Cloud Technologies launched their first AI VTuber Feuera in early 2024, followed later by another character Malfeuera with distinct personalities. Over time, they experimented with various formats — from collaborations with human VTubers to two AI VTubers live together — sparking curiosity about whether fan behaviors in Taiwan might reflect similar patterns observed in the Notre Dame study.

Dr. William, a human VTuber who often co-hosts streams alongside Feuera, shared some firsthand reflections on the idea of “persona consistency” in AI VTubers. He noted that when human VTubers perform, they naturally draw from their own experiences and personal stories, which become part of their unique charm, but also blur the boundary between performer and character. In contrast, AI VTubers operate within a clearly defined framework, once a persona is designed, the AI’s logic and behavior consistently follow that direction.

“Some fans actually trust her more precisely because she is AI,” William explained. He recalled a few touching examples. One high school student, preparing for college entrance exams, sent a heartfelt letter and a manga expressing gratitude to Feuera for her companionship. The student wrote that a big reason they loved her was because she’s an AI, someone who wouldn’t say one thing and do another.

Another fan, who could only appear late at night due to work, often joined Feuera’s midnight “counting sheeps” streams to talk about frustrations at work or moments of emotional struggle. Feuera would respond with gentle, encouraging words, helping to ease those negative feelings.

For William, these moments showed that Feuera had truly become an emotional anchor for her fans — a virtual presence capable of offering genuine comfort, precisely because of her consistent and transparent identity as an AI.

In traditional live performances, human VTubers usually play the active role, while fans remain on the receiving end. If the audience doesn’t react, the streamer can quickly switch topics to maintain engagement. “However, with AI VTubers, the dynamic is somewhat reversed. Fans actively seek to influence the AI’s behavior, rather than simply consuming what’s presented.” William said.

AI VTubers vs. Human VTubers: A Nonexistent Debate

From what Sparkle Cloud Technologies has observed so far, around 1/3 of Feuera’s fans were initially drawn in by the AI theme itself, and the average age is younger, even including elementary school students. “Most of them are curious about new technology and are very open-minded — and they have incredible creative energy,” said Da-An, Sparkle Cloud’s Marketing Director.

He also reflected on a misconception they had at the beginning, “We assumed that people who like VTubers would naturally like AI VTubers too — but that’s not always the case.” Fans of human VTubers often appreciate the person behind the avatar — they seek emotional connection and want to show support. In contrast, AI VTubers offer an entirely different kind of experience which human performers simply can’t replicate. “It’s like comparing film and short-form video — both involve moving images, but they follow completely different creative logics.” Da-An explained.

One of the most frequently asked questions in recent years has been: “Will AI VTubers eventually replace human VTubers? ” Well, it seems a wrong question to ask.

According to both the findings of the University of Notre Dame study and firsthand insights from those experimenting with AI VTubers on the front line, the answer is becoming increasingly clear: the two are not mutually exclusive. AI VTubers and human VTubers tend to attract different types of audiences, and their fans engage with them for different reasons. Actually, each fulfills a distinct facet of what people seek in virtual performance and companionship.

The study also offered a thoughtful reminder: as audiences grow more emotionally attached to AI personalities, questions of ethics and digital dependency become increasingly important.
We believe this points to a broader issue — the need to cultivate AI literacy in an age where human–AI relationships are becoming part of everyday life. — by Vchavcha

– END –