AI-generated influencers are rapidly gaining popularity on Chinese short-video platforms, often adopting kinship-based roles such as AI grandchildren to attract older adults. Although this trend has raised public concern, little is known about the design strategies behind these influencers, how older adults experience them, and the benefits and risks involved. In this study, we combined social media analysis with interviews to unpack the above questions. Our findings show that influencers use both visual and conversational cues to enact kinship roles, prompting audiences to engage in kinship-based role-play. Interviews further show that these cues arouse emotional resonance, help fulfill older adults' informational and emotional needs, while also raising concerns about emotional displacement and unequal emotional investment. We highlight the complex relationship between virtual avatars and real family ties, shaped by broader sociocultural norms, and discuss how AI might strengthen social support for older adults while mitigating risks within cultural contexts.

翻译：AI生成影响者在中国短视频平台上迅速走红，常通过扮演亲属角色（如AI孙辈）来吸引老年用户。尽管这一趋势已引发公众关注，但人们对其背后的设计策略、老年人的实际体验以及潜在收益与风险仍知之甚少。本研究结合社交媒体分析与访谈方法，对上述问题展开探讨。研究发现，影响者通过视觉与对话线索构建亲属角色，促使观众参与基于亲属关系的角色扮演。访谈进一步揭示，这些线索能唤起情感共鸣，帮助满足老年人的信息与情感需求，同时也引发了对情感替代与情感投入不对等的担忧。我们强调虚拟形象与真实家庭纽带之间受更广泛社会文化规范影响的复杂关系，并探讨了AI如何在文化语境中增强对老年人的社会支持，同时降低潜在风险。