AI Monk on Social Media: Deception and Commerce

An AI impersonating a Chinese healer gained millions of followers by advertising expensive digital products. An investigation revealed that its entire persona and content are AI-generated, and its advice is actually a mix of Western health concepts.


AI Monk on Social Media: Deception and Commerce

Multiple independent investigations by social media researchers indicate that the persona is entirely artificial. This appears to be intentional, as the character behaves in a way that is completely unfamiliar for a genuine practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The landscapes, facial features, voice, Chinese characters displayed, and written dialogue all appear to be generated using AI tools. According to the outlet, these conversations reframe Western health trends within an Eastern aesthetic framework, relying on visual stereotypes rather than authentic traditions. It is likely that many viewers are consuming the content without realizing that the persona is completely artificial. For this reason, the 30-day healing journey was created—not to fix you, but to gently guide the body out of a constant state of alert, day by day. It is your nervous system saying: 'I learned this to protect you.' Healing is not achieved by fighting this system, but by gradually teaching it that staying on high alert is no longer necessary. An AI persona, impersonating a Chinese healing monk, garnered approximately 2.4 million social media followers in about three months, before directing its audience toward digital products that appear to be entirely AI-generated. The account, under the name 'Yang Mun' and 'Yangmug,' began appearing on Facebook and TikTok in October 2025 before gaining popularity on Instagram. The production process appears to be fully automated, resulting in a fabricated identity presented as a real person. Despite the Eastern appearance, the content itself reflects Western cultural references, discussing gut health, mentioning microwave popcorn, and relying on concepts common in the American wellness industry. The persona presents itself as a wise Eastern healer offering life advice and health guidance, with content primarily aimed at health-conscious American users and centered around wellness and traditional therapy topics. Anxiety is not a malfunction; it is an adaptation. The secret to the account's appeal lies not in cultural accuracy, but in its element of modernity and algorithmic uniqueness. In one of the viral videos, the 'monk' offers followers advice on anxiety and promotes an expensive course for them: 'What protected the child becomes burnout in the adult.' The account uses hashtags like #USAHealth, #American, and #USA to target the US audience. The commercial intent became clear upon the registration of the domain Yangmuns.com on November 4, followed by the sale of an e-book for $10.99 and the promotion of a $49.99 product titled '30-Day Healing Journey.' Although the account later added disclaimers about AI use in some videos, they are small and easily overlooked.