Aleksei Parfun

Vice President, co-chair of RACA AI Committee, RACA

Profile

- CEO, Co-founder of AI Influence

- Co-founder of ReFace Technology

- Advisor to the CEO of Channel One

- Vice President of RACA, Co-chair of the RACA AI Committee

- Expert at ROCIT

Recognition:

- Media Manager of Russia 2020 (for contribution to industry development)

- Listed in the Top 1000 Russian Managers ranking (2023, 2024)

- Owner of "Useful Parfun" Telegram channel (20,000 subscribers, rated best marketing Telegram channel of 2024 by Tgscore)

Experience:

- Founder and Director of AKAR Ural (2017-2020)

- CEO of CTC Media Yekaterinburg (2014-2017)

- Development Director at Deltaplan advertising group (top 10 advertising groups in Russia) (2017-2022)

Guest speaker at MGIMO, HSE, RANEPA, MSTU, Senezh, and New Media Workshop.

Industry Involvement:

Jury member for E+ (Effie Russia), Red Apple, Silver Mercury, National Business Communications Award, First Award, and Silver Archer competitions. Over 40,000 followers across social networks. More than 300 appearances at professional forums, conferences, festivals, trainings, and business breakfasts throughout effectively all major Russian cities.

  • Creator and organizer of Bloggers School 1-4 (2010-2013)

  • Co-organizer of Media Manager School (2010-2013)

  • Digital Director of PORA Social Advertising Festival (2010-2012)

  • Founder of RACA Ural (2015)

  • Co-organizer of Chelyabinsk Marketers Club (2019)

  • Jury member for the first season of Startup Reality Show (2019)

Publications:

More than 300 professional publications in media outlets including Forbes, Kommersant, Sostav, RBC, Delovoy Kvartal, and Adindex.

Synopsis of the Presentation

Topic: The Techno-humanist Approach: Human-Centric Innovation in the Age of AI Avatars

In the age of artificial intelligence, marketing is no longer only about reaching audiences; it is about creating relationships that feel authentic, meaningful, and human. The rise of digital humans and AI avatars brings both opportunity and responsibility. Too often, technology is celebrated for its novelty, while the deeper question remains unanswered: how do we ensure people remain at the center of this transformation?

This address explores the techno-humanist approach, a framework that combines advanced AI pipelines with a human-centric philosophy. By placing empathy, ethics, and creativity at the heart of digital avatar design, brands can unlock a new level of engagement. AI avatars are not gimmicks; they are emotional storytellers, scalable ambassadors, and bridges between cultures and generations.

Drawing on the experience of AI Influence, the first full-AI agency in Russia, the talk will present lessons from building premium B2B brand avatars and scalable B2C influencers. It will highlight global market dynamics, from Asia’s booming virtual idols to Western brand campaigns, and explain why trust, transparency, and quality are non-negotiable.


Ultimately, the techno-humanist approach demonstrates how innovation in AI avatars can strengthen—not replace—the human dimension of advertising, creating a future where technology inspires, unites, and delivers measurable business impact.


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