Your mum and dad are influencers now, too

YOU MAY NEVER have heard of Aki and Koichi, but this sartorial couple in their 70s from California are a hit on social media.

- ANDREEA PAPUC

They are part of a wave of influencers who are going viral in their 50s, 60s and beyond. From fashion to beauty to fitness and lifestyle, the rise of the silver content creator is sending a powerful message: Age is no barrier to having cachet. These trendsetters are a much-needed counterpoint to the youth-obsessed, anti-aging culture whose overriding narrative has been that our worth diminishes with every passing year.

They are not only a potent spending force, due to the substantial net worth they've accumulated (Australia's roughly $ 3 trillion pension pool is on track to become the second largest in the world), but are helping redefine what we associate with aging. With graduates finding it harder to get a job, perhaps it's no surprise that after a long time of catering to Gen Z and millennials, brands are courting mature-age and retired digital creators with money in their pockets and huge online followers. But more importantly, this phenomenon is providing an avenue for women - who continue to face gendered discrimination in employment-to reclaim their voice and visibility. That's become urgent with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). A recent study published in Nature found that large language models are perpetuating and intensifying harmful stereotypes about older women already pervasive online.