Now a first-of-its-kind course at an Irish university is teaching wannabe influencers how to convert online presence and content on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube into revenue streams.

"Influencing is something that's catching fire," course director Irene McCormick told AFP at South East Technological University (SETU) in Carlow, an hour's drive southwest from the capital Dublin.

The idea grew out of a summer crash course "Digital Hustle" launched by McCormick that was taught by TikTokers and attracted 350 applicants for 30 places.

"It got amazing traction, we could see the appetite for more, so we broadened it to degree level," said McCormick, a former television producer and director.

After two years of development the course -- a four-year-long bachelor's degree in "Content Creation and Social Media" -- received accreditation and welcomed its first intake of 15 students last month.

On the state-of-the-art campus, students chatted, took selfies and scrolled their social media feeds on smartphones during a break between classes.

"My friends tell me I talk a lot so I thought I might as well make money out of it and try this course," Harry Odife, 22, told AFP in the campus TV studio during a roleplay exercise.

Most of the students are already immersed in the digital space or working in it and want to expand their toolset and knowledge, McCormick said.

"You can try to learn yourself at home but being empowered with practice and theory about how to connect with target demographics online is going to make a big difference to your career," she added.

- Person branding -

The term "influencer" was officially added to the dictionary in 2019, and refers to a person well-known through use of social media who uses their celebrity to endorse, promote, or generate interest in products and brands, often for payment.

Now the most prominent such as YouTube challenge stunt creator Mr Beast and gaming vlogger KSI tap vast online audiences, earning huge sums per sponsored post or via brand sponsorships and advertisements.

Surveys consistently show that most Gen-Z youths -- those born between 1997 and 2012 -- would consider a job as a vlogger, YouTuber or professional streamer.

"Of course people want to make money from influencing, so we look particularly at person branding, how to monetise being influential over large online followings," said McCormick.

Students said they hoped the course would help them leverage their interests and hobbies which range from beauty and fashion to entertainment, social justice, and sport.

"I post a lot of the hairstyles I do on TikTok and Instagram, it would be nice to have the knowledge to grow that into an actual business," said Favour Ehuchie, an 18-year-old hairdresser.

Another student, keen equestrian Marta Hughes Bravo, said horse stud farms now seek staff who are social media-savvy.

"Companies are all over Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. One girl who works for a farm has been pulling in brand deals. To know how to do that would be fantastic," she said.

- 'Serious business' -

Degree modules include creative video and storytelling psychology, entrepreneurship, celebrity studies, storytelling psychology, data analytics, and podcasting.

"A lot of people think it's an easy life being an influencer, just posting 60-second videos on TikTok, but there is way more to it," said Hughes Bravo.

Creating content involves "editing, planning, organising, and so on, it takes up more time than you might think, people don't understand that quite yet."

Practical elements of the course include camera and microphone learning, and work placements.

"Having influencer knowledge like how to be comfortable in front of cameras will help us build our confidence, whatever we end up doing," said another student Naoise Kelly, adding that becoming the next big thing on social media is not her top priority.

McCormick said employment opportunities for influencer talent are multiplying exponentially, either in front of camera or behind the scenes.

"Yes, influencer posts on social media may sometimes be frivolous, but the actual business is not, it is a very serious business," she added.

"So many Gen Z young people buy a lot of bling, and that bling is being sold through influencers.

"Around 70 percent of marketers now believe in influencers as the future of marketing, governments are also using them to message people, that's how we access markets now."

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The heir apparent to his father King Charles III appeared with a neatly trimmed beard last month in an online video with his wife Catherine, praising UK athletes who competed in the Paris Olympics.

But it was seen in the wild for the first time on Thursday as he visited "Homelessness: Reframed", an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London that features sculptures and photographs inspired by the artists' own or others' experiences of homelessness.

William's estranged brother Harry claimed in his autobiography "Spare" that the future king was jealous of his beard and that he was not allowed to have one.

US-based Harry sports a distinctive ginger beard.

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Ukrainian Paralympians took up this theme saying they hoped their exploits would encourage veterans seriously wounded in the ongoing war with Russia to forge a career in Paralympic sports.

One, Yevhen Korinets, competed at the Paris Games that closed. A former professional volleyball player who lost a leg on the frontline, he returned to his first love in the sitting volleyball version.

"His example, like that of other Paralympians, can inspire many veterans who have been wounded," Ukraine's Sports Minister Matviy Bidnyi told AFP.

"It shows the possibility of a full life after injury is very real."

Korinets did not win gold but two other former veterans did.

South Africa-born British cyclist Jaco van Gass won two and New Zealand-born Australian canoeist Curtis McGrath took a gold to add to successes in previous Games.

Both had limbs amputated as a result of serious wounds they suffered on tours of duty in Afghanistan, with McGrath showing steely determination by remarking just after losing both his legs in 2012: "I will go to the Paralympics."

Dr Colin Preece, a chartered psychologist who worked for British charity Help For Heroes which aids veterans with, among other things, their mental and physical health, said para sport was a natural fit for former military operatives.

"Fundamentally veterans joined the military to look after people, look after the country and the population in the country," he told AFP in a phone interview.

"They have a love of competition, a love for representing their country.

"Sport gives them the ability to look after others and enrich their own lives."

- 'Psychological benefits' -

Preece, who prior to Help For Heroes worked for UK Police Services helping serving and injured officers, said the benefits worked two ways.

"I think when soldiers become injured and have to often leave the military it causes problems in readjusting identity," he said.

"You transition from being a serving military person to a civilian life, but not only that but being a disabled civilian.

"Sport can be very therapeutic it can focus direction and give a sense of identity."

Preece, who is head of mental health at Teladoc Health UK, a global remote delivery medical company, said the veterans also possess skillsets ideal for the challenges of para sports.

"Military people can transition really well into sport," he said.

"Determination, self reliance and also being a team player, listening to coaches and learning from them.

"There is also leadership and logistical planning."

Preece says the latter is especially useful when it comes to para sports and trips abroad.

"It is hard enough for any athlete to arrange going to an event in a foreign country and taking part," he said.

"But imagine doing that with a disability.

"All the logistics, the travel things become a real challenge in themselves.

"Military people have the ability to plan and have the self confidence to accept the many challenges to overcome."

Again Preece said there were positives for the veterans.

"There are so many aspects that bring them psychological benefits," he said.

The Paralympics have been credited with globally breaking down barriers in terms of prejudice against the disabled -- and in encouraging governments to introduce measures to make their daily lives easier.

Preece says helping to change old-fashioned attitudes is a natural for the veterans.

"We have had over the years some very important influential Paralympians and disabled people who have helped move society's attitude dramatically in the United Kingdom," he said.

"So as a result of that there are more opportunities to be involved, and I think the veterans see their potential to shape the narrative to give understanding and to make a difference for disabled people."

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Biden was joined by a number of high-profile US fashion designers, including Thom Browne, Michael Kors and Tory Burch, in front of a crowd of roughly one thousand industry insiders.

The "Fashion for our Future" march was organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for the first day of the weeklong event showcasing looks for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 season.

Held in front of the windows of the flagship Macy's department store in the heart of Manhattan, the march was intended to be nonpartisan.

However, several of the participating designers have created accessories for the campaign of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.  And the presence of the Democratic first lady -- whose appearance had not been announced -- sent a clear message.

- 'Freedoms' -

"I know that you care about the freedom to make your own choices, be who you are, love who you love... your freedom of creative expression," Biden said to applause from the crowd.

"These freedoms are at risk because of court decisions, book bans, shrugs of apathy when people forget the power of the vote," she said.

The US presidential election, set for November 5, pits Vice President Harris against Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Jill Biden's husband, US President Joe Biden, had been set to be the Democratic nominee until he dropped out of the race on July 21 and threw his support behind his vice president.

"So let's remember this: the next president, your next president, will likely appoint new Supreme Court justices," the first lady said.

"Your next senators will confirm them and our children and our grandchildren will have to live with those consequences."

Prior to the march, Jill Biden attended the Ralph Lauren fashion show on Thursday evening and paid tribute to Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine and high priestess of the US fashion industry.

Wintour featured Jill Biden on the cover of the magazine's August issue and has organized several fundraisers for the Democratic Party.

- Democratic 'bubble' -

While marketing themselves on open-mindedness, major brands typically stay away from political squabbles in the United States, out of fear of being targeted by one camp or the other.

But one notable counterexample was in February 2017, shortly after former president Trump was elected. That year, New York Fashion week took a much more pointed tone against the Republican billionaire, with several shows decrying his immigration policies and defending abortion and women's healthcare.

"We are in the bubble of the bubble of the bubble," joked Ulrich Grimm, an accessories designer and professor at the renowned Parsons School of Design, who was among the demonstrators Friday.

"We're in New York," he continued, referencing the city's status as a Democratic stronghold, "and we're in fashion."

Beside him, designer Joy Gryson said she was worried about the freedom of "any woman, person of color, LGBTQ (people)."

- Clothes 'everyone will want' -

In a show full of activist symbols, designer Willy Chavarria brought his Chicano-inspired models to the former headquarters of JP Morgan bank on Wall Street.

Loose-fitting shirts with puffed sleeves tucked into chino pants, Chavarria's outfits winked to workwear -- including bandanas and trucker hats -- and were mixed with streetwear styles in a dialogue between Mexican and American cultures.

"I really do want to offer collections that everyone can relate to and everyone can enjoy, and, you know, everyone will want," Chavarria said.

His show ended with a collaboration with sports brand Adidas that paid homage to basketball legend and civil rights activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- one of Chavarria's childhood idols -- with a big "33" emblazoned on jerseys.

Nearly one hundred brands will showcase their Spring/Summer 2025 collections at New York Fashion Week, including many emerging talents and a few heavyweights like Tommy Hilfiger.

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Stars of Instagram and TikTok were feted with free drinks, yacht parties and full VIP access, among other special treatment that was not given to the traditional press at the political convention -- which felt more like a festival, at times -- in Chicago.

"People have to realize that a lot of these creators have larger audiences than CNN, The New York Times, Univision, Telemundo, ABC," said Benjamin Zamora, a former journalist who left the news media to work as an influencer online, where he has 6.3 million followers across platforms.

He spoke on the floor of Chicago's United Center, where rooms have been set aside to pamper influencers with spreads of wine and prime-rib sandwiches.

It was a far cry from what was available for the mainstream press, but for Zamora, the difference in treatment makes sense.

"The Democratic National Convention sees content creators as allies; that's not the case for the press," he said.

The accreditation of more than 200 influencers is a new development at this convention, part of a strategy to broaden Harris's electoral base.

The treatment given to influencers contrasts with the fact that Harris has not given an interview or press conference to the mainstream press since President Joe Biden stepped aside and the party endorsed her nomination.

At least five influencers made the convention's select list of speakers, including Uruguay's Carlos Eduardo Espina, who took the podium Wednesday.

"It's really incredible that they gave us that opportunity," he told AFP.

"We see Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, and we think 'Wow, we don't deserve to be in the same space as them,'" he added.

"But we do. We have a lot to offer," said the 25-year-old, who has more than 11 million followers on social networks.

In the arena, influencers -- with cameras, lights and microphones in hand -- are freer to roam than many press teams, and have a reserved area on the blue carpet for interviews.

The reserved space for the traditional media sits outside the stadium, with few luxuries other than water, powerful air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

- All in for Harris -

The work is different, explained 12-year-old influencer Knowa, who argued with Republican activists Charlie Kirk and Mike Lindell in a recent video that went viral.

Despite his young age, Knowa speaks with a self-confidence that many may not reach in a lifetime, and with an undeniable charisma.

For Knowa, the DNC is not the biggest event of his short career, even though it has seen him sitting alongside US Senator Bernie Sanders and former Georgia state legislator Stacey Abrams.

"No, I would say the White House... that was pretty big as well," he said.

The young campaigner and social media star is all in for Harris, having met her five times.

The young influencer is homeschooled and has few other hobbies, dedicating all his time to the cause.

"The first thing I do when I wake up, I Google Kamala Harris. That's it," he told AFP.

Not all influencers at the convention are focused on politics, however.

Beauty, entertainment, lifestyle -- influencers covering all walks of life are adapting their brands to the convention.

Blair Imani, with 642,000 followers on Instagram, promotes one-and-a-half-minute videos on a diversity of topics on her "Smarter in Seconds" channel.

At the convention, Imani interviewed popular Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

"They've given us access, they've been so hospitable," said Imani.

"I know they're accommodating some content creators with hotel accommodations, because a lot of us are independent creators... They've gone above and beyond," she said.

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"It's not every day you get to walk around a museum naked," said Julie Guegnolle, 38, who was celebrating her birthday at the "Naturist Paradises" exhibition in the Museum of Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean (Mucem).

Once a month, visitors to Mucem can explore the history of naturism in Europe in only their shoes -- a precaution not for modesty's sake but simply to "avoid getting splinters," the head of France's FFN naturist organisation Eric Stefanut told AFP.

Walking around the displays clad in a sarong, Guegnolle told AFP she wanted to "do something different" for her birthday.

She and her husband, Matthieu -- also in his birthday suit -- were among 80 visitors in various states of undress strolling around the 600 photos, paintings, sculptures, and other works one Tuesday in August.

"When we arrived, we felt a bit lost, but it's not so strange," Guegnolle said.

-'Not really accepted'-

Some visitors suffered more culture shock than others, with one couple from southwest England marvelling at the liberated attitudes towards nudity on display.

Kieren Parker-Hall and Xander Parry told AFP they enjoyed the "fantastic" photography, including a nude black-and-white portrait of Christiane Lecocq -- a female pioneer of French naturism who died at the age of 103.

Discovering the history of naturism while in the nude was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for the two Brits, especially since they said the practice is not widely accepted in their home country.

"There's not a lot of naturist stuff in England," said web developer Parker-Hall, 28, adding the practice is "not really accepted".

Xander Parry, a 30-year-old stained glass maker, agreed.

Being naked in England is seen as "weird... you should be a bit ashamed of being naked," Parry said.

-'Stronghold of naturism'-

Though there is no official ranking, Mucem describes France as "the world's leading tourist destination" for those who enjoy going nude outdoors.

The naturist movement sprang up in Switzerland and Germany in the 19th century, Bruno Saurez, head of the local naturist association and co-host of the visit told AFP.

France's first naturist group emerged in the southeastern Provence region in 1930 before spreading throughout the country.

The southern port city of Marseille, long considered a "stronghold of naturism" boasts several dedicated centres due, in part, to the region’s mild climate, Saurez added.

"We're right on Spain's heels for the number of visitors to vacation resorts" dedicated to naturists, he said.

But for Christelle Bouyoud, 53, naturism goes further than tourist numbers or the freedom to bare it all - the decision to go nude can be a unifying force for society.

"When you're naked, it's very complicated to face someone on the battlefield," Bouyard, a naturist of a decade's standing, told AFP.

For the fully clothed and the naked alike, the exposition featuring loans from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Louvre, and the Swiss National Library in Bern is open until December 9.

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The trend, called "cos commissioning", has gained traction in China recently, with social media posts garnering millions of views as an increasing number of young women use their purchasing power to engineer a meeting with their dream man in real life.

One early morning in Shanghai last month, Xu carefully inserted contacts to enlarge her irises and adjusted a tangerine wig to transform into "Jesse", a character from the romance quest mobile game "Light and Night".

A tall and sensitive musician, he is one of five characters that woo players throughout the game -- and for client Feng Xinyu, a vivacious 19-year-old, the ideal partner.

"I don't have a boyfriend because I'm not interested in 3D men," Feng told AFP, using a term for real-life men as opposed to those on the page or screen.

"I like anime characters a little bit more, they're more appealing to me."

"Light and Night", made by tech giant Tencent and aimed squarely at young women, promises a "brand-new interactive experience of highly immersive love".

Players like Feng, who form strong emotional connections with characters in such games, are known as "dream girls" -- and cos commissioning takes the immersion to the next level by dragging those 2D beaus off the screen and into the real world.

Feng has commissioned Xu twice before, for a fee of around $70.

Last month, she spent $2,800 on a multi-day trip with another Jesse cosplayer to a different province.

But she decided she preferred Xu's portrayal and hired her for a third date.

"We really click," Feng said.

"She's just like the character from the game, it feels like we were meant to be together."

- 'Reconstructing gender rules' -

Feng was waiting for Xu at a metro station, and grinned in unabashed delight when she spotted her.

The two appeared relaxed, holding hands and chatting happily as they headed to their first activity.

Their date -- all planned and paid for entirely by Feng -- lasted all day, beginning with tea and ending with a hotpot meal and a romantic stroll.

At both a doll-painting workshop and cake-decorating class they attended, they were one of many cos commission pairs.

Staff at the latter business told AFP they had noticed more and more couples coming in over the past year -- sometimes dozens on busy days.

Part of the appeal, experts studying the phenomenon say, is that it gives young women a way to perform an idealised heteronormative relationship.

Conservative social attitudes towards women remain widespread in China, often reinforced by state media and popular culture.

Aside from assuaging safety concerns, hiring a female cosplayer ensures a level of equality and understanding not necessarily guaranteed in a real-life relationship.

"I don't think it's important what gender the person being commissioned is," Fudan University's Tian Qian told AFP.

"What is important is that (the cosplayer) is a vessel, because the client needs a vehicle for their emotions."

Another academic, Zhou Zixing, wrote that cos commissioning allows women "to gain a voice that is fully respected by the opposite sex... responding to, breaking, and reconstructing the gender rules of the real world".

- 'Low-quality guys' -

At the cake-decorating class, Feng leaned over the table, fondly watching Xu pipe generous amounts of icing onto a sponge cake.

Afterwards, Xu gently helped Feng remove her apron, modelling Jesse's gentlemanly behaviour.

"The guys in the games are all quality guys," said Xu.

"I think (clients) will be able to improve their requirements in real life in terms of what they want from a man, so that they don't settle for low-quality guys."

Her mother Fang Xiuqing admitted her initial reaction when she learned what Xu was doing was: "How could this happen to my daughter?"

But she has since come around to the idea.

"I don't think it's a profession, it's a hobby," said Fang.

"She gets enjoyment from it, and she also brings joy to others."

Fudan University's Tian said cos commissions can act as "emotional sustenance".

"Although this is a paid interaction, it still gives a sense of being seen, which has a certain healing effect to it."

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The 645-square-foot (60 square-meter) property was partially demolished when an enormous pine tree toppled over, crushing the front.

No one was hurt in the incident, with the two renters and their dogs walking out the back door of the house in Monrovia, near Los Angeles, in May.

But the home was left a wreck. Or a "fixer-upper" in realtor-speak.

After the tree and debris were removed, the view from the street resembles a dilapidated doll's house, with just a forlorn-looking wall standing between two entirely open-plan ex-rooms.

However, realtor Kevin Wheeler, who is marketing the property, says he should have no problem finding a buyer at his target price of $499,999.

"Here in California, we like an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. It fits right in with the culture -- open floor plan, now that the tree has gone since it crashed into the house, plenty of light, all of that stuff," he quipped.

Wheeler says the property could be just the thing for the right buyer -- either someone who wants a project, or someone who would roll the dice on flipping it.

"There's a house nearby about the same size on the same street that sold for $900,000... so there's enough meat on the bone for them to make a profit."

He acknowledges that to people in other parts of the country or around the world, the half million dollar price tag might be a bit much.

But with demand high and supply low in Southern California, he's fielding plenty of inquiries and has taken several prospective buyers to see the place.

However, he admits that not everyone who has done a tour necessarily made an appointment.

"I think people without my permission have walked it -- it doesn't take very much because there's no way to really protect it," he said. "I can't put a lockbox on the front door."

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California Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin had it whip up a playful picture of her dog in front of the state capitol building.

Igor Gaspar launched into a discussion with the Pixel regarding causes of inflation.

Fascination tinged with concern was a common reaction as people in Santa Cruz dabbled with a Pixel 9 and its capabilities, including the ability to "add" oneself to pictures and having a whip-smart digital assistant at one's command.

AFP visited the coastal California city to ask passersby to test out the features on the phone, as Google and Apple increasingly integrate AI into their products, in what they say is becoming a transformative time for the devices central to modern life.

"I asked it a question and it gave me a quick answer," Day said as he checked out the Pixel 9.

"That's a lot better than the phone I have right now, I'll tell you that much."

"(There are) definitely some incredible tools that people would have available to them to do creative things, and gather information," Pellerin said after putting a Pixel through its paces.

Yet worries also mounted.

"But I'm also concerned about nefarious uses of it, and we need to have those guardrails and regulations so it doesn't cause havoc in any industries or communities or whatever," she added.

Pellerin is backing state legislation aimed at thwarting AI being used for misinformation and deepfakes.

Along with her concerns was admiration, though, for benefits of AI features such as an "Add Me" tool that lets people take a photo of family or friends, then add themselves in as though they were part of the group from the outset.

"I could see myself, as these tools become available, utilizing them more and more," she said of AI on smartphones.

"It's scary. it's going to only increase the desperation that comes if we had to live without them."

- Bells and whistles? -

University of California, Santa Cruz, computer science professor Leilani Gilpin questioned the need to put AI in people's pockets and wondered whether confident sounding smartphone replies will mask moments when the software is "hallucinating" -- making up inaccurate information.

"Different language models hallucinate different information," Gilpin said.

"So, the same thing is going to happen for people using this," she added, hefting the smartphone.

"Whether it's for trivia or for generating images or other things, there'll be some made up information, and that's just a way that the models work."

Gilpin liked the idea of engaging with AI conversationally while out walking, but felt spoken exchanges lacked a sense of talking with a real person.

"I work on a lot of these technologies, so I feel like it's a couple of bells and whistles on things I've seen before," Gilpin said.

"I don't think it's going to be super revolutionary."

Gilpin and others also found the smartphone AI to be verbose, diving deeply into topics when short replies would suffice.

Meanwhile Gaspar and some friends created a group photo using the Pixel "Add Me" feature, with that capability alone prompting one of them to offer to swap phones.

"It was a really impressive feature," 23-year-old Gaspar said.

"But, with the information war we have I think a lot of people could be kind of scared by the futuristic aspect of things -- like you can add me to a picture in a way that's real."

Seeing powerful AI tools on new smartphones "raises eyebrows" for Gaspar, who said having it packed into iPhones could spoil his taste for Apple products unless he feels in complete control of the technology.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable with having something that's so advanced that we aren't even sure of how it works on our phones," Gaspar said.

"I do love Apple products, but if there's going to be this shift towards artificial intelligence without a choice of the consumer, I would step away from that."

In some ways, companies are already trying to avoid negative fallout from infusing AI into their products.

Google appeared to be taking steps to avoid controversy, with its Gemini AI powered digital assistant on the Pixel declining to talk about elections or politics, and the image generation tool telling users it would not depict real people.

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