A new trend on TikTok, dubbed the “AI time traveller trend,” is captivating users and leaving many feeling uneasy. This trend involves “time travellers” disrupting classic videos, often beloved Vines, by inserting unexpected and eerie elements that derail the original content.
These videos typically start with a familiar clip, but then take a bizarre turn. Shadowy figures appear, unsettling music plays, and the original punchline is spoiled. The implication is that these “time travellers” are meddling with the past to prevent these videos from going viral.
The use of old Vines adds to the eerie atmosphere, as these clips hold a nostalgic value for many. One of the earliest examples features a King Bach video where an unexpected figure suddenly appears, altering the original scene.
This trend showcases a novel and creepy application of artificial intelligence. While many viewers find the videos entertaining despite their unsettling nature, some express concerns about the implications of such technology. They worry about how AI could alter the content we consume in the future.
Others see this trend as a way to revive old Vine videos. Vine, a popular video service that shut down in 2017, was a precursor to TikTok. This trend allows these classic clips to resurface in a new, albeit spooky, form.
Creating these videos is relatively simple but can be time-consuming. Many creators use a system called Luma AI, which brands itself as a “Dream Machine.” This tool allows users to generate videos from a single still image and a prompt. For example, users can take a frame from a classic video and instruct the AI to insert threatening figures. The new clip is then combined with the original, often accompanied by ominous music, to achieve the desired effect.
Luma AI employs a transformer model trained on various videos. Like other generative AI, it uses patterns from its training data to create new content. The company describes its technology as a “first step towards building a universal imagination engine,” producing videos that resemble dreams or nightmares.
The rise of AI-generated videos has sparked debate on social media platforms, including TikTok. While many platforms allow these videos to be posted, they often require clear tags indicating that the content is not real. However, the enforcement of these rules has been inconsistent.
As this trend continues to grow, it highlights both the creative potential and the unsettling possibilities of AI in content creation. Whether viewed as a fun, spooky twist on nostalgia or a cautionary tale about the future of media, the “AI time traveller trend” is undeniably making waves on TikTok.
