
Photo 157185251 © Antonio Guillem | Dreamstime.com
Memes, the internet’s universal language of humor, are getting a dynamic makeover. Thanks to generative artificial intelligence, iconic memes like ‘distracted boyfriend’ and ‘overly attached girlfriend’ are coming to life, morphing from static images into animated vignettes. This fresh twist on online gags is the latest craze in the digital realm, offering a blend of nostalgia and cutting-edge technology. It is a meme in and of itself.
The trendsetter in this AI revolution is Stability AI’s Stable Video Diffusion tool, designed to animate still images into brief video snippets. This app, available in preview, is able to generate up to 25 frames of video from a still image, depending on the model. It allows for the creation of short video clips from still images.
All told, these AI-generated videos often last only a few seconds and may display some glitches, sparking both fascination and a touch of eeriness among netizens.
The scope of animation ranges from simple movements to more complex ones, adding an unexpected layer to familiar images.
From static screengrabs to drawn memes, various classic internet humor pieces have been given a new lease of life. Memes like ‘Disaster Girl’ and ‘This is Fine’ have been reimagined, demonstrating the transformative potential of AI in reshaping internet culture.
Contributing to this budding trend are other AI video tools like Runway’s text-to-video platform. These technologies are in their nascent stages, continually refining their capabilities to produce more seamless animations.
As these tools evolve, we can anticipate a surge in AI-enhanced video memes. Their brevity makes them perfectly suited for the fast-paced meme culture, potentially paving the way for a new era of AI-powered internet humor.
[via Mashable, Decrypt, DIY Photography, Tom’s Guide, images via various sources]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.