Chinese Grandmas Refuse To Believe That Their 'AI Grandsons' Aren't Real

In our world, where technology is advancing faster than ever, who would have thought that the latest victim of AI's charm would be our grandmothers? However, that is exactly what is happening to Chinese grandmothers. They are forming emotional bonds with AI-generated grandsons and absolutely refusing to believe that they aren't real.

A Heartwarming Yet Quirky Trend 

As per South China Morning Post, this new trend, skyrocketed to popularity during the Lunar New Year across China. This trend has grandmothers glued to their screens, watching virtual babies, often dressed in festive red outfits.

The younger members of the family are surprised at how the grandmothers are connecting emotionally with their AI grandsons—chubby, adorable virtual toddlers who whip up meals, lift heavy objects, and go about daily chores with fascinating skill. 

Even though, these videos are entirely AI-generated, many grandmothers are convinced that they are real. As shown in the viral videos, these little ones can pull off tasks no actual baby could even dream of. These chubby little babies are shown casually chopping vegetables, carrying gold ingots, and cooking elaborate meals with confidence. In one of these clips, a one-year-old is shown hauling a whole roasted pig to his grandmother's house, effortlessly, that too barefeet.

The Grandmas Are Completely Smitten

While younger viewers can easily catch the glitches in these videos, like an extra hand or fingers, the grandmothers stay completely smitten. Even as the younger family members try to explain that these AI babies are not real, grandmothers brush off their protests with playful frustration.

"Fake? Just look at how adorable they are! I think you're the fake one!" some grandmothers scold their own grandchildren, as they are not ready to accept the truth.  

On Chinese social media apps like Douyin (China’s TikTok), many users are taking sides with grandmothers, understanding how these videos offer comfort and companionship to lonely elderly women.

"As long as they're not spending money, why not let them enjoy it however they like?" one user suggested. Others have already predicted the next phase of this trend. They believe that AI toddlers would now start live-streaming and promoting products.  

"Imagine the baby saying, 'Grandma, this snack is so delicious — I want to eat more!' Elderly viewers would believe it and actually buy the product," one commenter suspects.

Tech Or Trickery?

On one hand, these AI videos are offering comfort and companionship to those who need it most. On the other hand, the emotional attachment is so real that breaking this illusion will definitely hurt more than keeping it alive. With artificial intelligence and deepfake technology evolving faster than ever, the line between what's real and what's not is getting blurrier by the second.

What do you think about this trend—heartwarming or lowkey scary?