Viral AI video 'You Are What You Eat' is pure mukbang nightmare fuel

We talked to the abstract visual artist behind this nightmare-inducing viral video.
 By 
Timothy Beck Werth
 on 
ai-generated image of a man made of eggs eating eggs
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What's the opposite of ASMR? We might have found it.

On the Reddit /aivideo subreddit, a video titled "You Are What You Eat" is going viral, and we can't look away. The AI-generated video depicts people made of food eating said food, i.e., a sushi man eating a sushi roll, or a man made of yogurt chomping down on a yogurt bowl.

The exact video going viral on Reddit is also worth watching in its entirety, though you may find it deeply unsettling:

The video is a compilation of clips from abstract visual artist Bennett Waisbren, who shares his creations on Instagram and YouTube. Waisbren told Mashable in an email that the nightmare-inducing videos are inspired by mukbang videos.

"The series grew out of my fascination with viral mukbang culture and ASMR. I love pairing hyper-real visuals with rich sound design, so blending the two felt natural," Waisbren said.

AI video tools like Sora from OpenAI and Character.AI are getting more sophisticated, but the use of artificial intelligence in the arts remains highly controversial.

"These pieces darkly riff on the adage 'you are what you eat,' adding a visceral, almost body-horror twist that spotlights the modern pull of gluttony. My goal is to create visuals that hit instantly and force viewers to confront their own complicated relationship with food," Waisbren said.

You can find additional "You Are What You Eat" videos on YouTube, though turn the sound on at your own risk.

headshot of timothy beck werth, a handsome journalist with great hair
Timothy Beck Werth
Tech Editor

Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.

Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.


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