Why AI cat videos are becoming the internet’s newest weird obsession

Why AI cat videos are becoming the internet’s newest weird obsession

From Panic World by COURIER

May 13, 2026 · 1h 15m

About this episode

The episode explores the rise of AI-generated cat videos and their place in internet culture.

Why are cats so popular on the internet? It started with cat memes like I Can Haz Cheezburger and Keyboard Cat, then we became enamored with cat celebrities like Lil Bub, Grumpy Cat, and Princess Monstertruck. And now, we’re witnessing the next evolution in cat internet content: “cute cat AI.” Our guest and host of American Hysteria, Chelsey Weber-Smith, calls it a “Kitty Horror Picture Show.” Chelsey joins Ryan and Grant to tell us about the explosion of really weird AI-generated cat videos depicting cat families that’s all over TikTok and YouTube right now — much like Elsagate once did in 2014. Then, Ryan takes us back even further, to cover an older cat-based moral panic: Bonsai Kittens. Together, we look at how though technology has changed, we’ve pretty much always wanted to show each other freaky stuff on the internet — whether real or fake. Our guest Chelsey Weber-Smith hosts American Hysteria, a show that explores the fantastical thinking and irrational fears of Americans. Check it out here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Want even more Panic World content? SponsorsMint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier for three months of coverage at $45. Like…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ryan, Grant

Guest: Chelsey Weber-Smith

Topics covered

  • AI
  • cat videos
  • internet culture
  • moral panic
  • technology

Keywords

  • AI cat videos
  • internet obsession
  • cat memes
  • Bonsai Kittens
  • Elsagate

Sponsors

Mint Mobile

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Hysteria

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