Complain all you want about AI, social media, and the sorry state of journalism and modern society — and we do, constantly. Earlier this week we wrote about why mainstream media can’t die quickly enough, and how independent journalists and podcasters stand at the ready to fill the void.
Then, something like this weird little video comes along and you can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
The latest drop from the Dor Brothers — an AI video studio with a reputation for producing viral content — is called Influenders, and it’s both brilliant and cringe-worthy. It answers, with tongue firmly in cheek, the question: what would social media influencers do after a nuclear apocalypse?
Apparently, not much changes. The fitness gurus, crypto bros, and lifestyle vloggers keep grinding through the fallout. They’re still posting. Still promoting. Still hashtagging. Still hungry for clout. If you’ve ever wondered what the end of the world would look like with brand deals and Botox — this is it.
And yes, it’s funny — but the kind of funny that verges on dread.
Beneath the absurdity is something sharper: a reflection on just how deep the influencer mindset goes. Clout is eternal. The brand must survive. The hustle is nuclear-proof. Even in total ruin, the idea of logging off is unthinkable. It’s like equipping cockroaches — purportedly the only creature to withstand nuclear holocaust — with smartphones and selfie sticks.
Using AI to make this satire is part of the joke. Is satire made by machines the end of satire, or just next-level satire? Meta satire, as it were. Does it even matter? Because in a world where reality is being torn at the seams, satire might be our last best hope.
Even if it’s made by AI.
Share this post