Creator tests dead internet theory using viral AI influencers with unexpected results

Is the internet just a bunch of robots chatting to each other while us flesh and blood humans are pushed to the sidelines? A quick scroll of your average social media platform definitely makes it feel like that, thanks to automated replies, a bombardment of bot comments, and a general influx of AI slop.

The rise of artificial intelligence certainly won't have helped the dead internet theory, proposing that most of the internet is made up of bot activity and traffic. Then again, when President Donald Trump is among those sharing AI videos and the US military has to step in to clarify they're not real, it already feels like we've lost.

It seems we could've lost the internet years ago, with security firm Imperva releasing a report back in 2016 that claimed that bots were responsible for 52% of web traffic on 100,000 randomly selected domains.

The rise of AI influencers like Jean Philanthrope has brought the dead internet theory back into relevance, and now, one creator is putting it to the test.

Creator puts dead internet theory to the test with Project Jeffy

You've likely seen the explosion of AI influencers, with Jean Philanthrope (and his family) taking over Instagram, TikTok, and X. Others like the British Archibald Brown or muscular Derek Mercer are snapping at his heels, while more ludicrous creations like the Johnny Bravo-inspired Juanito Bravo are taking it to another level.

While the likes of Philanthrope appear to be making a ton of money, X user @notdwd has tried to see how easy it is to replicate this success.

X is full of how-to guides, where people claim they're getting rich with their own out-there creations like Philanthrope.

Creating these characters is relatively easy with a few ChatGPT prompts, while it's then a case of finding a viral video and swapping out the OP person with your kooky AI creation.

Whereas Philanthrope has gone viral thanks to his Elizabethan bob and being branded the 'French Lord Farquad', each of them has their own unique feature that's just a little too 'weird' for everyday life.

Project Jeffy tests the dead internet theory by seeing if @notdwd's creation can also find fame among the bots. Starting on October 5, they created a Philanthrope-esque character called Lil Jean. At the time of writing, Lil Jean only has three followers from five posts, with the most successful reel only getting 288 views.

On day two, @notdwd wrote: "I've posted 3 videos & got 10 likes and 300 views across tt/IG."

They went on to suggest that things might not [be] working because social accounts haven't been warmed up or the idea is overused, eventually deciding to create a new character called Jeffy on day 3.

The internet might not be dead...yet

Things only get worse for @notdwd from here, with Jeffy failing to capture the viral fame of Philanthrope by the other big movers and shakers. By day four, they seemed to admit defeat as they added: "Ts cooking me so bad. Last night I had a dream my agents were running the acc on autopilot and I went mega viral on every vid. I woke up, checked the acc and ofc every video flopped😭😭."

While the toothy Jeffy looks like exactly the kind of character that should be breaking the internet during this bizarre trend of AI influencers, it seems the bots of the dead internet theory just aren't playing ball.

In a melancholy post on October 8, @notdwd admitted they were annoyed that the two videos posted got just four likes and 170 views on TikTok. Claiming that Instagram is to blame for not pushing the content, they claimed the system is rigged.

Whether the internet has had enough of these quirky creations and platforms aren't promoting them, or whether Jean Philanthrope was a simple case of right place, right time, we mere humans can sigh a sigh of relief that the internet isn't dead yet.