Likely Normal

If this year taught us anything, it’s that artificial intelligence has opinions—and those opinions mostly involve impersonating celebrities without their consent. The year started with AI Drake dropping a verse on a TikTok remix, and by December, we had AI Kanye arguing with AI Elon Musk on a podcast that didn’t exist. At this point, we’re one deepfake away from an AI Sinatra collabing with AI Tupac on a drill beat, and honestly? We’d probably stream it.

The Great AI Takeover (A Timeline)

• AI Drake & The Weeknd’s “Heart on My Sleeve” dropped like a glitch in the Matrix—a song so convincing, Universal Music Group panicked and started yeeting it off the internet like they were swatting digital flies. The best part? The song was mid. AI may be able to clone voices, but it still can’t replicate good taste.
• AI Joe Rogan started selling boner pills on a fake podcast, proving that even our nightmares have ad reads now.
• AI Trump got into a screaming match with AI Biden, which was somehow more coherent than some real political debates.
• AI Mark Zuckerberg announced the Metaverse 2.0 in a deepfake livestream, and three people still believed it.

Why This Is Both Hilarious and Terrifying

On one hand, it’s kinda funny watching record labels scramble because a computer just out-rapped their signed artists. On the other hand, we’re inches away from an AI-generated Pope Francis drip check going viral before anyone realizes it’s fake. (Oh wait, that already happened.)

The real question is: Where does it end? Will we get AI Shakespeare writing the next Fast & Furious movie? Will AI Elon start charging $8 for a blue check on a platform that doesn’t exist? Will AI Gordon Ramsay call us all donkeys in 4K? The possibilities are endless.

One thing’s for sure—2023 is not even over yet but we will remember it as the year we lost control of the simulation. So the next time you hear a new “Drake” leak, ask yourself: Is this real, or did a robot just scam the entire internet again?