Why are kids crying to AI-generated cat videos? Unpacking the consequences of Gen Alpha brain rot

f there’s one thing cats, potato salads and AI-generated images have in common, it’s their knack for breaking the internet. While felines like Francis and ‘I Go Meow’ singer Cala once gripped our hearts and FYPs, generative AI artworks of crying babies and Jesus made of broccoli continue to trick boomers into commenting “Why don’t pictures like this ever trend?” on Facebook.

In 2024, however, the internet’s obsession with cats and AI images has built a new genre of social media influencers who curate heartbreaking slideshows of cute felines set to catchy ‘meow’ renditions of popular music. Gathering more than 50 million views across TikTok and YouTube Shorts, this creator economy farms engagement by making Gen Alpha bawl their eyes out. The shift towards AI-generated feline content also signifies the growing appetite for short-form animations—alongside Skibidi Toilet—among the younger generation.

But does the AI trend actually aid empathy in Gen Alpha or skew their emotional understanding altogether? Most importantly, are there any cognitive consequences for an entire cohort raised specifically on short-form, machine-generated content?

From ‘toilet humour’ to the worrying impacts of AI cat gore, here’s everything you need to know about the future of Gen Alpha brain rot.

What is the ‘Miaw Miaw cat’ trend all about?

Debuting FYPs in January 2024, the ‘Miaw Miaw cat’ trend refers to a series of AI-generated slideshows and videos featuring orange tabby cats. The 30 to 90-second clips are prominently set to Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For?’, Sia’s ‘Unstoppable’ and occasionally ‘Enemy’ by Imagine Dragons—where the vocals are substituted with (arguably mind-numbing) meows.

The videos often narrate various human hardships by voicing them through felines. This includes bullying, breakups, substance abuse and even extramarital affairs. Poverty and body dysmorphia are also frequent themes in the series.