Ash Baby (also known as the Screaming Baby Made of Ash) is an AI-generated image of a small, ash-covered baby screaming with its arms outstretched. It’s generally used as a reaction image, but often stands on its own as a meme, accompanied by some wider context.
Ash Baby Origins
On October 25th, 2022, Reddit user u/HyperCool27 uploaded three images from OpenAI and DALL-E 2 image-generating services.
While each baby has had its moment in the sun (so to speak), the first child above has graduated to a higher profile than his sooty brothers.
Spread
On October 13th, 2023, TikTok user @inert_malice uploaded an animated video of the Ash Baby meme.
In a single month, the video collected over 5 million plays and 1.2 million likes. While the original clip is gone, its footprint is still easily found on TikTok.
The video was then used by TikTokkers as a go-to reaction for all things cringe, horrifying, or surprising, often in the context of other animated videos.
Meanwhile, the original continued its rise, with the original baby starring in a series of TikToks duetting with a @guinnessworldrecords clip of the "Brightest outsized flashlight."
For instance, this extremely viral clip posted on November 18, 2023, by @brtallz incorporated his own baby into the proceedings.
Meme Examples
Here’s a viral one that involved all three ash brothers.
Finally, if you’ve ever wanted to draw your own Ash Baby, here’s a handy tutorial!
Related memes:
- Does this photo show P. Diddy, Trump, and Epstein with young women?
- TikTok’s AI Meme Maker is fatphobic
- Researchers made AI memes—and humans couldn’t tell the difference
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