There’s something kind of funny about how we use new technology. No matter how advanced it gets, one of the first things we do is use it to make something...silly. And very often, something involving animals.
Think about it. When the internet was still a baby, it wasn’t spreadsheets or serious think-pieces that took over. It was cats. Cats playing pianos. Cats getting scared by cucumbers. Babies laughing uncontrollably. Dogs wearing sunglasses. These were the first viral videos.
We filled YouTube with them. We shared them in emails and on MySpace and eventually Facebook and TikTok. And now, here we are again. But this time, it’s not just handheld videos. It’s AI-generated animals doing all sorts of surreal and cinematic things. Entire Pixar-style shorts, made with just a prompt and some imagination.
It’s kind of wild. But also...kind of predictable. In a good way
Because even with all the fear and hesitation around generative AI, there’s this other current running alongside it. The same one we’ve seen before. The one that says, “What happens if I just play?” We’ve seen it every time new tech rolls out. First we explore, then we express, then we entertain. Then eventually, we monetise and organise. But it’s that first spark that signals a shift.
This isn’t just nostalgia. It’s a pattern. We did it with photography. With film. With the internet. And now with AI. The urge to create something delightful is basically baked into us.
And let’s be honest. The idea of being able to make your own mini-movie, your own animated series, your own viral moment...it used to feel out of reach for most people. You needed to know someone who knew someone. Now? You need an idea, a prompt, and a willingness to try. The tools have caught up to the dreamers.
That shift is powerful. It makes creativity feel more attainable. Anyone can pick up a tool and start messing around. And often, the first thing they make is something cute and funny.
Because when the possibilities are endless, we usually start with what makes us laugh.
At every stage of our digital evolution, we’ve returned to the same instinct. Whether it’s captured with a camcorder or rendered in 4K, we keep making space for animals and babies. It’s not the tech that makes us human. It’s what we do with it.
And right now? We’re in a golden era of the weird and wonderful. We’re building digital playgrounds. And in those playgrounds, it’s not surprising that the first things we chase are cats.
