By NeuralRotica

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, few phenomena are as simultaneously fascinating and unsettling as “AI cringe.” This term encapsulates the visceral discomfort elicited when AI-generated content, particularly videos, attempts to pass itself off as authentic human reality but falls short in ways that are glaringly obvious to the human eye. As AI technologies like text-to-video models and deepfake systems become more sophisticated, the line between reality and fabrication blurs, giving rise to a new kind of cultural artifact: the AI video that strives for realism but betrays its artificiality. To describe this peculiar blend of synthetic ambition and flawed execution, I propose a new term: synthenticity, the paradoxical quality of AI-generated content that seeks to emulate authentic human experience but reveals its constructed nature through uncanny imperfections.

The Anatomy of AI Cringe

AI cringe in videos manifests when the technology’s limitations collide with its aspirations to mimic reality. Unlike text or static images, videos demand a seamless integration of visual, auditory, and temporal elements to convincingly replicate human behavior and environments. When AI attempts this, several telltale flaws often emerge.

Uncanny Visual Artifacts: AI-generated faces may exhibit unnatural movements, such as eyes that don’t blink in sync or mouths that move asynchronously with speech. Backgrounds might waver or morph subtly, defying the laws of physics. For instance, a 2024 viral video purportedly showing a politician giving a speech was debunked when viewers noticed the background trees bending in impossible directions, a hallmark of AI-generated physics gone awry.

Auditory Dissonance: AI-synthesized voices often lack the nuanced cadence, emotional inflection, or environmental context of human speech. A synthetic voice might sound overly polished or robotic, or it might fail to match the lip movements of the speaker, creating a jarring disconnect. In one infamous case, a 2023 deepfake advertisement featured a celebrity endorsing a product with a voice that sounded like it was recorded in a vacuum, devoid of ambient noise or natural reverb.

Narrative Incoherence: AI videos often struggle to maintain logical consistency over time. Characters might change appearance inexplicably, or objects may appear and disappear without explanation. A 2025 social media post showcased an AI-generated vlog where the creator’s shirt changed colors mid-sentence, triggering waves of secondhand embarrassment among viewers who recognized the artifice.

Emotional Flatness: Perhaps the most cringe-inducing aspect is the failure to capture authentic human emotion. AI-generated characters often display exaggerated or misplaced expressions, smiling too broadly during a somber moment or staring blankly when excitement is expected. This emotional misalignment taps into the uncanny valley, where near-human likeness becomes unsettling rather than convincing.

These flaws combine to create a visceral reaction: AI cringe. It’s the awkward laugh, the instinctive wince, or the immediate urge to scroll past when we encounter a video that tries too hard to be real and fails spectacularly. But why does this phenomenon matter, and what does it reveal about our relationship with AI?

Synthenticity – The Quest for Artificial Authenticity

The term synthenticity captures the essence of AI’s attempt to fabricate authenticity while inadvertently exposing its synthetic roots. Derived from “synthetic” and “authenticity,” synthenticity describes content that is designed to pass as genuine but is undermined by its artificial construction. It’s not just about failure; it’s about the tension between ambition and imperfection, where the AI’s earnest mimicry of reality becomes its own undoing.

Synthenticity is particularly pronounced in AI videos because video is a multidimensional medium that demands coherence across sight, sound, and story. Unlike a static deepfake image, which might fool a casual glance, a video must sustain its illusion over time, making flaws more noticeable. The pursuit of synthenticity drives AI developers to push the boundaries of realism, but it also amplifies the cringe when the illusion collapses.

The Cultural Context of AI Cringe

The rise of synthentic AI videos coincides with a broader cultural obsession with authenticity. In an era of curated social media personas and rampant misinformation, audiences crave genuine human connection while remaining hyper-vigilant for signs of deception. AI videos that attempt to pass as reality exploit this desire but often trigger skepticism instead. The cringe arises not just from technical flaws but from the ethical unease of being manipulated, or nearly manipulated, by a machine.

Social media platforms like X have become battlegrounds for synthentic content, where users eagerly call out AI-generated videos for their telltale signs. In 2025, a trending topic emerged as users shared clips of AI videos with captions like “Nice try, but those tanks have six wheels!” or “Why is the flag waving in zero gravity?” These posts reflect a collective delight in exposing synthenticity, turning AI’s failures into a form of entertainment.

Yet, the implications of synthenticity extend beyond amusement. When AI videos are used to deceive, whether in political propaganda, fraudulent advertisements, or fake influencer content, the stakes are higher. A 2024 incident involved an AI-generated video of a public figure making inflammatory statements, which briefly went viral before being debunked. The public’s reaction was a mix of outrage at the deception and cringe at the video’s obvious flaws, such as the figure’s unnaturally stiff gestures. Such cases underscore the dual nature of synthenticity: it’s both a technical curiosity and a societal challenge.

The Geopolitical Cringe of Synthentic Posturing

AI cringe reaches a particularly acute level when countries deploy synthentic videos to project an exaggerated image of strength or military prowess. These attempts to appear tougher than reality often backfire, amplifying the cringe through a combination of technical flaws and transparent bravado. Governments or state-affiliated actors may use AI to fabricate footage of advanced weaponry, synchronized military drills, or grandiose displays of power, only to be undermined by the telltale signs of synthenticity. For example, a 2024 propaganda video from an unnamed nation showcased a fleet of futuristic fighter jets soaring in perfect formation, but viewers quickly noticed the planes’ shadows moving inconsistently with the sun’s position, exposing the video as AI-generated. The result was not intimidation but mockery, as online communities dissected the video’s flaws with gleeful precision.

This geopolitical synthenticity is extra cringy because it reveals a desperate need to compensate for perceived weaknesses. Unlike individual creators who might experiment with AI for fun or profit, state-sponsored videos carry the weight of national pride and credibility. When these videos fail—whether through soldiers marching with unnatural rigidity or tanks that inexplicably levitate—the artificiality undermines the intended message, making the country appear not just technically inept but also insecure. The global audience, attuned to spotting AI artifacts, responds with a mix of amusement and secondhand embarrassment, as the gap between the projected image and reality becomes painfully clear.

The Ethics of Synthenticity

The pursuit of synthenticity raises profound ethical questions. When AI videos are presented as reality, they risk eroding trust in visual media. If a video can be fabricated to show anyone saying or doing anything, how can we trust what we see? This concern is amplified by the accessibility of AI tools, which allow even amateurs to create convincing deepfakes or synthetic vlogs. While some creators disclose their work as AI-generated, others exploit synthenticity for clout, profit, or malice— including state actors seeking to manipulate international perceptions.

To address this, some advocate for watermarking or metadata tagging of AI-generated content to distinguish it from reality. Others argue for media literacy campaigns to teach audiences how to spot synthenticity, from checking for visual artifacts to questioning narrative coherence. On X, users frequently share tips for identifying AI videos, such as looking for inconsistent lighting or unnatural crowd behavior, reflecting a grassroots effort to combat deception.

At the same time, not all synthentic videos are malicious. Some creators use AI to produce satirical or artistic content, embracing the cringe as part of the charm. A 2025 viral video series featured an AI-generated talk show with absurdly exaggerated hosts, deliberately leaning into synthenticity for comedic effect. These cases highlight the potential for AI cringe to be a creative tool rather than a deceptive one, provided the artificiality is transparent.

The Future of Synthenticity

As AI technology advances, the gap between synthenticity and true authenticity will narrow. Future models may overcome current limitations, producing videos that are indistinguishable from reality. Yet, paradoxically, this could amplify AI cringe. As synthetic videos become more convincing, audiences may grow even more sensitive to subtle flaws, much like how high-definition film reveals imperfections invisible in lower resolutions. The uncanny valley may shift but never disappear.

Moreover, the cultural response to synthenticity will evolve. As audiences become savvier at spotting AI-generated content, creators—including governments—may lean into the aesthetic of AI cringe, much like how lo-fi music embraces imperfection. Synthenticity could become a genre in its own right, celebrated for its quirks rather than reviled for its failures.

Closing Thought

AI cringe, embodied in the concept of synthenticity, is more than a fleeting internet phenomenon; it’s a window into the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence. The discomfort we feel when watching an AI video masquerade as reality—whether it’s a vlogger with a six-fingered hand, a floating dog, or a nation’s laughably exaggerated military might—reflects both the technology’s ambition and its current limitations. By naming this phenomenon synthenticity, we can better understand its technical, cultural, and ethical dimensions, from the uncanny artifacts that betray AI’s handiwork to the societal implications of fabricated realities.

As AI continues to shape our media landscape, the interplay between synthenticity and authenticity will define how we navigate truth and trust in the digital age. For now, the next time you cringe at a synthetic tank levitating or a leader’s face melting mid-speech, take a moment to appreciate the strange beauty of synthenticity a reminder that even in its failures, AI reveals something profoundly human – our unrelenting desire for the real.