Many viral Punch the monkey videos found to be AI-generated

The internet has not yet recovered from the frenzy surrounding the viral Punch, the baby monkey abandoned by his mother, and a shocking revelation has come to light: a lot of the Punch monkey's videos were AI-generated.

What is the viral Punch monkey?

Punch the monkey evidently became the biggest internet sensation of the year 2026, drawing audiences worldwide. A huge portion of internet users engaged with the footage showing the monkey clinging to a stuffed orangutan as a comforting substitute for his absent mother.

Rise of AI videos of Punch monkey

The surprising thing around Punch becoming a star of numerous AI-generated videos also underline the rise of AI-assisted content, thanks to the recent advancements in AI.

The generative technology enables the creation of images and videos that are immensely lifelike, making it difficult for even experts to differentiate between real and fabricated content.

Notable evidence of various videos about Punch being AI-made was one viral video that depicted Punch being hugged by a surrogate mother. It amassed millions of views despite being entirely artificial.

Viewers observed hints of its AI origins by noting the glossy appearance and uneven details, such as Punch's arm moving through the maternal macaque’s limbs.

How to identify AI-generated content

To avoid being manipulated by and to identify AI videos, viewers should trust their instincts before anything else. If a video seems overly surreal or implausible, it is worth examining further. The most common signs of AI-generated content include bizarre movements and impossible interactions between characters.

Furthermore, checking the video length can be revealing. As most AI generators produce short clips, extended scenes without cuts are more likely to be authentic.

While AI videos, abundant on the internet, can be entertaining, countless real videos of Punch remain available for fans to enjoy.