The "AI Rick Laughing" meme is a video just as creepy as it is cringe, expressed in parodies of the Sigma edits that use it.

If you haven't seen it, it's an AI-generated video that shows Rick Sanchez from Rick and Morty laughing maniacally in front of a group of people. Beavis and Butthead are also shown, for some reason.

After seeing it, many are wondering what it means. Why is it all over Instagram Reels, TikTok and Twitter / X? Let's explain.

Where Did The 'AI Rick Laughing' Video Come From?

The original video was posted by a TikToker named Vidzard who posts on the account @vizardtv. It was posted three months ago and gained millions of views in a short time.

Vidzard calls the video "Rave Rick" because it's supposed to show Rick Sanchez at an electronic music rave. Rick is also seen pointing a gun and running towards the camera. AI-versions of Beavis and Butthead are also shown in the video. In other "Rave" videos posted by Vidzard, Homer Simpson makes frequent appearances.

@vidzardtv Rave Rick meets 90tis Rave 😂 Beavis&Butthead. dont Laugh. #rave #hahaha #90s #rickandmorty #aivideo #digitalart #aiart #sora #beavisandbuthead #techno #minimal @Vidzard @Vidzard @Vidzard ♬ Originalton – Vidzard

Why Is 'AI Rick Laughing' A Meme?

The "AI Rick Laughing" video turned into a meme when editors on Instagram and TikTok started using it in so-called "Sigma edits." The edit genre is defined by the slang term "Sigma" which refers to a classification of successful and popular men who are also silent and rebellious, competing with the coveted "Alpha males."

Sigma edits show a piece of media (either a video or an image) in which a "Sigma" attitude is present. Using phonk music, the creators of sigma edits also include a secondary piece of media to indicate the high "Sigma" levels.

The "AI Rick Laughing" meme is a common find in these edits, likely due to the unhinged attitude portrayed by Rick Sanchez.

As these Sigma editors started using the "AI Rick Laughing" video in their edits, some viewers found it cringe, akin to stereotypes about narcissistic Rick and Morty fans and negative perceptions of AI art. In turn, many ironic AI Rick edits have surfaced, playing on the vapid meaninglessness of Sigma edits in general.

pic.twitter.com/1AyUwYAF9v

— sun (@somgoku54) May 18, 2024

What Are Some Other 'Sigma Brainrot' Memes?

Instagram Reels and the site's Explore page have become a strange place over the past few months. The algorithm has been flooded with so-called "sigma edits" that are largely incomprehensible.

Other Sigma edit tropes include the "Bryan Cranston Barbershop Quartet" video, which shows the Breaking Bad actor dancing during an SNL monologue from 2010. Why is it "Sigma?" It seems so far removed from Walter White, showing how these Sigma editors are truly scraping the bottom of the barrel for content.

Other Sigma edit tropes include a "lightning eyes" edit with Patrick Bateman and Joker, an evolving Trollge video and any phonk song one can find. Meme enjoyers (who are seemingly sick of the word "Sigma") are combining all of these visuals into sludge content, adding to the incomprehensibility.

v pic.twitter.com/U1sKEH3lRK

— gay_mao (@realwow_mao) June 2, 2024

---

For the full history of "AI Rick Laughing," be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.