YouTube viewers are flocking to AI-generated 'history influencers' who vlog their travels to historical settings, with channels like Chloe VS History amassing millions of views. The 32-year-old creator, Jonathan Laramy, uses AI video tools to produce content featuring a character named Chloe exploring Tudor London, the Titanic, and ancient Rome.
Laramy said the goal was to engage younger audiences with history in a 'visceral way', moving beyond textbook teaching. He uses Seedance 2.0 to generate videos, relying on historical sources and journal articles for accuracy, though occasional 'hallucinations' like modern sunglasses in ancient Rome occur.
The format has been replicated by channels such as Janella Through Time and Nova VS History, covering periods from the Black Death to the Wild West. Laramy's first viral video, a 14-minute Titanic vlog, gained 4 million views. He recently received a World Influencers and Bloggers Award in Cannes.
Historian Adam Smith of Oxford University praised the format as 'brilliantly done', comparing it to Horrible Histories for making history engaging and immersive. He said it taps into a 'deep-seated psychological need' to understand oneself in time.
Despite some criticism labeling the content as 'AI slop', Laramy remains positive, saying AI can 'stitch together our past' vividly. He hopes to use the technology for educational purposes, bringing history to life for a new generation.
