Imagine learning how a vending machine knows if your coin is fake, all while listening to a catchy tune that sounds suspiciously like Taylor Swift! A 21-year-old college student has tapped into the power of AI to create viral content that's both educational and ridiculously addictive. But is it genius, or just another form of 'brainrot'?
Katie Notopoulos, Senior Correspondent covering technology and culture, recently uncovered the story behind 'Learning with Lyrics,' a surprise hit on Instagram Reels and TikTok. These accounts, boasting nearly a million followers on Instagram and over half a million on TikTok, feature short videos explaining how everyday things are made, all set to AI-generated songs. And this is the part most people miss: it's not just about entertainment; it's about learning in a totally new way.
The mastermind behind this viral sensation is Cashen Tomlinson, a marketing major at California State University in Long Beach. Tomlinson, who launched the accounts in September, combined his love for 'How It's Made' videos with the power of readily available AI tools. It's a testament to what a single person with an idea and the right resources can achieve. But here's where it gets controversial... is this just a flash in the pan, or a glimpse into the future of education?
Tomlinson starts by choosing a topic, such as how Post-it Notes work or why airplanes leave contrails. He then uses AI to generate a detailed research brief, meticulously verifying the information to ensure accuracy, a crucial step often overlooked in the rush to create content. Next comes the music. Using Google's Gemini, he creates a rough draft of the lyrics. However, he emphasizes that the real magic happens in the editing process. "The real work during the lyrics creation is the polish, where I rewrite all the hooks, simplify or reword complex terms, reduce wordiness and increase clarity, ensure the outro is memorable, etc.," he explained.
He then uses Suno, an AI music generator, to produce the song, often reusing the same melody with different lyrics for various videos. The vocals are also AI-generated, creating that distinctive, slightly uncanny sound. For the visuals, Tomlinson combines stock footage, custom animations, and AI-generated video clips from tools like Veo or Sora. Even the profile picture on the 'Learning with Lyrics' accounts is an AI creation.
Tomlinson estimates that each song takes about two to three hours to create, and each video requires around five hours of total work. So far, he's earned a few thousand dollars through the TikTok creator rewards program, a welcome bonus for a college student. And while you might assume the target audience is children, Tomlinson says the majority of his viewers are between 25 and 35 years old.
The comment sections are filled with praise for the catchy tunes, with some users jokingly calling them their "favorite Taylor Swift song." It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes these videos so appealing. Is it the catchy music, the informative content, or the slightly unsettling AI-generated voice that creates a sense of ironic enjoyment?
Tomlinson rejects the idea that his content is 'brainrot.' "I think the reason you might call it [brainrot] is because it's so captivating and you can't really look away from it," he said. "But I think it's kind of good that these videos are something you can't look away from, because it's something that's actually teaching you something interesting." He argues that the videos are engaging because they're educational, a counterpoint to the typical mindless scrolling often associated with social media.
But what do you think? Is 'Learning with Lyrics' a brilliant example of using AI for education and entertainment, or is it just another form of easily-digestible, ultimately forgettable content? Could this approach revolutionize how we learn, or is it a fleeting trend? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
