If in the past, the sound of paper cutting, typing or whispering was enough to bring a “pleasant shiver” feeling, now audiences are craving a visual and auditory experience that goes beyond the usual limits. AI-generated ASMR videos appear as a “new response” to the need to find content that is both strange and familiar.

The crunching sounds of “glowing ice”, the movement of sinking teeth into illogical objects or the red lava flowing like honey have turned the video space into something “ghostly” that cannot be taken away from the eyes. And behind that explosion, technology is the “furnace” that melts all old limits.

1. Next-Gen ASMR: When Google Veo 3 Becomes a Director

ASMR, short for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, has been familiar to social media users for the past decade. This content genre has been popular for its ability to “massage the brain” with subtle sounds such as whispering, hair brushing, keyboard tapping, page turning, etc. The key point that makes traditional ASMR attractive is the feeling of relaxation, sedation, stress reduction, especially suitable for listening while working or before going to bed.

However, in recent years, with the explosion of short videos and AI creative tools, ASMR has officially transformed. Instead of needing a studio, expensive microphones, or a set-up crew, now with just a few lines of description or prompts, “AI directors” can create surreal scenes where all physical limits are bent.

Google Veo 3, launched in March, is the name that is creating this “fever”. Compared to previous AI video creation platforms such as OpenAI Sora, Veo 3 shows superior power when integrating the ability to create images and sounds simultaneously. With just one prompt, creators can “produce” videos several minutes long with 4K quality images and studio-standard sound effects.

So it's no surprise that in just a few months, from TikTok, Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts, millions of AI-generated ASMR videos have been created, attracting billions of views and countless controversial topics.

2. Real Emotions in the Virtual World: When Imagination Surpasses the Limits of Logic

As AI becomes more powerful, ASMR is no longer limited to whispers or keyboard taps. A new content universe has emerged, where what is impossible in real life becomes a “specialty” that attracts views.

AI-generated ASMR videos have become a powerful tool to stimulate curiosity, paradox, and fear mixed with pleasure in viewers. Every day, just by surfing TikTok for a few minutes, users can easily come across clips of “eating glowing rocks”, “biting diamonds”, “licking lava”… which sound absurd but make millions of people share, comment and… get “addicted”.

So what specific content formats are dominating the airwaves?

2.1. Traditional Mukbang AI version

Mukbang, the act of eating on camera, has been a staple of YouTube and Facebook for years. But with AI, mukbang is no longer just about “real eating.” Instead, AI mukbang videos feature virtual characters eating virtual food, which sometimes looks quite realistic but still feels… unreal.

The "slightly awkward" movements, the "strange" expressions of the AI's face, and the slightly exaggerated chewing sound become unique spices, making viewers fall into a state of half discomfort, half curiosity.

These videos not only attract views but also open up a “lab” for marketers, where food brands can “test” new dishes and packaging without spending money on hiring actors or chefs.

2.2. Fantastical eating

In the world of AI-generated ASMR, anything is possible. Have you ever seen a person eating molten lava, gnawing on the moon, chewing on glowing rocks, or biting diamonds? All of these seemingly crazy ideas are becoming a “view goldmine” on TikTok and YouTube.

This is the most explosive segment because it exploits the “shock” psychology that short videos always need to keep the audience engaged. With just one glance, the viewer is “startled” by the illogical image, then held back by curiosity: “Will he finish eating that hot lava?”

2.3. Clip cutting, cropping impossible objects

Not only eating, cutting videos are also AI-ASMRized. Instead of just cutting soap or slime like before, now millions of videos of cutting glass fruits, cutting gemstones, cutting transparent objects are created to serve the "eye-pleasing taste" of viewers.

The key point is the realistic sound, the sound of the blade “grazing” across the hard surface, the crunching sound when the object breaks, all bring an “oddly satisfying” experience that is hard for the audience to ignore.

3. Fully exploit the need for "visual shock" and the psychology of loving "uniqueness"

Another important reason why AI-generated ASMR has become a “sweeping” trend is the craving for the weird and unique of social media users, especially Gen Z. In a sea of ​​duplicate content, the stranger something is, the more it goes beyond the actual standard, the more likely it is to attract attention.

3.1. Satisfy the need for “visual shock”

It’s not hard to see that Gen Z and the Alpha generation after them grew up with short, fast, and intense content. They no longer have the patience to sit and watch a 30-minute vlog just to hear someone cook or tell a story. Instead, just a 5-second scene of someone biting a glowing rock is enough to make them “eyes wide open, mouths wide open”.

In particular, AI-generated ASMR brings images that go beyond the limits of nature. Real people cannot bite into molten lava and still be safe. No one can gnaw on a giant diamond like eating an apple. But AI videos can do it, and they do it so “over the top” that… no one dares to look away.

This phenomenon is similar to the way “brain-hacking” science fiction movies attract viewers: the more absurd, the more bizarre, the more stimulating to the brain. The shorter the video, the more shocking the image, the more curious viewers will replay it to “see clearly”, then share it with friends: “Hey, look at this!”. That is the formula for rapid dissemination that traditional advertising rarely achieves.

3.2. Make the most of the ASMR effect and the feeling of satisfaction

In the past, ASMR was purely auditory: whispers, tapping, soap cutting… Everything relied on real sounds to create a relaxing shiver.

But when AI enters the picture, ASMR is no longer static sound but a mixed visual-auditory experience. Clips of people eating rocks, gnawing on lava, and slicing glowing fruit not only create visual shock, but also incorporate sound effects that are so “pleasing to the ear” that viewers are drawn into a state of half-uncomfortable, half-pleasure.

This feeling is called “oddly satisfying”. The brain doesn’t understand why this action can happen, but the ears are happy because of the crunchy chewing sound, the eyes are “happy” because of the sharp, smooth cutting image. This contradiction is the unique point of AI-generated ASMR, making it naturally “addictive”, forcing viewers to come back or find similar videos.

3.3. Ability to create trends and imitate

Unlike “handmade” trends that require machines, real props, and real actors, AI-generated ASMR is open to anyone. With just a platform like Google Veo 3 and a few prompts, anyone from professional creators to casual TikTok users can turn the idea of ​​“eating moon rocks” and “chewing glass” into their own videos.

This is what makes AI ASMR a “catalyst” for UGC (user-generated content). An original “eating glowing stones” video can spawn thousands of remix versions: “eating red stones”, “eating rainbow stones”, “cutting gems”, “biting blue lava”… Each version feeds the suggestion algorithm, spreading naturally without spending money on ads.

Moreover, the “I can do it too” mentality motivates users to experiment with creativity. Even if they don’t make money directly, they still like to follow trends to attract views, followers, or simply… troll their friends. Social networks thus become an “endless loop” that continuously creates new trends.

3.4. Short content, attractive from the first second

If you consider TikTok as a racetrack, the first 3 seconds are the “starting line” of life and death. A long, unfocused clip is almost certain to be skipped immediately. Understanding that, AI ASMR videos always “play” the shocking trick right at the beginning.

Right from the first frame, an absurd scene appears: a person holding a glowing ice cube, a knife blade close to a diamond, or red lava flowing down... This "spotlight snatching" makes the viewer unable to take their eyes off, being "pulled" into the question: "What the hell is that? How could it be done?".

The video structure is also very smart: only a few seconds to a few dozen seconds long, fast-paced, no beating around the bush. The short - shocking - easy to understand - complete ending factor makes AI ASMR the "ultimate weapon" for viral content.

3.5. Create a lively debate

An interesting thing, and also a “viral lever” for AI-generated ASMR, is that it is difficult for viewers to distinguish between real and fake. The image quality is too realistic, the sound is vivid, but the content is too absurd, making everyone wonder: “Is it real or not?”

A series of questions like:

“Is this CGI or did someone do it for real?”

“Can you bite a diamond without breaking your teeth?”

“If you swallow a glowing stone, will you die?”

“Is that ethical?”

“Will AI replace all real content?”

These debates are not meaningless, on the contrary, they increase the number of shares, keeping the video “hot” on the feed longer. TikTokers, YouTubers analyze, debunk, react, even argue in the comments section, all turning the original content into a never-ending topic.

4. High applicability for content creation industry

Ultimately, what makes AI-generated ASMR a “gold mine” is not just the views, but also the practical applicability.

Surreal advertising campaign

Brands can absolutely turn ASMR AI content into marketing tools. For example, a lipstick brand could create a video of “biting a glowing rock” and then “twisting” it into a shimmery lipstick. An ice cream company could create a clip of “licking lava” and then “turning” it into a popsicle.

Optimize production budget

Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on filming crews, props, actors, settings..., brands only need to invest in script ideas + AI prompts. Google Veo 3 or other AI video tools will do the rest. More importantly, videos can "trend" extremely quickly: today the trend is eating glowing stones, tomorrow the trend is cutting diamond mangoes, brands can "catch the wave" in just a few hours.

Co-create with the community

Another strategy is to encourage users to create their own “weird ASMR” versions of branded products. For example, hold a contest to “turn your product into virtual food” or “remix AI mukbang clips”. These campaigns not only go viral but also stimulate UGC, helping brands spread naturally, increase interactions and build a close, creative image.

From mere whispers, ASMR has dramatically “evolved” into AI-generated ASMR, a form of content that transcends real logic, blending emotions of curiosity, shivers, relaxation and satisfaction.

Behind it are advanced AI video technologies like Google Veo 3, acting as directors for surreal scenarios. For creators, marketers, and brands, this is both an explosive opportunity and a challenge that forces them to master the tools, understand audience insights, and react quickly to trends.

In a world where the line between real and fake is increasingly blurred, creativity and speed will determine who wins the race to retain digital audiences.