A new bombshell has just entered the villa. He's 24-years-old from Barcelona, and he's a plum. That's not a figure of speech. He's a plum - like the fruit. And that's just one piece of TikTok's newest obsession, an AI-generated series called Fruit Love Island.
Launched less than a month ago, Fruit Love Island is perhaps the first super viral show created entirely by generative AI. It's designed to mirror the hit ITV reality dating show Love Island, but instead of people on the island, the characters are talking fruit.
The plum from Barcelona is named Plumero. There's also Watermelina, a watermelon, a banana named Bananito, and Cherrita, who is a cherry. Posted daily on TikTok, the nonsensical one minute-long episodes featuring this juicy cast have attracted hundreds of millions of viewers in a matter of weeks. They've also brought 3.3 million followers to the anonymous account that posts them: ai.cinema021.
It's dividing people online. Many say it's yet another example of low quality AI slop churned out by faceless accounts. But the videos still have gained a serious and dedicated fanbase, with celebrities like Joe Jonas and Zara Larsson tuning in.
Similar to Love Island, the characters compete for a chance to couple up and stay on the island, leading to arguments, romances, breakups, and even physical brawls, all against a backdrop reminiscent of Love Island scenes. ITV, the studio behind Love Island, has not responded to the BBC's request for comment.
Critics have called these AI recreations low quality, stating they do not contribute meaningfully to culture. Digital culture expert Jessa Lingel remarked that the content represents a decline in entertainment quality.
Despite mixed reviews, the anonymous creator of Fruit Love Island insists that significant effort goes into each episode, refuting claims that the animation lacks depth. However, the debate continues over whether this type of content has any true value in our media landscape.
