AI-generated history vloggers gain popularity on social platforms
The Story
The Guardian reports that AI-generated “history influencer” characters are attracting large audiences on YouTube and Instagram by vlogging from historical settings. One popular channel, Chloe VS History, created by 32-year-old Jonathan Laramy, has 610,000 Instagram followers and 15m YouTube views. Laramy uses AI video tool Seedance 2.0 to produce the videos, drawing on historical sources.
Key Facts
- Chloe VS History is one of several such channels, including Janella Through Time, Nova VS History, and Esmetimetravels.
- Popular video destinations include Tudor London (1536), ancient Rome, Pompeii, the Titanic, the wild west, and England during the Black Death.
- Laramy said his goal is to interest younger people in history, noting that “history is a very visual experience” but is often taught via textbooks.
- He acknowledged occasional AI errors, such as characters wearing sunglasses or watches in ancient Rome scenes.
- Laramy’s first viral video, a 14-minute Titanic episode, gained 4m views.
- On May 22, 2026 (Friday of the article’s publication week), Laramy received a World Influencers and Bloggers Award (WIBA) in Cannes.
- Oxford historian Adam Smith praised the format, comparing it to Horrible Histories and suggesting it could “massively enhance” history education.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Jonathan Laramy, creator of Chloe VS History, age 32.
- Adam Smith, historian at Oxford University.
Sources: The Guardian
