AI-generated 'time-travellers' vlog from history

The Rise of AI-generated History Influencers

“I have just arrived in Tudor London, 1536,” a young woman in a green puffer jacket tells the camera. “I’m going to check in at my room in the inn, get into the market. Then, later I am meeting the actual king – yep, Henry VIII – in person.”

On YouTube and other social platforms, users are flocking to watch AI-generated “history influencers”, characters that vlog their travels to historical settings.

The Popularity of Chloe VS History

One of the most popular channels is Chloe VS History, with more than 610,000 Instagram followers and 15m views on YouTube. Viewers can watch Chloe try eel pie at a Tudor market, explore the first-class suites on the Titanic and take a plunge in an ancient Roman bath.

The format has been replicated by other channels, such as Janella Through Time, Nova VS History and Esmetimetravels. Popular destinations include ancient Rome, Pompeii, the wild west and England during the Black Death.

The Creator's Vision

The creator of Chloe VS History, 32-year-old Jonathan Laramy, said the goal was to “get younger people more interested” in different periods of history.

“History is a very visual experience, but it’s just not taught that way,” he said. “It’s taught via a textbook. And that is not compatible with lots of students. So why not use the technology we have to bring that to life in a really visceral way?

The Impact on History Education

Adam Smith, a historian at Oxford University, believes the format could “massively enhance” how history is taught to young people.

“What these AI [videos] are doing is connecting with that visceral, tangible sense of: ‘Oh my God, that could have been me, that was an earlier version of me.’ It’s quite a deep-seated psychological need in many people, to understand themselves in time.”