TikTok’s newest viral prank takes generative AI to an unsettling, but honestly hilarious, new level, and it’s causing parental heart attacks nationwide. This new trend, dubbed the “AI homeless man” prank, involves young people creating hyperrealistic, AI-generated images of a dishevelled stranger chilling in their house and then sending them to their parents to make them believe they’ve somehow let a strange person move right in.
It’s a digital-age twist on the classic “scare your parents” gag, and it’s taking off like crazy, mostly because the AI technology is getting so good at blending a fake person seamlessly into a real photo that the result feels like night and day compared to a simple, poorly-done Photoshop job from a few years ago.
To be fair, this prank works best if you’re still living with your folks so you can claim you actually let the person inside, perhaps out of some misguided kindness or naivety. The other key ingredient? Your parents must be “too old to recognize AI when they see it,” which, let’s be honest, applies to most of the parents I know. The payoff, or the “panic,” is what the TikTokers are truly after, and the millions of views they’re grabbing prove that the chaos is definitely worth the potential grounding for them.
Parents tricked by new age technology
Young creators have been getting millions of views with this prank as their parents react with a mix of panicked texts, frantic voice messages, and, naturally, unanswered calls. One user, @mmmjoemele, netted over 8.1 million views by playing the trick on his dad. The images he sent were designed to cause maximum alarm and disrespect: a strange man using his toothbrush and lying on his bed. I honestly can’t believe the toothbrush part didn’t make his dad physically drive home right then and there.
His dad’s text reaction was pure, unfiltered gold: “NO,” followed by the desperate plea, “JOE PICK UP THE PHONE.” And then, the ultimate parental command when property rights are violated: “DO NOT USE MY TOOTHBRUSH.” That level of emphasis is exactly what makes this trend so much fun for the people pulling the joke.
On the other hand, another creator, @amosthakid, posted his version, which quickly gained over 1.9 million views. He sent the fake images to both his parents, who immediately replied with panicked voice messages. Things got extra heated after he claimed the man started trying on his dad’s clothes, which is just adding insult to injury.
His dad’s reaction was precisely what you’d expect from someone who thought a stranger was trying on his wardrobe: “Are you thinking straight?!” he demanded, before declaring, “This is armed robbery!” It’s all about the sense of urgency and violation that the AI images create.
Meanwhile, @juicedupjada tried the prank on her mom, who was out with her aunt at the time, and the resulting phone call had her followers in stitches. When @juicedupjada tried to give the mystery guest a name, “Paul,” her mom wasn’t having it. “Who the f*ck is that?!” she demanded, followed by the classic moment of confusion and outrage: “Who the f*ck is Paul! I don’t know no f*cking Paul!” It’s safe to say this mom was not in the mood for any new housemates, which just shows how powerful these hyper-realistic, yet completely fake, scenarios can be.
Published: Oct 10, 2025 04:41 am