Punch, the baby macaque abandoned by his mother, is the breakout star of 2026. The internet has come together to swoon and cry over videos of Punch clinging to his Ikea orangutan plushie, a stand-in for his absent mother.
As Punch's beloved Ikea plushie became his emotional support animal, he became the world's emotional support animal. And, for now, the story seems to have a happy ending. As Punch grows up, the macaques at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan are accepting him as one of their own.
Every day, more videos of Punch the monkey go viral. Unfortunately for our friend Punch, the baby macaque has also become the unwitting star of many AI videos.
As Mashable has documented, the latest AI video models can create incredibly lifelike videos, and even experts can struggle to definitively identify AI-generated videos. In this particular case, the potential for misinformation and dehumanizing deepfakes is blessedly low, but no one likes to feel tricked.
For instance, you may have seen this recent viral video, which shows Punch being hugged by a surrogate mother.
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So cute!
The video has millions of views. It's also completely bogus.
When I first saw the video on my timeline, I thought something about it looked off. Many AI videos have a glossy appearance, and details often look hyperreal. In this case, the nipples on the mama monkey jumped out right away. However, that's not the real tell.
Watch closely, and you can see Punch's arm move right through the maternal macaque's arm.
Of course, other AI videos of Punch the monkey are more obvious. When the tiny macaque first went viral, people started creating AI videos of Punch taking his revenge on the monkeys who wronged him.
A lot of the AI videos starring Punch aren’t trying to trick the viewer, and real or not, they can be a lot of fun.
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How to spot viral AI videos of Punch the monkey
Mashable has an entire guide to identifying AI videos, as well as tips for spotting viral AI videos, in particular.
As Mashable's tech editor, I can also share some simple tips.
First, trust your instincts.
If a video seems too surreal, too cute, or just wrong somehow, listen to that instinct. Punch probably doesn't have access to guns, as one example.
Often, a closer examination will reveal obvious problems with the video.
That's why you have to look closely for AI artifacts. Like Punch's arm moving through another monkey's limbs, AI videos often have little details that defy the laws of physics and common sense. Look for objects suddenly multiplying, disappearing, or moving in impossible ways.
One of my best suggestions: Check the video length. Even the best AI video generators can only create six to 12-second clips. If you're watching an extended scene of 30 seconds or more with no cuts or edits, then it's much more likely to be real.
Lastly, check the source of the video.
Many AI viral videos come from slop accounts that post AI videos en masse. They're trying to monetize their audience by posting AI slop, and a quick look at their timeline will often give away the game.
Fortunately, there are countless very real videos and images of Punch the monkey to enjoy. You can also follow Mashable's Punch the Monkey coverage for the latest verified updates on the internet's favorite star.
For now, I'll leave you with these adorable, and almost definitely real, viral videos:
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