Meet the guy whose AI infomercials turn tech’s grand visions into late-night schlock

Ari Kuschnir, an experienced filmmaker, is harnessing artificial intelligence to transform grand visions of technology and political leaders into cringe-worthy infomercials. His project, "Open Living," features a convincing deepfake of Sam Altman inviting people to move into a global network of communities within data centers, which promises perks like roof-top pools heated by "vibe coding," lab-grown food, and unlimited nicotine pouches.

Kuschnir's AI-generated infomercials take modern-day headlines and transform them into "cozy dystopias," often poking fun at the grand ideas presented by influential figures. For example, he portrays Mark Zuckerberg as a pitchman for an AI wearable designed to replace human relationships, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as a wellness product salesman using ingredients from recent food recalls.

Kuschnir's unique approach to filmmaking, which combines hyperbole and cringe, aims to expose the underlying darkness in grand technological and political visions while also providing catharsis for viewers. By using AI video models like Bytedance's Seedance 2.5 and FLUX 3 from Black Forest Labs, Kuschnir can create 30-second clips at a time, allowing him to produce multiple infomercials within just a few hours at a low cost.

His series, which has gained millions of views on social media platforms and attracted attention from political figures on both sides of the aisle, is meant to unite people by highlighting the absurdity of exaggerated promises in technology and politics. Kuschnir views his work as a form of metamodernism, blending idealism with skepticism and sincerity with irony, and insists that the videos aren't meant to divide but instead to offer a critical perspective on the world we live in.