Punch the Monkey AI video is going viral: How to spot it

Punch, a baby monkey abandoned by his mother, is a big breakout star in 2026. A video of Punch clinging to an Ikea stuffed orangutan to replace his absent mother has left the internet stunned and in tears.

When Punch’s beloved IKEA stuffed animal became his emotional support animal, he became the emotional support animal of the world. And so far, the story seems to have a happy ending. As Punch grows, the monkeys at Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo accept him as one of their own.

Every day more Punch the Monkey videos are going viral. Unfortunately for our friend Punch, the baby monkey also unwittingly became the star of many AI videos.

As Mashable has documented, modern AI video models can create videos that are incredibly realistic, and even experts can sometimes struggle to clearly identify videos generated by AI. In this particular case, the chances of misinformation or dehumanizing deepfakes are mercifully low, but no one likes to feel cheated.

For example, you may have seen this recently viral video of Punch being hugged by his surrogate mother.

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So cute!

This video has been viewed millions of times. That’s also a complete lie.

When I saw that video on my timeline for the first time, I felt something wasn’t right. Many AI videos have a glossy appearance, and details often appear surreal. In this case, the mother monkey’s nipples immediately popped out. But that’s not the real story.

If you look closely, you can see that Punch’s arm is moving through the mother monkey’s arm.

Punch the Monkey appears in viral AI video

left:
AI-generated image.
Credit: Screenshot: @peladodelatv

right:
AI-generated image.
Credit: Screenshot: @peladodelatv

Of course, Punch the Monkey’s other AI videos are more obvious. When this little monkey first went viral, people started making AI videos of Punch taking revenge on monkeys who wronged him.

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Many of the AI videos that Punch stars in don’t try to deceive viewers. Real or not, it can be a lot of fun.

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How to spot Punch the Monkey’s viral AI videos

Mashable has a complete guide to identifying AI videos and tips for specifically finding viral AI videos.

As Mashable’s technical editor, I also have some quick tips to share.

beginning, trust your instincts.

If you think the video is too surreal, too cute, or just a video wrong Listen to that instinct somehow. As an example, Punch probably can’t get a gun.

Often, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that there are obvious problems with the video.

that’s the reason AI artifacts need to be looked at closely. AI videos often contain small details that defy the laws of physics and common sense, such as a punching arm moving through the limbs of another monkey. Look for objects suddenly multiplying, disappearing, or moving in impossible ways.

One of my best suggestions is: Please check the length of the video. Even the best AI video generators can only create 6-12 second clips. If you see an extended scene longer than 30 seconds with no cuts or edits, there’s a good chance it’s real.

lastly, Check the source of the video.

Many AI viral videos come from bad accounts that post a lot of AI videos. They try to monetize their audience by posting AI slop, but a quick glance at the timeline can often tell you what the game is about.

Fortunately, there are countless highly realistic videos and images to enjoy with Punch the Monkey. You can also follow Mashable’s Punch the Monkey coverage for verified updates on the internet’s biggest stars.

For now, we’ll leave you with these adorable and almost definitely authentic viral videos.