Claire Boucher has always embodied the chaotic spirit of the internet, both captivating and unsettling. Have you ever mistaken a shadow in your kitchen for a cockroach? A fleeting play of light tricks your mind, and suddenly something sinister seems to lurk unseen. Your instinct warns of hidden decay invading your space, yet a closer look reveals all is normal. That lingering unease, hard to shake, mirrors the vibe in Grimes' work.
Grimes’ music video for Artificial Angels perfectly captures the disorienting and invasive nature of internet-influenced life today. The video’s sequence of establishing shots resembles the unsettling rhythm of generative AI demonstration reels. The Canadian electropop artist dances amid Grok’s virtual AI companions, which constantly mutate.
"This is how it feels to be hunted by something smarter than you."
The effect is a jarring reflection on living in a digital world flooded with relentless, artificial intelligence-driven stimuli.
Both the song and the video shock the viewer momentarily but risk being dismissed quickly, much like spotting a dead animal during a morning walk—disturbing yet soon forgotten. Artificial Angels embodies the sense of persistent discomfort caused by modern internet culture and AI presence.
“This is how it feels to be hunted by something smarter than you.”
Author's summary: Grimes’ "Artificial Angels" vividly expresses the eerie, invasive presence of AI and internet culture in daily life, blending discomfort and digital surrealism in 2025.