Claire Boucher, known as Grimes, has always embodied the chaotic nature of the internet, for better or worse. Have you ever mistaken a shadow in your kitchen for a cockroach? A sudden flick of light casts a shadow into an overlooked corner, triggering a primal fear of unseen intrusion. Though nothing harmful is found on closer inspection, the uneasy feeling remains.
"Artificial Angels" portrays this unsettling sensation of living in an internet-dominated world in 2025. This eerie unease is the closest description for experiencing the music video of Grimes' track by the same name.
The video is filled with a series of establishing shots reminiscent of generative AI demos. Grimes dances among an evolving ensemble of Grok’s virtual AI companions. Surreal elements appear, such as cavemen smoking cigarettes branded with the OpenAI logo. Erratic overlays of cartoon-like images create an overwhelming sensory experience akin to videos crafted by individuals obsessed with information avalanche.
The song begins and ends with an intentionally primitive AI-generated voice saying, “This is how it feels to be hunted by something smarter than you.”
The track and video provoke a momentary shock but are easily set aside—like noticing a dead animal on a morning walk, startling initially but soon forgotten.
Grimes’ “Artificial Angels” vividly depicts the eerie tension of living within an AI-driven digital landscape, blending unsettling visuals and sounds to capture modern internet anxieties.