Keeping up with TikTok trends is tough. There’s something relatable to some of the more creative trends, but this latest TikTok Live trend is just bizarre. As bizarre as I find it, people love it; both creators and content consumers.
What is the TikTok NPC AI Trend?
Right now, TikTok creators are going live and broadcasting streams pretending to be an AI or NPC. NPC stands for “non-playable character, a character in a game that usually has odd dialogue. GTA is the best example of this. For this trend, TikTok creators “emote” when people give them rewards. These rewards are TikTok currency that can be traded in for cold hard cash.
The ignition point came with TikTok content creator “Pinkydoll”, who gained sudden popularity on Twitter as clips of her peculiar random catchphrases and exaggerated movements left commentators baffled. This discovery on Twitter shed light on the peculiar realm of TikTok “NPC” live streams.
Although Pinkydoll was the initial focus of widespread attention, inquisitive Twitter users later found that other TikTok streamers were also engaging in similar behavior
The general public seems to enjoy the trend. You donate to someone who has thousands of viewers and they react to your donation.
It reminds me a bit of fans at a recent Post Malone gig. They threw a range of things on stage throughout the show and enjoyed the moment when he wore their sunglasses, hat, or similar. This is a very similar interaction that seems to be driving the TikTok AI trend.
What the Creators Think
I had a quick chat with TikTok creator Opal. She was tired after a live where she was doing this trend, “emoting” for rewards. She says “It’s properly profitable if you have a fan base that sends you expensive gifts”. She believes it’s popular because “it’s easy to follow what everyone else is doing and is sometimes addictive”.
It’s not all good though. Because the trend is a bit on the odder side, Opal says comments can go astray. “People will hate on you and make rude comments”, she says, but it’s not all bad. These commenters “will still watch your live for a while and give you attention to only get more viewers”.
While profitable for creators and it might seem odd, Opal admits it’s a tough gig. While she enjoys it she does admit “it’s actually tiring”. “I was live for 4 hours and now I’m tired and my body is kind of sore”.
Opal’s stats, posted to her Instagram story shortly after performing, show that in a single 4-hour session, viewers spent approximately $1200 on rewards. TikTok takes 50% of all of that, but that means it remains a profitable business for creators.
There you have it. That’s the whole NPC trend explained if you come across it on TikTok live.
