How to Create Viral Memes With AI
In this post, I will show you how to create viral meme with AI, to create a viral-style meme using a photo of my dog, Parouli. It was a simple process, and I’ll show you exactly how it went, step by step. You can also see another video that I created images using AI. Just remember that AI is continually improving and being updated. I also use the paid version of ChatGPT, but the free version should do the same job. The only reason I upgraded to the paid version is that it’s a little bit quicker on the uptake sometimes.
Why I Wasn’t a Fan of AI (At First)
To be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of AI when it first became mainstream. It felt a bit clunky and impersonal, and I wasn’t sure it could add any real value to what I do. I could also see people using AI for the wrong reasons, like creating poor and repetitive content rather than real content. Or even being used in a false sort of way. But things have changed!
AI tools — especially ChatGPT and image-generation tools — have improved significantly in recent years. While they still need a human touch, they can now speed up repetitive tasks and give you creative options you might not have considered on your own.
Step 1: Start With A Simple Idea
My idea was simple: take a photo of my dog, Parouli, and turn it into a meme.
I used the paid version of ChatGPT and uploaded a real picture of him. I then gave it a straightforward prompt:
“Is it possible to make this dog into a meme and put some glasses on him, please?”
And just like that, the AI gave me a fun meme with the caption “Intelle… intellectual doge.”
Step 2: Refining the AI’s Output
While the result was entertaining, it wasn’t quite perfect. The spelling was slightly off — “doge” instead of “dog” — and the formatting looked a bit awkward.
So, I asked ChatGPT to change the word “doge” to “dog,” and it complied. However, the size of the word was too large, so I requested a further tweak:
“Can you make the word ‘dog’ smaller and match it with the word ‘intellectual’?”
The AI made the adjustments, though the fonts weren’t quite identical. That’s one of the quirks of working with AI — sometimes it gets close, but not perfect. However, from my experience it does appear that AI is continually improving, so don’t give up with AI.
Still, for a first attempt, I was pretty happy with the result.
Step 3: Creating a YouTube Thumbnail
Encouraged by the meme, I decided to go one step further and asked ChatGPT to turn the meme into a YouTube thumbnail.
It did, but it left the meme text in the image, which I hadn’t intended. I didn’t explicitly ask it to remove the text, so it wasn’t entirely the AI’s fault. That said, the alignment was off, and it didn’t look professional.
Step 4: Bringing in Canva
At that point, I turned to a tool I trust — Canva. I uploaded the image, made the necessary edits, and quickly produced a clean, eye-catching thumbnail.
Sometimes, it’s just easier (and faster) to do certain things manually. AI is a brilliant tool, but it’s not always a complete replacement for design software — at least not yet.
Final Thoughts: AI Is Getting Better (And So Can You)
It’s clear to me that AI is evolving fast. In the couple of years since I started using it, the improvements have been significant. Tasks that once took ages can now be done in minutes — or at least get a head start with AI’s help.
If you’re just starting out with AI tools or meme creation, don’t worry if things aren’t perfect on your first try. Tweak, refine, and use your judgment. Sometimes the combination of human creativity and AI speed is the perfect mix.
Tools I Used
– ChatGPT (Paid version) – For generating the meme concept and image.
– Canva – For fine-tuning the image and creating a professional thumbnail.
Have a Go Yourself!
Whether you’re creating for fun or building a brand, meme-making with AI is a great skill to add to your toolkit. Try uploading a favourite photo, write a short prompt, and see what you get. You might just surprise yourself.
If you’ve got any questions or want to share your AI-generated memes, feel free to drop a comment below or leave a comment on YouTube. I’d love to see what you create!