Water bed? Lava bed? "Which would you choose to sleep on": The bizarre bed trend going viral on TikTok

1. What is the "AI Bed" trend proliferating on TikTok recently?

Recently, my TikTok recommendations have been flooded with "bedrooms." But these aren't ordinary bedrooms. The mattresses, pillows, and duvets are all made of water, shining metal like mirrors, crumbling sand, or pulsating red lava.

The videos generally follow the same pattern. Multiple beds are presented on the screen, followed by a question.

"Which one would you sleep in?"
"Choose between 1 to 4."
"Let me know in the comments."

The term "AI Bed" is fitting because these are not filmed by humans but are videos created by generative AI (image and video generation). News summaries describe it as "hundreds of AI bed videos circulating, asking viewers which one they would choose."

The point isn't the "strangeness" itself. The strangeness is the entry point, but the main focus is the way it makes you choose.

2. Why does this resonate so well with the algorithm? The trick is in the design of "participation."

The reason these types of videos are powerful is simple: viewers are less likely to remain passive.

• Catches the eye: the incongruity of the material (beds made of water, gold, sand, fire)

• The brain automatically fills in: "How would it feel to sleep on that?" "It looks cold." "It seems dangerous."

• Finally, you're prompted to participate: "Which one will you choose?"

This "question" becomes the strongest fuel for TikTok because it increases comments.
In fact, trend analyses suggest that the design that makes viewers want to choose generates high engagement in short videos.

Moreover, having four options is perfect.

With two choices, the conversation ends if preferences split. With three, there's less indecision. Four options allow for excuses in comments, including "I don't like any/I like all."

• "Option 1 seems fun, but in reality, it might cause suffocation."

• "Option 3 is safe, but the shiny gold of option 2 is tempting."

• "None of them work; a regular bed wins."

In other words, the videos are not "visual works" but are designed as devices to ignite the comment section.

3. The ability to "mass-produce" with AI generation has accelerated the trend

Another significant factor is the lowered barrier to production.
Articles explaining how to create this trend describe using prompts and generation tools to create various "material beds" and exporting them for short videos.

What's happening here is the "templating" of videos.

• Camera angle: centered on the bed, slightly zoomed out

• Direction: movements that convey texture (ripples, reflections, crumbling, foaming)

• Structure: 1→2→3→4→question

With a template, creators can mass-produce by just swapping out the "content."
After water, it's jelly, then glass, then clouds, then caterpillars... the material can be endlessly changed.

As a result, viewers start to feel like this:

"This again?"
"But I can't help watching."
"I find myself commenting before I know it."

And the moment you comment, the "infinite supply tailored for you" begins.

4. Reactions on social media: The excitement isn't just about "preferences"

Reactions on social media can be broadly divided into four types.

① Participatory (those who choose)

Those who simply vote, saying things like "Option 1 is the most calming" or "Option 3 feels like a luxury hotel."
On Reddit, similar posts receive comments like "1" or "3," leading to intuitive voting.

② Commentary type (those who laugh at the realism)

Those who make comments based on real-world physics, like "Lava would end your life before you sleep" or "You can't breathe on a water bed."
The "fun of seriously examining strange things" easily circulates in the comment section.

③ Reverse anti (those who are fed up)

"My recommendations are full of this" or "I'm tired of the same structure."
As a side effect of the buzz, fatigue from oversupply emerges.
However, "fed-up comments" also contribute to engagement, ironically becoming fuel for further spread.

④ Meta perspective (those who tremble at the AI era)

"You can go viral without humans filming anymore."
"The world is becoming uniform with everyone using the same prompts."

Those who talk about the fear of short videos being swallowed by AI templates.
Similar "Which bed are you sleeping in?" posts can be seen on Instagram, indicating the format's proliferation across platforms.

5. The essence of "strangely captivating": The pleasure comes from "choosing"

The most cunning aspect of this trend is that it makes viewers verbalize their "preferences."

"I don't like option 2 because it looks cold."
"Option 1 seems like it would sound pleasant."
"Option 3 looks like it would be hard to clean."

Once people start explaining their preferences, they become involved with the subject.
Videos they engage with become "their experience," making them less likely to get bored upon rewatching.
As a result, rewatching and saving occur, strengthening the algorithmic impact.

In other words, "AI Beds" are not about bedding but a game of choices.

6. What's next? The next wave will move "beyond beds"

If the essence of the template is "immersive videos with choices," the subject is not limited to beds.

• "Which elevator will you ride?"

• "Which house will you live in?"

• "Which soup will you drink?"

• "Which planet will you land on?"

The same format can easily be applied to "rooms, houses, food, vehicles."
Creators change the question, viewers respond reflexively, and the algorithm amplifies it.

As long as this loop continues, we won't escape "videos that make us choose" for a while.

7. Nonetheless, what this trend indicates

What "AI Beds" indicate is not "amazing visuals" but an "amazing circuit."

• Stopping the scroll with visual incongruity

• Running mental simulations with choices

• Eliciting actions in the form of comments

• Actions call for the next supply

And with generative AI, the supply side has become infinite.

If your recommendation feed is recently full of "strange bedrooms," it's not because your sensibilities have changed.
It's because you chose once.

Source URLs

1. Sydney Morning Herald: The source for the theme "AI Beds Taking Over TikTok's Algorithm"
   https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/bizarre-ai-bed-trend-taking-over-tiktoks-algorithm-20260218-p5o3an.html

2. Ground News Summary Page: Source confirming the gist of the article (AI bed videos circulating and prompting viewer choices)
   https://ground.news/article/bizarre-ai-bed-trend-taking-over-tiktoks-algorithm

3. Trend Explanation (Explanation of creation and diffusion structure): Reference for why the same format grows and how it is mass-produced
   https://focalml.com/blog/which-bed-are-you-sleeping-in-how-to-create-viral-ai-bed-choice-videos/

4. Reddit Post (Reaction Example): Reference for participatory reactions like choosing by number and discussing preferences
   https://www.reddit.com/r/dalle2/comments/1ayj3qs/which_bed_are_you_sleeping_in_123_or_4/

5. Instagram Post (Reaction Example): An example showing the spread of the same questioning format beyond TikTok
   https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNi8576PbiU/