
Taking inspiration from an image or idea you've researched, create your photographic response to an internet meme. Your interpretation of an existing meme could be something original. It might be funny or profound, but it should make people want to look at and share it.
Don't Push the Button Meme
Introduction:
I've never been much of a meme fan. With the odd exception, I find most of them stupid and not as humorous as their intention, so I approached this exercise with some trepidation, which could be the rationale behind my decision to create a tech-related meme.
My starting point was to examine AI's impact on the world and consider how I could interpret this in a humorous meme. The gossip is that AI will be the end of the world, and my take on this will be if we leave AI to decide whether we should push the button. The button is a metaphor for the nuclear strike, which would wipe out the human race. Would we put our trust in AI to make the informed choice for the benefit of the human race, or would they think it's a better idea to end it all and push the button?
I tested my idea with several family members for their reaction, not divulging that it was a meme created for my studies with favourable results.
Conceptualisation: Plan to Create"AI Pushes the Button"
1. Conceptualisation & Theme
• A humorous yet slightly ominous take on AI making catastrophic decisions.
• Inspired by the classic "Don't Panic" phrase referencing Douglas Adam's book 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', but with a twist.
• A simple three-panel progression combining into one panel.
2. Visual Elements
• Panel 1: A red "DON'T PANIC" button displays text. 'Don't push the button'
• Panel 2: A robotic hand reaching out and pressing the button displays text. 'A.I.We're Doomed'
• Panel 3: A large image reinforces a button's pushing with another image of a red button displaying text. 'Human Race: Don't push the button.', or a "404: World Not Found" error.
3. Style & Execution
• Art Style:
• Minimalist and bold, using simple cartoon or photo manipulation.
• Text overlay - Meme-style font (Impact or bold sans-serif).
• Color Scheme:
• Red and black to emphasize danger and urgency.
• Blue neon glow for AI elements.
• Possible Captions:
• "AI: You're Doomed"
• "When AI misreads the fine print"
• "Well… That Escalated Quickly"
• "404: World not Found"
4. Social Media Engagement
• Consider any controversial connotations or copyright issues carefully before posting.
• Share on meme-heavy platforms like Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.
• Encourage followers on the platform to like and share
References:
14 funny tech memes [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/14-funny-tech-memes-chris-allen (accessed 2.2.25).
Best Funny tech Memes [WWW Document], n.d. . 9GAG. URL http://9gag.com/tag/tech (accessed 2.2.25).
Day, E., 2024. AI and Technology Memes That Live in My Head Rent Free. Medium. URL https://medium.com/@TheElisaDay/ai-and-technology-memes-that-live-in-my-head-rent-free-3bbbdb80e11a (accessed 2.2.25).
DON`T PANIC on Red Push Button. 3d Illustration. Isolated Background Stock Illustration - Illustration of design, text: 185926593 [WWW Document], n.d. . Dreamstime. URL https://www.dreamstime.com/don-t-panic-red-push-button-d-illustration-isolated-background-image185926593 (accessed 2.2.25).
DON’T PRESS THE RED BUTTON..., 2018.
Robot S Hand is Pushing the Button Stock Illustration - Illustration of touch, touching: 76802640 [WWW Document], n.d. . Dreamstime. URL https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-robot-s-hand-pushing-button-clipping-path-included-image76802640 (accessed 2.2.25).
The Top 30 Information Technology Memes of 2025 [WWW Document], n.d. URL https://caniphish.com/blog/technology-memes (accessed 2.2.25).
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