# 2016 vs 2026 AI Video > Your 2016 self walks in, looks you up and down and can't believe what 2026 did to you. - URL: https://soracai.com/ai-2016-vs-2026 - Canonical: https://soracai.com/ai-2016-vs-2026 - Model: Google Nano Banana 2 (Gemini image model) builds the start frame, then Google Gemini Omni Flash 1.1 (reference images to video with sound) - Type: video effect - Category: Retro (https://soracai.com/effects/retro) - Cost: 140 credits per run (packs from $0.99; pricing: https://soracai.com/pricing.md) - Inputs: You around 2016 (old photo) – An old photo of you, face clear; You now – A recent photo, face clear - Time: 1–3 minutes - Watermark: none - Example result: https://soracai.com/media/templates/ai-2016-vs-2026/poster.avif - Updated: 2026-10-17 ## What is the 2016 vs 2026 AI Video? The 2016 vs 2026 AI template lets the old you meet the current you. Upload a photo from around 2016 and a recent one. The template places both versions of you in a living room, facing each other: the 2016 you on the left, with the hairstyle and clothes from that photo and a faint warm glow, as if you just stepped out of a glowing doorway; the 2026 you on the right, holding a coffee mug and looking a little tired. Then the clip plays. The younger you looks you up and down, points at your face and asks, "Bro, why do you look so tired?" You sigh, sip your coffee and answer, "You have no idea." Your 2016 self laughs and steps back through the doorway, which fades away. The idea rides one of the biggest nostalgia waves of autumn 2026. The hashtags #2026isthenew2016 and #2016vs2026 together passed 300 million views on TikTok, with people reposting 2016 photos, filters and songs next to who they are now. Pika's earlier "selfie with your younger self" effect showed how much people like seeing the two side by side; this version adds the conversation. The template runs in two steps: an image model builds the meeting from your two photos, then a video model animates it with the two lines of dialogue and a soft synth sting. It is 8 seconds and has no watermark. ## Choosing the two photos The template does not age or de-age you; it uses your real faces from the two photos. So the bigger the difference between them, the funnier the clip. An old photo with a very 2016 look (snapback, bright hoodie, side fringe, a Snapchat-filter-era selfie) reads instantly. For the 2026 photo, a normal recent picture is enough; the template adds the coffee mug and the tired look. Only use photos of yourself. Do not use this to put another person's face into a scene they did not agree to. ## Sound and dialogue The video model generates both voices and a short nostalgic synth sting. The voices are generated, not cloned from you, so they will not sound exactly like you. Many people mute the clip and add a 2016 song instead; the scene still works without the lines. ## How to use it 1. Open https://soracai.com/ai-2016-vs-2026 and upload the photos (You around 2016 (old photo), You now). 2. Press Generate (140 credits, shown on the button before you run it). 3. Wait one to three minutes; the result is also saved to My Creations. 4. Download the MP4 without a watermark. Failed runs are refunded automatically. ## Examples - Example result: https://soracai.com/media/templates/ai-2016-vs-2026/poster.avif ## This trend on Instagram & TikTok - @yasmine90112 (Trend video), TikTok, 2026-08-16: The 2016 vs 2026 template. 604,408 views, 7,635 likes. Original: https://www.tiktok.com/@yasmine90112/video/7674667129869847830 - @camilleeevelasco (Trend video), TikTok, 2026-08-27: 2016 me on a video call with 2026 me. 130,335 views, 7,421 likes. Original: https://www.tiktok.com/@camilleeevelasco/video/7678648658832968981 ## Tips - Pick a 2016 photo that really looks like 2016: the haircut, the hoodie, the filter. - Both photos should show your face clearly, ideally front-facing and similarly sized. - Post the two original photos as the first frames of a carousel or before the video for context. - The dialogue is fixed; add your own caption on top if you want a different joke. - If one face drifts in a run, try clearer photos or run it again. ## Use cases - Joining the 2016 nostalgia trend with a clip, not just a photo dump. - A birthday or anniversary post about how much has changed. - A creator intro ("what 2016 me would think of my channel"). ## FAQ ### How do I make the 2016 vs 2026 video? Upload an old photo of yourself from around 2016 and a recent one, then press Generate. The template puts both of you in one scene and animates the meeting. ### Is it free? Video templates use paid credits. New accounts get free credits for photo templates only. The exact cost is shown on the Generate button before you confirm. ### Does it have to be exactly 2016? No. Any older photo works; the joke just lands best when the old look is clearly from another era. ### Will the voices sound like me? No. The voices are generated by the video model, not copied from you. Mute them and add your own audio if you prefer. ### Can I use it with my pet? This version is made for people. Two photos of the same pet at different ages may work, but results vary. ### Is there a watermark? No watermark is added to the video. ### Where is my photo stored? Uploads are stored in Firebase Storage (Google Cloud) under your account so the run can happen and the result appears in Creations. They are not public, and you can email support to request deletion. To run the effect, a copy is sent to our AI model provider (kie.ai); result files are kept for 14 days, so download what you want to keep. ## Related effects - [AI Talk to Your Younger Self](https://soracai.com/ai-inner-child-talk): Your younger self appears under a spotlight and asks "Are you tired?" You answer, and they tell you that you made it. - [AI 80s Photo (1985 Me)](https://soracai.com/ai-1985-photo): See yourself in a real-looking 1985 snapshot: big hair, acid-wash denim, harsh flash and a date stamp. - [AI Yearbook Photo](https://soracai.com/ai-yearbook-photo): One selfie in, a 1990s high school yearbook portrait out, laser backdrop and all. - [AI Age Progression](https://soracai.com/ai-age-progression): See yourself decades older, or ask for a younger version, from one photo. - [AI Polaroid Generator](https://soracai.com/ai-polaroid-generator): Upload two photos and get an instant-film Polaroid of you both hugging, flash, grain and white frame included. - [AI Modern-Day Ancestors](https://soracai.com/ai-modern-ancestors): Upload an old family photo and see the same people re-photographed today, in colour and 2020s clothes. - [AI Crying Video](https://soracai.com/ai-crying): One selfie becomes a movie scene: a hopeful smile slowly breaks into real tears, then you walk away. - [AI Split Face Generator](https://soracai.com/ai-split-face): Half your face, half your mom's or dad's, in one black-and-white portrait, so everyone can see who you take after. Canonical page: https://soracai.com/ai-2016-vs-2026 · All effects: https://soracai.com/effects.md · Pricing: https://soracai.com/pricing.md