What is the NYC Rats AI: A Rat Gang Stands Up and Fights You in a New York Alley?
"Never take the shortcut in NYC." Shaky night phone footage of a dirty alley: the rats on the ground stand up on two legs, line up like a street gang, and the boss rat kicks, boxes and finally swats at the lens. Millions of people tagged a friend under it, and half the comments asked if it was real. Upload one photo and this template walks you into that alley.
The clip was posted on Instagram on 10 November 2026 by @aliaboutine, a creator who makes AI rat videos, and the caption says it was made with an AI tool. In two days it passed 4.5 million likes and 85,000 comments, on top of a rat reputation New York has filmed for years: #nycrats on TikTok holds more than 200 million views. AI video template sites added the scene the same week, with the rats squaring up to a person who uploads their photo.
The template runs in two steps: an image model puts you in the night alley with the rat gang standing up at your feet, then a video model plays 8 seconds of the stand-off, the kicks and the swat at the camera, with alley sound and an original beat. It is comedy: nobody is hurt. The trend video on this page is credited to its creator; the poster image is AI-generated.
What happens in the video
0-2 s: you walk into a dark alley. 2-4 s: five rats stand up on two legs in front of you. 4-6 s: the boss rat bounces like a boxer and throws a high kick while you back off. 6-8 s: it jumps at the camera and swats the lens, and you laugh.
Is the original video real?
No. The original clip by @aliaboutine is AI-made, and so is the one this template makes. Real New York rats do not box, as far as anyone knows.
Which photo to use
One adult, from the knees up or full body, face clear. Use your own photo or one of someone who said yes, never a celebrity, a stranger or a child. A clear photo of your dog or cat works too.