How accurate are the viral TikTok AI POV lab history videos?

Published 22 Feb 2025 Imagine waking up in Rome 2,000 years ago, on the Nile in ancient Egypt or on the streets of London during the Black Death in the 1300s - complete with realistic sights, sounds and daily struggles. In recent weeks, AI-generated videos showing the points of view of people waking up in different historical time periods have gone viral on TikTok. Dan and Hogne are the creators behind two of the accounts - POV Lab and Time Traveller POV. Dan, based in the UK, tells the BBC he creates these videos as the "idea of seeing the past through a first-person perspective felt like a unique way to bring history to life". Hogne, a 27-year-old from Norway, adds that his videos are teaching people "about cool parts of history and helping them learn something new". Despite the videos offering millions a window into history, a number of historians have shared concerns about the accuracy of the content and whether AI can truly resurrect the past, or are we just seeing a polished, modernised version of history designed for engagement?