Love Island viewers were left stunned on Saturday night, after Yasmin Pettet appeared to directly address a popular fan conspiracy theory about her.
The commercial banking executive, 24, has been plagued by long-running speculation that she is AI-generated since the start of the ITV2 series.
The theory stemmed from fans clocking a string of 'glitchy' moments from her in the iconic villa, including her very upright posture while chatting with her co-stars and standing by the firepit, coupled with her slow blinking and formal speech patterns.
It first gained traction after one fan took to TikTok to share a slew of clips of the Yas acting 'robotic', with the caption: 'Guys I'm scared... I think she's AI.'
Since then the joke has snowballed, becoming a popular meme for this year's series, with fans frequently taking to affectionately refer to the sexy singleton as 'YasGPT' - in a play on AI chatbot, ChatGPT.
Fans have commented: 'Someone said Yasmin is AI and now I can’t unsee it'; 'Yasmin has to be the first AI contestant and they’re just not telling us. Something feels so off'.
Love Island viewers were left stunned on Saturday night, after Yasmin Pettet appeared to directly address a popular fan conspiracy theory about her
The commercial banking executive, 24, has been plagued by long-running speculation that she is AI-generated since the start of the ITV2 series
The theory stemmed from fans clocking a string of 'glitchy' moments from her in the iconic villa, including her very upright posture while chatting with her co-stars and standing by the firepit, coupled with her slow blinking and formal speech patterns
'no one can convince me yasmin isnt ai generated'; 'Love Yasmin, our little AI robot. Whoever is programming her responses today is on form'; 'YasGPT is stiff as hell. She’s definitely AI.'
'Convinced Yasmin is an ai bot sent from love island usa to cause havoc in the uk villa'; '‘the batteries aren’t 100%’ did yasmin just confirm she is AI'.
'Are we sure Yasmin is not AI, she doesn’t seem real'; '“the batteries are not 100%” yasmin is never beating the robot allegations i fear';
'Yasmin is the certified first Love island AI icon'; 'I saw someone say Yasmin is AI and bro she is literally not real'; 'Are we sure Yasmin isn't AI robot?'
'Yasmin is almost a robot I’m kinda obsessed with it'; 'Yasmin wearing 80 denier tights during the height of summer in Mallorca proves she’s AI because NO girl could survive that level of heat/friction'.
'Yasmin is never ever beating them AI bot allegations'; 'I actually love that we're seeing more of Yasmin's personality coming through. In true AI fashion she has learnt and developed.'
However, during Unseen Bits this weekend, it seemed as though Yas was aware of the public theory that she was an AI bot, as she insisted she was human.
Sitting in the Beach Hut for a confessional, she was asked to show off her dance moves and immediately opted for the robot dance.
Since then the joke has snowballed, becoming a popular meme for this year's series, with fans frequently taking to affectionately refer to the sexy singleton as 'YasGPT' - in a play on AI chatbot, ChatGPT
She said: 'Oh my god, should I do the robot?' before letting slip: 'Everyone says I'm AI-generated anyway.'
After attempting to her moves, she admitted: 'And I have to say, I am a real human. I'm not AI-generated, I wish I was though. I do feel like an alien sometimes.'
Viewers were flabbergasted that Yas seemed to know about the public's suggestion that she was AI and took to X to react, while some were suspicious of her denial, quipping it had made them even more convinced she was a bot.
They wrote: 'How does YasGPT know that we think she’s AI GENERATED'; 'Nah yas actually doing the robot because she knows everyone thinks she ai'.
'WAIT YASMIN KNOWS ABOUT THE AI THING'; 'yas acknowledging everyone thinks she’s ai and then doing the robot dance before confirming she’s acc a human god how did i used to dislike her'.
'YasGPT denying she’s AI. Sounds exactly like something someone that’s secretly AI would say! You’re not fooling me'.
It comes after Love Island viewers were treated to the fan-favourite movie night episode on Friday - and it didn't disappoint.
There were more fireworks than ever before, with secrets exposed and relationships tarnished - in particular that between supposed 'best friends' Meg Moore and Helena Ford.
Viewers were flabbergasted that Yas seemed to know about the public's suggestion that she was AI and took to X to react, while some were suspicious of her denial, quipping it had made them even more convinced she was a bot
They'd enjoyed a close-knit friendship since entering the villa at the beginning of series 12, but things turned sour after Dejon Noel-Williams, who's been coupled up with Meg, returned from Casa Amor.
The semi-professional footballer had enjoyed a number of flirtatious chats with bombshell Andrada Pop, leading to Helena and Harry Cooksley questioning his 'spark' with Meg.
And when their doubts were laid bare in a shocking clip shown during movie night, an explosive feud ensued between former besties Helena and Meg.
'I don't think there's a massive spark between those two. You see them together and they don't really do anything,' a laughing Helena quipped in the clip.
It prompted an angry response from Meg, who hit-back at the blonde stunner: 'Why are you laughing at that? That's crazy.
'From my best friend and Dejon's best friend, that is a crazy comment to make.'
She later added: 'Yeah, I am (p****d off). As our best friends, you're telling me one thing and telling him another.'
Elsewhere during the famed Love Island movie night, Helena was at the centre of even more drama as the islanders were shown clips of Shakira Khan and Toni Laites talking about her behind her back.
There were more fireworks than ever before, with secrets exposed and relationships tarnished - in particular that between supposed 'best friends' Meg Moore and Helena Ford (seen)
And when their doubts were laid bare in a shocking clip shown during movie night, an explosive feud ensued between former besties Helena and Meg
Helena and Shakira haven't seen eye-to-eye throughout the series after they both battled it out to earn the affections of Harry Cooksley, now coupled up with the blonde beauty.
The row reached boiling point when Helena enjoyed a smooch with Harry while wearing Shakira's bikini, with the villa shown a clip on Friday of Khan bad-mouthing her fellow islander to Toni.
'She's 23. Why's she going for a 30-year-old,' Shakira quipped before criticising Helena's appearance in the skimpy swimsuit.
And Helena wasted no time in firing back at Shakira after the clip finished, crying: 'F**k me, you were really gunning for me in that mate. It's giving mean girl energy, we're not in school.'
Surprisingly, Meg actually supported Helena despite their earlier row, quipping: 'I don't think the bikini comments are nice, don't put a girl down about what she wears.'
Shakira nevertheless didn't back down, explaining: 'Sorry for the comment, it was nasty, but I meant it to be nasty that's why I said it!'
Helena and Shakira haven't seen eye-to-eye throughout the series after they both battled it out to earn the affections of Harry Cooksley, now coupled up with the blonde beauty
As the episode reached its climax, an argument also sparked between Meg and Shakira as tensions in the villa spilled over.
A clip was shown of Meg criticising Shakira and Toni, with Shakira later calling her out by saying: 'What happened to mean girl comments? Everyone has their fair share. Don't act all innocent with a halo around your head, everyone knows you put your two pence in.'
Which prompted a fiery response from Meg, replying: 'Pipe down Shakira, you can't even win an argument with me hun'.
As the situation boiled over, Shakira then responded: 'Shut the f*** up Meg! It's nothing to do with mean girl, you haven't got a halo around your head either! You do the exact same s***.'
