Italian brainrot: AI-generated characters take shape in the real world

The phenomenon of Italian brainrots, born online as a collection of surreal characters created by artificial intelligence and initially spread as memes that later became viral, has recently increasingly shifted to an offline market. It's no coincidence that in recent months, their presence has consolidated through the sale of physical items ranging from collectible cards to sticker albums and school gadgets such as pencil cases, notebooks, backpacks, and gift items.

But what probably simplifies and facilitates their diffusion, beyond their notoriety, is also, and above all, a legal aspect: brain rots can be freely reproduced because, to date, copyright regulations on what is created by artificial intelligence are still unclear. Consequently, companies are not required to pay licenses or recognize royalties, thus reducing production times and costs and facilitating distribution. Furthermore, their success has dramatically increased with the recent introduction of new figures inspired by the Labubu, the puppets distributed by the Chinese chain Pop Mart, and the characters of Squid Game.

However, a key role in the transition from online to offline was played by Officina Comunicazione, a Modena-based company operating in the entertainment and publishing sectors. Last May, it announced the market launch of a new Skifidol-branded collectible card game and subsequently action figures dedicated to the Italian Brain Rots. Only later did Panini—already a leader in the trading cards and comics sector—release a 48-page, 300-sticker album titled Skifidol Italian Brain Rot Sticker Collection, with the intention of extending the product's distribution to other European countries.

The popularity of collectible cards and stickers has thus generated a parallel phenomenon that has taken shape in a community on social networks: on Facebook, for example, a group called Italian Brainrot Card Game Official has been created, which already boasts over 4,900 members. Members can request card exchanges and report lists of missing or duplicate stickers, reminiscent of dynamics already experienced with Pokémon trading cards or classic football stickers, although this time the protagonists are fictional characters generated by the creativity of AI.

It remains uncertain how long this phenomenon will last, as while its current popularity is driven primarily by novelty and the viral nature of the internet, its continuity will depend on the ability to update collections and offer new editions to keep collectors' attention high.