Ed Sheeran embraces AI-inspired meme with monkey costume for Halloween

The original meme, which Sheeran recreated, was based on a popular internet image from the early 2010s depicting a young boy in a monkey costume, hunched over an iPad in an Apple Store. Sheeran’s recreation included him holding up the AI-generated image on his phone, smiling at the camera while in costume. His familiarity with the internet trend may surprise fans, as Sheeran has been open about his limited online presence, having stopped using a phone altogether in 2015. In an appearance on Therapuss with Jake Shane, Sheeran explained, “I haven’t had a phone since 2015,” noting his decision came after realizing he had “10,000 contacts” and was “constantly in touch with a lot of people.”

Over the years, Sheeran has embraced Halloween with a range of costumes, previously dressing as characters like Chucky, Austin Powers, Ron Weasley, and even the gingerbread man. His humorous and nostalgic choice this year adds to his history of inventive costumes for the holiday.