The 'Ash Baby' or 'Screaming Baby Made of Ash' meme features a surreal, gritty image of an infant appearing to be composed entirely of charcoal or volcanic residue, caught in a dramatic mid-scream pose. Likely originating from AI-generated art experiments or 3D renders, it gained viral traction on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok in early 2024. Users typically employ the image to represent a state of extreme 'burnt out' exhaustion, spiritual depletion, or a visceral reaction to mildly inconvenient situations. Its popularity stems from its unsettling yet hilarious visual style, often paired with captions about working customer service, waking up early, or surviving a minor inconvenience that felt like a trial by fire.