Will Smith is facing accusations of using artificial intelligence to generate images of fans in a promotional video for his current tour. The rapper and actor, who is touring in support of his first studio album in 20 years, 'Based On A True Story', shared a clip on Instagram showing packed crowds and cheering fans. However, viewers noticed blurred or distorted faces, oddly shaped hands, and other anomalies that suggest AI generation.
In the video, some audience members appear with blurred faces or extra fingers, while one man holding a sign appears to have his knuckles merged into the sign. A woman's headband seems to blend into another person's wrist. Social media users, particularly on Reddit, have criticised the footage, with one calling it 'pathetic' and another suggesting it looks like 'image upscaling gone horribly wrong'.
The controversy comes amid growing concerns about AI in the music industry. A recent study warned that music workers could lose a quarter of their income to AI over the next four years. Deezer reported that around 10,000 AI-generated tracks are uploaded daily, making up 10% of its music uploads. Additionally, AI-generated songs have been found on deceased musicians' Spotify profiles.
Prominent artists including Elton John, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney, Florence Welch, Kate Bush, and Robbie Williams have called on the UK government to change copyright laws to address the threat from AI. SZA has criticised AI users for being 'codependent on a machine', and filmmaker James Cameron has expressed fears that AI could lead to a real-life version of 'The Terminator'.
Smith's tour continues tonight in Cardiff, with upcoming dates in London and Wolverhampton. In other news, director Michael Bay has left Smith's upcoming film 'Fast And Loose' due to creative differences. Smith has also reflected on past film roles he rejected, including 'The Matrix' and Christopher Nolan's 'Inception'.
