Will Smith accused of creating AI fans in new tour video

Will Smith is being accused of using AI to generate images of fans in a new video of his tour.

The rapper and actor is currently on the road in support of ‘Based On A True Story’ – his first studio album in 20 years, which came out in March.

Ahead of the UK leg, Smith took to Instagram to share a video with highlights of the tour so far. The clip shows packed crowds at the gigs, with fans holding signs and cheering for the rapper as he walks along the barricade. Smith wrote in the caption: “My favourite part of tour is seeing you all up close. Thank you for seeing me too.”

However, the clip has been criticised by some for allegedly using AI to generate some of the images of fans.

Some shots show audience members, many of whom are crying, with blurred or distorted faces, while others appear to have oddly shaped hands or excess fingers.

Another shot shows a man gripping a sign that reads: “‘You Can Make It’ helped me survive cancer. THX Will,” but his knuckles seem to be blurred into the sign.

Meanwhile, the woman in front of him seems to be holding his hand, but the headband of the woman behind her also merges onto her wrist.

NME has contacted a representative for Smith for comment.

Users on Reddit have responded to the video, with one writing that it was “Pathetic”, and another adding: “It looks like image upscaling gone horribly wrong. I’d guess those are real people who now get to see what a melted waxwork of themselves would be like.”

It comes during a period of controversy for AI technology in the music industry, with a recent study sharing the stark warning that people working in music are likely to lose a quarter of their income to Artificial Intelligence over the next four years.

Deezer also reported that around 10,000 AI-generated tracks are submitted to the platform daily – making up around 10 per cent of all its music uploads, and it has also emerged that AI-generated songs are reportedly being uploaded to dead musicians’ profiles on Spotify.

Meanwhile, Elton John, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Paul McCartney, Florence Welch, Kate Bush and Robbie Williams are among those who this year called on the UK government to change copyright laws amid the threat from AI.

Elsewhere, SZA has hit out at AI users for being “codependent on a machine”, and James Cameron has revealed he is worried that the technology could lead to a real-life version of his film The Terminator.