Fans accused Will Smith of sharing an AI-generated video that depicts crowds cheering at his current summer tour.
The Hollywood actor and rapper launched the UK leg of his Based on a True Story tour in Scarborough on Sunday (24 August), following the release of his album of the same name. Before the shows, his official YouTube channel posted a video titled: “My favourite part of tour is seeing you all up close. Thank you for seeing me too.”
Viewers quickly claimed the clip relied heavily on AI. They pointed to distorted faces, blurred knuckles, and oddly shaped hands – including some with six fingers – as evidence. In one scene, a man’s sign blurs into his hand, while a woman behind him appears to have her headband wrapped around another fan’s wrist.
Commenters flooded the video with criticism. One wrote: “Imagine being this rich and famous and having to use AI footage of crowds… Tragic, man.” Another slammed the video as “low-quality phone footage that’s been heavily AI upscaled,” and accused Smith of inserting “clearly AI-generated” crowd shots. Others called the choice “embarrassing” and questioned why Smith abandoned real videographers.
Also Read: The Real Reason Will Smith Passed on ‘Inception’: Why He Couldn’t Grasp Nolan’s Vision
AI in Music Industry
It is not a surprise that Will Smith will go to any lengths to boost his image – apart from slapping Oscar hosts. Alan Tudyk said that he was dropped from’I, Robot’ publicity after beating Will Smith in test screenings.
The controversy adds to a growing debate over AI in the music industry. Earlier this month, Rod Stewart faced backlash after fans called his AI-generated tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne “disrespectful.” The sequence showed a synthetic Osbourne posing with other deceased stars, including Tina Turner, Prince, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, and Kurt Cobain.
Smith released Based on a True Story in March, his first album in 20 years. The Independent gave it two stars, describing him as a “solid rapper” but dismissing the lyrics as “half-baked” and filled with “hackneyed platitudes.” His UK tour continues tonight (Monday, 25 August) in Cardiff, with upcoming dates in Manchester, London, and Wolverhampton.
