A new YouTube video promoting Will Smith’s tour has sparked controversy, with many viewers pointing out signs of generative AI in the crowd scenes. The clip, which shows Smith performing his new track “You Can Make It,” appears to feature fans with distorted faces, unnatural hands, and morphing signs — hallmarks of AI-generated imagery.
One glaring example shows a sign reading “You Can Make It helped me survive cancer. Thx Will” held by a fan with smooth, plastic-like skin and warped features. Another shot displayed a banner that shifted mid-video from “Lov U Fresh Prince” into the awkward phrase “Lov U Fr6sh Crince.”
Viewer Reactions
Fans were quick to criticize the video online. Some mocked Smith for relying on AI crowds despite his fame and wealth. “Imagine being this rich and famous and having to use AI footage of crowds and bot comments on your video,” one commenter wrote. Another quipped that the distorted fans looked like “AI abominations holding up misspelled signs.”
The speculation fits into a wider trend, where audiences are increasingly questioning the authenticity of videos and images as AI tools such as Google’s Veo 3, Pika, Kling, and Luma make it harder to spot what’s real.
Broader AI Controversy in Entertainment
AI use in creative industries has triggered strong backlash before. At a recent concert, Rod Stewart played an AI-generated video of the late Ozzy Osbourne “in heaven” alongside other deceased artists, drawing criticism as exploitative. Similarly, CNN’s Jim Acosta faced outrage after interviewing an AI-generated version of a teenager killed in the Parkland shooting.
Whether Smith’s video used AI or not, the suspicion alone has already damaged perceptions of authenticity — and raised questions about taste and judgment.
Smith’s tour continues in the UK this week before moving to Paris. Fans now wonder if the questionable AI-like signs and morphing visuals will appear again in future tour promos.
Author’s Opinion
When an artist like Will Smith — someone who built a career on charisma and connection with fans — resorts to (or is accused of resorting to) AI-generated audiences, it cheapens the relationship between performer and supporter. Real concerts are powerful because of the human energy in the room, not artificial placeholders with warped faces and garbled signs. Even if AI saves money or time, using it for crowds feels like cutting corners in the worst way, especially for an artist with Smith’s resources. If this trend continues, fans may start questioning not just what’s real in music videos, but the sincerity of the artists themselves.
Featured image credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
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