Will Smith has come under a barrage of ridicule over fake fans in a video

Popular actor and musician Will Smith has become the subject of controversy after posting a video from one of the concerts of his Based on a True Story tour, which he organised in support of his first studio album in 20 years. In the video posted to Instagram, Smith showed a crowd of enthusiastic fans singing along to his songs and holding up posters. However, careful online users noticed oddities indicating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create these 'fans'.

My favourite part of the tour was seeing you all so close. Thank you for coming to see me too," Smith wrote under the video, not expecting it to cause a wave of criticism.

According to The Independent, viewers noticed unnatural details in the footage. Some "fans" had distorted faces, blurred hands or even six fingers - typical signs of AI-generated images. One striking example is a shot of a man holding a placard stating that Smith had helped him cope with cancer. The emotions and movements of this "fan" looked so unnatural that online users began to suspect a fake. A heated discussion broke out in the comments to the video: some mocked Smith's attempt to create the illusion of a crowd, while others accused him of deceiving fans.

Smith, known for his roles in "Men in Black" and "The Pursuit of Happyness" as well as his music career, is not the first time he has been in the spotlight for controversial situations. Previously, his actions, such as the incident at the 2022 Oscars ceremony, have also sparked heated discussions. Using AI to create content is becoming more common, but incidents like Smith's video show that the technology can cause reputational risks. While the artiste has not given an official explanation, the online discussion continues to gain momentum, and his reputation is being put at risk due to suspicions of tampering.