Will Smith has found himself at the center of online controversy after fans accused him of using artificial intelligence to fake cheering crowds in promotional footage for his Based on a True Story Summer Tour.
A promotional video uploaded to Smith’s official YouTube channel earlier this month showcased large groups of emotional, sign-waving fans. But viewers quickly noticed odd details: distorted faces, extra fingers, and blurred movements. Critics on social media labeled the footage “AI slop” and mocked the idea that one of the world’s most recognizable celebrities would need to pad out concert clips with computer-generated fans.
“Fake AI crowd, fake comments, bots like… Imagine being this rich and famous and having to use AI footage of crowds. Tragic, man,” one viewer wrote. Others called the video “embarrassing” and “sad.”
Despite the backlash, deeper investigations reveal the story is more complicated. According to reports from photography and media outlets, the crowds in the footage were real—filmed at festivals in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. However, it appears Smith’s team used AI tools to animate or enhance still images from the shows, giving the footage a surreal, distorted look.
Will Smith dropped Based on a True Story as his fifth studio album back in March, marking his first release in 20 years. Along with the album, he announced he’d be touring. “I’M GOING ON TOUR THIS SUMMER!!” he wrote in a post on Instagram. “… All these years, I’ve NEVER done a headline tour and I can’t wait to see you guys!!”