“An abomination”: Will Smith shared a tour video thanking fans on YouTube, but the footage of the crowds looks AI-generated

Will Smith is being accused of utilizing AI to enhance the look of his audience on his recent tour. However, YouTube’s latest upscaling technology has many questioning who’s to blame.

Augmented crowds in Will Smith’s latest upload

Will Smith is currently on his “Based on a True Story” 2025 tour. The international occasion began on June 25th and will run until August 30th, ending in the U.K.

Recently, the Oscar-winning actor and Grammy-winning rapper posted a video from the tour, and it has caused a lot of backlash. People are accusing Smith of using AI crowds.

The clip shows Smith performing a song intermixed with close-ups of fans singing along, holding signs, and… having more than ten fingers.

At one point, you can see a woman holding Smith’s hand from the crowd, but the headband from another woman melds into her wrist.

Ironically, the video’s title is ‘My favorite part of the tour is seeing you all up close.’ Thank you for seeing me too ❤️”

The YouTube video is filled with comments about how the crowds look fake. People have pointed out discrepancies ranging from distorted faces to blurred hands holding signs.

This has led some commentators to lament the end of the Internet.

YouTube accused of altering videos with AI

The reaction to Smith’s video comes on the heels of YouTube receiving backlash for altering videos with AI. This week, the BBC reported that YouTube Shorts has been subtly using AI processing to “upscale” videos without creators’ consent.

Ultimately, the seemingly AI crowds in Smith’s video could have been altered by YouTube since it was posted to Shorts. Whether it was Smith, his team, or YouTube that altered the video, there are still some lingering questions. Did they completely fake the crowds, or is it an example of upscaling the existing crowds?

The Daily Dot has contacted a representative for Smith for comment.

Will Smith’s AI history

As Smith makes headlines for allegedly using AI, it’s hard not to mention the star’s bizarre history with the technology.

In 2023, the “Will Smith Eating Spaghetti” test became an unofficial touchstone for the AI community. Reddit user, u/chaindrop, shared an eerie AI video of Smith eating spaghetti.

The video sparked major discussions within the AI community and ultimately became a litmus test for assessing the realism in AI-generated videos. It also led to an ongoing meme, which Smith commented on during an appearance on Will Manning’s Capitol FM program in June.

“As AI started to develop, someone put in the prompt of, ‘Will Smith eating spaghetti.’ A random thing. That became the test of AI video evolution. The latest one is the first one that’s absolutely perfect,” Smith explained.

“I watched it and I wasn’t hungry anymore,” he joked.