Welcome to AI Hammy: Will Smith posts bizarre AI cat concert video after fake fan controversy

Will Smith posted a bizarre AI-generated concert video featuring a crowd of distorted cats, confirming suspicions that his team has been using artificial intelligence to enhance footage from his recent tour. The latest video comes after widespread criticism of an earlier concert clip where AI was allegedly used to add fake enthusiastic fans to sparse audience footage, highlighting a growing trend of celebrities embracing low-quality AI content.

What happened: Smith’s Instagram account featured a new video showing him performing on stage before panning to reveal an audience composed entirely of AI-generated cats with distorted features.

• The video was co-posted with Hawaii-based AI artist Tyler Bernabe, who goes by the handle @tylerbernabe and has been promoting the collaboration across his social media platforms.
• Screenshots of articles covering the AI scandal appear on Bernabe’s X and LinkedIn pages, with the artist posting “Hey mom, I made it into Complex” alongside cat emojis.

The backstory: Last week, Smith faced criticism when observers noticed his concert footage appeared to use AI to artificially enhance crowd enthusiasm.

• The original video showed “demonic-looking fans with garbled signs” that contrasted sharply with the actual sparse audience visible in genuine tour footage.
• Neither Smith nor his representatives responded to the widespread allegations of AI manipulation in the initial video.

Why this matters: The incident reflects a broader shift in how entertainers are approaching AI technology, moving from initial resistance to embracing what critics call “AI slop.”

• The entertainment industry has seen actors and musicians transition “from calling out AI for its potential to replace them to others rushing to post the lowest-quality versions of AI slop.”
• Smith’s use of AI-generated content comes despite his own experience as a victim of viral AI-generated content, including a widely circulated meme showing him eating spaghetti.

The bigger picture: This represents a notable example of how celebrities are experimenting with AI-generated content for social media engagement, even when the results are obviously artificial and potentially damaging to their brand credibility.