Tuesday, August 26, 2025

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Will Smith’s Concert Crowds Are Real, AI Alters Video Footage

Real concert footage altered with AI-enhanced video effects

From Hacker News Original Article Hacker News Discussion

A recent video from a Will Smith concert sparked accusations of fake, AI-generated crowds, but investigation shows the crowds are real, though the footage was manipulated with AI techniques.

Why it matters: The controversy highlights challenges in distinguishing authentic footage from AI-altered videos in entertainment media.

The big picture: Will Smith’s team used AI to animate real crowd photos, while YouTube’s post-processing further degraded video quality.

The stakes: Misunderstandings about AI use risk damaging artist reputations and fuel broader mistrust of digital content authenticity.

Commenters say: Many criticize YouTube’s experimental video enhancements for worsening AI artifacts and debate ethical concerns of animating photos into videos.