In the quest for the perfect hype clip, has technology created a monster?
A new hype video from Will Smith is causing a stir online, but not for its star power.
The clip, ostensibly celebrating the connection with fans on tour, is populated by bizarre, distorted crowd shots that appear to be AI-generated nightmares.
Viewers are pointing out melting fingers, faces that swirl into Picasso-esque abstractions, and tattoos that morph unnaturally.
The video, titled “My favourite part of tour is seeing you all up close…”, presents an ironic contrast with its unsettling, inhuman visuals.
While some speculate this could be a strange result of YouTube’s alleged automatic upscaling processes, the same distortions are visible on the video’s Facebook upload.
The bizarre presentation pushes the video into the uncanny valley, leaving audiences to question whether they’re watching a genuine malfunction or a very odd creative choice, further blurring the lines in our increasingly digital reality.
