Will Smith’s recent YouTube clip from his “Based on a True Story” tour has prompted online scrutiny, as viewers point to odd visual details in several crowd shots and question whether artificial intelligence was used to enhance the footage.
Viewers flag “uncanny” crowd details
The minute-long video, posted by Smith with the caption, “My favorite part of the tour is seeing you all up close. Thank you for seeing me, too,” compiles audience moments set to “You Can Make It,” a part-Gospel, part-inspirational rap single from his first album in 20 years. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the upload has drawn attention for scenes where faces appear distorted or blurred, and hands look oddly formed.
Rolling Stone noted a shot with fans holding a “We <3 You Willy” sign while nearby faces seem warped, and other frames where some people appear to have extra fingers. Comments on the video have amplified the skepticism, with one viewer sarcastically writing that the music was so powerful “their faces are melding together.”
An MSN article highlighted a blurry knuckle in a scene featuring a sign that reads, “‘You Can Make It’ helped me survive cancer. THX Will,” and described crowd shots with the characteristic AI sheen. The Inquirer also pointed to a recent wave of AI-generated bogus images unrelated to the video, including an image purporting to show Mick Jagger, Elton John, and Rod Stewart harmonizing at Ozzy Osbourne’s memorial service.
Platform processing enters the conversation
YouTube’s role and unanswered questions
While social media chatter has homed in on Smith, Rolling Stone reported that YouTube regularly alters videos without notifying creators. As cited by The Philadelphia Inquirer, a recent story in The Atlantic featured YouTuber Rhett Skull, who said he believes YouTube uses AI to upscale videos and enhance resolution and details.
Smith’s video arrives amid a period of heightened sensitivity to AI-altered media. Alongside the fan scrutiny of specific frames, the broader question of how platform processing may affect appearance remains unresolved in this case. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, calls to Will Smith’s team have not been returned.
The video, which showcases fans swaying in arenas as Smith performs, is part of his tour promoting “Based on a True Story.” In March, a section of North 59th Street in West Philadelphia’s Wynnefield neighborhood was officially renamed “Will Smith Way,” noted by The Inquirer. For now, the clip continues to circulate as viewers parse the imagery and debate what, if anything, was altered—and by whom.
