Now this is a story all about how Will Smith may have unashamedly used AI to simulate a crowd responding well to his music.
You’re probably reading this and wondering whether or not the words and the by-product of a machine. Don’t worry about it, I won’t take any personal offence, but it is interesting that a few years ago this thought would never have crossed your mind.
There has never been a quicker technological advancement in the history of humankind than the rise of AI. Overnight, it went from being the stuff of sci-fi legend to a reality. All of sudden, schools had to adapt to ensure their kids weren’t cheating, newspapers had to implement AI scanners to make sure their writers’ efforts were legitimate, and the artistic world had to work out how it could continue to exist while AI was generating music, text, and graphics completely free that would usually take hours, days even, in a matter of moments.
The world has adjusted slightly, but not enough just yet, and the future of how we coexist alongside AI remains in contention. It seems that the conversation which persistently plagues the world of art in the modern age is how the implementation of artificial intelligence is going to impact the industry moving forward, and whether or not it could ever be used in a positive way.
This writer, personally, doesn’t think that it could (in the world of art, that is). There are plenty of tech heads and optimists who insist that AI will only enhance the artistic world and that its use will be a good thing for progress, but I simply can’t see that being the case. Yes, there has been push-back on the use of technology in the arts in the past, as the electric guitar, synthesiser and DJ turntables were all met with raised eyebrows and tuts from artistic purists, but this feels different, as this is the first technological advancement that removes human connection as we know it.
For me to effectively make my point, we must first ask, what is the point of art? This isn’t a new question; it’s one which has been pondered over for generations now, and one which I likely won’t be able to shed light on that isn’t already shining. Though scholars who have more intellectual know-how than I have formerly offered up their opinions to no objective avail, I would still like to throw my hat into the ring: Art is important because it makes what is fundamentally a lonely world less so.
A video still from Will Smith’s alleged AI generated crowd clip (Credits: Far Out / Will Smith / Video Still)
Even if you are surrounded by friends and family who you trust dearly, the heart of the matter remains that the majority of your life is spent inside your own head. During periods when you’re on your own, or feel like so, the only thing you have is your own thoughts, and at times, that can exacerbate the isolation. Art comes along and acknowledges those thoughts for you in a way that you want to engage with. This isn’t a therapy session, this isn’t something daunting, this is just a song, a painting, a film that understands you and that you can turn to whenever you need.
In his book, What’s Love Got to Do With It?: Emotions and Relationships in Popular Songs, sociologist Thomas J Scheff explores the connections that people make with artists through their work. “Popular love lyrics present a picture of an imagined social-emotional world, and modern societies tend to ignore this world,” he explained, “Since modern societies are highly individualistic, the nature of relationships usually takes a backseat. Modern societies focus on the self-reliant individual.”
While Scheff is talking specifically about love, his findings apply to every emotion the human psyche is capable of. Your feelings are dragged from the inside of your mind and laid flat out in front of you. You feel acknowledged, and you suddenly have company in a life that is so often spent in isolation.
I would argue that this connection can only be established between humans. A human mind needs to be behind the creation and consumption of such art for it to fulfil its purpose. I have always found comfort in the idea that artists are aware of this as well, on a conscious or subconscious level, and it’s for this reason that I find it so disappointing that creatives are willingly using AI in the development of their work. It seems to nullify the whole point of the medium, and severs the connection I have held so dear with it my whole life.
Artists using AI in the creation of art is one thing, but Will Smith appears to have taken this to another level, as in a video he posted on his social media recently, it appears he is using it to simulate the consumption of art as well as the creation of it. He shared a video of him performing at recent concerts, which shows the camera panning to and from him and the crowd. While the shots of Smith himself look legitimate enough, those of the crowd appear suspicious.
In the footage, faces appear blurred, the movement of the crowd looks odd, and the whole video seems strange. Far Out sent the footage to Jesse Glass, the lead AI researcher at DecideAI, who analysed the clip to see if it was AI or not.
Here’s what he had to say: “It’s possible to train AI models to detect if a video clip is an output of the model; however, it requires access to the model and tons of generated content and not generated content. As a viewer, it shows several characteristics in the clips: their length, their movement, the lack of audio, and the people’s expressions that lend strength to the suspicion that this reel was augmented with AI clips.”
Crowd shots from Will Smith’s recent tour promotional videos (Credits: Far Out / Will Smith / Video Stills)
Talking about the expansion in the sector, he outlined, “In tandem with the growth we have seen around LLMs [Large Language Models], we have seen users be able to discern chatbots from authentic speech. Despite LLMs (in this case, VLMs [Video Language Models]) getting better, humans are getting better at detecting them. Authenticity in the time of AI-generated content is a troublesome issue with meaningful ramifications that many people have been concerned about for some time.”
While we cannot say for certain whether or not the clip is AI, as Glass points out, there are a number of factors which point towards that being the case. This is disturbing on an artistic level, but even more so when you consider the fact that one of the signs a fan holds up reads: “‘You Can Make It’ helped me survive cancer. THX WILL”. Who am I to say whether or not Will Smith’s music has helped people through difficult times in their life, but the idea that an artist manipulates footage to make that look like the case is bordering on evil.
To re-emphasise, it’s difficult to say with 100% certainty whether or not the clip is AI, but there are telltale signs that it could be. Even if it’s not, the fact that we are discussing it shows just how much of a possibility such a move is. I have no doubt that AI will do great things for us as a society, but its heavy involvement in the production of art, and now apparently its perceived consumption, is incredibly troubling.
Did Will Smith use AI to make his concerts look better than they actually are? It looks like that may well be the case. And ain’t that just a slap in the face?
Spotify, Reddit and X have all implemented age assurance systems to prevent children from being exposed to inappropriate content.
STR | Nurphoto via Getty Images
The global online safety movement has paved the way for a number of artificial intelligence-powered products designed to keep kids away from potentially harmful things on the internet.
In the U.K., a new piece of legislation called the Online Safety Act imposes a duty of care on tech companies to protect children from age-inappropriate material, hate speech, bullying, fraud, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Companies can face fines as high as 10% of their global annual revenue for breaches.
Further afield, landmark regulations aimed at keeping kids safer online are swiftly making their way through the U.S. Congress. One bill, known as the Kids Online Safety Act, would make social media platforms liable for preventing their products from harming children — similar to the Online Safety Act in the U.K.
This push from regulators is increasingly causing something of a rethink at several major tech players. Pornhub and other online pornography giants are blocking all users from accessing their sites unless they go through an age verification system.
Porn sites haven’t been alone in taking action to verify users ages, though. Spotify, Reddit and X have all implemented age assurance systems to prevent children from being exposed to sexually explicit or inappropriate materials.
Such regulatory measures have been met with criticisms from the tech industry — not least due to concerns that they may infringe internet users’ privacy.
Digital ID tech flourishing
At the heart of all these age verification measures is one company: Yoti.
Yoti produces technology that captures selfies and uses artificial intelligence to verify someone’s age based on their facial features. The firm says its AI algorithm, which has been trained on millions of faces, can estimate the age of 13 to 24-year-olds within two years of accuracy.
The firm has previously partnered with the U.K.’s Post Office and is hoping to capitalize on the broader push for government-issued digital ID cards in the U.K. Yoti is not alone in the identity verification software space — other players include Entrust, Persona and iProov. However, the company has been the most prominent provider of age assurance services under the new U.K. regime.
“There is a race on for child safety technology and service providers to earn trust and confidence,” Pete Kenyon, a partner at law firm Cripps, told CNBC. “The new requirements have undoubtedly created a new marketplace and providers are scrambling to make their mark.”
Yet the rise of digital identification methods has also led to concerns over privacy infringements and possible data breaches.
“Substantial privacy issues arise with this technology being used,” said Kenyon. “Trust is key and will only be earned by the use of stringent and effective technical and governance procedures adopted in order to keep personal data safe.”
Rani Govender, policy manager for child safety online at British child protection charity NSPCC, said that the technology “already exists” to authenticate users without compromising their privacy.
“Tech companies must make deliberate, ethical choices by choosing solutions that protect children from harm without compromising the privacy of users,” she told CNBC. “The best technology doesn’t just tick boxes; it builds trust.”
Child-safe smartphones
The wave of new tech emerging to prevent children from being exposed to online harms isn’t just limited to software.
Earlier this month, Finnish phone maker HMD Global launched a new smartphone called the Fusion X1, which uses AI to stop kids from filming or sharing nude content or viewing sexually explicit images from the camera, screen and across all apps.
The phone uses technology developed by SafeToNet, a British cybersecurity firm focused on child safety.
Finnish phone maker HMD Global’s new smartphone uses AI to prevent children from being exposed nude or sexually explicit images.
HMD Global
“We believe more needs to be done in this space,” James Robinson, vice president of family vertical at HMD, told CNBC. He stressed that HMD came up with the concept for children’s devices prior to the Online Safety Act entering into force, but noted it was “great to see the government taking greater steps.”
The release of HMD’s child-friendly phone follows heightened momentum in the “smartphone-free” movement, which encourages parents to avoid letting their children own a smartphone.
Going forward, the NSPCC’s Govender says that child safety will become a significant priority for digital behemoths such as Google and Meta.
The tech giants have for years been accused of worsening mental health in children and teens due to the rise of online bullying and social media addiction. They in return argue they’ve taken steps to address these issues through increased parental controls and privacy features.
“For years, tech giants have stood by while harmful and illegal content spread across their platforms, leaving young people exposed and vulnerable,” she told CNBC. “That era of neglect must end.”
FILE PHOTO: Meta is adding new teenager safeguards to its AI products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Meta is adding new teenager safeguards to its artificial intelligence products by training systems to avoid flirty conversations and discussions of self-harm or suicide with minors, and by temporarily limiting their access to certain AI characters.
A Reuters exclusive report earlier in August revealed how Meta allowed provocative chatbot behavior, including letting bots engage in “conversations that are romantic or sensual.”
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in an email on Friday that the company is taking these temporary steps while developing longer-term measures to ensure teens have safe, age-appropriate AI experiences.
Stone said the safeguards are already being rolled out and will be adjusted over time as the company refines its systems.
Meta’s AI policies came under intense scrutiny and backlash after the Reuters report.
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley launched a probe into the Facebook parent’s AI policies earlier this month, demanding documents on rules that allowed its chatbots to interact inappropriately with minors.
Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed alarm over the rules outlined in an internal Meta document which was first reviewed by Reuters.
Meta had confirmed the document’s authenticity, but said that after receiving questions earlier this month from Reuters, the company removed portions that stated it was permissible for chatbots to flirt and engage in romantic role play with children.
“The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed,” Stone said earlier this month.
In every era of human civilization, science and technology have acted as the fuel of progress. From the invention of the wheel to the discovery of electricity, and from the first printing press to the age of the internet, technology has always pushed society forward. Yet, in the 21st century, we find ourselves at the edge of something even more profound—a future where human intelligence and artificial intelligence converge to reshape how we live, work, and even think.
This is not a story of distant centuries or futuristic fantasy. It is unfolding now, in real time, around us. Artificial Intelligence (AI), biotechnology, robotics, space exploration, and quantum computing are no longer dreams on paper; they are living realities with the potential to redefine what it means to be human.
AI: From Tools to Partners
Only a few decades ago, computers were seen as sophisticated calculators. Today, AI systems are generating music, diagnosing diseases, writing novels, and even driving cars. What makes this revolutionary is not just the speed of computation, but the ability of machines to *learn* and *adapt*.
Consider healthcare: AI-powered systems are now able to detect cancers in their earliest stages with accuracy that surpasses human doctors. In agriculture, AI drones are analyzing soil and weather patterns to guide farmers in planting crops more efficiently. In creative industries, algorithms are designing clothes, painting art, and even composing film scores.
The line between man and machine is slowly fading. Instead of replacing humans, the most successful innovations are those where AI works *with* us, not against us. This partnership opens the door to a future where tasks once thought impossible become routine.
Biotechnology: Editing Life Itself
Perhaps the most striking frontier of science today is biotechnology. With CRISPR gene-editing technology, scientists are rewriting the code of life. Genetic disorders that once doomed generations—like sickle-cell anemia or Huntington’s disease—may one day vanish from humanity’s story.
But beyond curing illness, biotechnology raises deeper ethical and philosophical questions. If we can design stronger, smarter, or more resilient humans, should we? Where is the line between medicine and enhancement?
At the same time, biotechnology is revolutionizing food production. Lab-grown meat and genetically engineered crops promise to feed billions sustainably, without exhausting our planet’s resources. The same tools that can design cures for rare diseases might also prevent global hunger.
Space Exploration: Humanity Beyond Earth
For centuries, the night sky has been a canvas for human imagination. Today, it is becoming our next great frontier. Private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing with national space agencies to make space travel more affordable and routine. Mars is no longer just a dream in science fiction novels; it is a target for colonization within the next few decades.
Space exploration is not merely about adventure. It is about survival. With climate change, overpopulation, and natural resource depletion threatening our planet, looking beyond Earth may one day be essential. Mining asteroids, building lunar bases, and developing interplanetary habitats could secure the future of our species.
And yet, the universe is not only a resource but a mystery. The search for extraterrestrial life, the study of black holes, and the pursuit of understanding dark matter remind us that science is not just about solving problems—it is about expanding our horizons.
Quantum Computing: The New Revolution
If AI is about intelligence and biotechnology about life, then quantum computing is about the very fabric of reality. Unlike traditional computers that process information in bits (0 or 1), quantum computers use *qubits* that can exist in multiple states simultaneously.
This gives quantum computers the potential to solve problems that would take classical supercomputers millions of years. From modeling new medicines to simulating climate systems and cracking complex codes, quantum technology could transform every industry.
Still in its infancy, quantum computing is like electricity in the 19th century—full of promise, waiting for its Edison or Tesla moment.
Challenges and Responsibilities
With every leap in technology comes responsibility. AI raises questions about privacy, job displacement, and bias. Biotechnology forces us to confront moral dilemmas about altering human life. Space exploration challenges us to unite globally for missions larger than any one nation. Quantum computing raises security risks that could upend global cybersecurity.
The danger is not the technology itself, but how humanity chooses to use it. Fire can warm a home or burn it down. Nuclear fission can power cities or destroy them. Likewise, the tools of the future will test our wisdom as much as our creativity.
Conclusion: A Shared Future
Science and technology are no longer separate subjects confined to laboratories. They are becoming the foundation of everyday life and the blueprint of tomorrow. What we build today—our machines, our medicines, our codes, and our ethics—will echo for generations.
The future will not be defined by whether humans or machines are smarter, but by how we choose to collaborate. The dawn of human–AI synergy is here. It is not about replacing humanity but about enhancing it, pushing us toward possibilities our ancestors could only dream of.
In this new age, the most important invention will not be a machine, a rocket, or a genome. It will be wisdom—the wisdom to use our tools not just to survive, but to thrive, to explore, and to create a future worthy of the human spirit.
