Will Smith's concert crowds are real, but AI is blurring the lines

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Scope of the Problem (Will Smith Video & YouTube Shorts)

  • Thread notes two distinct manipulations:
    • Will Smith’s team allegedly used AI image-to-video on real crowd photos.
    • YouTube applies automatic “unblurring”/sharpening on Shorts (not full videos), which sometimes amplifies artifacts, especially on already-AI content.
  • Some viewers can barely see the difference between Instagram and YouTube; others see snapping focus, plastic skin, and distorted faces.

Aesthetics: “Soap Opera Effect” and AI Upscaling

  • Many compare AI-upscaled video to motion smoothing on TVs: hyper-real, cheap-looking, or nauseating.
  • AI tools often overwrite deliberate artistic choices (blur, grain, low framerate) with fake sharpness and interpolated frames, producing uncanny “video game” or “cartoon” vibes.
  • Historical parallels: 90s colorization of B&W films, bad WWII footage upscales, and distorted smartphone zoom where details become impressionist mush.

Incentives, Motives, and PR Spin

  • Strong skepticism that this is a grand conspiracy; more blame placed on bad incentives and KPIs to “sprinkle AI everywhere” rather than malice.
  • YouTube’s insistence that this is “not generative AI” but “traditional machine learning” is seen as hair-splitting that dodges the real concern: trust in images.
  • Some speculate it’s cheaper or compresses better; others think it’s about advertising, engagement, and AI optics rather than user benefit.

Erosion of Trust, Reality, and Consent

  • Fear that ubiquitous AI processing will make all media suspect, enabling bad actors to dismiss real evidence as “AI.”
  • Several argue the core issue is consent: concertgoers may have agreed to be filmed, but not to AI-generated “simulated likenesses” of themselves. Boilerplate “simulated likeness” clauses in venue T&Cs are seen as ethically dubious.
  • Concern that photos and videos are shifting from “record of what happened” to “visual wish-fulfillment,” eroding their historical value.

Broader AI Backlash and Cultural Divide

  • Many are tired of AI being forced into products (YouTube, phones, Spotify discovery, etc.) and see mostly “slop” with few genuine creative breakthroughs.
  • Others argue younger users and non-technical people often prefer the hyper-clean, AI-processed look and don’t notice (or care about) authenticity.
  • Emerging prediction: unprocessed media will become a niche, “artisanal” premium category.