Katy Perry’s AI Doppelganger Steals the (Almost) Show at the Met Gala
The Met Gala 2024 was a night filled with stars with extravagant fashion statements. The theme “Garden of Time” was well represented by all, but a guest that was not physically present stole the scene. Katy Perry, the pop icon, became a viral story through the energy of artificial intelligence.
In the meantime, Perry’s business responsibilities kept her away from the red carpet. The internet was flooded with AI-created images, and hardly anyone paid attention. The pair of pictures were astoundingly lifelike and made it seem as if Perry in two stunning outfits had attended the Oceania themed gala herself. The first picture had her in a gorgeous flowery dress that spilled copious blooms and butterflies into a moss-trimmed bust. The second photo of her displayed warrior princess, in a thick bronze corset and a skirt of greenest leaves.
Katy Perry reveals her mom fell for an AI photo of her at the #METGALA. PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZVDCVMJBTW
— Pop Base (@PopBase) MAY 7, 2024
The pictures became a social media hit, quickly raking in millions of views and generating buzz. In reality, the illusion was so flawless that even Perry’s mother was duped by the enchantment. Mary Perry is so happy of her “gorgeous gown,” she texted, comparing Katy to the queen of the Rose Parade and wishing her a happy Mother’s Day. Katy was so thrilled by her mother’s genuine response that she posted the whole interaction on social media, T-Aping the AI enchantment.
As a metaphor, this is a comic episode. From one perspective, this situation once again demonstrates how rapidly and powerfully artificial intelligence has progressed. Currently, you can use an algorithm to generate any model – a person or an object – which will be indistinguishable from reality. This episode demonstrates the scale of artificial intelligence’s potential in the creative industries and entertainment.
On the other hand, one can see a sign indicating the opposite trend. The Yahoo person is constructed so perfectly in just a few clicks that this confirms how weak the control of our informational field is. In a society, the digital state of which has become significant, the border between reality and cleverly devised content is thinning. Katy’s story reminds us of the importance of developing media literacy.
As much as social media can be a strong link of byamusement28, there is a need to deploy a healthy sense of skepticism. Reconsider sharing it based on the provider, how material is delivered, and biases. Sometimes, you can acquire answers with only a reverse Google image scan.
The Katy Perry Met Gala story exemplifies just how careful we have to be in the age of AI. Misinformation spreads with just one click. While it is important to celebrate the potential of machine creativity, we also must learn to carefully evaluate how AI-generated data can best be applied. In a world where pixels can be changed easier than ever, the truth becomes more elusive and authenticity becomes an increasingly rare treasure.
