Katy Perry was erroneously depicted as attending the Met Gala in AI-generated images that circulated widely on social media. Similarly, Rihanna was portrayed as being present, although she was actually at home recovering from the flu. This marks a rise in the prevalence of moderately convincing deepfakes.
Contrary to the images, Katy Perry did not wear a luxurious deep-V gown with fabric moss or a tight corset dress at the Met Gala. Despite this, images of these outfits circulated online, leading Perry's mother to praise her appearance, likening her to "the Rose Parade" in the gown. Perry herself was not at the star-studded event on Fifth Avenue, which she has attended intermittently since 2009. In response to the circulating images, she posted a video from her studio wearing a different outfit.
Many viewers, including Perry's mother, were deceived by these fake images, likely created using generative AI technology. Perry addressed the issue on Instagram, highlighting the falsity of the images and her mother's gullibility. This incident comes after Perry and over 200 other artists called for restrictions on AI-generated tools, advocating against their use to replace songwriters and artists.
The proliferation of generative AI-enabled deepfakes has become more pronounced this year, with instances ranging from robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden to fabricated explicit images of Taylor Swift. Despite this, there is currently no federal law in the US specifically prohibiting deepfakes, which can include manipulated photos, videos, or audio.
Rihanna was also subject to a deepfake incident related to the Met Gala, with a photo circulating on Twitter showing her smiling on the event's carpet in a forest gown. However, Rihanna was actually at home sick with the flu and did not attend the gala. Similarly to the Perry images, the fake photo of Rihanna featured a different carpet design than the actual Met Gala floor, indicating AI manipulation.
While the photos of Perry and Rihanna are relatively harmless, deepfakes present serious risks in other contexts, such as in political manipulation or personal fraud. It is crucial for individuals and policymakers to be aware of and address these threats.