No cats were harmed in the making of Will Smith's AI controversy response

Will Smith has responded to the controversy over his AI-enhanced concert video by… posting another AI generated video.

In case you missed the original story... Smith has been touring Europe this summer and last week posted a highlights video from the tour, except it was far, far too perfect with thousands of blandly cheering adoring fans; no punters picking their noses or coughing into a handkerchief, in other words. If you look closer some of them have oddly-shaped hands or extra fingers.

It was, of course, AI generated.

Smith has been criticised for the original video, and not just on the Internet. Green Day last week gently poked fun at the actor/ rapper by posting footage from their South American gigs of real fans at the barrier singing along to Basket Case, accompanied by the caption: “Don’t need AI for our crowds 😜.”

Now Smith has responded with another video which sees him performing on stage before an audience composed entirely of... cats.

It’s not entirely clear what point Smith is trying to make here. That he doesn’t care about the accusations? That he really likes AI-generated content? That his audience are discerning creatures with individual personalities, like cats? That he really likes cats? If it’s a joke, it misses the target – really, you’d expect more from an actor who first found fame in a much-loved sitcom.

Anyway, Smith wraps up his European tour tonight in Paris and then presumably returns to Hollywood.