Katy Perry fools millions, including her mother, with her AI-generated Met Gala photos

US singer Katy Perry said on Tuesday that AI-generated photos she uploaded of herself feigning to attend the Met Gala in New York had even tricked her mother. On Instagram, the Firework singer tweeted to her 207 million followers, “Couldn’t make it to the MET, I had to work.”

However, two of the images seem to show Perry on the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum, which on Monday played host to the most glamorous fashion event of the year. In one, she was dressed in a massive flowery outfit, and in the other, she was clad in a bronze bustier and grass petticoat a la warriora.

Perry said that she was in the “Metaverse,” but many of her internet followers were unaware that she wasn’t there. Perry’s mother was even tricked by the image. The musician sent a message from her mother saying, “Didn’t know you went to the Met.”

“Lol Mom, the AI got you too, beware,” Perry retorted. Throughout the evening, more phonies surfaced, including pictures of actor Selena Gomez and singer Rihanna. While dangerous and sexualized photographs of celebrities have been created with AI frequently, some people are increasingly adopting the technology themselves.

British singer-songwriter FKA Twigs disclosed earlier this year that she had created a deepfake version of herself. She claimed in a statement, “It is not only trained in my personality but can speak many languages with my exact tone of voice.”

She went on, “I will be using my ‘AI twigs’ later this year to handle my online social media interactions and expand my reach, while I continue to focus on my art from the comfort and solace of my studio.”

Before the website took it down in January, a phony pornographic photo of pop sensation Taylor Swift had been viewed 47 million times on X in just under two hours. Twenty internet behemoths, including X and Meta (Facebook, Instagram), pledged the next month to use AI-generated content detection and reporting tools.