An AI-generated image of Katy Perry caused a stir, fooling many into believing she attended the Met Gala on Monday. The fact that even her mother was convinced speaks to the realistic nature of these images and their potential to shape public perception.
The Met Gala, themed "Garden of Time," was a star-studded affair on Monday night. This theme, inspired by the concept of time and its influence on fashion, attracted A-listers from music, film, and fashion – though some attendees were present only virtually, thanks to the magic of artificial intelligence (AI).
DailyMail.com spoke with two Katy Perry superfans whose creations using AI image generators were so realistic that they even convinced Perry's mother that the "Teenage Dream" singer attended the Met Gala.
Embracing this year's "Garden of Time" theme, the AI-generated images depicted Perry adorned in vibrant floral patterns and cascading vines, creating a thoroughly verdant and botanical look. One image featured Perry channelling 1940s screen siren Veronica Lake with long, crimped waves, while the other showcased her sporting the trendy "wet look."
"I intend to continue creating content that inspires and enchants fans, without disrespecting the artist's image," Brazilian fan Sali told DailyMail.com of his work. Sali also created a realistic AI fake of Billie Eilish attending the Met Gala 2024.
Sali also realized his work is "sparking debates about ethical AI use," especially with the election around the corner. The emergence of AI-faked Biden robocalls and AI-generated images of Trump supporters has intensified these discussions, highlighting the ethical implications of AI use.
The AI Images That Caught Katy Perry's Eye
However, this devoted Katy Perry fan hopes this shockingly advanced technology can still come in handy for creating "positive and admirable content." Sali found inspiration when he noticed that someone from Katy Perry's team seemed to have liked some of his previous AI creations featuring the pop star on his Katy Perry fan Instagram account, @salikatycat.
"Someone from her team was liking them, so I believed that some of my edits might be seen by her," he said. "I think that may have sparked [my] interest in creating these AI-generated looks of Katy Perry for the Met Gala. I believed that, but I might be being too presumptuous in saying that."
On American Idol red carpet, Katy Perry remained tight-lipped about attending the 2024 Met Gala. "This is my Met Gala. This is my garden party," she told Entertainment Tonight of the reality show. "Here I am, transformed, the butterfly you have been waiting to see."
Despite remaining mum on the American Idol red carpet, Perry left room for speculation. Sali, who had hoped to see her attend the Met Gala, acknowledged, "I speculated that Katy Perry would attend the Met Gala, but she hadn't confirmed her presence."
Perry surprised her devoted fan, Sali, by posting his AI-generated images of her to her official Instagram account. The caption read, "couldn't make it to the MET, had to work."
The Craft Behind Creating Viral AI Art
Gustavo, who goes by Sali online and prefers to keep his identity private, explained to DailyMail.com that his meticulous process for creating AI-generated images goes far beyond simply typing a prompt.
"She was made by AI on Bing, and then I remastered everything and added her face," Sali explained to DailyMail.com. He clarified that the process involves using Bing's Copilot Designer, a feature introduced in 2023, which allows users to create images with the assistance of AI. This tool provides a base image, which Sali then modifies and enhances to create the final result.
Despite its power, Sali acknowledges the limitations of Bing's tool. To recap, a Microsoft engineer, in March, found the AI image generation created disturbing content like demons, teenagers with guns, underage substance abuse, and more.
However, Sali finds it effective for sparking creative ideas and is well-suited for generating looks. "The attempts on Bing to generate an image are varied until I reach the result I consider perfect," he said.
After the app generates intriguing images, Sali takes over, refining them using Leonardo.AI, a generative AI startup based in Sydney, Australia. This collaborative process, which involves both AI and human creativity, is a key aspect of Sali's AI art.
Speaking through a Portuguese translator, Kauán told DailyMail.com he was ecstatic. Perry's "like" on X for Sali's AI creations seemed to endorse the entire project retroactively.
Katy Perry even shared a screenshot of a funny text exchange with her mom, who, fooled by the viral images, mistakenly thought her daughter had walked the Met Gala red carpet this year. "lol mom the AI got you too, BEWARE!" Perry texted back.
