Katy Perry was absent from the Met Gala 2025, but that didn't stop her name from trending on social media.
An AI-generated image circulated, depicting her in a dark, shimmering dress resembling liquid oil. Perry, currently on her 'The Lifetimes Tour,' addressed the fake image on Instagram, reassuring fans and joking about her absence.
"Couldn't make it to MET, was on The Lifetimes Tour (see you in Houston tomorrow LIVE!)," she wrote, adding she was with her mother, "protected from the bots."
Her partner, Orlando Bloom, joined in the humor, commenting on the image, referencing similar AI-generated content from the previous year. In 2024, similar fake images fooled many, including her own mother, who commented on the supposed outfit.
Perry debunked the rumors then, stating she was working in the studio. She shared a video of her day, quipping, "even my mom got fooled by AI."
This new wave of realistic fake images raises concerns. The image featured multiple angles and a stylized illustration, enhancing its believability.
With the rise of tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion, identifying fake images is increasingly difficult, but not impossible. Techniques and tools exist to help recognize artificial patterns.