Why ‘Swifties Against AI’ Is Trending: Taylor Swift Faces Backlash Over Alleged AI-Generated Video

Taylor Swift is facing backlash from her fans over the alleged use of artificial intelligence in a recent video. The clip was part of a scavenger hunt launched with Google to promote her new single, The Fate of Ophelia.

As the video went viral, fans, popularly known as 'Swifties', were quick to notice strange visuals. These include a bartender’s hand passing through a napkin, a coat hanger vanishing mid-frame. They also noticed a carousel horse with two heads, raising suspicion about the creation of the video.

Soon after, theories started spreading and fans called out the US singer and songwriter for her use of artificial intelligence. They also pointed out that this marks a shift from the singer’s past stance on the use of AI in art.

“Big fan of her, not a big fan of artificially generated videos. I hope this gets sorted out!” a fan commented on X, with the hashtag #SwiftiesAgainstAI. 

The trending hashtag is being widely used by the fans as they voiced concern across social media. 

“Taylor Swift using generative AI to create videos after being staunchly for artists owning the right to their own work is the most hypocritical/tone deaf thing I’ve seen her do in a long time,” a fan said on X. 

The video was taken down shortly after the outcry. So far, neither Taylor Swift nor Google has commented on the controversy.

Swift had previously spoken out against AI during the US presidential elections. She criticised its use in spreading misinformation and highlighted a viral AI-generated video that falsely showed her endorsing Donald Trump.

“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.

Sharing a screenshot of Swift’s old post, a fan wrote on X: “What happened to your fear of AI and standing up for artists whose work gets stolen?” 

Notably, Swift isn’t the first celebrity to face backlash over AI. In May, language learning app Duolingo announced that it would become an AI-first company. 

As a result, the company faced swift backlash, prompting it to hide its viral TikTok and Instagram videos.