People used AI to make dozens of fake celebrity tributes to Charlie Kirk. Millions believed them
Three days after Charlie Kirk was publicly slain, a video appeared on YouTube announcing the debut of singer-songwriter Adele’s latest single, a soaring tribute to the conservative activist’s legacy.
“Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk!” a voice that sounded somewhat like Adele’s sang out over a video showing Kirk with his young daughter. “The angels sing your name. Your story’s written in the stars, a fire that won’t wane.”
According to YouTube posts, the celebrity tributes were plentiful. They came from Ed Sheeran, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Post Malone, Dax, Lil Wayne, Jelly Roll, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber and Imagine Dragons.
But none of them were real. They were all generated using artificial intelligence. And they often featured fake thumbnail images that showed the artists in tears or with mournful expressions.
PolitiFact analyzed 24 YouTube videos claiming to show tribute songs dedicated to Kirk. Combined, these videos gained more than 4.6 million views, and some were shared to other platforms.
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