People are sick of AI, and the backlash is growing stronger.
Last month, Erykah Badu released an animated video for her new single "Next To You." This official visualizer features Badu's new character Abi hanging with her boo Alan. Simple black and white cartoons act out a teenage love affair. Pretty inoffensive.
Except everyone in the comments is convinced AI created the animations. One user says, "I'm so embarrassed. I showed this to my kid and they recognized it was AI. I admit I wasn't paying enough attention. Now I am."
Someone else said, "I hope AI doesn't replace your beautiful voice 🥀." My favorite comment was, "We need analog Erykah, not artificial Erykah."
I'm not surprised Erykah Badu would use AI for something minor like this. Her brand is Afro-Futurism. I expect her to experiment with all technology and decide if it serves her aesthetic. Honestly, I think all Black folks should do that. I mention Black people specifically because the AI renaissance is another white-dominated sector.
I am surprised how upset fans are in the comments. I'm especially surprised that this video is what caught one person's attention about the seriousness of AI. Pundits talk about AI all day, every day, but they're worried when Erykah Badu uses it?
Maybe Badu's fans associate her brand less with Afro-Futurism and more with traditional Black values. Either way, as one user puts it, the vibe in the comments is "No AI, No Exceptions."