A handful of AI-generated videos of the late Tupac Shakur are sparking calls to stop the growing trend of digitally resurrecting deceased celebrities.
A viral AI-generated video circulating on social media depicts Tupac shopping at Target, where fans approach him for photos. The rapper happily agrees and takes a selfie with one excited fan.
“Tupac spotted at Target,” one TikTok video reads.
Created with the AI video generator Sora, the “Tupac at Target” video is part of a rising wave of AI-generated content sweeping the internet, prompting many to call for an end to the trend.
“This AI ish ain’t gonna end well,” one person wrote.
“I’m tired of this ish now. It’s getting out of hand,” added another.
Another user pointed out the unrealistic detail of the mourned rapper shopping for socks in the cereal aisle in the AI video.
“Socks on the cereal aisle in Target is crazy,” they wrote.
Adding to the AI Tupac craze, other videos depict a celebrity “heaven” in Cuba where Tupac interacts with fellow deceased icons like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Bruce Lee, and even Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Some clips even imagine a grown-up AI friendship between Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.
“We are technically bringing people back to this reality, and it’s so wild to think about ,” one X user wrote.
“We are in trouble by 2030,” added someone else.
As AI continues to expand across the digital landscape, concerns grow over its ethical use and whether resurrecting deceased figures truly honors their legacy. Despite the criticism, the global market for AI video generators is projected to grow 20% annually, driven by their low cost, accessibility, and ability to create hyper-personalized content across industries.
