During a July 29 concert in Charlotte, North Carolina, legendary singer Rod Stewart sparked both curiosity and criticism after unveiling an AI-generated tribute to late musicians during a performance of his hit song Forever Young. The video, which he dedicated to longtime friend Ozzy Osbourne, depicted a digitally recreated Osbourne using a selfie stick to pose with deceased icons, including Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Tupac Shakur, Kurt Cobain, XXXTentacion, and Amy Winehouse. While some audience members praised the creative homage, others called the concept unsettling, with one concert-goer describing it as a “new low” for AI-generated content.
Social media reactions highlighted the project’s perceived dissonance. A user on X noted Stewart’s decades-long friendship and professional history with Osbourne, questioning why real archival footage wasn’t used instead. “If they toured together, wouldn’t that material be more meaningful than a synthetic version?” the post read. Others debated the ethics of digitally resurrecting public figures without consent, reigniting broader discussions about AI’s role in art and memorialization.
The stunt also drew attention to Stewart’s history of contradictory public stances. In 2023, he declined a multimillion-dollar performance in Saudi Arabia, citing the nation’s human rights record regarding women and LGBTQ+ individuals. Yet in 2025, he publicly endorsed Nigel Farage, a British politician known for opposing LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access. Such inconsistencies extend to his views on technology: two years ago, Stewart warned that AI could lead to “the destruction of mankind,” a statement that now contrasts sharply with his decision to deploy the tool for a polarizing stage production.
The incident reflects growing tensions in entertainment over the use of synthetic media. While artists increasingly experiment with AI to reimagine collaborations or tributes, critics argue such projects risk exploiting legacies or sanitizing complex histories. Legal and ethical frameworks for posthumous digital recreations remain murky, leaving estates, fans, and creators to navigate uncharted territory.
Stewart has yet to address the backlash directly, but the controversy underscores a recurring theme in his career: a willingness to defy expectations, even at the cost of coherence. For now, the debate continues—not just about the singer’s choices, but about where society draws the line between innovation and appropriation in an era of rapidly evolving technology.
