Ozzy Osbourne AI Resurrection Sparks Controversy After Rod Stewart Uses It in Concert
Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22, but his legacy has already been dragged into the controversial world of AI-generated resurrections. Fellow rock legend Rod Stewart recently incorporated AI-generated footage of Osbourne into his live performance, sparking mixed reactions from fans.
During Stewart’s August 1 concert in Alpharetta, Georgia, as part of his One Last Time tour, the 80-year-old singer played a video featuring a digitally recreated Ozzy Osbourne. The AI version showed Osbourne smiling, holding a selfie stick, and posing alongside other deceased musicians like Prince, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, 2Pac, and even emo rapper XXXTentacion. The bizarre montage played while Stewart performed his rendition of Bob Dylan’s Forever Young.
The video quickly went viral, reigniting debates about the ethics of using AI to bring deceased celebrities back to life without consent. While some fans found the tribute touching, others called it tasteless and exploitative. Critics argue that AI resurrections strip away the humanity of the artists, turning them into digital puppets for entertainment.
This isn’t the first time AI has been used to recreate late musicians. In recent years, holograms and deepfake technology have brought stars like Tupac Shakur and Whitney Houston back to the stage, often without input from their estates. The trend raises legal and moral questions about who controls a celebrity’s likeness after death.
Stewart has yet to comment on the backlash, but the incident highlights the growing tension between technology and artistic integrity. As AI becomes more advanced, the music industry will have to grapple with where to draw the line between homage and exploitation.
For now, fans of Ozzy Osbourne and the other artists featured in the video are left to decide for themselves whether the digital tributes honor their legacies or simply capitalize on their fame. One thing is certain—AI resurrections are here to stay, and the debate is far from over.
