Katy Perry Reacts to Viral AI-Generated Met Gala Photo That Tricked Fans (Again)

Another year, another Met Gala, another Katy Perry deepfake.

For a second year in a row, an AI-generated photo falsely depicting the pop star as walking the event’s red carpet made the rounds on social media, tricking fans into thinking she was actually there — something Perry reacted to on Instagram.

Sharing a few of the faux images of herself seemingly at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City — complete with a sleek black dress that doesn’t actually exist, but nevertheless coincides with this year’s Met theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” thanks to the power of artificial intelligence — Perry wrote, “Couldn’t make it to the MET, I’m on The Lifetimes Tour (see you in Houston tomorrow IRL).”

“P.s. this year I was actually with my mom so she’s safe from the bots,” she added. “but I’m praying for the rest of y’all.”

The post comes one year after the same exact thing happened on the day of the 2024 Met Gala, when a fake photo of Perry — who, like this year, was not in attendance at last year’s event — similarly went viral online. That year’s AI-generated snap showed the “Firework” singer in a voluminous ballgown decked out with flowers, matching the 2024 theme of “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” — but again, the dress, much like Perry’s attendance at the past two Met Galas, was not real.

That didn’t stop the former American Idol judge’s mom from falling for it last year. At the time, Perry shared a screenshot of a text from her mom that said, “Didn’t know you went to the Met … what a gorgeous gown,” to which the singer had replied, “Mom, the A.I. got you too, beware.”

Though Perry was not at the Met this year, countless other stars — from Rihanna to three-fourths of BLACKPINK, Doechii, Sabrina Carpenter and more — were. Co-chaired by A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo, this year’s theme paid tribute to “the role of sartorial style in forming Black identities, focusing on the emergence, significance and proliferation of the Black dandy,” according to Vogue.

As Perry mentioned, she’s currently on the road in support of her 2024 album, 143. The Lifetimes Tour kicked off April 23 in Mexico City; she’s now gearing up for a U.S. leg starting Wednesday in Houston.