An AI-generated image of Katy Perry at the Met Gala 2024 went viral, capturing the attention of millions despite the pop star not attending the event, according to a report by Page Six. The realistic photo, which was shared widely on X (formerly Twitter), depicted Perry on the iconic stairs of The Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a light beige gown adorned with embroidery, flowers, and a moss border, aligning with this year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
The image showed Perry with waist-length black hair styled in soft waves and a middle part, wearing minimal makeup complemented by a light red lip. The photo quickly spread across social media, amassing over 9.6 million views and 56,000 shares, with many fans mistakenly believing that Perry had made a statement appearance at the gala.
However, sharp-eyed observers noted a discrepancy: the carpet in the photo matched the design from the 2018 Met Gala, not the cream and green carpet of this year’s event. “I can’t at everyone falling for this, this isn’t even the same carpet,” commented one user, pointing out the error.
Katy Perry herself responded to the viral phenomenon with humor on Instagram, posting the AI-generated image with the caption, “Couldn’t make it to the MET, had to work.” She also shared a humorous text exchange with her mother, Mary Perry, who was momentarily fooled by the image. “Didn’t know you went to the Met,” Mary texted, to which Katy replied, “lol mom the AI got you too, BEWARE!”
Despite the image being artificial, many fans expressed that the fabricated look was one of their favorites of the night. Comments ranged from “My favorite [look] so far” to “She understood. Gorgeous” and “This is AI, but would have definitely been one of the best looks if it were real.” Perry, known for her previous eye-catching Met Gala outfits like a cheeseburger and a chandelier, has not attended the gala since 2022 when she dazzled in a black Oscar de la Renta gown.
This incident mirrors a similar AI mishap from the previous year involving Selena Gomez, whose fans created a faux image of her at the Met Gala 2023, wearing a dress modeled after Lily James’ attire from 2022.
