For the release of her twelfth album, \u201cThe Life of a Showgirl,\u201d Taylor Swift sent fans on an online scavenger hunt this weekend, which began by searching for \u201cTaylor Swift\u201d on Google. But as fans unveiled secret videos as part of the campaign, some fretted that the clips looked like they were AI-generated \u2014 and they were not pleased.<\/p>\n
A Google search for the singer\u2019s name yields a cryptic message: \u201c12 cities, 12 doors, 1 video to unlock.\u201d <\/p>\n
Fans had to figure out the location of the doors, then physically find them and scan a QR code, which surfaced 12 unique videos that contained the clues needed to solve the puzzle. When fans Googled the correct phrase, another orange door appeared, which fans had to collectively \u201cknock\u201d on by clicking 12 million times. Finally, the door \u201copened,\u201d revealing a lyric video for \u201cThe Fate of Ophelia<\/a>,\u201d which has its own orange door progress bar on YouTube.<\/p>\n YouTube had scored the video exclusive for the track<\/a>, as well as the lyric videos from the remaining songs on the new album.<\/p>\n Google initially announced the scavenger hunt in a video on Instagram<\/a>. The video begins with an aerial view of Earth, then quickly zooms in on a hilly, bejeweled<\/a> landscape, until we see an orange door, overlayed with a Google search bar.<\/p>\n While Swifties love a puzzle,<\/a> some were rubbed the wrong way by the 12 clue-containing videos, which looked to be AI-generated.<\/p>\n Instead of searching for clues to unveil Swift\u2019s new lyric video, as Swift intended, some fans began to scour the video clips like detectives, looking for signs that the scenes were synthetic. However, while there are clips that look computer-generated, it\u2019s unclear if they were made using AI, and if so, to what extent. <\/p>\n Techcrunch event<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSan Francisco It would make sense if these videos were generated using Google\u2019s AI products. As OpenAI shows off its new Sora 2 video generator<\/a>, this Taylor Swift collaboration would be a serendipitous opportunity for Google to show millions of Swifties what its Veo 3<\/a> model can do.<\/p>\n Google did not respond to TechCrunch\u2019s request for comment on how these videos were generated or if Swift and Google worked together on this activation by using Google\u2019s own AI technology. But Swift\u2019s team and Google have teamed up for similar promotional activities<\/a> in the past, we should note. <\/p>\n The use of AI in creative works is a sensitive subject. Some artists think these tools can help them, while others have protested the manner in which large language models are trained on their work<\/a> without consent<\/a>, effectively using artists\u2019 own work to create the technology that could threaten their livelihoods<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even Swift herself spoke out about the dangers of AI after President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of her showing support for his campaign last year; the incident spurred her to post an endorsement<\/a> for former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran against Trump in 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cRecently I was made aware that AI of \u2018me\u2019 falsely endorsing Donald Trump\u2019s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter,\u201d she wrote<\/a> on Instagram at the time.<\/p>\n The controversy around Swift\u2019s possible use of AI is amplified given her own stature in the music industry. <\/p>\n While AI may appeal to some artists as a way to cut costs, the billionaire musician has every possible resource at her disposal to bring the fantastical scenes from her promotional videos to life.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOctober 27-29, 2025\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n