Rod Stewart Stirs Controversy With AI Ozzy Osbourne Tribute

Music icon Rod Stewart is finding himself at the center of a debate after a recent tribute to the late rock legend Ozzy Osbourne took an unusual, tech-driven turn. While on his “One Last Time” tour, Stewart has been dedicating his classic song “Forever Young” to the Black Sabbath frontman, who passed away on July 22, typically accompanied by heartfelt images of Osbourne.

A Tribute Takes a Bizarre Turn

However, at his August 1st concert near Atlanta, Georgia, the tribute veered into controversial territory. As reported by NME, what began as a standard photo montage of Osbourne soon transformed into a series of AI-generated visuals. These images depicted Osbourne in a heavenly afterlife, posing alongside other deceased music legends.

AI Images Spark Confusion

The AI-created scenes showed Osbourne with a lineup of iconic artists including Prince, Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, George Michael, and Amy Winehouse, all set against celestial, cloud-filled backdrops. The tribute also controversially included AI-generated videos of Osbourne with figures like Michael Jackson and XXXTentacion.

Audience Reaction and Official Silence

This unexpected use of artificial intelligence left many in the audience bewildered, with several concertgoers taking to social media to express their confusion. The situation was further complicated by a comment Stewart reportedly made at a previous show. According to Rolling Stone, after a similar performance in Charlotte, North Carolina, Stewart remarked, “Very sad. A lot of those people died ’cause of drugs… I’m still here, though!”

Following Osbourne's death, Stewart had posted a simple tribute on his Instagram account, saying, “Bye, bye Ozzy. I’ll see you up there— later rather than sooner.” To date, neither representatives for Rod Stewart nor the Osbourne family have commented on the controversial AI visuals. Stewart's tour continues across the US before heading to Europe, leaving fans to wonder about the intent behind the peculiar tribute.