Even the biggest stars aren’t immune to the “uncanny valley” of modern technology. Blake Shelton recently opened up about the frighteningly realistic AI-generated images of himself and wife, Gwen Stefani, circulating online. Recounting a moment where he nearly mistook a digital fabrication for a real memory, the country star joked, “I know I don’t own that shirt,” before warning fans that the line between reality and AI is officially disappearing. In a recent conversation with Lon Helton on Country Countdown USA, Blake got to talking about fake news and AI pictures that leave him scratching his head: “Starting in October, I think, or maybe November, I started noticing these articles popping up about ‘Blake and Gwen, they’re split up. They’re not even seeing each other anymore, they’re going through a divorce.’ And then, you know, a week later a picture comes out of us walking out of the grocery store: ‘Oh, they’re back together again!’ And another week goes by and we’re not seen at the grocery store: ‘They’re divorcing!'” Of course, since AI has started to run rampant all over the internet and social media, that makes these ridiculous, supermarket tabloid headlines more believable because you pair them up with a photo that matches the bizarre headline. Don’t get me wrong, AI fakes are pretty easy to spot if you regularly spend a lot of time on the internet, but for my 60 year old mom scrolling through Facebook… not so much. And even Blake himself confesses that he has to do a double take when he sees AI photos of himself: “I see pictures of Gwen and I on social media that I really go, ‘that looks so real.’ But I know I don’t even own that shirt or, ‘Whose car is that?’ I don’t believe anything anymore that I see on the internet. I mean, nothing. I just don’t believe it.” While Shelton joked about his wardrobe being the only giveaway, he turned serious when discussing the implications of these “Deepfake” images. As AI tools become more accessible, celebrities are increasingly finding themselves at the center of sophisticated scams that fans often mistake for reality. And that’s really the issue, isn’t it? Using this technology to take advantage of fans, which has been a problem since the beginning of social media. AI is just another tool, a more sophisticated tool, for these bad actors. And Shelton isn’t the only star voicing concerns as we enter 2026. From Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish to Tom Hanks and more Hollywood stars, the fight against unauthorized AI likenesses is likely becoming the biggest legal battle in the entertainment industry. And it’s only going to get worse… How to Spot an AI “Deepfake” Hyper Polished: AI photos tend to look super polished and edited, that should be the first sign something could be off. The Shirt Test: Look for logos or patterns on clothing that look slightly “smudged” or nonsensical. Those fine details can be tricky for AI. Check the Hands: Even with the newest updates, AI still struggles with complex finger positions and jewelry. Fingers can look smashed together or missing all together. The Eye Reflection: Real photos have consistent light reflections in both pupils; AI often gets the “sparkle” slightly off-center. Here’s a great example from a phony post about Eric Church performing an “alternate” Super Bowl halftime show. Note the hyper-polished look and the weird fingers that are missing from his right hand. The post “I Know I Don’t Own That Shirt”: Blake Shelton Reveals He’s Nearly Fooled By AI Photos Of Him & Gwen Stefani first appeared on Whiskey Riff.