CHRIS DAUGHTRY Blasts A.I. Fakes: 'I Think It's Wrong, I Think It's Unethical, I Think It's Irresponsible And I Think It's Dangerous'

During an appearance on the February 8, 2026 episode of "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, DAUGHTRY frontman Chris Daughtry addressed his decision to set the record straight after fake artificial intelligence (A.I.) photos went viral of him last year paying tribute to the late Charlie Kirk. In the A.I. images, Daughtry was one of several musicians — including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen — who were falsely depicted paying tribute to Kirk after his death. Other A.I.-generated material claimed his marriage was on the rocks, something he absolutely denied.

Daughtry later shared an Instagram post in which he clarified to his fans that if a post about him is not coming from his verified account or the verified DAUGHTRY band page, then it's likely A.I. or false information.

Asked by Full Metal Jackie about A.I. posts trying to assign political affiliation to his name and social posts spreading false narratives about his family life, and what, in his opinion, can be done "to combat some of this stuff", Chris said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a loaded question. I don't know the answer. You would think something that is inherently spreading false information as truth should be considered illegal. And so you wouldn't dare allow a magazine or a publication to print something that false about someone.

"Why is it okay for these bots or these people that have nothing better to do to create these just polarizing false information about people and just put it out there as if it's factual?" he continued. "I think it's wrong, I think it's unethical, I think it's irresponsible and I think it's dangerous. And if there's no regulations for that, where does it end? How far does this go before it causes serious, serious problems and ramifications?

"I don't know the answer, but you would think our people in powers that be that have any sort of governing power over this stuff would be doing their job to protect people in that way," Chris added. "But so far it just seems like the Wild, Wild West when it comes to A.I. and what's allowed and what isn't and the loopholes that allow it to continue to exist without any sort of repercussion. It's pretty wild."

Last November, Daughtry told Rolling Stone magazine about the A.I-generated posts in which he was supposedly paying tribute to Kirk after the right-wing American activist and influencer's death: "I certainly don't stand with MAGA, Charlie Kirk, Turning Point or any other movement rooted in bigotry or intolerance or exclusivity. So when it [A.I.] starts lumping me into these groups that do not align with my values and the things I stand for and where my heart is, it affects me on a deep level. I don't want anyone out there believing that. When it starts to step on or completely contradict the things you stand for, that's when it hurts the most."

Chris said that he shared his original Instagram rant despite being advised not to address the subject, going "against my manager's wishes" in addressing the fake posts. "[My manager] was, like, 'You don't want to be feeding this machine or drawing more attention to it,'" Daughtry recalled. "And I was like, 'Fuck that.' I want everyone to know this is absolute bullshit, and I will shout it from the mountain tops."

The singer added that his values and beliefs have changed over the course of his career.

"I've evolved quite a bit as a human over the last 20 years," he said. "I don't hold the same religious dogma I grew up with. I'm all about equal rights, including, equal rights for LGBTQ, and minority communities."

In 2023, Daughtry warned about the dangers of artificial intelligence in his "Artificial" single, with the singer explaining, "'Artificial' is about the potential nightmare that A.I. could become and the idea that everything and everyone could eventually be replaced, essentially to perfection, and rendered obsolete."

He added: "However, the heart and soul of humanity and the ability to feel love, sadness, and compassion can never be replaced. While there are plenty of applications where A.I. can improve our lives and assist in many areas of creativity, I feel it's imperative that we find a way to protect our musicians, actors, writers, and all creative outlets from being destroyed."

"Plug into the new you/Don't resist 'cause it's no use, it's no use/It's digital warfare/The death of who we are is right here," Chris sang on "Artificial".