Jay-Z has spoken out about artificial intelligence while responding to the intense online criticism surrounding reports that he may have selected himself to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
The 56-year-old hip-hop icon entered a $5 million-per-year partnership with the NFL in 2019 to help shape the league’s halftime entertainment. The agreement was extended in 2024, and Jay-Z has since been involved in choosing major performers including Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.
However, a report from Puck News claims the rapper could take the stage himself when the next Super Bowl halftime show is held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on February 14.
When Our News Outlet sought comment on Tuesday morning, Roc Nation did not issue an on-the-record response. The NFL also declined to comment, repeating its policy of confirming halftime performers only when an official announcement is ready.
Our News Outlet previously reported on September 18 that Jay-Z, who is married to Beyoncé and has three children with the singer, was considering himself for the coveted performance. Roc Nation and the NFL strongly rejected that report at the time.
Before the latest claims emerged, speculation had linked Roc Nation and Jay-Z to a possible shortlist featuring Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles for one of the biggest entertainment slots in the United States.
Jay-Z performed at SoFi Stadium, where he addressed the backlash and shared his thoughts on AI
Reports claim Jay-Z may have selected himself for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime performance
JAŸ-Z addresses the hate he’s been getting online recently. https://t.co/IEPTH8prW7
— No Jumper (@nojumper) October 25, 2026
The story has triggered a wave of criticism across social media, with users posting memes aimed at the idea that Jay-Z could have chosen himself for the Super Bowl stage.
During his Saturday concert at SoFi Stadium, the same venue scheduled to host the Super Bowl in February, Jay-Z appeared to connect the backlash to the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
“People will tell you that nobody was in here tonight, but you got eyes,” he told the crowd.
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He urged fans to trust what they could personally see and hear rather than accepting every outside narrative. “People will tell you that the music wasn’t great, but you got ears,” he said, adding that audiences should question what they are being told in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Jay-Z compared modern AI-generated messaging with the propaganda of earlier eras, describing the technology as an elaborate form of deception. He suggested that what was once called propaganda has evolved alongside new digital tools.
“We got real intelligence, not artificial intelligence,” he continued, arguing that human beings possess emotions and shared experiences that machines cannot reproduce. He also recalled the audience’s reaction when Drake appeared during the concert.
The rapper then warned fans that AI systems learn from the personal details people provide, including their names, style and identity, before attempting to imitate them. “Can’t be you,” he said.
Jay-Z has yet to perform during the Super Bowl halftime show, although Beyoncé headlined the event in New Orleans in 2013. She later returned as a guest alongside Bruno Mars during Coldplay’s halftime performance in Santa Clara in 2016.
Jay-Z helps oversee the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime entertainment through Roc Nation
The rap superstar has not performed at the Super Bowl, while Beyoncé headlined the show in 2013
Jay-Z’s most recent studio album remains 4:44, released in 2017 and later certified double platinum.
Last year’s Bad Bunny halftime show, the first not performed in English, generated huge debate and controversy which led to Jay-Z discussing the process behind choosing each act.
‘I think everyone should experience music in its totality,’ he told GQ.
‘And for a lot of years, it was only one side of music that was being represented. We got the opportunity to create a more balanced idea of what popular music is today.
‘I’m not going out on a limb, this is the most famous people in the world. I didn’t pick, like, the indie artist that I really like from Portland – It’s the number one most streamed artist in the world. Him!’
Despite the backlash, the Bad Bunny show set global viewership and social media records but fell short of the most viewed show of all-time on US television ratings.
