The Super Bowl LIX halftime show is set to be a historic moment with Kendrick Lamar headlining at New Orleans' Caesars Superdome. With just 12-15 minutes to showcase his extensive catalog, speculation is running high about which songs will make the cut and which special guests might join him on stage.
To get a fresh perspective on the possibilities, I turned to five leading AI chatbots for their predictions. From practical song choices to elaborate staging suggestions, each AI took a distinctly different approach to predicting the setlist. Some focused on crowd-pleasing hits, others imagined surprise collaborations, and a few even suggested specific visual elements.
Their predictions ranged from conservative seven-song sets to ambitious eleven-track spectaculars. Let's explore how each AI envisioned Kendrick's half-time Super Bowl performance.
The prompt
Predict Kendrick Lamar’s setlist for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, including any potential guest appearances.
ChatGPT's take
ChatGPT took a measured approach, focusing on crowd-pleasing hits while considering the show's logistics. Its prediction opened with "DNA" and "HUMBLE" — a powerful one-two punch that would indeed get the stadium moving.
Interestingly, it suggested SZA as a guest performer for "All the Stars", showing awareness of their successful collaboration history. The AI even considered the emotional arc of the show, suggesting ending with "i" for an uplifting finale.
Pros and cons
ChatGPT offered a realistic song count that could actually fit within the 12-minute time slot.
The AI demonstrated strong understanding of show progression, suggesting an emotional journey from high energy to uplifting finale. Its strategic placement of guest appearances showed careful consideration of pacing and audience engagement.
The setlist played it extremely safe, sticking mainly to established hits without considering newer material. The AI provided minimal staging suggestions, focusing solely on song selection rather than the full spectacle. Its predictions lacked the innovation and surprise elements that make Super Bowl performances memorable.
Gemini's analysis
Gemini provided the most comprehensive prediction, suggesting an 11-song setlist that might be ambitious for the typical 12-minute time slot. However, its reasoning was solid, balancing classics like "King Kunta" with newer material.
The AI showed particular insight in suggesting guest appearances from Jay Rock and Baby Keem, understanding the importance of TDE collaborations—the label that also represents Kendrick.
Pros and cons
Gemini provided exceptionally detailed staging suggestions that showed understanding of Super Bowl-level productions. The AI created a thoughtful balance between classic hits and newer material, appealing to both casual and dedicated fans. Its integration of guest artists demonstrated knowledge of Lamar's collaborative history and relationships within the industry.
The suggested 11-song setlist would be nearly impossible to execute within the strict 12-minute time limit. Some of the proposed collaborations, while exciting, seemed unlikely given logistical constraints. The overall vision, while comprehensive, might be too ambitious for the real-world limitations of a halftime show.
Perplexity's research
Perplexity attempted to ground its predictions in current news but sometimes confused facts about past performances. Its strength lay in identifying potential guest appearances and newer tracks, though its mix of confirmed and speculative information made it less reliable than other models.
Pros and cons
Perplexity made a strong effort to incorporate current information and confirmed details into its predictions. The AI showed awareness of Lamar's recent work and evolving artistic direction. Its consideration of confirmed appearances added a layer of credibility to the predictions.
The AI often confused speculation with confirmed facts, making it difficult to separate reliable information from rumors. Several details about past performances were incorrectly cited or mixed up. The overall flow of the proposed show lacked cohesion and practical consideration of time constraints.
Claude's predictions
While Claude acknowledged its knowledge limitations, its actual predictions were somewhat conservative. The suggested medleys showed practical thinking about time constraints, but its setlist played it safe with mostly established hits rather than considering newer material or surprising choices.
Claude's practical approach to time management through the use of medleys showed real understanding of show constraints. The AI created smooth transitions between songs that would work well in a live setting. Its focus on proven crowd-pleasers demonstrated awareness of the broad Super Bowl audience.
The song selection remained overly cautious, missing opportunities for surprising moments or newer material. The AI provided very limited staging suggestions, focusing almost entirely on music selection. The overall vision felt safe rather than spectacular, which is crucial for a Super Bowl performance.
DeepSeek's vision
DeepSeek provided the most cinematic prediction, considering not just song selection but specific performance elements. Its 11-song setlist, while ambitious, showed thoughtful progression and included detailed staging suggestions.
It particularly excelled in imagining potential surprise appearances, suggesting specific collaborative moments with artists like Dr. Dre and Rihanna.
Pros and cons
DeepSeek created a vivid vision of the performance with specific, imaginative staging ideas for each song. The AI thoughtfully incorporated surprise elements that would create memorable Super Bowl moments. Its consideration of show pacing and energy flow demonstrated understanding of live performance dynamics.
The number of songs suggested would be difficult to fit into the allowed time frame. Several of the proposed guest appearances, while exciting, seemed logistically unlikely for a single performance. The complexity of the suggested production might be too ambitious for the quick setup required at a Super Bowl.
The consensus...
While each AI brought unique insights, Gemini and DeepSeek provided the most comprehensive and imaginative predictions, though ChatGPT might have the most realistic song count for the actual time constraints.
Common threads across all predictions:
- Common threads across all predictions
- "DNA" and "HUMBLE" as key performances
- SZA appearance for "All the Stars
- Baby Keem collaboration
- "Alright" as a standout moment
- "i" as a potential closer
Now you've explored AI prediction on the Super Bowl half-time show set list, why not check out our other AI articles. If you're a ChatGPT user, check out the 5 prompts to try first in o3-mini. For those interested in DeepSeek, take a look at I tested ChatGPT vs DeepSeek to plan my Super Bowl party — here's what happened and 5 DeepSeek prompts to try first.
