On October 30, 2001, a group of popular recording artists under the name "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" released a single containing multiple versions of "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions. The single contains "What's Going On" along with eight additional remixes. The song was recorded shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, and it was decided afterwards that a portion of the song's proceeds would benefit the American Red Cross' September 11 fund as well.

In the music video, Spears wears a pink midriff T-shirt reading "Love Boat" and a pin capelet going to a club named Hole in the Wall with four blond bandmates. During the first verse, they fly in a pink Hummer and move their heads to the beat on the song, while Spears puts the truck on autopilot. The Hummer's dashboard has a Louis Vuitton pattern. They finally arrive to the club and dance in the dancefloor while being stared at by other people. Near the end of the video, Spears and her bandmates start performing on a stage

The music video features a pregnant Spears lying in bed and walking around a house while singing to her unborn child. She also gazes through the window at the Roman sculptures in the garden.