Students at Berklee College of Music are actively protesting a new elective course titled 'Bots and Beats: AI and the Future of Songwriting.' Hundreds of students and alumni have signed a petition, arguing that generative AI tools like ChatGPT exploit artists' work without compensation and threaten the future of music careers. They believe the course, which requires creating original music and lyrics using AI, undermines the craft and livelihoods of musicians, despite Berklee's stance that it prepares students for evolving creative industries.
In the political sphere, an AI-generated image depicting Donald Trump embraced by Jesus has intensified his public dispute with Pope Leo XIV. Trump shared the image, calling it 'nice,' amid his criticism of the Pope regarding the war in Iran. He also called the Pope 'WEAK on Crime' and took credit for his selection. Vice President JD Vance advised the Pope to be careful when discussing theological matters, while the Pope affirmed he has no fear of the Trump administration and will continue to speak the Gospel message.
Meanwhile, AI is also at the forefront of security and business developments. IBM has launched an autonomous agentic security service to combat AI-driven cyber threats, noting that advanced AI models like Anthropic's Mythos can exploit software flaws rapidly. Manifold also released its Manifest platform to secure AI agent supply chains, mapping agent behavior and dependencies to identify vulnerabilities. Concerns are also rising that AI, combined with the 'data broker loophole' in FISA, could enable mass surveillance of Americans.
In other applications, a company replaced most of its human sales team with 20 AI agents, achieving 140% of the previous year's sales by ensuring immediate lead responses. Airlines plan to increase investments in AI and biometrics to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency, though data fragmentation remains a challenge. Additionally, Chinese carmaker Chery's subsidiary, AiMoga, is now selling its Morine M1 humanoid robot, an ultra-realistic AI assistant, to the public for approximately $41,842 through JD.com. Investigative journalist Jodi Kantor's new book, 'How to Start,' offers guidance for young people navigating the job market in this AI era.
Key Takeaways
- Hundreds of Berklee College of Music students and alumni are protesting a new AI songwriting course, 'Bots and Beats,' arguing that AI tools like ChatGPT exploit artists and threaten music careers.
- An AI-generated image of Donald Trump embraced by Jesus has escalated his feud with Pope Leo XIV, with Trump criticizing the Pope's stance on crime and Iran, and Vice President JD Vance also commenting.
- IBM introduced an autonomous agentic security service to counter AI-driven cyber threats, noting that models like Anthropic's Mythos can rapidly exploit software vulnerabilities.
- Manifold launched its Manifest platform to secure AI agent supply chains by mapping agent behavior and dependencies to identify security risks.
- Concerns are growing that AI could enhance mass surveillance of Americans through the 'data broker loophole' in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
- One company replaced most of its human sales team with 20 AI agents, achieving 140% of previous year's sales by providing 100% lead coverage and immediate responses.
- Airlines plan to increase investments in AI and biometric identification to improve customer experience and operational efficiency, despite challenges with data fragmentation.
- Chinese carmaker Chery's subsidiary, AiMoga, is selling its Morine M1 humanoid robot, an ultra-realistic AI assistant, to the public via JD.com for about $41,842.
- Jodi Kantor's new book, 'How to Start,' provides guidance for young people navigating the modern job market, including challenges posed by AI bots in interviews.
Berklee students protest AI songwriting class
Hundreds of students at Berklee College of Music are protesting a new course on generative AI for songwriting. They signed a petition arguing that AI tools like ChatGPT steal artists' work and harm the music industry. Students expressed disappointment that the school is embracing technology that could negatively impact artists' futures and the craft of music. The course aims to explore how AI can both help and hinder musical creativity and its impact on music careers.
Berklee students protest AI songwriting course
Over 400 Berklee students and alumni are demanding the cancellation of an AI songwriting course called Bots and Beats. They argue that AI models like ChatGPT exploit artists by using their work without pay and harm the environment. Students believe the course threatens musicians' livelihoods and the art of music creation. Berklee stated the course prepares students for evolving creative industries, framing it as a necessary skill-building elective.
Berklee students protest AI songwriting class
Students at Berklee College of Music are upset about a new elective course titled Bots and Beats: AI and the Future of Songwriting. The course requires students to create original music and lyrics using AI tools. Critics argue that AI technology is detrimental to artists and the music industry, with some alumni stating that schools should focus on job placement rather than tools that could make producers irrelevant. Berklee has defended the course as a way to prepare students for the future of music.
AI Jesus image sparks debate on Trump and faith
An AI-generated image depicting Donald Trump embraced by Jesus has fueled a debate about faith and politics. The image, shared by Trump, follows his public criticism of Pope Leo XIV regarding the war in Iran. Critics argue that such imagery blurs the lines between political figures and religious devotion, potentially exploiting religious support for political gain. The article discusses historical parallels of leaders using religious fervor for political ends and the importance of distinguishing between institutional faith and populist movements.
AI Jesus image sparks debate on Trump and faith
An AI-generated image showing Donald Trump being embraced by Jesus has intensified his feud with Pope Leo XIV. Trump shared the image, calling it 'nice' despite criticism from the Pope regarding his rhetoric on war. The article explores how political figures can leverage religious imagery and support, drawing parallels to historical events where religious and political power intertwined. It questions whether people are prioritizing political loyalty over religious principles.
Manifold launches Manifest to secure AI agent supply chains
Manifold has released its Manifest platform to address security risks in the AI agent supply chain. The platform uses a graph-based approach to map agent behavior, dependencies, and connections to external tools. This helps enterprises understand potential vulnerabilities introduced by AI components. A new report highlights the growing complexity and security challenges in the AI agent ecosystem, noting the presence of malicious skills in popular marketplaces. Manifest aims to improve security by providing ecosystem-level data and analysis.
AI agents boost sales team performance
A company replaced most of its human sales team with 20 AI agents, keeping only 1.25 humans, and achieved 140% of the previous year's sales. This success is attributed to restructuring the sales process to concentrate qualified leads with the best performers and providing 100% coverage of inbound and outbound leads. AI agents ensured immediate responses to all leads, unlike the previous human team. The article notes that market tailwinds for AI also contributed to the increased sales, making it difficult to isolate the exact impact of the AI agents alone.
IBM launches autonomous security service amid AI threats
IBM has introduced an autonomous agentic security service to help businesses combat escalating AI-driven cyber threats. This new service uses AI agents to analyze software vulnerabilities and runtime environments, identifying exploitable paths and enforcing security policies. It comes as advanced AI models like Anthropic's Mythos can uncover and exploit software flaws at machine speed. IBM also offers a consulting service to assess enterprise readiness for agentic threats, emphasizing the need for autonomous security to match the pace of adversaries.
Trump shares AI image amid escalating feud with Pope
President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself embraced by Jesus, escalating his public dispute with Pope Leo XIV. Trump criticized the Pope as 'WEAK on Crime' and took credit for his selection. The Pope responded that he has no fear of the Trump administration and will continue speaking the message of the Gospel. Vice President JD Vance also advised the Pope to be careful when discussing theological matters. Trump further criticized the Pope for not addressing Iran's actions.
Airlines to invest in AI and biometrics despite data issues
Airlines plan to increase investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and biometric identification over the next year, according to a SITA report. However, data fragmentation is a major obstacle preventing progress in these areas. Airlines aim to use AI to improve customer experience, operational efficiency, and security, while biometrics are expected to streamline passenger processing. The report stresses the need for better data management and IT infrastructure to fully realize the benefits of these technologies.
AI fuels concerns over FISA surveillance loophole
The White House's effort to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) faces new challenges due to artificial intelligence. Lawmakers worry that AI combined with the 'data broker loophole' in FISA could lead to mass surveillance of Americans. This loophole allows companies to buy and sell personal data without warrants. Critics argue that AI could significantly enhance this loophole by making it easier to analyze vast amounts of collected data, intensifying the debate over FISA's reauthorization.
Jodi Kantor's book guides finding work in AI era
Investigative journalist Jodi Kantor's new book, 'How to Start,' offers advice for young people navigating the modern job market. The book addresses challenges like AI bots conducting interviews and a perceived lack of need for skilled graduates. Kantor, known for her work on workplace abuses and the #MeToo movement, pivots to providing guidance on surviving and thriving in a world shaped by complex power systems. The book aims to help individuals find meaningful work amidst these changes.
Chinese carmaker Chery sells AI robot to public
Chinese carmaker Chery's subsidiary, AiMoga, is now selling its Morine M1 humanoid robot to the public through JD.com. Priced at approximately $41,842, the M1 robot is described as an ultra-realistic AI assistant. It features advanced sensors for navigation and interaction, can perform dual-hand tasks, and be remotely controlled. Chery sees its AI and robotics division as a key growth area, potentially reshaping car sales and other industries.
Sources
- Berklee College of Music Students Furious That It’s Offering an AI “Songwriting” Class
- Berklee Students Revolt Over AI Songwriting Course
- Berklee College of Music Offers AI Course, Students Are Pissed
- Trump’s AI Jesus Might Be the Messiah We’ve Been Looking For
- Trump’s AI Jesus Might Be the Messiah We Need
- Manifest platform from Manifold targets AI agent supply chain security gaps
- Our 1.25 Humans + 20 AI Agents Closed 140% of What Our All-Human Sales Team Did Last Year. But I’m Not Sure That’s the Real Story.
- Amid AI Infosec Woes, IBM Intros Autonomous Security Service
- Trump shares new AI image as his feud with the Pope escalates
- Airlines prioritizing investment in AI and biometric ID in coming year
- The AI threat undercutting the White House's FISA push - Live Updates
- How to find your life’s work in the age of A.I.
- Chinese carmaker Chery’s AI-powered robot up for sale on major online store
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