Tech

Actors Strike To Stop AI Takeover in Video Games

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Actors Strike To Stop AI Takeover in Video Games

By: Zachary Abbott

With the growth of AI in nearly every industry, workers have begun taking up arms to protect their jobs from the encroachment of AI replacements.   In 2023, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers of Guild of America (WGA) both went on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMTP) after strikes that were some of the longest held in the film and TV industry, SAG-AFTRA and the WGA were able to obtain protections for their members against use of AI without consent or compensation. 

This dispute has arisen between video game developers and the actors who provide the voices and images for their video game characters.  Effective July 26th, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) members who perform in video games have gone on strike against video game companies signed onto the Interactive Media Agreement.  After a year and a half of negotiations over the Interactive Media Agreement, the video game companies still refuse to affirm outright that video game voice actors will be granted rights over how their voice, image, and work are used in training AI or creating AI-generated copies. 

These negotiations began in October 2022, and while agreement has been reached on most other important points, AI protections have split the two sides.  SAG-AFTRA asks that any game looking to employ SAG-AFTRA talent be signed onto the new Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement and the Interim Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement.  These agreements aim to give SAG-AFTRA members the right of consent to use their faces, voices, and bodies by AI, which are rights that performers in film and TV already have.  Without these protections, video game companies could use AI to replicate performers without compensation or consent and would put them out of work.  These Agreements force video game companies to be upfront about their intentions and obtain the consent of actors they seek to replicate through AI. 

The strike was authorized on September 24th, 2023, with a 98.32% yes vote. Similar strikes in the industry have benefitted entertainers and creatives, so SAG-AFTRA feels confident that it can ultimately achieve the same results. That said, the strike will be an uphill battle, with SAG-AFTRA members striking against the video game industry titans, including divisions of Activision, EA, Insomniac, Warner Brothers, and Disney.

The post Actors Strike To Stop AI Takeover in Video Games first appeared on The Source.

The post Actors Strike To Stop AI Takeover in Video Games appeared first on The Source.

Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk For Allegedly Refusing To Pay Him For Twitter Deal

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Don Lemon and Elon Musk’s working relationship certainly soured quickly after their interview for their media partnership on Twitter went less than stellar. After the former’s show on the social media platform was swiftly canceled after just this one episode, it seems like he wants to seek even more retribution for this breakdown. Moreover, the journalist reportedly filed a lawsuit against the tech tycoon on Thursday (August 1), according to supposed court documents reportedly obtained by TMZ. Specifically, Lemon claims that Musk refused to honor his promise to pay him for this partnership after they fell out following their interview.

Furthermore, Don Lemon specifically claims that Elon Musk verbally promised to pay him $1.5 million a year for making content for Twitter, given that he needed a boost in advertisers after a dip in revenue. He also alleges that Musk promised him a share of the advertising revenue generated by the posts, as well as other monetary incentives corresponding to his growth and popularity on the social media platform. As such, Don believes that the Tesla magnate is breaking the law by walking back on this arrangement, although he admitted that there isn’t a written contract in place concerning these terms.

Read More: Candace Owens Tells Don Lemon His Relationship Is A Sin

Don Lemon Sues Elon Musk

Still, Don Lemon maintains that Elon Musk gave him his confident assurance about this payment structure and other aspects via a phone call. In fact, he also claimed that Musk promised to continue to support him financially even if he didn’t like the content that he brought to the table. Don’s first project with Twitter was the Elon interview, and his responses to drug use and politics questions made the writing on the wall clear. But he claims that he had already been pressured to announce this partnership at the CES Vegas tech conference and risked losing it if he didn’t go to the conference along with Twitter’s CEO Linda Yaccarino.

“X’s executives used Don to prop up their advertising sales pitch, then canceled their partnership and dragged Don’s name through the mud,” Don Lemon’s lawyer Carney Shegerian remarked concerning the lawsuit alleging fraud, negligent misrepresentation, name and likeness misappropriation, breach of contract, and other accusations for which he seeks unspecified damages. “His approach was basically just ‘CNN, but on social media,’ which doesn’t work, as evidenced by the fact that CNN is dying,” Elon Musk had written of Lemon. “And, instead of it being the real Don Lemon, it was really just Jeff Zucker talking through Don, so lacked authenticity. All this said, Lemon/Zucker are of course welcome to build their viewership on this platform along with everyone else.”

Read More: Elon Musk Commits Unfathomable Amounts Of Money To Help Elect Donald Trump

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High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty

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Doodles, are not just a popular crossbreed of dog, it’s also the name of a budding entertainment company that touts Pharrell Williams holding court as chief branding officer. And that company with the interesting choice in branding just announced the creation of Doodles Records is a collaboration with Sony’s Orchard. Kicking things off out the gate, the new label’s inaugural project is for the soundtrack for the upcoming short film “Dullsville and the Doodleverse.” Listen, goldendoodles, bernadoodles and even cavapoos, are all the rage these days, so they got something right with that name. Or maybe they mean when you’re doodling on a sketch board. Either way, pretty cool. 

Get this to celebrate its high profile launch, Doodles Records will release a three-song EP for “Dullsville and the Doodleverse.” And they ain’t playing, as reported in Variety, the EP features tracks from notable artists: Coi Leray and Pharrell’s “Not in the Store” is set to drop in early August, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, and Kyle Richh’s “Can’t Hold Me Down” will follow in late August, and Swae Lee, Lil Yachty, and Pharrell’s “Doodleverse (Draw Me Closer)” is slated for release in September. Pretty sick lineup in you ask us. 

“Music is and will continue to be a core pillar of Doodles, so we’re thrilled to announce the official formation of Doodles Records,” said Julian Holguin, CEO of Doodles. “Releasing music with some of the most legendary and relevant artists in the world on our first project is a dream come true and a massive source of pride. Moving forward, we will fuse music, animation, and technology to create groundbreaking content experiences that will empower artists and their communities.”

To keep the rollout refreshing, each release from Doodles Records will be accompanied by animated videos, creatively directed by Doodles founder Burnt Toast in collaboration with their in-house animation studio, Golden Wolf. The short film “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” will premiere in October. Music and animation promo to invigorate a short film release, is smart marketing if you ask us. 

They’re not done, alongside the hot new label announcement, Doodles introduced DoodlesTV, a direct-to-community platform, another trending tech avenue, that provides users, fans and anyone who’s curious with early access to music releases, video premieres, and more. Early adopting fans can purchase a DoodlesTV season one all-access media pass next week, giving them access to view “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” before its official release. Dope moves all around. 

The post High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty first appeared on The Source.

The post High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty appeared first on The Source.

High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty

by
image

Doodles, are not just a popular crossbreed of dog, it’s also the name of a budding entertainment company that touts Pharrell Williams holding court as chief branding officer. And that company with the interesting choice in branding just announced the creation of Doodles Records is a collaboration with Sony’s Orchard. Kicking things off out the gate, the new label’s inaugural project is for the soundtrack for the upcoming short film “Dullsville and the Doodleverse.” Listen, goldendoodles, bernadoodles and even cavapoos, are all the rage these days, so they got something right with that name. Or maybe they mean when you’re doodling on a sketch board. Either way, pretty cool. 

Get this to celebrate its high profile launch, Doodles Records will release a three-song EP for “Dullsville and the Doodleverse.” And they ain’t playing, as reported in Variety, the EP features tracks from notable artists: Coi Leray and Pharrell’s “Not in the Store” is set to drop in early August, Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, and Kyle Richh’s “Can’t Hold Me Down” will follow in late August, and Swae Lee, Lil Yachty, and Pharrell’s “Doodleverse (Draw Me Closer)” is slated for release in September. Pretty sick lineup in you ask us. 

“Music is and will continue to be a core pillar of Doodles, so we’re thrilled to announce the official formation of Doodles Records,” said Julian Holguin, CEO of Doodles. “Releasing music with some of the most legendary and relevant artists in the world on our first project is a dream come true and a massive source of pride. Moving forward, we will fuse music, animation, and technology to create groundbreaking content experiences that will empower artists and their communities.”

To keep the rollout refreshing, each release from Doodles Records will be accompanied by animated videos, creatively directed by Doodles founder Burnt Toast in collaboration with their in-house animation studio, Golden Wolf. The short film “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” will premiere in October. Music and animation promo to invigorate a short film release, is smart marketing if you ask us. 

They’re not done, alongside the hot new label announcement, Doodles introduced DoodlesTV, a direct-to-community platform, another trending tech avenue, that provides users, fans and anyone who’s curious with early access to music releases, video premieres, and more. Early adopting fans can purchase a DoodlesTV season one all-access media pass next week, giving them access to view “Dullsville and the Doodleverse” before its official release. Dope moves all around. 

The post High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty first appeared on The Source.

The post High Profile Launch of Doodles Records Includes Records From Lil Wayne, Coi Leray and Lil Yachty appeared first on The Source.

IT Outage Leaves The Entire World In A State Of Disbelief

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A huge IT Outage has struck the world today and it has left people’s lives completely on hold. CrowdStrike, a Cybersecurity firm, updated its systems overnight and it ultimately led a massive outage. This has subsequently left airlines, banks, and various other major industries without their computer systems. Flights have been delayed indefinitely, and those who needs Microsoft services have ultimately been left to fend for themselves.

In a report from NBC News, it was made clear that this was not the result of some sort of cybersecurity attack. Instead, it was an accident from CrowdStrike that is in the midst of being resolved. The fix has already been deployed, and now, it is simply a waiting game. The hope is that everything will be back online as quickly as humanly possible.

Read More: Big Sean Fires More Subliminal Shots On His New Single “Yes”

A Horrible IT Outage Ravages The World

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – JULY 19: Passengers sit in massage chairs as long queues form at the check-in counters behind them at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

The IT Outage has been described as what Y2K was supposed to be. Although, we don’t think nuclear annihilation is going to come from this, like Y2K suggested. Instead, this will prove to be an inconvenience that everyone forgets in a few days from now. Hopefully, it is resolved much sooner than later.

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Were you affected by the outage? If you were, how are you getting around all of this as the world is seemingly coming to a bit of a standstill? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the world. We will continue to keep you informed on world events, as they happen.

Read More: Stephen A Smith Delivers Surprising Reaction To Amber Rose’s RNC Speech

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Elon Musk Commits Unfathomable Amounts Of Money To Help Donald Trump Get Elected

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Elon Musk is one of the richest men on the entire planet. However, he has been under quite a bit of scrutiny as of late. Overall, he has made some bizarre comments on social media and has even co-signed some pretty racist tweets. His rhetoric has gotten more and more right-wing ever since he bought Twitter, and many are concerned about his influence. Having said all of that, it appears as though Elon Musk is ready to help Trump get elected later this year.

According to AlJazeera, Musk is set to give the America PAC $45 million every single month from now until the election. That means that Musk could be giving upwards of $180 million. Considering how much Musk is worth, it isn’t all that much money. However, it will certainly go a long way towards Trump’s campaign. Based on the initial report, it would appear as though this money is set to go towards canvassing efforts as well as get-out-to-vote campaigns in battleground states.

Read More: Elon Musk Is Ready To Ban Apple Products From His Companies

Elon Musk Supports Trump

Elon Musk
EL SEGUNDO, LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 19: Elon Musk, multi millionaire, rocket scientist, Tesla and Space X founder and the man who inspired Tony Stark’s character in Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man” stands beside a rocket March 19, 2004 in El Segundo, Los Angeles, California (Photo Paul Harris/Getty Images)f

It remains to be seen how successful this plan will be for Elon and Trump. However, it does appear as though Trump is ahead in the polls right now. With Biden’s cognitive decline at the top of people’s minds, Trump has been able to take full advantage. Only time will tell how the election shapes out as November continues to draw closer and closer.

Let us know what you think about this move from Elon Musk, in the comments section down below. What do you make of Musk’s pivot to the far right? Do you believe that these donations will push Trump into power for yet another term? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the world. We will continue to keep you informed on world events, and even politics from time to time.

Read More: Elon Musk Faces Backlash For Sharing Racist Post About Crime Statistics

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Beats Revives Iconic “Pill People” Campaign to Celebrate Return of Beats Pill

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beats pill

In celebration of the return of the iconic Beats Pill, Beats has revived its beloved “Pill People” campaign. Originally launched in 2013, these bold and witty characters have been refreshed for a new generation, embodying the product tagline “Seriously Loud.” Voiced by comedians Ben Marshall, Desi Banks, and Megan Stalter, the “Pill People” campaign features six short videos available on Beats’ social channels. The campaign aims to highlight the vibrant personality and powerful sound of the Beats Pill, engaging both new and longtime fans with its humorous and energetic approach.

The post Beats Revives Iconic “Pill People” Campaign to Celebrate Return of Beats Pill first appeared on The Source.

The post Beats Revives Iconic “Pill People” Campaign to Celebrate Return of Beats Pill appeared first on The Source.

Siri Recently Tweaking Playing ‘Not Like Us’ When Asked to Play Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ 

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Siri has entered the rap beef chat.

On Wednesday, a whole rack of iOS users, that’s the operating system exclusive used by Apple btw, noticed an unexpected issue with Siri: when asked to play Drake’s album “Certified Lover Boy” on Spotify, Siri instead played Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Huh? What? Who’s messing around in the world of big tech?

Multiple videos surfaced on social media, showcasing different people experiencing the same problem. When requesting Drake’s album, listeners would hear the chilling intro to Lamar’s song: “Psst, I see dead people.”

Unreal. This is literally a bad running joke.

Get this Music journalist and author Sowmya Krishnamurthy highlighted the issue in a TikTok video. Similarly, HipHopDX’s Jeremy Hecht posted proof on Instagram, showing himself asking Siri to play “Certified Lover Boy” and getting the eerie response from Lamar’s track instead. Even KTLA 5 Morning News producer Christina Fawaz also reported the same glitch. So not a gimmick but a real issue. Intermittent at best.

Get this, the problem was reportedly resolved within a few hours, allowing Drake fans to listen to “Certified Lover Boy” without further interruptions.

Oh boy, no pun intended, this latest debacle added another weird layer to the ongoing rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has been marked by subtle jabs and competitive tension over the years. What’s next, that’s all we want to know.

The post Siri Recently Tweaking Playing ‘Not Like Us’ When Asked to Play Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’  first appeared on The Source.

The post Siri Recently Tweaking Playing ‘Not Like Us’ When Asked to Play Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’  appeared first on The Source.

Kendrick Lamar & Drake Beef Even Has Siri Glitching Out & Picking Sides

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While not everyone needs to take a side in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef, it took over too many corners of pop culture for folks not to ask everyone they could about it. Apparently, the battle even captivated automated A.I. tech, because even Siri took somewhat of a stance on the showdown between these two MCs. Moreover, various clips have gone viral as of late of people asking Siri to play Drizzy’s Certified Lover Boy on Spotify, and instead playing K.Dot’s “Not Like Us” due to its… Well, you know the line it’s referencing. Still, this writer tested it out and it went right to CLB‘s opener “Champagne Poetry,” so either it’s an inconsistent response or someone fixed this glitch ASAP to not implicate Apple in the rap battle.

Jokes aside, it’s curious to see all the creative ways in which the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef has been referenced by other media and communities. For example, following Canada’s loss to Argentina, the Latin American fútbol team posted some social media content referencing “Not Like Us.” Speaking of sports, USA Basketball also played the West Coast banger after they beat Canada, so it looks like the country’s in for a surefire clap-back whenever they lose anything. It’ll make their victories all the more sweet, but it’s admittedly wild that this song will join the athletics canon.

Read More: Drake Expertly Taunted With Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Following Canada’s Crushing Defeat To Argentina

Siri Mixes Up Kendrick Lamar & Drake In Viral Glitch

Also, Kendrick Lamar and Drake are trading blows in plenty of other areas. While “Not Like Us” and other Kendrick material is performing incredibly well commercially and even besting The Boy in some areas, he still has the most streamed rapper title over the Compton lyricist. Numbers aren’t everything, but in this war of attrition, they need all the points on their board they can get. We wonder if they tried this Siri thing, too…

Meanwhile, fans are going wild with theories that Drake will drop something against Kendrick Lamar soon, or that Kendrick is releasing a whole new album. Sadly, these rumors are just rumors at press time, although folks are ready for some more content to go wild over. Either of these releases would certainly provoke that reaction, so hopefully this isn’t the last we’ve heard from these MCs in 2024. We would prefer if they didn’t go for a Round Two, and instead just hope they’re energized to put this effort into their music rather than sending Siri an angry letter.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Surpasses Drake Yet Again With “Not Like Us” Video Views

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