THE HOT LIST. Eminem Tapped to Produce Lions Thanksgiving Halftime Shows. Eminem has entered a multi-year partnership with the Detroit Lions to executive produce the football team’s Thanksgiving Halftime Show, the NFL announced on Thursday. The Motor City rap icon and his manager, Paul Rosenberg, will both be executive producers, and they’ll consult the Lions for booking talent on the yearly halftime show through 2027, the NFL said. “It’s an honor for us to team up with the Lions and be a part of the greatest tradition in Detroit sports,” Rosenberg said in a statement Thursday. “We look forward to putting together unforgettable shows featuring world-class artists for the fans at Ford Field and the tens of millions watching around the country.”
The Lions are one of two teams to play every year on Thanksgiving as part of NFL tradition, alongside the Dallas Cowboys. This year, the Lions will face their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, for the 1 p.m. game on Fox. Eminem, of course, isn’t the only major rapper in charge of talent bookings for the NFL stage. Morgan Freeman Takes Legal Action Over AI Clones: “You’re Robbing Me" Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman is taking legal action against companies and individuals who have replicated his iconic voice and likeness without his permission.
His stance comes amid growing concerns in Hollywood over the use of AI to create deepfakes and synthetic replications without consent or compensation. Morgan Takes Legal Action Against Unauthorized AI In a recent interview with The Guardian, Freeman made his position clear: “I’m a little PO’d, you know. I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it, and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing me.” In December 2024, The Washington Mail reported that the actor’s legal team issued a cease and desist order to Yonatan Badash, the creator of a “FreemanAI” Twitter bot designed to mimic the legendary actor’s voice, cadence, and style. Tilly Norwood And The Rise Of AI “Actors” OpenAI’s Sora 2 Fuels Industry Tensions Image credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images. 'Vanity Fair' Announces New Hires. Jamie Magnifico. Marisa Meltzer joins as senior staff writer and will contribute interviews and feature writing across platforms.
Marisa has covered beauty, fashion, wellness, and celebrity for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, and Vogue. She is the author of the recently released New York Times best-selling biography It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin, as well as Glossy, This Is Big, How Sassy Changed My Life, and Girl Power. Clara Molot joins as staff writer, reporting across a range of topics.
Finally, Derek C. Alibaba-backed Moonshot releases new AI model Kimi K2 Thinking. Alibaba-backed Chinese startup Moonshot has launched one of the more popular generative AI chatbots called Kimi. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Chinese startup Moonshot on Thursday released its latest generative artificial intelligence model which claims to beat OpenAI's ChatGPT in "agentic" capabilities — or understanding what a user wants without explicit step-by-step instructions. The model, called "Kimi K2 Thinking," builds on the K2 model released in July by Beijing-based Moonshot, which is backed by Alibaba.
The update comes as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang this week again urged the U.S. to press ahead in a race against Chinese-developed AI. Some major U.S. companies such as Airbnb have begun to publicly tout how some Chinese AI models are as viable — and often cheaper — alternatives to OpenAI's. DeepSeek also claimed it spent $5.6 million for its V3 model — in contrast to the billions spent by OpenAI. AI-Generated Video Created Using Sora 2 Depicts Black Woman Selling Food Stamps For Cash. OpenAI’s Sora 2 is once again being misused. The feature has led to users creating AI-generated videos through its model, which the company claims is “accurate, realistic, and more controllable than prior systems,” as AFROTECH™ previously told you. The feature was called out by Dr. Bernice A. King, the daughter of the late Martin Luther King Jr., which prompted OpenAI, founded by Sam Altman, to stop users from creating deepfake videos of the Civil Rights activist.
“The Estate of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inc. Futurism reports that in the latest controversy surrounding Sora 2, it was used to depict a Black woman selling $2,500 a month in food stamps for cash. The Trump administration intends to make partial payments, at 50%, for food benefits in November after an Oct. 31 order from federal judges, the HuffPost reports. “Imma keep it real with you, I get over $2,500 a month in stamps,” the AI-generated woman said in the video, according to Futurism. Black Communities Battle Big Tech Over the Hidden Costs of AI - Capital B News. When word spread through Bessemer, Alabama, earlier this year that a tech giant was eyeing hundreds of pine-covered acres at the city’s edge, Benard Simelton’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing.
The longtime NAACP leader had fielded calls about toxic air and shuttered steel mills before, but this, he said, was new to him. At first, the renderings looked like progress for the majority-Black town: glass-and-concrete buildings promising jobs, innovation, and a future rooted in Big Tech. But the fine print told a different story: a complex that would level 700 acres of forest, swallow nearly 2 million gallons of water a day, and draw enough electricity to power a city the size of Seattle. What officials pitched as transformation began to feel, to Simelton, like extraction.
Behind closed doors, city leaders had inked nondisclosure agreements tied to the nearly $15 billion plan. Now, residents are asking what “progress” means when the future demands so much from those who already have so little. Netflix Approaches SiriusXM For Video Podcast Licensing. Netflix has approached SiriusXM to license its video podcasts as part of its major push into the space, an insider tells The Hollywood Reporter. The deal would likely involve exclusivity of the video podcasts on the platform, meaning they would not appear on Netflix’s main rival, YouTube, the source says.
No deal has yet been reached. This follows reports of Netflix approaching iHeartMedia with a similar deal and a THR report of the streamer sending dozens of requests to agents at WME, UTA and CAA in an attempt to sign on more video podcasters. SiriusXM did not respond to a request for comment. The satellite radio company’s podcasting network was recently named the top podcast network in the U.S., based on reach, according to Edison Research.
Popular podcasts on the service include Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, Dateline NBC, Morbid and Rotten Mango. This follows Netflix’s first major podcasting deal with Spotify last month, as it seeks to compete with YouTube in the video podcast boom. OpenAI says its AI device will be “multimodal” but doesn’t give many more details - Sherwood News. In an interview at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar was most clear about what she couldn’t say about the company’s forthcoming AI device. She wouldn’t say how the device, which former Apple design lead Jony Ive is helping to develop, would look, how she uses it, or whether or not it would require a phone. What she did say was that it would be “multimodal.” “In a multimodal world for AI, what is beautiful about these models is they are as good through text as they are through being able to talk, language, to be able to listen, auditorily, to be able to visually see,” Friar said.
We might be reading too deep, but to us that suggests the device will have a keyboard, speakers, and a screen... much like a phone! Cellphones, she said, have accustomed us to looking down at our screens and “talking with our thumbs.” “I’m looking forward to being able to bring something into the world that I think starts to shift that,” Friar said. Snap stock surges 13% after announcing Perplexity deal. Scott Olson | Getty Images Snap stock surged 13% on Thursday after announcing a $400 million deal with Perplexity AI and releasing its third-quarter financial results. The company said that it will be integrating Perplexity's artificial intelligence-powered search engine directly into the Snapchat app.
As part of the agreement, Perplexity is set to pay the social media platform $400 million over one year "through a combination of cash and equity," according to Snap's letter to investors. The social media company expects to start seeing revenue from the deal in 2026. "Snap's strategic partnership with Perplexity AI represents a meaningful step toward building out alternative revenue streams, as similar to Pinterest, large advertisers in the US seem to be pulling back from advertising on the platform," Deutsche's Benjamin Black said in a note Thursday. Snap posted solid third-quarter results, reporting revenue of $1.51 billion, which beat LSEG estimates of $1.49 billion. Apple to pay Google $1 billion a year for access to AI model for Siri - Sherwood News. It builds on Netflix’s previous attempt at measuring ad viewership with monthly active users, which is the number of profiles that have watched ads (94 million as of May).
The MAV measurement, of course, is a lot bigger, and bigger numbers are more attractive to advertisers, who are spending more and more on streaming platforms. “After speaking to our partners, we know that what they want most is an accurate, clear, and transparent representation of who their ads are reaching,” Netflix President of Advertising Amy Reinhard explained in a press release. “Our move to viewers means we can give a more comprehensive count of how many people are actually on the couch, enjoying our can’t-miss series, films, games, and live events with friends and family.” Netflix last reported its long-followed and more easily understood paid membership numbers at the beginning of the year, when it crossed 300 million.
Elon Musk's Grokipedia Could Teach Wikipedia Something About AI. I'll admit I'm fairly skeptical of the results of xAI's new Grokipedia and its mission to be an anti-woke version of Wikipedia. And yet, after testing it out a little bit, I was surprised to find that, in certain cases, it seems better than Wikipedia. Of course, its entries for hot-button things like "Elon Musk" or "gender" are exactly what you'd expect for its "unbiased" mission. It hurts my head to think about this too much, so I won't linger on this. But most pages are not hotbeds of "wokism," so they end up almost word-for-word identical to Wikipedia. (Grokipedia is able to essentially copy from Wikipedia because Wikipedia allows itself to be scraped by AI bots). So far, Grokipedia has about 800,000 pages, whereas Wikipedia's English-language version has over 7 million. xAI did not respond to a request for comment on how Grokipedia pages were chosen.
Where Elon Musk might be onto something with Grokipedia Related stories Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know. NFL Player Saquon Barkley Joins $1.4B Funding Round For AI Data Center Startup Crusoe. NFL running back Saquon Barkley has invested in AI data center startup Crusoe, joining other investors in the company’s $1.4 billion funding round, which values the startup at more than $10 billion, per Business Insider.
According to the outlet, Crusoe, which calls itself “the AI Factory Company,” develops clean-energy-powered data centers for artificial intelligence. The company integrates energy sourcing, AI-optimized construction, and proprietary cloud services. Its Crusoe Cloud platform is used by AI startups, including Together AI and Fireworks, to provide computational resources for AI model training and data processing. Investors in the funding round also include Nvidia, Valor Equity Partners, Mubadala Capital, and Founders Fund. Details about Barkley’s individual investment were not disclosed, per Business Insider. The funds will support the expansion of Crusoe’s renewable-energy-powered data centers for large-scale AI operations.
Qatar Airways And Swizz Beatz Launch Global Platform Celebrating Top Creative Talent. Qatar Airways is breaking new ground in the world of art and culture. The airline has teamed up with Grammy Award-winning producer and entrepreneur Swizz Beatz to launch the Qatar Airways Creative 100, a global initiative celebrating 100 of the world’s most influential creatives, according to a press release. The partnership was unveiled during Art Basel Paris 2025, where Qatar Airways serves as a Premium Partner across all five of the art fair’s international exhibitions. The Creative 100 is the first platform of its kind for an airline, designed to highlight visionaries shaping global culture across music, fashion, technology, design, sports, and more. The initiative will debut with a flagship event at Art Basel Qatar in February 2026, showcasing the work of creatives whose ideas cross borders and influence multiple industries. “At Qatar Airways, creativity fuels everything we do,” said Engr.
On the partnership, he said, “Qatar Airways doesn’t just move people, it moves the world. 50 Cent Transforms '21 Questions' And 'God Gave Me Style' Tracks Using AI. 50 Cent is joining a growing number of musicians experimenting with artificial intelligence to reimagine their music. According to Complex, the rap veteran recently transformed two of his hits, “21 Questions” and “God Gave Me Style,” into old-school R&B tracks.
He explained that AI allows his older songs to reach listeners who may have missed the original releases. “Look, if it will reach someone that I missed, someone who couldn’t hear what I was trying to say to them in the writing, they can hear it now in that format,” he told Jordan Rose for Complex in an interview. By converting his classics into new styles, 50 Cent is exploring how technology can broaden his audience while keeping the original songwriting intact. The rapper also highlighted the quality of AI-generated voices, noting that they rival the singers of the original era. “I don’t know where the AI got these voices from, but these are some good voices,” he said. 50 Cent’s AI move follows similar initiatives by other artists.
As Billboard Charts Feature More AI-Assisted Artists, The US Copyright Office Weighs In. AI-generated and AI-assisted music has appeared on Billboard charts across various genres, including gospel, rock, and country. In recent months, according to Billboard, at least six AI or AI-assisted artists have debuted on these rankings, though the total number of songs or artists using AI is not yet clear.
Some artists disclose their involvement with AI on streaming platforms, while Billboard reports using detection tools, such as Deezer’s identification system, to verify AI-generated or AI-assisted content. Billboard Entries And Commercial Performance Xania Monet, an AI-powered artist created by Mississippi-based songwriter Telisha “Nikki” Jones, has charted on multiple Billboard listings. Jones produces Monet’s music by blending her own lyrics with live recordings and the AI platform Suno, as AFROTECH™ previously reported.
According to Billboard, Monet’s “Let Go, Let Go” reached No. 3 on Hot Gospel Songs, and “How Was I Supposed to Know?” Copyright Guidance And Human Authorship. Emergent introspective awareness in large language models \ Anthropic. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND STABILITY AI ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE TO CO-DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL AI MUSIC CREATION TOOLS. PayPal, OpenAI sign ChatGPT payments deal. Judge Cites ChatGPT 'Game of Thrones' Sequel Idea in AI Copyright Case. OpenAI completes its restructuring, now controlled by a $130 billion nonprofit - Sherwood News. Paramount to Occupy Quarter of Massive New Jersey Production Campus, 1888. Report: Snap seeking $1 billion to finance its AR glasses division in “existential” fundraise - Sherwood News.
YouTube’s likeness-detection technology has officially launched. Grok Training Projects at Elon Musk's XAI Used Movies. Netflix goes ‘all in’ on generative AI as entertainment industry remains divided. OpenAI Limits Sora 2 Deepfakes After Pressure From Bryan Cranston. Sesame, the conversational AI startup from Oculus founders, raises $250M and launches beta. A16z eyes $10B in new funds, leaves crypto behind despite bullish talk — TradingView News.
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Join Global Effort To Halt Development Of Superintelligent AI. Rolling Stone Merges With VIBE To Expand Its Hip-Hop And R&B Content. Travis Scott’s Foundation Partners With Space Center Houston To Inspire STEM Students. Warner Bros. Discovery Board Is Considering a Full Sale. Who signed the Pentagon press policy? CNN's Subscription Service To Launch October 28 At $6.99 Per Month. NBC News Layoffs: 150 Jobs Cut Ahead of MSNBC and CNBC Split. Netflix to Stream Selection of Spotify Video Podcasts Starting in 2026. Apple is bringing live NBA games to the Vision Pro in 2026. OpenAI Sora Removes Martin Luther King After Complaint From Family. Spotify’s AI Music Plan: Artist-First Tools and Industry Partnerships. OpenAI’s internal Slack messages could cost it billions in copyright suit - Sherwood News. Google launches its AI vibe-coding app Opal in 15 more countries.
Major Talent Agencies Circle the Wagons As Sora 2 Rattles the Industry. Amazon’s Melania Trump Doc Gets Release Date. Paramount CEO David Ellison Ducks WBD Merger Rumors. Los Angeles Times Journalists Authorize a Strike. SiriusXM To Launch Megyn Kelly Channel As Part Of New Multi-Year Deal. Drake's Defamation Suit Against Universal Music Group Dismissed.
OpenAI's invite-only video generation app Sora tops Apple’s App Store. And Anthropic Partner to Advance Enterprise Software Development with Proven Security and Governance. Perplexity’s Comet AI browser now free; Max users get new 'background assistant' Will.i.am To Teach An AI Agentic Course At Arizona State University As A Solution ‘To AI Replacing Human Jobs’ Marissa Mayer Is Dissolving Her Sunshine Startup Lab. Exclusive: Mira Murati’s Stealth AI Lab Launches Its First Product. Google’s AI Mode image search is getting more conversational | The Verge. Crypto Startup Raises $5M To Replace Costly, Slow International Wire Transfers. Will.i.am To Teach An AI Agentic Course At Arizona State University As A Solution ‘To AI Replacing Human Jobs’ Musk cancels Netflix over pro-trans cartoon creator's alleged Kirk comment.
Apple Vision Pro Might Have Just Lost to Meta's Ray-Bans. NBCU, Google Ink Long-Term Deal for YouTube TV, Including NBCSN. Meta plans to sell targeted ads based on data in your AI chats. CNN Pulled From HBO Max Ahead of New Streaming Service Launch. AI Is Disrupting Everything. Why Not Podcasting? Mark Zuckerberg says Meta AI has 1 billion monthly active users. Rising ambitions and skyrocketing costs: Here’s what we know about Project Stargate - Sherwood News.
Media Trust Hits a Low, But News Anchor Trust Holds Steady: Poll. OpenAI’s Video Tool Features Movies and TV Shows. Will Studios Sue? AI data center boom meets realities of tough labor market. Google is starting to launch real-time AI voice search | The Verge. OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs. Meta is opening pop-up shops to show off its smart glasses with a display | The Verge. Nvidia to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI data center buildout. Michael Dell, Murdochs will also be involved in TikTok deal, Trump says | CNN Business. OpenAI leads private market surge as 7 startups reach $1.3 trillion. Tech Billionaire’s Son Behind Oscar-Winning Studio Raises $30M To Bring More Diverse Stories To The Screen. OpenAI and Google angels back Agentic AI startup | Startups Magazine. OpenAI’s research on AI models deliberately lying is wild Ariel Alternatives Acquires Groome Industrial Service Group Amid AI Boom And Rise In Data Centers. OpenAI releases first-of-kind study revealing how people use ChatGPT.
Trump sues 'New York Times' for $15 billion, alleging defamation. Google Gemini tops Apple's App Store, snagging lead spot from ChatGPT.