[ad_1] Getty Images A musician in the US has been accused of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and thousands of bots to fraudulently stream songs billions of times in order to claim millions of dollars of royalties. Michael Smith, of North Carolina, has been charged with three counts of wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors say it is the first criminal case of its kind they have handled. “Through his brazen fraud scheme, Smith stole millions in royalties that should have been paid to musicians, songwriters, and other rights holders whose songs were legitimately streamed,” said US attorney Damian Williams. According to an unsealed indictment detailing the charges, the 52-year-old used hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs to manipulate streams. The tracks were streamed billions of times across multiple platforms by thousands of automated bot accounts to avoid detection. Authorities say Mr Smith claimed more than $10m in royalty payments over the course of the scheme, which spanned several years. Prosecutors said Mr Smith was set to finally “face the music” following their investigation, which also involved the FBI. “The FBI remains dedicated to plucking out those who manipulate advanced technology to receive illicit profits and infringe on the genuine artistic talent of others,” said FBI acting assistant director Christie M. Curtis. ‘Instant music ;)’ According to the indictment, Mr Smith was at points operating as many as 10,000 active bot accounts to stream his AI-generated tracks. It is alleged that the tracks in question were provided to Mr Smith through a partnership with the chief executive of an unnamed AI music company, who he turned to in or around 2018. The co-conspirator is said to have supplied him with thousands of tracks a month in exchange for track metadata, such as song and artist names, as well as a monthly cut of streaming revenue. “Keep in mind what we’re doing musically here… this is not ‘music,’ it’s ‘instant music’ ;),” the executive wrote to Mr Smith in a March 2019 email, and disclosed in the indictment. Citing further emails obtained from Mr Smith and fellow participants in the scheme, the indictment also states the technology used to create the tracks improved over time – making the scheme harder for platforms to detect. In an email from February, Mr Smith claimed his “existing music has generated at this point over 4 billion streams and $12 million in royalties since 2019.” Mr Smith faces decades in prison if found guilty of the charges. Earlier this year a man in Denmark was reportedly handed an 18-month sentence after being found guilty of fraudulently profiting from music streaming royalties. Music streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube generally forbid users from artificially inflating their number of streams to gain royalties and have taken steps to clamp down on or advised users on how to avoid the practice. Under changes to its royalties policies that took effect in April, Spotify said it would charge labels and distributors per track if it detected artificial streams of their material. It also increased the number of streams a track needs in a 12 month period before royalties can be paid, and extended the minimum track length for noise recordings like white noise tracks. Wider concerns The wider rise of AI-generated music, and the increased availability of free tools to make tracks, have added to concerns for artists and record labels about getting their fair share of profits made on AI-created tracks. Tools that can create text, images, video, audio in response to prompts are underpinned by systems that have been “trained” on vast quantities of data, such as online text and images scraped, often indiscriminately, from across the web. Content that belongs to artists or is protected by copyright has been swept up to form part of some of the training data for such tools. This has sparked outrage for artists across creative industries who feel their work is being used to generate seemingly novel material without due recognition or reward. Platforms rushed to remove a track that cloned the voices of Drake and The Weeknd in 2023 after it went viral and made its way onto streaming services. Earlier this year, artists including Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Elvis Costello and Aerosmith signed an open letter calling for the end to the “predatory” use of AI in the music industry. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] De oppositie reageert ontstemd op het regeerprogramma dat het kabinet vrijdag presenteerde. Partijen vrezen voor ‘een tweedeling in de samenleving’ en missen een visie met plannen voor de lange termijn. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Manti Te’o, a former NFL player and close friend of Tua Tagovailoa, emotionally opened up on the Miami Dolphins quarterback’s concussion ordeal.  Tagovailoa slammed to the turf following a hit by Damar Hamlin during the third quarter of the Miami Dolphins ‘ loss to the Buffalo Bills and appeared to go straight into the fencing response.  It was the signal caller’s third known concussion of his NFL career, having suffered a history of head injuries dating back to 2022.  The scary scenes Thursday night had many fans and even former players calling for Tagovailoa to walk away from the game for his own safety.  And Te’o, who has known the quarterback since childhood, tearfully urged Tagovailoa to make ‘the right decision.’ Manti Te’o was visibly emotional as he discussed friend Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion  Tagovailoa took a hit by Bills safety Damar Hamlin at the end of the third quarter Thursday  ‘Seeing him go down like that… I don’t mean to get emotional on the show, but it was big for a family member to watch him go through that again,’ a visibly emotional Te’o said on Good Morning Football. ‘I’m just so grateful that the NFL community has rallied around Tua. I just hope that my little brother makes the right decision.  The 33-year-old also revealed he already issued a similar plea to his ‘little brother’ following his health scares two years ago.  ‘After he suffered the [concussion] against the Bengals, I wanted him to walk,’ Te’o said, referring to Tagovailoa’s 2022 concussion scare. ‘It was hard.’  The former NFL linebacker had to pause as he became choked up and almost broke down into tears.  ‘What people have to understand, this is just a game. Then there is life,’ he continued after composing himself.  ‘And when you watch [that happen] to a man you’ve known since you were a little boy, is it hard for me? Yeah.’ ‘I can’t even imagine how hard it is for Uncle Galu and Auntie Diane to watch their son go down again,’ the former second-round pick added of the quarterback’s parents.  The former NFL player had to pause as he became choked up and almost broke down into tears The 33-year-old added it was a ‘huge relief’ to see Tagovailoa stand up after the incident. ‘I don’t even know if Tua was there, when he’s walking off the field,’ the former Maxwell Award winner said. ‘There are times I’ve had concussions, where I’ve walked off the field, into the locker room. And I don’t remember those walks. ‘To see my brother go down like that… I want Tua the father to be able to, not today, but 10, 15, 20 years down the line to raise his children, to be able to walk his daughter down the aisle. That’s what I want for Tua. That’s true joy.’ Tagovailoa collided with Bills safety Hamlin in the open field and led with his head instead of sliding. The signal caller went down after the collision, slamming his head on the Hard Rock turf. He has now suffered three known concussions in the NFL, after his 2022 season was cut short by head injuries. In Week 3 of that year, he was rocked by a huge tackle and went into the fencing response, but later returned to the game. In Week 4, he exhibited concussion symptoms again after another brutal hit and was stretchered from the field. The Dolphins quarterback suffered a concussion – the third known of his NFL career Tagovailoa was able to leave the field under his own steam, before returning to the locker room Later in the season, in Week 16, he suffered yet another concussion, which ended his season, and sparked a change to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Te’o played eight seasons in the NFL after being selected by the San Diego Chargers with the 38th pick in the 2013 Draft.  He played collegiately at Notre Dame where he became one of the biggest scandals to rock college football.  Te’o was catfished by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, who has since come out as a trans woman and uses she/her pronouns, who used a fake persona of Lennay Kekua to become involved in an online relationship with the linebacker.  He believed Kekua had died of Leukemia until he received a phone call in December of 2012 from Kekua claiming she wasn’t dead. He believed it to be U’ilani, Kekua’s purported sister. Te’o claimed he didn’t discover the full extent of the hoax until an article was published by Deadspin revealing Kekua never existed.  Former NFL star Dez Bryant led the charge of calls for his retirement on social media as Tagovailoa was led out of the game Thursday night.  ‘That’s it,’ Bryant wrote. ‘NFL go ahead and do the right thing. Tua has had entirely way too many concussions. He need to retire for his longevity health concerns.’ As the signal caller left the field, McDaniel emotionally planted a kiss on his head  NFL legend Shannon Sharpe echoed Bryant’s sentiments, saying: ‘Really hope Tua is ok, but he’s gotta seriously think about shutting it dwn. I H8 saying this. His concussions are getting worse and worse and he’s a young man with his entire life ahead of him.’ Patrick Mahomes tweeted three praying emojis after Tagovailoa was removed from the contest. However, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel refused to discuss the possibility of Tagovailoa hanging up his cleats as he insisted it has the player’s decision to make.  ‘I think it would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject,’ the 41-year-old said when pressed on the question of Tagovailoa walking away from the game Friday.  ‘It’s more in line of actually caring about the human being. You’re talking about his career. His career is his. ‘I totally get that’s where people want to go. I just wish, for a second, people would hear what I’m saying—that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him. ‘I’m going to plead with everybody

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[ad_1] Getty Images Tfl says a “limited number of customers” may have had bank account numbers and sort codes accessed A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the cyber security incident affecting Transport for London (TfL), the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. TfL said that about 5,000 customers’ sort codes and bank account details could have been accessed by hackers amid an “ongoing cyber security incident”. The NCA said the teenager was arrested in Walsall, West Midlands, on 5 September, after the cyber attack began four days earlier. TfL said data including names, emails and home addresses had been accessed. ‘Hugely disruptive’ The NCA said the teenager was arrested on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences. He was questioned by NCA officers and has since been bailed. The NCA said it was working with TfL and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to minimise the risk to customers. Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “Attacks on public infrastructure such as this can be hugely disruptive and lead to severe consequences for local communities and national systems.” Getty Images Transport for London, which is based at Palestra House in Southwark, first reported the cyber attack on 2 September He added: “We have been working at pace to support Transport for London following a cyber attack on their network, and to identify the criminal actors responsible. “The swift response by TfL following the incident has enabled us to act quickly, and we are grateful for their continued co-operation with our investigation, which remains ongoing.” TfL’s chief technology officer Shashi Verma said the customers who had been affected would be contacted directly. He added that an investigation into the cyber attack was taking place alongside the NCA and the NCSC. ‘Refund data’ “Although there has been very little impact on our customers so far, the situation continues to evolve and our investigations have identified that certain customer data has been accessed,” he said. “This includes some customer names and contact details, including email addresses and home addresses where provided. “Some Oyster card refund data may also have been accessed. This could include bank account numbers and sort codes for a limited number of customers. “As a precautionary measure, we will be contacting these customers directly as soon as possible to advise them of the support we can provide and the steps they can take.” Mr Verma added that the “security” of its systems and customer data were “very important” to TfL. “We continually monitor who is accessing our systems to ensure only those authorised can gain access,” he said. “We will continue to keep our customers and our staff updated. “I would like to apologise for the inconvenience this incident may cause customers and I thank everyone for their patience as we respond to this incident.” The NCSC is urging anyone who thinks they may have been the victim of a data breach to be vigilant about suspicious emails, phone calls or text messages. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] Working out, eating healthy and still not moving the needle on weight loss? A fitness specialist says there may be a covert reason why. Experts agree that weight loss happens when the body is in a calorie deficit, meaning you’re expending more calories than you consume. However, as UK personal trainer and nutritional coach Chloe Thomas explains to the Mirror, that deficit can trigger what’s called “metabolic adaptation.” There could be a scientific reason why your weight loss is stalling. Charlie’s – stock.adobe.com “Your metabolism slows down in response to decreased caloric intake,” Thomas told the outlet this week. “This adaptation can make it difficult to keep losing weight or maintain weight loss.” Thomas maintains that everyone has a “set point.” Influenced by body composition, metabolic rate, genetics and appetite regulation, this marker represents the weight at which the body functions at its most stable, optimal level. “While your set-point weight can fluctuate slightly in response to changes in lifestyle habits or environmental factors, the body typically defends this weight range through mechanisms that regulate hunger, energy expenditure and fat storage,” Thomas said. This defense mechanism kicks into high gear when we veer too far from this point, and despite our best efforts, our bodies resist weight loss. Another reason your pounds are sticking around? Prioritizing cardio over strength training. Experts agree that strength training should be at the core of any fitness routine. Maridav – stock.adobe.com Fitness expert and online coach River Hardy tells the Mirror that strength training should be the backbone of any fitness regimen. “Cardio is a great extra tool to burn some extra calories and send someone into a bigger deficit than what they currently are in with nutrition alone,” Hardy said. “But the most important part of any workout routine is lifting weights.” While strength training might not immediately burn as many calories as a cardio workout, it builds muscle tissue — which requires more energy and calories over time to maintain. Hardy’s advice is echoed by Jenna Rizzo, a Georgia-based women’s weight loss coach who recently shared that her No. 1 recommendation for weight loss is strength training. She explains, “You do not need to waste your precious time doing hours of cardio in the gym. When you strength train, you can focus on specific muscles that you can tone and create shape.” One study found that people who did strength training lost more fat and maintained their blood sugar better than those who did cardio. Drazen – stock.adobe.com Science supports the squat. Researchers at Stanford University reported that people who do strength training lose more fat and maintain their blood sugar better than those who do cardio or a combination of strength and cardio. A separate study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that strength training fortifies the muscles as well as the brain. These exercises lower your risk for various medical issues, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, by improving the brain’s ability to access and process glucose. Get the latest breakthroughs in medicine, diet & nutrition tips and more. Subscribe to our weekly Post Care newsletter! Thanks for signing up! NYC-based fitness coach and personal trainer Claudette Sariya advises everyone begin mastering squats, hinges pushes, pulls, lunges and carries using only their body weight before reaching for the weights. Getty Images Looking to begin? NYC-based fitness coach and personal trainer Claudette Sariya shared the six basic moves you need to conquer. She recommends everyone master squats, hinges, pushes, pulls, lunges and carries using only their body weight before reaching for the weights. “Once you feel comfortable with those movements, then you can combine them into more complex moves,” she advised. [ad_2] Source link

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[ad_1] De politie heeft drie mannen aangehouden die verantwoordelijk zouden zijn voor de explosie in een portiekflat in de Rotterdamse Delfshaven. Hierdoor vloog het gebouw in brand. Drie mensen raakten gewond en zeker veertig omwonenden moesten tijdelijk hun woning verlaten. [ad_2] Source link

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