An array of popular apps are offering AI companions to millions of predominantly female users who are spinning up AI girlfriends, AI husbands, AI therapists — even AI parents — despite long-standing warnings from researchers about the potential emotional toll of interacting with humanlike chatbots. (Tiku, The Washington Post)
Read MoreEach day across the world, 140 women and girls were killed by an intimate partner or family member on average last year, according to a report by two United Nations agencies. “The home is the most dangerous place for women and girls,” the report added. (Lederer, Los Angeles Times)
Read MoreThe 2016 animated movie was a modest hit when it was first released, finishing 12th at the global box office, but since it was first launched on Disney+ in 2020, it has become the most popular films on all streaming platform, according to figures released by Nielsen (via The Wall Street Journal). (Jones, NME)
Read MoreAssessing the court’s ultimate direction was complicated by the silence of one justice in the conservative majority, Neil M. Gorsuch, the author of a key case on employment discrimination. The court’s decision is expected by June. (The New York Times)
Read MoreSwift ranked as the No. 1 most-streamed artist globally in 2024 on Spotify, nabbing the crown for the second year in a row. That’s largely on the strength of her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” which was the most-streamed album of the year on Spotify. All told, Swift’s music generated more than 26.6 billion streams on the platform this year. (Spangler, Variety)
Read MoreAfter more than five years of reconstruction following the fire that devastated Notre Dame in 2019, invite-only ceremonies Saturday and Sunday will usher in its rebirth. Police chief Laurent Nuñez said only people with invitations and the island’s residents will have access to the Ile de la Cité in the middle of the River Seine, which includes Notre Dame and habitually hums with tourists. (Leicester, AP News)
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