AI-cons: on the red carpet, online & in Four Seasons Orlando

Vol. 1 Issue 9 – 25th May 2024

May 25, 2024

Open(AI) shut case

Recently, the artificial intelligence company, OpenAI, launched the latest version of its AI software, ChatGPT 4.0, with a voice assistant system. Many noticed eerie similarities between the female voice and a certain Hollywood A-list actress. Scarlett Johansson’s own family and friends thought she’d recorded for the project. She hadn’t. However, she was approached by CEO Sam Altman to lend her voice to the system as it would be “comforting to people”, but she turned down the job. One can assume that Altman felt this way due to a famous voice-acting role of Johansson’s in the movie “Her”, where a lonely man falls in love with an AI system.
But, regardless of her turning down the offer due to valid apprehensions, the similarities between the two voices were uncanny. On all fronts, it looked like they stole her voice, without her consent. Driving home the fact was Sam Altaman’s tweet with the single word— “her”, seemingly insinuating the ScarJo movie. The new voice assistant, Sky, was taken down when Johansson’s publicists issued a public statement, conveying her displeasure and shock. Still, Altman and OpenAI claim that any similarity is coincidental and there was no intention for the voice to have a likeness to Johansson.
The two parties have apparently settled this now and OpenAI has proved their innocence, but in a time when we are constantly being manipulated by manipulated pieces of work, fake news and deepfakes, can the ethics of an AI company be trusted?

Style statement

Bag charms are in, boxer shorts for women are in, ankle socks are OUT! The Gen Z consensus is that ankle socks are cheugy and only spotted on millennials. Crew socks are our preferred length of socks.

As the Cannes film festival continues, some great looks were seen on the carpet, with Selena Gomez wearing Saint Laurent and Giambattista Valli, and Kelly Rowland wearing Anamika Khanna. But the outfits that stood out were those that sent a message.

Bella Hadid, who for years now has been vocal about her Palestinian roots and justice for the people of Gaza, wore a dress inspired by the keffiyeh scarf. The scarf is traditionally worn by people in the Middle East and has more recently been symbolic of the Palestinian people and their spirit. Cate Blanchett also wore a Jean Paul Gaultier gown that could be interpreted as a show of support towards Palestine but it’s unclear if that was the purpose behind it. Several people online and in the media are now calling her out for not being overt with her solidarity, if that was the intention.

One for the books

Award-winning author of Normal People and Conversation With Friends, Sally Rooney has unveiled the cover of her next novel, Intermezzo. Releasing on the 24th of September this year, the book follows two brothers, a lawyer and a chess player, and how they cope with grief after losing their father.

You Are Here by the best-selling author of One Day, David Nicholls is out now! A love story with “first encounters, second chances and finding the way home”, I can’t help but add this to my TBR.

Haven’t you heard

A rundown of pop culture tidbits that have transpired this week…

The third ‘Knives Out’ movie, Wake Up Dead Man, was announced. To be released in 2025 on Netflix, Daniel Craig returns as the eccentric detective Benoit Blanc.
Post the recasting of Henry Cavill, a teaser for The Witcher’s new season showing the first look of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia was released.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson aka Mitch from Modern Family posted an Instagram story from the sets of the Dunphy house from the show! Should we expect a reunion? 👀
YouTube comedy group, the Try Guys launched their own app/streaming service and also added a bunch of new cast members that will feature in upcoming videos. The group has also said goodbye to founding member, Eugene Lee Yang, who is pursuing writing and directing now.
The Nostalgia emotion character from Inside Out 2 has been revealed and it is a grandma 🥹
Serena Williams has tweeted that she is ready “to hit some balls again”! Is the GOAT coming out of retirement? And did Challengers inspire her?
If you hear the string quartet version of the early 2010s bop Give Me Everything by Pitbull everywhere right now, it’s because of THAT scene in Bridgerton season 3 and frankly, it’s a tune.
New emojis are coming with the iOS 18 update and there’s one I know I will be using incessantly!
The trailer for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2, aka Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is out! The movie releases in theatres on the 6th of September this year.
A new Marvel series based on the character of Vision will be in development and is expected to be released in 2026!
Taylor Swift allegedly had a meeting with Marvel boss Kevin Feige for a potential Marvel role. There have already been speculations of her cameo in the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine movie as The Dazzler, being good friends with Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.
Speaking of TSwift, thanks to her “we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist” lyric in TTPD, Charlie Puth has dropped a new song called Hero and cites Swift as the motivation to release it!
Another song out this Friday was Kpop girl group, NewJeans’ new single, How Sweet.
Challengers director, Luca Guadagnino’s next, titled After The Hunt will feature Ayo Edibiri, Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts!
One of Formula 1’s most prominent and historic events, the Monaco Grand Prix is happening this weekend.

Now I wanna go to Four Seasons Orlando

A viral Tiktok featuring a family of four has gone viral, all thanks to a baby’s reaction to the Four Seasons Orlando. The mother behind the camera asks a simple question: “Who wants to go to the Four Seasons Orlando?”, while the toddler responds, it’s the baby in her father’s arms who steals the show. A resounding “me!!” while lifting up her forefinger in the air, no one watching that video expected such a fully conscious response from the baby in diapers. I HAVE to share a few of my favourite memes.

Not-so-hidden gems

A special mention to a couple of pieces of media that had been making waves in the digital zeitgeist but somehow escaped my notice previously…

Maxton Hall - A German series available on Prime Video (with subtitles and dubs) is a high school teen drama playing with the classic tropes of opposites attract and close proximity, there’s some very poignant moments in the predictable love story dealing with family, expectations and validation.
Chappell Roan - I’m well aware that I’m late to the Good Luck, Babe! train but I’m here now and that’s what matters. It’s so addictive!! The synth-pop singer-songwriter is such a unique vocalist and has an expressive and theatric persona like no one else right now. Slowly but surely getting more into her music!