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AI Jesus and BuddhaBot charge $1.99 per minute as faith-based AI tools reshape spiritual guidance

Val Kilmer's AI-generated performance debuts in 'As Deep as the Grave' trailer at CinemaCon

Donald Trump's AI image as Jesus Christ triggers fierce backlash from religious conservatives

AI in Writing Triggers Crisis as Authors Face Suspicion and Publishing Industry Scrambles

AI Jesus and BuddhaBot charge $1.99 per minute as faith-based AI tools reshape spiritual guidance

Tech companies are launching AI-powered religious figures including AI Jesus avatars and Buddhist priests, offering spiritual guidance through video calls at $1.99 per minute. While developers claim these tools provide meaningful alternatives to traditional outreach, experts warn about misinformation, data privacy, and the ethical implications of integrating AI into religious practices as concerns mount over mental health impacts.

4 Sources

Val Kilmer's AI-generated performance debuts in 'As Deep as the Grave' trailer at CinemaCon

The indie film 'As Deep as the Grave' unveiled its first trailer at CinemaCon, featuring an AI-rendered Val Kilmer in a prominent role. The late actor, who died in April 2025 at 65, appears on screen for 1 hour and 17 minutes as Father Fintan. Filmmakers worked with Kilmer's estate and SAG-AFTRA guidelines, emphasizing consent, compensation, and collaboration in what they call an ethically produced digital performance.

2 Sources

Donald Trump's AI image as Jesus Christ triggers fierce backlash from religious conservatives

AI in Writing Triggers Crisis as Authors Face Suspicion and Publishing Industry Scrambles

Wit Studio apologizes after generative AI found in Ascendance of a Bookworm anime opening

Sam Altman targeted in Molotov cocktail attack as AI fears turn violent

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Yesterday

Val Kilmer's AI-generated performance debuts in 'As Deep as the Grave' trailer at CinemaCon

The indie film 'As Deep as the Grave' unveiled its first trailer at CinemaCon, featuring an AI-rendered Val Kilmer in a prominent role. The late actor, who died in April 2025 at 65, appears on screen for 1 hour and 17 minutes as Father Fintan. Filmmakers worked with Kilmer's estate and SAG-AFTRA guidelines, emphasizing consent, compensation, and collaboration in what they call an ethically produced digital performance.

2 Sources

Berklee College of Music faces student protests over new AI songwriting course

Students at Berklee College of Music are pushing back against a new AI course focused on generative AI in music creation. Over 425 people signed an online petition demanding the school disband the elective, arguing AI tools steal from artists and threaten the music industry. The controversy intensifies as the instructor advises Suno, a platform sued by major record labels.

2 Sources

11 Apr 2026

China's state media weaponizes AI-generated animations to mock the U.S. and reshape narratives

Beijing is deploying artificial intelligence to transform how it communicates globally. China's state media now creates AI-generated animations that mock the U.S. and frame geopolitical events through Chinese viewpoints, targeting younger, international audiences. This marks a shift from rigid propaganda to engaging infotainment as part of an intensifying information war.

3 Sources

10 Apr 2026

Sam Altman targeted in Molotov cocktail attack as AI fears turn violent

A 20-year-old Texas man threw a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's San Francisco home and threatened to burn down the company's headquarters, driven by fears that AI would lead to humanity's extinction. The suspect faces attempted murder and domestic terrorism charges. Altman responded by calling for de-escalation while defending technological progress.

48 Sources

Wit Studio apologizes after generative AI found in Ascendance of a Bookworm anime opening

Wit Studio, the renowned animation house behind Attack on Titan and Spy x Family, issued an apology after fans discovered generative AI in the opening sequence of Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 4. The studio confirmed AI background art was used despite internal policies prohibiting it, blaming production management shortcomings. This marks the second time the studio has faced AI controversy, raising questions about oversight in the anime industry.

5 Sources

AI Jesus and BuddhaBot charge $1.99 per minute as faith-based AI tools reshape spiritual guidance

Tech companies are launching AI-powered religious figures including AI Jesus avatars and Buddhist priests, offering spiritual guidance through video calls at $1.99 per minute. While developers claim these tools provide meaningful alternatives to traditional outreach, experts warn about misinformation, data privacy, and the ethical implications of integrating AI into religious practices as concerns mount over mental health impacts.

4 Sources

AI in Writing Triggers Crisis as Authors Face Suspicion and Publishing Industry Scrambles

The publishing industry confronts an escalating AI crisis as major houses unknowingly release AI-generated books while legitimate authors face unfounded accusations. Hachette's cancellation of 'Shy Girl' and Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement expose deep tensions over AI detection tools, copyright infringement lawsuits, and the future of authorship in an era where chatbots can mimic writing styles.

3 Sources

09 Apr 2026

Pro-Iran group Explosive Media trolls Trump with AI Lego videos that rack up millions of views

A pro-Iran content creation team called Explosive Media is using AI-generated Lego cartoons to shape narratives around the US-Iran conflict, with videos trolling Donald Trump gaining millions of views across TikTok, X, and Instagram. The sophisticated animated videos demonstrate deep knowledge of American culture and have proven more effective at reaching US audiences than traditional propaganda methods.

8 Sources

Gen Z's AI sentiment sours as anger rises and excitement drops, despite steady usage at 51%

A Gallup survey reveals Gen Z's growing disillusionment with AI despite regular usage. Excitement fell 14 points while anger increased 9 points since 2025. Young workers express concern about creativity, critical thinking, and job prospects as nearly half believe the risks outweigh the benefits in the workplace.

8 Sources

08 Apr 2026

Indie publisher warns generative AI has made video games 'cooked' as usage spreads

Mike Rose, founder of indie publisher No More Robots, declares that generative AI in video games is here to stay, calling it 'mega annoying' from a publisher perspective. During the last Steam Next Fest, approximately one-third of demos featured AI-generated content or art, intensifying market competition for indie publishers and raising concerns about the normalization of AI in games.

2 Sources

Deepfake nudes crisis spreads to 90 schools globally, impacting over 600 students

A global analysis reveals that deepfake sexual abuse incidents have hit around 90 schools worldwide, impacting more than 600 pupils across 28 countries since 2023. Teenage boys are using AI-powered nudify applications to create fake nude images of classmates, leaving victims traumatized while schools and law enforcement struggle to respond adequately to what experts call child sexual abuse material.

3 Sources

07 Apr 2026

Attacks on Sam Altman's home expose deepening AI backlash as public anxiety intensifies

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced two violent incidents at his home within 48 hours, including a Molotov cocktail attack by a 20-year-old concerned about AI-driven extinction. The attacks signal an escalation in AI backlash, fueled by job displacement concerns, data center opposition, and growing public distrust. Altman responded with a personal blog post calling for de-escalation of rhetoric while the industry grapples with mounting resistance.

9 Sources

06 Apr 2026

Greg Abbott and Republicans fooled by fake AI image of rescued US pilot from Iran

Texas Governor Greg Abbott shared an AI-generated photo falsely depicting a rescued U.S. pilot from Iran, despite a 'Made with AI' tag. The incident, which also fooled other Republican politicians including Mike Lawler and Ken Paxton, has sparked urgent calls for improved media literacy as AI-generated misinformation becomes increasingly common around major news events.

2 Sources

03 Apr 2026

HarperCollins partners with Toonstar to turn books into AI-powered animated shows

HarperCollins is partnering with AI animation studio Toonstar to adapt book franchises into digital shows for YouTube. The first project adapts Lisa Greenwald's Friendship List series. Toonstar claims its AI technology produces episodes 80% faster and 90% cheaper than traditional methods, but the move has sparked concerns among authors about AI-assisted storytelling.

2 Sources

02 Apr 2026

Nearly Half of College Students Rethink Majors as AI Reshapes Entry-Level Job Market

A new Lumina Foundation-Gallup survey of 3,800 students reveals that 47% of college students have considered switching majors due to AI's impact on careers, with 16% already making the change. The findings come as 57% use AI weekly for coursework, despite half of institutions discouraging or prohibiting its use—highlighting a growing disconnect between student behavior and campus policy.

5 Sources

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