A band called The Velvet Sundown has gone viral on Spotify, gaining over 850,000 monthly listeners, yet almost nothing is known about the people behind it.
With no live performances, interviews, or social media presence for its supposed members, the group has fuelled growing speculation that both it and its music may be AI-generated.
The mystery deepened after Rolling Stone first reported that a spokesperson had admitted the tracks were made using an AI tool called Suno, only to later reveal the spokesperson himself was fake.
The band denies any connection to the individual, stating on Spotify that the account impersonating them on X is also false.
AI detection tools have added to the confusion. Rival platform Deezer flagged the music as ‘100% AI-generated’, although Spotify has remained silent.
While CEO Daniel Ek has said AI music isn’t banned from the platform, he expressed concerns about mimicking real artists.
The case has reignited industry fears over AI’s impact on musicians. Experts warn that public trust in online content is weakening.
Musicians and advocacy groups argue that AI is undercutting creativity by training on human-made songs without permission. As copyright battles continue, pressure is mounting for stronger government regulation.
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Ripple has partnered with Swiss-based AMINA Bank, regulated by FINMA, to offer custody and trading of its RLUSD stablecoin, establishing a compliant presence in Europe.
RLUSD has already secured approval from major regulators, including the New York Department of Financial Services and the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
Ripple is integrating the asset into its recently acquired prime brokerage platform, Hidden Road. It is also using RLUSD across the Ripple Payments platform for enterprise cross-border transactions.
AMINA cited Ripple’s transparent structure and regulatory commitment as key factors in the partnership. The bank, formerly SEBA Bank, has been a leader in regulated digital asset services since 2019. Its collaboration with Taurus, a Deutsche Bank-backed firm, further strengthens its position in digital finance.
Ripple is positioning RLUSD as a compliant alternative within Europe’s evolving regulatory landscape under MiCA. The Swiss partnership supports RLUSD’s long-term growth by offering legal clarity, regulated access, and a path toward broader liquidity across the continent.
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xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, has secured permits to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its Memphis data centre, despite facing legal threats over alleged Clean Air Act violations.
The Shelby County Health Department approved the generators, which can produce up to 247 megawatts, provided specific emissions controls are in place.
Environmental lawyers say xAI had already been running as many as 35 generators without permits. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), acting on behalf of the NAACP, has accused the company of serious pollution and is preparing to sue.
Even under the new permit, xAI is allowed to emit substantial pollutants annually, including nearly 10 tons of formaldehyde — a known carcinogen.
Community concerns about the health impact remain strong. A local group pledged $250,000 for an independent air quality study, and although the City of Memphis carried out its own tests, the SELC questioned their validity.
The tests missed ozone levels and were reportedly conducted in favourable wind conditions, with equipment placed too close to buildings.
Officials previously argued that the turbines were exempt from regulation due to their ‘mobile’ status, a claim the SELC refuted as legally flawed. Meanwhile, xAI has recently raised $10 billion, split between debt and equity, highlighting its rapid expansion, even as regulatory scrutiny grows.
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India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a 35-year-old engineer from Kerala accused of running the country’s largest darknet drug network alone. The suspect, ‘Ketamelon,’ reportedly ran a Level 4 darknet drug operation for two years without his family knowing.
Authorities seized more than 1,100 LSD blots, over 130 grams of ketamine, and cryptocurrency assets valued at over $82,000 during the four-month investigation. The drugs were reportedly sourced from international suppliers, including a UK-based vendor believed to be the world’s largest LSD supplier.
Shipments reached cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh.
The suspect laundered proceeds using Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed to hide transaction details, making it popular among darknet criminals.
While privacy coins like Monero offer enhanced anonymity, experts warn they are not entirely untraceable, as blockchain ledgers permanently record all transactions.
The operation comes amid wider global efforts targeting cybercrime and crypto-facilitated illegal markets.
Recently, the US Treasury sanctioned a Russian hosting provider linked to ransomware and darknet drug sales, highlighting increasing international pressure on digital criminal networks.
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Google has begun rolling out its Veo 3 video-generation model to Gemini users across more than 159 countries. The advanced AI tool allows subscribers to create short video clips simply by entering text prompts.
Access to Veo 3 is limited to those on Google’s AI Pro plan, and usage is currently restricted to three videos per day. The tool can generate clips lasting up to eight seconds, enabling rapid video creation for a variety of purposes.
Google is already developing additional features for Gemini, including the ability to turn images into videos, according to product director Josh Woodward.
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United Airlines has rolled out facial recognition at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, allowing TSA PreCheck passengers to pass through security without ID or boarding passes. This service uses facial recognition to match real-time images with government-provided ID photos during the check-in process.
Seattle is the tenth US airport to adopt the system, following its launch at Chicago O’Hare in 2023. Alaska Airlines and Delta have also introduced similar services at Sea-Tac, signalling a broader shift toward biometric travel solutions.
The TSA’s Credential Authentication Technology was introduced at the airport in October and supports this touchless approach. Experts say facial recognition could soon be used throughout the airport journey, from bag drop to retail purchases.
TSA PreCheck access remains limited to US citizens, nationals, and permanent residents, with a five-year membership costing $78. As more airports adopt facial recognition, concerns about privacy and consent are likely to increase.
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For years, a few US tech giants have dominated Europe’s digital infrastructure, threatening both its economy and democracy. Despite talk of ‘tech sovereignty,’ leaked reports suggest EU enforcement may be weakened in trade talks, risking public backing.
Surveys show strong support across the EU for tougher regulation of Big Tech, even at the cost of US tensions. The Digital Markets Act provides tools to challenge monopolies like Google, but enforcement remains slow and under-resourced.
Europe must take coordinated action: break up monopolies harming local media and jobs, strengthen enforcement, and invest in homegrown digital platforms. Redirecting funds from tech giants could empower startups and businesses dependent on these platforms.
Decisive political will is essential to turn tech sovereignty from rhetoric into reality. Effective regulation and strategic investment can restore Europe’s control over its digital future.
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Mango has launched a new AI-powered personal stylist designed to elevate the online shopping experience. Called Mango Stylist, the tool offers fashion advice and outfit suggestions based on each user’s preferences, creating a more interactive and intuitive way to browse.
Available through the Mango app and Instagram chat, the assistant uses natural language to provide styling tips and product recommendations tailored to the individual. It builds on Mango’s previous investment in generative AI and complements its existing customer service assistant, Iris.
The rollout is part of Mango’s broader 4E Strategic Plan, which prioritises technological innovation and customer engagement. By integrating Mango Stylist into its e-commerce platforms, the brand aims to streamline shopping and drive value across key markets, including the UK, Spain, Germany and the US.
Behind the scenes, Mango’s digital, data, and fashion teams collaborated on the project, drawing from over 15 machine learning platforms to fine-tune everything from pricing to product suggestions. The fashion chain sees this development as a major step towards delivering a seamless hybrid shopping experience.
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Coordinated by Europe’s top research and technology organisations—CEA-Leti, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, imec, and VTT—the initiative offers a shared, multi-hub infrastructure designed to speed up the development and commercialisation of next-generation Edge AI technologies.
Through its platform, European designers will gain access to advanced chip prototyping capabilities and full design support using standard commercial tools.
PREVAIL combines commercial foundry processes with advanced technology modules developed in partner clean rooms. These include embedded non-volatile memories (eNVM), silicon photonics, and 3D integration technologies such as silicon interposers and packaging innovations.
Initial demonstrators, already in development with industry partners, will serve as test cases to ensure compatibility with a broad range of applications and future scalability.
From July 2025, a €20 million EU-funded call under the ‘Low Power Edge AI’ initiative will help selected customers co-finance their access to the platform. Whether supported by EU funds or independently financed, users will be able to design chips using one of four shared platforms.
The consortium has also set up a user interface team to manage technical support and provide access to Process Design Kits and Design Rule Manuals.
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AI-powered note takers are increasingly filling virtual meeting rooms, sometimes even outnumbering the humans present. Workers are now sending bots to listen, record, and summarise meetings they no longer feel the need to attend themselves.
Major platforms such as Zoom, Teams and Meet offer built-in AI transcription, while startups like Otter and Fathom provide bots that quietly join meetings or listen in through users’ devices. The tools raise new concerns about privacy, consent, and the erosion of human engagement.
Some workers worry that constant recording suppresses honest conversation and makes meetings feel performative. Others, including lawyers and business leaders, point out the legal grey zones created by using these bots without full consent.
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