One 15-letter word stood between Faizan and the title of best speller in the English language. He nailed it
It was a riveting conclusion to a competition that started in 1925 and appears to have a bright future. Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company, had a few dozen former champions on hand to celebrate the centennial of an event that began when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington.
Faizan lost to Bruhat Soma last year in a tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off'. He became only the fifth runner-up to come back and win and the first since Sean Conley in 2001.
With the winner's haul of $US52,500 ($81,700) added to his second-place prize of $US25,000, Faizan increased his bee earnings to $US77,500. His big splurge with his winnings last year? A $US1500 Rubik's cube with 21 squares on each side.
This is the last year the bee will be held at its home for the past 14 years, a convention centre just outside Washington on the banks of the Potomac River. In 2026, the competition returns to the nation's capital at Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue near the White House.
Other finalists
– Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee.
– Harini Murali, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Edison, New Jersey, a finalist last year and the younger sister of Navneeth Murali, who would have been a top contender in the 2020 bee had it not been cancelled because of COVID-19.
–Esha Marupudi, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Chandler, Arizona, who is competing at the bee for the first time.
–Oliver Halkett, a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Los Angeles and a two-time bee participant.
–Sarvadnya Kadam, a three-time speller and a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Visalia, California.
–Sarv Dharavane, an 11-year-old from Dunwoody, Georgia, who made the semifinals last year as a fourth-grader.
–Brian Liu, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Great Neck, New York, who was a semifinalist two years ago but didn't make it to the bee in 2024.
–Akshaj Somisetty, a 13-year-old eighth-grader from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and a two-time speller who leapt from quarterfinalist to finalist.
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Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The ‘hated' Telstra ad went viral. Blame Mick Jagger, North Korea and footballers
When Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes sat down with Telstra 's creative team +61 and advertising agency Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, the Oscar-nominated directors were handed a commercial project with a 'very open brief'. Among other controversies – some yet to emerge – Australia's largest telco had just started paying $24 million in penalties and refunds after it was found to have wrongly charged customers for the third time in three years. Smith & Foulkes' job was to deliver, with London-based production house Riff Raff Films, a distinctive advertisement that would alert Australia to Telstra's refreshed brand ethos. 'The whole idea was that wherever our main character went, he went with ease, knowing he was in step with his duet partner (Telstra),' says Bear Meets Eagle On Fire founder Micah Walker. Seven months later, Smith & Foulkes presented their client with what would, less than a year on from its premiere, be publicly voted in July as Australia's most unforgettable advert. And most hated. As put by one punter on YouTube: 'My stepbrother was lying dead next to a footy stadium at half-time. This ad came on, and he woke from the dead just to run for the lives of his ears!' 'People engage in their own way, and we welcome that,' says Telstra's chief marketing officer Brent Smart. 'We've seen fans have different reactions based on whether their team is up or down. At the end of the day if people are having a bit of fun with it, we're OK with that.' Adverts drawing the ire of the masses is not unusual; just look at Sydney Sweeney's recent 'Great Jeans' campaign for American Eagle, which has devolved to accusations of the label 'leaning into eugenics'. Telstra's Duet, however, is a whimsical, visually spectacular journey through mystical forests, caves, the outback and beyond, set to the Bee Gees/Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton's mollifying Islands in the Stream. What could possibly be controversial about that?
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Your favourite new model? Total fake, literally
American Vogue's August 2025 issue has been making headlines — and not only for its cover featuring actor Anne Hathaway, who is back in the limelight as she films a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada. What has drawn much — if not more — attention can be found in the pages of the magazine: advertisements for the Californian clothing company Guess. At a cursory glance, nothing appears unusual: A Caucasian woman with wavy blonde hair, flushed cheeks and perfect teeth, bared in a wide smile, shows off a long stripe dress with a matching top-handle bag. In another image, she models a floral playsuit with a drawstring that cinches her waist. Yet, in small print on the page, it is revealed that the model was created using artificial intelligence. The campaign was developed by Seraphinne Vallora, a London-based AI-driven marketing agency, whose work has also been featured in titles including Elle, The Wall Street Journal and Harper's Bazaar. The discourse around the AI photos was ignited by TikTok user @lala4an, whose video on the Guess ad has since been viewed more than 2.7 million times. The revelation that AI models were inside the pages of Vogue sparked debate over what it might mean for real-life models pushing for greater representation and diversity, and consumers — particularly younger people — who often face unrealistic expectations of beauty. 'It's insane because it's not like we're short on people looking for modeling gigs or anything,' wrote one user on TikTok in a comment that, to date, has over 67,700 likes. 'So first normal women are comparing themselves to edited models ... Now we have to compare ourselves to women that don't even exist???' wrote another. Several people have since called for a boycott against Guess and Vogue. Guess did not respond to CNN's request for comment. While the Guess campaign was a commercial decision, it would have still required internal approval at Vogue to be printed. A Condé Nast spokesperson confirmed to CNN that an AI model has never appeared editorially in Vogue. Though, digitally created models have featured in international editions of the title: Vogue Singapore previously showcased AI-generated avatars in its March 2023 issue. (Vogue Singapore is a licensee and not owned or operated by Condé Nast.) 'We still hire models' Valentina Gonzalez and Andreea Petrescu, the 25-year-old co-founders of Seraphinne Vallora, believe the outrage behind the Guess campaign is misplaced. Speaking to CNN on a video call, Petrescu explained that 'people think these images just came to be by AI, which is not true. We have a team, and we also still hire models.' Gonzalez and Petrescu were approached by Guess co-founder Paul Marciano to create AI models for the brand, they said. After reviewing multiple drafts, Marciano picked a digitally created blonde (Vivienne) and brunette (Anastasia) for further development. Both ended up being featured in Guess' ads, which appeared in Vogue and other magazines, Gonzalez said (though it was only Vivienne who went viral). To create the campaign, Seraphinne Vallora employed a real model, who, over the course of a week, was photographed in the studio wearing Guess clothing. That informed how the clothes looked on an AI model, said Gonzalez. 'We needed to see what poses would flatter the product most, and how it looked on a real woman. We cannot generate an image if we don't have an informed idea of what positions will be the most flattering,' she said. 'To create an AI model, it takes time, so we want to make sure that people engage with it.' Asked why brands wouldn't simply use a real model in their ads, Petrescu argued that AI gave clients greater choice and efficiency, by requiring less time and smaller budgets to execute than a typical marketing campaign. Seraphinne Vallora was initially founded as a jewellery label before pivoting into providing AI-led marketing services. 'We realised that to sell this jewelry, we had to put a lot of good content out there that attracted people. But we didn't have budgets at the time to hire real people to be the face of our brand, so we tried to make our own model,' Petrescu explained. As architecture graduates, both Petrescu and Gonzalez were well versed in photography, drawing and digital media, so they turned to AI to create a model that would tout their products online. The results, according to Petrescu, were positive. 'We had millions of views on our Instagram Reels and tens of thousands of likes on some posts,' she said. The novelty of an AI model has appealed to many, added Gonzalez. 'The reason it went viral was because people were like, 'oh my god, is she real?'' she said. Lack of diversity Guess is not the only brand to have used AI models. Last July, Mango introduced its first AI-generated campaign to promote clothing for teenage girls. In one image, a young woman is wearing a colourful co-ord set. While the garments shown were real and available to purchase, the model was entirely AI generated. In March 2023, Levi's said that it would begin testing AI-generated models to ensure more diverse body types and skin tones in its marketing. Those launches were also met with criticism, with some seeing the AI creation of a model — especially a person of colour — as a way for companies to profit from the appearance of diversity without having to invest in it, while also potentially pushing professional models out of their jobs in the process. Others feared the move would also negatively impact the livelihoods of photographers, makeup artists and other creatives traditionally involved in creating a campaign. In an October 2024 interview with Bloomberg, Mango's CEO Toni Ruiz justified the use of AI models, saying that advertising could be created more quickly. 'It's about faster content creation,' he said. Mango did not reply to CNN's request for comment. Levi's responded to criticism at the time of its announcement, clarifying that it was not 'a means to advance diversity' and the company remained committed to working with diverse models. The brand added it would not scale back live photoshoots with models. Noticeably, the AI models shared by Seraphinne Vallora on its Instagram are largely white and have conventionally attractive features, such as luscious hair, a fit body and facial symmetry, which align with widely held societal standards of beauty. Asked why there isn't greater diversity among Seraphinne Vallora's AI models, Petrescu said there were no technical limitations, but they simply followed directions from clients. She added that on testing a variety of models, they 'saw what works best with the public. We saw what people responded to.' The varied responses to their AI models have been considerable, said Gonzalez, with likes on a single Instagram post ranging from a few hundred going up to tens of thousands. 'To create an AI model, it takes time, so we want to make sure that people engage with it,' Gonzalez noted. For Sara Ziff, who started work as a model in New York at age 14 and is the founder and executive director of the non-profit organisation Model Alliance, the concerns around AI are not unfounded. As the technology becomes more widely adopted, Ziff argued that brands and creators must consider 'how it can best be rolled out and how it can be used responsibly,' she said. 'We need to ask who's getting paid, who's getting seen and who gets erased.' A future with digital doubles The rise of AI models is not worlds apart from virtual influencers, who are already overlapping with real-life ones. Digital avatars such as Lil Miquela and Shudu have large followings on social media and wear clothing from luxury brands like Prada, Dior and Calvin Klein. Neither digital model is Caucasian, and both have at least one white creator (Shudu was created by British visual artist Cameron-James Wilson and Miquela by Los Angeles-based creatives Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou). Not all AI creations are entirely fictional, either. In March, H&M said that it would create AI 'twins' of 30 real-life models, with the intention of using them in advertising campaigns and social media posts. As part of the agreement, each model would own the rights to their twin, meaning they can book multiple photoshoots with brands (including H&M's competitors) and, in that sense, be in more than one place at once. The first images, using AI-made photos of models, were released this month. In a statement provided to CNN, H&M's chief creative officer Jörgen Andersson said the company would not change its 'human-centric' approach and was simply 'exploring how AI can enhance the creative process.' He added: 'We recognise that there are many questions and concerns around our engagement in AI, however, we are committed to approach this ethically, transparently, and responsibly.' Some luxury brands have experimented with technology to create digital doubles. In 2021, Dior created a digital version of real-life ambassador Angelababy (who has been dubbed the 'Kim Kardashian of China' due to her prolific appearances and extravagant lifestyle) to virtually attend its fashion show in Shanghai. A computer-generated version of supermodel Naomi Campbell appeared in Burberry's campaign that same year. Recalling her previous experience working for an online luxury retailer, Lara Ferris — now strategy director of Spring Studios, a global creative agency with clients such as Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford and Estée Lauder — said: 'Ten years ago, they tried to shoot products at volume. Clothes like T-shirts, shorts, coats and dresses would be photographed and transposed onto an online model. There was no human involved.' The use of AI models allows companies 'to create images at scale very quickly,' said Ferris. It's indicative of the rapid growth and globalisation of the fashion industry, which has created tremendous ethical and environmental problems. 'We've always struggled with appetite and demand, and this is how the industry keeps up. The fact that you can create an image and reproduce that across thousands of products is very mass. But does it feel premium? No,' she concluded. Michael Musandu, the CEO and founder of digital model studio which partnered with Levi's to create its AI models, said that the use of AI models in fashion is already more widespread than many realise, and that brands of all sizes are simply not disclosing it because there is no legal obligation to. The recent sale of Musandu's company to digital design firm Browzwear is a testament to the growing opportunities in the space, he said. Like many AI model creators, Musandu insists his work is supplementary and not intended to replace real-life models. 'We launched by solving a massive problem, which is people of color feeling underrepresented while shopping online. I never got to see models that looked like myself,' said Musandu, who was born in Zimbabwe, raised in South Africa, and studied computer science and AI in the Netherlands, where he is currently based. 'We need to ask who's getting paid, who's getting seen and who gets erased.' As diversity in fashion continues to be a priority, brands are still shooting with real models but using AI to increase their output, said Musandu. 'There is no brand that we work with that is scaling down on traditional photography.' Musandu added that it would be impossible to entirely replace real-life models, who 'can create genuine connection with consumers.' Spring Studios' Ferris agrees, noting that the most successful models and online influencers today, such as Julia Fox, Gabbriette and Olivia Neill, are not traditional in that they are not 'statuesque and don't speak,' but they have a large fanbase because they are 'really active online and engaged with their communities.' While it will become 'increasingly difficult' to tell an AI model apart from a real-life person online, Ferris argued that the latter's personalities will set them apart and become an even greater asset. Still, the further use of AI in fashion is just another potential risk for models, who have historically lacked protection in the workplace and across the sector. It's what the New York State Fashion Workers Act, which took effect in June, seeks to do (the new law, co-sponsored by Ziff's Model Alliance, regulates model management companies, provides complaint procedures and sets up penalties for violations). 'I don't think that the use of AI is inherently bad, but it will be used to exploit people without the proper guardrails in place,' said Ziff. The new law, she added, 'is not a silver bullet by any stretch, but it's a starting point.'
Courier-Mail
3 days ago
- Courier-Mail
Playing Gracie Darling star Rudi Dharmalingam shares travel highlights
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. The UK-based Playing Gracie Darling star Rudi Dharmalingam hits the ground running in search of authentic travel experiences. My first holiday memory is... Visiting Trinidad, the birthplace of my mother, in 1988. I remember watching the 100m men's final in the Seoul Olympics, Ben Johnson destroying the rest of the field only to be later stripped of his title because of doping. I have many sporting-related childhood memories. I have visited... Twenty-one countries. The place I've visited the most often is... Australia. I've worked on three projects in your beautiful country. My entire career seems to be moving out there. Can I be an honorary Aussie? My favourite place there is... Jervis Bay. That whole area is quite magical. I stayed in a cabin in bushland and it was heaven. The older I get the more I appreciate enveloping myself in nature. It was the one time in my life that I was truly at peace. The place I've visited the most often is Australia. I've worked on three projects in your beautiful country. The place I'd love to visit in Australia is... Too many places to list. I've been to Australia three times for work and all those trips involved staying in NSW. The rest I'm yet to explore. Top of my list is the Northern Territory because I need to see a crocodile. My most memorable travel experience happened in... Nepal. I was working on a show there a few years ago and there was one moment in particular that I'll always treasure. We were staying over 3km above sea level and I recall looking out over the horizon and seeing the Himalayas for the first time. Seeing those beautiful snow-capped mountains standing so majestically was a profoundly spiritual moment. The travel experience on my bucket list is... Before I'm 50 I want to run the Marathon Des Sables, a 257km foot race across the Sahara Desert. I seek comfort from discomfort, always trying to alter the ceiling of what I can achieve and conquer. My childhood was filled with sport and I've taken that discipline into my working life. I approach a role with an athlete's mentality. Achieving the extraordinary grows a person on so many levels. The Marathon Des Sables is the toughest foot race on Earth, to finish that is the ultimate human endeavour. My favourite place in Australia is Jervis Bay. My holidays are mostly devoted to... Finding interesting running trails and discovering new culinary experiences. I'm a big food enthusiast, the UK doesn't have a good relationship with food and that is causing us many health problems. Travelling enables me to sample how other countries bond themselves with food. The advice I'd give to young travellers... Walk or run everywhere. We are so accustomed to finding the quickest route from one place to another – a train, a bus or even an Uber. You miss so much of what a country has to offer by using public transport. Using your feet, not only do you smash your daily step count but it's also the best way to find your bearings in an unfamiliar place. The sickest I've been on holiday... In Nepal I managed to avoid an upset stomach for my entire stay right up until the day of departure. I was struck down with the most horrendous bug just before my flight to South Africa. Travelling 16 hours on a plane with food poisoning is pretty hellish as you can imagine. The place I'd love to visit in Australia is the Northern Territory because I need to see a crocodile. The worst thing to happen to me while travelling... While I was working on Wakefield for the ABC, Covid hit, production was paused and I flew back to the UK. After a couple of months I was back in Australia but had to quarantine for two weeks. My hotel room was devoid of opening windows and I had no balcony. Some army guy sat outside my room for the entire time ensuring I didn't try to escape. I didn't realise how much I'd miss seeing a tree and breathing fresh air. The best hotel I've ever stayed in... Soho House Paris. Utterly ridiculous. Opulence and grandeur like nothing else. My room service go-to is… I don't eat late at night and more importantly room service is not a taste of the local cuisine. I'd rather be out exploring those dishes than sat in my hotel room eating burger and chips. The sickest I've been on holiday in Nepal, I was struck down with the most horrendous bug just before my flight. How many flights have you missed? Zero. I'm proud to say I've never missed a flight. I have travel anxiety in the sense that I have to be super early. I'm always the first person at the check-in desk. Passports/visas/wallets/luggage lost? Upon returning to Australia for quarantine on Wakefield I left my laptop on the plane. This was because I managed to stab myself with those metal brackets that hold scripts together. My hand was gushing with blood upon leaving the plane. I then had to get a tetanus jab as a precaution. My favourite travel companion is… My running shoes. Before I'm 50 I want to run the Marathon Des Sables, a 257km foot race across the Sahara Desert. Flight/cruise/car/train? Flight. There's always something exciting about flying. Check-in or carry-on? Check-in. My running gear won't fit in my carry-on. I manage jet lag by... Going for a run. Playing Gracie Darling premieres on Paramount+ on August 14. Originally published as My Travel CV: Seeing the Himalayas for the first time was a profoundly spiritual experience
