AP PHOTOS: A look at May's most compelling images from around the world
This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from around the world made or published by The Associated Press in May. Don't just read the news—view it with AP Photos.
This gallery was curated by Ricardo Mazalan, deputy news director for photography and storytelling in Latin America and Caribbean, and global photo editor Leslie Mazoch.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
AI, bot farms and innocent indie victims: how music streaming became a hotbed of fraud and fakery
There is a battle gripping the music business today around the manipulation of streaming services – and innocent indie artists are the collateral damage. Fraudsters are flooding Spotify, Apple Music and the rest with AI-generated tracks, to try and hoover up the royalties generated by people listening to them. These tracks are cheap, quick and easy to make, with Deezer estimating in April that over 20,000 fully AI-created tracks – that's 18% of new tracks – were being ingested into its platform daily, almost double the number in January. The fraudsters often then use bots, AI or humans to endlessly listen to these fake songs and generate revenue, while others are exploiting upload services to get fake songs put on real artists' pages and siphon off royalties that way. Spotify fines the worst offenders and says it puts 'significant engineering resources and research into detecting, mitigating, and removing artificial streaming activity', while Apple Music claims 'less than 1% of all streams are manipulated' on its service. That may sound encouraging, but in a streaming business worth $20.4bn globally (according to the IFPI), it's likely that hundreds of millions of dollars are being skimmed off annually by rogue operators. Part of the problem is that while the barriers of entry for musicians have been dramatically lowered – uploading songs to streaming services is much easier than manufacturing CDs or vinyl – the barriers of entry for fraudsters are lower too. So the industry has declared war, but hair-trigger automated detection systems mean that artists are seeing their music taken offline even when they've done nothing wrong. Darren Owen, chief operating officer of music distribution company Fuga, suggests streaming fraud 'started to blow up across the industry' around 2021. Grappling with it now makes up 50% of his workload. Using AI and machine learning, Fuga gives streaming patterns a 'severity score', separating out 'non-human listening patterns' to spot fraud. 'You're not going to listen to the same song at the same time across multiple devices,' Owen says, noting that countries like India, Vietnam, Thailand and parts of eastern Europe are hotbeds of click-farm activity, using low-paid workers. 'It's become clear that organised criminals are involved in it as well.' It is not just services like in Germany – which was taken offline after a court injunction – and others in Canada and Brazil who are being targeted by record industry trade bodies for offering artificially inflated streams. Universal Music Group (UMG), the biggest record company in the world, has been accused by Drake of conspiring to increase the play count of Kendrick Lamar's diss track Not Like Us, an allegation UMG denies. The Guardian has spoken to multiple artists who found themselves at the sharp end of this war on manipulation, where unexpected spikes in streams get taken as proof of guilt. Darren Hemmings is managing director of music marketing company Motive Unknown and a musician himself. His distributor recently informed him that a track on one EP, having jumped from 'a few plays a day' to more than 1,000, was guilty of manipulation. 'I wouldn't blame them for drawing that conclusion,' he says, but 'it's very judge, jury, executioner'. He did not manipulate the streams, but could not identify the root cause – other than it simply becoming popular with actual listeners. Northern Irish rock band Final Thirteen had some of their music taken off streaming services due to a spike in the tens of thousands. They suspect this came after a play on Radio 1, but their distributor automatically concluded they were manipulated. 'It's really hard for any artist to prove that they didn't [manipulate streams], but it's even harder for Spotify to prove that they did,' says their drummer, Doobes. '[They] take it down and that's it.' Adam J Morgan, who makes music as indie act Naked & Baked, had a track get over 10,000 streams in a week, possibly from use in a TikTok video, but it was zapped by his distributor RouteNote as suspicious. 'I hadn't done anything wrong and they didn't provide any evidence,' he says, believing it was down to an overly anxious RouteNote. 'I spent that weekend trying to work out what was going on, but Spotify said my music hadn't been flagged at all.' RouteNote did not respond to a request for an interview. Takedowns can cause musicians inconvenience, derail marketing and cost them money. Matthew Whiteside, artistic director of experimental classical event The Night With… (and head of the TNW Music label) had three different albums taken down amid claims of artificial streaming. He tracked it back: TNW Music tracks were being added to manipulated playlists. 'It made no sense [why they were added] based on the genre.' His distributor said he could resubmit the album again, at $40 per album, but with no guarantee it would not be removed again. 'Streaming in general is geared against the smaller and the niche,' he says. 'If we get 1,000 streams a month on an album, I'd be very happy.' As such, paying to resubmit an album is beyond their release budget. Deezer claims it was the first streaming service to implement fraud detection systems. 'We look at a lot of indicators that help our algorithm decide if a user is fraudulent or not,' says Thibault Roucou, the company's royalties and reporting director. 'When we ask for a takedown, we look manually at what's happening and we're very confident that it is extreme manipulation.' Unfortunately, systems elsewhere for taking down tracks often presume guilt and the appeals system is so arduous that small acts, already struggling, just give up. Pop singer Levina, who represented Germany at Eurovision in 2017, saw her music taken off streaming services without warning – it was flagged because she unintentionally had the same name as another artist. 'With streaming services, it's almost impossible to [appeal] through them,' she sighs. 'You fill out a form but it leaves you quite powerless.' She is also chair of the artist council within trade body Featured Artists Coalition, and they are finalising 'minimum standards for what distributors should be doing'. She proposes a traffic light warning system that allows acts time to present their defence or take action to address the problems. Streaming services and distributors now accept this battle is about containment rather than total elimination. Owen, however, says the latest iteration is not fraudsters manipulating the streams of a few tracks by large amounts, but rather boosting multiple tracks a small amount to fly under detection radars. For Hemmings, this could result in a two-tier streaming economy, with smaller acts abandoning the main streaming platforms, where earnings are derisory anyway, to focus on a service such as Bandcamp. 'This could provoke a conclusion among large swathes of the independent music community that they're just better off focusing on other ways to make money.'
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Below Deck: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
Reality series following life for crew and guests on board Caribbean superyachts in the charter season 2013-
Geeky Gadgets
6 hours ago
- Geeky Gadgets
Transform a Single Photo into a Stunning Film with AI Magic
What if you could transform a single photograph into a fully realized, story-driven film? It might sound like something out of a sci-fi novel, but thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, this creative leap is now an accessible reality. Imagine starting with a simple image—a foggy forest, a striking portrait, or a bustling cityscape—and watching it evolve into a dynamic, cinematic experience. With AI tools capable of generating seamless visuals, lifelike motion, and immersive soundscapes, the barriers to creating professional-quality films are rapidly dissolving. The result? A new frontier where anyone, from hobbyists to seasoned creators, can bring their artistic visions to life with unprecedented ease. In this overview, Sirio show you how to harness the power of AI to craft visually stunning films from just one image. From selecting a high-quality source photo to maintaining visual consistency and adding depth with creative details, this guide will walk you through the essential steps to think like a director. You'll also learn how to refine your visuals for a polished finish and integrate motion and sound to elevate your project into a truly cinematic experience. Whether you're looking to tell a compelling story, experiment with innovative tools, or explore new creative possibilities, this journey into AI filmmaking promises to inspire and empower. After all, the magic of storytelling is no longer confined to traditional methods—it's waiting to be reimagined, one image at a time. Create AI Films from Photos Start with a High-Quality Source Image The foundation of any AI-generated film lies in the quality of the source image. A clear, detailed, and front-facing photograph is essential for creating characters and settings that feel authentic. When generating this image, use precise prompts to define the mood, setting, and character details. For instance, you might create a photorealistic close-up of a character standing in a foggy forest. This initial image establishes the tone for your project, so investing time in crafting it carefully is crucial. A well-prepared source image ensures that your film begins with a strong visual identity. Maintain Visual Consistency Visual consistency is key to creating a cohesive and professional-looking film. AI tools like allow you to edit and generate variations of your source image, making sure that all frames align seamlessly with your narrative. To achieve this, consider creating a detailed shot list that includes diverse perspectives, such as: Wide shots to establish the setting to establish the setting Close-ups to capture emotions and details to capture emotions and details Over-the-shoulder views for dynamic storytelling This structured approach prevents disjointed visuals and ensures your film flows smoothly. By maintaining a consistent aesthetic, you enhance the overall impact of your narrative. Create Seamless AI Films from One Image Watch this video on YouTube. Here are more detailed guides and articles that you may find helpful on AI videos and films. Add Depth with Props and Creative Details Props and creative elements play a vital role in enriching your scenes. AI tools enable you to seamlessly integrate specific objects into your visuals, such as lanterns, books, or other thematic items. Using detailed prompts, you can control the placement, size, and appearance of these objects. For example, positioning a glowing lantern in your character's hand can enhance the atmosphere of a nighttime scene. These small but impactful details add depth and realism, making your film more immersive and engaging for viewers. Refine and Upscale Your Visuals High-resolution visuals are essential for achieving professional-quality results, particularly if your project will be displayed on large screens or used commercially. Tools like Portrait Upscaler can enhance the resolution of your images, making sure they are crisp and detailed. This step is critical for producing a polished final product that meets industry standards. By refining your visuals at this stage, you ensure that your film maintains its quality across various platforms and mediums, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Bring Your Film to Life with Motion and Sound Once your visuals are complete, the next step is to add motion and audio to create a fully immersive experience. AI video generation tools, such as Clink 2.0, can transform static images into dynamic motion sequences. These tools simulate: Camera movements to add cinematic depth to add cinematic depth Character actions to bring your subjects to life to bring your subjects to life Environmental changes to enhance storytelling Additionally, AI audio models allow you to generate sound effects and music. For instance, you can create ambient forest sounds or a custom musical score to complement your visuals. Together, these elements elevate your project from a collection of images to a compelling cinematic experience that resonates with your audience. Approach Your Project Strategically To create a cohesive and impactful visual narrative, approach your project with the mindset of a creative director. Consider how each element—characters, settings, props, motion, and sound—contributes to the story you want to tell. This strategic approach ensures that your film has a clear vision and purpose, guiding your creative decisions throughout the process. AI-generated content also opens up numerous monetization opportunities. You can license your visuals, create exclusive content for digital platforms, or even sell your finished films. By combining creativity with strategy, you can transform your passion into a profitable venture, using the power of AI to expand your artistic and professional horizons. Media Credit: Sirio Filed Under: AI, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
