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Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
MEP Ciarán Mullooly admits using AI for part of letter to Ursula von der Leyen which quoted Swedish House Mafia lyrics
The Midlands-North West MEP said AI was used to summarise 25 pages of research for a letter that called on the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. He denied that the fictional story of a young girl called 'Gazi', who the letter said lived in Rafah, and the use of lyrics by house music group, Swedish House Mafia, were AI-generated. Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise? Mr Mullooly said those sections were 'based on' the contents of 1,000 emails sent to him in relation to Gaza, including one which he said quoted the lyrics of Don't You Worry Child. It was first reported by The Journal that the former RTÉ broadcaster had used AI to write part of the letter in which Mr Mullooly said a 12-year-old girl called Gazi and her family had been displaced and asked Ms von der Leyen: 'Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise, that we will not let another generation of children perish when we have the means to act?' Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said he asked Ms von der Leyen in a meeting last year 'why the European Commission and the European Parliament and all the agencies had not moved to stop the slaughter and the bloodshed in Gaza'. Mr Mullooly said his team then began researching potential measures that would not require the agreement of member states. 'I had 25 pages of research put in front of me in the parliament about three weeks ago and I said to my colleague, 'I want a summary of this for a letter to (Ms) von der Leyen'. And we used AI at that stage to complete the first part of the letter.' The second half of the letter, which has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team He said this section 'looked at four questions', including what actions the European Commission and United Nations could take. 'And I completed that and I used that summary, I read every line of it, I looked at the references and I was quite happy with that. So, the first half of the letter was generated by AI,' he said. 'The second half of the letter, which you have quoted and has gotten the most attention today with the Swedish House Mafia reference, in particular, was actually composed by a member of my team who read 1,000 emails from people sent to my office on the issue of Gaza.' Mr Mullooly said his colleague read and summarised the emails 'in what has been described today, I suppose, as fiction but is actually written based on some of the information given to him by those [emails]'.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
MEP used AI to compose letter to von der Leyen on Gaza
Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has confirmed that he used artificial intelligence to write a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging the EU to deliver more aid to Gaza. It was reported his letter contained a story of a young girl who lives in Rafah, which turned out to be fictional - while at another section lyrics from the band 'Swedish House Mafia' were used without reference. Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Mullooly said his motivation was "looking for measures that did not include the [EU] member states actually agreeing - because that's the problem. "That's the frustration in Brussels... the attitude of Germany and other states where for a long, long, time we couldn't get even a review of the [EU-Israel] Trade Agreement." He said that around three weeks ago, 25 pages of research were put in front of him in the European Parliament and that he asked his colleague to produce a summary of it for a letter to Mrs von der Leyen. He said AI was used to complete the "first part of the letter...I read every line of it, I looked at the references, and I was quite happy with that," he said. Mr Mullooly said the second half of the letter has received most attention and refers to a song by the 'Swedish House Mafia' group. He said it was composed by a member of his team who had read 1,000 emails from people sent to his office on the subject of Gaza. His staff member summarised those "in what has been described today as fiction, but it's actually written based on some of the information given to us by those emails," he said. One of the 1,000 "real life" emails contained a lyric from a 'Swedish House Mafia' song, which states: "Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you". Mr Mullooly said: "I had no idea what that was about. "I asked a colleague in the office to use AI or any other references to explain to me - and I have to be honest, I am not a fan of 'Swedish House Mafia' - and it had to be explained to me where it came from. "It [the quote] was included in an email which came to me from Gaza and to me, it summed up, when I read it, the vulnerability of the children involved, the way their lives have been turned upside down, from the comfort of their parents, to a situation where we've lost 15,000 children. "Innocent children, and I was trying to bring that point home to Ursula von der Leyen.
The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Ciaran Mullooly used AI to write letter to EU on Gaza aid, which quoted Swedish House Mafia
INDEPENDENT IRELAND MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said he used artificial intelligence to write a letter urging the EU to deliver more aid into Gaza. The letter, sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, included an emotional plea by recounting the fictional story of a young girl called Gazi, who lives in Rafah. The same section of the letter, which does not indicate to the reader that the story is fictional, appeals to von der Leyen to help the young girl, who it is claimed has been displaced and is experiencing hunger pains. At one point in the letter, Mullooly quotes the house music group Swedish House Mafia, but the letter does not indicate to the reader that he does so. Including the lyrics from the band's song 'Don't You Worry Child', he writes: 'Will you tell her, 'Don't you worry, don't you worry child, see heaven's got a plan for you'? 'Will you assure her that Europe remembers its promise, that we will not let another generation of children perish when we have the means to act?' A spokesperson for Mullooly confirmed to The Journal that artificial intelligence was used to generate portions of the letter. It was published to his own website and later shared on his social media accounts. The spokesperson said that artificial intelligence was used for researching and editing purposes. They also said that the story of Gazi is a 'fictional representation of all children in Gaza to highlight the fact that children are suffering while the world watches'. Advertisement 'In reference to the song 'Don't you worry Child' this was indeed a reference to the song by Swedish House Mafia,' he added. Mullooly's letter outlines a seven-point plan which he suggests could increase the distribution of aid into Gaza. He tells the Commission President that he is writing 'with profound concern' over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Requests for 'gradual implementation' of aid Mullooly, who is a former RTÉ News Midlands Correspondent, tells the European Commission President that the EU must take immediate action to improve the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Despite pleas for immediate action, however, Mullooly's letter later suggests that the EU conducts a 'graduated implementation' of measures to increase and improve aid distribution chains in the Gaza Strip. Asked about what this meant, a spokesperson for the MEP told The Journal that 'examples of measures that could potentially move the situation along and improve and increase the amount of aid flowing into Gaza' were included in the letter. Measures included increasing funding for aid groups such as UN-backed Palestinian refugee group UNRWA, distributing food through the humanitarian aid organisation World Food Project and providing the World Health Organization with medicines. 'This is a highly complex and devastating situation and MEP Mullooly believes that the Commission has a responsibility to do all that it can, in realistic and practical terms, right now to help save lives,' the spokesman said. Elsewhere in the letter, the MEP claims that inaction on Gaza would impact the EU-Mercosur agreement, a trade deal between European member states and Latin American nations. It's not explicitly explained how this could happen. Mullooly's spokesperson said that the Commission has a 'legal and moral obligation' to uphold humanitarian commitments, adding: 'The Commission has the responsibility to uphold all clauses in its trade agreements, and failure to do so could cast doubt on the upkeep of similar clauses in any future deals including the Mercosur trade agreement.' The Ireland Independent MEP has previously joined Irish colleagues in the European Parliament in recent weeks to demand that von der Leyen takes a stronger approach to Israel's actions in Gaza. Her response to the conflict in the Gaza Strip was cited by Mullooly as one of the reasons why he decided not to support her re-election as Commission President last year. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Christian Music Is Surging on Billboard's Charts, Thanks to These Two Artists
Say your prayers: Christian music is making a serious comeback. On the Billboard Hot 100, dated May 10, two Christian songs are making waves: Brandon Lake's 'Hard Fought Hallelujah' ranks at No. 44 in its 11th week on the chart (after reaching No. 40 last week) and Forrest Frank's 'Your Way's Better' jumps from No. 72 to No. 62 in its second week. More from Billboard Twenty One Pilots Fans Jumped Into Veronica Mars Mode After Someone Took Off With One of Josh Dun's Bespoke Drums Palm Tree Festival to Debut in St. Tropez With Headliners A$AP Rocky & Swedish House Mafia Kelly Clarkson Doesn't Care What HR Says, She's Totally Open to Comments on Her Weight Loss: 'I Want You to Say 'Damn!' Lake and Frank have both emerged as breakout stars in the Christian music world, thanks in part to their growing popularity across social media platforms like TikTok. Lake has charted 42 songs on the Hot Christian Songs chart, all since 2019. Nine of those reached the top 10 and six hit No. 1. Three of those hits, including 'Hard Fought Hallelujah,' spent 20-plus weeks on top. Frank, meanwhile, first broke onto Billboard's charts in 2020 as half of the pop duo Surfaces (alongside Colin Padalecki), thanks to their viral hit 'Sunday Best.' The TikTok-friendly song climbed to No. 19 on the Hot 100 and even found success at radio, reaching the top 10 of Pop Airplay. Since then, Frank has pivoted to Christian music and quickly became a force in the genre. He's logged 34 entries on the Hot Christian Songs chart, including six top 10s: 'Good Day' (No. 2 peak in 2024); 'Up!,' with Connor Price (No. 8, 2024); 'Never Get Used to This,' with JVKE (No. 6, 2024); 'The Present' (No. 9, January); 'Nothing Else,' with Thomas Rhett (No. 4, March); and 'Your Way's Better.' No other artist has charted more songs on the ranking since the beginning of 2022. He also finished 2024 as Billboard's No. 1 top new Christian artist. Frank's album Child of God has also dominated the Top Christian Albums chart, spending 34 weeks and counting at No. 1, making it the fifth-longest-leading No. 1 album this century. He released the set's follow-up, Child of God II, Friday (May 9). Christian music has historically had a limited presence on the Hot 100. Dating to when Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart adopted its current multimetric methodology on Dec. 7, 2013 — blending U.S. streams, radio airplay and sales — 52 Christian songs have charted on both the Hot 100 and Hot Christian Songs. But there are some important caveats. Of those 52 songs, 34 were by Kanye West from his albums Jesus Is King or Donda and one was by DJ Khaled featuring West and Eminem ('Use This Gospel [Remix]') — both were, of course, already long-established hip-hop acts with a core fanbase outside of Christian music. Another six were religious-themed holiday songs (Carrie Underwood's 'Silent Night,' for example). That leaves us with just 11 Christian songs that are not tied to the holidays or crossover rap acts: Artist, Title, Peak Year on the Hot 100: Carrie Underwood, 'Something in the Water,' 2014Craig Wayne Boyd, 'The Old Rugged Cross,' 2014Hillsong UNITED, 'Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),' 2014Jordan Smith, 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness,' 2015NEEDTOBREATHE feat. Gavin DeGraw, 'Brother,' 2015Jordan Smith, 'Mary Did You Know,' 2016Avril Lavigne, 'Head Above Water,' 2018NF, 'Let You Down,' 2018Lauren Daigle, 'You Say,' 2019Brandon Lake, 'Hard Fought Hallelujah,' 2025Forrest Frank, 'Your Way's Better,' 2025 And there may be more on the way. Two additional Christian tracks are climbing Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 ranking — which lists the 25 songs just below the Hot 100 that haven't yet debuted: Elevation Worship's 'Praise,' featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown and Chandler Moore (No. 20; currently No. 3 on Hot Christian Songs) and Forrest Frank's 'Good Day' (No. 23; peaked at No. 2 on Hot Christian Songs last year). What makes this specific chart week extra notable for Christian music, though, is that it's just the second time (since 2013) that two Christian songs are charting simultaneously. It only happened once before on Dec. 27, 2014, when Underwood's 'Something in the Water' and Boyd's 'The Old Rugged Cross' charted together. The latter song, however, spent a week on the chart before dropping off. Unlike that week, Lake's hit has significant longevity and Frank's is still on the rise. For Provident Label Group, which finished 2024 as Billboard's No. 1 Top Christian Label and whose roster included Lake and genre powerhouse Elevation Worship, pivoting their marketing efforts to younger demographics has been key to their success. 'Over the past few years, we've focused on investing in the future of the genre instead of just seeking to repeat past successes,' said marketing & brand strategy vp Mat Anderson. 'For Christian music to thrive in the next 5-10 years, we must attract younger audiences seeking sonically diverse music that authentically reflects their faith and life experiences. We've partnered with young artists who offer unique perspectives, enabling them to shape the genre's future rather than molding them to fit its past. This approach by Provident and others has been highly successful, as the genre's rapid growth over the past three years demonstrates that Christian music is resonating with new audiences and reengaging previous ones.' Christian music has, in fact, been rising — and it's part of a broader trend. According to Luminate's 2024 year-end report, Christian/Gospel is one of the fastest-growing genres among young audiences in the U.S., with the average listener is spending 19% more time with Christian/Gospel music than in 2022. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Four Decades of 'Madonna': A Look Back at the Queen of Pop's Debut Album on the Charts Chart Rewind: In 1990, Madonna Was in 'Vogue' Atop the Hot 100
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Here's Why Swifties Are Convinced Taylor Swift Is Going to Announce Something at the 2025 AMAs
All Swiftie eyes will be turned toward the 2025 American Music Awards later this month, as fans are absolutely convinced that Taylor Swift is planning to announce something major at this year's ceremony. There are several reasons for the detective-like fanbase's latest hunch. Two of the biggest ones tie back to the pop superstar's online store, which fans noticed now covertly spells out 'AMAs' via the first letters of each word in a prominent four-option menu: Apparel, Music, Accessories and Sale. More from Billboard Here's How to Vote for the 2025 American Music Awards Twenty One Pilots Fans Jumped Into Veronica Mars Mode After Someone Took Off With One of Josh Dun's Bespoke Drums Palm Tree Festival to Debut in St. Tropez With Headliners A$AP Rocky & Swedish House Mafia Additionally, Swift's site currently has exactly 12 items up for sale at 26% off, which fans have pointed out as two significant numbers. First, the 14-time Grammy winner's last album — the 17-week Billboard 200-topping Tortured Poets Department — was her 11th studio LP, meaning her next project would be her 12th. Second, the date of the 2025 AMAs is May 26. That, of course, isn't all. Taylor Nation recently reshared a fan's post on X about voting for Swift at this year's AMAs (she's nominated in six categories in 2025) and wrote, 'And our town, it looks so sMall from wAy up here.' 'Screamed, 'vote for the chairman' at the night sky!' Swift's team added in the May 6 post. On the surface, those lines appear to be a simple play on a lyric from Swift's track 'thanK you aIMee.' But you also might notice the randomly capitalized letters in the sentence; put them together, and what do they spell? 'AMAs.' With all of that in mind, Swifties are sure the 'Fortnight' singer has something special planned for the 2025 awards. The repetition of the number 12 in her potential Easter eggs has a lot of people thinking that an announcement pertaining to her next proper album is in the cards, but some are holding out hope that she'll actually reveal something about her long-anticipated Reputation or Taylor Swift re-records. 'Her store spelling out AMAS, 12 items on sale for 26% (the amas are on the 26th), TN capitalizing a caption to spell out AMAS…. guys… THESE ARE EASTER EGGS,' one fan wrote on X. Another person added, 'i think this enough reasonable clown material.' If Swift does unveil something album-related at the AMAs, it would be far from the first time she's used an award show for that purpose. It was at the 2022 VMAs that she announced Midnights, and while accepting best pop vocal album for that same LP at the 2024 Grammys, she announced Tortured Poets. The Eras headliner also has a special history with the AMAs in particular. In 2019, she was declared the show's second-ever artist of the decade, performing a medley of her biggest hits before accepting the honor on stage. She's also the most-decorated artist in AMAs history, boasting 40 awards in her collection total. Airing live on Memorial Day, or May 26, the AMAs will be available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. The upcoming show comes after Swift was recently spotted out and about with boyfriend Travis Kelce for the first time in months, dining at a Philadelphia restaurant on Mother's Day (May 11) after mostly lying low following the conclusion of the Eras Tour in December. See what Swifties are saying about the possibility of a big AMAs announcement below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
