It is a feat most Grammy winners never achieve: billions of streams across the world’s largest platforms. But for Michael Smith, a 54-year-old North Carolina resident, the “fans” didn’t exist. They were lines of code, and the music was “AI slop.”Smith has officially pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, marking the first-ever criminal…

The name and likeness of Cesar Chavez were swiftly removed from buildings, roads, parks and schools after allegations surfaced accusing the farmworker rights icon of sexually assaulting minors and fellow labour leader Dolores Huerta. Within just two days of a New York Times investigation bringing the claims to light, officials and activists across California moved…