मनोरंजन

By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -In India, Bollywood stars are asking judges to protect their voice and persona in the era of artificial intelligence. One famous couple's biggest target is Google's video arm YouTube. Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, known for her iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet appearances, have asked a judge to remove and prohibit creation of AI videos infringing their intellectual property rights. But in a more far-reaching request, they also want Google ordered to have safeguards to ensure such YouTube videos uploaded anyway do not train other AI platforms, legal papers reviewed by Reuters show. A handful of Bollywood celebrities have begun asserting their "personality rights" in Indian courts over the last few years, as the country has no explicit protection for those like in many U.S. states. But the Bachchans' lawsuits are the most high-profile to date about the interplay of personality rights and the risk that misleading or deepfake YouTube videos could train other AI models. The actors argue that YouTube's content and third-party training policy is concerning as it lets users consent to sharing of a video they created to train rival AI models, risking further proliferation of misleading content online, according to near-identical filings from Abhishek and Aishwarya dated September 6, which are not public. "Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content i.e. first being uploaded on YouTube being viewed by the public, and then also being used to train," the filings said. Representatives for the Bachchans and Google spokespersons did not respond to Reuters' queries. The Delhi High Court last month asked Google's lawyer in court to submit written responses before the next hearing on January 15. YouTube's India managing director, Gunjan Soni, last month described the platform as "the new TV for India". With around 600 million users, India is YouTube's biggest market globally, and it is popular for entertainment content like Bollywood videos. LAWSUIT ALLEGES YOUTUBE VIDEOS ARE 'EGREGIOUS' Indian courts have already started to back Bollywood stars upset about generative AI content damaging their reputation. In 2023, a Delhi court restrained the misuse of Anil Kapoor's image, voice and even a catchphrase he often used. Reuters is first to report details of the Bachchans' specific challenge against Google, which was contained in court filings spanning 1,500 pages where they mostly target little-known sellers for unauthorised physical merchandise like posters, coffee mugs and stickers with their photos, and even fake autographed pictures. They are also seeking $450,000 in damages against Google and others, and a permanent injunction against such exploitation. The lawsuits contain hundreds of links and screenshots of what they allege are YouTube videos showing "egregious", "sexually explicit" or "fictitious" AI content. The judge in early September ordered 518 website links and posts specifically listed by the actors to be taken down, saying they caused financial harm to the couple and harmed their dignity and goodwill. Reuters, however, found videos similar to the examples of infringing videos cited in Abhishek's papers on YouTube. Among them: a clip showing Abhishek posing but then suddenly kissing a film actress using AI manipulation; an AI depiction of Aishwarya and her co-star Salman Khan enjoying a meal together while Abhishek fumes standing behind; and a crocodile chasing Abhishek as Khan tries to save him. Khan was in a relationship with Aishwarya long before her marriage. His spokesperson did not respond to Reuters' queries. AI CAN GENERATE BOLLYWOOD LOVE STORIES YouTube's data-sharing policy states creators can opt in to share their videos for training models of other AI platforms, like OpenAI, Meta and xAI. YouTube adds: "We can't control what a third-party company does" if users share videos for such training. The Bachchans argue in their filings that if AI platforms are trained on biased content that portrays them in a negative manner and infringes their intellectual property rights, then AI models "are likely to learn all such untrue" information, leading to its further spread. Eashan Ghosh, chair professor for intellectual property rights at the National Law University Delhi, said it would be difficult for actors to build a direct case against YouTube since their grievances are mostly with creators and personality rights infringement. But "it wouldn't be beyond the pale for the court to nudge YouTube to write something into their user policies or set up a queue jump for celebrity claimants to get quicker responses to legal requests," he said. YouTube in May disclosed that it had paid more than $2.4 billion to Indian creators in the last three years. The actors alleged that creators infringing their personality rights can make money when videos become popular. Reuters found a channel on YouTube titled "AI Bollywood Ishq" that shares "AI-generated Bollywood love stories". Its 259 videos have garnered 16.5 million views. The most popular video with 4.1 million views shows an AI animation of Khan and Aishwarya in a pool, while another shows them on a swing. In a tutorial, the channel explains it used simple text prompts to create an image via X's Grok AI and then turned it into a video using Chinese AI startup MiniMax's Hailuo AI. A Reuters test generated an AI video showing lookalikes of Bollywood stars Khan and Abhishek in a fistfight within five minutes. Grok, MiniMax and the owner of YouTube channel @AIbollywoodishq did not respond to Reuters' queries. It was unclear whether the YouTube channel consented to sharing those videos for AI training. "Content is made only for entertainment and creative storytelling," the channel's page said. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -In India, Bollywood stars are asking judges to protect their voice and persona in the era of artificial intelligence. One famous couple's biggest target is Google's video arm YouTube. Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, known for her iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet appearances, have asked a judge to remove and prohibit creation of AI videos infringing their intellectual property rights. But in a more far-reaching request, they also want Google ordered to have safeguards to ensure such YouTube videos uploaded anyway do not train other AI platforms, legal papers reviewed by Reuters show. A handful of Bollywood celebrities have begun asserting their "personality rights" in Indian courts over the last few years, as the country has no explicit protection for those like in many U.S. states. But the Bachchans' lawsuits are the most high-profile to date about the interplay of personality rights and the risk that misleading or deepfake YouTube videos could train other AI models. The actors argue that YouTube's content and third-party training policy is concerning as it lets users consent to sharing of a video they created to train rival AI models, risking further proliferation of misleading content online, according to near-identical filings from Abhishek and Aishwarya dated September 6, which are not public. "Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content i.e. first being uploaded on YouTube being viewed by the public, and then also being used to train," the filings said. Representatives for the Bachchans and Google spokespersons did not respond to Reuters' queries. The Delhi High Court last month asked Google's lawyer in court to submit written responses before the next hearing on January 15. YouTube's India managing director, Gunjan Soni, last month described the platform as "the new TV for India". With around 600 million users, India is YouTube's biggest market globally, and it is popular for entertainment content like Bollywood videos. LAWSUIT ALLEGES YOUTUBE VIDEOS ARE 'EGREGIOUS' Indian courts have already started to back Bollywood stars upset about generative AI content damaging their reputation. In 2023, a Delhi court restrained the misuse of Anil Kapoor's image, voice and even a catchphrase he often used. Reuters is first to report details of the Bachchans' specific challenge against Google, which was contained in court filings spanning 1,500 pages where they mostly target little-known sellers for unauthorised physical merchandise like posters, coffee mugs and stickers with their photos, and even fake autographed pictures. They are also seeking $450,000 in damages against Google and others, and a permanent injunction against such exploitation. The lawsuits contain hundreds of links and screenshots of what they allege are YouTube videos showing "egregious", "sexually explicit" or "fictitious" AI content. The judge in early September ordered 518 website links and posts specifically listed by the actors to be taken down, saying they caused financial harm to the couple and harmed their dignity and goodwill. Reuters, however, found videos similar to the examples of infringing videos cited in Abhishek's papers on YouTube. Among them: a clip showing Abhishek posing but then suddenly kissing a film actress using AI manipulation; an AI depiction of Aishwarya and her co-star Salman Khan enjoying a meal together while Abhishek fumes standing behind; and a crocodile chasing Abhishek as Khan tries to save him. Khan was in a relationship with Aishwarya long before her marriage. His spokesperson did not respond to Reuters' queries. AI CAN GENERATE BOLLYWOOD LOVE STORIES YouTube's data-sharing policy states creators can opt in to share their videos for training models of other AI platforms, like OpenAI, Meta and xAI. YouTube adds: "We can't control what a third-party company does" if users share videos for such training. The Bachchans argue in their filings that if AI platforms are trained on biased content that portrays them in a negative manner and infringes their intellectual property rights, then AI models "are likely to learn all such untrue" information, leading to its further spread. Eashan Ghosh, chair professor for intellectual property rights at the National Law University Delhi, said it would be difficult for actors to build a direct case against YouTube since their grievances are mostly with creators and personality rights infringement. But "it wouldn't be beyond the pale for the court to nudge YouTube to write something into their user policies or set up a queue jump for celebrity claimants to get quicker responses to legal requests," he said. YouTube in May disclosed that it had paid more than $2.4 billion to Indian creators in the last three years. The actors alleged that creators infringing their personality rights can make money when videos become popular. Reuters found a channel on YouTube titled "AI Bollywood Ishq" that shares "AI-generated Bollywood love stories". Its 259 videos have garnered 16.5 million views. The most popular video with 4.1 million views shows an AI animation of Khan and Aishwarya in a pool, while another shows them on a swing. In a tutorial, the channel explains it used simple text prompts to create an image via X's Grok AI and then turned it into a video using Chinese AI startup MiniMax's Hailuo AI. A Reuters test generated an AI video showing lookalikes of Bollywood stars Khan and Abhishek in a fistfight within five minutes. Grok, MiniMax and the owner of YouTube channel @AIbollywoodishq did not respond to Reuters' queries. It was unclear whether the YouTube channel consented to sharing those videos for AI training. "Content is made only for entertainment and creative storytelling," the channel's page said. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -In India, Bollywood stars are asking judges to protect their voice and persona in the era of artificial intelligence. One famous couple's biggest target is Google's video arm YouTube. Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, known for her iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet appearances, have asked a judge to remove and prohibit creation of AI videos infringing their intellectual property rights. But in a more far-reaching request, they also want Google ordered to have safeguards to ensure such YouTube videos uploaded anyway do not train other AI platforms, legal papers reviewed by Reuters show. A handful of Bollywood celebrities have begun asserting their "personality rights" in Indian courts over the last few years, as the country has no explicit protection for those like in many U.S. states. But the Bachchans' lawsuits are the most high-profile to date about the interplay of personality rights and the risk that misleading or deepfake YouTube videos could train other AI models. The actors argue that YouTube's content and third-party training policy is concerning as it lets users consent to sharing of a video they created to train rival AI models, risking further proliferation of misleading content online, according to near-identical filings from Abhishek and Aishwarya dated September 6, which are not public. "Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content i.e. first being uploaded on YouTube being viewed by the public, and then also being used to train," the filings said. Representatives for the Bachchans and Google spokespersons did not respond to Reuters' queries. The Delhi High Court last month asked Google's lawyer in court to submit written responses before the next hearing on January 15. YouTube's India managing director, Gunjan Soni, last month described the platform as "the new TV for India". With around 600 million users, India is YouTube's biggest market globally, and it is popular for entertainment content like Bollywood videos. LAWSUIT ALLEGES YOUTUBE VIDEOS ARE 'EGREGIOUS' Indian courts have already started to back Bollywood stars upset about generative AI content damaging their reputation. In 2023, a Delhi court restrained the misuse of Anil Kapoor's image, voice and even a catchphrase he often used. Reuters is first to report details of the Bachchans' specific challenge against Google, which was contained in court filings spanning 1,500 pages where they mostly target little-known sellers for unauthorised physical merchandise like posters, coffee mugs and stickers with their photos, and even fake autographed pictures. They are also seeking $450,000 in damages against Google and others, and a permanent injunction against such exploitation. The lawsuits contain hundreds of links and screenshots of what they allege are YouTube videos showing "egregious", "sexually explicit" or "fictitious" AI content. The judge in early September ordered 518 website links and posts specifically listed by the actors to be taken down, saying they caused financial harm to the couple and harmed their dignity and goodwill. Reuters, however, found videos similar to the examples of infringing videos cited in Abhishek's papers on YouTube. Among them: a clip showing Abhishek posing but then suddenly kissing a film actress using AI manipulation; an AI depiction of Aishwarya and her co-star Salman Khan enjoying a meal together while Abhishek fumes standing behind; and a crocodile chasing Abhishek as Khan tries to save him. Khan was in a relationship with Aishwarya long before her marriage. His spokesperson did not respond to Reuters' queries. AI CAN GENERATE BOLLYWOOD LOVE STORIES YouTube's data-sharing policy states creators can opt in to share their videos for training models of other AI platforms, like OpenAI, Meta and xAI. YouTube adds: "We can't control what a third-party company does" if users share videos for such training. The Bachchans argue in their filings that if AI platforms are trained on biased content that portrays them in a negative manner and infringes their intellectual property rights, then AI models "are likely to learn all such untrue" information, leading to its further spread. Eashan Ghosh, chair professor for intellectual property rights at the National Law University Delhi, said it would be difficult for actors to build a direct case against YouTube since their grievances are mostly with creators and personality rights infringement. But "it wouldn't be beyond the pale for the court to nudge YouTube to write something into their user policies or set up a queue jump for celebrity claimants to get quicker responses to legal requests," he said. YouTube in May disclosed that it had paid more than $2.4 billion to Indian creators in the last three years. The actors alleged that creators infringing their personality rights can make money when videos become popular. Reuters found a channel on YouTube titled "AI Bollywood Ishq" that shares "AI-generated Bollywood love stories". Its 259 videos have garnered 16.5 million views. The most popular video with 4.1 million views shows an AI animation of Khan and Aishwarya in a pool, while another shows them on a swing. In a tutorial, the channel explains it used simple text prompts to create an image via X's Grok AI and then turned it into a video using Chinese AI startup MiniMax's Hailuo AI. A Reuters test generated an AI video showing lookalikes of Bollywood stars Khan and Abhishek in a fistfight within five minutes. Grok, MiniMax and the owner of YouTube channel @AIbollywoodishq did not respond to Reuters' queries. It was unclear whether the YouTube channel consented to sharing those videos for AI training. "Content is made only for entertainment and creative storytelling," the channel's page said. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -In India, Bollywood stars are asking judges to protect their voice and persona in the era of artificial intelligence. One famous couple's biggest target is Google's video arm YouTube. Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, known for her iconic Cannes Film Festival red carpet appearances, have asked a judge to remove and prohibit creation of AI videos infringing their intellectual property rights. But in a more far-reaching request, they also want Google ordered to have safeguards to ensure such YouTube videos uploaded anyway do not train other AI platforms, legal papers reviewed by Reuters show. A handful of Bollywood celebrities have begun asserting their "personality rights" in Indian courts over the last few years, as the country has no explicit protection for those like in many U.S. states. But the Bachchans' lawsuits are the most high-profile to date about the interplay of personality rights and the risk that misleading or deepfake YouTube videos could train other AI models. The actors argue that YouTube's content and third-party training policy is concerning as it lets users consent to sharing of a video they created to train rival AI models, risking further proliferation of misleading content online, according to near-identical filings from Abhishek and Aishwarya dated September 6, which are not public. "Such content being used to train AI models has the potential to multiply the instances of use of any infringing content i.e. first being uploaded on YouTube being viewed by the public, and then also being used to train," the filings said. Representatives for the Bachchans and Google spokespersons did not respond to Reuters' queries. The Delhi High Court last month asked Google's lawyer in court to submit written responses before the next hearing on January 15. YouTube's India managing director, Gunjan Soni, last month described the platform as "the new TV for India". With around 600 million users, India is YouTube's biggest market globally, and it is popular for entertainment content like Bollywood videos. LAWSUIT ALLEGES YOUTUBE VIDEOS ARE 'EGREGIOUS' Indian courts have already started to back Bollywood stars upset about generative AI content damaging their reputation. In 2023, a Delhi court restrained the misuse of Anil Kapoor's image, voice and even a catchphrase he often used. Reuters is first to report details of the Bachchans' specific challenge against Google, which was contained in court filings spanning 1,500 pages where they mostly target little-known sellers for unauthorised physical merchandise like posters, coffee mugs and stickers with their photos, and even fake autographed pictures. They are also seeking $450,000 in damages against Google and others, and a permanent injunction against such exploitation. The lawsuits contain hundreds of links and screenshots of what they allege are YouTube videos showing "egregious", "sexually explicit" or "fictitious" AI content. The judge in early September ordered 518 website links and posts specifically listed by the actors to be taken down, saying they caused financial harm to the couple and harmed their dignity and goodwill. Reuters, however, found videos similar to the examples of infringing videos cited in Abhishek's papers on YouTube. Among them: a clip showing Abhishek posing but then suddenly kissing a film actress using AI manipulation; an AI depiction of Aishwarya and her co-star Salman Khan enjoying a meal together while Abhishek fumes standing behind; and a crocodile chasing Abhishek as Khan tries to save him. Khan was in a relationship with Aishwarya long before her marriage. His spokesperson did not respond to Reuters' queries. AI CAN GENERATE BOLLYWOOD LOVE STORIES YouTube's data-sharing policy states creators can opt in to share their videos for training models of other AI platforms, like OpenAI, Meta and xAI. YouTube adds: "We can't control what a third-party company does" if users share videos for such training. The Bachchans argue in their filings that if AI platforms are trained on biased content that portrays them in a negative manner and infringes their intellectual property rights, then AI models "are likely to learn all such untrue" information, leading to its further spread. Eashan Ghosh, chair professor for intellectual property rights at the National Law University Delhi, said it would be difficult for actors to build a direct case against YouTube since their grievances are mostly with creators and personality rights infringement. But "it wouldn't be beyond the pale for the court to nudge YouTube to write something into their user policies or set up a queue jump for celebrity claimants to get quicker responses to legal requests," he said. YouTube in May disclosed that it had paid more than $2.4 billion to Indian creators in the last three years. The actors alleged that creators infringing their personality rights can make money when videos become popular. Reuters found a channel on YouTube titled "AI Bollywood Ishq" that shares "AI-generated Bollywood love stories". Its 259 videos have garnered 16.5 million views. The most popular video with 4.1 million views shows an AI animation of Khan and Aishwarya in a pool, while another shows them on a swing. In a tutorial, the channel explains it used simple text prompts to create an image via X's Grok AI and then turned it into a video using Chinese AI startup MiniMax's Hailuo AI. A Reuters test generated an AI video showing lookalikes of Bollywood stars Khan and Abhishek in a fistfight within five minutes. Grok, MiniMax and the owner of YouTube channel @AIbollywoodishq did not respond to Reuters' queries. It was unclear whether the YouTube channel consented to sharing those videos for AI training. "Content is made only for entertainment and creative storytelling," the channel's page said. (Reporting by Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra; Editing by Jamie Freed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Tuesday rejected a bid by Sean "Diddy" Combs to overturn his criminal conviction on felony prostitution-related charges, after prosecutors said the hip-hop mogul should spend more than 11 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan found "overwhelming evidence of Combs' guilt" related to his treatment of two former girlfriends: rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court as Jane. Prosecutors said Combs arranged for male prostitutes to travel across state lines to engage in drug-fueled sexual performances known as Freak Offs with his girlfriends, while he watched, recorded videos and masturbated. Ventura and Jane testified that Combs physically attacked them, and threatened to cut off financial support if they resisted the performances. "The government proved its case many times over," the judge wrote. Subramanian also rejected arguments that evidence used to support the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges on which Combs was acquitted tainted the prostitution case. Lawyers for Combs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in Manhattan did not immediately respond to similar requests. Combs, 55, was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on July 2 of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, following an eight-week trial. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and is expected to appeal his conviction. Prosecutors asked Subramanian to sentence Combs to 11-1/4 years in prison at the scheduled October 3 sentencing. Defense lawyers asked for no more than 14 months, which if granted could result in Combs' freedom this year because he would get credit for time served at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his September 16, 2024 arrest. COMBS HELD 'ALL THE POWER,' U.S. SAYS Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with popularizing hip-hop in American culture. But in seeking a 135-month sentence, prosecutors cited evidence at trial that Combs led a different life outside the public eye, physically beating his girlfriends and giving them illegal drugs. "The defendant tries to recast decades of abuse as simply the function of mutually toxic relationships," prosecutors wrote. "But there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised." In a letter to the judge, Ventura, known as Cassie, said Combs used violence, threats and drugs to "trap" her into Freak Offs, starting when she was 19. "Sex acts became my full-time job," Ventura wrote. "His power over me eroded my independence and sense of self until I felt I had no choice but to submit." Subramanian rejected Combs' arguments that the prostitution convictions under the Mann Act should be thrown out because Combs lacked a financial motive and did not engage in sex he paid for. The judge said it was enough that Combs transported escorts who were financially motivated, and intended for them to engage in prostitution. He also said requiring Combs to have taken part in the sex "would narrow prostitution almost out of existence," shielding even owners of brothels from prosecution. Subramanian also said a conviction did not violate Combs' First Amendment constitutional rights as "an amateur pornographer and consumer of pornography," and that conduct did not become legal just because he filmed the sex performances. While agreeing with Combs that the Mann Act has evolved since its 1910 passage, Combs' conduct "sits at the heartland of the Act's legitimate proscriptions. Unsurprisingly then, his conviction raises no constitutional problem."   (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Will Dunham, Mark Porter and Stephen Coates)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Tuesday rejected a bid by Sean "Diddy" Combs to overturn his criminal conviction on felony prostitution-related charges, after prosecutors said the hip-hop mogul should spend more than 11 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan found "overwhelming evidence of Combs' guilt" related to his treatment of two former girlfriends: rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, and a woman known in court as Jane. Prosecutors said Combs arranged for male prostitutes to travel across state lines to engage in drug-fueled sexual performances known as Freak Offs with his girlfriends, while he watched, recorded videos and masturbated. Ventura and Jane testified that Combs physically attacked them, and threatened to cut off financial support if they resisted the performances. "The government proved its case many times over," the judge wrote. Subramanian also rejected arguments that evidence used to support the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges on which Combs was acquitted tainted the prostitution case. Lawyers for Combs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton in Manhattan did not immediately respond to similar requests. Combs, 55, was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on July 2 of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, following an eight-week trial. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges and is expected to appeal his conviction. Prosecutors asked Subramanian to sentence Combs to 11-1/4 years in prison at the scheduled October 3 sentencing. Defense lawyers asked for no more than 14 months, which if granted could result in Combs' freedom this year because he would get credit for time served at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his September 16, 2024 arrest. COMBS HELD 'ALL THE POWER,' U.S. SAYS Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with popularizing hip-hop in American culture. But in seeking a 135-month sentence, prosecutors cited evidence at trial that Combs led a different life outside the public eye, physically beating his girlfriends and giving them illegal drugs. "The defendant tries to recast decades of abuse as simply the function of mutually toxic relationships," prosecutors wrote. "But there is nothing mutual about a relationship where one person holds all the power and the other ends up bloodied and bruised." In a letter to the judge, Ventura, known as Cassie, said Combs used violence, threats and drugs to "trap" her into Freak Offs, starting when she was 19. "Sex acts became my full-time job," Ventura wrote. "His power over me eroded my independence and sense of self until I felt I had no choice but to submit." Subramanian rejected Combs' arguments that the prostitution convictions under the Mann Act should be thrown out because Combs lacked a financial motive and did not engage in sex he paid for. The judge said it was enough that Combs transported escorts who were financially motivated, and intended for them to engage in prostitution. He also said requiring Combs to have taken part in the sex "would narrow prostitution almost out of existence," shielding even owners of brothels from prosecution. Subramanian also said a conviction did not violate Combs' First Amendment constitutional rights as "an amateur pornographer and consumer of pornography," and that conduct did not become legal just because he filmed the sex performances. While agreeing with Combs that the Mann Act has evolved since its 1910 passage, Combs' conduct "sits at the heartland of the Act's legitimate proscriptions. Unsurprisingly then, his conviction raises no constitutional problem."   (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Will Dunham, Mark Porter and Stephen Coates)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Steve Gorman, Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The recent debut of an AI-generated "actress" dubbed Tilly Norwood, and its producer's boasts of interest from studio executives, sparked a backlash on Tuesday from the SAG-AFTRA actors union, condemning the replacement of human performers with "synthetics." The Hollywood buzz around Tilly Norwood, introduced on Saturday at a film industry conference in Zurich, and the union's scathing reaction to it reflected the dread many in the creative community feel about the intersection of artificial intelligence and show business. The official Tilly Norwood launch consisted of a 20-second appearance of the photo-real character – a twenty-something fictional ingénue bearing no particular resemblance to any real celebrity – in a brief video parody about making an AI-generated television show. Dutch actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, whose London-based AI production studio Particle6 created Tilly Norwood, said during her presentation at the Zurich Summit the project was starting to turn heads. After months of facing boardroom skepticism, talent agents were starting to tell her: "'We need to do something with you guys,'" Hollywood trade paper Variety quoted Van der Velden as saying. She said an announcement of a first-of-its-kind talent agency deal was a few months away, Variety reported. Concerns about Hollywood actors and writers being exploited, and even supplanted, by AI-generated scripts and performers was a major issue SAG-AFTRA's most recent round of contract talks with studios and streaming services. Computer-generated imagery is nothing new to the film and television industry, and AI-enhanced software has more recently emerged in various effects such as "de-aging" technology allowing actors to portray younger versions of themselves. The ability to convincingly replicate a feature-length human film performance with AI stand-ins is still seen as far off. 'VERY REAL EMOTIONS' Nevertheless, the prospect of talent agents suddenly showing interest in AI-created figures stirred a swift denunciation from SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, stunt performers and other talent. "Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered," the union said in a statement. "The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics." The parody video, which first appeared in July, actually comprises 16 AI-generated characters in all. But Tilly Norwood – a winsome figure with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, a British accent and her own social media profile – was the star. A separate Facebook post attributed to the character exclaims: "I may be AI generated, but I'm feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what's coming next!" SAG-AFTRA officials were not amused. "To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor," the union said in its statement. "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation." Van der Velden sought to assuage such concerns in an Instagram message, saying Tilly Norwood "is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity." Van der Velden was more provocative in an interview in July with the publication Broadcast International, which quoted her as saying: "We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that's the aim of what we're doing." Not everyone is convinced Tilly Norwood packs such potential. Yves Berquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center, called the hoopla "nonsense." "There is a lot of very understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced," he said. But judging from his own daily interactions with Hollywood executives, Berquist said there was zero interest from "serious people" in developing entirely synthetic characters. "Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person," he said. (Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Steve Gorman, Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The recent debut of an AI-generated "actress" dubbed Tilly Norwood, and its producer's boasts of interest from studio executives, sparked a backlash on Tuesday from the SAG-AFTRA actors union, condemning the replacement of human performers with "synthetics." The Hollywood buzz around Tilly Norwood, introduced on Saturday at a film industry conference in Zurich, and the union's scathing reaction to it reflected the dread many in the creative community feel about the intersection of artificial intelligence and show business. The official Tilly Norwood launch consisted of a 20-second appearance of the photo-real character – a twenty-something fictional ingénue bearing no particular resemblance to any real celebrity – in a brief video parody about making an AI-generated television show. Dutch actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, whose London-based AI production studio Particle6 created Tilly Norwood, said during her presentation at the Zurich Summit the project was starting to turn heads. After months of facing boardroom skepticism, talent agents were starting to tell her: "'We need to do something with you guys,'" Hollywood trade paper Variety quoted Van der Velden as saying. She said an announcement of a first-of-its-kind talent agency deal was a few months away, Variety reported. Concerns about Hollywood actors and writers being exploited, and even supplanted, by AI-generated scripts and performers was a major issue SAG-AFTRA's most recent round of contract talks with studios and streaming services. Computer-generated imagery is nothing new to the film and television industry, and AI-enhanced software has more recently emerged in various effects such as "de-aging" technology allowing actors to portray younger versions of themselves. The ability to convincingly replicate a feature-length human film performance with AI stand-ins is still seen as far off. 'VERY REAL EMOTIONS' Nevertheless, the prospect of talent agents suddenly showing interest in AI-created figures stirred a swift denunciation from SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, stunt performers and other talent. "Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered," the union said in a statement. "The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics." The parody video, which first appeared in July, actually comprises 16 AI-generated characters in all. But Tilly Norwood – a winsome figure with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, a British accent and her own social media profile – was the star. A separate Facebook post attributed to the character exclaims: "I may be AI generated, but I'm feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what's coming next!" SAG-AFTRA officials were not amused. "To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor," the union said in its statement. "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation." Van der Velden sought to assuage such concerns in an Instagram message, saying Tilly Norwood "is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity." Van der Velden was more provocative in an interview in July with the publication Broadcast International, which quoted her as saying: "We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that's the aim of what we're doing." Not everyone is convinced Tilly Norwood packs such potential. Yves Berquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center, called the hoopla "nonsense." "There is a lot of very understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced," he said. But judging from his own daily interactions with Hollywood executives, Berquist said there was zero interest from "serious people" in developing entirely synthetic characters. "Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person," he said. (Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Corrects spelling of Bergquist in paragraphs 17-18) By Steve Gorman, Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -The recent debut of an AI-generated "actress" dubbed Tilly Norwood, and its producer's boasts of interest from studio executives, sparked a backlash on Tuesday from the SAG-AFTRA actors union, condemning the replacement of human performers with "synthetics." The Hollywood buzz around Tilly Norwood, introduced on Saturday at a film industry conference in Zurich, and the union's scathing reaction to it reflected the dread many in the creative community feel about the intersection of artificial intelligence and show business. The official Tilly Norwood launch consisted of a 20-second appearance of the photo-real character – a twenty-something fictional ingénue bearing no particular resemblance to any real celebrity – in a brief video parody about making an AI-generated television show. Dutch actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, whose London-based AI production studio Particle6 created Tilly Norwood, said during her presentation at the Zurich Summit the project was starting to turn heads. After months of facing boardroom skepticism, talent agents were starting to tell her: "'We need to do something with you guys,'" Hollywood trade paper Variety quoted Van der Velden as saying. She said an announcement of a first-of-its-kind talent agency deal was a few months away, Variety reported. Concerns about Hollywood actors and writers being exploited, and even supplanted, by AI-generated scripts and performers was a major issue SAG-AFTRA's most recent round of contract talks with studios and streaming services. Computer-generated imagery is nothing new to the film and television industry, and AI-enhanced software has more recently emerged in various effects such as "de-aging" technology allowing actors to portray younger versions of themselves. The ability to convincingly replicate a feature-length human film performance with AI stand-ins is still seen as far off. 'VERY REAL EMOTIONS' Nevertheless, the prospect of talent agents suddenly showing interest in AI-created figures stirred a swift denunciation from SAG-AFTRA, representing 160,000 actors, announcers, recording artists, stunt performers and other talent. "Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered," the union said in a statement. "The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics." The parody video, which first appeared in July, actually comprises 16 AI-generated characters in all. But Tilly Norwood – a winsome figure with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, a British accent and her own social media profile – was the star. A separate Facebook post attributed to the character exclaims: "I may be AI generated, but I'm feeling very real emotions right now. I am so excited for what's coming next!" SAG-AFTRA officials were not amused. "To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor," the union said in its statement. "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation." Van der Velden sought to assuage such concerns in an Instagram message, saying Tilly Norwood "is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work – a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity." Van der Velden was more provocative in an interview in July with the publication Broadcast International, which quoted her as saying: "We want Tilly to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, that's the aim of what we're doing." Not everyone is convinced Tilly Norwood packs such potential. Yves Bergquist, director of AI in media at the University of Southern California's Entertainment Technology Center, called the hoopla "nonsense." "There is a lot of very understandable nervousness and fear out there about talent being replaced," he said. But judging from his own daily interactions with Hollywood executives, Bergquist said there was zero interest from "serious people" in developing entirely synthetic characters. "Scarlett Johansson has a fan base. Scarlett Johansson is a person," he said. (Reporting and writing by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Danielle Broadway and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge rejected on Tuesday a bid by Sean "Diddy" Combs to overturn his criminal conviction on felony prostitution-related charges, with the hip-hop mogul facing up to 20 years in prison at his sentencing.  The decision was issued by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan. Jurors found Combs, 55, guilty in July on prostitution charges following a two-month trial but acquitted him of more serious counts of sex trafficking and racketeering. Combs was accused of paying male escorts to travel across state lines to have sex with his girlfriends, while he recorded video of their activity and masturbated. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges, which could have landed him in prison for life. Combs is due to be sentenced on October 3. Defense lawyers had urged Subramanian in a July 30 court filing to set aside the verdict because Combs did not himself have sex with the prostitutes or his girlfriends during the days-long, drug-fueled sex marathons sometimes known as "Freak Offs." They also argued that Combs was recording video of the encounters as "amateur pornography," which they called protected speech under the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office said in an August 20 filing that Combs did not need to have personally taken part in the sex acts to be convicted because he helped arrange for the male escorts to travel. The prosecutors said he used the video as blackmail by threatening to release them if his girlfriends stopped taking part in the encounters.  TRIAL CENTERED ON FREAK OFFS  Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, is credited with elevating hip-hop in American culture. He was arrested on sex trafficking charges on September 16, 2024, and has since been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.     During his trial, prosecutors said he coerced two former girlfriends – rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, and a woman known by the pseudonym Jane – into the sexual performances. Both women testified that Combs physically attacked them and threatened to cut off financial support if they refused to participate in the sex performances. Lawyers for Combs acknowledged that the physical attacks occurred, but argued there was no direct link between what they called domestic violence and the women's participation in the sex performances. They also said the two women consented to the encounters because they loved Combs and wanted to make him happy. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Will Dunham)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)