ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

Tech

500m FB data found online Robot artist ‘Sophia’ eyeing music career

HONG KONG, April 5, (AP): Sophia is a robot of many talents - she speaks, jokes, sings and even makes art. In March, she caused a stir in the art world when a digital work she created as part of a collaboration was sold at an auction for $688,888 in the form of a non- fungible token (NFT). The sale highlighted a growing frenzy in the NFT market, where people can buy ownership rights to digital content. NFTs each have a unique digital code saved on blockchain ledgers that allow anyone to veri- fy the authenticity and ownership of items. David Hanson, CEO of Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics and Sophia’s creator, has been developing robots for the past two and a half decades. He believes realistic-looking robots can connect with people and assist in industries such as healthcare and education. Sophia is the most famous robot creation from Hanson Robotics, with the ability to mimic facial expressions, hold conversations and recognize people. In 2017, she was grant- ed Saudi Arabian citizenship, becoming the world’s first ro- bot citizen. “I envisioned Sophia as a Bonaceto creative artwork herself, that could generate art,” Hanson said in an interview. “Sophia is the culmination of a lot of arts, and engi- neering, and the idea that she could then generate art David Hanson, (left), creator of Sophia, shows a work of Sophia at his studio in Hong Kong on March 29, 2021. Sophia is a robot of many talents — she speaks, was a way for her to emotionally and visually connect jokes, sings and even makes art. In March, she caused a stir in the art world when a digital work she created as part of a collaboration was sold at an auction for with people,” he said. $688,888 in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT).WLD. (AP) Sophia collaborated with Italian artist Andrea Bo- naceto, who drew portraits of Sophia. Sophia then processed his work via neural networks and proceeded to create a digital artwork of her own. The digital work that sold for $688,888 is titled “Sophia Instantiation”, and is a 12-second video file Music which shows Bonaceto’s portrait evolving into So- phia’s digital painting. It is accompanied by the physi- cal artwork painted by Sophia. The buyer, a digital artwork collector and art- Prayer vigil planned for stricken rapper ist known as 888 with the Twitter handle @Cryp- to888crypto, later sent Sophia a photo of his painted arm. The robot then processed that, adding that image to her knowledge and painted more strokes on top of DMX on life support after heart attack her original piece. In a tweet on Sophia’s account, the work was de- WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 5, entire life. This situation represents drew more than 500,000 viewers. scribed as the first NFT collaboration between an “AI, (AP): A prayer vigil was planned for yet another road he must conquer. a mechanical collective being and an artist-collector.” Monday outside the suburban New “The Simmons Family appreci- Also: Creativity York hospital where rapper DMX ates the overwhelming outpouring HUNTSVILLE, Ala.: The drummer for “As an artist, I have computational creativity in remained on life support Sunday fol- of heartfelt love, encouragement, Grammy Award-winning rock band my algorithms, creating original works,” Sophia said lowing a heart attack. support and prayers for Earl. Earl is Alabama Shakes says he is innocent when asked what inspires her when it comes to art. The family of the rapper said in an someone whose life and music have of child abuse charges filed against “But my art is created in collaboration with my hu- email Sunday that the vigil will be been a source of inspiration and him, his lawyer said Friday. mans in a kind of collective intelligence like a human- held outside White Plains Hospital at strength to so many people around Steven William Johnson, 35, was artificial intelligence hive mind.” 5 pm. the world. It is reassuring to see his arrested last week after being indicted Sophia’s artwork selling as an NFT is part of a grow- In this Sept. 23, 2009, file photo, DMX “On Friday night, April 2nd, 2021, fans return that same passion and on charges of abuse of a child. ing trend. In March, a digital artwork by artist Beeple arrives at the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop our brother, son, father, and colleague energy to him during his time of “Steve Johnson maintains his inno- — whose real name is Mike Winkelmann — sold for Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, need.” cence on all of these allegations. And nearly $70 million, shattering records and making it Music, in New York. DMX’s longtime was admitted to White Plains (NY) DMX made a splash in rap music that’s what they are, allegations,” his the most expensive digital artwork ever sold. New York-based lawyer, Murray Rich- Hospital, facing serious health is- in 1998 with his first studio album attorney Nick Lough told The Asso- Henri Arslanian, PricewaterhouseCooper’s Global man, said the rapper was on life sup- sues,” the family said through a pub- “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot,” which ciated Press. Crypto Leader, said that NFTs give people “bragging port, April 3, at White Plains Hospital. licist. “We ask that you please keep debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 The indictment listed no particu- rights” of the assets that they own. ‘He had a heart attack. He’s quite ill,’ lars about the charge beyond the Richman said. (AP) Earl/DMX and us in your thoughts, chart. The multiplatinum selling al- “And what is really amazing with NFT is that it not wishes, and prayers as well as respect bum was anchored by several hits criminal statute definition of child only allows you to actually show to the broader world our privacy as we face these chal- including “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” abuse to “willfully torture, willfully that you own this, but it really creates this bond be- lenges.” “Get At Me Dog” and “Stop Being abuse, cruelly beat or otherwise will- tween the holder of the NFT and the artists,” he said. Another statement released Sunday Greedy.” fully maltreat” a child under the age It also allows art to be sold without traditional in- afternoon said the rapper remained in of 18 years. termediaries, so that artists can connect directly with a coma and was on a ventilator. Nominations His attorneys have filed a court buyers without being constrained by galleries or auc- Simmons’ longtime lawyer, Mur- The rapper had four other chart-top- motion seeking more information tion houses, Arslanian said. ray Richman, said the rapper was ping albums including “...And Then about the accusation. Lough said they Sophia will carry on painting, Hanson said, and admitted to the intensive care unit at There Was X,” “Flesh of My Flesh, have reason to believe the charge the next step in the robot’s career could be that of a White Plains Hospital after going into Blood of My Blood,” “The Great De- may involve what he described as a musician. She is working on several musical works in cardiac arrest. Richman said he could pression” and “Grand Champ.” He “spanking” incident. a project called Sophia Pop, where she collaborates not confirm reports that DMX, 50, has released seven albums and earned Court records show that in 2019 a with human musicians to generate music and lyrics, three Grammy nominations. criminal complaint was filed against he said. overdosed on drugs and was not sure “We’re so excited about Sophia’s career as an art- Keach Kopit what caused the heart attack. Along with his music career, DMX Johnson accusing him of hitting his ist,” Hanson said. Richman said he could not confirm paved his way as an actor. He starred son with a belt causing bruises on his reports that DMX, 50, overdosed on in the 1998 film “Belly” and appeared buttocks and thighs. The case was Also: Variety drugs and was not sure what caused in “Romeo Must Die” a couple years later dismissed. NEW YORK: Details from more than 500 million the heart attack. later with Jet Li and the late singer The latest indictment was returned Facebook users have been found available on a web- “I’m very sad about it, extremely Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed in October. However, Lough said site for hackers. NEW YORK: Arthur Kopit, a three time sad. He’s like my son,” Richman up for the film’s soundtrack song the arrest this month came days after The information appears to be several years old, Tony Award-nominated playwright and said. “He’s just a tremendous person, “Come Back in One Piece.” Johnson had his parental visitation but it is another example of the vast amount of infor- two-time Pulitzer Prize fi nalist known for tremendous entertainer, tremendous The rapper also starred in “Exit rights restored in court. mation collected by Facebook and other social media fusing disparate genres, absurdism and human being. And so much to offer, Wounds” with Steven Seagal and An arraignment date is set for April sites, and the limits to how secure that information is. a darkly comic world view, has died. He so much to say. Not the run-of-the- “Cradle 2 the Grave” with Li. 7. The availability of the data set was first reported by was 83. mill rapper. A person of great depth.” Over the years, DMX has battled Johnson previously pleaded guilty Business Insider. According to that publication, it has Kopit died Friday, said Rick Miramon- On Saturday night, the TMZ.com with substance abuse. The rapper in March 2020 to violating a domes- information from 106 countries including phone num- tez, a senior publicist at DKC/O&M PR. website reported that it received a canceled a series of shows to check tic violence protection order in Lime- bers, Facebook IDs, full names, locations, birthdates, No other details were available. statement from a representative of himself into a rehabilitation facility in stone County. He received a suspend- and email addresses. Kopit earned a Tony nod in 1970 for DMX, whose real name is Earl Sim- 2019. In an Instagram post, his team ed sentence of a year in jail, with 24 Facebook has been grappling with data security is- “Indians,” a critique of the Vietnam War and America’s treatment of Native mons, that said: “Last night Earl said he apologized for the canceled months on probation. sues for years. In 2018, the social media giant disabled Americans that starred Stacy Keach ‘DMX’ Simmons was rushed to the shows and thanked his fans for the The Athens, Alabama-based band a feature that allowed users to search for one another as Buffalo Bill. Nine years later, he re- hospital after collapsing at home. At continued support. has been on hiatus since 2018, when via phone number following revelations that the po- ceived another nomination for “Wings,” this time he remains in ICU in critical Last year, DMX faced off against lead singer Brittany Howard decided litical firm Cambridge Analytica had accessed infor- the story of a stroke victim’s recovery condition. Earl has been a warrior his Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which to focus on her solo project. mation on up to 87 million Facebook users without starring Constance Cummings. Both their knowledge or consent. “Indians” and “Wings” were Pulitzer In December 2019, a Ukrainian security researcher fi nalists for drama. ing elephant charged at them. The man wanted to take a photo with the African Jose Manuel Navarrete was being held reported finding a database with the names, phone Kopit earned his third Tony nomina- picked up the toddler and was able to get bull elephant. James said the elephants on $100,000 bail for investigation of numbers and unique user IDs of more than 267 mil- tion in 1982 for “Nine,” an adaptation her out safely. were not harmed. child endangerment. He was set to be lion Facebook users — nearly all US-based — on the of the Federico Fellini’s fi lm “8 1/2. Police said the 25-year-old man San Diego County jail records show arraigned on March 30. open internet. It is unclear if the current data dump is “Nine” returned to Broadway in 2003 It wasn’t immediately known if he had related to this database. and won two Tony Awards, including a lawyer who would speak on his behalf. “This is old data that was previously reported on best revival. In 2009, Rob Marshall Witness Lori Ortale told KSWB-TV in 2019,” the Menlo Park, California-based company directed the fi lm based on Kopit’s script. she heard a woman yelling “Jose, stop” said in a statement. “We found and fixed this issue in Kopit’s other works include “Phan- before a man jumped the fence and August 2019.” tom,” a musical version of “The Phantom through the elephant enclosure. (AP) ❑ ❑ ❑ of the Opera” by Gaston Leroux that has ❑ ❑ ❑ been overshadowed by the more popular SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter says it has begun label- version by Andrew Lloyd Weber, and LAS VEGAS: Soon-to-be newlyweds lined ing tweets that include misleading information about “The End of the World,” a mordant in- up out the door of the marriage license COVID-19 vaccines and using a “strike system” to vestigation of the arms race and nuclear offi ce in Las Vegas on Friday, ahead of a eventually remove accounts that repeatedly violate its destruction. unique date to tie the knot: 4/3/21. He made his Broadway debut in 1963 Nearly 700 couples obtained licenses rules. for the Saturday date, said Jeff Klein, a The company has said that it has started using hu- with “Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feelin’ spokesman for the Clark County Mar- man reviewers to assess whether tweets violate its So Sad,” which Jerome Robbins directed riage Bureau, as the city where Elvis can policy against COVID vaccine misinformation. Even- on Broadway while Kopit was still an be part of the wedding party got set to tually, the work will be done by a combination of hu- undergraduate at Harvard. (AP) mark yet another quirky date for nuptials. mans and automation, it said. ❑ ❑ ❑ The clerk’s offi ce marked the occasion Twitter had already banned some COVID-related with keepsake marriage certifi cates. misinformation in December, including falsehoods SAN DIEGO: A father has been arrested “Specialty dates like 4/3/21 are always about how the virus spreads, whether masks are effec- on suspicion of child endangerment after immensely popular,” said county Clerk tive and the risk of infection and death. he carried his 2-year-old daughter into Lynn Goya, who noted that more than 1,800 “Through the use of the strike system, we hope the elephant habitat at the San Diego Zoo couples were married on Dec 13, 2014. to educate people on why certain content breaks our to take a photograph with the animals. April is usually busy for weddings, rules so they have the opportunity to further consider The man bypassed multiple barriers and past dates with notable numeric their behavior and their impact on the public conversa- and “purposely and illegally trespassed” sequences have tallied more than 1,000 tion,” Twitter said in a blog post Monday. into a habitat for Asian and African weddings in a day, Goya said. elephants, zoo spokesman Andrew Paul Simon performs during the final stop of his Homeward Bound — The Fare- The offi ce is bracing for a busy fi rst People with one violation — or strike — will see James said. well Tour concert on Sept 22, 2018, in New York. Sony Music Publishing an- 10 days this December, offering what no action. Two strikes will lead to an account being A witness video provided to NBC San nounced March 31, 2021, that it has acquired Simon’s catalog, which includes the clerk dubs “palindrome days” for locked for 12 hours. Diego shows a man dropping the child six decades of music, from his time in Simon & Garfunkel to his solo career. numbers reading the same forward and as they fl ee the enclosure as a trumpet- Financial details of the deal were not announced. (AP) backward. (AP)