New Grammy Award Rules Require Human Input, Curb Artificial Intelligence Use

 Hip Hop 50 performance during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Hip Hop 50 performance during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
TT

New Grammy Award Rules Require Human Input, Curb Artificial Intelligence Use

 Hip Hop 50 performance during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Hip Hop 50 performance during the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California, US, February 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

"Only human creators are eligible" for the Grammy Awards, the Recording Academy declared on Friday, as the body that grants the world's most recognized music awards seeks to curb the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry, Reuters reported.

AI-only work is banned, but some music created with AI help may qualify in certain categories, the academy's updated rulebook reads. "A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible in any categories."

Music creators must now contribute to at least 20% of an album to earn a nomination. In the past, any producer, songwriter, engineer or featured artist on an album could earn a nomination for album of the year, even if the person had a small input.

The first Grammy Awards ceremony took place in 1959, to reward music creators from 1958.

In November 2022 OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a free chatbot backed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) that can generate human-like dialogue based on simple inputs. AI apps have mushroomed, allowing users to animate still photos, create avatars in films and write songs, essays and articles.

People in many professions are growing fearful that AI could displace humans. For example, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) are wrestling with the use of AI in the creative fields of screenwriting and acting.

The WGA wants to curb the of AI in screenwriting while SAG actors want to ensure its members can control use of their digital personas and receive proper compensation.

WGA writers went on strike in early May and have yet to agree with studios on the use of AI, among other issues.

Actors could go on strike as well if SAG-AFTRA cannot reach a deal over similar concerns.



Travolta Returns to Cannes with Aviation-Inspired Directorial Debut

John Travolta. (AFP)
John Travolta. (AFP)
TT

Travolta Returns to Cannes with Aviation-Inspired Directorial Debut

John Travolta. (AFP)
John Travolta. (AFP)

US movie legend John Travolta will present his directorial debut "Propeller One-Way Night Coach", about a young boy's journey in the "golden age of aviation", at the Cannes Film Festival in May, organizers said Thursday.

The film, to make its world premiere, is adapted from the 72-year-old star's own 1997 book, inspired by his lifelong passion for aviation, the festival said.

Among the three Travolta films showcased at the Festival de Cannes in the past was "Pulp Fiction" (1994), famed for the actor's two-fingered swipe in its cult dance scene.

"The unforgettable Vince Vega of Pulp Fiction returns to the Croisette for an event as unexpected as it is exciting: his very first film as a director," the festival said.

Travolta wrote the book for his son Jett, who suffered from epileptic seizures and died in 2009 at the age of 16.

The film follows a young airplane enthusiast Jeff and his mother embarking on a one-way journey to Hollywood.

"The story unfolds as a nostalgic journey set in the golden age of aviation," the festival said.

"The journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy's future," the statement said, adding that one of the flight attendants is played by the star's only daughter, Ella Bleu, 25.

The actor, who grew up not far from LaGuardia Airport near New York, is a professional pilot and began flying when he was 15.

"Travolta is certified to fly Boeing 707s, 737s, and 747s, Bombardier's Global Express and was the first private pilot to fly an Airbus A380," the festival said.

Travolta has become a pop culture icon, celebrated for his roles in films such as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), and Hairspray (2007).

"Propeller One-Way Night Coach" will make its global debut on Apple TV in May.


'Wake-Up Call': Megan Thee Stallion Falls Ill during Broadway Show

FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
TT

'Wake-Up Call': Megan Thee Stallion Falls Ill during Broadway Show

FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Megan Thee Stallion appears at the 33rd Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)

American rapper Megan Thee Stallion said Wednesday that she had a "wake-up call" after she was taken to hospital in the middle of a Broadway performance of "Moulin Rouge!" in New York City.

"I've been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me," the 31-year-old wrote on Instagram.

"I thought I was gonna faint on stage, I really tried to push through my performance but I just couldn't."

Megan Thee Stallion, who has been playing club owner Harold Zidler in the musical, was replaced halfway through the show Tuesday night after she fell ill.

She said she would be back on stage Thursday after taking off Wednesday to rest.

A spokesperson for the artist, who has won three Grammy awards, said she was transferred to a hospital after experiencing "concerning symptoms."

"Doctors ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms," the spokesperson told AFP.

"Megan has since been treated, discharged and is now resting."

One of the leading women in American rap alongside the likes of Cardi B and Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion is known for her powerful stage presence, freestyles and aggressive flow.


Eurovision Song Contest Is Expanding with an Asian Edition Later This Year

 JJ from Austria stands on the stage with the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 18, 2025. (AP)
JJ from Austria stands on the stage with the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 18, 2025. (AP)
TT

Eurovision Song Contest Is Expanding with an Asian Edition Later This Year

 JJ from Austria stands on the stage with the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 18, 2025. (AP)
JJ from Austria stands on the stage with the trophy after winning the Grand Final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 18, 2025. (AP)

The music spectacle Eurovision is holding its first Asian edition in Bangkok later this year.

The Eurovision Song Contest Asia 2026 has confirmed artists from at least 10 countries across Asia competing: Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. More are expected to join before the finale in November.

“As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, it feels especially meaningful to open this next chapter with Asia, a region rich in culture, creativity and talent,” Martin Green, the director of the contest, said in the announcement Tuesday.

Bangkok is the perfect city to host the contest because it “has always been a place where cultures come together, where music fills the air, and where celebration is part of everyday life,” said Chuwit Sirivajjakul, a representative of the Thailand Tourism Authority.

The main gala, run by the European Broadcasting Union, draws more than 100 million viewers every year.

This year's main competition with 35 competing countries is scheduled to be held in Vienna in May. Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain are boycotting due to discord over Israel’s participation.

The contest strives to put pop music before politics but has repeatedly been embroiled in world events. Russia was expelled in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It also has been roiled by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, stirring protests outside the venues and forcing organizers to clamp down on political flag-waving.

Similar tensions could emerge in Asia. Thailand and Cambodia engaged in deadly border clashes twice last year.