Trump's voice in a new Fannie Mae ad is generated by artificial intelligence, with his permission

NEW YORK wit (AP) — What sounds like President Donald Trump narrating a new Fannie Mae ad actually is an AI-cloned voice reading text, according to a disclaimer in the video. The ad comes as the Trump administration is making a big push to make housing affordable and the president plans to talk about housing at his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week. First Lady Melania Trump recently employed AI technology firm ElevenLabs to help voice the audio version of her memoir. It’s not known who cloned President Trump’s voice for the Fannie Mae ad.

Letter writing enjoys a revival as fans seek connection and a break from screen time

As screens blur the line between work and home, some people are slowing down and disconnecting by looking to communication devices from the past. Tactile activities ranging from writing letters and typewriter clubs to TikTok communities showcasing calligraphy skills and wax seals are giving retro writing instruments a resurgence. More than quaint throwbacks, the pursuits provide their enthusiasts with opportunities to be more intentional with time and build meaningful connections with others. A woman in Canada created a subscription-based monthly mail service after realizing that writing letters helps her feel more connected to her late mother who worked for the national postal service. A DJ in Dallas has started monthly “analog gatherings.” I

British leader says ’no option off the table’ as UK considers Australia-style teen social media ban

LONDON (AP) — The British government is considering banning young teenagers from social media to protect them from harmful content and excessive screen time. On Tuesday, officials said they would consult with parents, young people, and others about safe technology use. Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that no option is off the table, including age restrictions and limits on addictive features like infinite scrolling. Government ministers plan to visit Australia to learn about its recent ban on children under 16 using major social media apps. Over 60 lawmakers have urged the government to introduce similar measures in Britain.

What to Stream: 'The Smashing Machine,' Louis Tomlinson, 'The Beauty' and Bruce Springsteen biopic

Dwayne Johnson transforming into MMA pioneer Mark Kerr for “The Smashing Machine” and Louis Tomlinson releasing his third solo album are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time for the week of Jan. 19 as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Ryan Murphy’s new series “The Beauty” tackles beauty standards with some horror mixed in, Jeremy Allen White plays The Boss in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” and Megadeth going out with a bang with their final, self-titled album.

Mother of Elon Musk's child sues his AI company over sexual deepfake images created by Grok

The mother of one of Elon Musk's children is suing his AI company over deepfake images of her on the internet. Ashley St. Clair filed her lawsuit Thursday in New York. She claims xAI's Grok chatbot allowed users to create sexually exploitive images that caused her humiliation and distress. Grok is on Musk's social media platform X. Lawyers for xAI did not return messages seeking comment. xAI replied in an email that said “Legacy Media Lies." X announced on Wednesday that Grok would no longer be able to edit people's photos to show them in revealing clothing. The announcement follows global backlash over sexualized images of women and children.

White House and governors pressure grid operator to boost power supply, slow electricity price hikes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House and a bipartisan group of governors are taking aim at power shortages and price spikes from data centers for artificial intelligence. Trump administration officials on Friday cast the effort as part of its bid to win the artificial intelligence race against China, and rising electric bills are a concern for voters. They're trying to pressure the operator of the mid-Atlantic power grid to get tech companies to bid on contracts to build new power plants. Consumer advocates say ratepayers in the grid — which stretches from New Jersey to Illinois — are paying billions of dollars in higher bills to underwrite the cost to supply power to data centers.

YouTube relaxes monetization policy on videos with controversial content

YouTube is updating its guidelines for videos containing what advertisers define as controversial content, like abortion and self-harm, allowing more creators to earn full ad revenue when they tackle sensitive issues in a nongraphic way. YouTube videos that dramatize or cover issues including domestic abuse, suicide, adult sexual abuse and sexual harassment without graphic descriptions or imagery are now eligible for full monetization. Ads will remain restricted on videos that include content on child abuse, child sex trafficking and eating disorders. The Google-owned company said it wanted to allow creators telling sensitive stories to earn full ad revenue.

ChatGPT's free ride is ending: Here's what OpenAI plans for advertising on the chatbot

OpenAI plans to introduce ads for ChatGPT users who aren't paying for the premium version. The company announced Friday that it will start testing ads in the coming weeks. OpenAI aims to monetize its chatbot, which has over 800 million users, most of whom use it for free. Despite being valued at $500 billion, the startup is losing more money than it makes. The digital ads will appear at the bottom of ChatGPT's answers when there's a relevant sponsored product or service. OpenAI assures that the ads will be clearly labeled and separated from the organic answers.

Supreme Court will decide on use of warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has agreed to decide the constitutionality of broad search warrants that collect the location history of cellphone users to find people near crime scenes. The case the justices stepped into Friday involves what is a known as a “geofence warrant” that was served on Google in a police hunt for a bank robber in suburban Richmond, Virginia. Geofence warrants, an increasingly popular investigative tool, seek location data on every person within a specific location over a certain period of time. Police used the information to arrest Okello Chatrie in the 2019 robbery of the Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian. Chatrie eventually pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison.

Social media platforms removed 4.7 million accounts after Australia banned them for children

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia. This follows the country’s ban on platform use by those under 16. Communications Minister Anika Wells announced the figures on Friday, highlighting the success of the law enacted in December. The ban has sparked debates about technology use, privacy, and child safety. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube and X face hefty fines if they fail to comply. Officials say the measure is encouraging, though some young users have found ways to bypass restrictions. Other countries, such as Denmark, are considering similar bans.