Pop Evil‘s new album, Skeletons, is out now and arrives less than two years after the group’s last record, Versatile, dropped in 2021. Speaking with ABC Audio, frontman Leigh Kakaty reveals that both efforts were written around the same time the COVID-19 pandemic kept Pop Evil off the road.
“I know we were hungry to finally be back on tour and to be doing what we normally do,” Kakaty shares. “[There’s] a lot of built-up urgency on this record, and giving ourselves an opportunity to just really grow and evolve.”
“You get stir-crazy, man,” he adds. “You wanna feel like you’re doing something. So I think that we did, we had some momentum there to really push, and we did, and this is kinda what it looked like.”
With Skeletons, Pop Evil continues to experiment with different sounds, such as the electronic elements on single “Paranoid (Crash & Burn)” and the almost country feel to the title track. However, the main goal of Skeletons was not necessarily to push into different genres, but rather to not overthink when those different genres start to creep into the sound.
“I feel like I’ve overthought so many of these albums in the past,” Kakaty says. “It should be quick, it should be if you’re feeling it, and it’s raw emotion, we wanted to capture that.”
“The more I’m overthinking it, then it’s not really music to me anymore,” he continues. “Obviously, we’re spending time to make sure the lyrics are perfect, but we didn’t want to overthink it. If it … feels right, then let’s trust it.”
Pop Evil is also launching a U.S. headlining tour Friday in support of Skeletons. In teasing the tour, Kakaty declares, “It’s a whole ‘nother level of focus for our live show.”
While you might think GAYLE had peaked when she got a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year for “abcdefu,” she’s about to hit yet another unimaginable music business milestone: opening for Taylor Swift.
GAYLE is one of the many female artists Taylor has tapped to open shows on her Eras Tour, but she starts her run of shows this Friday in Glendale, Arizona, when the whole shebang kicks off. She and Paramore will warm up the crowd for Taylor Friday night, then GAYLE will appear on and off with Taylor through the end of May.
While GAYLE has done quite a few live performances since “abcdefu” first broke through in 2021, she certainly hasn’t played a lot of stadium shows, which is what she’ll be doing with Taylor. Still, she’s ready.
“I feel very fortunate that I’ve had this past year of touring experience of doing over 100 shows,” she told ABC Audio. “So … I feel like all of it has been good preparation.”
As for how she’ll win the crowd over, she explains, “My goal is just to do multiple covers and hopefully maybe get people in the crowd involved in my set list and making those decisions.”
As for which covers she’ll do, over the past year she’s been known to perform Joan Jett‘s “Bad Reputation” and Radiohead‘s “Creep,” but who knows? She may pull out some new ones.
After she’s done with Taylor, GAYLE will join Pink‘s Summer Carnival tour for its European dates in early June.
U2 fans have a lot to keep them busy this weekend. The band’s new album, Songs of Surrender, is out now, featuring 40 rerecorded and reimagined U2 classics. The opening track is the Achtung Baby classic “One,” while the album closes, appropriately enough, with the War song “40.”
Curated and produced by The Edge, each of the album’s four parts are named after one of the band members. Each song on the album is a completely new recording, with new arrangements and in some cases new lyrics.
“It’s both a vanity project and a grudge match,” Bono tells Apple Music’s Zane Lowe of their reason for making the album. “The grudge match is, [what] we were trying to prove, or else maybe obfuscate, was if our songs could stand up with the best songs, our favorite songs. And so that was it. We wanted to see.”
The Edge adds “just serving the songs … was the overarching idea for this collection. And to serve the song, but to serve the voice, which meant the voice was the centerpiece of every single arrangement.”
In addition to the album, U2 and The Edge star alongside David Letterman in the new Disney+ special Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, which premieres Friday. The special finds the longtime bandmates returning to their hometown of Dublin, Ireland, while being interviewed by famed talk show host.
Keke Palmer and Kevin Hart are teaming up on an upcoming rom-com in works at Universal Pictures titled, The Backup.
The Emmy-winning actress will star in the project and co-produce through her Big Boss production company and Hart’s Hartbeat banner, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The movie, per the outlet, follows “a player, Ben, who decides he’s finally ready to settle down with his childhood friend Alyssa — played by Palmer. Unfortunately, she reveals she’s engaged to a handsome billionaire and needs him to be her best man. This in turn sets in motion Ben going to the wedding in Maui with his boys to outshine her fiancé and win her back.”
Palmer last starred alongside Daniel Kaluuya in the 2022 Jordan Peele horror film Nope, which grossed over $171 million worldwide.
(NEW YORK) — Giant hail has fallen in parts of Texas on Thursday as severe weather — including at least one confirmed tornado — hits the state.
The National Weather Service Fort Worth warned residents to watch out for tennis ball-sized and golf ball-sized hail amid a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday afternoon.
“Damaging wind gusts, large hail, and a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out through the evening,” National Weather Service Fort Worth tweeted.
A confirmed tornado was located over Fort Worth at 4:23 p.m. CDT, moving east at 30 mph.
Following the confirmed sighting, a tornado warning was issued for northwestern Dallas County Thursday evening, as a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado moved toward the area.
A tornado watch is also in effect for parts of Texas and Oklahoma through 8 p.m. CDT Thursday.
As images of mandarin-sized hail stones cropped up on social media, the National Weather Service Fort Worth advised those looking to report them to wait until the hail stops falling before going out to find and measure the largest ones.
Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic and R.E.M.‘s Peter Buck guest on another new song from Cuban musician Hector Tellez Jr.
The track is called “Where’s My Phone” and is available now via digital outlets.
Novoselic and Buck previously played with Tellez on the song “Silver Blue Jellyfish.” The tracks were recorded during a session in Seattle produced by Barrett Martin, former drummer for Screaming Trees and the grunge supergroup Mad Season.
Tellez will release his debut album, The Great Unknown, this summer.
(NEW YORK) — The CEO behind the company that created ChatGPT believes artificial intelligence technology will reshape society as we know it. He believes it comes with real dangers, but can also be “the greatest technology humanity has yet developed” to drastically improve our lives.
“We’ve got to be careful here,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “I think people should be happy that we are a little bit scared of this.”
Altman sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC News’ chief business, technology and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis to talk about the rollout of GPT-4 — the latest iteration of the AI language model.
In his interview, Altman was emphatic that OpenAI needs both regulators and society to be as involved as possible with the rollout of ChatGPT — insisting that feedback will help deter the potential negative consequences the technology could have on humanity. He added that he is in “regular contact” with government officials.
ChatGPT is an AI language model, the GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.
Released only a few months ago, it is already considered the fastest-growing consumer application in history. The app hit 100 million monthly active users in just a few months. In comparison, TikTok took nine months to reach that many users and Instagram took nearly three years, according to a UBS study.
Watch the exclusive interview with Sam Altman on “World News Tonight with David Muir” at 6:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Though “not perfect,” per Altman, GPT-4 scored in the 90th percentile on the Uniform Bar Exam. It also scored a near-perfect score on the SAT Math test, and it can now proficiently write computer code in most programming languages.
GPT-4 is just one step toward OpenAI’s goal to eventually build Artificial General Intelligence, which is when AI crosses a powerful threshold which could be described as AI systems that are generally smarter than humans.
Though he celebrates the success of his product, Altman acknowledged the possible dangerous implementations of AI that keep him up at night.
“I’m particularly worried that these models could be used for large-scale disinformation,” Altman said. “Now that they’re getting better at writing computer code, [they] could be used for offensive cyberattacks.”
A common sci-fi fear that Altman doesn’t share: AI models that don’t need humans, that make their own decisions and plot world domination.
“It waits for someone to give it an input,” Altman said. “This is a tool that is very much in human control.”
However, he said he does fear which humans could be in control. “There will be other people who don’t put some of the safety limits that we put on,” he added. “Society, I think, has a limited amount of time to figure out how to react to that, how to regulate that, how to handle it.”
President Vladimir Putin is quoted telling Russian students on their first day of school in 2017 that whoever leads the AI race would likely “rule the world.”
“So that’s a chilling statement for sure,” Altman said. “What I hope, instead, is that we successively develop more and more powerful systems that we can all use in different ways that integrate it into our daily lives, into the economy, and become an amplifier of human will.”
Concerns about misinformation
According to OpenAI, GPT-4 has massive improvements from the previous iteration, including the ability to understand images as input. Demos show GTP-4 describing what’s in someone’s fridge, solving puzzles, and even articulating the meaning behind an internet meme.
This feature is currently only accessible to a small set of users, including a group of visually impaired users who are part of its beta testing.
But a consistent issue with AI language models like ChatGPT, according to Altman, is misinformation: The program can give users factually inaccurate information.
“The thing that I try to caution people the most is what we call the ‘hallucinations problem,'” Altman said. “The model will confidently state things as if they were facts that are entirely made up.”
The model has this issue, in part, because it uses deductive reasoning rather than memorization, according to OpenAI.
“One of the biggest differences that we saw from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4 was this emergent ability to reason better,” Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, told ABC News.
“The goal is to predict the next word – and with that, we’re seeing that there is this understanding of language,” Murati said. “We want these models to see and understand the world more like we do.”
“The right way to think of the models that we create is a reasoning engine, not a fact database,” Altman said. “They can also act as a fact database, but that’s not really what’s special about them – what we want them to do is something closer to the ability to reason, not to memorize.”
Altman and his team hope “the model will become this reasoning engine over time,” he said, eventually being able to use the internet and its own deductive reasoning to separate fact from fiction. GPT-4 is 40% more likely to produce accurate information than its previous version, according to OpenAI. Still, Altman said relying on the system as a primary source of accurate information “is something you should not use it for,” and encourages users to double-check the program’s results.
Precautions against bad actors
The type of information ChatGPT and other AI language models contain has also been a point of concern. For instance, whether or not ChatGPT could tell a user how to make a bomb. The answer is no, per Altman, because of the safety measures coded into ChatGPT.
“A thing that I do worry about is … we’re not going to be the only creator of this technology,” Altman said. “There will be other people who don’t put some of the safety limits that we put on it.”
There are a few solutions and safeguards to all of these potential hazards with AI, per Altman. One of them: Let society toy with ChatGPT while the stakes are low, and learn from how people use it.
Right now, ChatGPT is available to the public primarily because “we’re gathering a lot of feedback,” according to Murati.
As the public continues to test OpenAI’s applications, Murati says it becomes easier to identify where safeguards are needed.
“What are people using them for, but also what are the issues with it, what are the downfalls, and being able to step in [and] make improvements to the technology,” says Murati. Altman says it’s important that the public gets to interact with each version of ChatGPT.
“If we just developed this in secret — in our little lab here — and made GPT-7 and then dropped it on the world all at once … That, I think, is a situation with a lot more downside,” Altman said. “People need time to update, to react, to get used to this technology [and] to understand where the downsides are and what the mitigations can be.”
Regarding illegal or morally objectionable content, Altman said they have a team of policymakers at OpenAI who decide what information goes into ChatGPT, and what ChatGPT is allowed to share with users.
“[We’re] talking to various policy and safety experts, getting audits of the system to try to address these issues and put something out that we think is safe and good,” Altman added. “And again, we won’t get it perfect the first time, but it’s so important to learn the lessons and find the edges while the stakes are relatively low.”
Will AI replace jobs?
Among the concerns of the destructive capabilities of this technology is the replacement of jobs. Altman says this will likely replace some jobs in the near future, and worries how quickly that could happen.
“I think over a couple of generations, humanity has proven that it can adapt wonderfully to major technological shifts,” said Altman. “But if this happens, you know, in a single digit number of years, some of these shifts, that is the part I worry about the most.
But he encourages people to look at ChatGPT as more of a tool, not as a replacement. He added that “human creativity is limitless, and we find new jobs. We find new things to do.”
“I think over a couple of generations, humanity has proven that it can adapt wonderfully to major technological shifts,” Altman said. “But if this happens in a single-digit number of years, some of these shifts … That is the part I worry about the most.”
The ways ChatGPT can be used as tools for humanity outweigh the risks, according to Altman.
“We can all have an incredible educator in our pocket that’s customized for us, that helps us learn,” Altman said. “We can have medical advice for everybody that is beyond what we can get today.”
ChatGPT as ‘co-pilot’
In education, ChatGPT has become controversial, as some students have used it to cheat on assignments. Educators are torn on whether this could be used as an extension of themselves, or if it deters students’ motivation to learn for themselves.
“Education is going to have to change, but it’s happened many other times with technology,” said Altman, adding that students will be able to have a sort of teacher that goes beyond the classroom. “One of the ones that I’m most excited about is the ability to provide individual learning — great individual learning for each student.”
In any field, Altman and his team want users to think of ChatGPT as a “co-pilot,” someone who could help you write extensive computer code or problem solve.
“We can have that for every profession, and we can have a much higher quality of life, like standard of living,” Altman said. “But we can also have new things we can’t even imagine today — so that’s the promise.”
(NEW YORK) — The number of new cases of babesiosis, a tick-borne illness, increased significantly between 2011 and 2019 in the United States, a new CDC report found. It’s also spreading consistently in three new states — now, the disease is endemic in 10 states in the Northeast and Midwest.
The increase isn’t surprising, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, in an email to ABC News. It’s consistent with what experts are seeing with other tick-borne diseases, like Lyme disease.
There are likely multiple factors behind the increases, including human behavior and warmer weather. More people are moving to areas with ticks and are interacting with animals (like deer and mice) that the ticks feed on, Chin-Hong said. Climate change may also be playing a role, he says. “A warmer climate may increase tick survival, shorten the life cycle of ticks (so many more cycles possible in a season) and increase the duration of tick season.”
Usually, the parasite infects humans after being bitten by certain ticks. These ticks are commonly found in wooded, bushy or grassy areas. They are most likely to bite during the spring, summer and fall, though adult ticks may still bite during the winter if temperatures are above freezing. While there is no vaccine available, the disease can be prevented by limiting tick exposure.
Once infected, symptoms can vary. Symptoms can range from none at all to fevers, headaches, kidney failure, and even death. In 2019, there were a total of eight deaths reported. According to the CDC, patients with symptoms can be treated with a combination of antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs.
Before this new report, the CDC only considered seven U.S. states to have consistent number of babesiosis. This included Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. However, the newly released data shows that Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have similar or higher number of new cases.
Between 2011 and 2019, 16,456 cases of babesiosis were reported in 37 states, according to the report. Most cases overall were reported in New York (4,738). The highest incidence was reported in Rhode Island (18 cases per 100,000 people in 2015). Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire had the largest increase in the number of new cases. Rates of new cases increased in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
In addition to changes in human behavior and climate, there has also been increased awareness of babesiosis in the past decade, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins Center for Health and Security, in an email to ABC News. That may also contribute to the increased number of cases. “More clinicians are ordering tests,” he said. With testing, doctors started to find cases in new areas.
Preventing babesiosis and other tick-borne illnesses
People should be aware of their risk of contracting babesiosis when traveling or living in areas where the illness is more common. The best way to prevent tick-borne illnesses is avoiding ticks. People can minimize tick exposure by covering exposed skin, using repellants and walking on cleared paths in wooded areas, the CDC says.
Anyone spending time outside in areas where there might be ticks should check their body, clothing, and pets for ticks after coming inside, the CDC says. Showering within 2 hours of being outdoors and putting clothes in the dryer on high heat can also prevent tick bites.
If you do find a tick, pull it straight out with tweezers.
Babesiosis isn’t the only disease ticks can carry — they can also spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and anaplasmosis.
People should seek medical attention if they happen to fall ill after a tick bite, Chin-Hong says.
Lauren M. Cuénant, D.O., is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation resident at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.
Bebe Rexha revealed she is collaborating with Stevie Nicks on a remix of “Heart Wants What It Wants.” NME shared the singer’s interview with Daily Star, where she said, “We hit up her team and said we have a song, and it’s very inspired by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie … She heard it and loved it. We are still working on the remix but hopefully it will come out soon!” A release date was not provided.
Billie Eilish already has an Oscar, but she is now making her acting debut in the new Donald Glover series Swarm, which heads to Amazon Prime Video. An episode clip was teased Thursday, which shows a blond Billie creepily asking Dominique Fishback‘s character, Dre, if she hurt someone and praising her when the answer is yes. The show premieres Friday, March 17.
Ariana Grande loved Bad Bunny‘s cover of her song “Break Free,” which he belted out with James Corden on his Carpool Karaoke bit. She shared the clip to her Instagram Story and captioned it with multiple sobbing emojis.
Lizzo got emotional when resharing a clip of a fan dancing with her to “About Damn Time.” Lizzo recalled the impact Beyonce‘s music had on her, and the “world changing” moment she had when she saw Bey in concert and they locked eyes. “Fast forward to last night when this young girl danced ‘About Damn Time,’” she wrote. “What she doesn’t know is I cried backstage to know I mean to her what my favorite artist meant to me is so deeply touching.”
If you missed it, Ellie Goulding was on Good Morning America and performed her new song “Like a Saviour.” You can watch the performance on YouTube.
Bebe Rexha revealed she is collaborating with Stevie Nicks on a remix of “Heart Wants What It Wants.” NME shared the singer’s interview with Daily Star, where she said, “We hit up her team and said we have a song, and it’s very inspired by Fleetwood Mac and Stevie … She heard it and loved it. We are still working on the remix but hopefully it will come out soon!” A release date was not provided.
Lizzo got emotional when resharing a clip of a fan dancing with her to “About Damn Time.” Lizzo recalled the impact Beyonce‘s music had on her, and the “world changing” moment she had when she saw Bey in concert and they locked eyes. “Fast forward to last night when this young girl danced ‘About Damn Time,’” she wrote. “What she doesn’t know is I cried backstage to know I mean to her what my favorite artist meant to me is so deeply touching.”
Taylor Swift teased a little bit of her upcoming Eras Tour by sharing photos of her in rehearsals and her manicure, with each nail painted a color that corresponds with one of her 10 albums. She captioned it, “In my Eras era.”
Ava Max released the official visualizer for her song “Ghost” on Thursday. The video shows Ava — who is rocking long, platinum blond hair — walking around a checkered dance floor as a shadowy figure walks on the outskirts and flashes briefly into view throughout the song.
