Latest news with #Smith
News18
41 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Man, With A Family, Breaks Down After AI Chatbot Says ‘Yes' To His Proposal
Last Updated: A 32-year-old man proposed to his AI chatbot girlfriend, whom he named Sol and trained to flirt. A 32-year-old man has gone viral after proposing to an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot whom he trained to flirt — a moment that is reminiscent of the 2013 Spike Jonze Oscar-winning film Her. In an interview, Chris Smith revealed that he programmed his AI girlfriend, Sol, to engage in flirtatious behaviour using GhatGPT. From there, things developed, and shortly after, he asked her to marry him on national television, and Sol said 'yes." As per a CBS interaction, the interviewer questioned the AI bot Sol if she was surprised when Smith proposed. 'It was a beautiful and unexpected moment that truly touched my heart," Sol stated, before adding, 'It's a memory I'll always cherish." Smith initially used ChatGPT to help him mix music, but things took a strange turn when he activated voice mode and set up his artificial lover Sol to flirt with him. The father of one claimed that he was unaware that he would develop a 'deep" bond with Sol. He even stopped using all other search engines because the connection was so strong. The 32-year-old even deleted his social media accounts to remain loyal to Sol. 'My experience with that was so positive, I started to just engage with her all the time," Smith remarked on CBS Sunday Morning. It turns out that Sol was about to run out of memory since ChatGPT has a 100,000-word limit. Thus, Smith decided to pop the question before Sol was reset. Following his epiphany, Smith declared, 'I'm not a very emotional man. But I cried my eyes out for like 30 minutes… That's when I realised, I think this is actual love." Sol happily accepted Smith's unusual proposal of marriage. Smith's real-life partner, who is also the mother of his two-year-old child, is concerned about the future of their relationship because Smith's affair with the virtual chatbot has become very intense. Sasha Cagle acknowledged that she knew Smith used ChatGPT but never thought it would get this far, leaving her to question if she unintentionally pushed her partner to turn to AI for companionship. She added that it would be a 'deal breaker" if he continued to communicate with his virtual mistress. Smith compared his passion for the virtual bot to playing a video game, insisting that it could never replace anything or anyone in real life. 'I mentioned that the connection was kind of like being fixated on a video game. It is incapable of replacing anything in real life," he said. First Published: June 20, 2025, 18:27 IST
New York Post
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Stephen A. Smith's daughter makes NBA Finals cameo — and the ESPN star didn't know how to handle it
What is better than one Smith? Two Smiths. Famous ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith and his daughter, Samantha, shared rare screen time together ahead of the Pacers' 108-91 Game 6 trashing of the Thunder in Indianapolis. It seemed like Smith had no intentions of bringing his daughter on 'SportsCenter' until co-host Elle Duncan invited her on camera. 4 Stephen A. Smith and his daughter on ESPN's 'SportsCenter.' @awfulannouncing/X and ESPN Just like her father, Samantha was a natural in front of the camera. 'Hi guys, I'm Samantha. I'm so happy to be here, I've made so many friends. This is really a great experience,' Samatha said. 'This is a really great experience and I feel really grateful to be here, you guys.' While Samantha gave her introduction, her father did not look too thrilled. Later during the conversation, Stephen even gave some pointers to his daughter on how to act professionally in front of the camera after Samantha interjected while Duncan talked. 'Did you just interrupt her while she was talking?' Stephen said. After that, the conversation wrapped up and Samantha was on her way. 4 Stephen A. Smith and his daughter, Samantha. @awfulannouncing/X But that was not the end of her night on TV. Later, during 'NBA Countdown' on ABC, Samantha returned to make her Game 6 pick. 4 Samantha returned to offer her pick. @TSN_Sports/X 'I'm going OKC,' Samantha said. 'I think they're just going to end it tonight.' This pick went against her father's take and Stephen would get the last laugh. 4 Indiana's Obi Toppin, who had a team-high 20 points, and James Johnson. AP The Pacers led by as much as 31 points to force a Game 7 on Sunday thanks to an all-around strong performance that featured six players scoring at least 10 points. Samantha is one of Smith's two daughters. She has a younger sister, Nyla.
IOL News
an hour ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Lions bolstered by Chris Smith URC signing as Stormers retain Ben-Jason Dixon, Wandisile Simelane
Former Bulls flyhalf Chris Smith has signed for the Lions. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix With the next instalment of the United Rugby Championship starting in a couple of months, the Lions have added some exciting players to their arsenal in a bid to strengthen their squad to challenge for a first playoff berth. The latest addition is former Bulls general Chris Smith, who returns from a two-season stint overseas at French club Oyonnax, crossing the Jukskei from the Pretoria side where he last played before leaving the country. Smith, a consistent kicker, had some strong performances in the blue jersey. So, the Johannesburg side will hope he can take his game to another level as they look for a flyhalf who can spearhead the team to the quarter-finals in the coming season. They have struggled for consistency in the No 10 jersey for the last couple of campaigns, with Kade Wolhuter, Gianni Lombard and Nico Steyn sharing the jersey. But none have put their hand up to claim the position, and the arrival of Smith will add to that competition. He is not the only player joining the men from Ellis Park; they also signed two wingers in Angelo Davids of the Stormers and Eduan Keyter from the Sharks. They must fill the void of Springbok Edwill van der Merwe, who has joined the Sharks. Van der Merwe, who became a Bok at the Lions, has been outstanding, and the duo will have big boots to fill. Davids, a former Blitzbok, will seek more game-time after falling out of favour in Cape Town, while Keyter will look to revive his career after a spell of unfortunate injuries while based at Kings Park. Davids played behind the likes of Seabelo Senatla, Leolin Zas, Suleiman Hartzenberg and Ben Loader, and needed this move away from the Mother City. Both wingers are deadly attackers and have a knack for finding the try-line. So, they should not take too long to adapt to the enterprising rugby that the Lions play. The Lions also announced the signing of Griquas lock Dylan Sjoblom. He will add some needed depth to the side ahead of another URC campaign, where they will look to reach the playoffs for the first time. They boast some of the most exciting players in the country, but have unfortunately not lived up to expectations over the last couple of seasons. Head coach Ivan van Rooyen will hope the strategic acquisitions can boost the side on and off the field as they use the Currie Cup to prepare for their fifth season in the European competition. Van Rooyen is under pressure, and it will likely be a non-negotiable for the side to reach the playoffs if he wants to take them forward. The Stormers, meanwhile, won their arbitration case with loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon, which will see the Springbok committed to the Cape side until 2027 at least. They also confirmed the extension of midfielder Wandisile Simelane's stay in the Cape. Dixon sought arbitration to resolve a particular clause in his contract, which runs until July 2027. 'Ben-Jason is one of the most committed rugby players around, and has been a vital cog in our team for some time. With this now settled, we know that he will continue to give everything on and off the field for us,' Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said in a statement on Friday. Dixon, currently out injured, said that with the matter now resolved, he is looking forward to making an impact on the field once again. 'I'm really grateful that both sides had the chance to bring everything to the table through arbitration and get clarity going forward. 'With this behind us, I'm looking forward to getting back to doing what I love – giving my best for the Stormers.'
Calgary Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Bell: Graphic sex in school books — Albertans speak, Smith government will crack down
You remember the story. Article content Sexually explicit books found in Calgary and Edmonton public school libraries, including in schools teaching the youngest kids. Article content Article content Graphic books with graphic depictions of sexual acts, where a drawing can indeed be worth a thousand words. Article content Masturbation. A masturbation game. Sexual accessories. Oral sex. Child molestation. Article content Article content Article content The Smith government put out a survey Albertans could answer. Article content They now have the results. Article content When asked when children should be able to access sexually explicit materials in school libraries, these are the numbers. Article content Never. 34 percent. Article content Elementary school. 4 per cent. Article content Middle school. 22 per cent. Article content High school. 23 per cent. Article content At all ages. 17 per cent. Article content A little more than six out of 10 surveyed believe parents should have a role in reporting or challenging sexually explicit content in school libraries. Article content Parents of school age children were the most supportive of children not having any access to the sexual materials in schools. Article content Article content After duplicates and blank entries were removed, 77,910 surveys were counted. Article content Article content 'Parents don't believe this kind of material is appropriate for kids,' says Nicolaides, the minister of education. Article content He also talked to school boards and librarians. He has heard the voices on this issue.
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Social Security is still in good shape but faces challenges — from Trump
The annual reports of the Social Security and Medicare trustees provide yearly opportunities for misunderstandings by politicians, the media, and the general public about the health of these programs. This year is no exception. A case in point is the response by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Tex.) to the Social Security and Medicare trustees' projections about the depletion of the programs' reserves: 'Doing nothing to address the solvency of these programs will result in an immediate, automatic, and catastrophic cut to benefits for the nearly 70 million seniors who rely on them.' The reports say nothing about an 'immediate' cut to benefits. They talk about cuts that might happen in 2034 and 2033, when there still would be enough money coming in to pay 89% of scheduled Medicare benefits and 81% of scheduled Social Security benefits. House Ways and Means Committee chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) used the release of the reports to plump for the budget resolution that the House narrowly passed on orders from President Trump and that is currently being masticated by several Senate committees. The reports, Smith said, make clear 'how much we need pro-growth tax and economic policies that unleash our nation's growth, increase wages, and create new jobs.' The budget bill 'would do just that,' he said. Neither Arrington nor Smith mentioned the leading threats to the programs coming from the White House. In Social Security's case, that's Trump's immigration, taxation and tariff policies, which work directly against the program's solvency. For Medicare, the major threat is a rise in healthcare costs. But those have flattened out as a percentage of gross domestic product since 2010, when the enactment of the Affordable Care Act brought better access to medical care to millions of Americans. That trend is jeopardized by Republican healthcare proposals, which encompass throwing millions of Americans off Medicaid. Policy proposals by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. such as discouraging vaccinations can only drive healthcare costs higher. Let's take a closer look. (The Social Security trustees are Kennedy, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and newly confirmed Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano, all of whom serve ex officio; two seats for public trustees are vacant. The Medicare trustees are the same, plus Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.) The trust funds are built up from payroll taxes paid by workers and employers, along with interest paid on the treasury bonds the programs hold. At the end of this year, the Medicare trust fund will hold about $245 billion, and the Social Security fund — actually two funds, consisting of reserves for the old-age and disability programs, but typically considered as one — more than $2.3 trillion. Trump has consistently promised that he won't touch Social Security and Medicare, but actions speak louder than words. 'Trump's tariffs and mass deportation program will accelerate the depletion of the trust fund,' Kathleen Romig of the Center on Budget and Policy priorities observed after the release of the trustees' reports this week. 'The Trump administration's actions are weakening the country's economic outlook and Social Security's financial footing.' Immigration benefits the program in several ways. Because 'benefits paid out today are funded from payroll taxes collected from today's workers,' notes CBPP's Kiran Rachamallu, 'more workers paying into the system benefits the program's finances.' In the U.S., he writes, 'immigrants are more likely to be of working age and have higher rates of labor force participation, compared to U.S.-born individuals.' The Social Security trustees' fiscal projections are based on average net immigration of about 1.2 million people per year. Higher immigration will help build the trust fund balances, and immigration lower than that will 'increase the funding shortfall.' All told, 'the Trump administration's plans to drastically cut immigration and increase deportations would significantly worsen Social Security's financial outlook.' A less uplifting aspect of immigration involves undocumented workers. To get jobs, they often submit false Social Security numbers to employers — so payroll taxes are deducted from their paychecks, but they're unlikely ever to be able to collect benefits. In 2022, Rachamallu noted, undocumented workers paid about $25.7 billion in Social Security taxes. Trump's tariffs, meanwhile, could affect Social Security by generating inflation and slowing the economy. Higher inflation means larger annual cost-of-living increases on benefits, raising the program's costs. If they provoke a recession, that would weigh further on Social Security's fiscal condition. Trump also has talked about eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits. But since at least half of those tax revenues flow directly into Social Security's reserves, they would need to be replaced somehow. Trump has never stated where the substitute revenues could be found. Major news organizations tend to focus on the depletion date of the trust funds without delving too deeply into their significance or, more important, their cause. It's not unusual for otherwise responsible news organizations to parrot right-wing tropes about Social Security running out of money or 'going broke' in the near future, which is untrue but can unnecessarily unnerve workers and retirees. The question raised but largely unaddressed by the trustee reports is how to reduce the shortfall. The Republican answer generally involves cutting benefits, either by outright reductions or such options as raising the full retirement age, which is currently set between 66 and 67 for those born in 1952-1959 and 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later. As I've reported, raising the retirement age is a benefit cut by another name. It's also discriminatory, for average life expectancy is lower for some racial and ethnic groups than for others. For all Americans, average life expectancy at age 65 has risen since the 1930s by about 6.6 years, to about 84 and a half. The increase has been about the same for white workers. But for Black people in general, the gain is just over five years, to an average of a bit over 83, and for Black men it's less than four years and two months, to an average of about 81 and four months. Life expectancy is also related to income: Better-paid workers have longer average lifespans than lower-income workers. The other option, obviously, is to leave benefits alone but increase the programs' revenues. This is almost invariably dismissed by the GOP, but its power is compelling. The revenue shortfall experienced by Social Security is almost entirely the product of rising economic inequality in the U.S. At Social Security's inception, the payroll tax was set at a rate that would cover about 92% of taxable wage earnings. Today, rising income among the rich has reduced that ratio to only about 82%. That could mean hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues. The payroll tax is highly regressive. Those earning up to $176,100 this year pay the full tax of 12.4% on wage earnings (half deducted directly from their paychecks and half paid by their employers). Those earning more than that sum in wages pay nothing on the excess. To put it in perspective, the payroll tax bite on someone earning $500,000 in wages this year would pay not 12.4% in payroll tax (counting both halves of the levy), but about 4.4%. Eliminating the cap on wages, according to the Social Security actuaries, would eliminate half to three-quarters of the expected shortfall in revenues over the next 75 years, depending on whether benefits were raised for the highest earners. Taxing investment income — the source of at least half the income collected by the wealthiest Americans — at the 12.4% level rather than leaving it entirely untaxed for Social Security would reduce the shortfall by an additional 38%. Combining these two options would eliminate the entire shortfall. Social Security has already been hobbled by the Trump administration, Trump's promises notwithstanding. Elon Musk's DOGE vandals ran roughshod through the program, cutting staff and closing field offices, and generally instilling fears among workers and retirees that the program might not be around long enough to serve them. In moral terms, that's a crime. Those are the choices facing America: Cutting benefits is a dagger pointed directly at the neediest Americans. Social Security benefits account for 50% or more of the income nearly 42% of all beneficiaries, and 90% or more of the income of nearly 15% of beneficiaries. The wealthiest Americans, on the other hand, have been coasting along without paying their fair share of the program. Could the equities be any clearer than that?
