This is Beirut

Through Parr’s Lens: Satire, Consumption, and the Modern World

This is Beirut, 03/11 15:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Photography Martin Parr AI Satire Britain Culture

British documentary photographer Martin Parr says the world has never been more in need of satire like that in his images because many people are too wealthy and their lifestyle is unsustainable. "The state we're all in is appalling," said the 73-year-old, known for his humorous snapshots of bronzed beachgoers and selfie-snapping ...

Coded to Influence

Rayan Chami, 02/11 17:00 - Reading : less than a minute

AI Influencers AI Social Media

They look real, post selfies, and partner with global brands, but they’re not human. Meet the AI-made influencers redefining fame, trust, and authenticity online. Behind every perfect post lies a team and a code, shaping how we see, feel, and connect.

Impunity: When Justice Falls Silent

Sana Richa Choucair, 02/11 15:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United Nations International Day Journalists AI Crimes

Every year on November 2, the United Nations marks the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists (IDEI). Between 2006 and 2024, more than 1,700 journalists were killed worldwide. In nearly 9 out of 10 cases, their killers have never been brought to justice, according to UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists. This ...

Richard Linklater Says AI Can’t Capture Human Genius in Film

This is Beirut, 31/10 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

AI Film Broadway Cinema Culture Art

Can great art be made without human genius and all its flaws? It's a vital question at a time when artificial intelligence threatens to subsume Hollywood. Through new movies Nouvelle Vague and Blue Moon, director Richard Linklater offers an answer—delving into the lives of two brilliant, volatile men whose films and plays shaped French New Wave ...

From Ribbons to Robots: Does AI Have a Role in Breast Cancer Screening

Alissar Boulos, 31/10 11:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

LAU Breast Cancer Screening AI Mammogram

Breast cancer doesn’t behave the same way in every woman, and it certainly doesn’t behave the same way across borders. From access to screening technology to the age and frequency of recommended mammograms, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Can artificial intelligence (AI) help make breast cancer screening smarter, more personal, and ...

Nvidia, 1st Company to Top $5 Trillion in Market Value

This is Beirut, 30/10 11:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Dollars Artificial intelligence AI Nvidia

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to push the limits – literally. On Wednesday, Nvidia became the first company in the world to surpass $5 trillion in market capitalization, a historical record cementing its dominance in the semiconductor industry. Once a simple graphics card manufacturer, Nvidia has become a cornerstone of the AI ...

Amazon Says Cutting 14,000 Jobs Globally

This is Beirut, 28/10 13:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Amazon AI Jobs economy

US online retail giant Amazon said Tuesday that it is eliminating 14,000 jobs to streamline its operations as it invests in artificial intelligence, without saying where the cuts will come. Amazon said in a statement the reductions were a "continuation" of its efforts "to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and ...

In Abu Dhabi, AI Now Officiates Marriages

This is Beirut, 24/10 19:35 - Reading : less than a minute

AbuDhabi Marriage AI TechNews

Technology takes another leap in Abu Dhabi. At the Gitex tech exhibition, one innovation is stealing the spotlight: a virtual agent that can marry couples entirely online. Through the government app TAMM, couples can now get married in Abu Dhabi without traveling, even from abroad. A milestone that reflects the UAE’s ambition to become an ...

Online Search a Battleground for AI Titans

This is Beirut, 23/10 09:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

AI Technology Google OpenAI Atlas

Tech firms battling for supremacy in artificial intelligence are out to transform how people search the web, challenging the dominance of the Chrome browser at the heart of Google's empire. Chatbots that started out as AI-powered assistants have gradually merged with web browsers and can independently scour the internet for detailed answers to ...

OpenAI Commits to Over $100 Billion in AI Chip Orders Amid Uncertain Financing Plans

This is Beirut, 20/10 09:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA AI ChatGPT Nvidia Broadcom

OpenAI is ordering hundreds of billions of dollars worth of chips in the artificial intelligence race, raising questions among investors about how the startup will finance these purchases. In less than a month, the San Francisco startup behind ChatGPT has committed to acquiring a staggering 26 gigawatts of sophisticated data processors from ...

James Bond 2.0: Can Artificial Intelligence Upstage 007?

Bélinda Ibrahim, 18/10 19:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Artificial Intelligence AI James Bond Movie Culture

The announcement of the next James Bond, now in the hands of Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Steven Knight, reignites a familiar question: What role will technology play in 007’s world? After the Daniel Craig era, defined by gritty realism, should we expect a flood of AI-powered gadgets or a return to high-tech restraint? Official statements ...

In 'the Last Ship', Sting Honors a Lost Industry and Warns of a Divided Future

This is Beirut, 15/10 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Music Sting AI Britain Culture Art

British singer-songwriting legend Sting finds the multiple genres and streaming platforms of the modern music scene "quite odd", but still believes in the power of song to unite people. In an interview with AFP, the 74-year-old with 17 Grammy Awards and sales of over 100 million albums also spoke about his worries about AI as a tool for ...