New study finds arts engagement to slow biological ageing
Research from UCL suggests engaging with arts and culture improves overall health outcomes. These days, the fountain of youth is marketed as some kind of AI-backed, biohacked offshoot of the billionaire class. Health and wellness has crept further into a digital landscape – one often shaped by far-right thinking – and...
Current in Design
Young Africans are creating comics that reflect their culture using AI
While the Global North debates AI ethics, young Africans are using it to tell stories rooted in their own cultures. In the Global North, whether AI use can ever be considered ethical in creative spaces is becoming a gray area. But for many Africans, the conversation is shifting away from...
Authors protest AI at London Book Fair with ‘empty’ book
Over 10,000 writers have contributed to ‘Don’t Steal This Book,’ an empty publication that only contains a list of their names. Organised by Ed Newton-Rex, the book will be given out for free at the London Book Fair in protest of AI tools stealing the intellectual property of creatives. Thousands...
Saudi Arabia’s futuristic Neom project is being scaled back
The Neom megaproject, first announced in 2017, involved an ambitious plan to build a megacity that ran entirely on renewable energy on the edge of a desert. The project is now being scaled back over financial and sustainability concerns. Saudi Arabia’s futuristic city of Neom is officially in the process...
What Pantone’s Colour of the Year says about the state of the world
For the first time, a shade of white has been given the prestigious ‘Colour of the Year’ title by Pantone. Every December, Pantone – a media company widely regarded as the mecca of colour theory – announces its annual ‘Colour of the Year’. This title appears frivolous on the face of...
Beeple’s ‘Regular Animals’ turns billionaires into terrifying robot dogs
A late entry for the most disturbing art installation of 2025, Beeple’s ‘Regular Animals’ features a pen of robotic dogs bearing the likeness of tech billionaires and revered artists. They canter around, snap photos, and take NFT dumps. ‘You may live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension,’ declared Nikola...
Should we be concerned about the Studio Ghibli AI trend?
Social media platforms are ablaze this week with users creating fake Studio Ghibli inspired artwork using generative AI. How much harm does this do to actual artists and animation studios? Another week, another story of generative AI disrupting the creative industry. This time, it looks like the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli is being dragged into the debate, as thousands of social media users generate and post ‘original’ images...
Christie’s ‘Augmented Intelligence’ auction surpasses expectations
The event at Christie’s was intended to demonstrate and test the legitimacy of AI artwork within the high-end auction world. It was met with fierce criticism and enthusiasm from different parties. An online sale of AI-generated artwork at London’s auction house Christie’s has surpassed its initial earnings estimates by 20%. The total revenue brought in currently sits at $792,000 USD, with a significant number of new collectors entering the art...
The true cost of being single
Free and thriving – or just paying more rent? Let’s break down the economics of singledom. Breathe a sigh of relief, for February is almost over. It’s that special time of year when couples throw cash at overpriced dinners, smugly split the Uber home, and post a well-lit shot of each other on social media. As for the single population? We’re left to pay the infamous ‘single tax’. But is being...
Manchester City launch AI design competition for 2026 third kit
Manchester City have launched a competition where fans can submit AI designs. The winning entry will adorn the club’s third kit in the 2026/2027 season. Is this a good idea, or perhaps worthy of charge 116? It’s safe to say Premier League fans, generally speaking, aren’t totally loving Manchester City at the moment. Between the alleged 115 breaches of Financial Fair Play rules and manager Pep Guardiola’s manic reaction...
