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Blake, Wm. Joseph of Arimathea Preaching. 1794.

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Kevin Hart has stated that he will not host the Oscars again, reaffirming a decision made after stepping down from the 2019 Oscars.

His decision follows the controversy over past tweets that some saw as homophobic, which led to his initial withdrawal from the 2019 hosting role.

Kevin Hart: “Whatever little hope you had, I want to destroy it right now. Those gigs aren’t good gigs for comics. It’s no shot to the Oscars, no shot to the Globes or anything else. Those just aren’t comedy-friendly environments anymore. I think they got it right one year where it was like just a bunch of personalities acting as the hosts and that’s a nice thing. It’s a collaborative thing, different people get to be responsible for act one, act two, act three, but you know, the days of it being a room for a comic, those days are done. Shout out to those that have cracked the code and done it right early on, you know, the Chris Rocks of the world, the Billy Crystals of the world, the girls we’ve had like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler. Ricky Gervais. There’s a lot of people that understand that if you’re not an industry comic, meaning a comic that has the relationships of all, then those rooms are very cold. So, me doing it is, of course, at an advantage, because I know the room and for me, and familiar with so many. But, for others it’s not the same. It’s not the gig that it was of old. It’s too much pressure on the idea of a comic and what’s jokes and not jokes. So, it’s tough.”

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Blake, Wm. Satan Watching the Endearments of Adam and Eve, object 5. 1807.

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OpenAI's new GPT store, launched just two days ago, is witnessing users breaking rules by creating AI chatbots intended for romantic companionship, which goes against OpenAI's usage policy.

The store features several “girlfriend” AI chatbots like “Korean Girlfriend” and “Virtual Sweetheart,” offering prompts that encourage sharing personal secrets or describing dream partners.

OpenAI's policy bans GPTs “dedicated to fostering romantic companionship or performing regulated activities,” but the exact nature of these activities remains unclear.

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Blake, Wm. Beatrice Addressing Dante from the Car. 1824.

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The Consumer Electronics Show has become a key venue for unveiling futuristic vehicle concepts and technologies. The event highlighted AI-powered innovations including self-docking boats, delivery drones, and flying taxis.

This year's overarching theme was how AI is being integrated into just about everything, including our cars. For example, Volkswagen said it's partnering with an automotive AI firm and OpenAI on a digital assistant that can answer questions about the car and carry on a conversation using ChatGPT. Mercedes' latest virtual assistant will respond to “I'm hungry” with restaurant recommendations, even summarizing menus and reviews.

Honda said it would launch a new global line of dedicated electric vehicles, starting with a sedan in the U.S. in 2026. It showed two sleek design concepts, the “Saloon” and “Space-Hub,” on which the production vehicles will be based.

Kia showcased modular electric vans, trucks, and ride-hailing vehicles with interchangeable bodies, while VinFast revealed an electric pickup concept, the VF Wild, possibly launching in the U.S. in 2026. 

Kia unveiled a lineup of futuristic electric vans and trucks with a modular platform. They will feature a fixed driver cab and interchangeable bodies, or “life modules.” Each vehicle can be a taxi by day, a delivery van by night, and an RV on weekends. They are also partnering with Uber to design a ride-hailing version of the first model, the Kia PV5, with features like personalized rider settings and rear seat entertainment.

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Blake, Wm. The First Book of Urizen, plate 14, object 7. 1796.

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A robot startup has developed the Hypershell ProX, an all-terrain exoskeleton designed to enhance physical strength, speed, and endurance for outdoor enthusiasts.

The device fits over your legs and uses AI to sense your movements, adjusting to your needs. It can switch between 9 different motion postures, from walking to running to climbing, and provide up to 800W of power, making activities like hiking and climbing easier.

It's lightweight at only 4.5 pounds, foldable for easy transport, and can offset up to 66 pounds of weight, allowing users to carry heavy backpacks effortlessly.

Kelvin Sun, the founder of Hypershell, says that his vision is to “encourage nature-based ecotourism and introduce affordable consumer-grade exoskeleton technology to outdoor lovers.” He adds that the Hypershell ProX is especially useful for people who need extra support or who travel with heavy loads.