Artificial intelligence just wrote a No. 1 country song. Now what?



The No. 1 country song in America right now was not written in Nashville or Texas or even L.A. It came from code. “Walk My Walk,” the AI-generated single by the AI artist Breaking Rust, hit the top spot on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart, and if you listen to it without knowing that fact, you would swear a real singer lived the pain he is describing.

Except there is no “he.” There is no lived experience. There is no soul behind the voice dominating the country music charts.

If a machine can imitate the soul, then what is the soul?

I will admit it: I enjoy some AI music. Some of it is very good. And that leaves us with a question that is no longer science fiction. If a machine can fake being human this well, what does it mean to be human?

A new world of artificial experience

This is not just about one song. We are walking straight into a technological moment that will reshape everyday life.

Elon Musk said recently that we may not even have phones in five years. Instead, we will carry a small device that listens, anticipates, and creates — a personal AI agent that knows what we want to hear before we ask. It will make the music, the news, the podcasts, the stories. We already live in digital bubbles. Soon, those bubbles might become our own private worlds.

If an algorithm can write a hit country song about hardship and perseverance without a shred of actual experience, then the deeper question becomes unavoidable: If a machine can imitate the soul, then what is the soul?

What machines can never do

A machine can produce, and soon it may produce better than we can. It can calculate faster than any human mind. It can rearrange the notes and words of a thousand human songs into something that sounds real enough to fool millions.

But it cannot care. It cannot love. It cannot choose right and wrong. It cannot forgive because it cannot be hurt. It cannot stand between a child and danger. It cannot walk through sorrow.

A machine can imitate the sound of suffering. It cannot suffer.

The difference is the soul. The divine spark. The thing God breathed into man that no code will ever have. Only humans can take pain and let it grow into compassion. Only humans can take fear and turn it into courage. Only humans can rebuild their lives after losing everything. Only humans hear the whisper inside, the divine voice that says, “Live for something greater.”

We are building artificial minds. We are not building artificial life.

Questions that define us

And as these artificial minds grow sharper, as their tools become more convincing, the right response is not panic. It is to ask the oldest and most important questions.

Who am I? Why am I here? What is the meaning of freedom? What is worth defending? What is worth sacrificing for?

That answer is not found in a lab or a server rack. It is found in that mysterious place inside each of us where reason meets faith, where suffering becomes wisdom, where God reminds us we are more than flesh and more than thought. We are not accidents. We are not circuits. We are not replaceable.

RELATED: AI can fake a face — but not a soul

Seong Joon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The miracle machines can never copy

Being human is not about what we can produce. Machines will outproduce us. That is not the question. Being human is about what we can choose. We can choose to love even when it costs us something. We can choose to sacrifice when it is not easy. We can choose to tell the truth when the world rewards lies. We can choose to stand when everyone else bows. We can create because something inside us will not rest until we do.

An AI content generator can borrow our melodies, echo our stories, and dress itself up like a human soul, but it cannot carry grief across a lifetime. It cannot forgive an enemy. It cannot experience wonder. It cannot look at a broken world and say, “I am going to build again.”

The age of machines is rising. And if we do not know who we are, we will shrink. But if we use this moment to remember what makes us human, it will help us to become better, because the one thing no algorithm will ever recreate is the miracle that we exist at all — the miracle of the human soul.

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FACT CHECK: Is Ariana Grande The First To Debut At #1 On Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, And Box Office Same Year?

A post made on X claims Wicked actress Ariana Grande is the first person to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, and the U.S. Box Office in the same calendar year. ariana grande is set to become the first person in history to debut at #1 on the billboard hot 100, billboard […]

Advertising Company Axes Catholic Group’s Pro-Trump Billboard Display

The Lamar Advertising Company rejected a billboard design from Catholics for Catholics that contained a prayer for Donald Trump.

George Conway runs anti-Trump billboard in Florida: 'VOTE FOR JOE NOT THE PSYCHO'



George Conway, a vociferous critic of former President Donald Trump, had a billboard put up in Florida that blares in all capital letters, "VOTE FOR JOE NOT THE PSYCHO."

"So, just for kicks, I put up a billboard a few miles south of Palm Beach on I-95 South, perfect for anyone happening to travel from Mar-a-Lago to Doral to, say, play golf," Conway tweeted.

'Congratulations to Kellyanne Conway on her DIVORCE from her wacko husband, Mr. Kellyanne Conway.'

Underneath the message on the billboard there is additional text that reads, "Paid for by George Conway."

"If they’re still teaching 1840’s 'Tippecanoe and Tyler too' in schools 184 years later, just think of how long they'll be talking about [VOTE FOR JOE NOT THE PSYCHO]," Conway tweeted.

Last year George and Kellyanne Conway announced that they were getting divorced.

"We are in the final stages of an amicable divorce," they said in a statement last year.

"Congratulations to Kellyanne Conway on her DIVORCE from her wacko husband, Mr. Kellyanne Conway. Free at last, she has finally gotten rid of the disgusting albatross around her neck. She is a great person, and will now be free to lead the kind of life that she deserves…and it will be a great life without the extremely unattractive loser by her side!" Trump declared in a post on Truth Social last year.

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FACT CHECK: X Post Purports To Show A Pro-Palestine Billboard In Chicago

The billboard is located in Tunisia, not Chicago

Anti-Hamas billboard in NJ — saying Islamic terror group would 'chop your head off too' — reportedly taken down after more than 100 complaint calls to cops



An anti-Hamas billboard displayed in New Jersey that said the Islamic terror group would "chop your head off too" reportedly was taken down after more than 100 complaint calls to cops.

What are the details?

Shlomo Schorr, associate director of the New Jersey office of Agudath Israel of America — the "arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry" — posted on social media that the "anti-Hamas billboard on Route 80 in Bogota borough resulted in more than 100 calls to police before it was taken down by organizers."

— (@)

The billboard read, “Oh, don't be naive. Hamas would chop your head off too," according to the image Schorr posted.

NJ.com said Schorr on Friday did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The outlet, citing NorthJersey.com, added that the billboard reportedly was from JewBelong, a pro-Jewish organization that says its "brave approach calls out Jew-hate. Our signature pink and white billboards, billboard trucks, website, and strong social media presence powerfully confront antisemitism as well as support Joyous Judaism."

NJ.com noted that JewBelong did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bogota police said last week it was "aware of the billboard message posted on Route 80 in Bogota. The sign board is not the property of the Bogota Police Department or the Borough of Bogota. An organization has privately had the owner of the company post their message on the board, and at this time there [have] been no criminal violations."

Police added that there have been no threats to the community and that the department was "investigating the matter to ensure all community members remain safe."

How are folks reacting to the billboard?

A number of people had some strong reactions to the billboard's message:

  • "I think it is great, and I think everyone should see it, even children," one commenter said of the billboard. "We are treading in very dangerous waters, and it is important to tell the truth. It angers me that it was taken down. Freedom of speech, indeed."
  • "Put up another 10,000 more," another user wrote.
  • "We need more of these billboards," another commenter suggested. "Especially near college campuses."
  • "They should not have taken it down, it is the truth," another user declared.
  • "Only the left has freedom of speech," another commenter lamented. "The only way things will change is a civil war unfortunately."

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Junior high teacher in Canada berates Muslim students for boycotting Pride events: 'If you don't think that should be the law, you can't be Canadian'



An audio clip, which has gone viral on social media, revealed a teacher at a junior high school in Canada chastising the Muslim students in her class for staying home from school rather than participating in scheduled Pride events. During the rant, the teacher became so heated that she even told Muslim students that they "can't be Canadian" if they do not support legalized gay marriage.

On the clip, a teacher at Londonderry Junior High School in Edmonton, Alberta, scolded students for skipping school "because you think there's some Pride activities going on" that day, and she gave several reasons that such behavior was not "acceptable."

First, she seemed to imply that Muslim students are obliged to support the LGBTQ agenda — which she even hinted was a kind of "religion" — because LGBTQ students have supported Islamic holidays in the past. "They're here when we did Ramadan," she reminded the class, "... And they're showing respect in the class for your religion, for your beliefs."

She then warned Muslim students that if they want "to be respected for who" they are, if they want to avoid racial or religious "prejudice," then they "better give" the same respect "back to people who are different" from them. The relationship "GOES TWO WAYS," she enunciated clearly.

"Back and forth. You want it, you gotta give it," she insisted.

During the two-minute clip, which was reportedly recorded and shared by a student, the teacher also discussed the differences between the laws and values in Canada and the laws and values in other countries. She asserted that all Canadians "believe in freedom" and "believe that people can marry whomever they want." Canada officially legalized so-called same-sex marriage in 2005.

She also seemed to presume that such laws grant Canada better moral standing in the world, and she drew a contrast between her home country and countries such as Uganda, which she incorrectly asserted will "literally ... execute" anyone suspected of being "gay." Under the new law, Ugandans caught engaging in sodomy can face up to life in prison, but the death penalty is restricted only to those who engage in "aggravated homosexuality" involving children, vulnerable adults, or those who are HIV-positive.

According to the teacher, anyone who supports such a law is not welcome in Canada. "If you believe that kind of thing, then you don't belong here," she said. "Because that is not what Canada believes."

"If you don't think that [gay marriage] should be the law, you can't be Canadian," she continued. "You don't belong here, and I really mean it."

\u201cCanadian teacher loses it on Muslim kids who didn\u2019t go to school because of Pride events.\u201d
— Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1686073083

TheBlaze reached out to the school for comment, and a spokesperson for Edmonton Public Schools issued the following statement:

Edmonton Public Schools is aware of the audio recording of a teacher at Londonderry School circulating on social media channels. The school and Division are taking steps to address the situation. Due to the Division’s legislated privacy obligations, we are not able to provide any further information.

Since 2019, the Division has recognized the first week of June as Pride Week and held celebrations throughout the city in our schools. It’s an opportunity to recognize the diversity in schools and talk about inclusion, acceptance and kindness. Every student should feel they belong at school. This is a core value at every school across our Division.

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FACT CHECK: Viral Image Does Not Show A Real NRA Billboard

The billboard is digitally fabricated

FACT CHECK: Is This A Video Of A Real Bud Light Billboard?

The actual billboard is an advertisement for Disney+

VIDEO: Violent transgender activists allegedly assault dad



The Vancouver Police Department is investigating after activist Chris Elston, also known as "Billboard Chris," says he was assaulted Friday at a trans-rights rally.

"The most violent group in the western world are transgender activists," Elston tweeted Saturday.
"Here I am getting assaulted in the presence of dozens of police who do nothing," Elston said.

"We have launched an investigation into an incident that occurred at yesterday’s trans-rights rally at Grandview Park. We support everyone’s right to peacefully assemble and protest, but we will also hold people accountable for acts of violence and criminal behaviour," the Vancouver Police Department said Saturday afternoon in a tweet that is closed for comment.

"I'll believe them when I see results," Elston said Saturday in a tweet. "Hopefully they conduct an internal investigation into the conduct of their own officers," he added. According to Elston, officers did too little to intervene.

"Billboard Chris" is an activist father based in Canada who opposes surgical and chemical approaches to treating gender dysphoria in children. He reportedly travels across North America wearing sandwich board signs succinctly summarizing his position. He has been interviewed on news and opinion programs including Fox News Channel's "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

One video of Friday's incident in Vancouver shows Elston, already with what appears to be an open cut on the bridge of his nose from an earlier assault in the public park. That video shows a group surrounding him, chanting "f*** you." Police officers are seen standing by as the swarm quickly grows violent.

The video shows one chanting protester with an orange umbrella and a rainbow flag, standing within inches of Elston, directly behind him. As Elston turns, his elbow appears to graze the protester's fluffy coat collar and Elston appears to place his hand lightly on the protester's collar as he continues turning on the spot.

The video shows the protester immediately go for Elston's neck with what appears to be an attempt at a choking type hold. A scuffle ensues as Elston pulls back from the hold, then pushes the protester away, and tumbles toward the group of officers. As Elston creates some distance between himself and the protester group, one female officer among the several officers in view in the footage, appears to be smiling or chuckling.

"I need to sue the VPD. This is obscene," Elston also tweeted.

The first assault at the Vancouver location occurred "within seconds" of his arrival, Elston said, adding that he had called 911 for assistance. According to Elston, the female officer — who appears to be the same officer smiling during the later assault described above — initially suggested Elston might have cut his own nose.

"People can do these things, hurt themselves on purpose ... you provided me no evidence," the officer said, before seeing video of the first assault.

After seeing the video, the officer agrees to "have a conversation" with the people who allegedly first assaulted Elston, "to see what they say."

\u201cAfter my first assault, which occurred within seconds of my arrival, I called 911 for police. \n\nThis officer arrived quickly but stayed in her car, so I walked over.\n\nShe told me maybe I cut my own nose!\n\nMore farcical policing ensued.\u201d
— Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Billboard Chris \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1680366997

Watch video of one of the violent interactions between "Billboard Chris" and protesters below.

\u201cHere\u2019s a second angle of @BillboardChris being assaulted by a violent unhinged transgender person right as I was asking Chris about the lack of police response after being assaulted earlier.\nStay tuned for my full video report coming to https://t.co/F5ShoCFgkd\u201d
— Dan Dicks (@Dan Dicks) 1680321337

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