Hey Rebels,
Is anybody still safe from AI? We’ve officially reached the point where AI can steal your content and apparently decide you’d perform better as a white guy. Elliot Choy found a Kalshi ad recreating his New York apartment and video, except someone else was sitting in his place.
At least our other stories contain some actual humans doing interesting things. A Thai teenager just won “America’s Got Talent” and an Arizona restaurateur is finally home after eight and a half months in ICE detention. Also, the DOJ says another university discriminated against Asian applicants.
TRY Team
Featured
Asian American YouTuber says company used AI to turn him white in ad
Betting platform Kalshi apparently liked Elliot Choy’s YouTube video enough to recreate it for an ad. There was just one noticeable change: the Asian American creator was gone, and a white man was sitting in what appeared to be an AI-generated version of Choy’s apartment instead.
Kalshi blames an outside agency for supplying the video, but it still hasn’t explained how the ad was made or why Choy’s race changed with it.
What else we’re tracking
Arizona business owner with no criminal record freed after 8 months in ICE detention
For years, Kelly Yu regularly reported to immigration authorities despite an outstanding removal order. Then a routine appointment in Phoenix ended with six agents approaching her and Yu handing her wedding ring to her husband before being taken away. Eight and a half months later, the Arizona restaurant owner is back at work, though her fight to remain in the country is far from over.
Thai teen goes from Phuket night markets to winning ‘America’s Got Talent’
Phuket’s Naka Night Market turned out to be pretty decent preparation for “America’s Got Talent.” Nene Royal, 16, went from playing there with her young rock band to becoming the show’s first Thai champion. On her way to the title, the teen musician tore through the Cranberries, Soundgarden and the White Stripes then finished the season performing with Linkin Park.
UCSF joins DOJ’s list of schools found to discriminate against Asians
UCSF has joined a growing list of medical and law schools the Justice Department says discriminated against Asian applicants after the Supreme Court ended race-conscious admissions. University officials reject the DOJ’s analysis, but the government is giving them just days to agree to changes. Asian American advocates, meanwhile, remain wary of who is being invoked to justify the broader crackdown.
Why read Issue #265?
We’re told technology is making it easier to create almost anything. That sounds exciting until the thing being recreated is somebody else’s work, somebody else’s home or somebody else entirely.
Maybe the question isn’t only what AI can make anymore. It’s what we’re willing to let disappear in the process. Stay human, everyone.
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The Rebel Yellow is supported in part by funding from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Funders do not influence story selection, reporting, or editorial decisions. All editorial content is independently produced by The Rebel Yellow team.