Good morning. In this edition:

• 🤖🎶 AI music takeover
• 🛒 Grocery tariff exemptions
• 🐜 Global ant supercolony

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.40-minute read (903 words).

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“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.”

–Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Country music’s transition from Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” to “Ring of Water that Cools Computer Chips” is almost complete.

The #1 and #3 most-downloaded country songs in America today are 100% written and sung by artificial intelligence, marking a first for the music industry, according to Billboard.

• Breaking Rust, a computer-generated outlaw blues-country singer, holds the top spot on Billboard's Country Digital Song Sales chart with the single "Walk My Walk."
• AI-created R&B singer Cain Walker is ranked #3 on the same chart with the song "Don't Tread On Me."

Breaking Rust currently boasts 2.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, while Cain Walker has 1.1 million—on par with some of the biggest rising human stars in country music today. However, it’s worth noting that neither artist appears on Spotify's Country Top 50 singles chart.

They’re not the only ones: At least six AI or AI-assisted artists have debuted on various Billboard rankings over the past several months. That list includes gospel/R&B singer Xania Monet, who signed a multimillion-dollar record deal in September.

Billboard also says the true number of AI artists on its charts could be much higher, “as it's become increasingly difficult to tell who or what is powered by AI — and to what extent."

The trend is setting off alarm bells

Many in the industry resent the idea that someone pushing a few buttons in their bedroom can compete with musical artists who’ve worked and trained their whole lives to master their profession.

An estimated 97% of adults “can’t tell the difference” between real music and AI-generated music, according to a new Deezer/Ipsos survey of 9,000 adults across eight countries (including the US).

But…Others in the business say AI artists like Breaking Rust and Xania Monet are acceptable if their creators behave responsibly, respect international copyright law, and follow the policies of streaming services like Spotify.

Bottom line: Analysts say artists of all types should take note that content produced by early, deeply flawed AI is already supplanting human-created work.

📊 Flash poll: Assuming the quality is identical: does it matter to you personally whether a song is written/performed by a human, or instead generated by AI?

• Yes, I care who made it
• No, I don’t care who made it
• Unsure/other

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🏛️ President Trump exempts dozens of food items from his sweeping global tariffs, including grocery staples like beef, coffee, cocoa, and bananas. | Trump's pledge to send $2,000 tariff dividend checks to most Americans will require legislation approved by Congress, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
• 🌏 US and South Korea release details of trade agreement that will see ~$300 billion worth of Korean investment in America, in exchange for cutting US tariffs from 25% to 15% on Korean products.
• 👋 Apple’s board is accelerating plans to replace CEO Tim Cook as early as next year, per Financial Times report. | Walmart President and CEO Doug McMillon is retiring at the end of January after 10+ years in the role.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 📺 YouTube TV and Disney end two-week blackout of ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned channels from the YouTube-owned TV service due to carriage dispute.
• 🍿 Now You See Me: Now You Don’t tops domestic box office with $21.3 million in its weekend debut; Running Man starring Glen Powell opens in second-place ($17 million).
• 🏟️ CFB: Week 12 is in the books (recap). | NFL: See a full Week 11 recap (link). | MLS to eliminate "Season Pass" paywall next season, with all games available to Apple TV subscribers at no additional cost.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🦣 Scientists recover ancient RNA molecules from woolly mammoth who died ~40,000 years ago in Siberia; it marks the oldest RNA ever sequenced by a margin of 25,000+ years.
• 🇨🇦 Canada officially loses its measles elimination status nearly three decades after first achieving the distinction.
• ☄️ Ongoing Leonids meteor shower set to reach peak activity this afternoon and into the evening

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🏛️ AG Pam Bondi opens investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's ties to prominent Democrats following request from President Trump; move comes days after thousands of Epstein's emails were released by Congress, which include mentions of Trump.
• 🚨 Federal Border Patrol agents deploy to Charlotte, North Carolina, and arrest 81 people on Saturday; it marks Day 1 of a new illegal immigration crackdown in the city, which has sparked local protests.
• 🏅 China announces discovery of its largest gold deposit found in the past 70+ years; it’s estimated to yield ~1,591 tons of gold worth ~$193 billion at current prices.

☝️ You’re lookin at some of the winning images from the 2025 Drone Photo Awards. The top photos are now on display at the Siena Natural History Museum. Browse all the finalists here.

🤔 Did you know? Argentine ants belong to the same global supercolony that stretches from California to Europe, thanks to nearly identical chemical signatures that stop them from fighting each other. Scientists say these ants recognize one another as part of the same “team,” allowing millions of nests to function like one giant society.

📰 Worth a read: The best years of your life are probably still ahead

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Here’s the No. 1 thing that keeps relationships strong—more than love
• Cheetos and Doritos are going "naked"
• At 16, I was experimented on by the CIA and now I'm suing

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On Friday, we covered new Gallup polling data that shows how the US has undergone a transition from a nation where religion is a key part of the day-to-day lives of most citizens, to one where it no longer holds much importance

❓ Our question to you: Is religion an important part of your daily life?

• Yes: 47%
• No: 49%
• Unsure/other: 4%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 1,072 votes and 156 longform responses.

Monday: National Take a Hike Day

Tuesday: President Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to the White House

Wednesday: Nvidia reports earnings; Fed publishes highly anticipated minutes from its last meeting

Thursday: Former VP Dick Cheney’s funeral held in DC; Portland Art Museum reopens after major overhaul

Friday: Wicked: For Good hits theaters nationwide

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Dulc
2. Cen
3. Flor
4. Laps
5. Merc

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1. Dulc = Sweet (e.g., dulcet)
2. Cen = Empty (cenotaph)
3. Flor = Flower (floral)
4. Laps = Slip (elapse)
5. Merc = Wages (mercantile)

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