AI Gives Voice Back to Silenced Musician

ALS, the debilitating disease that robs individuals of their physical abilities, has impacted a musician's life, while athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics are facing their own challenges. Patrick Darling, a 32-year-old musician diagnosed with ALS, recently performed on stage for the first time in two years thanks to AI technology that allowed him to sing again, according to MIT Technology Review. Meanwhile, at the Milan Cortina Games, athletes like figure skater Ilia Malinin and skier Mikaela Shiffrin are grappling with the pressures of competition.

Darling's performance was deeply emotional, as he sang a song written for his great-grandfather. His diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a type of motor neuron disease (MND), had taken away his ability to sing and play instruments, according to MIT Technology Review. The last time he performed on stage was over two years prior.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics, figure skater Ilia Malinin experienced a difficult moment, falling repeatedly during his performance. "It actually bears a lot of similarities to grief," said Dr. Sahen Gupta, a sports performance psychologist and researcher at the University of Portsmouth, according to NPR News. Mikaela Shiffrin, a U.S. Alpine skiing legend, is also facing challenges, failing to medal in the giant slalom. Shiffrin has won more World Cup races than any other skier in history, according to NPR News.

In other news, the film "Salvation," directed by Emin Alper, explores the roots of violence, according to Variety. The film delves into an unspeakable atrocity motivated by territorialism and religious fervor. Additionally, the first image from "The Idiot(s)," starring Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn, has been released, according to Variety. The film is directed by Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert.