{
  "id": 1119625,
  "title": "AI has come for Billy Joel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/ai-has-come-for-billy-joel",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-14T02:12:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The A.V. Club",
    "slug": "the-a-v-club",
    "url": "https://www.avclub.com/billy-joel-lost-interview-ai-documentary"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "AI enthusiasts love to tout the potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize society, extolling its capabilities in mundane and society-altering ways. However, they seldom highlight the more subtle applications that could genuinely affect individuals in their daily lives. According to THR, a new project has surfaced that uses AI and old photographs of Billy Joel to produce an artificial intelligence film titled \"1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview.\" The film's creators have taken great lengths to avoid any legal tussles with the renowned musician. All images and audio used in the project are owned by the film's producers, who obtained the audio through a radio interview from Joel's first manager, Irwin Mazur. The audio is then paired with grotesque, unflattering video imagery of a figure resembling Joel, transforming a potentially intriguing curiosity into an unpleasant spectacle. The project has been selected for a showcase by the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, which has chosen to include it in their Music Documentary Film Festival, despite their traditionally positive relationship with Joel. Joel has not publicly commented on the project or its inclusion in the festival. The director, Adam Ripp, who has a history of conflict with Joel, maintains that the project's purpose is to honor the legacy of Billy Joel, which some might find quite ironic.",
  "summary": "Finally, video proof of what a young Billy Joel would have looked like as a waxy, computer-generated corpse.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}