Art on Tap

Pope Leo XIV called on the Catholic Church to form an alliance with artists in the face of artificial intelligence, arguing that algorithms 'lack the spark' of human creativity. The remarks position art and human imagination as a counterweight to machine-generated content, and come as religious and cultural leaders worldwide grapple with the ethical and social implications of rapidly advancing AI technology.

An artist writes about how people at social receptions rely on others to photograph them speaking or posing beside their artwork, routinely asking, "Do you want me to take your picture?" The writer declines, saying they dislike how such photos turn out, particularly their own mouth and eyes. The piece touches on self-presentation, vanity and the awkwardness of being documented at public art events.

ARTE has released an English-language documentary asking how sustainable electric cars really are compared with petrol vehicles. The film explores the full picture, from manufacturing and battery production to everyday emissions and running costs, and asks whether switching to electric is genuinely the greener choice. It taps into a live debate among drivers and policymakers facing combustion-engine phase-outs.