Good morning. This is Shades of the Day, bringing you different shades of perspective in news and culture so that you can see the big picture quickly.

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It’s Saturday, April 27 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

• The declining US fertility rate

• The Baltimore AI audio defamation scandal

• 4 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)

👶 Declining US fertility rate

👶 In 2023, the US saw its lowest fertility rate in over a century. CNN thinks lifestyle choices and economic factors are why.

👶 A Washington Examiner Op blames a drop in marriage: Early marriage = bigger families.

👶 City Journal blames Democratic politics, though: GOP states have higher birthrates than Dem counterparts.

👶 But a Redditor on r/News had a different theory: The US fertility rate is tanking because raising kids costs a fortune.

👶 A WaPo Op kind of agreed: US work culture and policy make having kids hard. The government needs creative solutions to support families.

🤖 AI defamation scandal

🤖 A Baltimore high school athletic director was arrested for creating a deepfake audio clip to defame his principal. The NYT says the incident highlights the growing threat of AI abuse in schools.

🤖 You can listen to the audio clip here — remember, it's AI-generated.

🤖 Hot Air was also concerned: Onlookers were quick to believe the in the hoax! The audio clip sparked a lot of “fear and mistrust”.

🤖 OutKick was similarly concerned: The scandal demands new laws to tackle high-tech hoaxes.

🤖 Still, @Jbarro on X was cautiously optimistic: We'll probably see more AI scandals in the future, but people will also be more skeptical about recordings.

4️⃣ Quick hits

🚀 Wilmore and Williams set for historic Boeing spacecraft launch to ISS on May 6, marking a key step for space travel.

⚫ Sabreen Alrouh Joudeh, born from her deceased mother after an airstrike, was buried in Gaza, symbolizing the war's tragic toll.

⚖️ The Supreme Court is currently embroiled in debates over Donald Trump's claim to immunity.

🌪️ Destructive tornadoes hit Nebraska and Iowa, with ongoing severe weather threats across the US.