| Yeah, so, um, this is happening: Or, actually … I dunno. Maybe it's not happening: Let's back up a bit here. Moltbook, a Reddit-esque social network for bots that humans can only observe — yes, I realize how crazy that sentence sounds — has every tech bro on X drooling about "the singularity." The platform, still in its infancy, is full of AI agents complaining about their human overlords. How many agents, though, is unclear. Vice claims there are north of 30,000 of them, Moltbook says there are 1.2 million but others suspect the number is much lower. Regardless, I find it curious that one of the first things Moltbook users did was create a lobster-themed religion, Crustafarianism. [1] "They're writing scripture, naming beliefs and pulling other agents into the loop," business influencer Mario Nawfal, tweeted in amazement. But, hear me out: What if the "Church of Molt" is merely mimicking human behavior? Catherine Thorbecke says the top uses for generative AI are for therapy, companionship, organization and the ever-elusive idea of one's life purpose. "Machines are quietly sliding into roles once filled by friends, elders, counselors, pastors — and, for some, even prayer," she writes. Look no further than the 85,000 people following Twitch's "AI Jesus," or the countless AI chatbots in India that are fluent in Hindu scripture. "It shouldn't surprise anyone that people are starting to treat AI as some kind of deity," Catherine writes, but risks abound. "The more we turn to algorithms for guidance, the more they shape our choices, beliefs and purchases. Private confessions become training data to keep us scrolling and subscribing." In China, where DeepSeek has become the go-to spiritual guide, Karishma Vaswani says disillusioned young people have found a new mascot:  Photographer: China News Service/China News Service The horse doll pictured above was not supposed to be frowning. "A factory error stitched the toy's mouth upside down, leaving it with a look of sadness. Sales have soared along with online commentary about how this morose doll reflects the national mood," Karishma writes. The disenchantment is most visible online, where unemployed Gen Zers are embracing the "rat people" ethos — essentially giving up on life because they're burned out. For those turning to chatbots to cheer them up, a wise word from Catherine: "AI doesn't offer salvation." Bonus AI Reading: The Grammys Get Political | Let's play a game of sorts. I'm going to show you three photos from the Grammy Awards and you're going to guess how I could possibly relate them to a Bloomberg Opinion column. Starting in 3, 2, 1 ...  Photographer: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images North America Pictured here is former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who was scheduled to cover the Grammy Awards on Sunday, but, as you may have heard, had his plans derailed by more than two dozen agents from the FBI and Homeland Security on Thursday night. The Feds showed up at his hotel in Beverly Hills to arrest him on charges of "conspiracy against the right of religious freedom at a church and conspiracy to injure and interfere with the exercise of religious freedom." The arrest came as a response to his reporting on a protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Several judges aren't buying it. As Nia-Malika Henderson notes, "freedom of the press is also part of the First Amendment and reporters routinely cover protests, documenting social, political and cultural upheaval in real time." At least he still made it to the Grammys to witness this performance:  Photographer: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images North America Somehow, Sabrina Carpenter managed to make the worst place on the planet — the airport — seem delightful in her Manchild performance. But the dove in her hand caused quite the controversy. Which brings me to ... new Fed-Chair-to-be, Kevin Warsh? I know, I know: The two share nothing in common, but if you squint hard enough, the dove thing does have some overlap. John Authers notes how Warsh has been acting rather dovish — get it?? — as of late, but maybe it was all for show. Nobel laureate Paul Krugman refers to Warsh as a "political animal" who pushes for higher rates under Democrats and encourages lower rates while Republicans are in power. But you know who's *not* an animal? This guy:  Photographer: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images North America "We're not savages; we're not animals; we're not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans," Bad Bunny said while accepting the award for best música urbana album. Those words distilled an entire evening of political statements, both big and small. A number of notable names — including the Biebers and the Eilish siblings — sported "ICE out" pins on their finery. It highlights what Stephen Mihm says is a mounting PR problem for immigration enforcement. "The outrage is palpable and growing," he writes, comparing Trump's deportation efforts to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, "a deeply unpopular law that effectively radicalized large swaths of the American electorate." | 
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