Technology
Donny Osmond uses AI to sing with his 14-year-old self
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Some stars spend their careers protecting the version of themselves that first made them famous. Donny Osmond took the opposite path. He built a career by evolving with the times and then kept going. Today, in his Las Vegas residency at Harrah’s, the legendary entertainer performs a duet with a digital version of his 14-year-old self, the same teenage Donny who captured hearts decades ago with hits like “Puppy Love.”
The moment feels almost surreal on stage. Yet it also reflects something deeper about Osmond’s career. Instead of resisting technology or relying only on nostalgia, he has embraced new tools that allow him to reinterpret his own history in front of a live audience. That willingness to experiment with technology has helped him remain relevant for more than six decades in entertainment.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
STOP THE INSANITY 2.0: ’90S ICON SUSAN POWTER’S TECH COMEBACK
Why Donny Osmond still connects with audiences
There is a reason Donny Osmond still matters to multiple generations. Older fans know the teen idol who broke out with songs like “Puppy Love.” Others know him from Donny & Marie. Theater fans remember “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Younger audiences may know him as the singing voice of Captain Shang in Disney’s “Mulan.” Then there are reality TV fans who saw him win Dancing With the Stars or meet him again on The Masked Singer.
That range gives him something rare in entertainment. He does not belong to just one era. He belongs to several. And instead of resisting that, he leans into it. Technology now plays a role in that connection as well.
How Donny Osmond brought his younger self back to the stage
Osmond explained the idea when he sat down with me for my “Beyond Connected” podcast. The concept actually began decades ago when he started imagining what future technology might make possible. “Even when I was a teenager, I thought someday there’s going to be technology where John Wayne could be Obi-Wan Kenobi. And I was right!” Osmond said.
That long-held fascination eventually led him to a simple question. “Why can’t I sing ‘Puppy Love’ with my 14-year-old self on stage?” Osmond said. The answer involved combining several forms of digital production, AI modeling and stage design.
“The face is actually my 14-year-old face taken from pictures, the voice is my voice from interviews when I was 14, and the body is my 14-year-old grandson,” Osmond said. The result is a performance where two versions of Donny Osmond appear to share the stage at the same time.
It is not a hologram, it is something called a hollow box
Many people assume the younger Donny is a hologram. Osmond said that is not the case. “It’s not a projection, like a laser projection. It’s not like a hologram. It’s a totally different technology,” Osmond explained.
Instead, the illusion relies on a piece of stage technology known as a hollow box. The structure is built into the set and designed to look like a vintage recording booth on stage. Inside that space, advanced visual systems combine CGI, AI modeling and stage lighting to create the digital image of the younger Donny so it appears full-size and three-dimensional.
The effect blends archived photos, computer-generated animation and voice samples from Osmond’s early interviews to recreate his teenage likeness. His grandson provides the physical body movement used to animate the performance. Standing just inches away from the illusion, Osmond can look directly at his younger self while singing. From the audience’s perspective, it appears as if the two performers are sharing the stage face-to-face in real time.
Even after performing the sequence night after night, Osmond said the experience still surprises him. “I do it every night, and it never gets old. It’s like looking in the mirror 54 years ago,” Osmond said. For longtime fans, the moment connects the teenage star they remember with the seasoned performer he is today. The visual contrast tells the story of a career that has spanned generations.
INSIDE MICROSOFT’S AI CONTENT VERIFICATION PLAN
Behind the scenes, Osmond’s grandson performs the body movements used to animate the digital version of the teenage Donny seen in the Las Vegas show. (Donny Osmond)
Donny Osmond has always been fascinated with technology
One of the most surprising parts of my conversation with Donny is that he does not sound like a celebrity who was dragged into modern tech. He sounds like the kid who would have loved being dropped into a maker lab. “Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve always been kind of a geek or nerd about technical things,” Osmond said.
That curiosity still drives him today. He studies the tools behind his stage production and experiments with new ways to keep the show fresh. In many ways, technology has become another creative instrument.
Donny Osmond’s favorite app might surprise you
When I asked Donny which apps he uses the most, the answer revealed a different side of the performer. “I’d have to say, uh, Google Sheets because, uh, I’ve created algorithms,” Osmond said.
He enjoys building detailed spreadsheets and analyzing data. His phone of choice is a foldable device that allows him to view larger spreadsheets easily. Osmond also embraces connected security technology. He said he uses cameras and smart alarm systems to monitor his homes, dressing room and other properties so he always knows what is happening around him.
For someone known around the world as a singer and performer, it is an unexpectedly technical hobby.
Donny Osmond sees both the promise and risks of AI
Artificial intelligence has sparked debate across music, film and media. Some artists worry about misuse or losing control of their voice and likeness. Osmond takes a balanced view. “Any technology put in the wrong hands can turn into nefarious things, but look at the good it can do,” Osmond said.
From medicine to entertainment, he believes AI has the potential to drive major advances. “What a great time to be alive with today’s technology. It’s amazing to watch it all happen in real time,” Osmond said. At the same time, he believes society must stay engaged with technological progress rather than fear it. “If we run away from technology, other countries and other people are going to be way ahead of us,” Osmond said.
Speaking of technology, Osmond says his music may already have made it into space. During our conversation, he said one of his songs was reportedly used to test the sound system on a spacecraft capsule. “They actually used my song ‘Start Again’ from my latest album to test the sound system on one of the capsules,” Osmond said.
He then mentioned another story he has heard many times over the years. “When they went to the moon in the Apollo missions, and we did go to the moon, by the way, they took a tape of music with them. And on that music is Andy Williams singing ‘Aquarius.’ I’m singing background vocals on that song. They left the tape on the moon. My voice is sitting on the moon.”
APPLE TAPS GOOGLE GEMINI TO POWER APPLE INTELLIGENCE
Donny Osmond headlines his long-running residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas, where the show now features an AI-powered duet with his teenage self. (Donny Osmond)
Social media would have changed the early Donny Osmond years
Osmond also reflected on how today’s digital platforms might have changed his early career. “Can you imagine what I could have done during the ‘Puppy Love’ years with social media?” Osmond said.
At the height of his teen idol fame, fans lined up outside television studios and concerts hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Today, that kind of connection often happens through social platforms and digital communities. It is one more example of how technology has reshaped the entertainment industry.
A career that continues to evolve
Donny Osmond first rose to fame performing with his brothers as part of the Osmonds. The family group became a television sensation in the late 1960s and early 1970s with appearances on shows like “The Andy Williams Show.” Soon after, his sister Marie stepped into the spotlight, and the two became household names with their hit variety series “Donny & Marie.” Decades later, the siblings reunited for a highly successful Las Vegas residency that ran for more than a decade.
Over the years, Osmond has released dozens of albums, starred in television shows, performed on Broadway and built a long-running Las Vegas career. Today, he headlines his own residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas, where he performs several nights a week. The show has been extended through May 2026, a testament to its continued popularity with audiences. Many younger fans now discover Osmond through social media clips, streaming platforms and live performances in Las Vegas.
Technology now plays a role in how he connects with fans as well. Osmond keeps fans connected through the Donny app (donnyosmondapp.com), which brings together news, videos, tour updates and a timeline of his career in one place. Fans can also find tickets, show information and updates at Donny.com, the official website he referenced during our interview. By blending nostalgia with modern technology, Osmond continues to reach fans across generations while pushing his show into new territory.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Donny Osmond’s career is proof that curiosity can keep an artist moving forward. Instead of resisting change, he continues exploring the technology that’s shaping our world today. From AI stage performances to data-driven apps and smart home systems, Osmond approaches technology with the same enthusiasm he brings to performing. Be sure to listen to or watch the “Beyond Connected” conversation with Donny Osmond to hear more about how he blends entertainment and technology.
If you could use AI to meet a younger version of yourself, what would you ask them? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Apple is working on a “revamped” version of its entry-level MacBook Pro that it could launch as soon as the first half of 2027, Bloomberg reports. The company is also testing four new iPad Pros that are set to launch in the spring with a focus on “internal improvements.”
The updated MacBook Pro, which will keep the 14-inch screen size, will have a design that’s “in line” with what Apple is planning for the touch screen MacBooks it also has in the works, Bloomberg says. Those new touch screen laptops are set to be released between “the end of this year and early next year,” and Bloomberg has previously reported that they will get a Dynamic Island-like pill at the top of the screen.
Apple last updated the base MacBook Pro in October with an M5 chip bump. The company is working on an M6 processor, and Bloomberg says that Apple “finished work months ago” a different base MacBook Pro upgrade that keeps the laptop’s present design and is scheduled to launch this year. Apple will quickly move to the M7 line in 2027, including new Pro and Max chips, Bloomberg previously reported.
As for the iPad Pros, Bloomberg says that they’ll retain 11-inch and 13-inch screens. Apple last updated the iPad Pro line last October with the M5 chip.
AI technology helps reunite lost pets with owners using Ring doorbell cameras
Meghan Joyce, CEO of Duckbill, explains how AI technology from companies like Ring is revolutionizing the search for lost pets. Owners can upload photos to a database that uses AI to match them with images from animal shelters and Ring doorbell camera footage. This advanced facial recognition tech aims to quickly reunite one in three pets that go missing in their lifetime, utilizing technology for community good.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Ame thought Lucy might be hiding upstairs. The family’s kitten had missed dinner, which felt odd. Still, cats hide. They nap in strange places. Sometimes, they ignore everyone.
But when breakfast came the next morning, Lucy still did not show up. “When we fed dinner one night, and she didn’t come running, I thought maybe she was upstairs in the kids’ bedroom, but when we fed breakfast the next morning, she didn’t come running again, so then I knew for sure she wasn’t in the house,” Ame said.
That is when a normal morning in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a frantic search. Lucy was less than a year old. Ame’s two young children were devastated. And wherever Lucy had gone, her family knew she had already spent the night away from home.
“If she had been out all night, we were really worried,” Ame said. Ame’s daughter, Evi, felt that fear immediately. “I was really sad and cried a lot. It was really heartbreaking,” Evi said.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
PRO WRESTLING STAR KILLER KROSS SHARES SWEET, LIFE-ALTERING MOMENT WHEN A CAT CAME INTO HIS LIFE
A missing Ohio kitten survived a ride under the hood of a stranger’s car before AI photo-matching technology helped reunite her with her family in just over 24 hours. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)
Ame uploaded Lucy’s photo and got a match
After the first wave of searching, Ame turned to Petco Love Lost. “I found out about Petco Love Lost through a friend of mine who also had a cat go missing. She said Petco Love Lost is a website where you can match from finders who have uploaded pictures of pets that they’ve found,” Ame said.
Ame created a lost pet profile and uploaded Lucy’s picture. The free nationwide database uses AI photo-matching technology to compare lost pet photos with found pet reports. Petco Love says the system looks at more than 500 visual markers to identify pets by features that stay with them wherever they go.
Then came the lead Ame needed. “It was actually very easy and quick. It was only about 10 or 12 hours before I got a lead on where Lucy might be,” Ame said.
A finder had listed a cat who looked like Lucy as found. Soon after, Ame received a photo match alert.
The price surprised her, too. “I was really surprised that Petco Love Lost is not subscription-based like most things are. It’s completely free, so it’s accessible to everyone,” she said. For a family already scared and stressed, that free access made a big difference.
Lucy was found under a car hood
Then Ame learned where Lucy had gone. “She was stuck under the hood of somebody’s car. This person had driven to a shopping center across the highway, got out of their car and heard meowing and realized that the meowing was coming from under the hood of their car,” Ame said.
The driver got Lucy out safely. Thankfully, the kitten had not been hurt. The finder kept Lucy safe and uploaded her photo to Petco Love Lost as a found pet. That report connected with Ame’s lost pet profile.
From there, Ame could finally arrange the reunion her family had been hoping for. “I connected with the finder on Petco Love Lost and was able to message back and forth. We organized a time to meet up and we were just ecstatic, and overjoyed, and in shock that we actually found her and also that we found her so quickly and in such a short space of time. Having Lucy home is a relief,” Ame said. Ame’s family brought Lucy home a little more than 24 hours after she disappeared.
The reunion brought happy tears
For Ame’s children, Lucy’s return changed the whole mood in the house. Ame’s daughter, Evi, went from heartbreak to happy tears. “When she was found, my mom put her on my lap. I was having a little bit of some happy tears,” Evi said.
Then came the sentence every pet parent wants to hear after a scare like this. “When Lucy was found, I was so happy to have her back,” Evi said.
That is the kind of reunion that sticks with you. A tiny kitten vanished, rode under a car hood, crossed a highway and still made it home because a finder uploaded one photo.
WOMAN’S CANCER BATTLE TAKES UNBELIEVABLE TURN WHEN HER DOG GETS SAME DIAGNOSIS
An Ohio family found their missing kitten after Petco Love Lost matched a photo uploaded by a good Samaritan who discovered Lucy under a car hood. (Photo credit should read Inna Borodayeva/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Why Petco Love Lost worked when the microchip did not
Lucy’s story also shows why lost pet searches need more than one safety step. The finder tried to get Lucy scanned for a microchip. But that did not solve the problem.
“The finder took her to scan the microchip, they couldn’t even find it, they couldn’t locate it. Petco Love Lost was literally the only link between us and Lucy to get her back,” Ame said.
That is important because many pet parents assume a microchip will always lead straight home. A microchip can help, but someone still needs access to a scanner. The chip also has to be found and connected to current contact details.
Petco Love Lost adds another option. Instead of relying only on tags or a scan, it uses a pet’s photo and physical features. Chelsea Staley, president of Petco Love, explains it this way: “Collars break, tags can fall off, and microchip scanners aren’t always immediately accessible. Petco Love Lost offers an additional layer of protection by using AI to recognize distinctive physical features that stay with pets wherever they go. You know your pet is one of a kind, and so does Petco Love Lost.” In Lucy’s case, that extra layer helped bring her back.
Why Lucy’s story matters during National Lost Pet Prevention Month
Lucy’s story hits at a time when many pet parents need the reminder. July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. The month also brings holiday fireworks, which can scare pets and send them running. Petco Love says more pets go missing during the summer than during any other time of year, and fireworks help drive that spike. That makes Lucy’s story a good reminder to prepare before your pet bolts.
Petco Love encourages pet parents to register their pets on Petco Love Lost at petcolove.org/lost/register-pet/ while they are safe at home. Then, if something goes wrong, they can activate a search with a single click. Set it up before the fireworks start. Check it before guests come over. Take care of it before someone says, “I thought the cat was upstairs.”
What this means to you
A lost pet search can turn emotional really fast. You may be scared, tired and unsure where to start. Lucy’s story shows why preparation can help. Ame already had a clear photo of Lucy. She created a lost pet profile. Then a finder uploaded a found pet report, and the system connected them.
That does not mean you should skip collars, ID tags or microchips. Keep those in place. However, Petco Love Lost can give you another way to search when those tools do not work fast enough. The biggest lesson is timing. Registering your pet while everything is calm can save precious time later.
Watch the CyberGuy Live replay: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes
Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com
RIDGLAN FARMS RESCUE BEAGLES FIND NEW LIFE HELPING VETERANS OVERCOME WAR TRAUMA WITH PAWS OF WAR
A free AI-powered lost pet database helped an Ohio family reunite with their kitten after traditional microchip identification failed. (Photo by:Marco Simonini/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Lucy’s story could have ended badly. She slipped out, hid under a car hood and rode across a highway without the driver knowing she was there. Instead, one uploaded photo helped bring her home. Petco Love Lost matched Lucy’s image with Ame’s lost pet profile, and the family had her back in a little more than 24 hours. That to me is the reason this story is worth sharing. Technology can feel cold, but in this case, it helped a family get their kitten back.
Have you ever had a pet go missing, and what helped bring them home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
NBCUniversal executives are about to find out whether Peacock will sink or swim in the streaming industry. Now that Comcast is planning to split NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Sky from its broadband and wireless businesses, Peacock will be forced to stand on its own — without the backing of a combined company that pulled in more than $123 billion last year.
In the years following its launch in 2020, Peacock was treated as an accessory to an Xfinity subscription. But once Xfinity stopped offering it as a perk and axed its free membership tier in 2023, it was a sign that Comcast believed Peacock had something worth paying for. But even with exclusive streams of the Olympics and live sports, like Sunday Night Football and the Big Ten games, Peacock still trails behind rival streamers today.
Peacock grew by just five million subscribers between March 2025 and March 2026, bringing it up to 46 million. Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers easily eclipse Peacock’s user base. Even Disney Plus’s 132 million subscribers and HBO Max’s more than 140 million viewers make Peacock seem small in comparison. Part of that is because, unlike other major streamers, Peacock is only available in the US. Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said in March that the company doesn’t have plans for a global rollout of Peacock, but that may change as the soon-to-be standalone service scrambles for scale.
It’s also taking longer for Peacock to hop the hurdle of profitability — one of the biggest challenges for streamers. Peacock reported $2 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026. However, it experienced $432 million in losses, an increase from the $215 million it reported losing at the same time last year. But NBCUniversal media chairman Matt Strauss claims Peacock will become profitable in the current quarter, according to Deadline. “There’s not one way to approach a streaming strategy or market,” Strauss said during the Evercore Global TMT Conference last month. “Sometimes you have to play to your strengths, which is what we’ve been doing.”
It’s not clear how long Peacock can rely on live sports and reality TV to keep its service afloat. The service canceled its hit series Poker Face last year, leaving it without a tentpole series that makes Peacock worth subscribing to, like Severance on Apple TV or White Lotus on HBO Max. Though Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts and Cavanagh told investors that the company’s split isn’t a setup for a merger or acquisition, it still seems like a possibility.
Peter Supino, a Wolfe Research analyst, said that he expects “one or both Comcast units to merge with peers or competitors,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Media executives who spoke to Oliver Darcy for his Status newsletter are similarly doubtful about Roberts’ and Cavanagh’s M&A denials, with some insiders speculating that Netflix could make a bid for NBCUniversal’s assets. Either way, Peacock will need to do something more than just tread water, or else a competitor may just have to keep it from sinking.
-
Los Angeles, Ca58 minutes agoFamily of boy, 8, killed by falling tree branch at Calabasas park to get $14.6M
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoThe worst Detroit sports uniform from every pro team
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoDiscovery Bay driver arrested for San Francisco fatal vehicle collision | Contra Costa Herald
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoErling Haaland’s Dallas Western wear purchase goes viral
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoMiami’s FIFA Fan Fest draws thousands to Bayfront Park to watch Team USA win World Cup match against Bosnia
-
Boston, MA2 hours ago2026 Yukon Denali Ultimate gets pricey, but tops the charts
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoNuggets Sign Marvin Bagley to 1-Year Deal: What It Means
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoFOURTH OF JULY 2026: Here’s where Seattle Parks will leave the lights on longer
