• Bill Gates is sitting for an interview with a congressional panel investigating the Jeffrey Epstein files.
• The billionaire Microsoft founder has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
• Gates testified that he "should have never met with Epstein," calling their past meetings a "grave error in judgment."

Microsoft founder Bill Gates on Wednesday is sitting before a congressional panel to testify about his relationship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a prepared statement to the House Oversight Committee investigating the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files, Gates expressed regret for his association with Epstein and said he was "deeply sorry" if the time he spent with the disgraced financier "lent him any credibility."

"I should never have met with Epstein in the first place," Gates told the committee in his opening remarks during the closed-door interview, according to a copy posted by Gates online. "Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the new donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him."

Gates, who has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, said that meeting with him "was a grave error in judgement" and put Gates' work "at risk." He said he didn't witness any criminal conduct by Epstein, nor did he have any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal activity.

"I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone," Gates said. "While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated."

The Microsoft founder said that, at one point, "Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage."

"These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family. As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him," Gates said. "He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda.

A spokesperson for Gates told Business Insider in an email on Wednesday that the billionaire "welcomes the opportunity to appear before the Committee."

"While he never witnessed or participated in any of Epstein's illegal conduct, he is looking forward to answering all the committee's questions to support their important work," the spokesperson said.

Below is a copy of Gates' full opening remarks to the House Oversight Committee:

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee—

Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.

I am here to answer your questions about my interactions with Jeffrey Epstein and to help contribute to the Committee's important work. I support the release of all the Epstein files and sincerely hope that, through your efforts and those of others advocating on their behalf, the survivors of Epstein's crimes can get the justice that they deserve.

At the outset, I want to state very clearly: I never witnessed nor had any indication that Epstein was engaged in ongoing criminal conduct. I never went to his island, his ranch, or his Florida home. I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated.

I was introduced to Epstein in 2011 through people I trusted in my professional and philanthropic work. Epstein claimed he could raise billions of dollars for global health from people for whom he provided tax and estate services. I recall being aware that Epstein had faced prior legal issues, but I did not fully understand the extent of the crimes he committed. I accepted the introduction without applying the scrutiny I should have.

For almost two decades, my full-time focus has been global health and education. I have been guided by the belief that all lives have equal value, and that every child should have the chance to live a healthy life, no matter where they were born. I have committed my resources and my time to this effort, but my wealth alone cannot fill the enormous funding gap that remains. This is why trying to encourage others of significant means to invest in global health has become such an important element of my work.

My interactions with Epstein began with a limited number of preliminary meetings—three in 2011 and two in 2012—during which I talked about the goals of my work. We began more extensive conversations in 2013 and 2014. The discussions focused on identifying potential giving structures, such as donor-advised funds, and how to enroll individuals he claimed were interested in making significant contributions. I made it clear to Epstein from the outset that he would never play a role in any of the work or receive any compensation.

In 2014, after Epstein brought together a group he described as potential donors, I realized that our prior discussions—which should have translated into meaningful philanthropic support—were a dead-end. It was clear that no one in the group was interested enough to move forward. At that point, I concluded Epstein would never deliver on his promises. I told him we would go no further and stopped communicating or meeting with him. No vehicle for charitable giving was ever created and no funds were raised. Our interactions ended in December 2014, four years before new reports in the press and unsealed court documents shed light on the extent of his crimes.

It was during the same time period that an employee was in the process of transitioning out of my private office. This employee engaged Epstein to negotiate and advise him on the terms of the separation. I did not ask—nor did I want or need— Epstein to be involved in this matter. His involvement resulted in email exchanges, calls, and meetings with members of my team and me. However, the agreement we ultimately reached was not any different from what was previously agreed upon months in advance of Epstein inserting himself.

It was after this that I learned Epstein had become aware of sensitive information about my personal life, including the fact that I had been unfaithful in my marriage. These affairs had nothing to do with my interactions with Epstein, but they were painful for my family. As the public can now see, based on what has been released in the files, Epstein was working to use information about my infidelities—in addition to many lies that he layered on top—to pressure me to re-engage with him. He was unsuccessful in this effort, but it shows some of the ways he tried to leverage his interactions with me to further his agenda.

I should never have met with Epstein in the first place. Based on what I know now, I understand that even if he had delivered the new donors he promised, it would not have justified associating with him.

I see now that he sought to build an image of legitimacy around himself, using connections to reputable and powerful people to deflect scrutiny and attempt to rehabilitate his reputation. I was so focused on the possibility of raising funds for global health that I allowed that goal to override my better judgment. That is a sobering realization, and it has reinforced for me the importance of being more attentive to how access and reputation can be manipulated by people acting in bad faith.

In the work I do, reputation is the basis for developing partnerships that save lives. Meeting with Epstein was a grave error in judgement and put this work at risk. His behavior was antithetical to all my efforts to contribute to a world where everyone has a chance to live a healthy and productive life. If the time I spent with Epstein lent him any credibility, I am deeply sorry. I have learned a significant lesson and am now far more careful about who I engage with even in a limited capacity.

I look forward to answering all your questions about my interactions with Epstein—and the topics identified in the Chairman's invitation to appear today.

This Committee's work is essential. It is my sincere hope that those harmed by Epstein's crimes will receive the justice they deserve.

Thank you.

• OpenAI and Anthropic are going public this year, adding trillions to US stock market capitalization.
• BCA Research says mega AI IPOs could shake up the winners of the AI trade.
• Investors could trade off incumbent winners in favor of the direct exposure of pure-play AI firms.

The race to go public is on with OpenAI joining Anthropic in confidentially filing for IPO, and the offerings could rewrite the AI trade.

The mega IPOs could shake up which stocks investors are flocking to as the scramble to gain exposure to the most hyped technology since the internet. BCA Research chief strategist Noah Weisenberger said that the "monster" IPOs could actually weigh on current AI stock winners.

Profit taking from AI stock winners could fund mega-IPOs

"While the supply-demand balance seems somewhat favorable to absorb the new shares, the bigger risk is within Tech, where new AI listings could reduce scarcity value and pull capital away from existing AI beneficiaries," Weisenberger said.

"Investors may fund new AI IPOs by trimming existing AI winners that have benefited from scarcity value," he added.

The AI companies' valuations are expected to come in around $1 trillion each, lagging SpaceX, with their IPOs catapulting them into the ranks the largest publicly traded companies.

"The coming IPO pipeline likely includes companies currently valued at more than $4 trillion, equivalent to 6% of current S&P 500 market cap and could represent over $200 billion of incremental US equity market capitalization to be absorbed," BCA Research outlined.

The firm isn't worried about the investors being able to absorb the new shares, but flagged a shake up among tech leaders as a key risk, saying: "This IPO wave looks digestible, but not costless."

"Hyperscalers and other AI beneficiaries may be vulnerable because some already have direct earnings or valuation exposure to OpenAI, Anthropic, and other private AI leaders," they said.

Previously, investors looking for exposure to Anthropic and OpenAI's stellar growth would have to get it indirectly by buying stock in big stakeholders like Microsoft or Amazon.

The two chatbot giants will be the biggest pure-play AI trades investors can get their hands on when they go public, with other companies that produce AI models, like Alphabet and Microsoft, also involved in myriad other businesses.

Investors who bought other Big Tech stocks for indirect exposure have better options now.

"Once investors can buy direct exposure to these AI leaders, they may fund those purchases by trimming existing holdings in hyperscalers and other public AI proxies," the strategist said. "In that sense, the coming IPO wave may be less a market-top signal than a test of the scarcity premium embedded in today's AI winners."

AI winners are exposed to OpenAI and Anthropic pre-IPO

The AI trade has driven the tech-fueled bull market since late 2022.

Hardware names like Nvidia, AMD, and Micron have rallied to dizzying highs, and Nvidia alone is up over 1,000% in five years.

The hyperscalers, which provide cloud computing solutions for AI, have also seen large gains. The largest hyperscalers include Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon, and Oracle.

In addition to pursuing their own AI ambitions, many of these companies have also poured money into OpenAI and Anthropic.

Amazon has invested tens of billions of dollars into Anthropic since 2023 with the AI company in turn committing $100 billion to AWS to secure computing capacity to train and run Claude. Anthropic has a similar multi-billion partnership with Google.

These early investments with Anthropic have paid off with Amazon calling out $16.8 billion in pre tax gains from its Anthropic investments in the first quarter and Alphabet flagging $37.7 billion of net gains primarily driven unrealized gains on "nonmarketable equity securities."

OpenAI has similar arrangements with Microsoft. The tech giant owns an estimated 27% of OpenAI since its restructuring as a for-profit company.

Chipmakers have also bought into the pair of AI giants ahead of their public debuts. Nvidia has invested billions into both Anthropic and OpenAI. Broadcom has been part of investing efforts as well as Qualcomm.

Given these stocks are already exposed to the AI companies, one OpenAI and Anthropic go public, profit taking from the current AI winners may be investors' logical next step. This could also help investors avoid overexposure to the AI theme and the AI companies themselves.

• My daughter was graduating from high school, and the grief sent me into denial.
• But at the graduation ceremony, I realized how proud I was of my daughter — and of myself.
• My children weren't leaving; we were all growing into something new.

Last month, I was opening a cardboard box full of graduation robes. It was a normal service day of mothers helping out for the upcoming event. The room was filled with women making sure life goes as planned.

And then there was me, suddenly drenched in sweat as I tried to rip open the plastic bag where one of the robes was encased. I found myself in this bizarre experience; I knew I was there to get the graduation robes out and hang them on the clothing racks. But my body suddenly shut down. I burst out crying.

I wanted to run, but I was trapped between women pulling name tags off sticker sheets, young children laughing, fluorescent lights peering down at me, and my own daughter, the inevitable graduate, sitting down the hall waiting for me to finish.

In that moment, it finally hit me: my daughter is graduating from high school. My body was warning me that the home I had built with my children was about to crumble.

Being a mother to my children was what I always wanted

When I left the building, I took a walk and thought about my daughter. I often spoke about her graduating. But the "when" of her graduating was what I was in complete and utter denial about.

In my mind, this event was somewhere in a distant future — maybe even another lifetime.

Just as I opened the door of my apartment, it hit me. I had no vision for my family, beyond smallhood. Becoming a mother has always been my goal. As a kid, I dreamed of the day I could raise children of my own with love and care.

When I finally had them, I sat with them. I listened with my heart. I encouraged them to be their true selves. At all times, I looked at them only with love and was grateful for their gift of presence.

I have loved every moment with my children: the conversations, the laughter, the quiet moments with their heads resting on my lap, the patter of their feet. Even as they became teenagers, I loved hearing their walk to the refrigerator, the door creaking, and then the pickle jar opening.

Throughout the years, as they got older, I spent more time at night scrolling through their pictures, marveling at our life together, their beauty, how small they were, and how big they were getting, trying somehow to hold time in place.

My grief shifted to pride at graduation

I stood in our small pew at graduation, waiting for something to calm my beating heart. Then the music began, and the graduates entered in procession. Each one, now big, but only a moment ago a small, precious 5-year-old beginning the journey, and my heart burst open, tears streaming down. We had made it.

My daughter took her place as the class speaker. She spoke about the terrifying and beautiful uncertainty of becoming. She shared how she had lost her certainty about life, only to discover that what truly carries us forward is connection, resilience, and the people who love us along the way.

My proud heart swelled as I looked at her beautiful baby-like face on the body of an adult.

"To graduate," she said, "is to finish. I am commencing moving onto the next."

I'm proud of the family I've raised and all that we achieved

In that moment, I realized that I, too, was graduating from the extraordinary journey of raising this incredible child.

I wept because I had done well. The little girl who always knew she wanted to be a great mother has finally achieved her goal. My kids were loved, safe, and cared for.

Now all of us could commence on a new journey, one not from lack but from the certainty that life would be uncertain. Still, we will always be there to love, honor, and support each other.

• Caring for my sister-in-law with dementia put enormous strain on our family.
• My husband and I struggled with caregiving decisions and constant paperwork.
• Professional support and assisted living helped us navigate an overwhelming situation.

Caring for aging parents or siblings is oftentimes stressful. It can also break apart solid relationships. My husband and I understand this, as caring for his sister nearly tore us apart.

When my sister-in-law fell and broke her hip, we called her almost daily to check on her since she lives alone. At first, she seemed to be getting stronger and constantly talked about returning home to her Shih Tzu, her baby.

Because we lived in different states, caring for her became doubly difficult. My husband is her only sibling. Her injury caused havoc not only in her life, but ours as well.

We didn't have enough money for 24-hour home care

We never knew how long our trips to see her would last. We took her to doctor appointments, I walked the dog, and kept house. I prepared meals, and neighbors visited. But eventually, we had to hire 24-hour nursing care. We thought it would only be for a month or two.

The dementia came upon my sister-in-law slowly. Soon her confusion became a constant companion. We had to become the decision makers. But each time my husband and I discussed what to do for his sister, it became an argument, leaving us just as broken as his sister.

Home nursing care ate up my sister-in-law's savings. It was up to us to find affordable help for her. Our patience with the situation and each other became nonexistent. We were in over our heads and knew it.

We were drowning in paperwork

There was so much paperwork: Bills. Insurance forms. Understanding her finances. We found my sister-in-law's Living Will. Luckily, she had a Power of Attorney drawn up with my husband as POA. To activate it, we took her and the POA to the bank, where it was signed and notarized. My husband holds the original, and copies went to the bank, doctors, and any financial institutions my sister-in-law had accounts with.

Our own home sat empty for a month and a half as we struggled to help her. We couldn't stay forever; we needed to return home to our family.

Then we found she had long-term healthcare insurance for an assisted living facility. After firing the 24-hour care nurses, we searched for a facility to care for my sister-in-law. We wanted her to be near her friends. We wanted her to feel content and still have her comfort dog.

We needed paid help for long-term care

Wanting to understand the steps needed to help my sister-in-law legally, we turned to professionals. This was our first experience with dementia and becoming a power of attorney.

We turned to nursing home practitioners, social workers, and those who care for my husband's sister. Together, we found a place for her. We wanted an all-inclusive home without extra charges for meals, snacks, rehabilitation services, or housekeeping.

Then, my sister-in-law started feeding the dog table scraps and not eating much herself. She didn't walk the dog or clean up after it. The nursing home doctors felt my husband's sister couldn't live independently. They determined she should move into memory care, without her dog. It was a crushing blow for all of us.

We winterized her home by turning off the water and cable, and had the mail and bills forwarded to our home for payment. We continued with home maintenance until we can get back to sell the home and her possessions to help pay for her care.

We are still learning about caring for someone in an assisted living home. And we need to be ready for it — without all the bickering.

• I am a registered dietitian who loves shopping for groceries at Trader Joe's.
• I usually look for products that will help me make easy, healthy meals.
• Some of my go-tos include the Caesar salad kit and zucchini spirals.

As a dietitian, my clients assume my grocery basket will look like a wellness-retreat postcard in food form, complete with kale, wild salmon, and an excessive amount of chia seeds.

Yes, occasionally you will find salmon and chia — but in reality, my weekly Trader Joe's haul reflects a more balanced approach. My basket says, "I care about my health … but I also have emails, deadlines, laundry, and about 11 minutes to make dinner."

After 25 years as a dietitian, I live by two rules: Healthy eating can include a few minimally processed items, and anything I make must taste good.

I like to plan for those days when motivation has left the group chat with six Trader Joe's staples.

The organic Caesar salad kit is an easy way to get some greens.

The older I get, the more I respect foods that reduce decision fatigue. This kit is ready to go!

Of course, it's not that hard to wash lettuce. Will I? Not most Thursdays at 6:42 p.m.

So, this salad kit — which contains romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, creamy Caesar dressing, and croutons — means I'm always one scissor snip away from getting in some greens.

I'll often pair the salad with some chicken or seasoned ground turkey for optimal protein … which brings me to the next item on my shopping list.

My favorite protein is Trader Joe's 93% lean ground turkey.

Protein becomes increasingly important in midlife for supporting muscle mass, fullness, and blood sugar stability.

As someone deeply entrenched in this chapter, I have several easy protein "go-tos" from frozen shrimp to edamame, but the ground turkey is a family favorite.

It cooks up in about seven to 10 minutes, and I use it for taco bowls, stuffed peppers, and last-minute "use up the leftovers" one-pan meals.

While cooking, I might add a handful of shredded zucchini directly into the turkey skillet. This gives me an extra boost of fiber and potassium.

I've found several uses for Trader Joe's zucchini spirals.

I love that Trader Joe's zucchini noodles are already washed and ready for my culinary adventures.

Some nights, they're the base of the meal with sauce, mushrooms, and protein. Other nights, I mix them half-and-half with regular pasta (my favorite approach).

They can serve as a more elevated side dish, too: Just add a little onion, diced red bell pepper, and a sprinkle of pepper.

You'll also find me sliding their shredded zucchini into soups, salads, and casseroles as a stealth health upgrade.

I always buy chicken piccata.

This one surprises people.

Yes, there's a bit of breading, and yes, it's higher in sodium than some of my other go-tos, but there's room for food that is both nourishing and genuinely enjoyable. Trader Joe's lemony chicken piccata feels like comfort food to me.

I usually pair it with frozen vegetables or a salad, and simply control how much sauce I use. I might even slice up the chicken so that the two portions feed four people and add a second vegetable.

It tastes just as good as takeout, but it's far cheaper: At my local store, a two-serving box is just $7.

I swear by Sunset's Sprinkles teeny tiny tomatoes.

A disclaimer: I do have to buy several packages of Sprinkles tomatoes, because one box of these tiny balls of flavor and vitamin C rarely makes it home without being eaten directly out of the container in the car.

The red, orange, and yellow tomatoes come in a cute tomato-shaped container and work as a quick snack, a colorful side, or a pasta addition.

Trader Joe's Caro Sugo Italian tomato-basil pasta sauce is one of my favorites.

This week, I chopped some tomatoes and popped them into Trader Joe's no-sugar-added tomato-basil pasta sauce before serving it over zucchini noodles.

The sauce already has great flavor courtesy of the garlic, basil, and olive oil, but the chunks of tomato make it feel even fresher. The "caro sugo" language showcases that there are zero grams of added sugar in this sauce. (Yes, I checked the label … we dietitians do that.)

I use this sauce as a staple for chili, Italian hamburgers, shakshuka, meatball sandwiches, or a quick chicken parm.

Keep reading our Trader Joe's diaries here.

• My group tried a $55 family-style Bloomin' Bundle takeout meal deal from Outback Steakhouse.
• Some options felt a bit limited, but the ordering and pickup process was very smooth.
• Ultimately, the generous portions and well-cooked steak made this feel like a great value.

My husband and I love going out to eat, but between paying $25 an hour for a babysitter and rising costs across the board, we haven't been to restaurants much the past few months.

So, I was intrigued when I found out about Outback Steakhouse's family-style Bloomin' Bundle meals.

They can be ordered for groups of four or six for takeout, and each comes with a protein (chicken, steak, or a combo of both), sides, a salad, and loaves of the chain's honey-wheat bread. Prices range between about $50 to $100.

It seemed like it could be a great deal, and I loved the idea of having a full steak dinner at home without having to cook it.

So, my husband and I invited my sister and brother-in-law over for dinner to try one of the chain's Bloomin' Bundle meals and see if it's actually a good value.

The ordering process was straightforward, but some of my options felt limited.

Outback Steakhouse's website felt extremely easy to navigate.

Once I selected my nearest location, I just clicked the "Bloomin' Bundle Meals" section of the menu to get started. (Notably, these meals are not available at all Outback locations.)

I chose the center-cut 6-ounce sirloin meal for four, declined paying extra to upgrade to Victoria's filet for an extra $20, and selected our "preferred cook temperature." I could only choose one, so I went with medium.

My meal came with two sides, and choices were limited: Aussie fries, homestyle mashed potatoes, or "fresh seasonal veggies." I opted for fries and vegetables. It wasn't clear which vegetable I'd be getting, but I guessed it would be broccoli based on the photo next to my selection.

Lastly, for salad, I chose the house over Caesar. I was able to select my dressing from a list of 10 options (I chose ranch) and remove some of the toppings (I did not).

During checkout, there was an option to add on other appetizers and desserts, and I couldn't pass up the chain's signature Bloomin' Onion for an extra $11.

Picking up the food was incredibly quick and easy.

I ordered the meal during my lunch break and selected a 5 p.m. pickup time. It was great to be able to order ahead and know dinner was taken care of.

After tax, our dinner bundle with an extra appetizer came to $71.43. I chose to add a 20% tip, bringing our total to $84.63.

At 4:45 p.m., I got a text from Outback with a link to use to check in when we arrived. We got to the restaurant right after 5, parked in one of the designated pick-up spots, and checked in.

Within a minute, our food was brought out to my car in a large paper bag. Typically, I've waited 10 to 15 minutes when picking up a takeout order from a restaurant, so this speediness was a pleasant surprise.

Everything we needed for dinner was in the bag.

The paper bag contained plastic silverware, a house salad, two loaves of bread, four steaks, fries, steamed broccoli, ketchup, butter, ranch, and the Bloomin' Onion with its famous dipping sauce.

I was confused that the salad appeared to be in an oven-safe foil container, but the fried food came in plastic ones.

Since I worried the fries and the Bloomin' Onion would get a bit soggy on the way home, I was especially disappointed that I couldn't just pop their containers into my oven later.

We started with the salad and bread.

We started our meal with Outback's signature brown bread, which was soft and tasted freshly baked. I appreciated that it came with four individual servings of butter — one for each of us. Both loaves were gone by the end of our meal.

Then, we moved on to the house salad, which came topped with sliced cucumbers, red onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, and croutons.

I wish there had been more toppings, though. It didn't seem like there were enough to balance out all the iceberg lettuce, which I'm not a huge fan of.

The ranch dressing I selected came on the side and tasted great. I really liked how thick and creamy it was, and that it seemed to have a slight kick.

After a bit of reheating, the rest of our dinner was served.

Our fried food, the fries and Bloomin' Onion, did indeed get a tad soggy in transit, so I transferred them to cookie sheets so I could crisp them up in my oven before dinner.

Although this meant waiting longer to eat, we all ultimately enjoyed the meal.

All of the 6-ounce steaks were well-seasoned, tender, and cooked perfectly to the specified temperature. The crisped-up fries and Bloomin' Onion were great as well, especially with that tangy sauce.

Although I was happy with broccoli, it would've been nice to know in advance which vegetable we'd be getting. That said, it seemed perfectly steamed, and I appreciated that it was quite plain, not drowned in a sauce or seasonings.

The fried food certainly wasn't healthy, but the simple steamed broccoli and generous salad portion ultimately kept the meal from feeling too heavy or rich. Honestly, it felt pretty balanced.

We appreciated the generous portions, but they weren't super great for leftovers.

The sides — especially the salad — came in fairly large portions, and we didn't finish them all.

Dressing the whole salad at once turned out to be a mistake. I ended up tossing the leftovers because I knew they'd be super soggy the next day. In the future, I'd let everyone serve themselves salad and dress it individually.

We also ended up tossing the leftover french fries and Bloomin' Onion pieces because we already heated them up once, and I haven't found that fried foods reheat well the second day.

Next time, I'd get mashed potatoes instead of fries, which I think would be easier to save and reheat the next day.

In the end, the only thing we saved and ate later was the broccoli. It felt a bit wasteful.

I'd order the Bloomin' Bundle meal again for its value and taste.

I wish the fried food had come in better, easy-to-reheat containers and that we'd had more side-dish options. However, I still felt like the Bloomin' Bundle meal was a great deal.

It offered a fairly substantial savings opportunity: a 6-ounce center-cut sirloin with two sides would have cost $17.99 à la carte. Adding a salad is an extra $5.99 per order, so the equivalent of what we got would have been $23.98 per person before tax and tip.

In our Bloomin' Bundle order, meals (without the Bloomin' Onion, tax, and tip) came to $13.75 per person, more than $10 cheaper.

When ordering à la carte, you can choose from more side options (such as a baked potato or rice). However, if you're cool with the basics — and your family likes their steak cooked the same way — the bundle still wins.

Overall, the food was tasty, and our meal felt more balanced than what we'd usually get from other takeout spots. On top of that, the ordering and pickup process was easy, and eating steak takeout for this price felt like a little luxury.

Apple's AirPods are popular earbuds, and it's easy to see why. They sound good, connect instantly to an iPhone, and have a sleek, iconic design. But with several models to choose from, settling on a specific pair can be tricky. That's where we come in. We've spent hours reviewing every model to find the best AirPods for different needs.

The AirPods Pro 3 are our top recommendation for most people. They're Apple's flagship earbuds, delivering strong ANC, a secure in-ear fit, and reliable heart rate tracking. But if you're trying to spend less, the AirPods 4 are our go-to budget pick. They skip features like ANC, but still deliver that familiar AirPods experience at a lower price. They're often on sale for as little as $99.

Below, you'll find a full breakdown of each model based on extensive hands-on testing. We've detailed what sets them all apart, to help you choose the best AirPods for your listening style and budget.

Editor's note: William Antonelli and Antonio Villas-Boas contributed to the FAQ section in this guide.

Our top picks for the best AirPods

Best overall: AirPods Pro 3 - See at Amazon

Best for an open fit: AirPods 4 with ANC - See at Amazon

Best on a budget: AirPods 4 without ANC - See at Amazon

Best for audiophiles: AirPods Max 2 - See at Amazon

Best overall

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple's flagship wireless earbuds, and they're our pick for the best AirPods overall. This model offers a few improvements over the older AirPods Pro 2, including stronger noise cancellation, longer battery life, better water resistance, and new heart rate tracking. In nearly every way, the AirPods Pro 3 beat their predecessor and aced our tests.

Although they use the same custom driver as the Pro 2, Apple has refined the design for improved airflow. This results in a wider soundstage and deeper bass. Apple claims the Pro 3's active noise cancellation (ANC) is twice as powerful as before, and our testing confirmed a clear boost. They effectively block engine hum, vacuums, and subway noise — nearly matching the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2.

Like the Pro 2, the AirPods Pro 3 have an in-ear design, but they have a slightly updated shape. You also get five ear-tip sizes, including a new XXS option. However, our reviewer actually preferred the old shape of the Pro 2, as it fit a bit more tightly against their ear. Ultimately, fit varies by ear shape, but most users should be able to get a good seal.

Built-in heart rate tracking is a standout feature that's not available on other AirPods. Each earbud has a sensor that measures your heart rate, providing helpful workout data when paired with an iPhone. This is a great perk for users who don't already own a fitness tracker, such as an Apple Watch. Water resistance also jumps from IP54 to IP57, meaning the AirPods Pro 3 can handle sweat and brief submersion. If you're looking for the best AirPods to use during exercise, the Pro 3 are the buds to get.

Battery life now reaches eight hours with ANC enabled (up from six hours on the Pro 2), although total battery life drops slightly to 24 hours with the case (down from 30 hours). We think the longer single charge is the better tradeoff, but this is something to keep in mind.

The AirPods Pro 3 retain all of the Pro 2's hearing health features, which you won't get on standard AirPods. There's also a Live Translation function (which requires an iPhone with Apple Intelligence). However, that feature is also supported on the AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max 2.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review.

Check out our guide to the best earbuds.

Best for an open fit

Apple's AirPods 4 are the brand's midrange earbuds. Unlike the AirPods Pro 3, they use a semi-open fit rather than an in-ear seal, which some people find to be more comfortable. You can choose between two versions: one without ANC for $129 and one with ANC and a wireless charging case for $179.

Both options deliver the same core audio performance and design, but the ANC model's noise-canceling feature and wireless charging case are useful perks for those willing to pay the extra money. Though the AirPods Pro 3 have benefits this model lacks, the AirPods 4 with ANC are an excellent midrange alternative, and they're the best AirPods for people who prefer an open fit.

Instead of having silicone tips that plug into your ears to create a full seal, the AirPods 4 ear tips rest just outside your ear canal. Although an in-ear seal allows the AirPods Pro 3 to deliver better sound quality and noise cancellation, some people dislike the constricted feeling of the tips in their ears.

The AirPods 4 offer a more open fit, and Apple has refined the design over previous models to ensure they stay securely in place across a variety of ear shapes. However, opinions remain divided over the comfort of open-ear AirPods, so this ultimately comes down to personal preference and the size of your ears.

During our review, we were impressed by the earbuds' audio quality, which holds up well against other options in this price range. Noise-canceling performance is also solid, which is surprising, given that most open-fit earbuds struggle with ANC. The earbuds' transparency mode is also excellent for when you want to let in outside sound to stay aware of your surroundings. That said, the AirPods Pro 3 outperform the AirPods 4 at blocking out louder distractions, such as an airplane engine.

Read our full Apple AirPods 4 review.

Best on a budget

The standard AirPods 4 without ANC are the cheapest AirPods available. They retail for $129 and are often on sale for $99, cementing them as the best AirPods on a budget.

This model is essentially identical to the more expensive AirPods 4 with ANC, save for two key differences. This option does not have active noise cancellation, so it can't block ambient sounds or pass them through in transparency mode. Additionally, this version features a wired charging case instead of a wireless one.

Beyond those two limitations, the earbuds offer the same open-fit design, solid audio performance, and robust feature set as the more expensive version. This makes the AirPods 4 without ANC a good fit for casual listeners who don't want to pay more for noise cancellation.

Just note: We've occasionally seen the AirPods 4 with ANC go on sale for less than the standard AirPods 4. When that happens, opt for the ANC version instead.

For affordable earbud recommendations from other brands, check out our guide to the best budget headphones.

Best for audiophiles

The AirPods Max 2 are Apple's latest over-ear headphones. While other AirPods use an earbud-style design, the Max 2 use large padded cups and a sturdy headband. This over-ear design delivers the most impressive sound quality and noise cancellation in Apple's lineup. They also feature a premium build with metal components, making them ideal for anyone who values high-end style over portability.

The first-generation AirPods Max launched in December 2020, and this new second-generation model hit stores in April 2026. The AirPods Max 2 feature the same physical design but incorporate a few small yet welcome enhancements under the hood. They use Apple's more advanced H2 chip to improve ANC and enable features like Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Live Translation, which were missing from the original AirPods Max. Though owners of the first-gen model shouldn't rush to upgrade, the Max 2 are the better headphones.

The AirPods Max 2 also use a new high-dynamic-range amplifier that pairs with the device's custom 40mm drivers. In testing, this resulted in a subtle improvement in sound quality. Our reviewer was especially impressed by their spacious soundstage, and they delivered a more balanced profile than rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2.

Noise-canceling performance is also exceptional and improved over the first-gen model. In fact, the AirPods Max 2 essentially matched the ANC power of Bose's industry-leading QC Ultra 2 headphones in our tests.

As with the first-generation model, the main drawbacks here are the headphones' weight and the included case. Though the premium metal design looks great, some people might find the Max 2 to feel a bit heavy on their head during extended listening. Meanwhile, the case doesn't fully protect the headphones. Instead, it just wraps around the ear cups. If you're looking for something more functional, check out our guide to the best AirPods Max accessories.

The AirPods Max 2 are also pricey, even compared to direct rivals. That said, the original Max often went on sale for $100 off, and I expect similar discounts on the Max 2 in the coming months. Ultimately, if you're an Apple fan who wants top-tier sound in an over-ear design — and you're willing to splurge — these are the best AirPods you can buy.

Read our full Apple AirPods Max 2 review.

Check out our guide to the best over-ear headphones.

The best AirPods, compared

What do AirPods offer that other earbuds don't?

AirPods stand out from other earbuds because of how seamlessly they work with other Apple products. Features like instant pairing, automatic switching between iPhone, iPad, and Mac, hands-free Siri, and Find My support are all tightly integrated at a level most competitors can't match. When paired with a compatible iPhone, certain AirPods also support features you won't find in other earbuds, including hearing health capabilities and Apple's Live Translation. Apple's noise cancellation is also among the most impressive on the market, rivaling top models from Bose and Sony.

How we test AirPods

To test the best AirPods, our audio reviewers evaluated performance across design, fit, sound quality, extra features, and ease of use. We listen to a diverse range of tracks across genres and from various sources, including many of the best music streaming services. For AirPods that support spatial audio, we also listen to Dolby Atmos tracks.

Likewise, if an AirPods model supports noise cancellation, we evaluate that feature in a real-world noisy environment, such as near heavy traffic outside, to test how well it reduces ambient noise. We also sample transparency modes to see how well the AirPods let in surrounding noise naturally.

For this guide, we focused on how each AirPods model compares to other AirPods to determine each model's strengths and weaknesses within Apple's headphones lineup. We also compared them to similar options from competing companies to gauge their performance against the best headphones from other brands.

Meet the expert behind this guide:

Steven Cohen, senior tech editor: I oversee tech buying guides for Business Insider's Reviews team, and I've been covering headphones for over a decade. My writers test earbuds year-round, including every new pair of AirPods Apple releases. I put this guide together based on our hands-on testing to help you figure out which AirPods actually make sense for you. While all of Apple's earbuds share some core features, certain models have advantages depending on how you listen. My goal is to break it all down so you can feel confident you're getting the right AirPods without paying for extras you'll never use.

Learn more about the Reviews team at Business Insider.

What to look for in AirPods

When choosing the right AirPods for your needs, consider price, sound quality, noise cancellation, and design.

Price: Apple's current lineup includes the AirPods 4 ($129), AirPods 4 with ANC ($179), AirPods Pro 3 ($249), and AirPods Max 2 ($549). Discounts are common, especially on the standard AirPods 4, which often dip to just under $100.

Sound quality: For earbuds, the AirPods Pro 3 offer the best overall audio performance. If you prefer over-ear headphones and don't mind paying more, the AirPods Max 2 are Apple's best-sounding option, period. The AirPods 4 sound solid, but their open-fit design leads to some audio leakage.

Noise cancellation: If ANC is a priority for you, consider the AirPods 4 with ANC, AirPods Pro 3, or AirPods Max 2. The Max 2 headphones block out the most noise thanks to their over-ear build, while the Pro 3 earbuds also perform impressively. The AirPods 4 with ANC offer the lightest noise cancellation of the group, but still do a decent job.

Design and fit: The AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods 4 with ANC are all earbuds. The Pro 3 use an in-ear fit that creates a seal for better sound and stability. An in-ear design is great for performance, but not everyone loves the feel. The AirPods 4 use a semi-open design that sits just outside the ear canal, making them more comfortable for some but less effective for sound quality and ANC. For an entirely different experience, the AirPods Max 2 use an over-ear design with padded cups and a headband. They deliver the strongest performance but aren't nearly as portable as earbuds.

What are the top AirPods alternatives?

Apple's AirPods are popular headphones, but they may not be the ideal choice for all users. This is especially true if you plan to use your earbuds primarily with an Android phone or PC. Thankfully, many brands sell similar headphones that are less rigidly tied to the Apple ecosystem.

Some of our favorite AirPods alternatives include the Beats Fit Pro, Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, and Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. The Beats brand is actually owned by Apple, and the Fit Pro earbuds use the company's H1 chip, just like older AirPods. Meanwhile, the Powerbeats Pro 2 use the H2 chip and have heart rate tracking just like the AirPods Pro 3. Beats headphones also offer a more Android-friendly set of features and an Android app. The Soundcore earbuds are an affordable alternative to AirPods, priced under $100, and feature a stem-like design reminiscent of classic AirPods.

Check out our guide to the best AirPods alternatives for details on all of our picks. For earbuds geared more toward active use, visit our guides to the best running headphones and best headphones for working out.

AirPods FAQs

Do AirPods go on sale?

Although Apple rarely offers direct discounts on AirPods in its online or physical stores, the headphones often receive great deals from other retailers, such as Amazon. In fact, it's rare to find the AirPods 4 selling at full price on Amazon.

Based on typical street prices, we don't recommend paying more than $119 for the AirPods 4, $169 for the AirPods 4 with ANC, $229 for the AirPods Pro 3, or $529 for the AirPods Max 2.

The lowest price we've ever seen the AirPods 4 discounted to was $69, while the AirPods 4 with ANC have dropped to $99, the AirPods Pro 3 have been $184, and the AirPods Max 2 have hit $499. It's possible we'll see similar deals on Prime Day this year.

When will new AirPods be released?

Apple doesn't release new AirPods every year. Instead, the brand typically launches new earbuds every two to three years, with each model refreshed on its own schedule. Here's a closer look at when we can expect new versions of each model.

• AirPods: Apple's fourth-generation AirPods launched in September 2024 during the brand's iPhone 16 launch event. The release cycle for new AirPods is typically two to three years, so we don't expect another model until 2026 at the earliest.
• AirPods Pro: Apple released the first-generation AirPods Pro in 2019, followed by the second-generation model in 2022, and the third-generation model in September 2025. Another brand-new generation model is unlikely to launch this year, but a Bloomberg report indicates that an upgraded model with infrared cameras could be in the works. The cameras would be used to enable more AI functions.
• AirPods Max: Apple released the original AirPods Max in December 2020 and launched a refreshed Max model with USB-C charging and new colors in 2024. A second-generation model hit stores in April 2026.

• These are the 15 highest-grossing animated feature films of all time.
• Franchise hits like "Toy Story" and "Minions" and musicals like "Frozen" and "The Lion King" dominated the list.
• The list is compiled from Box Office Mojo without adjusting for inflation.

Animated movies have always been big box office earners. From Disney classics like "The Lion King" to a slew of Pixar titles, animated movies have wide appeal, often making ideal outings for the whole family.

This was evident in a post-pandemic world, as titles like "Minions: The Rise of Gru" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" got families to return to the theaters in droves after a dry period that was devastating to theater owners.

Animation's power to devour the box office continued in the summer of 2024, when "Inside Out 2" crossed the $1 billion mark in 19 days, the fastest rate ever for an animated movie. A year later, "Zootopia 2" hit $1 billion in just 17 days, making it the fastest PG-rated movie ever to hit that milestone.

Animated movies are continuing to dominate the box office in 2026, with "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" becoming the first release of the year to hit the $1 billion mark.

See where it landed below in the top 15 highest-grossing animated movies of all time.

15. “Despicable Me 2” (2013)

Worldwide gross: $970,766,005

That's right — you'll see a lot of movies involving Minions on this list. The beloved "Despicable Me" franchise from Illumination has only grown in popularity over the decades.

14. “The Lion King” (1994)

Worldwide gross: $979,161,632

This beloved Disney movie is the oldest on this list, and that's a testament to just how well it performed when it opened 30 years ago. Though ticket prices have continued to climb in the years since, Simba and the gang are still safely in the top 15.

13. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,000,617,985

After knocking the original "Super Mario Bros." out of the park in 2023, Nintendo and Universal expanded the beloved universe in the sequel with more worlds and more characters, resulting in major box office coin.

12. “Zootopia” (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,025,521,689

Here marks our first billion-dollar earner.

Chronicling Judy Hopps' adventures in "Zootopia" was a big lift for Walt Disney Animation, which had been searching for another megahit after "Frozen."

11. “Finding Dory” (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,029,266,989

Pixar created a new story for our favorite forgettable fish, which turned out to be a cash cow for the studio.

10. “Despicable Me 3” (2017)

Worldwide gross: $1,034,800,131

Introducing Gru's brother in the third movie gave the "Despicable Me" franchise its first billion-dollar earner. It wouldn't be the last.

9. “Toy Story 3” (2010)

Worldwide gross: $1,067,316,101

Regarded by many as the best movie in the "Toy Story" franchise, Woody and the gang's journey that leads to them almost being incinerated was a winning mix of drama and lighthearted fun for an audience that grew up with the franchise.

8. “Toy Story 4” (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,073,841,394

Almost a decade after "Toy Story 3" came the fourth installment. Though it wasn't as memorable as the previous release, that clearly didn't matter at the box office.

7. “Minions” (2015)

Worldwide gross: $1,159,457,503

Illumination knew the Minions were popular. But the studio didn't know just how much of a hit the babbling yellow things were until this stand-alone movie made a killing at the box office.

6. “Incredibles 2” (2018)

Worldwide gross: $1,243,225,667

Fourteen years after Pixar released the hit original, "Incredibles 2" came to theaters and delivered a story that in some ways surpassed the Oscar-winning first title.

A main reason for that is its deeper examination of the superhero family ("Why did they change math?!?"), which touches on female empowerment and the rigors of caring for a growing child… that has zany powers.

5. “Frozen” (2013)

Worldwide gross: $1,310,530,830

From its hit song "Let it Go" to Olaf becoming the latest beloved Disney character, "Frozen" was a grand slam for Disney Animation Studios.

4. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023)

Worldwide gross: $1,360,879,735

For decades, Illumination was known mostly as the studio that released the "Despicable Me" movies and created the Minions characters. But taking the Super Mario Bros. IP and turning it into a box office smash has made it an animation house that rivals Pixar.

3. “Frozen II” (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,453,683,476

Though not as memorable as the first "Frozen," that didn't matter at the box office. The first movie was such a sensation that audiences returned in droves to see the story continue.

2. “Inside Out 2” (2024)

Worldwide gross: $1,698,863,816

After years of being a box office behemoth, Pixar hit a snag during the pandemic. Relegating titles like "Luca" and "Turning Red" to direct-to-streaming led to frustration and low morale within the company.

But those down times are over as "Inside Out 2" is the highest grosser for Pixar yet.

"Inside Out 2" hit the $1 billion global mark in 19 days, the fastest ever for an animated movie. And along with "Deadpool & Wolverine," it's the only other movie released in 2024 that crossed the $1 billion mark.

1. "Zootopia 2" (2025)

Worldwide gross: $1,866,647,950

Nine years after its original release, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde return with another entertaining buddy comedy story that audiences can't get enough of.

The secret to the sequel's huge success was how well it played in China. American-made titles haven't performed well there post-pandemic (and fewer are being released there), but Disney pulled it off, as the title has taken in over $600 million in China alone.

• Gentle parenting, often confused with permissive parenting, has fallen out of favor.
• Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson, a psychologist, said the goal is to raise emotionally mature children.
• Parents can do this by offering protection, nurture, guidance, and limits.

The past few years have been rough for gentle parenting.

While the definition of gentle parenting is helping children learn consequences without fear-based tactics like yelling, some parents use it to mean permissive parenting: setting almost no boundaries for their kids.

"Total freedom does not feel loving to a child, because they're in the business of trying to learn how to behave," Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson, a psychologist and author of the new book, "How to Raise an Emotionally Mature Child," told Business Insider. "You wouldn't want your child to not have any willingness to listen to other people — that wouldn't be doing them a service."

Gibson, who also wrote the bestselling book "Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents," broadly defines emotional maturity as "the child having a light in them." Because they have a secure relationship with their parents, they feel energized in trying new things, knowing they have a safe home base when they might fail.

"You could think of it like you're your child's first boss, first partner, first best friend," she said. "You're the prototype for so many different kinds of relationships that they're going to have in their life."

Gibson shared the core facets of raising an emotionally mature child — none of which involve permissiveness.

Nail down the basics: protection and nurture

The first, most immediate duty of a parent is to protect their child, Gibson said. This obviously means protecting them from physical danger, but also emotional and interpersonal danger, she said.

For example, passive parents, one of the four types of emotionally immature parents Gibson outlined in her previous book, might be able to shield their kids from obvious dangers like speeding cars, but fail to intervene if the other parent is volatile. True protection involves stepping in when you hear their older sibling tease too roughly or family members speaking aggressively to your kid.

Of course, with all parenting styles — passive parenting included — the other core piece is nurture. "That's just a mammal thing," she said. Both humans and baby mammalian animals "are unable to grow without proper emotional nurturance, loving, affectionate, attentive care," she said. People with emotionally absent parents, for example, tend to grow up with lower self-esteem.

Choose patient correction over punishment

The other two core parts of building emotional maturity in kids are guidance and limits.

"Kids need guidance because they've never been on this earth before," she said. "No one's ever explained to them why it's rude to do this or that." A parent's role is to explain concepts like consequences and limits to their kids without screaming or punishments.

Yelling at kids can give the illusion of effectiveness, Gibson said. "They may have a conditioned reaction, like being fearful of you, so they kind of calm down," she said. "They're keeping a very tense, kind of artificial control that's going to break down rather quickly."

Instead, the best approach is patient correction. "Our job is to realize that Rome was not built in a day," Gibson said. "We're going to have to give them that guidance — 'we don't stand up in our chairs in restaurants' — over and over and over again until they learn it."

It's also important to know when kids are just too young for certain expectations. Even if your four-year-old is more communicative than they were at three, it doesn't mean they're fully capable of sitting still for long stretches at a restaurant, Gibson said.

It wouldn't make sense to punish them at that age. "It's not so much that the child needs limits as it is that the parent needs to recognize a small child's limitations," she said.

Self-awareness helps you repair

As a parent, there will be times when you regret how you handled a situation.

Gibson said it's similar to a marriage: even if you don't know what else to do in the moment, you know you're not happy with how you reacted, or that you just made the problem worse.

Self-awareness is a huge first step. "Maybe you realize, 'Oh, I haven't eaten all day,' or maybe 'This is the 10th time he's bonked his little brother up the head with the toy truck,'" she said. The point is to understand why you lost your temper or resorted to harsh criticism.

Then, it's up to you to reach out to your child and say you're sorry, whether it's for raising your voice or being too distracted to listen to them.

Gibson said these interactions should mirror how all your relationships — and your child's future ones as an adult — should look.

"You're treating your child the way you would a dear friend that you wanted to keep," she said. "I don't care how old you are, it increases your trust in the person who thinks enough of you to come back in and apologize, because you know that you matter to them."

• Trump and some lawmakers have floated the idea of a gas-tax holiday to offset high fuel costs.
• Gas prices have surged during the Iran war, but one economist doesn't see a tax holiday as beneficial.
• Alex Brill predicts the policy would pose minimal impact and would raise the federal deficit.

President Trump and some lawmakers have floated a gas-tax holiday to relieve the pressure of rising fuel costs, but an economist says it wouldn't deliver much relief.

With fuel costs pushed higher by the Iran war, the White House has proposed curtailing the federal gas tax to help ease mounting prices at the pump. But Alex Brill of the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington DC economic policy think tank, says it wouldn't be an effective solution.

"There are significant concerns with this policy, including the possibility that the tax cut won't be passed forward to consumers, the potential negative impact on the federal Highway Trust Fund, and the overall fiscal impact.," he wrote in a post on the AEIeas blog.

A gas-tax holiday would temporarily reduce or suspend taxes on vehicle fuel, typically imposed to lower at-the-pump costs. Prices closed out May 2026 at their highest point in years, driven by the US-Iran war and the disruptions caused to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The former Capitol Hill economist said that the savings of a tax holiday would be minimal and uneven, and would vary by region and by state, allowing certain people to save much more than others.

"At most, drivers in North Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas could have more than 25 percent of the additional cost offset, while drivers in Arizona and Alaska would see only 15 percent of their additional cost offset."

The best-case scenario would be if a gas-tax holiday is implemented and prices promptly fall, but according to Brill, that's likely an overly optimistic view.

He noted that if the current federal gas-tax of 18.4 cents per gallon is suspended nationwide, drivers wouldn't see the entire discount reflected in their savings. He cited a 2024 study that estimated that only 79% of the savings would be reflected in prices for consumers, as gas stations would absorb the rest.

"On net, a gas-tax holiday would have a limited and disparate impact on drivers while increasing the federal deficit by billions of dollars per month," he said. "It would provide only partial relief from higher fuel prices [and] do little to address the underlying cause of those prices."

Brill isn't the only economics pro to make argue against a gas-tax holiday. In April 2026, policy analysts from the Bipartisan Policy Center published a report with a similar analysis, noting it would extend minimal savings to drivers while ratcheting up the federal deficit.

• I'm a New Englander who was surprised by many things when I visited San Antonio for the first time.
• Many tourists visit the Texas city for its landmarks, but it also has incredible art and live music.
• The excellent locally produced wine and diverse range of cuisines took me by surprise, too.

Ask a New Englander what comes to mind when they think about Texas, and they'll probably mention cowboy hats, tacos, and beer. Truth be told, I'm no exception.

However, during one November trip from Boston to San Antonio, I learned that this vibrant, diverse city has so much more to offer.

Locals even told me that their motto is, "Keep San Antonio lame," a play on their northern neighbor's slogan, "Keep Austin weird."

By keeping the city's charm a secret, maybe San Antonians hope to protect its essence and ward off throngs of tourists. However, once you experience Alamo City's appeal, you'll probably have a hard time resisting the urge to spread the word.

These are some of the most surprising things I found during my first trip to San Antonio.

San Antonio never felt crowded despite having one of the largest populations in the US.

San Antonio, which is home to about 1.5 million people, is the state's second-most populous city behind Houston and one of the most populous cities in the US. 

It's also growing. Over the past few years, thousands of people have been moving to San Antonio.

Almost all of my Uber drivers told me they'd moved to San Antonio within the last five to 10 years. Some came from other states — like Missouri, Nevada, Michigan, and California — and a few hailed from faraway countries, like France and Kenya.

Despite the fact that San Antonio has such a massive population, the city streets didn't feel crowded when I was there. From the time I arrived until I left, I never hit traffic.

German immigrants who came to San Antonio in the 19th century left a lasting influence on the city.

German immigrants arrived in San Antonio in the 1840s, and by 1990, more than 17% of Texas' population claimed German ancestry, making Germans one of the largest national-origin groups in the state. 

I definitely noticed the German influence during my trip. 

For example, Schilo's — a deli that serves German fare like bratwurst, Wiener schnitzel, and potato pancakes — opened in 1917, making it the oldest continuously operating restaurant in San Antonio. 

Also, Beethoven Männerchor, a German singing society and community dedicated to preserving German heritage and culture in San Antonio since 1867, hosts a large Oktoberfest celebration every year.

The people I met in San Antonio went out of their way to be friendly.

Maybe it's because I'm from Boston, where people are known to be straightforward and standoffish, but San Antonians' kindness left me speechless. 

Uber drivers struck up conversations from the front seat and provided recommendations for my stay, unlike many drivers back home who often don't engage with passengers. 

When I got lost trying to find an art museum downtown, a local spotted my confused expression and offered me directions. Later that day, a random person at the Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot-tall observation tower, noticed me struggling to take a selfie and offered to snap a picture for me.

Multiple times, pedestrians complimented my outfit or greeted me as they passed by.

Restaurant servers also seemed especially warm and welcoming, often going above and beyond to learn more about my preferences.

The state has an abundance of locally produced wine, and the ones I tried rivaled those I've had in California.

Texas is mainly known for its beer and spirits, but it's among state with the largest number of wineries, just behind places like California, Oregon, Washington, and New York. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find exceptional locally produced wine in San Antonio. Many of the state's wineries are located just an hour north of the city in the Texas Hill Country, a region with ideal conditions for growing grapes. 

Just like the famous winemaking regions of Burgundy and the Loire Valley, Texas has some mineral-rich limestone soil that enhances the wines' structures and aromas.

I can speak to this firsthand. The Texas-produced wines I sampled at Re:Rooted 210 Urban Winery in San Antonio had balance and complexity that rivaled the wines I've tried in Napa.

The dining options are incredibly diverse, spanning far beyond Tex-Mex and barbecue.

I expected to find mostly Tex-Mex and barbecue in San Antonio, but thanks to the city's spectacular cultural diversity, I could choose from a wide range of cuisines. 

There was French at Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, Caribbean at Mi Roti, and family-style Asian fusion at Best Quality Daughter.

In 2017, UNESCO designated San Antonio as a Creative City of Gastronomy due to its confluence of cuisines and culinary heritage. It's the second US city to receive this designation, after Tucson, Arizona.

Part of the reason San Antonio has such an impressive food scene is that the city has its own Culinary Institute of America. Many graduates stick around to open their own restaurants or work at some of the city's award-winning establishments.

San Antonio is an art lover's mecca, home to street art, museums, and galleries.

Most tourists flock to San Antonio to see landmarks like the Alamo, the River Walk, and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. So, I'm sure many of them are surprised as I was to find a heap of museums and galleries, too.

History buffs will swoon over the Briscoe Western Art Museum, which preserves Western art, artifacts, and culture; the McNay Art Museum, Texas' first modern-art museum; and the San Antonio Museum of Art, a collection of ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian art. 

As someone who prefers a more hands-on experience, I was blown away by Hopscotch, an immersive gallery. When I was there, installations included optical illusions, laser graffiti, and a kaleidoscope machine.

While exploring, I also spotted several stunning murals created by local artists and learned that the San Antonio Street Art Initiative has been working on building the largest outdoor gallery in Texas since 2018.

The River Walk spans about 15 miles, which is way longer than I expected.

Without a doubt, the River Walk is one of San Antonio's most distinctive features. This waterway reminded me of Venice.

It's lined with restaurants, bars, museums, shops, and biking trails, making it a popular tourist destination.

I always imagined I'd be able to traverse the whole River Walk in a day, so I was shocked to find that it spans nearly 15 miles, from north of the city center down to the area around Mission Espada.

I heard so many different types of live music throughout the city.

One of the first things I noticed during my trip was that San Antonio's music scene seems to be thriving. 

There are a lot of venues that offer live music, and you can find just about every genre here, particularly in Southtown, the arts and entertainment district. 

It's also home to the Aztec Theatre, a concert venue that's been open since 1926 and conveniently located along the River Walk.

"South Texas has a huge Latinx population, which means tons of salsa, bachata, Tejano, and mariachi music," Jed Craddock, a local musician and founder of Earbender Studios, told me.

"But one of the things I love most about San Antonio is how diverse our music scene is. I can see a swing and rockabilly band at Sam's Burger Joint, Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine at the Tobin Center, or an amazing local artist on the St. Mary's Strip," he added. 

Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a huge deal in San Antonio.

When I booked my trip, I didn't realize my travel dates coincided with the city's legendary Día de los Muertos festivities, nor did I realize what a huge deal this Mexican holiday is in San Antonio. 

I spotted ofrendas, altars designed to honor deceased loved ones, almost everywhere I looked throughout the city, from the hotel lobby where I was staying to the San Antonio Botanical Garden.

San Antonians go all out in celebrating this Mexican tradition, with lively processions, parades, and festivals. 

The park at Pearl Brewery hosted an enormous celebration complete with stilt walkers, live music, face painting, art installations, and many ofrendas. 

SpiritLandia featured a River Walk Day of the Dead parade, and people also attended Muertos Fest, a multiday cultural event, in downtown San Antonio.

This story was originally published on January 30, 2023, and most recently updated on June 10, 2026.

• Walmart's investments in physical AI are paying off in terms of raw speed.
• The retailer's automated distribution network is better at organizing freight for faster unloading.
• US division CEO David Guggina said workers can now do in minutes what previously took them hours.

America's biggest retailer is on a mission to become America's fastest.

One key piece of Walmart's mission is automating its supply chain. The retailer has spent the past several years plowing cash into building new facilities equipped with an army of robots, coordinated by AI.

That money is paying off in terms of raw speed.

What makes these distribution centers especially powerful is that they use store-level data to direct robots to arrange pallets, making it easier for workers to restock aisles, Walmart US CEO David Guggina told the Oppenheimer Consumer Growth and E-commerce conference on Tuesday.

Store workers used to spend hours unloading a truck. Now they can do so in a fraction of that time.

"Moving to intelligently layered pallets allows us to unload that trailer in minutes," Guggina said.

The distribution centers could also know which pallets contain the most urgent supplies for a given store and load those pallets onto the truck last, so they can be unloaded first, he said.

Guggina also said the company expects to have 16 of these next-generation distribution centers by the end of the year.

The combination of automation and inventory visibility is helping the company run a better supply chain, improve stores, and cut costs. Those savings, he said, allow Walmart to continue investing in lower prices for customers.

• Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants the Securities and Exchange Commission to delay SpaceX's IPO.
• The Elon Musk-led company is set to make its Nasdaq debut on Friday.
• Warren said the SEC needs to take a closer look at several issues, including SpaceX's valuation.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the Securities and Exchange Commission should delay SpaceX's IPO to ensure the Elon Musk-led company won't put investors at risk.

"The massive size of the SpaceX IPO alone, under normal circumstances, would justify careful SEC review and attention to investor needs," Warren wrote to SEC Chairman Paul Atkins in a letter that her office published on Wednesday.

"But these are not normal circumstances: a number of additional factors exacerbate concerns and require action by the SEC to meet its investor protection and market integrity mandates by delaying the IPO," the Senator wrote.

SpaceX is set to debut on the Nasdaq Friday morning, leaving Atkins and the SEC little time to address Warren's concerns. SpaceX is set to go public at a valuation of around $1.77 trillion, which would make it one of the most valuable companies in the world despite not being profitable.

The former presidential candidate and top Democrat on the powerful Senate Banking committee raised particular concerns about how major indexes have recently changed their rules or at least considered changes, which allow for SpaceX's inclusion on a faster timeline.

"The SpaceX IPO creates a new concern: that major stock market indexes are being rigged in a way that would force millions of investors in passive index funds — a generally lower cost investment option that can be attractive to retail investors — to invest in SpaceX and face exposure to SpaceX's significant risks with no choice in the matter," Warren wrote in the letter, which is dated June 9.

It's unlikely that Warren's request will result in a halting the IPO. The Massachusetts Democrat has frequently used her perch to frequently pressure leading CEOs. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently declined her invitation to testify before the Senate about the company's business in China. While Warren can request information, she would need at least some Republican support to enforce compliance with her requests or in this case the help of Atkins, a Trump appointee.

Atkins, who has confirmed via a party-line vote, has previously said that one his goals as chairman is "to Make IPOs Great Again." A spokesperson for the SEC confirmed that it received Warren's letter but declined further comment.

The Nasdaq 100, which tracks 100 of the largest Nasdaq-listed non-financial companies, finalized rules on May 1 that will allow for "fast entry" for large IPOs. Other indexes, including S&P 500 (SPY) and Russell 1000 (IWB), have passed rule changes or considered them ahead of SpaceX's IPO. Earlier this week, the S&P and Dow Jones Indices committee said it would not be changing its index inclusion rules to fast track entry for SpaceX and other mega IPOs.

In addition to concerns about the indexes, Warren also said that SpaceX's valuation "requires numerous leaps of faith" to justify the company's valuation and includes "a non-traditional governance structure" that gives Musk "an unprecedented level of power."

SpaceX's IPO is expected to be the largest in history and comes as both Anthropic and OpenAI, which are competing with SpaceX's xAI, are moving toward their respective IPOs.

A representative for SpaceX did not immediately respond to a a request for comment from Business Insider.

You can read the full letter below:

Amazon Prime Day isn't my favorite holiday, but as a deals editor here on the Business Insider Reviews team, it's one I can't afford to ignore. As the best deal event of the summer, Prime Day is my mid-year window to share primo price drops with our readers — and to stock up on items I've been waiting to splurge on.

My top recommendation for shoppers on every Prime Day is to not forget the basics. While yes, you can save big on hefty purchases like TVs and laptops during the event, there's no reason to shell out if all you need are consumables and household essentials. Think about what needs restocking around your home, such as hand soap refills and toilet paper.

These aren't the four best deals I expect to crop up on Prime Day. However, they are purchases I've specifically avoided buying because I know Prime Day will bring me an especially good discount worth waiting for.

Cleaning supplies

Something every household should have on hand, especially when you have kids or messy pets, is a good lineup of cleaning products. Thanks to Amazon's vast lineup of household essentials, you can get just about everything on the website in the way of tidying up — and for Prime Day, you can save a pretty penny on premium brands.

This is a perfect example of how Prime Day savings don't always add up to huge numbers, but they can still take the edge off purchases you need to make anyway. It's not unlike the couponers of the past, but now, you don't even have to leave your couch to score the sweet discounts. Every Prime Day, I buy a big box of my favorite dish soap to carry me into the next year.

Bedding and sleep essentials

I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for Prime Day to jump on some fresh bedding. I sleep with my dogs, so rather than invest in pricey but premium sheets, I prefer comfy and cheap options that can be easily replaced when claws snag and paws stain. Presidents Day and Memorial Day were great chances to save on DTC brands and mattresses, but I'm ready to jump on a cheap new duvet cover once the price is right.

Amazon is home to a ton of great brands we love (like Coop Home Goods, Purple, and Casper), but if you're looking to shop for budget options like I am, Prime Day will be bringing cheap picks perfect for guest bedrooms, easily soiled children's bedding, and the like. Not only that, but you can find other sleep favorites like slippers, eye masks, and more, all at their best prices of the year.

Viral skincare and makeup

Everyone is constantly being influenced to buy new makeup and skincare on social media. It's tough to resist the pull, but if you can hold out until Prime Day, many of the most popular brands are down to their best prices of the year from Amazon. This makes it a great chance to try new products or restock on tried-and-true essentials.

From classic brands like Revlon to viral Korean skincare like Dr. Jart+, Amazon covers it all for Prime Day. I love experimenting with new brands and shades during deal events like this, since it makes it a little less painful when the colors don't pan out, or all the more exciting when I find a new favorite. With summer on the way, it's also the perfect opportunity to save on sunscreen.

Amazon brands: Echo, Blink, Kindle, and more

A bit of a no-brainer: Amazon's own products are always at their best prices on and around Prime Day. Keeping an eye out for the retailer's brands can help you save big on tech and smart home devices — the discounts often start early and end late, too. Personally, I've been holding out for a new video doorbell, and there's no better time to buy one than the upcoming holiday.

Luckily, Amazon's brands cover just about every aspect of home tech you could need. Looking to upgrade your home WiFi setup? Check out a new Eero setup. Need a new TV? Amazon Ember has a range of options for your budget. Hunting for an e-reader to gift the book lover in your life? A Kindle is the best choice for the job.

Keep tabs on our Prime Day coverage to prepare for the huge deal event.

Follow our Instagram and WhatsApp channels for more deals and buying guides

• The US Army brought horse-drawn caissons back to Arlington National Cemetery in 2025.
• It invested about $30 million into upgrades, new facilities, revamped training, and horse welfare.
• We followed the Caisson Detachment from advanced training in Ocala, Florida, to Arlington Cemetery.

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 people, and the US Army's Caisson Detachment supports up to 10 funerals each week for select service members.

Until recently, however, a key part of these funerals had been missing — the horses.

For 75 years, horse-drawn caissons were one of Arlington National Cemetery's most recognizable funeral traditions.

Then, the Army shut the program down in 2023 after the deaths of multiple horses exposed unsanitary conditions and shortcomings in their care.

More than 2,000 Arlington funerals took place without horses while the Army investigated what went wrong and rebuilt the program from the ground up.

It invested more than $30 million into upgrades, new facilities, revamped training, and a renewed focus on horse welfare.

For example, the new $256,000 caisson wagon the horses pull during funerals now weighs 1,205 pounds, down from the previous wagon's 2,800 pounds.

To understand what it now takes to earn a place in one of the military's most demanding ceremonial units, Business Insider chief video correspondent Graham Flanagan followed the Caisson Detachment from advanced training in Ocala, Florida, to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, where soldiers complete their final certification.

A complete rebuild of the philosophy and training

One of the major adjustments the Army made to the program was placing a horse veterinarian in command of the unit.

Col. Jason Crawford, the veterinarian in command, said the Army's goal is not only to complete the mission, but to do it while "putting the horses first."

Crawford added that soldiers play a critical role in that effort because they spend the most time with the animals.

"The soldiers are the primary people that are actually telling us, 'Hey, something's wrong,'" he said. "They're seeing them all the time, so they can pick up on the little telltale signs of where, rather than treating an illness, we're trying to prevent it before it happens."

The Army also rebuilt how horse soldiers are trained.

Many recruits arrive with little or no riding experience before completing 12 weeks of basic horsemanship training and six weeks of advanced instruction in Ocala, Florida.

Among those instructors is Inga Köhn, a riding trainer who said the first challenge is teaching soldiers to stay balanced and composed.

We're "helping them find balance in case something happens, a horse spooks to the side," she said.

During one training session, she reminded a soldier: "If you keep riding two meters over left, you end up in the wrong funeral."

Why precision is key

The precision isn't just ceremonial. Each funeral is a public event for a grieving family, and even small mistakes can disrupt the procession.

Soldiers spend months learning how to maintain formation, control multiple horses, and react when an animal becomes startled.

Specialist Jamie Sims said the pressure grows as training progresses.

"It's kind of nerve-racking because now it's higher stakes," Sims said. "Like, it's training right now, but then you also have to think, 'OK, this is real-life missions.' Like, we can't mess anything up."

The training culminates in a validation test that determines whether soldiers can participate in funeral missions. Riders are graded on posture, form, and their ability to maintain control during unexpected situations. Soldiers who fail return to training before attempting the test again.

During one validation exercise, a soldier failed after dropping control of her reins and briefly losing control of her horse. According to instructors, even a single safety issue is enough to keep a rider from advancing.

Putting horses first

Most of the detachment's horses are Percherons, a breed the Army uses because of their strength, endurance, and calm temperament.

Still, the horses remain prey animals that can react suddenly to unfamiliar sights and sounds.

Trainers now expose them to loud noises, flags, crowds, vehicle sounds, and even an air cannon designed to simulate unexpected disturbances they may encounter during military funerals.

Soldiers also take responsibility for daily horse care, including feeding, hoof cleaning, bathing, and monitoring the animals' health. Specialist Christopher Cuby, who is training as a horse soldier, said the horses are "absolutely high maintenance," but the work becomes manageable with repetition.

"Some of it can be a little bit tedious, but once you get in a rhythm, once you just take things step by step, it's not too bad," Cuby said.

For soldiers who ultimately earn a place in the detachment, the mission carries unusual weight. The funeral procession gives families one final memory of their loved one's service, and soldiers get only one chance to get it right.

When Sgt. Nick Cardenas completed his first funeral mission after months of training, he described the experience as "humbling."

Cuby put it simply: "We're taking them to their final resting place. That's why it's important that we do it correctly."

• This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Companies are giving their AI consumption the GLP treatment.

Pushing an AI-over-everything mentality isn't cheap. And now that the bills are due, some executives are telling workers to rein in their usage.

Mind you, this is the same group that was building literal AI leaderboards. But "tokenmaxxing" isn't as fun when AI giants start raising prices and switch to usage-based pricing.

BI's Stephen Council, Polly Thompson, and Charles Rollet spoke to workers and executives about the whiplash they're experiencing as AI goes from an all-you-can-eat buffet to à la carte on a budget.

The pivot has the potential to predetermine winners and losers internally, depending on how much or little of an AI budget you're given.

Companies have the added challenge of an even bigger question: Where's the ROI on these AI bets?

Judging productivity by AI token usage is falling out of favor. But an industry standard for measuring ROI still hasn't materialized. (I spoke to a veteran CFO about navigating that.)

Companies' new AI diets won't be applied evenly, widening the gap between the AI haves and have-nots.

The teams with the biggest budgets will have the best chance of proving AI's value. The ones that don't may not get the opportunity to shine.

Ideally, resources will flow to the best ideas. But the projects with the most AI tokens might just look like the best ideas because of the extra budget. Executives might also fall into the sunk-cost fallacy, unwilling to pull back on a project they've already bet big on.

The result is a quasi-caste system for AI tokens that's bound to ruffle feathers internally. And it's the type of thing that could be tough to shake once you put it in motion.

• A surprising number of US presidents and first ladies have worked as K-12 teachers.
• Some briefly taught as a way to make ends meet, while others devoted their careers to teaching.
• Two presidential couples both worked in K-12 education.

Former first lady Jill Biden frequently cited the motto, "Teaching isn't just what I do, it's who I am."

Biden is perhaps one of the most notable teachers to occupy the White House, with a career in education spanning four decades and ranging from high schools and colleges to a psychiatric hospital.

But experience in the classroom has shaped the nation's highest office more than you might realize: Nineteen presidents and first ladies have served as K-12 teachers. Business Insider compiled a list of each individual, excluding non-presidential spouses known as acting first ladies.

Among these, both spouses of just two presidential couples — the Fillmores and the Garfields — worked as teachers.

Many other presidents have been college professors, including Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Wilson had a career in academia spanning more than 20 years and was the only president to earn a PhD. However, the extent of their roles varied, with some only serving in part-time or honorary positions.

See every president who worked as a K-12 teacher, followed by every first lady.

John Adams

When Adams was 20, he taught in a one-room classroom in Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1755 to 1758, according to the Worcester Telegram. He had just graduated from Harvard and began studying law under James Putnam, a Worcester attorney, while teaching.

Adams wrote positively about his experience in the classroom in his diary, saying of his school that it was "the highest pleasure to preside in this little world."

Andrew Jackson

Jackson only very briefly worked as a schoolteacher. He took up the profession for a short time after his inheritance from his grandfather in Ireland ran out, according to The Hermitage.

Millard Fillmore

Born into poverty on his family's struggling farm in upstate New York, Fillmore educated himself and eventually became a school teacher. Like Adams, Fillmore studied law during his time in the profession, according to the Miller Center.

Franklin Pierce

Nathaniel Hawthorne's biography of Pierce mentions that he taught at a rural school "during one of his winter vacations." Pierce, attending Bowdoin College in Maine at the time, was only a teenager.

Pierce studied law soon after and was admitted to the New Hampshire bar in 1827.

James A. Garfield

Garfield held multiple teaching jobs during his life, most notably to financially support himself while he was attending Geauga Seminary in Chester, Ohio.

Though Garfield excelled in his studies, he "mostly disliked teaching children in the district schools," the National Park Service reported. He fared better with older students and taught at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, later renamed Hiram College, eventually serving as its president.

Chester A. Arthur

Chester A. Arthur held multiple roles in schools throughout his life. Like Pierce, he taught during winter breaks while attending Union College in Schenectady, New York.

In 1851, he served as the principal of a school in North Pownal, Vermont. The following year, he worked as a principal and teacher at a school in Cohoes, New York, where his sisters worked, according to the Library of Congress.

Also following Pierce's lead, he studied law during the time and passed the bar exam in 1854, according to the Miller Center.

Grover Cleveland

The only president to have worked in specialized education, Cleveland taught at the New York Institute for the Blind, now known as the New York Institute for Special Education. He first got involved with the school through his brother, initially as a secretary and later as a teacher, per the Institute.

Fanny Crosby, the blind mission worker, cited Cleveland as a positive influence on her while she was a faculty member there.

William McKinley

Like other presidents, William McKinley briefly taught in a one-room school in Ohio. However, his time in the role was cut short when he volunteered to fight for the Union in 1861, according to the National Museum of the United States Army.

Warren G. Harding

Harding may have had the shortest teaching tenure of any president or first lady. The 29th president taught for one term in a rural school near Marion, Ohio, according to the Miller Center.

In one of his speeches as president, Harding called teaching the "greatest occupation" and said it was "the hardest work I have ever known."

Lyndon B. Johnson

Johnson taught at Welhausen Ward Elementary School in Cotulla, Texas, as a college sophomore. The school, located near the US-Mexico border, served students in poverty. According to the National Park Service, Johnson created and expanded extracurricular programs such as spelling bees and organized sports, purchasing equipment with money from his own paycheck.

Johnson said he considered making teaching his full-time career, but set out for politics instead.

Abigail Fillmore

Abigail Fillmore first became a teacher at just 16. She later took a job at New Hope Academy in New Hope, New York, in 1819, according to the White House Historical Association.

She met Millard Fillmore while he was a 19-year-old student at the Academy, and the pair married seven years later. Abigail Fillmore continued teaching after her marriage, eventually becoming the first first lady to continue in a profession after marriage.

Lucretia Garfield

Like her husband, Lucretia Garfield also taught in Ohio, specifically in Ravenna, Bryan, Chagrin Falls, and the Brownell School in Cleveland, per the National Park Service.

Helen Taft

Taft said in her memoir that her time as a teacher came from wanting to have "something by way of occupation more satisfying than dancing and amateur theatricals."

In the 1880s, Taft taught for two years at private schools in Walnut Hills, Ohio.

Grace Coolidge

Coolidge took up a teaching position at the Clarke School for the Deaf in Northampton, Massachusetts. Her experience at the school turned her into a lifelong advocate for disabled children, later using her platform as first lady to fundraise and spread awareness for the cause, according to the Coolidge Foundation.

After leaving the White House, Coolidge became the head of the Clarke School's board of trustees and continued her advocacy until her death in 1957.

Lou Hoover

Hoover received her teaching certificate from the San José Normal School — now San José State University — in 1893. However, just one year later, she abandoned teaching to study geology instead.

In Hoover's brief time as a teacher, she likely taught at a local school in Monterey, California, per the Mayo Hayes O'Donnell Library.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Roosevelt's earliest experience as an educator came at 18, when she taught at the Rivington Street Settlement House in New York City.

In the late 1920s, she became the co-owner of the Todhunter School For Girls in New York City, a private school where she taught literature, history, and government, per the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project.

Roosevelt continued her teaching role while serving as the first lady of New York.

Pat Nixon

Nixon attended Fullerton College and later the University of Southern California, graduating with a bachelor's degree in education in 1937, according to the Nixon Library.

Nixon worked as a high-school teacher in Whittier, California, for a few years, during which time she met Richard Nixon.

Laura Bush

Bush earned a bachelor's degree in education from Southern Methodist University in 1968 before teaching in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, per the George W. Bush Presidential Library.

She then earned a Master's degree in library science from the University of Texas, later serving as a school librarian.

Bush made education a focus while she was first lady, creating programs like the "Ready to Read, Ready to Learn" initiative, which aimed to highlight early childhood development programs, according to the White House.

Jill Biden

Holding the most academic degrees out of any president or first lady, Biden has a master's in education and a doctorate in educational leadership, among other degrees. She also has the most extensive teaching experience, with 40 years in the classroom.

Biden first taught at St. Mark's High School and Claymont High School in Wilmington, Delaware. She later taught at Rockford Center, a psychiatric hospital in Delaware, and at Delaware Technical Community College.

In 2009, she began working at Northern Virginia Community College, and continued teaching there during Joe Biden's vice presidency and presidency, becoming the first first lady to work full time outside the White House.

Like Bush, Jill Biden used her platform as first lady to highlight education and teachers, which included hosting the first Teachers of the Year State Dinner in 2024, according to the White House.

Mounted soldiers in the US Army Caisson Detachment support one of the military's most sacred missions: transporting fallen service members to their final resting places inside Arlington National Cemetery. The casket is placed on a wagon, known as a caisson, and conveyed through the cemetery by three soldiers. Each soldier rides one horse and controls another with their right hand.

Many of these soldiers start off with little to no experience with horses. After being selected based on their composure, discipline, and physical fitness, they must complete an 12-week basic horsemanship course, followed by six weeks of advanced instruction.

The Caisson Detachment returned from a nearly two-year suspension in 2025 after an investigation revealed that the deaths of multiple horses were connected to unsanitary living conditions.

The Army hired equestrian champion Chester Weber, an heir to the Campbell's Soup fortune, to revamp the training. Weber assembled a team of world-class equestrian professionals and provided his family's Florida stud farm as a location for the advanced training program, which culminates with a validation test that all soldiers must pass before they can ride in funeral missions.

Chief video correspondent Graham Flanagan went inside training to find out what it takes to be a mounted soldier in the US Army Caisson Detachment.

"Hi. My name is Sarah. And I'm Sophie! We're sisters, and we both have breast cancer. Welcome to our influencer journey! Like, comment, and subscribe."

It was 2023. I was 35, terrified, and trying to make sense of my diagnosis alongside my sister's. We'd both been told we had breast cancer three months before posting our first-ever TikTok, and the video was meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek. We never really considered becoming "cancer influencers," being the camera-shy millennials we were.

I also quickly discovered the cancer influencer space was already quite saturated with camera-ready patients, strategically documenting their journeys. With a growing number of younger cancer patients, this wasn't particularly surprising, as many turn to social media to process and feel connected to a broader community, no matter the issue.

Still, the concept of being a "cancer influencer" seemed inherently at odds with what I knew about being a patient, which I believed to be a vulnerable, largely private experience.

Why become a cancer influencer?

When I first received my own diagnosis in March 2023, I could barely even grasp the word "cancer" as it applied to me, much less imagine identifying with a hashtag.

Instead, I spiraled into a hole of panic. I cried in disbelief that this was happening to me, and wondered what I had done to deserve cancer.

What followed were weeks of decision paralysis over which surgery to choose, whether to pursue fertility preservation, weighing chemotherapy, and trying to make sense of which medications to be on.

I was left to piece together advice from breast surgeons, plastic surgeons, radiologists, genetic counselors, oncologists, and social workers to create my own plan. And navigating a fragmented medical system was profoundly isolating, so I began looking online for advice.

That's when I discovered the digital universe of cancer influencers. Under my bedroom covers, the screen of my phone reflecting my newly bald head, I scrolled through influencer after influencer, wondering how they were able to undergo treatment while considering branding, hashtags, and captions. I could not look away.

Take Justine Morris, for example, a 32-year-old breast cancer survivor with over 73,000 followers on Instagram. I came across her posts on my feed, which included everything from chemo infusions to hair loss to the home renovation process, and DM'd her to ask why she chose to share her story online. She told me that being a cancer influencer gave her a sense of purpose.

"If sharing my journey helps even one person check themselves, feel less alone, or advocate for their health, then everything I went through means something," she replied.

In my search for others, I also found Trish Michelle, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35 and chose to document her journey for her 7,000 Instagram followers. She wanted to see Black women her age talking about chemo, recovery, and surgery.

"That representation just wasn't there. So I thought, 'Well, if I can't find her, I'll become her,' " she said.

Going public with my diagnosis

I had no real intention of sharing my own experience online. I felt repelled by the cancer identity, and wasn't public about it beyond my close friends and family.

That quickly changed once I was outed by a well-meaning GoFundMe bluntly titled "Sarah has Cancer," which a friend set up on my behalf. Shortly after, another friend signed me up for Patreon, promising it was a more private social media platform where I could conveniently update my friends, family, and colleagues on my progress all at once and serve as a second way to raise much-needed funds for my medical expenses. The startup I'd been working at had unexpectedly shut down, leaving me without a job the week I was diagnosed, so I begrudgingly agreed to try it.

On Patreon, where I posted videos, photos, and essays about my treatment and recovery, my content was only visible to subscribers. The donation amount was flexible, and while anyone could technically subscribe, I only expected direct contacts to follow me.

My first post, shared in July 2023, six days after starting chemotherapy, was a 27-second video titled "Foray into influencing…," where I poked fun at the absurdity of me, a self-proclaimed introvert, trying to be a #influencer, picking the best lighting for chemo selfies. Though unserious, in the video, I noted the very real physical changes my body was undergoing. My hair was still there, but pimples had started to decorate my face and body, an unexpected symptom of my chemo.

Off camera, I thought I had no business being in the content creation space. With stage 1 cancer, who was I to be the "face" of anything, let alone breast cancer? There were people who had it worse than me, who were more compelling, inspiring, sadder, funnier, braver, sicker.

So when my little video on Patreon garnered some likes and subscribers, I was surprised, and the validation felt nice. I began posting daily. I wrote about a photo shoot I did before surgery to commemorate my breasts and the process of losing my hair. I wrote about what chemo felt like in my body, how being in a medically-induced menopause affected my sex life and was transforming me, why cutting out alcohol after cancer felt completely unfair while I was young in New York City, the trauma of being rushed into fertility preservation as a side quest to cancer, experiencing a failed egg retrieval, and my thoughts on infertility after chemo. I wrote about how treatment took all of my estrogen and collagen. The likes and subscribers flooded in.

I liked it and wanted more.

Despite years of trying to get my writing noticed — I had an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from The New School — and a decadelong editorial career, I never had much success launching my creative nonfiction career. But now, for the first time, my writing was being noticed because it was on a topic people seemed to inherently care about. So long as it was about cancer, what I had to say mattered. I had been legitimized by disease.

In fact, the more I broadcast my most vulnerable moments, like a photo of a clump of hair next to a brush, the more people tuned in with prayer hand emojis flooding the comments. Viewers appeared to be amazed by the strength of a person who turned tragedy into art, and I was quick to deliver.

The sicker I looked, the more people subscribed

I was not alone in realizing that suffering could attract an audience.

"My following started to grow when I began sharing about treatment," Morris said to me. "I noticed that video views nearly doubled when I was crying or visibly struggling. I gained about 11,500 followers during the first two months of my diagnosis."

Emily Ong, another breast cancer survivor, has over 36,000 Instagram followers. Though her following wasn't built on cancer content, after posting about treatment in November 2016 on her blog, she said she "definitely saw a lot more engagement and online support."

For the year I was in active treatment, which included surgery, chemo, and radiation, I leaned into the cancer identity on the internet. It felt good having an audience to affirm my pain — and my writing. Each new follow gave me a dopamine hit, and I didn't want that particular part of my cancer experience to end.

At the height of my illness, my income from Patreon subscriptions brought in nearly $1,000 a month, which was surprising yet helped sustain my life. Aside from my GoFundMe, which raised about $56,000 for two rounds of egg retrievals ahead of chemo, Patreon was my only source of income during a time I feared creeping medical debt could swallow me whole.

But when I noticed my metrics were contingent on where I was in my treatment journey, I worried about what would happen to my engagement once my body started to look normal again. Would my viewers taper off as well? Would my story matter anymore? Would I matter?

What would happen to my followers once I recovered?

"As the visual manifestations of my cancer start to disappear — my hair will grow back and my breast will heal from radiation and surgery — I will need to be more vocal about what it means to have breast cancer at 35 because my struggle (and so many others my age) starts to become invisible," I wrote in a 2023 Patreon post, three days after ringing the bell to mark the end of my active treatment.

A few months later, my hair did begin to grow back, and I lost about half my subscribers and subsequent income. Morris said she, too, lost engagement once she started to look better, saying it felt "really hard." She added, "You want people to stay supportive and invested in your healing, but often the attention fades when the illness is no longer visible."

Sarah Shuster, a somatic therapist and former caregiver, explains that people often "rally around what they can see and respond to immediately, like a surgery date, a treatment milestone, or a fundraising goal."

"But as an illness becomes less visible, more open-ended, and increasingly tied to emotional elements such as identity-grief," she continued, "support systems and broader audiences often struggle to stay present."

The whiplash of becoming "invisible" once active treatment ended left me shouting into the void that, actually, my adjunctive treatment would continue for another 10 years, putting me in a medically-induced menopause with joint pain, hot flashes, brain fog, weight gain, sleep issues, and loss of libido so profound that I felt I had been chemically castrated. But I started to feel self-conscious about continuing to write about cancer when I no longer looked the part.

Michelle noticed the change too once she started to appear well, telling me, "Now, years later with my full head of hair and no visible signs of what I've been through, I sometimes catch myself wondering if I still have a legitimate voice here."

The other side of chemo can be one of the loneliest times, with many patients most vulnerable to depression just as their support systems begin to fade.

"It's easy for the people around you to assume that it's over. Meanwhile, you've been permanently changed, and you're just deposited back into what remains of your previous life, knowing you can't actually go back," said Charlotte Christopher, a therapist specializing in oncology and a breast cancer survivor herself.

"Having a public identity tied to being sick and losing engagement could compound that experience of a loss of support and make it harder or more complex to navigate the transition, she added."

Social media pressure led me to relive the past

It felt odd to be nostalgic for a time I should want to forget, but I missed chemo because I had structure, abundant support, and sympathy, both in-person and online. I found myself recycling old photos from when I was bald, and clinging to that phase of my life through Patreon posts as I desperately tried to stay relevant to my subscribers. My views continued to dwindle, from the hundreds to the tens to the single digits.

I wasn't alone in feeling the unspoken pressure to remain visibly sick on social media to sustain viewership, community, sympathy, or even income.

"Sometimes I repost old videos or create compilations from treatment to stay relevant, but it's something I wrestle with," Morris said. "I've realized my story will always include cancer; it's part of who I am."

I found it difficult, if not impossible, to pivot from cancer content after building a platform predicated on my illness. But with each #throwback bald pic, I worried I was lingering on the topic longer than I should. Was I milking the breast cancer thing — an identity I once rejected wholesale — to keep subscribers and legitimacy as a writer? I live in that tension between genuinely wanting to write about cancer and recognizing that doing so can sometimes feel like commodifying my disease. I also think if anyone should have a right to commodify cancer, it should be us, the patients-turned-content creators.

"The challenge isn't just surviving cancer," Michelle said. "It's figuring out who you are when you're no longer 'the sick person,' but cancer is still part of your story. That journey deserves space online, even if it doesn't always get the likes."

Michelle, who's now the chief community officer of The Breasties, a nonprofit organization creating community for those affected by breast and gynecologic cancers, said: "There's a whole generation of young survivors like me navigating life after treatment, and we need those stories too."

Sharing my experience of medically-induced menopause feels particularly meaningful as that part of the treatment is rarely talked about. Through my content, I hope to broaden understanding and ultimately help improve how young breast cancer patients are treated and supported.

But in addition to my #authentic intentions, I'm well-aware that latching onto the "cancer brand" is sometimes nice. Automatic legitimacy. I never thought I would be so public about the experience, let alone have a Patreon dedicated to it. After all, being a content creator on social media is not me, but then again, I also thought cancer was very not me.

Now I'm a cancer person claiming the identity tighter than ever, yes, to stay relevant, but also — and importantly — to remind people that cancer doesn't end when the hair grows back.

• Anthropic unveiled Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, its long-awaited "Mythos-class" AI models.
• The company said the models include safeguards that limit some frontier AI research tasks.
• Critics said the restrictions blur the line between AI safety measures and competitive strategy.

Anthropic's latest AI release is igniting controversy over what its new models will and won't do.

On Tuesday, Anthropic unveiled Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, its long-awaited "Mythos-class" models.

Alongside the launch, the company disclosed two unusual safeguards: the models may secretly provide degraded assistance when they suspect users are working on frontier AI research, and certain requests are automatically routed to less capable models.

In a system card, Anthropic said the measures are designed to reduce the risk that powerful AI systems help users develop competing frontier models or accelerate dangerous capabilities.

Critics, however, said Anthropic's safeguards could disadvantage researchers, concentrate power among leading AI labs, and degrade responses without users' knowledge.

Here's what smart voices across AI, cybersecurity, and policy are saying about Anthropic's latest move:

David Kasten, head of policy at Palisade Research

David Kasten said he believes Anthropic is genuinely trying to reduce the risks associated with Mythos.

"I do very much take Anthropic at their word that they are trying hard to de-risk what they see as the two risky features of Mythos," Kasten told Business Insider.

Still, Kasten said releasing the model carries risk because "it's always a bit of a cat-and-mouse game between attacker and defender."

Kasten added that Anthropic likely sees itself in a race with rival AI labs that may soon have similarly powerful models.

"For them, I think there's a little bit of a, how much of their lead in the race do they think they can afford to burn?" he said.

Davi Ottenheimer, VP of Trust and Digital Ethics at Inrupt

Davi Ottenheimer, a prominent digital safety expert, questioned whether Mythos was ever as dangerous as Anthropic suggested.

"Anthropic marketing said in April that Mythos was too dangerous to be in public hands," Ottenheimer told Business Insider. "And yet today they are selling it, unchanged, to the public."

Mythos was withheld from public release in April after Anthropic warned that the model was so capable at finding cybersecurity flaws that it posed safety risks.

"They're using security as a marketing trick," Ottenheimer added.

Roman Stanek, founder of GoodData

Roman Stanek said that AI capability isn't the real problem in cybersecurity.

"The thing with AI and cybersecurity is that the vulnerabilities we're worried about AI exploiting, well we've known about most of them for 20 years," Stanek said in a note sent to Business Insider. "We just never fixed them."

"Nobody wanted to pay a human engineer to fix it," he added. "They're not going to pay an AI to fix it either."

Elie Bakouch, research engineer at Prime Intellect

Elie Bakouch criticized Anthropic's decision to intentionally limit Mythos' performance on certain AI development tasks.

"Mythos will be bad ON PURPOSE on AI 'frontier LLM research' tasks," Bakouch wrote on X on Tuesday. "This is very very sad for the research community."

Bakouch also called it "crazy" that the intervention would not be visible to users.

Jeremy Howard, cofounder of AnswerDotAI

Jeremy Howard said that Anthropic's safeguards could increase concentration in the AI industry.

"Anthropic has chosen the opposite of the safe path," Howard wrote in an X post on Wednesday. "They are allowing themselves, the current top lab, to use their top model for frontier AI research."

Howard said the result is that "the AI frontier advances, & power imbalance increases."

Patrick Moorhead, founder and CEO of Moor Insights & Strategy

Patrick Moorhead said his first experience with Fable 5 left him underwhelmed.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Moorhead said the model refused to help with earnings-analysis talking points and a board presentation because Fable 5 deemed the tasks "too dangerous."

"Is this the model we're all frightened of and makes Anthropic worth $1T?" he wrote. "Okedokee."

Gergely Orosz, author of 'The Pragmatic Engineer' newsletter

Gergely Orosz said Anthropic's safeguards could end up affecting people who aren't actually building competing AI models.

"Anthropic assumes SemiAnalysis is developing a competing LLM and so it dumbs down their model for them," Orosz wrote on X on Wednesday.

"Anthropic trying to limit competition limits many others," he added.

Deedy Das, partner at Menlo Ventures

Deedy Das focused on the model's capabilities rather than its safeguards.

"Claude Fable 5 is by far the most ridiculous model that makes me genuinely afraid for the future of software engineering," Das wrote in an X post on Wednesday.

Das pointed to examples including migrating a 50 million-line codebase, generating advanced 3D graphics, and outperforming rival models on optimization tasks.

He also said that Fable 5 is about the same price as OpenAI's GPT-5.5 and six times cheaper than GPT-5.5 Pro.

• Hotel Du Pont was built at the Du Pont Company headquarters in 1913 to attract powerful visitors.
• I stayed at one of the hotel's one-bedroom Signature Suites in May.
• Hotel Du Pont offers modern amenities surrounded by Italian Renaissance Revival furnishings.

We're living in a new Gilded Age. So why not travel in style like it's the turn of the century?

In 1913, Du Pont Company executive Pierre S. du Pont built a hotel within the company's headquarters to impress the wealthy business leaders flocking to Delaware and to cater to their expensive tastes.

Hotel Du Pont endures in downtown Wilmington as a symbol of wealth, power, and opulence, offering luxurious, modern accommodations surrounded by Italian Renaissance Revival furnishings.

Here are the most luxurious perks I enjoyed during my stay at Hotel Du Pont in May.

When I arrived at Hotel Du Pont, valet parking attendants immediately offered their services.

The hotel's valet parking costs $45 per vehicle per night. Hotel Du Pont also enables guests to text the valet car service to request their vehicles in advance.

After unsuccessfully circling downtown Wilmington in search of a parking spot or garage that would allow my car to remain overnight, I felt that the extra cost was worth the convenience.

The hotel's Italian Renaissance Revival ornamentation made a grand first impression in the lobby.

Wealthy Gilded Age tycoons often modeled their homes after European royal residences, and Hotel Du Pont kept the trend going when it was built in 1913. The lobby's ceiling design was inspired by the Ducal Palace in Venice.

Hotel Du Pont's classic tier of rooms starts at $599 per night, and one-bedroom suites start at $1,913. Business Insider paid a discounted media rate of $129 for a one-night stay in a Signature Suite.

As I approached my Signature Suite, I noticed that each room had a decorative doorbell.

The doorbell, which elicited a two-note chime when pressed, was an elegant touch that made my room feel more like a home.

In contrast to the Italian Renaissance Revival decor on the hotel's main level, the Signature Suites feature contemporary furnishings.

Hotel Du Pont introduced Signature Suites in 2025 as part of a multimillion-dollar renovation of its guest rooms and meeting spaces. Details such as gold accents were inspired by European salons, but the design is more modern than the painstakingly preserved ballrooms.

I found the entryway was surprisingly spacious, with a large expanse of checkered floor and three well-lit mirrors.

A cabinet next to the door offered a La Colombe espresso machine and reusable water bottles.

A note on the countertop said that the hotel offered complimentary reusable water bottles as part of "our efforts to reduce plastic waste."

In the entryway closet, I found hangers and a clothing steamer.

Hotel rooms often contain an iron and an ironing board that work well on items like dress shirts, but a clothing steamer is better for releasing wrinkles in more delicate fabrics such as silk.

The Signature Suite featured a living room and a bedroom separated by a pocket door.

The contemporary living room included a couch, TV, and workstation.

The bedroom had its own TV, mounted to the left of the king-size bed.

The bedroom also had two nightstands and a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed.

The bathroom featured two marble vanities, with the toilet and walk-in shower behind a textured glass door.

Glass cups and individually wrapped cotton balls and swabs were laid out on the vanities.

Across from the shower, fluffy bathrobes awaited.

Pairs of slippers were also included in the pockets of each bathrobe.

The shower amenities were from The Botanist & The Chemist, a brand available exclusively at luxury hotels.

The Botanist & The Chemist is part of the La Bottega Collective, which also supplies amenities to hotels such as the Fontainebleau in Miami, the Hay-Adams in Washington, DC, and the Carlyle in New York City.

Down the hall, the hotel provided a water bottle filling station.

Water fill stations are located on every floor of the hotel, plus another one in the conference center. It was a pleasant surprise, since many hotels only offer ice machines.

After settling into my room, I spent some time exploring Hotel Du Pont's lavish Italian Renaissance Revival event spaces.

During the construction of the hotel, Du Pont Company executive Pierre S. du Pont flew artisans in from Italy to craft its hand-carved wooden doors, hand-etched sgraffito plaster art, and hand-painted gilded ceilings.

For more about the hotel's history and a closer look at some of the most extravagant rooms, read about my architectural tour of Hotel Du Pont.

My final stop before heading up to bed was Le Cavalier at the Green Room, where Delaware's wealthiest power brokers once dined.

The French brasserie's menu features dishes such as vol-au-vent, poulet aux morilles, and charcuterie with French cheeses.

I ordered the Epées Liquids, a seasonal cocktail with gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon, lychee syrup, and sake.

The $16 drink came garnished with a dried lemon slice and a skewered lychee. It was the perfect fizzy balance of sweet and tart.

Sipping a cocktail surrounded by the finest Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, I felt a bit like a Gilded Age heiress myself.

Hotel Du Pont's historian-in-residence, Tom Santora, told me that the Green Room's corner table was known as a prime spot where Delaware's most influential figures discussed business deals and policy decisions. Looking out at my gilded surroundings, it was easy to see why.

• Venture funds are backing startups that manage the landscape of AI models.
• OpenRouter raised $113M million; Concentrate AI emerged from stealth with $5 million to compete.
• Cheaper AI models like DeepSeek's V4 have gained traction due to cost efficiency.

The backlash against rising AI costs is growing, and now investors are pouring cash into startups that help save companies from that sticker shock.

These startups, known as AI-routing companies, help developers direct their tasks to different AI models. They also monitor for overspend and quickly resolve outages — and they're seeing a gigantic surge in demand.

In late May, OpenRouter announced it raised $113 million, valuing it at $1.3 billion. And on Wednesday, the new competitor Concentrate AI emerged from stealth with more than $5 million in funding, Business Insider is the first to report.

"The model landscape is so fragmented, it's so hard to track," Concentrate AI's CEO Ari Jacoby told Business Insider. "And with us, it's all under one roof."

Both companies are growing at the right time. AI coding tools have kicked off a rabid demand for tokens, the units of AI's input and output. Anthropic and OpenAI charge many customers based on how many tokens they use, so their powerful models are giving some companies sticker shock.

To help customers figure out the most cost-effective AI tool to get their tasks done, routing startups provide access to frontier models from those labs, as well as a slew of cheaper models from providers such as Google, DeepSeek, MiniMax, and Xiaomi.

Big Tech companies also offer AI routing tools

OpenRouter and Concentrate AI have competitors with a lot more firepower. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google Cloud each have tools that route tasks to the appropriate types of AI models.

The startups say they focus on developers and smaller teams, and they give them the option to choose from more model types than cloud providers do. OpenRouter offers more than 400 models, strategy head Adam Swick told Business Insider, adding that developers' "demand has exploded" over the last six months.

Vercel, a cloud application startup valued at $9.3 billion, also built its own AI routing product after finding it useful for internal use.

Harpreet Arora, Vercel's head of AI infrastructure and the tool's lead, told Business Insider that his team immediately realized the tool could become popular with customers when people started highlighting its benefits.

He sees it as a "centralized hub" — a place to pick and choose when costs fluctuate, models go offline, and more models enter the market.

Developers turn to cheaper models like DeepSeek

AI routing startups are seeing shifting demand for AI models as cheaper options emerge.

Both OpenRouter and Vercel saw the Chinese lab DeepSeek outstrip its competitors this spring. In late April, the lab released its new V4 models. They impressed developers on capability benchmarks and cost. Claude's cheapest model, Haiku, costs $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens. On OpenRouter, the priciest DeepSeek V4 version ran at a fraction of that cost, at 43 cents per million input tokens and 87 cents per million output tokens.

DeepSeek's share of overall token usage, both on Vercel and OpenRouter, quickly increased, indicating that more developers were turning to the lab's models. By mid-May, more tokens were passing through OpenRouter for DeepSeek models than Claude ones. The same trend appeared with Vercel.

Zach Moskow, a founding team member at Concentrate AI, said that some customers are worried about the security of Chinese models, but they're often hosted on AWS, right in the US. Jacoby, Concentrate's CEO, said that when companies realize many high-quality models are available at low prices, budgeting becomes simpler.

Other startups are also pouncing on the panic over AI token costs. Lanai, an AI observability startup, recently launched a tool called Token Tuner that diagnoses the effectiveness of customers' AI spending. Chief product officer Mohit Mehta told Business Insider that he's hearing complaints about the unpredictable costs of top-end AI and expects the trend toward cheaper, more basic models to grow.

"You're going to manage your AI spend to value, just like you manage your workforce to value," Mehta said.

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• Inworld CEO Kylan Gibbs slashes AI model prices by more than 50%.
• Consumer AI startups struggle with inference costs, affecting profitability as usage grows.
• Larger AI companies benefit from market power and have more control over costs.

The soaring cost of running AI models has become one of the biggest threats to consumer AI startups.

This is forcing some of these young companies to slow growth, pivot to business products, or risk being copied by larger rivals with deeper pockets.

That's the argument Kylan Gibbs, CEO of AI voice startup Inworld, is making as his company prepares to cut prices by more than 50% to help consumer-focused developers survive.

"Cost is the single number one problem," Gibbs told me in a recent interview.

Ideally, as startups grow and usage increases, their unit economics typically improve, as costs either stay relatively flat or rise less than revenue. In the new world of consumer AI startups, this isn't happening because running the underlying models that support their products is expensive, and these costs can increase as usage climbs.

"Their profitability goes through the floor every time they hit success," Gibbs said. "We see that across lots of AI consumer applications."

The issue centers on AI inference, the computing required every time a user interacts with a chatbot, voice assistant, or other AI application.

Large AI companies have their own infrastructure, can secure favorable AI chip pricing, and can spread costs across massive businesses. Meanwhile, startups often don't have that power and end up paying more, per unit of intelligence, for access to AI models.

Gibbs said consumer AI startups frequently spend 70% to 90% of their operating budgets on inference costs. Many charge users just $5 to $10 a month, making profitability difficult as engagement rises.

"The irony is that users love these products," Gibbs said. "Time spent keeps growing. But every time they become successful, their profitability falls."

The economics differ sharply from enterprise software. A corporate customer might pay $1,000 a month for an AI tool and compare that cost with hiring an employee. Consumers, meanwhile, are far more price sensitive and sometimes more fickle when choosing which apps to use.

As a result, many startups hit a growth ceiling. Some stop investing in marketing, others pivot toward business customers, and some disappear altogether. Gibbs said that the dynamic ultimately benefits the largest AI companies, which can replicate popular features and distribute them through existing products.

The broader market reflects what Gibbs describes as inflated AI pricing. Inference providers and AI model developers often price services relative to competitors rather than their underlying computing costs, he said, generating revenue that can be many times the cost of compute.

Inworld can do something about this because it's one of the leading providers of voice-based AI models.

Gibbs is responding by lowering prices and offering deeper discounts as customers scale.

The company, which has raised more than $117 million and says revenue has grown fivefold since the start of 2026, is betting that cheaper AI infrastructure will allow a new generation of consumer applications in areas such as education, therapy, health, and fitness to reach massive scale.

"If we want AI benefits to reach everyday people," Gibbs said, "the economics have to work for the companies building those products."

Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com.

• After visiting all 63 major US national parks, I think some are best experienced in the summer.
• Although certain parks are more crowded in the summer months, many are also much more accessible.
• Without snow coverage, parks like Kenai Fjords, Glacier, and Grand Teton are easier to explore.

I would argue that there is no bad time of year to visit the US national parks. But after visiting all 63 of them, I've found that some particularly shine in the summer months.

Although summer is peak vacation and road trip season — which can lead to crowding at some iconic landmarks within the national park system — there are plenty of reasons to explore the parks at this time of year, from better weather to more active wildlife.

Here are the five I always recommend.

Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park is easier to explore in the summer.

In my opinion, Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park is home to some of the most breathtaking and dramatic scenery in the country.

However, if you're driving there, you'll only be able to enter through Exit Glacier Road, which typically closes from late-October to Mid-May due to snow. Better accessibility, combined with warmer weather and longer days, make summer the best time to travel to this bucket-list park.

Because most of Kenai Fjords is only accessible by water, I suggest taking a boat tour or kayaking with one of the many local vendors.

Montana's Glacier National Park is spectacular in the summer.

If you've ever seen a photo or video of a dramatic mountain road on social media, there is a high likelihood that it was the iconic Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

The roughly 50-mile road makes its way through some of the most photographed spots in the park. However, due to heavy snow, parts of the road are typically closed until at least late-June. So, for the best experience, I suggest visiting in the summer.

Plus, the warmer weather means the chance to take a dip in one of the beautiful mountain lakes, and longer days give visitors plenty of time to explore.

Isle Royale National Park in Michigan is only open seasonally.

Due to harsh weather conditions and its remote location in the middle of Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park is only open from April 16 through October 31 each year.

The park is also only accessible via seaplane or ferry, and service on the latter is sporadic after early September. That's why the summer months are the perfect time to visit the island.

While there, I recommend hiking to the Minong Ridge and Grace Creek Overlooks.

Summer is a great time to explore Denali National Park in Alaska.

There are many sights in the national parks that are considered bucket-list worthy, and in my opinion, seeing Mount McKinley firsthand is absolutely one of them.

The 20,310-foot peak is the highest in North America, and on a clear day, it can be seen from miles away.

Although the park is technically open year-round, some of the roads, visitor centers, campgrounds, and transportation services shut down after the summer months.

For the best experience, I recommend taking a summer bus tour on Denali Park Road for incredible views of the park and its wildlife.

Grand Teton in Wyoming is my favorite national park.

Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is my favorite national park in any season, but I think summer is the best time to visit.

The park is known for its jagged peaks and ample lakes, which become perfect for hiking, boating, and even swimming in the warmer summer months.

I love taking a scenic boat ride on Jenny Lake, hiking the Taggart Lake trail (parts of which are currently under construction), and swimming or picnicking at Colter Bay Swim Beach.

Like others on this list, the park is open year-round, but the incredibly scenic Teton Park Road, which leads to many of the park's most well-known areas, is only open seasonally from May 1 to October 31.

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A fusion startup backed by billions in funding is preparing for a different kind of test: capturing consumer attention.

Joe Paluska is the chief marketing officer of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, an energy startup hoping to commercialize zero-carbon nuclear fusion power. CFS, which spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is developing a process that fuses hydrogen nuclei using powerful, high-temperature superconducting magnets.

"My CEO and board want me to make that as exciting as the lunar landing of 1969, or as exciting as a SpaceX launch," Paluska told CMO Insider in an interview.

"The key difference is they have rockets and stuff that's visible and compelling to watch on social media or TV," he said. "I have something that's invisible."

Paluska said creators will play a key role, as will a three-phased campaign over the next 18 months as CFS builds toward turning on its SPARC fusion energy machine for the first time, expected next year.

CFS has already generated interest among the investor community, having raised close to $3 billion from the likes of Google, Nvidia, and the actor Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition venture capital firm.

Now, Paluska is borrowing from the consumer marketing playbook to appeal to Gen Z and Gen Alpha in particular.

"When I speak to these groups, they have a pretty dystopian view of the world — rightfully so — with climate change, political polarization in the US and increasingly other places," Paluska said.

"Their view of the world is pretty grim, and when I talk to them about fusion, they have hope for the future," he added.

Unlike nuclear fission, which has high-profile advocates such as the TikTok influencer Isabelle Boemeke, a.k.a. @isodope, and former Miss America and pro-nuclear energy activist Grace Stanke, the landscape of nuclear fusion creators is sparse, Paluska said. Instead, CFS is ramping up outreach this year to creators across tech, entertainment, fashion, and food to help spread the word.

The company plans to soft-launch a marketing campaign dubbed "Humanity's Power Move," which it developed with the San Francisco brand strategy firm Supermoon, with employees next month. CFS is holding an all-company event called "Star Camp" on a mountain in Massachusetts, which Paluska said symbolizes its technology getting one step closer to "building a star in a jar" on Earth.

It's planning more activity around Climate Week and the UN General Assembly in New York in September, the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos in January, and the energy conference CERAWeek in Houston in March. While specific media buys haven't been confirmed, Paluska said it's likely CFS will support in-person events with online and out-of-home ads.

The company is in the early stages of working on a documentary with the creative agency 400 Humans. Paluska said he was inspired by other science-based documentaries such as "Good Night Oppy," about the Mars rover Opportunity; "The Thinking Game," which told the story of Google's DeepMind; and "Nike: Breaking 2," which chronicled how the sports brand attempted to break the two-hour marathon barrier.

"Turning SPARC on is the Kitty Hawk moment for fusion, so we think it's important to capture and tell this story to a worldwide audience," Paluska said, referring to the town where the Wright brothers achieved the first powered flight.

Jeff Galak, associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, said CFS will have to tread carefully in its strategy to position itself more like a lifestyle brand, given that Gen Z's primary relationship with energy is rooted in climate anxiety and utility-level pragmatism, not hype.

"Trying to make an invisible, pre-commercial B2B infrastructure technology 'cool' to a generation hyper-sensitive to greenwashing is an incredibly uphill, and likely ineffective, battle," Galak said.

• The new CPI report showed annual inflation jumped to 4.2% in May, the highest rate since April 2023.
• Data last Friday showed job growth has been healthy, so economists expect the Fed to focus on inflation.
• Inflation outpaced wage growth for the second straight month.

US annual inflation accelerated to 4.2% last month, new consumer price index data showed, as expected. That adds to the recent trend of inflation speeding up, reaching the highest rate since April 2023.

Inflation outpaced wage growth for the second straight time. Average hourly earnings increased 3.4% in May from a year ago. Real earnings fell 0.7% over the year and 0.1% over the month.

Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate, expects inflation to remain elevated in the near term because of supply chain disruptions in the Middle East, which could mean the trend of inflation surpassing wage growth persists.

"The dividing line between the haves and the have nots is dictating whether consumers are able to keep with rising price levels," Hamrick said in an email to Business Insider. He pointed to the Fed's May Beige Book, which said consumer spending is "increasingly bifurcated across income groups amid affordability pressures," with higher-income households less affected.

Nicole Bachaud, an economist at ZipRecruiter, said wage growth falling short of inflation is putting financial strain on middle-income households. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City echoed that sentiment in the May Beige Book, noting one firm said that "middle-income households are squeezing more life out of every dollar before deciding to spend it."

CPI rose 0.5% from April, matching the forecast and just below the previous month-over-month rise of 0.6%. Core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.2% over the same period and rose 2.9% from a year ago. Economists expected core CPI to rise 0.3% month over month and 2.9% year over year.

The softer core reading offers "some reassurance that inflation expectations have not yet become unanchored," Arielle Ingrassia, associate director and investment specialist at Evelyn Partners, said in commentary.

The new CPI report showed energy prices heated up again, increasing 23.5% year over year, the largest rise since August 2022. Gas prices increased 40.5% from a year ago and 7% from a month ago. Food prices rose 0.2% month over month, cooler than the previous gain of 0.5%.

The inflation report is just one in a recent string of economic releases. The Bureau of Labor Statistics published its jobs report this past Friday, which showed job growth blowing past expectations, even better gains than previously reported in March and April, and steady unemployment.

Laura Ullrich, the director of economic research in North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, told Business Insider that while the job market is healthy, it's still a tough time to be looking for work. Long-term unemployment and the median number of weeks people had been unemployed inched up in May.

Several economists said in commentary on Friday that the Fed will focus on inflation, given recently solid job growth. CME FedWatch, which estimates probabilities for where interest rates will go based on market moves, showed before the new consumer price index report a 98% chance that rates will be unchanged at next week's meeting. This will be Kevin Warsh's first time leading the meeting as Fed chair since Jerome Powell's tenure ended. Powell is staying on the board; it's to be seen how long he stays on, but his term ends in 2028.

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My DMs have been buzzing about Accenture Song's planned acquisition of the creator and social agency Whalar. Industry insiders are particularly interested in what it means for the future of influencer marketing M&A.

Tristan Rice, partner at the M&A firm SI Global, told CMO Insider the deal is a "coming-of-age moment for creator marketing." He said it was evidence of big marketing budgets moving into the sector, since Accenture's client base is weighted toward large enterprise clients.

Accenture Song, the consulting firm's marketing services arm, is somewhat late to making a big influencer marketing play, though it acquired a smaller social firm, Superdigital, last year. Notable recent transactions in the space include WPP buying The Goat Agency and Obviously in 2023, Havas acquiring Wilderness in 2024, and Publicis Groupe picking up Influential in 2024 and Captiv8 in 2025.

Whalar Group cofounder Neil Waller told Adweek the Accenture deal marks "the largest creator economy transaction," though neither company revealed the terms. The entire Whalar Group was valued at a reported $400 million when it raised money last year. But Accenture is only picking up the Whalar agency, not its wider portfolio of talent management and influencer-tech companies.

Bernard Urban, of the consulting firm BCSI, estimated the Whalar agency had an enterprise value in the range of $225 million to $300 million, based on publicly available information about its scale, employee count, and funding history. (For context, the Publicis-Influential deal was worth $500 million, per the WSJ.)

The biggest significance of the deal might not be the dollar value, but what Accenture can now do with Whalar in the fold.

"We're going to be in more rooms, bigger rooms, global scale," Whalar co-CEO Jo Cronk told CMO Insider.

The deal also includes a "three-year strategic partnership" between Accenture Song and the remaining companies within the Whalar Group.

"By combining Accenture Song's global reach, technology, and capabilities with everything we've built across Whalar Group — from our creator communities and The Lighthouse to Foam — we have an opportunity to accelerate the next chapter of the creator economy," Waller said of the strategic partnership. The Lighthouse is Whalar Group's physical campus for creators, while Foam is its talent management platform.

Is there room for more deals of this magnitude in the space? M&A experts said it's unlikely.

The land grab for baseline influencer marketing capabilities among the agency holding companies is largely complete.

"The holding companies that paid high creative agency multiples for influencer agencies were, in many cases, paying premiums simply as a 'cost of entry' in order to attempt to widen their aperture of services by stepping into the category of cultural relevance," said Bob Morris, managing partner for Bravery Group, an M&A advisory firm.

However, there's still room for smaller bolt-ons as creator partnerships shift from CMOs' innovation budgets and become a more established part of the media plan. And the growing cohort of independent agencies and martech businesses will likely want a slice of the action, too. Look out for transactions in areas like compliance automation, campaign-level budget tracking, measurement, and tech that integrates creator activity with retail media networks.

Digital Capital Advisors forecasts about 60 influencer marketing M&A transactions this year, down slightly from 64 in 2025, though notably up from 40 completed in 2021.

"The space is hot," Jay MacDonald, Digital Capital Advisors CEO, told CMO Insider.

• Bry Kopinski and Christopher Kopinski met in 2021 while working at Amazon.
• They later began dating and got engaged in 2025. He proposed with her dream Harry Winston ring.
• Bry then surprised Christopher with a coveted Rolex watch on their wedding day.

Christopher Kopinski was preparing to walk down the aisle when his bride's sister entered the groom's suite.

"I have a gift from your wife!" she said, handing him a green gift bag.

He didn't need to open it to know what was inside. The bag wasn't just any shade of green. It was Pantone 3425 C — or, more recognizably, Rolex green.

As he took hold of the package, he was nearly speechless.

"No way. Oh my goodness," the groom muttered as he pulled out a card from his soon-to-be wife, Bry Kopinski.

She had done what was seemingly impossible: Bry tracked down her husband's dream watch and surprised him with it on their wedding day.

Bry Kopinski and Christopher Kopinski met in 2021 while working at Amazon.

Bry, 32, and Christopher, 40, didn't connect romantically at first.

They were both working for Amazon Web Services in Seattle, where they're still based, and met through meetings.

Christopher said he liked Bry instantly and pursued her for a while, but she wasn't interested in dating someone she worked with. That changed in 2023, though.

"He was very persistent, which I really liked," Bry told Business Insider. "It worked out that I was free one night and said, 'Sure, let's go to dinner.' It changed everything for me. From then on, we were inseparable."

They got engaged on the beach in April 2025.

The couple traveled to Miami, their favorite vacation spot, and were staying at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort.

Bry didn't know it, but Christopher had arranged candles, roses, a heart sculpture, and other decor on the beach where he'd propose.

"I thought we were there for my birthday," Bry said. "I suggested we get some photos on the beach, and Chris said he already took care of that request."

Once she said yes, the couple celebrated with Champagne and a private candlelight dinner.

Bry had no idea that Christopher had secured her dream engagement ring.

Prior to the proposal, Bry and Christopher had gone engagement ring shopping at Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and Van Cleef. Though each offered stunning rings, Bry didn't love any of them.

Then they stepped into a Harry Winston boutique.

"They had Champagne for us, and it was top-tier service," Bry said. "Then they took us to the rings, and there was nothing like those diamonds. They were the most incredible, shiny things. I couldn't even believe they existed."

Still, she never expected Christopher to propose to her with a piece from the jeweler.

"He got down on one knee, opened the beautiful box that had Harry Winston [printed] on it, and in that moment, I said, 'Oh my God, you got the Harry Winston!'" Bry recalled.

Christopher picked a platinum ring from The One collection. It features a 2.5-carat oval diamond, a micropavé halo, and a matching micropavé band.

The couple didn't share the price of Bry's ring, but ones in the Harry Winston collection retail for upward of $23,500.

Immediately after getting engaged, Bry began searching for a wedding gift for her husband.

She didn't know exactly how long it would take to find her husband's dream Rolex, but she knew it would likely be a lengthy process.

Buying a Rolex is like buying a Birkin bag. Shoppers often need to track down the specific pieces they're interested in from Rolex directly, authorized dealers, or secondhand sellers.

From there, many shoppers end up on waiting lists alongside other interested buyers.

Bry was specifically looking for a two-tone Datejust in oystersteel and yellow gold with a limited-edition Wimbledon dial that Christopher had previously tried on.

The watch, which can sell on the secondhand market for upward of $17,000, is beloved for its unique gray dial with Roman numerals, the latter of which are outlined in the same shade of green as Wimbledon tennis courts.

A sales associate at the couple's local luxury boutique wasn't sure that finding the piece would be possible.

"I remember asking, 'Are you going to source it for me, or should I find somebody else who can help me?'" Bry said. "I was kind of joking, but kind of not. If they were going to tell me no, somebody else would say yes."

Within a few days, Bry had done the impossible — she secured the watch.

"I got a phone call from [my sales associate], and she said, 'I need you to come in today.' I had a meeting, and I canceled it to run straight to the boutique," Bry said.

The watch was exactly the one Bry had requested. Still, she felt it could be even better — so she had it engraved with a meaningful message.

"To my husband Chris on our wedding day, 4-11-26. Love always, your wife, Bry," the bottom of the watch face says.

Christopher had no idea his Rolex was coming.

Christopher and Bry had been on the hunt for his dream watch for a long time.

"We were looking at resale [options], and we looked in every city we traveled to, if it was in the south of France, LA, or Miami," Christopher said. "We would stop at Rolex stores or distributors, and every time, they would tell us no. They'd say, 'Man, that's a hard get. I don't think you're going to make that happen.'"

So when he was presented with a Rolex bag ahead of their wedding, Christopher said his "heart dropped."

"Even a week before our wedding, we were joking around about what we got each other [as wedding gifts]," he said, noting that Bry told him his dream watch wasn't an option.

The couple got married this April in the same spot where they got engaged.

Bry said she wanted their wedding guests to feel like they were in a "luxurious dream." They accomplished exactly that with a beach setting, white rose decor, a matching arch, a mirrored walkway, and more.

"We had this moment on the dance floor when we brought up both our families, which ended up exceeding the space, to take a picture," Christopher said. "Our cultures came together in that one moment."

The couple said their gifts to each other signify more than diamonds and luxury.

"Chris is always trying to give me the life that he thinks I deserve, and he treats me like a queen," Bry said. "My ring is a reminder of that."

Christopher added that his watch is more than a timepiece. It's a symbol of their love, their future, and the life they aim to create together.

"Bry always finds a way to recognize the partnership we've built," he said. "We have these personalized gifts, and they're just so meaningful to me. It's the effort to show up."

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LinkedIn is leveling up its pitch to creators.

The company said on Wednesday that it's introducing "Creator Marketplace," a new section within its ad platform to help advertisers identify creators relevant to their sectors and desired audiences.

Creators can opt in to share their contact information with brands and showcase their best posts. Advertisers can boost creator content featuring their brands through ads or connect with the creators directly to explore other partnerships, such as speaking at a conference.

LinkedIn is relatively late to the creator marketplace game. Rivals like YouTube, Meta, and TikTok have long offered similar services to help match brands with creators, and several third-party services work across various social apps. LinkedIn said its marketplace differs from these offerings because it highlights creators' credibility on specific, sometimes niche business-to-business topics, rather than spotlighting influencers with the biggest reach.

"Whereas on other platforms you might go to the marketplace to be like, 'What are the cheapest CPMs I can get if I push my messaging through people?' Here, what you're looking for are subject matter experts and practitioners in addition to capital 'C' creators that can speak credibly to their experience with your product," Sam Corrao Clanon, director of product at LinkedIn, told CMO Insider in an exclusive interview. ("CPM" is an advertising term that refers to the cost to buy 1,000 impressions.)

Patrick Zielinski, CEO of The Drive Agency, a talent management firm that focuses on expert creators, said that, unlike with Instagram or TikTok, there aren't many available tools that make it easy to search LinkedIn creators by expertise, audience, industry, and the performance of their content.

"A creator marketplace would give CMOs a more efficient way to identify credible voices, evaluate fit, and move from research to partnership much faster," said Zielinski, who previously helped lead LinkedIn's Top Voices program. Plus, he added, the LinkedIn marketplace could offer creators more opportunities beyond traditional brand partnerships and sponsored content, such as speaking engagements, advisory roles, and consulting projects.

LinkedIn has been steadily ramping up its courtship of creators.

Last year, it launched a slate of original video shows from business-focused creators, including "The Diary of a CEO" star Steven Bartlett and the fashion designer and "Real Housewives of New York" star Rebecca Minkoff.

It launched BrandLink, previously known as its Wire program, that lets brands place in-stream video ads in publisher and creator content, with those creators receiving a revenue share.

Leaked documents obtained by Business Insider show LinkedIn is planning a slate of new creator-monetization products, including subscriptions, an events program, and a system that lets users purchase "experiences" from influencers like advice sessions.

The LinkedIn-LLM equation

LinkedIn is also looking to pitch advertisers on its authority in the fast-growing AI answer engine space as brands step up efforts to boost visibility on platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.

Research released this week by the SEO company BrightEdge found that LinkedIn accounts for about one-third (33%) of the sources ChatGPT cites when answering users' "how-to" questions. Google's AI Overviews cite LinkedIn 22% of the time for these queries, BrightEdge said.

"Sophisticated B2B marketers are using LinkedIn as a secondary platform to their own websites," Davang Shah, LinkedIn VP of marketing, told CMO Insider.

He added that these advertisers are also recognizing that the majority of buyers of business products and services are now in the millennial and Gen Z age groups, and that these cohorts of customers are looking to trusted sources like creators when researching their decisions.

"The most valuable currency in the world right now is trust," Shah said.

• Former rivals who ran competing grocery delivery startups founded the math AI startup Corca.
• Nvidia invested in Corca's $7.8 million seed round through its NVentures venture capital arm.
• Corca builds a collaborative workspace for writing, solving, and sharing math equations.

Two founders who once competed in New York's cutthroat grocery-delivery wars are now building a startup together — this time focused on math software.

Oleg Shevlyagin and Anton Gladkoborodov, whose rival companies 1520 and Fridge No More both collapsed after failed acquisition deals, have raised $7.8 million for Corca, which aims to modernize how people work with math.

The New York-based startup has attracted major investors, including Nvidia's NVentures venture capital arm, NEA, Bloomberg Beta, and Daft Capital.

Corca, short for "collaborative research capability," builds a workspace where users can write equations, run calculations, get AI assistance, and collaborate in real time. In this vein, Corca calls itself "Cursor for math," likening itself to the AI coding startup.

Although they had been competitors, Gladkoborodov and Shevlyagin barely knew each other until after their respective businesses shut down. Living a few blocks apart in Brooklyn, they began meeting to discuss physics — a subject both had studied independently — and eventually became frustrated by how difficult it was to share mathematical equations digitally.

They explored launching another grocery-delivery company before pivoting to math software, and they cofounded Corca in 2023.

Shevlyagin says existing math tools like MATLAB and LaTeX are outdated and rely on complex formatting languages, so teams have to switch between products or share equations via handwritten notes.

"It's like one of those sleeping categories where nothing's going on for more than 30 years," he told Business Insider.

Corca, which has 12 employees, says it has attracted more than 10,000 users and plans to use the seed funding to develop its product and expand its engineering team. Its core product will remain free while it develops paid AI and computational features planned for later this year.

Corca sees engineers, researchers, and other technical professionals as its primary market, particularly in fields like AI and finance.

Gladkoborodov said Nvidia's interest likely stemmed from the startup's focus on the math that underpins those industries.

"We see ourselves as infrastructure for mathematical work," Gladkoborodov said. "Whether the application is AI research, engineering, robotics, finance, or scientific computing, people still need a way to create, compute, and collaborate around mathematical models."

I am obsessed with bourbon. After being assigned to cover the category, I dove in head first — traveling to Kentucky, touring distilleries large and small, tasting more than 100 bottles, and talking to every master distiller, whiskey judge, and bartender I could find.

After all of my testing, Weller Special Reserve remains my personal favorite bourbon. Once referred to as the "enlisted man's Pappy," it has earned massive cult status in the whiskey world. Weller Special Reserve and the legendary Pappy Van Winkle are both wheated bourbons that are distilled in the same stills and aged in the same warehouses.

If you're hunting for the perfect Father's Day gift for a spirits-loving dad — or a present for someone that's impossible to shop for — this affordable bourbon sips way above its price tag. It features perfectly balanced flavors and an approachable proof that appeals to both seasoned tasters and beginners alike.

Let's look at why Weller Special Reserve is the ultimate bottle to gift.

Blind taste testing Weller

To determine my absolute favorite bottle, I had my wife to administer a blind taste test featuring four highly regarded, 90-proof competitors.

• Russell's Reserve 10-Year: The top overall pick from our guide to the best bourbon.
• Eagle Rare: My favorite bourbon from my trip on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
• Weller Special Reserve: The legendary heated bourbon that famously shares its mash bill (recipe) with Pappy Van Winkle.
• Buffalo Trace: A single-barrel expression hand-selected by a local liquor store.

While all four contenders tasted excellent, Weller Special Reserve decisively came out on top. It hits you first with a beautifully sweet nose featuring distinct notes of rich caramel and cherry. On the palate, it offers a flawless balance of sweetness and gentle spice. I picked up layers of honey, butterscotch, and a hint of oak. The finish is pleasantly long, warm, and velvety smooth.

Ultimately, it was Weller's remarkable complexity and smooth balance that set it apart from the rest of the pack. If you want a standout gift that will genuinely impress a bourbon drinker, this is it.

Weller Special Reserve versus Pappy Van Winkle

Pappy Van Winkle is one of the most legendary, sought-after bourbons on the planet. Because of its mythic status, a single bottle regularly commands over 10 times its retail price on secondary markets. While I strongly recommend trying a pour of Pappy and picking up a bottle if you find it at a decent price, it's nearly impossible to find. 

That's where Weller Special Reserve comes in.

It's crafted by the same distillery, Buffalo Trace, using the same wheated bourbon recipe (or "mashbill") as its multi-thousand-dollar sibling.

During my travels, Freddie Johnson — a popular Buffalo Trace tour guide featured prominently in "Neat: The Story of Bourbon" — confirmed that both bourbons start out exactly the same way.

While Pappy bourbons are aged for a minimum of 10 years, Buffalo Trace keeps the exact age statement of Weller Special Reserve a secret. Renowned whiskey critic Fred Minnick, author of "Bourbon Curious," notes that because Weller is bottled younger, it hasn't had the decades in wood required to develop Pappy's hyper-intense oak complexity.

However, because they share the same DNA, Weller offers that signature, velvety-smooth wheated profile at a fraction of the price. If you want to give someone a bottle with genuine insider clout (without paying a secondary-market ransom) this is your best move.

Where to buy Weller Special Reserve

Buffalo Trace Distillery is having a moment right now. Most of its bourbons are "allocated," meaning bars and stores can only get a limited number of bottles. Consequently, they sell out quickly at retail and garner high prices on the secondary market.

Weller Special Reserve retails for $25, but I've never seen it for sale at that price in Michigan, where I live. Instead, I had a friend pick it up when he was in Ohio, where you can track availability. He got it for the MSRP, but had to ask employees to find it. As is common with rare Buffalo Trace offerings, it was kept behind the counter or in the back of the store.

If your local liquor store doesn't carry Weller, you might be able to get it delivered to your area using an online retailer. However, expect to pay more than retail.

The best Weller bourbons

There are seven Weller bourbons:

• Special Reserve
• 12 Year
• Full Proof
• C.Y.P.B.
• Antique 107
• Single Barrel 
• William Larue Weller

The bourbons vary based on proof and how long they were aged. Visit the Buffalo Trace website to learn about the specific differences.

Special Reserve is the easiest Weller to find. Some of the expressions may cost you more than $1,000 on the secondary market. The only other Weller I've tried is the 12 Year. I found it tasted great, but I'll take the Special Reserve for my money. I look forward to trying other Wellers down the road. I just need to figure out where to find them at a reasonable price.

The bottom line

If you find any Weller in a liquor store at retail, I highly recommend giving it a try. Weller Special Reserve punches well above its price tag and is comparable to high-end options like Old Rip Van Winkle 10-Year. After tasting more than 100 bourbons, it's my personal top pick.

• In 2021, my husband and I secured a low mortgage rate when we moved to Kentucky to be near our dads.
• Five years later, we feel stuck in a humdrum house we don't love because of its affordability.
• We realize we're fortunate to have a home, but we can't help wanting more from the place we live.

On May 3, 2025, I clutched my husband's hand as my father-in-law took his last breath. After receiving the warning call, it took me an hour to drive to the hospital to be at my husband's side.

However, if this scene had played out even four years earlier, neither of us would have been there in time. We would have been more than 500 miles away in North Carolina, where my husband and I had moved in 2015.

Within a few years of our move, both of our mothers passed away, and by the time the pandemic swept the US in 2020, we realized we needed to live closer to our dads.

In 2021, as 30-year fixed mortgage rates hit record lows and home prices soared, we sold our North Carolina house for a nice profit and bought a place in Kentucky closer to family, locking in a 3.125% rate.

It was meant to be temporary, and it wasn't our dream home — it was what I called our "get-us-there" house.

Pickings were slim where we wanted to relocate, and this home was the first we found that met our minimum requirements. In a rush to move before we had to hand over the keys to the North Carolina house, we bought the Kentucky home without even seeing it in person.

Now, nearly five years after arriving, we're stuck.

We yearn for a bigger lot, more square footage, and other amenities, but it's hard to justify moving when this house still meets our basic needs.

It doesn't make financial sense to find another home in the area when average mortgage rates have been stuck around (at least) double ours for the past few years.

Our house is impractical for certain tasks, and we often wish for more space

Our 1,500-square-foot house stands in a subdivision on the outskirts of Kentucky's fourth-largest city. We have attic space over the garage, which we mainly use for storing Christmas decorations, but there's no basement.

The neighbors' homes are close enough that we can hear outdoor conversations through our walls, and the view from our backyard includes a few trees flanked by other houses and the neighborhood power grid in the distance. Our former residences offered more privacy with a mini-forest view.

Besides the primary bedroom, we have two small bedrooms that we use as offices, and mine doubles as a guest room with a trundle bed.

I often dream of having a fourth bedroom to keep the bed in so we could better accommodate visitors (and maybe even upgrade them to a queen). This shift would also give me room for bookshelves in my office to organize my burgeoning collection of thrift-store reads that are currently scattered throughout the house.

In my husband's office, remnants from my father-in-law's home have commandeered the space, so extra storage would allow him to see the floor again.

Our SUV, pickup truck, and my motorcycle fill our two-car garage, leaving little room for anything else. The outdoor shed, which we added after moving, only fits lawn-mowing and leaf-blowing equipment and my husband's motorcycle.

He longs for an extra garage or shed with an open workspace for projects. Me? I'd like the space to build a waist-high dog-washing station to give my back and knees a rest from kneeling over the bathtub.

It's difficult to invest in upgrades when we never pictured staying here

Aside from repainting the orange accent walls in the living areas and freshening the bedroom colors in the beginning, we've refrained from renovations because we thought our stay would be temporary.

Now the worn and dingy bedroom carpets, the gaps growing in the vinyl flooring, and the gray-blue walls that darken the house stalk my thoughts.

Earlier this year, I considered installing new flooring to boost my mood about the situation. However, I lost an anchor client from my freelance writing business in the first quarter, so I was hesitant to tap into savings that we might need for bills.

I'm hoping my client work will pick up and restore my confidence to move forward with at least some improvements in this house. As someone who works from home, I spend a lot of time here.

No renovation will change the proximity to our neighbors, though. We're still almost living on top of each other.

I'm grateful our home is affordable, but I don't want us to be stuck here forever

By listing (and lamenting about) the things I hate about my house, I've uncovered the benefits of living in it. For one, it's affordable.

Kentucky ranks among the top five states with the least-expensive monthly median mortgage payment. Our payment is well below the commonwealth's $1,453 average.

Also, Kentucky is one of the top 10 states with the lowest residential electricity rate. I can attest that our highest bill was just $150 in the heat of August last year.

When my freelance writer income fluctuates — my husband has a full-time job — we're not burdened by a mortgage we can't afford or rapidly rising utility costs we can't manage.

From a macro perspective, which includes a nationwide housing shortage and record-high homelessness in the US, I feel ridiculously privileged whining about my house.

Here I am pining for a place to put my books and more grass for my husband to mow when other people don't have a home or are house-poor, meaning they can afford their house and not much else.

Although it's nice to be closer to family and friends, we still have the urge to live in and explore new cities. I'm still hopeful our "get-us-there" house won't become our forever home, but something must change before we get serious about moving.

Perhaps we can pay off this house and not worry much about the mortgage rate on the next one. Although it feels unlikely, interest rates nearing historic lows again would also help.

Until then, I'll keep making the 40-minute drive to my dad's house for visits and doctors' appointments and be grateful it's not a nine-hour trip.

• LinkedIn is preparing to roll out new creator monetization tools, according to internal documents.
• The company plans to introduce paid subscriptions, a creator fund, and a brand matchmaking tool.
• LinkedIn has shifted from a pure business-networking app to a social feed with 1.3 billion users.

LinkedIn wants to keep its top creators happy (and posting) —  so it's cooking up new ways to help them make money.

The company is planning a slate of new monetization products for influencers heading into its fiscal year 2027, according to internal strategy documents viewed by Business Insider.

It plans to roll out a dealmaking marketplace to connect creators with brands for sponsored posts. It's also working on a new system that lets users make one-time purchases to buy "experiences" from creators, like a paid advice session.

Heading into its fiscal year 2027 — which starts in July 2026 and ends in June 2027 — LinkedIn aims to launch a subscription feature that lets creators charge for access to newsletters, podcasts, and paywalled communities. The company is also considering launching a creator fund to reward strong performers, according to the internal planning materials. LinkedIn previously set up a $25 million fund as part of a six-week accelerator program.

The need for more robust creator monetization comes as LinkedIn has morphed from a business networking app into a social hub brimming with TikTok-style videos and CEO broetry. It now relies on creator content to drive engagement and keep its roughly 1.3 billion users scrolling. Helping creators make money and finding ways for LinkedIn to take a cut are growing priorities.

LinkedIn currently offers some money-making tools to a subset of creators. The company shares advertising revenue with over 100 creators and publishers on video ads via its BrandLink program, for example. It's testing a program that lets brands pay creators to amplify their posts through a "Thought Leader ads" initiative. It also pays educational creators who post training materials on its LinkedIn Learning program.

LinkedIn's creator monetization efforts are small compared to competitors like YouTube, which said in September that it had paid out over $100 billion to creators and publishers in the previous four years. To make a living, many full-time influencers focus on Instagram for brand deals and TikTok and YouTube for their ad-revenue sharing programs.

"LinkedIn is investing heavily in creators and creator marketing, and I think it is very early stages," said Gigi Robinson, a creator with around 35,000 LinkedIn followers who serves in its partner program and has done paid partnerships with the company. "I think it's going to take some time for creators of all kinds to start seeing money come from the platform."

Events are another area of focus for LinkedIn going forward. The company already hosts some events, generating $18.9 million between the second half of fiscal year 2025 and the first half of fiscal 2026, Business Insider previously reported. The company initially plans to launch around 50 exclusive events with top creators and test ticketed events with those creators at the start of its fiscal 2027. Ultimately, the company wants to expand the business line to over 1,000 creators, according to the internal documents.

"The investment is there, and they believe heavily in the creator economy," Robinson said.

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When Arianna Orpello became CMO of Geico in January, she inherited one of the most recognizable brand assets in America.

Now, Geico's gecko is getting the AI treatment.

Orpello shared exclusively with CMO Insider that an AI-generated version of the gecko is sitting down for a "live" interview on the "Fudd Around and Find Out" podcast, hosted by Azzi Fudd, the UConn women's basketball star who became Geico's first female athlete partner earlier this year. The podcast is scheduled to drop this Thursday.

I say "live" in quotation marks because, while the interview happened in real time, Geico still retained final review of the recording.

"He's amazing IP for our company. He's been around for 30 years. He's got as much awareness as Mickey Mouse. We have a lot of reverence for that," Orpello told me. "We're obviously not going to mess that up."

While there are guardrails, the AI podcast experiment offers a glimpse into how Orpello intends to modernize Geico's marketing strategy beyond its traditional TV ads. After spending years focused on restoring profitability, the insurer is once again prioritizing growth and new ways to reach consumers. The initiative also comes at a time when marketers are testing the limits of consumer acceptance of AI-generated content.

Geico's competitors in the insurance space tend to have human spokespeople — like Jake from State Farm, Flo at Progressive, or Mayhem for Allstate. AI-generated people often give consumers the ick, making the gecko a more natural candidate for experimentation.

Orpello said the AI gecko will appear in more places soon. You may see him on billboards inside sports stadiums, reacting in real time to the on-field action. When you pause a show like "Bridgerton" on Netflix, he might pop up in an ad that replicates the set.

Geico will be measuring whether the gecko's appearance on the Fudd podcast helps nudge up "non-customer consideration" for the brand, Orpello said, a measure of whether people who don't currently use Geico become more likely to consider the insurer.

Vanessa Chin, SVP of marketing at ad-testing platform System1, said Geico's decades-long investment in the gecko has paid off. The character appears in most of the 700-plus Geico ads in System1's database and frequently earns a 4-star rating out of 5, a score associated with strong brand-building potential.

Chin said the gecko can evolve into new formats, much as Disney has repeatedly reinvented its characters across animation, live-action, and CGI. The key, she said, is preserving the traits that make the character recognizable, whether through a signature look, a knowing glance, or the wordplay that has long defined the gecko's personality.

"His appearances should feel like a natural fit to the environment, and his mannerisms, attitude, and message should maintain consistency to further build upon his playful and helpful reputation," Chin said.

Applying the AI guardrails

Geico worked with the visual effects company Framestore to build its "real-time gecko AI platform," which was trained on data and ads from the mascot's almost 30-year history. It uses multiple models, including Google Gemini's Embedding 2 model.

Orpello said one of the built-in safeguards is following SAG-AFTRA's AI framework for the gecko's voice, which is provided by the British actor Jake Wood. Fun fact: The gecko mascot was created when the Screen Actors Guild strike of 1999 barred advertisers from using human actors.

There are some other limitations, too. There are plenty of cautionary tales in marketing history of pranksters hijacking user-generated campaigns, from #McDStories to Microsoft's Tay chatbot.

"We're not comfortable fully letting it loose yet," Orpello said.

• Kathy Mullen left her job to care for her mom with Alzheimer's, impacting her health and finances.
• Mullen experienced financial strain and health issues from caregiving for her mom in North Texas.
• Kathy, now in a 55+ community, struggles with monthly expenses and hopes for Medicaid support.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kathy Mullen, 64, who quit her job at Nike to care for her mother. Mullen, who lives in Texas, said that the caregiving work hurt her financially and was physically taxing, as she is now on disability. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I gave up a wonderful career in a Fortune 500 company, good pay, great benefits, living a dream life, to move back to Texas to be my mom's full-time caregiver for the last six years of her life. She suffered from Alzheimer's. It destroyed me financially and physically. I would do it all again, but I would sure do it with my eyes open a lot bigger than they were.

I worked as a youth minister for the Catholic church for many years, settling in Portland, Oregon. I decided to get out of that line of work, and the biggest company around me was Nike, where I found a job. It was 10 minutes from my house. I was there for nearly a decade.

During that time, my dad's physical health was failing, so I would fly in frequently to help him. He was mentally with it until the day he died in 2009.

I tried to bring my mother up to Oregon, but she was starting to forget her words. She was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in 2007, and I knew it was going to get worse. It got to the point where she couldn't remember where she had parked her car. I'm the oldest, and the only girl, and it was expected of me to take care of the family, so I moved to North Texas in March 2010 to be with my mom. The deal was that if I moved down, I could have the house.

My Mom couldn't afford long-term care

I was my mom's long-term care. I sold all of my belongings to come care for her. I had looked for some nicer facilities for older seniors who needed help, and I found one near our house. As soon as we got into the parking lot, my mom started screaming like I've never heard anybody scream. She begged me not to put her in.

I left and took six months for myself. When I returned, I tried to work at least part-time, but as my mom's condition worsened, I realized that I just had to go all in. I had money in a Nike retirement account that I transferred to an Edward Jones account. I thought that between that and my mom's Social Security, we could be fine. But you go through that really fast with doctors' visits and other things that come up.

I knew that her lifespan was shortened, but I wanted her to have some joy in her life, so I took her to California to see her best friend. Still, money was going fast. My parents had never heard of saving for long-term care. I looked into getting a policy, but I couldn't afford it every month.

I did get some support, but it was hard

The Alzheimer's Association helped me get eight hours a week off by bringing in a caregiver, and I did find an Alzheimer's day care center, which she loved. It was every Friday, when I was supposed to do what I wanted, but my health started to fail, and Fridays became the days I had doctor's appointments and errands.

I knew she was my parent, but she felt like a child needing my full and undivided attention. She would get up and wander around at night. I had locks on the doors, but I was worried she would fall, hit something, or step on glass. On my last birthday together, we started singing Happy Birthday, and she didn't know my name.

I had a great medical team who cared for her until she died in February 2016. I took two months off about two weeks after she died. I didn't really have close friends from before I moved away because they had gone on with their lives. But I remember sitting on the beach once, asking myself where do I want to take my life now? I hadn't worked for years, and I was not really marketable.

It turns out I didn't get the house to myself, and I had to split it with my older brother. I had to pack up the whole house by myself, and in 2018, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Doctors don't think I developed it because of helping my mom, but they thought the stress of taking care of her and dealing with a younger brother with a drug addiction made it worse.

My health deteriorated too

I did go back to work. It was in accounting, but I hated it. I was still mourning the person I became. Caring for my mother was my purpose, and I found myself at a different stage of life with no direction.

I started getting sick a lot more, which interfered with my work. I applied for disability because I wasn't confident I could fulfill a commitment to a job.

Five years ago, I decided to move into a 55-and-older apartment complex, where I get a discount because I make so little money on my Social Security Disability. I earn about $25,000 annually. It is a blessing to have a two-bedroom apartment. Still, I went without medical insurance for six years because I couldn't afford it. Now, I struggle every month to pay my bills and eat. Sometimes I feel like our government doesn't care about seniors, and they make it easier to die than to live.

I won't be able to afford long-term care, but I have some hope.

I have no spouse, no kids to check on me, and I can't afford long-term care. I can barely afford to eat right and keep up with the cost of medications and doctor co-pays, and everything else that keeps going higher and higher in cost. I have gone through half of the two annuities I invested in. There's a possibility I can get on Medicaid or downsize my home to a cheaper one-bedroom.

I want to go out and have drinks with friends. I want to travel like I used to. But it doesn't end. Now, I'm taking care of an old dear friend of mine who is 92 and is in his last days. I'm the type of person to take care of everybody else except myself. I still volunteer at my church on good days. I handle US bookings for a world-renowned Irish tenor to give them more purpose, and I don't get paid for it.

It was a rough winter for my health, and I'm not sure if I'll ever improve. I know money will always be tight because my retirement savings won't cut it. I do refuse to say that I'm old, though, and I make the best out of what I have. I'm hopeful I can turn some things around.

• AI leaderboards ranking employees by token use became more popular.
• Replit's AI chief called the practice "very dystopian" and a poor performance metric.
• Tech firms like Amazon and Uber are questioning the ROI of AI spending.

Employees competing to consume the most AI tokens may have been Silicon Valley's latest workplace flex. Now, some executives are pushing back.

Speaking at Web Summit Rio this week, Michele Catasta, Replit's president and head of AI, criticized the recent trend of companies using leaderboards to rank employees based on how many AI tokens they use at work.

He said some firms have built internal dashboards where "people are basically competing to be at the top of the ranking and showing everyone that they're burning more tokens than anyone else."

"That is very dystopian," he said.

The 'tokenmaxxing' backlash

The comments come as a growing number of executives question whether maximizing AI usage is the right way to measure adoption.

Last month, Amazon said it scrapped its internal AI-use leaderboard, with a spokesperson saying it "was never intended to promote the use of AI for usage's sake."

Around the same time, Uber COO Andrew Macdonald said he was not seeing proportional productivity gains from increasing AI costs.

Charles Holive, chief AI officer at BNP Paribas CIB, similarly dismissed "tokenmaxxing" as a "vanity metric."

Catasta said that token consumption is a poor measure of employee performance.

Token usage is "not proportional to the amount of impact that those people are having within the company," he said.

While Catasta said he was "very happy" about what he described as a recent "narrative flip" on "tokenmaxxing," he said that the practice can encourage wasteful behavior.

"It's also irresponsible," he said, comparing excessive AI use to leaving the lights on at home and not caring about the electricity bill.

"Using AI excessively comes with a certain level of impact: more energy is being used, there's less capacity for other use cases that other companies want to build on top of," he added.

• I started strength training in 2019 and was instantly hooked.
• However, a micronutrient test revealed I wasn't eating enough to keep up with my activity level.
• I adjusted my diet and noticed positive improvements.

The moment I picked up a barbell in 2019, it was love at first squat. In a matter of weeks, I had become a quintessential gym rat. I bought my own extra-padded barbell pads and creatine, and signed up for my very first strength-training program.

In short, I was locked in and ready to "get jacked." But in reality, it would take me years to see improvements in muscle tone because I didn't realize that my nutrition was my biggest blind spot, even though I believed the opposite.

When my hair started falling out, I knew something was wrong

I didn't eat ultra-processed foods. I ate fruits, vegetables, and healthy carbs, and made sure to have a protein shake after every workout. For years, I thought my lack of progress in the gym came down to a lack of effort. I was sure that it must be something besides my nutrition that was the problem, but by February 2022, I could no longer ignore that my hair had started to fall out.

If I had my hair in a ponytail, I started noticing that my hair had clearly thinned out, and every time I washed my hair, the drain would clog up. I had other symptoms too, like fatigue and feeling cold all the time. I knew something was wrong, and decided to take a micronutrient blood test. I ordered a test online and went into my local hospital to have my vitamin D, E, B12, magnesium, iron, copper, and selenium levels checked.

And the results? Not great. I had deficiencies in vitamin D, zinc, and copper — all micronutrients that explained my hair loss and fatigue. The doctor explained over the phone that it was most likely caused by my diet, and I needed to make changes if I didn't want my deficiencies to get worse and lead to more serious health concerns.

I had been unintentionally under-eating

From the beginning of my strength training journey, I never gave a second thought to the amount of calories I was consuming. I thought it was something people only did to lose weight, and because that wasn't my goal, I didn't need to worry about it.

After getting my blood test results, I began tracking my calories on FitBit. I wanted to understand where I was going wrong with my diet. On average, I learned that I was eating between 1200 and 1400 calories per day, barely enough for someone of my height and weight who was sedentary, let alone someone lifting four times a week. According to online macro calculators, my body burns roughly 1,457 calories a day just at rest, before any exercise. Factor in my workouts, and I need around 2,000 calories a day to maintain my weight. I wasn't eating nearly enough to build muscle or fuel my workouts, which led to nutritional deficiencies.

Using guidance from MacroFactor (which has a dynamic nutrition plan that adjusts diet recommendations to fit your metabolism), I started eating at least 2,000 calories per day and 120 grams of protein, which aligns with the recommended 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight to maximize hypertrophy. And over the course of the next year, I began to notice changes. My hair was falling out less in the shower, I no longer felt cold all the time, and I gained more lean muscle mass.

I'm eating and training for longevity

Aesthetics is a lovely by-product of strength training, but it's never been my primary goal. Going to raves at 60, climbing Kilimanjaro at 70, and staying physically active for as long as possible is what motivates me to wake up for the gym at 6 am.

To keep up with my future self, I need muscle mass. After 30, women lose as much as 8% per decade, a process that accelerates between 65 and 80 years old. Now, that might not seem like a lot, but if I already lack muscle, the gradual loss will begin to interfere with daily activities like walking, standing up, or carrying groceries.

That's not a life I want to live. I want a body strong enough to carry me through the many, many decades of life I hopefully have on this planet. To get there, I need to invest in my health, starting with the amount of food on my plate.

• Bari Weiss was a controversial figure before she took over CBS News last year.
• Now she's become a very well known figure — especially after remaking "60 Minutes" by firing many of its top employees.
• CNN's Brian Stelter is sympathetic to Weiss' impulse to remake CBS News. But he thinks she's going about it the wrong way.

Over the last few weeks, CBS News boss Bari Weiss has fired many of the top correspondents and producers at her network's famed "60 Minutes." One of them subsequently accused her of tilting her coverage to please the Trump administration — which isn't the first time a "60 Minutes" employee has said that.

Weiss, and her stewardship of CBS News, has been a huge story for media reporters since she took the job last fall. But Weiss' recent decisions — including hiring Nick Bilton, a former New York Times journalist who has never worked in TV news — have kicked the narrative into overdrive. Some observers are wondering if Paramount owner David Ellison, who installed Weiss at CBS after buying her Free Press startup last fall, may have second thoughts.

Meanwhile, Ellison's Paramount is in the final stages of acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, which means it would be buying CNN. And all of that is a particularly compelling story for CNN's Brian Stelter, who is both covering Paramount and may work for the company later this year.

I asked Stelter to assess Weiss' tenure at CBS, and why the story seems to mean something to people who never watch the network or its news programming. You can hear our entire conversation on my Channels podcast. The following is an edited excerpt of our chat:

Peter Kafka: Bari Weiss and Scott Pelley and "60 Minutes" and CBS News and David Ellison is a huge media industry story. Is it a story normal people care about?

Brian Stelter: It is. It is the rare media story that has broken containment. I see it in the most-read list on CNN.com. I see it in the engagement on Instagram. I also see it in my inbox, hearing from readers who I almost never hear from.

I think it's because "60 Minutes" is bigger than a single hour on television. It's an American institution. And what we've been covering in Trump 2.0 are American institutions under pressure.

It's also broken through because it's a boss versus employee or an employee versus boss story. A lot of people have fantasies about speaking up and speaking truth to power to the boss. And on one level, that's what Pelley did.

I think the broader reason this is breaking through is because there is anxiety about where news is coming from. Is news trustworthy? Are newsrooms under pressure? What's going on inside a place like CBS News?

"60 Minutes" is done making new shows until the fall. Will it be an entirely reimagined "60 Minutes" then, or will it look like "60 Minutes" was this year?

I think it will look mostly like "60 Minutes" this year. Bilton said to me when he was first hired, "The core of '60 Minutes' will remain '60.'" He said, "The Sunday show will not change."

Of course it will have to, to some degree, because he needs to hire correspondents. And Bari Weiss is excited about that part.

She wants to bring in new talent, new outside voices and energy. I think she probably wants to use some resources from The Free Press. But for the most part, it's still going to be three mini-documentaries every Sunday.

The real concern is about whether the show's going to go soft in some way. But Weiss has said to her friends she wants the show to go hard. She wants hard-hitting investigations, and Bilton has said he is green-lighting stories about the Trump administration.

Last week, Scott Pelley sat down with The New York Times for a pretty extraordinary interview. You don't normally see people do that after they've been publicly fired. What are your takeaways?

There are moments where he sounds self-indulgent. There were moments that I found hard to believe. [Like when] Pelley says he had never heard of Bari Weiss until she was hired.

That's impossible to believe. The fact that Bari Weiss was going to take over CBS News had been reported for a long time. Even if that's not the kind of thing you would normally pay attention to, you'd want to know about your new boss.

It also didn't make sense to me that he claimed he didn't think he was going to be fired after speaking up to the boss. Everyone was on firing watch, expecting him to be fired at any moment.

But overall, he made a really important point directly to Paramount. He said what many of his colleagues still at CBS feel. He said to the leadership, "This can be fixed." He said, "Bari Weiss is a lovely person who has been put in the wrong job. You can still land this plane."

Pelley also said he has evidence of Bari Weiss interfering with the news in a way that is politically motivated. That's the second time someone from "60 Minutes" has said that out loud.

In both cases, I think a fair-minded observer could say, "That sounds bad, but also I'm not 100% sure that what he says is political bias is necessarily political bias."

In Pelley's case, they did a story about federal agents killing Renée Good, and his interpretation is that Bari Weiss wanted that piece balanced in a way that benefited the Trump administration.

But I can imagine some nuance: "Look, are we covering all the angles? Are we dotting all the i's? And what we say in an email is not what we put out as a report."

You're hitting on this tug-of-war between one side saying it's political interference and the other side saying, "No, this is just how newsrooms work. We're just having editorial discussions. And there should be a push and pull." I understand why it was concerning to him. But I don't know if it adds up to a real thumb on the scale the way he says.

[I've asked Weiss for comment. A CBS News rep says Weiss' proposed changes "had no political motivation and were proposed solely to make the piece as strong, fair, and accurate as possible."]

There's now this idea that the "60 Minutes" controversy might be too much for Ellison to bear — either because it's embarrassing, or maybe it's a problem with regulators. But he's presumably going to own Paramount for decades, and if he wants to, he can have a very long view and not worry about what people like you and I are saying in the spring of 2026. Do you think there's any reason he says, "Actually, the Bari Weiss experiment is a failure or needs to be changed in some meaningful way?"

I don't know. I urge everybody to go back and reread his memo from October when he hired Bari Weiss and bought The Free Press.

He talked about how polarized the country is, how destabilized our politics feel, how the extremes are winning out, and how companies like Paramount have a responsibility to help people know what is real in the world.

He said a lot of really powerful things in that memo about restoring trust. Has Weiss restored trust in media? That's the fair question to ask nine months later.

In Pelley's interview, he notes that "60 Minutes" is still doing well. But Paramount is saying that "60 Minutes" needs to be blown up — that it's a melting ice cube, in Nick Bilton's language, and it needs to move to the future.

A successful broadcast television show that attracts millions of viewers is not nothing. Do you think it should be blown up? Or eased into something else?

I find it to be a very persuasive, compelling argument that "60 Minutes" — and I acknowledge this is mostly the Weiss camp saying this on background — that "60 Minutes" is really powerful, but it's out of date. It's archaic. It's too insular.

Weiss is clearly determined to make her mark at "60 Minutes" and not allow the historic insularity of "60 Minutes" to continue.

There are some really strong arguments for why you should evolve now — from a position of strength while the show is still highly rated — rather than wait for the ratings to erode. The line that Bilton and Weiss used internally was, "If you don't disrupt yourself, you will get disrupted."

I think the history of media shows that is true. But it always comes down to, not whether to do it, but how you do it. How do you execute on the plan? Isn't this the story we cover over and over again? People doing the right things, maybe in the wrong ways.

But doesn't this look like what David Ellison wanted when he brought in Bari Weiss — who has zero television experience and is an ideologue — and said, "I want you to run this news organization, including '60 Minutes,' and I want you to blow it up?"

There's a lot of truth in what you're saying. I have perceived from people close to Weiss that she looked around CBS News and was shocked by just how obsolete some of the operations were back when she arrived.

She looked around, and she said, "This place has been losing, so I'm not gonna be tethered to what you were doing for 10 or 20 years. It wasn't working."

And she had a lot of latitude, and does today, thanks to Ellison. But Ellison also said in his announcement the day that she was hired that "We're going to make CBS News the most trusted name in news."

We believe the majority of the country longs for news that is balanced and fact-based, and we want CBS to be their home." The issue now is a lot of these actions, a lot of these controversies, they have eroded trust. They have not built trust back.

[Ellison, in a Sunday telephone call to "60" correspondent Lesley Stahl, said he would respect the editorial independence of the program, Stahl told the Times on Tuesday.]

You're at CNN, reporting on the company that is likely to own CNN later this year. What's the vibe in the room?

Yeah. I'm covering the Paramount saga from inside the company that Paramount is trying to acquire.

I am very happy to say I have full autonomy to do so. No one is influencing my reporting. No one's reviewing what I'm saying on TV. I'm really blessed to have that autonomy.

So let's play this merger out for a moment. Let's say that Paramount does win all the necessary approvals, and CNN and CBS are owned by the same company. There are a lot of great opportunities. I see a lot of potential. It makes a lot of sense, as both a viewer as well as an employee of CNN.

But nobody knows how it's going to work. A lot of the news coverage this week has revolved around what that might look like. There were reports Tuesday morning about Paramount trying to bring in a business-side partner for Bari Weiss.

I think there are some reasons to be skeptical of those stories. But it just shows the amount of uncertainty that exists right now about what that post-merger landscape looks like.

• Use of PowerPoint has dropped sharply at McKinsey in the AI age, a top executive told Business Insider.
• One employee told us how he built an AI-assisted website to manage a consulting project.
• The site acts as a central project hub, replacing the need for a multi-slide PowerPoint.

Working on consulting projects has long involved creating slides — lots and lots of slides.

At McKinsey, AI has allowed consultants to pare back their reliance on PowerPoint.

Kate Smaje, McKinsey's Global Leader for technology and AI, told Business Insider that she's seen usage of PowerPoint drop massively within a couple of months as employees have begun vibe-coding with AI tools — both in the number of presentations they're creating and time spent using the program.

Beyond client presentations, consultants often use PowerPoint as a project-management tool: a working deck that serves as a running compendium of recent research and next steps, and is sent to clients at each week's close.

One McKinsey consultant has created a new approach: an AI-assisted website that acts as a central project hub for clients and the McKinsey team.

Louis-Charles Généreux, an engagement manager at McKinsey, built the website, which he calls the "client visualization hub," for his current project with a North American cable company.

The project involves about 70 people who need to stay informed in real time. Previously, Généreux would have managed that through the slide deck approach. But it wasn't without its problems, he said.

Once a deck was sent out, version control issues began. As updates were added and shared in email threads, multiple versions might circulate, leaving people working from different versions of the deck with varying understandings of the work.

Nor was scrolling through hundreds of PowerPoint slides the most cohesive way to find information.

"The traditional issue that I faced a lot, especially as an earlier engagement manager, was me being in a meeting and referring to it, and others having missed that," said Généreux.

The AI website fixes that by making the latest work more searchable, structured, and available in one place.

It has saved the team time and reduced the disconnect between engineering teams, product owners, and senior executives, said Généreux. "Everyone, irrespective of their knowledge or skills, sees the exact same thing."

Creating the website

To create the website, Généreux used Platform McKinsey, the consulting firm's internal self-service store for approved products. He found a deployment product that could host the site securely and keep it live.

The team had a repository of "dozens and dozens" of HTML files, including analysis, visuals, tables, and text that they used AI to help package into interactive web pages for the site.

It was then launched through a firm-approved system using McKinsey credentials on Cloudflare, which allowed access to be limited to those involved in the project.

AI also helps keep the website up to date. As the project evolves, the site is updated in real time, and at the end of the week, the system generates a podcast-style summary and a memo for people to consume.

PowerPoint has not disappeared, said Généreux, but it is now more of a final output — for a presentation, email, or memo — rather than the place consultants sign in for the day to work.

The real work, he said, is increasingly happening in AI tools — where consultants perform analysis, get challenged on their thinking, and then turn the work into whatever format is needed.

AI is the 'lifeblood' of consulting work

The consulting industry is at the center of the AI shift sweeping through workplaces. Leading firms like McKinsey, BCG, Deloitte, and IBM are advising companies on how to adopt AI while using the technology to overhaul their own work.

The shift is creating questions around consulting pricing models, talent, training, and where value is created — particularly as agents take on knowledge work once handled by humans.

Earlier this year, McKinsey's CEO Bob Sternfels said the firm's headcount comprises 40,000 humans and 25,000 AI agents. Five months later, Smaje told Business Insider that the number of agents is already "many multiples of that," and AI is becoming part of the "lifeblood" of how McKinsey works.

The shift isn't entirely new, she said, explaining that consultants' value has been more than simply producing research for a long time, and the profession has been changing since before the AI wave hit. Their value lies in judgment, pattern recognition, conceptual problem-solving, and helping clients act on their answers, she said.

What AI is now doing, Smaje continued, is shining a light on where and how value is really created for clients, and speeding up the whole process.

At McKinsey, AI has accelerated the early problem-solving cycle, turning what used to be a team's "week one answer" — the first hypothesis after a week of research and analysis — into an "hour one answer."

That frees up consultants to spend more time testing deeper parts of the issue tree rather than waiting days to get oriented, Smaje said.

In practice, Généreux said his team was using the added time by holding "dojo sessions or hackathons" a few times a week to explore ideas that back in the day would have been remote hypotheses.

"We now have the time to do that and the tools to very quickly determine whether or not that's worth exploring," he said.

Companies have been offered what looks like a golden ticket: Pour money into AI, and your firm will bubble over with productivity. Costs will go down; workers will produce more. It sounds almost too good to be true.

Right now, it kind of is.

On the one hand, there are people like software engineer Iren Azra Zou. She says that Anthropic's Claude Code has helped her complete software engineering tasks in a day that used to take as long as a week. "It saves an insane amount of time," said Zou, who works at the trucking logistics startup Double Nickel.

The company and economy productivity boost is less clear-cut. More code doesn't necessarily mean better products or features — though it can mean much more spending — and AI productivity gains haven't transferred to areas beyond coding as neatly.

For those like Amazon data scientist Sarthak Gupta, AI is actually creating more work, at least in the short-term. He's working longer hours as part of what he calls an "automation phase."

"That upfront investment is real," said Gupta. He's building out pipelines, integrating AI tools, and onboarding existing workflows into those new systems. "The bigger unlock isn't the speed on any single task, it's that the same pipeline keeps paying off every month, every quarter, every time the work repeats," said Gupta.

Gupta and Zuo's experiences point to a brewing AI productivity disconnect: Some workers are completing tasks more quickly, but researchers say AI gains have yet to consistently translate into greater company productivity, revenue, or profits. And, facing pressure to show that their massive AI spending is worthwhile, companies are racing to prove that individual efficiency can scale.

A productivity surge

Leaders are eager to discuss AI and productivity. In an analysis for Business Insider, business intelligence platform AlphaSense compared how frequently the word "AI" (or a synonym) appeared in proximity to the word "productivity" in major companies' earnings calls. It found these words appeared together in 637 earnings calls in the second quarter, up about 25% from the same period a year ago.

Labor productivity, which measures worker efficiency across the economy, has boomed in recent years. Productivity growth in the US has risen above its pre-pandemic trend since 2020, and strengthened further after late 2022 — around the time ChatGPT was released.

But those gains aren't necessarily due to AI. Roughly 90% of firms actively using AI reported the technology had no impact on productivity over the prior three years, according to a February National Bureau of Economic Research working paper based on a survey of nearly 6,000 executives.

Researchers have pointed instead to other explanations for the recent productivity surge, such as remote work, elevated job switching in 2021 and 2022, and shifts in the workforce composition.

"So far the productivity impacts from AI appear to be small and haven't really moved the dial on aggregate productivity growth," Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's, told Business Insider.

A new Wharton paper by Jessica and Jonathan Wachter finds that tech companies are spending as if they expect such a productivity boom to materialize, but that if it doesn't, "the current buildout will be the largest misallocation of capital in history." They warn that some major tech companies could risk bankruptcy if they don't quickly increase productivity.

Alexander Sukharevsky, a senior partner at McKinsey, said a "gen AI paradox" persists at many companies because they haven't figured out how to scale AI across their operations.

It's common for workers to report individual productivity boosts — and for companies to see promising results in pilot projects — but much harder to turn those isolated gains into companywide improvements. Part of the challenge, Sukharevsky said, is getting employees to both adopt the technology and learn how to use it effectively.

At Uber, for instance, COO Andrew Macdonald said last month there wasn't a direct correlation between increased AI use and "useful consumer features."

His comments have kick-started a tokenmaxxing reckoning: Workers burning tokens, the units of text data processed by AI models and how they're priced, aren't necessarily bolstering company productivity, but are instead racking up sometimes massive bills. Enrique Dans, a professor of technology and innovation at the business-focused IE University in Spain, said that it's a perfect example of metrics gone wrong.

"When a metric turns into a goal, it stops being a good metric," Dans told Business Insider, adding: "It's not about measuring people's productivity according to how many tokens they burn; that's absurd. The metric should be, 'what have you achieved? What have you been able to accomplish?'"

While many workers are still figuring out how to use AI effectively, Michael Feroli, chief US economist at JPMorgan, said the skills needed to use large language models may require less training than previous technologies, raising the possibility that AI-driven productivity gains could materialize sooner than they have in past tech cycles.

"I think there's a case that it could be quicker," he said adding, "that we could be looking at years, not decades."

The uncomfortable AI middle

AI's biggest evangelists have predicted a utopia where productivity abounds, the GDP booms, Universal Basic Income keeps humans afloat, and — forget the four-day workweek — work as we know it will have slipped away.

"There will come a point when no job is needed — you can have a job if you want for personal satisfaction, but the AI will be able to do everything," Elon Musk predicted in 2023.

We're clearly not there yet, and perhaps never will be. Instead, we're stuck in the uncomfortable AI middle. GDP is holding strong (but not going bonkers), labor force participation among prime-age workers is chugging along, and this article was written by human beings.

That's not to say AI isn't having an impact on the labor market. Companies have increasingly cited AI during layoffs or in hiring slowdowns. Some have said cuts are to fund their AI investments, or that they are in anticipation of productivity gains that haven't fully materialized.

"The AI productivity lift is going to happen over time, and slowly," said Zandi. He doesn't think we'll see a big boost from AI in economic data until at least the late 2020s, or early 2030s. "I don't think we're going to see mass layoffs or unemployment. We will see a lot of job loss in certain industries, but job gains in others. The net should be a labor market that hangs together reasonably well."

Companies are also making headcount decisions for reasons that have little to do with AI, such as overhiring during the pandemic and economic uncertainty related to inflation, tariffs, and the war in Iran.

Software engineering roles could be an early signal of how those dynamics could play out in other white-collar roles, especially because so many coding tasks can be offloaded to AI tools. So why, despite tech companies laying off employees left and right, aren't we seeing a massive decline lately in software engineer job postings?

One theory is that AI means companies are producing far more code than ever, and that this output still needs to be managed and fixed by software engineers.

"Someone has to understand what the thing is that got built, has to maintain it, has to fix security issues that come up, upgrade the systems beneath it, and so on," said Aaron Levie, the CEO of cloud storage company Box, in a June X post. "That's all jobs."

Similarly, David Sacks, the Silicon Valley investor, said that coding has been "AI's breakout use case," citing increased activity on the developer platform GitHub.

"The fact that it's increased demand for software engineers — rather than decreased it — should call into question the entire 'AI will cause mass job loss' narrative," he wrote on X.

AI's spreadsheet moment

Companies want to show AI is worth the investment; workers want to prove their worth. The continued bottleneck is that organizations are building new infrastructure on the fly, and, so far, the rules of business haven't been rewritten.

It's a moment reminiscent of when spreadsheets were first introduced to the workplace. Lotus 1-2-3, the predecessor of Excel, suddenly and radically changed how quickly accountants and bookkeepers could work when it launched in 1983.

"AI isn't yet the jobpocalypse some predicted. Like spreadsheets and email before it, the technology will ultimately make workers more productive," the outplacement company Challenger said in a report published in June.

Spreadsheets didn't become the backbone of the global financial system overnight, but it's unthinkable now to imagine a workplace without Excel. AI has the potential to become another foundational workplace tool; it just hasn't made the leap yet from novel software to procedural backbone.

"AI is not a mature tool that you can unpack, plug in, and start redefining your processes," IE University's Dans said. "This is something that is probably going to happen soon, but we are not there yet."

• University endowments across America have struck it big with investments in SpaceX.
• In some cases, the holdings have gotten too big, and investment offices are looking to reduce or hedge.
• The windfall is ironic, considering Elon Musk has called college "overrated" in the past.

While it's a great school, my undergrad alma mater — Washington University in St. Louis — hasn't always had a lot to cheer about when it comes to athletics.

When I was enrolled in the early 2000s, the women's basketball and volleyball teams were Division 3 national championship contenders. We had some elite swimmers. But it was far from the type of rabid environment you might find at a D1 school.

Given the recent exploits of the school's investment chief — specifically in relation to SpaceX — it might finally be time Wash U to announce a ticker-tape parade.

The grand marshall can be Wash U CIO Scott Wilson, who, according to Bloomberg, turned a $50 million investment in SpaceX into a position worth billions. Wash U's SpaceX holding now makes up more than 10% of the school's $17 billion in assets.

If they're going to celebrate at Wash U, they might as well make it a national occasion, since schools all across the US find themselves in a similar situation.

The University of North Carolina system — which includes 17 schools — has about 10% of its assets in SpaceX, while Stanford also boasts a "sizable" position, according to the WSJ. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is sitting on a holding of about $171 million, Bloomberg found.

These schools all gained exposure to SpaceX the same way: through venture capital firms and private-market funds, which have grown in popularity in recent years.

While it's hard to characterize these investments as anything but a resounding success, there are a couple of key caveats.

First, it's possible that these SpaceX positions have gotten too big for the liking of university CIOs. The company's valuation compounded so quickly in the private market that it was like a runaway train. Sure, they'll take the gains any day. But they'll also likely look for ways to trim or hedge, to reduce concentration risk, ahead of what's expected to be a volatile public-trading debut for SpaceX.

Second, these are still just paper gains. Taking profit and using those proceeds freely is another story entirely, considering legal restrictions in place for school endowments.

But overall, investing in SpaceX has been an unabashed boon for universities, which is ironic considering CEO Elon Musk hasn't exactly been the biggest supporter of higher education. He said in 2024 that "college is overrated," and included a comment about how we need more electricians, plumbers, and carpenters.

So what will Wash U do with its SpaceX riches? Might I suggest bringing Taco Bell back to the student-center food court? An alum can dream.

• JPMorgan's David Kelly warns of a variety of threats are facing stocks.
• Income inequality and high asset values pose potential risks to market stability.
• He urged diversification, suggesting European and Japanese stocks, and 10-year Treasurys.

JPMorgan strategist David Kelly says a series of extreme divergences in markets and the economy are putting the stock-market rally at risk.

For investors, "the average path forward looks comforting, if boring, and capable of supporting further gains in financial assets," Kelly wrote in a note to clients on June 1.

"However, it is an average built of such divergent trends that there is considerable danger of 'something' going badly wrong from an economic, political or technological threat," he continued. "In such an environment, it is impossible to be sure what that most likely 'something' could be and so it is very difficult to hedge against it."

Kelly pointed out some major tail risks he sees, starting with income and wealth inequality in the US, which has steadily increased since 1980. One risk this could create for stocks is that it could lead to a left-leaning government taking power in both Congress in 2027 and the White House in 2029, he said, which could mean higher taxes on corporations, hurting earnings.

Second, wealth relative to income has grown to historically high levels also seen before prior stock-market crashes. The total value of household assets is now around 630% of GDP, up from 486% at the dot-com peak in 2000 and 435% before the 1987 decline. This is another variation on Warren Buffett's favorite stock valuation measure of market capitalization relative to GDP, which he uses to spot episodes of excess in the stock market.

Third, tech stocks, particularly the biggest names in the sector, now make up a huge portion of the stock-market's capitalization. The top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 make up 41% of the index, he said, and eight of them are in the tech sector. That makes the broader market potentially vulnerable to a pullback if the AI trade were to go sour.

And fourth, consumers are unhappy despite stocks hovering near records. Last month's University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey reading hit a record low.

On top of all of that, stock valuations are stretched. The S&P 500's 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio is at 25, while its Shiller CAPE ratio — which looks at current prices relative to a 10-year rolling average of earnings — is at 39, approaching dot-com era peaks.

"If you pay at very exorbitant valuations, then you're asking for trouble," Kelly told Business Insider.

4 ways to hedge the risks

Kelly said broad diversification in investment portfolios is "more urgent than ever." In an interview with Business Insider, he highlighted a few concrete ways that investors can achieve diversification.

First, he said he'd look to invest in developed market stocks, specifically in Europe and Japan. That's because they have little exposure to the AI trade, whereas emerging-market funds tend to be tilted toward countries like Korea and Taiwan, which are heavily weighted in AI stocks.

"Today, people think that they are diversifying their US equity exposure by passively going into emerging markets, but if you actually look at what's driving the EM indices, it's the same stuff," he said. "It's basically a technology bet all over again."

Second, he'd look to alternatives like, global transportation infrastructure and real estate, which offer an income stream that is uncorrelated to stock returns.

Third, value stocks offer a diversification opportunity as major indexes are now growth-heavy. In the same vein, Kelly said to look beyond the largest 10 stocks in the S&P 500.

Finally, Kelly said 10-year Treasury yields at about 4.5% are an attractive diversifier.

"For much of the last few decades, I would have said interest rates are so low that you ought to be underweight bonds," he said. "I wouldn't say that anymore."

Examples of funds that offer exposure to these trades include the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ); the iShares Europe ETF (IEV); the SPDR Dow Jones Global Real Estate ETF (RWO); the Dimensional US Large Cap Value ETF (DFLV); the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP); and the iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF).

• Fearn, a startup building tools for patent drafting, has raised $5.5 million in seed funding.
• Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, a prominent backer of Harvey, and Kindred Ventures.
• Patent law has quietly become a hotbed of startup activity in the fast-growing legal-tech sector.

Legal tech giant Harvey is racing to help lawyers work faster. Startup Fearn wants to help inventors get further before they ever call a lawyer.

The startup has raised $5.5 million to build AI software that lets inventors draft patents themselves. Fearn is betting that one of legal tech's biggest opportunities isn't serving law firms but helping companies do more legal work, including in-house patent drafting.

The company's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, one of Harvey's most prominent backers. Kindred Ventures led the seed round, with participation from Designer Fund and Essence Venture Capital.

Han Kim, Fearn's cofounder and chief executive, says the software lets any inventor, from a lone researcher to an enterprise research-and-development team, upload a technical document and create a patent draft with a click of a button. The software scores the quality and completeness of the material provided, creates patent drawings, and shows its sources.

Fearn promises to cut the time to draft from weeks to minutes and charges a flat $2,000 per patent draft. It says it is already used by companies across robotics, pharma, energy, and gaming.

Last year, Fearn's founders applied cold to Speedrun, Andreessen Horowitz's 12-week startup boot camp. Kim said he and his cofounder, Angela Gao, were first-time founders who did not know many venture capitalists and had not yet cracked Silicon Valley's startup networks. Still, they got in.

Investment in legal technology has surged in recent years, rising from roughly $1 billion in 2019 to more than $4 billion last year. Harvey, last valued at $11 billion, has become the clearest example of a now-dominant thesis in the legal industry: artificial intelligence will help lawyers do more work, faster.

But another group of startups is chasing a different opportunity: helping companies bring more legal work in-house and send less of it to outside counsel.

Some startups are building law firms that pair lawyers with software and promise clients quicker, cheaper legal work. Others, like Wordsmith and Sandstone, are building tools for in-house legal teams to run their departments.

Fearn is starting with patent drafting. After a user has drafted an application, they can file it with the patent office or send it to their outside counsel for review.

Kim said the idea came from his own experience prosecuting patents at the elite law firm Morrison Foerster, where he worked before starting Fearn.

In his view, patent drafting was a natural fit for automation for two reasons. First, patents are highly structured documents. Second, patent prosecution requires technical fluency. To prepare and negotiate an application with a patent office, a patent prosector needs to understand the science or engineering well enough to argue what makes an invention new.

That is why many patent prosecutors come from technical backgrounds, Kim said. You do not need a law degree to practice patent prosecution, though you cannot argue patent cases in court without one.

Kim said the standard process can leave inventors feeling like bystanders in the protection of their own work. They know the invention best, he said, but have to trust someone else to translate it into legal language.

"Their primary anxiety, in my experience, has been that the patent lawyer does not understand their invention. They're going to mangle it," he said. "But the inventor can't even tell because it's written in legalese."

Kim met his cofounder, Gao, at Caltech, where he studied computational neuroscience, and she completed a PhD in computer science under Katie Bouman, the scientist known for her work on the first image of a black hole.

Fearn is trying to wedge itself into one of legal tech's most crowded races.

The competition is not just other patent startups, like Patlytics and DeepIP. Patent professionals could use Harvey for parts of the drafting process, even though its chief executive has said patent drafting is not one of the company's strongest use cases.

Meanwhile, the general-purpose chatbots are getting harder to ignore. Last month, Anthropic announced that users of Solve Intelligence, another patent drafting startup, can access Solve inside Claude's app. OpenAI, too, is pushing deeper into legal tech, recently hiring the Ironclad founder to lead its work in the field.

Kim said many of Fearn's competitors came to patent drafting as outsiders chasing a "hot business problem." Fearn's advantage may be that one of its founders lived the problem.

"For me, it really started with: My old job kind of sucked," Kim said. "This really can be automated. It doesn't have to suck."

• Andy Kofoid, an executive at Databricks, shared the career advice he gives his adult kids.
• He said grads should focus on skills and "check" their passion, rather than blindly follow it.
• He suggested working in an office four to five days a week to build skills and a network.

Recent grads face a tough labor market, but there's rarely an ideal time to job hunt for the first time.

"People either out of school, or early in their career, are probably most vulnerable because they don't have the foundation of experience and skills," Andy Kofoid, Databricks president of global field operations, told Business Insider.

Kofoid leads worldwide sales, field engineering, marketing, customer success, professional services, and alliances. at Databricks, a data and AI company valued at roughly $134 billion. He has three children in their 20s, all who have graduated from college within the last seven years.

Kofoid earned his degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University and his MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, and has spent his career in enterprise software since.

His message to his adult kids — and all graduates — is simple: Build a strong foundation early. He said that if workers can excel in their first three to 10 years in the workforce, they'll have the skills and network needed to navigate changes down the line.

Here are his three pieces of advice for young workers:

Check your passion

Many business leaders have long preached a familiar mantra: Follow your passion, and everything else will fall into place.

Kofoid isn't sold.

While he acknowledges that advice sounds "wonderful" in theory, he takes a more practical approach to choosing a job. Rather than centering early-career decisions on passion alone, he encourages young workers to focus on getting a job where you can build skills.

"Take your passion and check it for a minute," Kofoid said.

He cautions against the age-old advice to follow your passion, because if you don't have the necessary "pillars of expertise," in an area, it becomes difficult to "exploit your passion" and build success from it long-term.

Build your skills

The rise of AI is already reshaping the workforce, automating some roles and transforming others. While Kofoid believes job seekers should pay attention to labor market trends and signals when choosing a career path, he cautions against focusing on predictions about which roles will be eliminated or reduced in the future.

After all, those forecasts can change quickly. Just a few years ago, a computer science degree was widely viewed as a golden ticket to job security. Today, the field has become far more crowded, and competition for entry-level roles has intensified.

"Go find jobs that you think will help you build skills around the expertise of what you studied at university," Kofoid said.

The priority, he said, should be finding roles and employers that allow workers to hone their skills while learning to work effectively alongside AI.

Make connections IRL

While many companies have called employees back to the office, plenty of firms still offer remote roles.

Kofoid said that those jobs may offer flexibility and sound "cool," but they can make it challenging to learn or build networks, especially for early-career employees. He encourages job seekers to spend four or five days a week in an office.

"There's no better way to do that than being with people in person, lunch, getting a coffee, going for a beer after work, having a conversation, really getting to know somebody," Kofoid said.

The executive added that it's really hard to get a job in the first place from just submitting an online application. He said if job seekers can leverage their network, their odds of getting an initial conversation is much higher.

Not only does in-person work help employees grow their network, but it also builds a "good work ethic," he said. Kofoid added that showing up to work on time and staying until the end of the day "builds grit." While some people have a strong work ethic naturally, many don't at the beginning of their careers, he said.

Kofoid also said that "working in a bullpen" promotes learning. When employees sit next to their colleagues or boss, they can get live feedback.

"You get interaction," Kofoid said. "And I think that helps from a growth and development standpoint around skill."

• It's a new era for AI pricing, and companies are suffering from sticker shock.
• Coinbase, Deloitte, and others are testing new limits for AI spending, Business Insider learned.
• Executives and workers explain how AI has upended workflows and budgets.

If the winter of 2026 saw companies gorge themselves on all-you-can-eat AI, summertime is for counting calories.

Prices for some of the most popular tools have risen, and companies that previously asked employees to go all out on AI code are suddenly facing hefty bills. Executives and workers told Business Insider how this new era in AI's evolution has thrown their workflows and budgets for a loop.

Coinbase executive Rob Witoff is sitting front row on the roller coaster. After Anthropic's Claude launched its much-improved coding model Opus 4.6 in February, Witoff, who oversees the crypto exchange's infrastructure, said, "Our internal usage started to go parabolic across the company."

Now, with prices rising, Coinbase has instituted a sophisticated system of weekly price caps ranging from $500 to $5,000 based on each employee's job level and role.

"Once people understand what's possible, usage takes off on its own. Then the focus shifts from 'Are people using AI?' to 'Are they using it well?' That's where we are today," he said.

It's the latest whiplash on the AI frontier. Executives and developers are rethinking their rapacious demand of recent months by switching models, imposing limits, and prioritizing projects. As a result, AI juggernauts, including OpenAI and Anthropic, risk losing market share to cheaper models — at a time when they're racing toward stock-market-altering IPOs.

The high stakes are prompting scrutiny. Salesforce CTO Parker Harris told Business Insider that the company has fully opened the floodgates for spending on Anthropic tools, but that likely won't last forever. They'll have to find a balance that doesn't divert too much money to the rising startup.

"We gotta run a business, we're a public company," Harris said. "We can't tell our investors like, 'Yeah, sorry, we gave half of our upside this year to Anthropic so they can go public'."

Tokenmaxxing is out, restraint is in

Between February and June, OpenAI, Anthropic, and GitHub each shifted their pricing models. One by one, the companies began charging more customers based on their token usage — the units that measure AI's input and output — rather than with flat-rate billing.

The corporate world quickly changed course. Walmart placed usage limits on its internal programming tool. Amazon shut down an internal "tokenmaxxing" leaderboard. Accenture, IBM, Oracle, and JPMorgan Chase have backed a new "Tokenomics Foundation," meant to standardize AI budgeting metrics across companies. By April, Uber had already blown through its AI budget for the year, and executives said its glut of token spending hadn't translated immediately into useful releases.

Leaders have begun to view token waste as fiscally irresponsible, Niranjan Krishnan, the head of AI solutions at the IT consultancy FPT Americas, told Business Insider.

"The novelty has worn off, and hard-nosed utility has stepped in," Krishnan said. "That's 2026 for you. The magical thinking era is gone."

A March and April survey of 200 executives by Wakefield Research, on behalf of the AI accountability startup Lanai, found that 79% of respondents were slightly or very concerned that their AI budgets would be cut because the spending wasn't tied to new revenue or profits.

A senior software engineer at Deloitte said that the changes to GitHub's pricing model are "already wreaking havoc" on expectations for work, with developers quickly burning through their new monthly quotas, which took effect in June. The software engineer estimates that a single, highly detailed prompt, which could have a model working for hours, would now cost more than $100 under GitHub's new usage-based billing.

"The cheap 'AI buffet' days are over," the software engineer said. Developers will now need to use AI tools more deliberately, narrowing their prompts and breaking large jobs into smaller tasks instead of handing autonomous agents sprawling specifications to complete on their own, he said.

Coinbase's Witoff pointed to an extreme hypothetical example of AI use that may have been fair game in the olden days of winter, but would now require much more scrutiny: analyzing all of the company's code for bugs using one of the state-of-the-art AI models.

"At our scale, that might cost $50,000 to $100,000 a run," he said. "So if you've got a hundred people doing that independently, you're going to spend $10 million."

Some projects are worth it. Coinbase's system alerts users when they're approaching their limits, but they can apply for an exception, which Witoff said are often granted. The system is meant to make workers more mindful about how they're using tokens.

"We think constraints breed creativity," Witoff said. "We don't want people burning money just because they can, or creating the wrong incentives.

LogicMonitor is also imposing internal limits on token use and including them in some products it sells to customers. The IT company's head of AI, Karthik Sj, told Business Insider he is now less likely to leap to the priciest, most powerful AI tool to do a task, unless it's a marked improvement above the one they were using prior.

"We are in uncharted territory, and I think this is going to give a reckoning moment for many companies, many CIOs, many CFOs," Sj said. "How do we not dread this tokenmaxxing situation, and really focus on value? It's a good problem for the industry, I think."

Why AI subsidies had to go

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has heard the groundswell of concern. He said at a recent event that AI budgeting went from "at the beginning of this year, an issue that never came up — people were totally happy with the amount they were spending — to all of a sudden, a huge issue."

So why did prices rise? For OpenAI, Anthropic, and GitHub, the economic proposition has changed. Tokens have become cheaper thanks to Nvidia's chip innovations, but AI tools' popularity and new agent-based setups meant providers could no longer afford to subsidize heavy users.

Mario Rodriguez, GitHub's chief product officer, wrote in a post announcing the new pricing that under the company's old billing setup, a "quick chat question and a multi-hour autonomous coding session can cost the user the same amount." He said GitHub had been eating the costs, but it was "no longer sustainable." GitHub's move was met with a wave of complaints from developers, as some learned the shift to usage-based pricing would multiply their AI code expenses to thousands of dollars a month.

OpenAI and Anthropic have been taking steps to alleviate costs, promoting their newest model releases as more "token-efficient" than prior models. Both labs offer an option to complete non-urgent tasks slowly but at a lower price. They also offer prompt caching, which saves previous queries to use as reference points, cutting down on required computing power.

An Anthropic spokesperson told Business Insider that the company sees its new usage-based model as benefiting customers because it's more customizable — heavy users aren't cut off, and light users don't pay for capacity they don't use. OpenAI and GitHub did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.

Companies are making their own cost-cutting fixes. At the software startup Harness, use of Claude Code drove AI costs to "grow exponentially" from October through March, senior vice president Trevor Stuart told Business Insider. By training engineers and building internal tools, the company has managed to reel in costs over the last few months. Because of the pricing changes, Stuart said, "I think many teams are now having that same conversation."

All-you-can-eat out, regular ol' menu in

The AI coding craze, for all the twists and turns of 2026 so far, is still in its infancy. The "tokenmaxxing" uproar, the sticker-shock pricing, the see-sawing behavior by companies — these are all symptoms of a sudden paradigm shift, and companies are proceeding with caution.

Salesforce's CTO Harris said the company is spending "far more" than they'd planned on tokens for its 2026 fiscal year. For now, he said, they're seeing where the change takes them, trying to avoid "holding back on the gas."

In the meantime, Salesforce is rolling out measurements for both customers and internal engineers to better understand the tangible impacts of AI. Harris noted that the company could have been measuring software engineers' output more closely before, and said its new code-focused metric, called an Effective Output score, will help avoid further surprises.

"We have enough data now that we can forecast," Harris said. "And then it's just a question for the company: 'What's the return? What's the right spend for the return?'"

That calculus has some executives angling for cheaper AI. Some companies Business Insider spoke to, including Coinbase, have begun offloading basic work to less advanced AI models, either from American companies or from Chinese firms like Deepseek and MiniMax.

Ahmad Awais, the founder of the coding agent startup Command Code, told Business Insider his company gained 10,000 customers in a recent 30-day stretch, largely driven by demand for cheaper models.

For some of those businesses, using the most advanced — and expensive — models isn't worth it for everything. Stuart, the Harness executive, likened using a cutting-edge AI model for basic text-summary work to "taking the Ferrari to the grocery store."

Have a tip? Contact AI reporter Stephen Council via email at scouncil@insider.com, or over text, Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 415-757-8198. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Tech stocks have dropped sharply in recent days, snapping a streak of strong gains.
• Some have flagged profit-taking as the motive, as traders pile up cash to buy SpaceX stock later this week.

The stock market has stumbled recently, with brutal sell-offs hitting tech shares on Friday and again on Tuesday, but the losses might be a bullish signal for the upcoming SpaceX IPO.

Iran war worries and an uncertain outlook for interest rates have been the drivers of recent stock losses, with the market's hottest trades battered in two of the last three sessions on Wall Street.

Another explanation, however, might be investors piling up cash to throw at SpaceX stock when it debuts later this week.

SpaceX will make its stock-market debut on Friday, following an IPO that's expected to raise $75 billion and achieve a valuation of $1.75 trillion.

The IPO is set to be the largest in history, fueling some concerns about the impacts of pulling that much cash from the market.

Michael Monaghan, a portfolio manager at Founder ETFs, isn't worried about a lack of liquidity in the market to absorb the IPO, and said that Tuesday's sell-off may reflect the excitement around the mega-offering.

"I think the reason stocks are going down is that everyone is so focused on the SpaceX IPO and how to position it that they're not doing work on other names," he said, explaining that investors are selling tech and there are fewer bids to buy the stocks when all eyes are looking toward Thursday's pricing.

"This whole setup is very good for first batch for the SpaceX IPO," Monaghan said, adding that the IPO is "so high profile" that the institutional players backing it work to get shares in the hands of investor that will hold them for the long term.

Futurum CEO, Daniel Newman, wrote that Tuesday's pull back amounted to "public market fund raising" ahead of SpaceX's trading debut.

BCA Research chief strategist Noah Weisenberger warned that the mega IPOs like SpaceX could weigh on current AI winners. Tuesday's market moves could embody this.

"While the supply-demand balance seems somewhat favorable to absorb the new shares, the bigger risk is within Tech, where new AI listings could reduce scarcity value and pull capital away from existing AI beneficiaries," the strategist wrote.

Vanda Research flagged cash hoarding head of the SpaceX IPO as a reason for more tepid post-tax-season retail flows this year.

"One potential explanation is that some investors are raising liquidity ahead of the anticipated SpaceX IPO. If SpaceX, OpenAI & Anthropic are viewed as the 'real deal,' one might imagine that we could see further selling in recent favourites and proxy AI trades as some retail investors look to raise capital in advance of these big IPOs," the firm said on Tuesday.

• Tiger Aesthetics, the maker of cadaver-derived filler alloClae, is fighting to get New York's health department off its back.
• The state health department says Tiger is smuggling the filler into the state without permission.
• State officials seized product from at least one doctor, but others have continued to inject it.

An injectable fat product that has become popular with high-end plastic surgeons and their well-heeled clientele is under investigation by New York state health officials, according to court filings.

Tiger Aesthetics began distributing alloClae, which is derived from sterilized cadaver fat and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, to a select group of plastic surgeons in 2024. Some of them raved to Business Insider about its potential to smooth out hip dips and fill out breasts — with no general anesthesia or lengthy recovery needed.

Those lunchtime boob jobs may soon come to a halt, at least in New York.

State health regulators have said Tiger is distributing alloClae in the state without a license, according to a May lawsuit filed by Tiger and a letter from the state attorney general. At least one doctor had his supply of the product seized, while four surgeons' offices that Business Insider called said they're still offering it.

Tiger and its affiliates engaged in "a year-long scheme to smuggle their product, alloClae (derived from human adipose tissue), into New York State despite being denied licenses to distribute it here," a lawyer for the state said in a May 29 court filing about what it called a "confidential investigation."

Larry Wood, Tiger's chief legal officer, said in an email to Business Insider on June 8 that alloClae is "legally sold throughout the United States, including in New York." In a June 1 letter to customers, the company said it "has decided temporarily to pause" distribution of the product in New York, citing the lawsuit.

Many doctors still advertise the product, which can cost up to $100,000 per procedure, on their websites. ME Plastic Surgery, which has locations on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and in Queens, calls the product "revolutionary" on its website — beneath a bold-text announcement that says "AlloClae is currently not approved by the New York State Department of Health." The practice declined to comment.

Another clinic told Business Insider in late May that it was still offering alloClae; a receptionist declined to confirm that when called a week later, citing the regulatory crackdown.

Tiger, the sole manufacturer and distributor of alloClae, said in its lawsuit that the Health Department took too long to decide on its distribution license. It added that the product isn't a "tissue" that New York can regulate, and that state law doesn't require licenses for sterilized products like alloClae. It is instead regulated by the FDA under rules that don't require premarket approval, the company said.

Hermes Fernandez, a lawyer who represents healthcare-industry clients in New York regulatory matters and is not involved in the dispute, said the case could go either way.

If no other state has taken issue with alloClae, as Tiger claims, that might give a judge pause, he said. If the company voluntarily submitted to the permitting process before distributing alloClae without a license, that could cut against it.

"Regulators tend not to like that," he said.

A 'lunchtime augmentation'

Soon after alloClae hit the market, patients and surgeons became enamored with its potential: a breast lift during a lunch break, a butt bump without going under the knife.

Fueled by the GLP-1 boom and greater acceptance of plastic surgery, demand for alloClae skyrocketed, outpacing supply and resulting in waitlists.

Dr. Tommaso Addona, president of the New York Plastic Surgical Group medical practice, told Business Insider he thinks alloClae and similar products have potential, but said he will not inject it for breast treatments without further study.

He turned away a potential client who had seen social-media content about the potential for a "lunchtime augmentation," he said.

"I'm told — and I know the people at Tiger pretty well — the company itself is trying to do their due diligence," he said. Still, his practice won't stock alloClae because it has a tissue bank license issued by the Health Department that he doesn't want to put "at risk."

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons declined to comment on alloClae's regulatory status. The society's spokesperson said it encourages patients considering any procedure involving tissue products to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Tiger told Business Insider in 2025 that it planned to scale up production this year.

Tiger told customers in April that it was "aware of a recent circumstance involving the Department of Health and a particular physician in New York," according to a letter seen by Business Insider. That was a reference to a seizure of alloClae, a person familiar with the matter said.

Days later, Tiger offered at least one New York doctor a promotion for bulk purchases of alloClae, according to a memo seen by Business Insider.

Then, on June 1, the company circulated the new memo seen by Business Insider explaining its positions in the lawsuit and saying that it would cease distribution of the product in New York.

A judge ruled on May 29 that New York should not prevent the distribution of a separate tissue-derived wound treatment that Tiger has also feuded about with the state. The judge declined the company's request to halt the alloClae crackdown, though, calling for both sides to further flesh out the dispute in court filings and oral arguments. A hearing is scheduled for later this month.

The state health department wouldn't comment on specific cases but said that it follows the law to protect New Yorkers.

In an emailed statement, the co-CEOs of Tiger's parent company said it "strongly disagreed" with the state health department's actions but wouldn't get into specifics about the litigation.

They said Tiger is "routinely and successfully inspected by the FDA" and said alloClae is "regulated solely under federal law by the FDA."

Until this is worked out, New Yorkers interested in alloClae may have to look into taking the PATH train in between meetings.

Correction: June 10, 2026 — An earlier version of this story misstated the name of Dr. Tommaso Addona and his practice, the New York Plastic Surgical Group.

• Beta Technologies wants to revolutionize air travel with the electric Alia 250 flying taxi.
• The aircraft can be fitted for passengers or cargo, and it costs $28 per hour in energy use.
• I saw it zip over Burlington in formation with its sister aircraft, the Alia CX300.

Commuting by air is largely a luxury reserved for the elite — but ambitious startups are betting that won't last much longer.

Aerospace companies have spent years and billions of dollars trying to make battery-powered flying taxis a reality, billed as a cleaner and cheaper alternative to helicopters.

One of the leading electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft is the Alia 250 from Vermont-based manufacturer Beta Technologies. I saw the five-motor aircraft in action last week as it buzzed over Burlington Airport at speeds over 130 mph.

The eVTOL was noticeably quieter than a helicopter and flew fast and steady despite its trunky appearance. Based on Beta's estimate that a one-hour flight costs about $28 of energy, the electricity consumed during the 30-minute demonstration flight would have cost only about $14. Or, roughly the price of a large movie-theater popcorn.

That doesn't necessarily translate into cheap fares — insurance, pilot pay, and maintenance still factor into commercial operations — but Beta's CFO Herman Cueto said during the event that the Alia 250 is "about 75%" cheaper than a helicopter to operate.

The end goal is to fly these air taxis on city-to-airport routes to bypass road traffic. Think New York-JFK to Downtown Manhattan or Long Beach to Burbank Airport. The dawn of the new aircraft has even fueled visions of a Jetsons-like future of air taxis to get to work.

Beta president and CEO Kyle Clark said the Alia 250, which has racked up hundreds of test flight hours and is participating in a Transportation Department program to fast-track eVTOLs, is expected to be certified over the next few years.

Beta is using a stepwise certification approach based on its sister aircraft, the Alia CX300, an electric airplane categorized as a conventional takeoff and landing, or cTOL, that needs a runway rather than a vertiport. The CX300, which flew in formation with the Alia 250, is expected to be certified by late 2027.

Both aircraft use mirrored technology and systems, with the Alia 250's engine and other components tailored for vertical lift. Clark said the pragmatic approach makes eVTOL certification easier: "By the time you get the cTOL certified, you effectively have 80% of the requirements for the eVTOL."

Beta, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange as BETA, is also betting that the Alia 250's flexibility to carry cargo or passengers will expand its market beyond air taxis into the broader urban air mobility market, like medical missions.

Electric flight still faces myriad obstacles, including infrastructure, certification, public acceptance, and affordable fares. Here's a closer look at the Alia 250 eVTOL.

The Alia 250's rotors are fixed.

The Alia 250 takes off and lands vertically using four top-mounted rotors, then transitions to forward flight via an aft propeller. By comparison, Joby and Archer engineered their aircraft with six rotors that physically tilt to perform both vertical and forward flight.

Beta's aircraft was designed with simplicity in mind and constructed with as few complex systems as possible, Clark said.

He added that Beta has built everything in-house, including the engine, batteries, and propellers, a vertical integration strategy that gives it more control over costs and quality.

Its engine is fully battery-powered.

The eVTOL is powered by five battery packs, giving it a range of roughly 290 miles. Its five electric motors are built with multiple layers of redundancy, meaning the aircraft can continue flying safely even if one motor fails.

Beta said the Alia 250 fully recharges in less than an hour via giant charging cubes. The company also sells its charging infrastructure to other operators for hundreds of thousands of dollars to secure revenue outside aircraft sales.

One pilot and up to 5 passengers.

Clark said the eVTOL cabin, airframe, avionics, and powerplant all mirror the Alia CX300.

I sat in the front on a CX300 flight, and the view of the lakes and mountains below was incredible; I can imagine that'd be a treat over Manhattan, Miami, or Los Angeles. It's a small aircraft, though, where turbulence is more noticeable and could cause motion sickness.

These zero-emission flights cost just tens of dollars to operate, according to Beta. A Cessna turboprop or a Sikorsky helicopter can cost hundreds of dollars per hour in fuel, a difference particularly notable after the US war in Iran sent oil prices soaring.

The Alia 250 can also be a freighter.

The Alia 250 can carry up to 200 cubic feet of cargo; imagine Amazon boxes, humanitarian aid, or organ transport. It's a different approach than Joby and Archer's primary focus on passenger eVTOLs; they have said they aim to certify as early as this year.

Instead, Clark said Beta is working its way up: "We're ready to go today with cargo cTOL aircraft," he said. "Tomorrow it's going to be passenger cTOL aircraft, then cargo VTOL aircraft, then passenger VTOL aircraft."

Reuters reported that Beta has 890 firm orders for its aircraft, of which a majority are for the Alia 250. Customers include UPS and the New Zealand Air Ambulance Service.

Beta still faces several hurdles.

The company's demonstration flights are part of an effort to show the public that electric aircraft can become an accessible and affordable way to commute.

But exactly how affordable remains unclear. Fares that are merely cheaper than a helicopter could still be out of reach for many travelers.

And safety remains a key challenge, as the company must demonstrate that the aircraft is reliable enough for routine passenger flights, while scaling will depend on regulatory approvals and raising capital.

The company also faces growing competition from Joby and Archer as they race to commercialize their own eVTOLs and capture a share of the emerging urban air mobility market.

• AWS CMO asked staff to help fill open roles, including by recruiting recently laid-off Meta workers.
• AWS is hiring aggressively despite the company's mass layoffs earlier this year.
• AWS's marketing team wants to enhance collaboration, and move away from a siloed operating model.

Amazon wants Meta's castoffs.

Months after Amazon's own job cuts, Amazon Web Services' marketing chief asked employees to recruit recently laid off Meta workers, saying the organization is understaffed and scrambling to fill open roles.

During an internal staff meeting late last month, AWS Chief Marketing Officer Julia White was asked about attrition in her organization and whether the company was considering compensation changes to improve retention.

White said hiring was the bigger challenge. AWS's marketing unit had roughly 160 open positions at the time. "That's a lot," she said, while stressing that accelerating hiring was one of her top priorities.

"If you have friends and family or colleagues — or I know Meta just laid off 8,000 people — any of those great people you know, ping them," she said. "We have jobs and we need top talent here." Business Insider reviewed a recording of the meeting.

The comments highlight a tension inside Amazon as some parts of the company cut jobs while others are competing aggressively for talent.

Amazon spent much of the past year conducting one of the largest layoffs in its history, eliminating more than 30,000 jobs across multiple rounds of cuts, including positions within AWS marketing. Smaller layoffs have continued across parts of Amazon's retail and robotics organizations in recent months.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy previously said his company's layoffs were intended to address organizational and cultural issues. The job cuts have unfolded as Amazon is on pace to deploy a record $200 billion on capital expenditures this year.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company has been working to reduce management layers and bureaucracy while continuing to hire in key areas. When announcing layoffs in January, Amazon said it would keep investing in "strategic areas" critical to its future.

"We're focused on hiring and developing the best talent at AWS and across Amazon's range of businesses," the spokesperson said in a statement.

'It's a hot market'

White said attrition within AWS's marketing unit remains higher than she would like, though it has stabilized and is beginning to trend lower.

"It's a hot market," she said. "Our talented people are in high demand."

White said compensation is one of the factors that comes up in exit interviews and that AWS is "trying to take the right compensation actions to make sure that people feel fairly compensated." Amazon's pay model has been flagged internally as a headwind in the competition for top talent, Business Insider previously reported.

But she said pay is not the primary reason employees leave.

"Compensation is one of the things, but it's not the top one," White said, adding that employees also cite lifestyle considerations, career growth opportunities, and other factors.

The Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider the company's compensation philosophy is "intended to attract, retain, and motivate the highest-caliber talent, and we regularly evaluate our compensation to make sure it's competitive."

'Deeply siloed'

In January, White internally announced the departures of two of the organization's most senior leaders: Leah Bibbo, a longtime product marketing executive who helped build AWS's US public relations organization, and Jen Hartford, the veteran marketing leader who helped launch and grow AWS's annual re:Invent conference.

The leadership changes were accompanied by a reorganization that consolidated several marketing functions under Tim Hoppin, Steve Sloan, and Kristin Shaff.

During last month's internal staff meeting, White said the team needs to move from a "deeply siloed operating model" to a "much more collaborative one." The transition has created growing pains as teams learn new ways of working together, she added.

"We have too many handoffs and not enough handshakes," she said. "We're in that refinement curve of making sure it's efficient."

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• Wall Street institutions tend to recruit from so-called target schools, like Harvard or Stanford.
• Some non-target students have found another route to the big leagues: Wall Street Oasis.
• The platform charges $7,000 for access to courses, coaching, and a professional network.

If you want to get a job on Wall Street, there are two words that can go a long way towards determining your success: target school.

Think Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Duke, Penn, Columbia, and MIT — elite schools where the Wall Street recruiters come to them, trusting that they'll be provided with reliably bright young candidates.

That means students who attend less prestigious schools may have a harder time getting their foot in the door of the world of high finance. It doesn't doom their chances altogether, but a confluence of factors can weigh on job prospects: their résumé is less likely to stand out; fewer recruiters, if any, are coming to campus; faculty members may not have a network to draw on; or the right finance and accounting classes may not even be part of the curriculum.

However, some of these non-target students have found an alternative path to the big leagues through an online platform called Wall Street Oasis.

For a $7,000 — or a higher fee of $11,000, which guarantees a job placement or your money back — Wall Street Oasis customers get access to its "Academy," a series of courses on how to build various financial models. They can also set up mock interviews with Wall Street pros who give them feedback on how to improve their performance. Further, the platform gives you access to a vast network of over 3,000 mentors that you can reach out to.

Founded in 2006 by former banker Patrick Curtis, Wall Street Oasis is perhaps best known for its discussion forums, which give both established and aspiring bankers a place to discuss topics ranging from Wall Street culture to AI use to thoughts on certain stocks.

But the company's biggest money maker is its Academy, Curtis said, and its customers have largely been successful in finding jobs. Eighty-eight percent of students who finished at least 90% of the courses get hired for a role within 12 months of starting the program, he said.

The company's mission of helping students break into Wall Street careers is something personal for Curtis.

"When I joined investment banking at Rothschild back in 2002, I knew I had no idea where I was going. I was a liberal arts major, didn't have the finance background or anything like that," he told Business Insider. "There should be a community or a place that people could speak to learn more about these careers and what the actual good path might be for them."

According to WSO customers who spoke with Business Insider, the fee is well worth it — if only for the networking benefits alone.

Lucius Nguyen, a student at Georgia State University, said WSO helped him land an investment banking internship at Wells Fargo for next summer. He said he connected with a former Wells Fargo managing director through WSO, who told him about the job and what he'd be looking for in an employee if he was hiring.

Another student who used WSO to land a full-time investment banking gig at Bank of America said he was also able to set up chats with people at the bank during his job search.

"I've probably spoken to like 10 or 15 people at Bank of America before I went through the interview process," they said.

Even those who have used WSO to transition out of banking have found the platform's network useful. Kshitij Galav, a former Nomura banker who attended the University of Wisconsin and now works as a finance associate at a tech startup, said he joined WSO to get coaching for his specific path.

For example, WSO mentors who had taken a similar career path helped him narrow down the types of startups he could look for opportunities at, then pick out who to reach out to at each company, and how exactly to reach out to them.

While buying access to a huge network of bankers is helpful, some have found the academic portion of WSO's offering particularly valuable — especially if they feel they need to brush up on their financial knowledge, or if they don't have much to begin with.

Dylan West, who now works at an investment bank, said he studied political science and economics and used WSO to land his first job at an M&A valuation firm.

"I did not take a single finance class," West said.