• October was a rough month for hedge funds.
• Big-name managers mostly lost money due to jitters in equity and credit markets, as well as macro surprises.
• There is a notable winner for the month — Ken Griffin's Citadel.

Citadel churned ahead in a painful month for hedge funds.

Ken Griffin's $77 billion hedge fund gained 1.7% last month, a person close to the Miami-based manager said, pulling its year-to-date gains to 15.3%. That figure so far leads the way among its multistrategy peers, which are known for their ability to manage choppy markets thanks to their diversification and tight risk controls.

Despite the hyperfocus on avoiding losses, many of the industry's biggest names struggled to stay out of the red last month as the S&P 500 index dropped nearly 1%.

Stockpickers wrestled with a market that hit an all-time high at the start of October before several tech favorites sold off. Credit investors continue to wrestle with the ripple effects of rising interest rates and an unprecedented volume of corporate paper, driven by hyperscalers' insatiable demand for capital. And Brazil's electoral surprise, with left-wing Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reelected as president, threw a curveball for macro traders around the world.

The result is one of the toughest trading environments in years. Data from Goldman Sachs' prime brokerage desk found that October 22 — when big-name tech stocks like Meta dipped and oil prices surged — was one of the worst days for hedge funds since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Izzy Englander's Millennium Management lost 2.3% in October, a person close to the New York giant told Business Insider. The tough month put the firm's 2026 gains at 5.7%

Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint Capital was down 2.4% in October, bringing the firm's 2026 returns to 1.6%. Dymon Asia fell 1.8% last month and is up just over 5% on the year now. Man Group's 1783 fund also shed 1.8% in October, bringing its year-to-date gains to 8.9%.

Meanwhile, both Balyasny Asset Management and Walleye Capital are negative for the year after losses in October.

Firms mentioned declined to comment. More figures will be added to the chart below when they are learned.

This story was originally published on November 3 at 10:28 am. New figures have been added to the table below as they have been learned.

• OpenAI unveiled measures aimed at addressing community concerns over data-center development, according to a policy announcement first shared with POLITICO.
• The framework seeks to address public opposition while allowing Silicon Valley to keep expanding AI infrastructure.
• Under the blueprint, developers would report water and energy use, noise, and job openings.

OpenAI has backed a new set of measures the company says will give communities a greater say in data center development, according to a policy announcement shared with POLITICO.

The framework shows how one of the world's leading artificial intelligence labs is attempting to reconcile public opposition to the infrastructure with Silicon Valley's need to keep building data centers to support artificial intelligence development.

In its new proposal, aimed at local, state and federal officials, the AI giant said state utility providers should require large electricity customers to cover the costs they add to the grid and protect other customers if a project falls through. It would also allow providers to throttle power to data centers during periods of high demand.

Under the blueprint, developers would also face public reporting requirements for facilities' water and energy usage, noise and potential job openings.

The proposal would also narrow, but not eliminate, the circumstances in which developers can require public officials to sign nondisclosure agreements — a point of contention for some communities who have been left in the dark on local developments due to the use of NDAs.

OpenAI also unveiled new commitments to communities near its data centers, including a promise to pay for the full cost of energy usage and infrastructure, prioritize closed-loop cooling systems that use less water and work with local unions to fill jobs at the data centers. The company also pledged to invest in community improvement projects of the residents' choosing.

OpenAI has been well aware of the public backlash against their facilities. The company previously promised to invest in community improvement projects selected by local residents. They also announced plans to rebrand data centers as "compute campuses," an apparent acknowledgement of the widespread public dislike for the infrastructure's longtime name.

This story originally appeared on POLITICO and is courtesy of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which harnesses the resources of the company's newsrooms to publish ambitious scoops, investigations, interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis. It allows journalists — including those from POLITICO, Business Insider, WELT, BILD, Onet, and Fakt — to collaborate on major stories for an international audience of hundreds of millions across platforms.

• Humble Robotics raised $51 million to build electric self-driving trucks without cabs.
• Founder Eyal Cohen previously worked at Apple, Uber, and Waabi.
• The startup expects commercial operations to begin in the third quarter of 2027.

Many self-driving truck companies are trying to teach existing trucks to drive themselves. Humble Robotics thinks the truck itself needs a rethink.

The San Francisco startup, which is building electric self-driving trucks without drivers' cabs, has raised $51 million, the company exclusively told Business Insider.

The round was led by Obvious Ventures, with participation from existing investors Eclipse and Energy Impact Partners. It brings Humble's total funding to $75 million. The company declined to disclose its valuation.

Humble's founder and CEO, Eyal Cohen, has spent much of his career chasing the promise of autonomous driving. He worked on Apple's now-defunct self-driving car project, Uber's autonomous driving effort, and at self-driving trucking startup Waabi.

Cohen founded Humble last year, betting that building the truck and its self-driving system together would give it an edge over rivals retrofitting vehicles originally designed for human drivers.

Humble is raising money at a time when investors are pouring billions into robotics and physical AI. But self-driving trucks are a reminder of how difficult it is to get machines to work in the real world.

Humble has yet to begin moving freight commercially. Cohen said customer pilots will start in the first quarter of 2027 with conventional trucks moving freight to collect data. The company will then simulate the routes and test them in a virtual environment before deploying its own vehicle called the Humble Hauler.

Cohen expects commercial operations to begin in the third quarter of 2027. And although Humble holds a California permit to test its vehicles with a safety driver, it would need to clear additional regulatory steps before testing without a driver or deploying commercial service in the state.

The company is going after regional routes, generally under 250 miles, connecting ports, warehouses, and distribution centers. According to federal data, 87% of goods shipped by truck in the US by weight traveled less than 250 miles in 2021.

Cohen also sees an opening in an industry that has long struggled to recruit and retain drivers. He argues that autonomous trucks could handle undesirable shifts and repetitive routes, freeing human drivers for other work.

"Our trucks can do a 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. shift that nobody wants to do," said Cohen. "There are also repetitive routes that only go a few miles, which is not an ideal route for a driver who would rather be doing higher-value work."

Self-driving trucks were once expected to hit the road before robotaxis. Highways, after all, have fewer pedestrians, cyclists, and unpredictable turns than city streets. But the consequences of getting something wrong can be much greater. A fully loaded truck takes longer to stop than a passenger car, and one stranded on a highway can become a serious hazard.

After years of delays and false starts, some companies are finally putting driverless trucks to commercial use. Pittsburgh-based Aurora has launched commercial driverless freight service in Texas and is working with truckmakers PACCAR and Volvo. Bay Area-based Kodiak AI plans to begin hauling Ikea freight without a driver in the cab by the end of the year, with human drivers handling the first and last miles.

Humble is designing its trucks to navigate the messier parts of a freight journey, from crowded industrial sites to loading docks.

"We really wanted to redesign the truck for a fully autonomous future, which is why it's electric and doesn't have a cab," Cohen said.

Humble is testing its truck at a former dynamite factory across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, which UC Berkeley runs as a research and development space for students and startups.

The company demonstrated its truck navigating stop signs, wild turkeys, and students wandering between buildings. The enormous vehicle still had a temporary cab for supervised testing, but Humble says the finished truck will resemble a giant skateboard capable of carrying 40-foot shipping containers with no space for a human driver.

Humble has recruited employees from Tesla, Waymo, and Cruise to turn its prototype into a business. Cohen said he eventually wants to build an entire family of autonomous vehicles for different cargo types and routes.

Have a tip? Contact Rya Jetha via email at rjetha@businessinsider.com or Signal at rjetha.07. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Last year, I wanted to escape the New York winter and travel somewhere warm, but couldn't afford it.
• Instead of paying for a pricey hotel, I traded apartments with someone from Cape Town, South Africa.
• Swapping homes with a stranger allowed for a bucket-list adventure and gave me a new friend.

Last November, fresh out of a relationship and trying to feel like myself again, I started daydreaming about a warm New Year's escape from New York City.

I desperately wanted to book a one-way plane ticket somewhere, but between flights and accommodations, a last-minute trip during the holidays was more than I could afford.

After hours of searching for cheaper alternatives, I had an idea: What if I swapped apartments with someone instead of paying for a pricey hotel? I had seen people trade homes online, and, of course, in films like "The Holiday," but I wondered how it would work logistically.

So, I filmed a video offering up my Brooklyn studio apartment, with its Manhattan skyline views, and it quickly went viral on TikTok.

When I was going through the comments, one stood out: Thiala, a content creator in Cape Town, South Africa, said she wanted to go to New York to experience Christmas.

We FaceTimed, showed each other our apartments, and booked our flights within 48 hours.

Giving a stranger access to my apartment sounded risky, but I felt surprisingly calm

Maybe it was because we were both content creators, or simply because we were both interested in this crazy idea, but I never hesitated at the thought of Thiala coming into my home and caring for my cat.

From our very first conversations, we immediately bonded. Whether we were swapping packing lists or making itineraries of must-try spots in our cities, we were texting and speaking on the phone every day leading up to the trip.

Thiala originally wanted to bring a friend to New York, but after some issues with getting a visa approved, she decided to go on this adventure alone. To make sure she never felt lonely, I immediately sent her a few friends to connect with and doubled down on every New York recommendation I could think of, from cozy corner bars to the best streets for holiday lights.

We both bought Christmas decorations so the other would feel at home when they arrived. Additionally, we traded building instructions, WiFi passwords, and a very long list of what she could feed my picky cat. By then, trusting a stranger with my home didn't feel scary — it felt like handing the keys to my new friend.

Before we knew it, we were both on flights to each other's homes for the holidays, two 30-plus-hour travel days headed in opposite directions.

When I walked into Thiala's one-bedroom apartment in Cape Town, I found a welcome basket full of South African snacks to try. The cherry on top: I saw the most gorgeous sunset right from her living room hours after arriving.

As I got settled, a worry hit me: would she feel like it was a fair swap? My studio apartment is small, and she was trading a Cape Town summer for a freezing winter. Then I remembered that's exactly what Thiala wanted. The exchange had nothing to do with square footage; it was about making memories.

Then the fun really started. Because we're both content creators, we documented the trip as it unfolded.

I got to see New York through Thiala's videos. She got ready in my bathroom for a first date at a wine bar in Brooklyn I had been to a handful of times, woke up with my cat in her arms, and strolled down the streets of Manhattan. Thanks to the time change, I woke up to her posts every morning, and she woke up to mine.

In Cape Town, I spent my days at the beach, seeing penguins, going to Thiala's favorite Pilates studio, and exploring places she insisted I couldn't miss, like the beautiful mountain Chapman's Peak.

It was exactly the kind of trip I'd hoped for — getting to experience a city beyond just its tourist attractions.

After 15 days of being in each other's homes, we finally met in person

Even though it felt like we were best friends, talking every day and sharing our daily adventures, Thiala and I had still never met.

So, after 15 days of apartment-swapping, I headed back home. I left a day early so that she and I could overlap for a bit and grab brunch. Unfortunately, my flight was extremely delayed, and we only got 30 minutes together before she caught her plane to South Africa.

Still, we made the most of the time we had. She got her Chick-fil-A DoorDash one last time, I got to hug my cat again, and we had the ultimate in-person debrief. I then helped her shove her big fur coat into a suitcase, and just like that, we were off to resume our own routines.

To this day, Thiala and I stay connected. She now posts vlogs about being an au pair in Paris, and I'm still living in New York, taking solo trips to places like Guatemala and Kyrgyzstan, and traveling with friends here and there.

Overall, the apartment swap turned out to be so much more than a fun experiment. It let us afford a bucket-list trip, make a new friend, and experience each other's cities through the routines and recommendations of someone who actually lived there.

It felt more personal than a hotel, more meaningful than a typical Airbnb, and somehow made a city thousands of miles away feel a little bit like home.

• At least a dozen European flights were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday morning.
• Flights to Ireland, Czechia, and Poland were among those sent the threats.
• They followed a slew of threats sent on Tuesday, all of which were hoaxes.

At least a dozen European flights received bomb threats on Thursday, days after several airplanes were similarly targeted.

The latest incidents first came to light after France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu gave a statement to news agencies about a flight from Ireland that received a threat and diverted to a French military base.

Aer Lingus Flight 402, from Dublin to Rome, was flying over Paris when it U-turned and landed at the military base, Évreux.

In a statement, the airline said the Airbus A320 diverted "as a security precaution" and landed safely.

No people have been reported injured, and no explosives have been reported found on any of the planes.

Four flights were heading to Prague

Later on Thursday morning, the Czech Police said on X that it received bomb threats about four aircraft heading to its capital, Prague. The police added that it assessed the threats as of low relevance.

The Czech Ministry of Defense told Business Insider it did not deploy fighter jets to escort the four aircraft. All four aircraft were searched upon landing in Prague, and no bomb was found. The MOD said the investigation has been taken over by the National Centre Against Terrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime.

Also on Thursday morning, a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw diverted to Vienna.

The airline said it followed "a bomb threat received during the flight."

"This incident comes amid a series of similar bomb threats affecting several airlines across Europe in recent days," its statement added. "The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority."

Multiple Ryanair and Finnair flights impacted

Bulgarian media reported on three Ryanair flights that landed in the country after receiving bomb threats.

One from Copenhagen and one from Madrid landed in Sofia, while one from London was diverted to Plovdiv, about 80 miles away.

Bulgaria's Ministry of Defense told Business Insider the three bomb threats prompted the activation of Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter crews. The fighters took off at 10:11 a.m. to intercept and escort the three civilian aircraft.

Ryanair did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 235, from Warsaw to Brussels, was also targeted.

In a statement, the airline said the crew "conducted an onboard security check" and found no suspicious items, a finding confirmed by a subsequent inspection after landing in the Belgian capital.

Two Finnair flights from Helsinki — one to Rome and another to Vienna — were also targeted, the airline told Business Insider.

"Threats are almost always unfounded," a spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, at least seven flights were targeted by bomb threats. The UK government called them "malicious hoax threats."

A spokesperson for the European Commission told Business Insider on Tuesday that it was "closely monitoring the situation," but "it is too early to draw conclusions on whether the reported incidents are linked."

This is a developing story.

• As working parents of two, my husband and I felt like we couldn't keep up with everything.
• So, we started paying a local college student to help us with family admin and household tasks.
• Hiring a house manager drastically reduced our mental load and helped keep our home organized.

Every weekend, I stared at the mountain of dirty laundry that had accumulated with dread.

I'd always manage to throw our clothes in the washer and dryer, but that was only the beginning. After that, there would still be a massive pile of clean things to fold and put away.

And after that was done, there were Costco runs to make, meals to prep, Amazon packages to return, rooms to clean, plus other odd and ends needed to keep our house afloat.

My husband and I felt like we never had a chance to decompress.

After a busy week of demanding corporate jobs, our weekends were spent in a never-ending game of trying to catch up instead of spending time with our two small children.

There wasn't much to show for all our effort, either: The house still never looked presentable, we never got caught up on laundry, and it constantly felt like we were failing.

One weekend last year, I once again found myself locked in a staring contest with a pile of laundry and realized I was at a breaking point.

I didn't want to live in a constant hamster wheel anymore, and I was willing to put money toward the problem to try to fix it.

A house manager sounded like a great solution for us, so I turned to Facebook to find one

After seeing Instagram posts about busy parents hiring house managers, mothers' helpers, and family assistants to help them with chores and small errands for a few hours a week, we were sold.

My husband and I talked through what would be most helpful for someone to take off our plates, and how long those tasks might take each week. We decided we'd most like help with tidying, vacuuming, doing laundry, and meal prepping for about eight to 10 hours a week.

From there, I posted what we were looking for in a local Facebook group where people typically hire nannies and babysitters. I initially offered "20ish" an hour in my post based on what I'd seen others in the group share and the going rate for babysitters in our area.

Within a few hours of posting, I had over 10 people messaging me about the job — and two other women commented that they were looking to hire for the same role.

One message stood out to me. Amelia was a college senior and had worked with a family the year before doing something similar. Her class schedule had changed, she said, so she couldn't support them anymore.

After speaking with her in person about what we were looking for and receiving a glowing recommendation over the phone from the family she'd previously worked for, she was hired.

We agreed to pay Amelia $25 an hour, which is what she'd been making before, and started having her work eight hours a week.

Although it felt a little strange at first, having a house manager was worth every penny

Amelia came to our home two days a week, four hours each day, for almost eight months.

I'd text her or make a list of anything in particular I wanted her to do, but otherwise she would tidy our living room, wipe down the kitchen, vacuum, and work on laundry.

Oftentimes, I'd have a recipe I wanted her to help prep. She'd chop all vegetables or prep a marinade to make things easier in the evenings.

On top of routine tasks, Amelia would also run errands like going to Target to grab tights for the girls or dropping off a package at the post office. She even wrapped Christmas presents and changed our girls' closets over each season for us.

At first, I felt guilty having a house manager; like my husband and I should have been able to do all of this stuff ourselves without feeling overwhelmed.

However, seeing how much calmer and easier life was with her around showed me that this service is 100% worth it for our family right now. There was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and our family seemed to get our weekends back.

For us, reducing our mental load is worth paying for

Ultimately, we paid $200 each week for her help. To fit this expense into our annual budget, we cut back on spending in other areas, like ordering takeout and buying new clothes.

I know that being able to pay this amount is a privilege. However, in this season of life, I would rather pay to reduce my mental load than to get my nails done.

Although we would've loved to continue this arrangement with Amelia, she accepted a job after graduation — and we're now on the hunt for another house manager, especially now that school is back in full swing for our daughters.

We're using Facebook again to look, and have a similar set of "wants" that we're asking for, but think we probably only need closer to six hours a week to get everything done.

After such a fantastic first experience, I'm looking forward to setting up this arrangement once more.

• Elon Musk's net worth fell $33 billion in a day as Tesla and SpaceX shares slid after the midterms.
• No matter, he still heads the global rich list by nearly $500 billion from Amazon's Jeff Bezos.
• Democratic victories in Texas could bring new scrutiny to Musk's AI plans in the state.

For most people, losing $33 billion in a day would be unimaginable. For Elon Musk, it barely makes a dent.

Musk's net worth sank by that amount on Wednesday as Tesla and SpaceX shares slid after the US midterm elections.

The Tesla and SpaceX boss was worth $865 billion as of Wednesday's close, per Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. His nearest rival, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, was worth $375 billion, leaving Musk $490 billion ahead.

In other words, Musk could lose the equivalent of Bezos' entire fortune and still be the richest person on the planet by $115 billion.

His huge stakes in both SpaceX and Tesla mean that Musk is worth more than Bezos and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin — who sit in 3rd and 4th spots on the rich list — combined.

Those stakes also mean he's more likely to see his net worth fluctuate by eye-watering amounts as the companies' share prices rise and fall.

Tesla and SpaceX shares each dropped more than 3% on Wednesday, wiping close to $100 billion from their combined market value.

The sell-off followed a costly political defeat. Musk spent at least $446 million supporting Republican candidates and groups ahead of the midterms, including about $224 million backing Republicans in Texas. Voters there instead elected Democratic candidates James Talarico to the Senate and Gina Hinojosa as governor.

The results could have consequences for Musk's businesses beyond a single trading day, given that both are headquartered in the state and have significant operations there.

Tesla's main US manufacturing plant, or Gigafactory, is based just outside Austin, and plans are in place to build Terafab, Musk's chip factory, nearby. SpaceX also launches Starship from its Starbase facility.

Hinojosa has pledged an immediate moratorium on new data centers, while Democratic control of Congress could bring closer scrutiny of technology companies.

Musk responded on X by joking that his "election-interfering space lasers" had failed. He added that SpaceX’s plans to build data centers in orbit looked "pretty appealing right now" after the Democratic victories in Texas.

His net worth is set to fall further on Thursday, with shares in both Tesla and SpaceX trading lower once again.

• Newly elected Texas senator James Talarico said he's willing to work with Elon Musk.
• Musk spent over $200 million on Republican candidates in Texas but failed to stop the state turning blue.
• Talarico previously said he's a "big fan" of Tesla and SpaceX but has been a harsh critic of Musk's political spending.

Elon Musk's newest political foe in Texas is extending the olive branch after the billionaire's election bet misfired spectacularly.

Newly elected Texas senator James Talarico said he was willing to work with Musk, despite the world's richest man burning over $200 million to try and stop the state from turning blue.

"Like I said, I'll work with anyone," Talarico told CNN on Wednesday when asked if he would take Musk's call.

The senator-elect added that his victory was a message to "every billionaire mega-donor" that power in the state could not be bought.

"We have a mandate the size of Texas. And I think the first thing we've got to do is get big money out of our politics so no billionaire, no trillionaire can buy our elections in this country," Talarico said.

Musk reportedly spent around $224 million backing Republican candidates in Texas, much of which went toward Talarico's opponent, Ken Paxton.

The SpaceX CEO also posted a stream of criticism and abuse about Talarico on X in the run-up to Tuesday's election.

Musk, who has moved the headquarters of both SpaceX and Tesla to Texas in recent years, saw his big election spending backfire badly. A nationwide blue wave swept over the state, with Talarico beating Paxton, while Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa unseated longtime Republican governor Greg Abbot.

Shares in SpaceX and Tesla fell following the results, wiping nearly $130 billion in market value from Musk's two companies. Analysts have warned that the new Democratic dominance over Texas could upset the rapid AI buildout in the state and create fresh regulatory hurdles for SpaceX and Tesla.

In a separate interview with NBC on Sunday, prior to his victory, Talarico also said he would be willing to work with his billionaire critic on technology and innovation.

"I was a fan of Elon Musk before he started spending $200 million against me, before he started to make reckless cuts to our federal government," the Democratic candidate said.

"I'm a big fan of SpaceX, of Tesla. He is a great business leader, entrepreneur, and innovator, and I want him to stick to those things. I don't like that he's trying to buy the Senate seat in Texas; I don't like that he's using his wealth to influence our political system. That's where I draw the line," Talarico added.

Since the "blunami" gave the Democrats control of the House and the Senate, Musk's X posts about politics have been few. One Election Day post — "Vote red today" — appears to have since been deleted.

• Karen Finocchio's mom started to show signs of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 54.
• Finocchio and her father experienced challenges — as well as beautiful moments — as primary carers.
• The daughter reflected on things she is happy they did and those she wished they'd done differently.

This story is based on an interview with Karen Finocchio, 56, a marketing and engagement consultant from Marblehead, Massachusetts. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My mother, Louise, known as "Lulu," radiated light. She was caring, quick-witted, accomplished, and kind.

She left a huge hole in our lives when she died on September 22, 2015, 20 years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Dad, 87, and I think of her every day. However, I know she's with us. Every anniversary of her death, she appears as a sunset with vibrant colors that are out of this world.

It doesn't matter what's been going on with the weather; Mom, who was 79 when she passed, inevitably shows up for us on the water in the harbor.

We were her care partners for two decades. It was a privilege to be there for Mom, and it created an unbreakable bond. We had beautiful times together and challenging times.

We made mistakes along the way, but never stopped learning. Here are my three main takeaways from the experience.

We wish we'd picked up on the signs earlier

Mom was only 54 when she first developed symptoms of Alzheimer's.

It took around two years for Dad and me to grasp what was really going on.

She was a glass ceiling breaker in her career as an interior designer. She would travel all over Europe in the 1960s, buying for federated industries, which was uncommon for women.

Exceptionally detail-oriented, she dotted every i and crossed every t. But she lost her business sense, resulting in missed substantive orders and bill payments.

Dad shielded me a bit because I was still at university when it started to happen. Still, I was aware something was off. I'd get upward of five phone calls in an hour when she had no recollection of the previous conversation.

Eventually, we persuaded Mom to see her primary care provider. At first, they lumped it in with menopause, but I dug in my heels and said, "There is something physiologically wrong here."

All the time, her condition was getting worse as she became more forgetful and agitated.

Mom was finally diagnosed in early 1995, at 58, after a slew of diagnostics, including MRIs.

It was a relief in some ways. In a disease where you feel you have very little control, it at least gave us some agency. The earlier the diagnosis, the more options for treatment and planning.

We understood Mom's needs better as time went by

It stayed a roller coaster ride after we found out. Mom would be good, then decline, then plateau. Some of the declines were steep; some were steeper.

The latter were scarier because you wouldn't know when, or if, they would stop.

Being able to Monday-morning quarterback, we struggled with our reactions to Mom's behavior.

I used to correct her when she'd forget something. "Don't you remember that I told you we were going to such and such?" I'd ask. She'd get very sharp and defensive

The truth is that no, Alzheimer's patients don't remember. I could have phrased things better. It wouldn't have been such a questioning or triggering delivery.

It also took me a while to accept some of the neurologist's advice. Mom would make comments like, "You're not my daughter." It was very hurtful.

The doctors assured us that it wasn't my mother who was talking like that; it was the disease. It helped to come around to that way of thinking.

They also educated us on how to identify and manage symptoms of agitation, such as constant movement and pacing.

All of a sudden, she would come at you aggressively, almost like a small child who charges when they are mad.

It got to the point where we could see the distinct switch in her eyes and prepare our stance. It prevented anyone from being hurt.

I'm glad we kept an open mind

The internet was in its infancy during the early stages of Mom's illness. Dad and I would read the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Psychiatry to figure out who was doing research, where they were located, and whether she qualified.

Mom participated in a series of clinical trials, including new pharmacological treatments. It's due to people like her that we know so much about Alzheimer's today.

In 2004, at 68, she came under the care of Dr. Brent Forester, psychiatrist-in-chief and chair of Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center.

He pioneered a study into the effects of ECT on Alzheimer's patients to combat highly aggressive, combative behavior.

We quickly learned that what we initially perceived as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was so far from the truth. It was life-changing and gave Dad and me such precious extra years with Mom.

Brent and his team brought back her sparkle and her smile. Even though the Alzheimer's was still there, these were pieces that softened the sadness.

I'll never forget her trademark squeal when she saw me walk down the aisle on my wedding day in October 2006. Although she was non-verbal, she exuded joy.

It made me realize why trusting your care team is essential: they're best positioned to understand what each person living with the disease needs.

My payback has been to promote awareness — such as publicizing a recent national carers' survey, speaking at conferences, and raising funds for the Alzheimer's Association by running half-marathons.

It's been a literal and metaphorical journey, but I know Mom would be proud.

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

It was a bad day to be a tech bro.

The 2026 midterms brought a "blue wave," and it landed squarely on a tech community that's spent two years aligning with Republicans. And it wasn't just a public rebuke of the party tech executives have been eager to please.

A key issue driving voters' decisions at the polls is central to tech's vision for an AI future: data centers.

BI's Jacob Shamsian and Brent D. Griffiths unpack how Democrats' big day spells trouble for the tech right on multiple fronts.

Elon Musk is the first name that comes to mind thanks to the eye-popping $446 million he spent supporting the GOP, including $224 million that went to the now-blue state of Texas. The impact is already evident, with Tesla and SpaceX shares finishing down on Wednesday.

But the blast radius extends beyond the world's richest person.

I wrote in Tuesday's newsletter how the midterms weren't quite a referendum on AI, but they were pretty close. That proved true at the polls.

In NBC News' exit poll, a majority of voters indicated AI and data centers played a crucial role in their vote, and said they'd oppose new AI infrastructure in their community.

There is at least one place that supports tech's AI ambitions. Meet the tiny North Dakota town that was the only place to vote in support of data centers.

Don't start writing tech's obituary, though.

While neocloud stocks like CoreWeave, Nebius, and Iren dropped, the tech sector largely finished the day in the green. Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft were all up, as was the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, which ended the day up 1.44%. The left might have won, but stocks are still heading up and to the right.

Even the neoclouds could ultimately benefit. Some industry watchers have speculated the threat of regulatory scrutiny from incoming lawmakers will lead AI companies to pump the brakes.

Their hesitancy could allow the rest of the industry to catch up and avoid the often-feared bubble situation where the race to stay ahead leads supply to outstrip demand.

AI companies also now have a built-in excuse whenever they fail to meet expectations: Blame it on regulators. For a group that's looked for creative ways to pass the buck, Washington's bureaucracy is an easy scapegoat to pin its potential future shortcomings on.

Tech's elite can also rest easy knowing at least one approach to taxing them more is falling short. We don't yet have a final tally on California's Prop. 40 "billionaire wealth tax," but early results indicate the "No" vote has a commanding lead.

That would mean more money to pour into the next election.

If getting cozy and prepping for the holidays is top of mind, start with the best early mattress deals. Some excellent savings are already kicking off on the best mattresses we've tested. Shop early to avoid holiday shipping delays and have a new bed in place well before Thanksgiving. Plus, if you have extra FSA funds, you may be able to apply pre-tax money to your new mattress to really stack the savings.

For more deals, check out all of our early Black Friday coverage.

Black Friday mattress deals on the best beds we've tested

Best overall

Best innerspring

Best under $1,000

Best for back and stomach sleepers

Best organic

Best for side sleepers

Best for heavy people

Black Friday hybrid mattress deals

Arguably the most popular type of bed, the best hybrid mattresses combine pocket coils and foam to offer breathability and support. They also help limit motion isolation.

Black Friday memory foam mattress deals

The best memory foam mattresses contour to your body to provide outstanding pressure point relief and spinal alignment.

Black Friday latex mattress deals

Pressure-relieving latex, often found in the best organic mattresses, may help reduce your aches and pains. Plus, it's an eco-friendly material.

Black Friday mattress topper deals

Sometimes your bed needs an extra layer of cushion, but you're not quite ready to upgrade your mattress just yet. That's where a great mattress topper comes in.

Black Friday mattress deals FAQs

Is Black Friday the best time to buy a mattress?

Black Friday typically offers the deepest discounts of the year, as companies aim to clear out inventory and make way for new models. While mattresses can be found on sale year-round (especially around holidays like Labor Day and Memorial Day), retailers often offer extra incentives on Black Friday, typically in the form of freebies or additional percentage points off. As we near the end of the year, you may be eligible to apply unused FSA or HSA funds on a new mattress to offset the cost.

How long do the mattress sales last?

Many Black Friday mattress sales kick off early in the first week of November and last just past Cyber Monday, with some brands extending their promos into early December. As we get closer to Black Friday, many brands may offer additional discounts (typically 5% to 10% off). However, we suggest ordering early to not get bogged down by holiday shipping delays.

How can you use FSA/HSA funds on a mattress?

Many mattress companies work with TrueMed to let you use your HSA/FSA funds, with an average savings of 30%.

• Get a Letter of Medical Necessity: This can be from your doctor or from websites like TrueMed, citing conditions that affect your sleep, such as back pain, sleep apnea, or insomnia.
• Check Payment Methods: Use your FSA/HSA debit card directly at checkout, or submit your itemized receipt to your administrator for reimbursement.

What to look for when selecting a mattress

While big discounts grab headlines, the overall value of a mattress deal depends on the perks and policies included:

• Home trial periods (Aim for 100+ nights): Online mattresses usually require 30 to 60 days to break in. Look for brands offering at least a 100-night risk-free trial, but 365 is becoming the new norm. While brands like Nectar and DreamCloud pioneered the year-long sleep trial, brands like Saatva, Leesa, and Helix also now offer extended home trials. Also read the fine print to verify if returns are truly 100% free or if the brand deducts a removal/re-stocking fee (typically $99) from your refund.
• Delivery and old mattress removal: Standard doorstep shipping is usually free, but if you need help carrying a heavy mattress upstairs or disposing of your old one, look for White Glove Delivery. Saatva offers this perk for free, but many others charge between $100 and $300.
• Bundled accessories: Don't ignore freebies. Many brands offer free pillows, sheet sets, or mattress protectors during holiday sales, adding substantial value. Mattress Firm, for instance, often offers a free adjustable bed frame during its sales.

• Data centers have a bad reputation and were political poison in the midterms.
• OpenAI is aware of that rep, and wants to rebrand "data centers" as "compute campuses."
• But it's really hard to change a term once everyone already uses it!

Consider the Patagonia toothfish. You probably know the large deep-water-dwelling fish on menus as "Chilean sea bass," a much more elegant name. That's because an enterprising fishmonger realized that the toothfish was cheap and great for cooking, but had a deeply unappetizing name. So he rebranded it for market with a name less "toothy." It's now one of the most widely served premium fish options on menus — a rebranding success story.

Can OpenAI pull a Chilean sea bass with the term "data centers?"

That's what it's hoping, with a new attempt in their own communications to rebrand data centers as "compute campuses."

"Compute campuses better describes the scale and role of the infrastructure we're building for AI," an OpenAI spokesperson previously told my colleague Truman Dickerson about the name change. "These are long-term investments in computing, energy infrastructure and skilled work."

Sure!

Look, you don't need to be a marketing or strategy genius to know that the term "data center" carries a significant negative weight these days. People may feel cautiously optimistic about AI, but no one wants to live next to a data center. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said: "I understand emotionally why people don't want data centers in their backyard in the same way that I don't really want a nuclear power plant next to my house, even though I know it's a super safe thing." (His proposed solution: building them "off in the desert.")

Politically, data centers go over with voters like a wet fart, as seen in the midterms. Over 30 direct ballot measures against building data centers were proposed, and only one (in a tiny town in North Dakota) passed. Among candidates, being anti-data center proved a winning strategy, especially in states like Texas and Virginia where data center construction is top of mind for voters.

Data centers even became a punchline to memes and tweets about the Democrats routing of Republicans in Tuesday's election. And you know things are bad when even Elon Musk is accepting that no one wants data centers near where they live.

"Compute campus" has a much nicer ring to it, right? Campus suggests a vibrant, bustling place full of workers and visitors (of course, generally, once a data center is built, it doesn't need tons of employees working there). Even for corporate "campuses" (as opposed to the college version), there's usually some appealing aesthetics — a water feature maybe, some nice outdoor seating, appealing architecture.

So can the rebrand work? I'm skeptical.

Firstly, we've already seen an attempt at rebranding unpopular terminology around AI: President Trump's order to use the terms "super intelligence" and "S.I." instead of artificial intelligence or AI in federal naming and communications. He has a point — "AI" does have a lot of baggage!

Even though certain government writings are using the term, it hasn't really caught on in the general population. Even the hosts of the technology podcast "All In," who are in the top echelon of people most likely to actually embrace the term, have largely given up on the new slang.

Secondly, rebrands are hard! Once something has a name that everyone knows, it's hard to change it. Just think about a sports arena in your area that was renamed after a bank — or a bridge or road renamed — and how often people still call it by its old name.

There have been cases of companies successfully changing or updating their names — Dunkin' instead of Dunkin' Donuts or KFC instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken. But those were solidifying an existing nickname in wide use.

In tech, there's been some notable name rebrands that help when a company expands to have many sub-brands, like Meta and Alphabet, which have more offerings than just Facebook and Google — but I'd argue most normal people rarely use those new names, if they even know them at all.

Renaming a general term instead of a company name is quite different, though. The switch from the negative connotation of data center to neutral "compute campus" is more akin to used cars → pre-owned vehicles, or gambling → gaming, or even dump → landfill.

Maybe it will stick around in some advertising copy or the official building names, but I suspect you're not going to get normal people to start saying "compute campuses" — let alone welcoming them into their local areas anytime soon. Nice try, though!

• Scale scale scale: That's the plan everyone who's not Netflix has for beating Netflix.
• That's silly, says Barry Diller, who knows both Hollywood and the internet: You'll never get enough scale to catch Netflix.
• On the other hand! Platforms like YouTube and TikTok do pose a real threat to Netflix, since they have an endless supply of free content.

Everyone knows what you need to do to take on Netflix: Get really big.

This, after all, is what media CEOs who don't run Netflix have been saying for years to justify their M&A: It was Disney's rationale for buying most of Fox, Discovery's rationale for buying what used to be called Time Warner, and the Ellisons' rationale for buying first Paramount, and then Warner Bros. Discovery.

All of which has been misguided, says Barry Diller.

Diller, who previously ran Paramount and Fox's movie studio — and later launched the Fox broadcast network with Rupert Murdoch — says there's no point in bulking up to take on Netflix. For a very simple reason: Netflix has owned paid streaming for many years. You can't fight a war that's already been won.

Diller has spent his post-Hollywood decades as an Internet Guy, building companies like Expedia, Match Group and Ticketmaster. So he's got a very good sense of what scale gets you in the digital world — and how new technology can make the biggest companies vulnerable.

I interviewed Diller at Business Insider's The Long Play event last week. You can hear our entire chat on my Channels podcast — where we also talk about his recent bid for MGM Resorts; why he thinks his portfolio can weather the AI revolution; and why he has no plans to retire at age 84. The following is an edited excerpt of our conversation:

Peter Kafka: You used to run Paramount back when it was a big deal. It's a smaller deal now. Larry and David Ellison think it can be big again, this time as part of Skydance. Would you make that bet?

Barry Diller: Well, I'm not really in favor of concentration for scale. Scale is not the answer to really much of anything. It is not a determinant. So I don't really believe in consolidation.

Kafka: You're really swimming against the tide there. Everyone says, "No, no, we've gotta be bigger to take on the Netflixes of the world."

Diller: Netflix won.

Now, that doesn't mean you can't have a perfectly good and profitable and growing business. You are simply never going to beat Netflix, ever, unless they do something weird.

So that game, if you want to call it a game, is over.

It does not mean you can't have wonderful, profitable businesses. And frankly, the more, the better.

It makes me sad: I ran 20th Century Fox for over eight years, and I adored the company. I adored what we did, both in the movie area and television area.

And it no longer exists. 20th Century Fox is gone. There may be little pieces, remnants. Paramount, I suspect — and I'm not predicting anything — but over time, I suspect Paramount will be gone.

Does it matter if the Paramount brand, the company, goes away, but they're still making things from that entity?

No. Whatever commitment is made to keep the same level of production, over time they'll make as many things as the market demands. But the loss of … when we had six major studios, [it] was a very healthy environment to make good stuff. And as you have fewer ...

I'm not saying the stuff is getting worse, will get worse. [But] I do think it has gotten worse. I don't know about all of you, but there was a period when it was being splattered around the world post-COVID with endless stuff. And even before that — for five, 10, 15 years, the quality that came out of just television was extraordinary.

I think generally the quality that has come out, for whatever reasons, in the last couple of years has not really been good.

There was a bubble that deflated.

I'm talking about the quality. When was the last great defining show that you've seen, or multiples of them, all of which we had?

I think that's part of this consolidating trend, and I think it's not that healthy. And it's at a time — which is amazing to me — that you can press a button and publish to the world, whatever it is. You can make your own movie, you can make your own journal, you can do whatever you want. Publish essentially free to the world.

So this is why YouTube, if you want to talk about declaring the next "big winner" — it's absolutely YouTube.

Because that's thousands and thousands and thousands of people — the same is true with TikTok — creating, publishing, and getting stuff out there.

The established major companies are contracting. The [platforms are] expanding. Still, I'd like these engines of quality production — I want them to thrive.

• Business Insider is looking for the rising stars of venture capital.
• The deadline to nominate an investor is Tuesday, December 1.

Business Insider is searching for the future kingmakers of Silicon Valley.

Our annual list of the Rising Stars of Venture Capital spotlights the venture capitalists finding the next big thing before the rest of the market catches on — and those winning the right to invest in proven winners.

Know someone? Send your suggestions below or via this form.

Our picks have gone on to rise through the ranks of elite firms and raise funds of their own. Past honorees include Deedy Das at Menlo Ventures, Avichal Garg at Electric Capital, Abby Meyers at Bain Capital Ventures, and Mercedes Bent at her new fund, Premise.

Take a look at our 2026 list here.

The deadline to nominate a rising star is Tuesday, December 1. We can't promise feedback on submissions due to volume.

Who qualifies

• US-based venture capitalists across roles, from vice presidents to principals to partners
• Investors with clear, recent wins: sourcing or leading competitive deals, developing theses ahead of the crowd, or delivering outsize portfolio support
• We welcome nominations from funds of any size, including emerging funds; self-nominations are fine

What to include in a nomination

• Role and firm, plus any promotion history within the firm
• Notable deals in the past 12 months: their role and how they helped support the investment
• Evidence of edge: backgrounds or perspectives that give them an unfair advantage in investing; examples of winning competitive processes; measurable influence inside their firms and ecosystems

Questions?

Contact Business Insider reporter Melia Robinson at mrobinson@insider.com

• Some employers are offering laid-off workers above-average support in finding a new gig — or career.
• Canva, which cut 22% of its workforce on Tuesday, is offering $10,000 grants, interview prep, and more.
• HR leaders say beefy exit packages can help companies avoid backlash and boost morale for those who remain.

Getting laid off may be getting a little less painful.

Canva said this week that the more than 1,200 employees it's letting go will receive exit packages that extend beyond corporate norms.

In addition to severance and extended healthcare coverage, they'll get above-average job-search support as they enter a challenging market. The offer includes one-on-one interview prep, a year of LinkedIn Premium, access to an employee-alumni directory for networking, and the option to apply for $10,000 grants for those who want to "start something of their own."

While offering access to some career resources is not unusual, the design software company and a handful of other employers are going the extra mile to help laid-off employees start the next chapter of their careers. HR and outplacement advisors say that offering substantial job-search resources can soften the blow of a pink slip, limit public backlash, and reassure staffers who remain.

Canva follows a trend of employers providing more robust career support, said Greg Simpson, global practice leader for career transition and mobility at LHH, a talent solutions and advisory services firm.

"It does not surprise us to see an offer that's like this," Simpson said.

What companies are offering

Last year, after announcing over 13,000 job cuts, Verizon established a $20 million reskilling and career transition fund that covers the cost of more than 30,000 courses and 80 professional certificate programs aligned with "in-demand skills."

Chevron, which announced plans to cut up to 20% of its workforce by the end of this year, said on its website it will offer an educational assistance program for laid-off employees, reimbursing up to 75% of the cost of qualifying coursework to help workers prepare for their next opportunity.

Part of the emphasis on reskilling may be due to layoffs becoming commonplace in the AI era, leading companies to feel a greater sense of responsibility to departing workers, Simpson said.

In a 2026 LHH report, 87% of HR leaders said their organizations have recently made layoffs or plan to do so in the next year, and over 75% said layoffs are now ongoing.

The report also found that about 58% of the 418,000 laid-off workers the firm supported moved into an entirely new career in 2025, a level that has held steady since 2022.

As AI changes the skills workers need, many leaders are also thinking more about career-transition support as part of their workforce strategy. Others are offering workers voluntary buyouts that are more lucrative than severance packages.

A more positive exit

Some employers may be beefing up this kind of support partly to bolster staff morale. It "helps preserve a more positive work culture for those who survive the cuts," said Pav Stojkovic, former chief people officer at the sports publication The Athletic, the biotech startup Omeat, and other companies.

The move can also help employers blunt social media criticism from laid-off employees, said Matthew Whol, a former executive recruiter and career coach who now runs an outplacement platform.

"It's becoming a real negative on their business," he said, adding that companies can turn former workers into powerful advocates — or critics — depending on how they handle their exit.

"I jokingly tell people that your best customer or your best marketer is the person who doesn't work for you anymore."

• Falling oil has given stocks a boost, but Friday's jobs report will test whether the relief rally can last.
• A Goldilocks read could revive the AI trade. Too hot or cold, and Wall Street gets queasy again.
• Sign up for First Trade, Business Insider's daily markets newsletter.

The stock market has spent the better part of the last few weeks torn between two narratives.

On one hand, the AI trade has been on shaky footing under the weight of capex and valuation worries. On the other hand, oil prices — and, by extension, inflation expectations — have been falling, offering an encouraging sign that the recent stock sell-off could simply be a contained reset.

Oil's decline continued on Wednesday after a Democratic sweep in the midterm elections, with Brent crude falling below $100 per barrel for the first time in months. All major US stock indexes soared, a sign that investors are embracing the low-oil/moderating-inflation narrative.

But the verdict is still far from final, and Friday's jobs report for October is the closest thing to a tiebreaker that we're going to get. Economists expect about 65,000 payroll additions, a number that could either signal a healthy cooldown, more troubling growth headwinds, or renewed inflation trouble.

Let's break down what investors should be watching:

The Goldilocks zone

In a perfect world, investors will get a so-called Goldilocks reading — hiring that's cool enough to take pressure off the Fed to keep rates higher for longer, but not so weak that it confirms outright economic weakness.

More specifically, the best-case scenario for stocks would be a modest payroll number, steady unemployment, and tame wage growth. That would reinforce the oil-price relief investors got this week, and offer a signal that inflation is finally cooling without taking the economy down with it.

If that plays out, Treasury yields could keep falling, giving expensive AI growth stocks — including many of the names that bore the brunt of the recent sell-off — some much-needed breathing room.

That would allow investors to refocus on whether specific companies can turn AI development into revenue — and whether their huge capex bills are worth it.

How the jobs report could spoil the party

While the Goldilocks zone is the ideal outcome, there are still two ways Friday's report could trip up investors.

First, a weak payroll number would raise fears that recent wobbles in AI are part of a broader economic slowdown. Such an outcome could also lower yields, which might provide some near-term support. But the prospect of a genuine growth scare is likely to overrule that over time.

Second, on the other end of the spectrum, a surprisingly strong jobs number could threaten to rekindle the inflation fears quieted by oil's drop. That could send yields back up and put fresh pressure on the AI trade, particularly companies that have leaned more heavily on debt financing. Firms want to avoid that, especially with investors already asking tougher questions about financing.

In the end, Friday's report won't be able to answer whether AI will deliver on all its promises. But it could answer the more immediate question of whether markets have enough macro breathing room to stay patient while they wait.

• DoorDash has said its deal for Instacart will help small businesses compete with larger ones.
• Some small grocers are skeptical about that.
• A larger DoorDash could be harder to negotiate with, they said.

DoorDash says that its $17 billion deal for Instacart will "help local stores win."

Some local stores aren't so sure.

Many local grocery chains, some of which are family-owned, have inked delivery deals with DoorDash and Instacart over the past decade. The delivery services were particularly important to the smaller chains during the pandemic and after Amazon bought Whole Foods in 2017 — both events that sent them looking for a quick delivery option.

Instead of giving them a shot at competing with Amazon and Walmart, though, some local grocers say the deal presents risks for them. There aren't many options for delivery services, and DoorDash could consolidate delivery market share, the grocers say, giving them less leverage to negotiate the terms of their deals with DoorDash.

Stew Leonard Jr., CEO of Stew Leonard's, a grocery chain with eight stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, offers delivery through DoorDash and Instacart.

Both companies have been willing to work with Stew Leonard's to grow online orders, whether through seasonal promotions or advertising, Leonard said. He's also been able to pick between the two services to get better deals, he added.

If the deal goes through, Leonard worries that could change.

"We're not any big customer of theirs," he said. "Will they still be wheelers and dealers and want to grow our business?"

The tie-up between the two delivery services could have upsides, Leonard added. He anticipates that the combined company will have more delivery workers available to pick up orders from his stores. "We're hoping that we can expand the radius of delivery around each one of our stores," Leonard said.

Anne Roark, store manager at Lucerne Valley Market and Hardware in Southern California, said that she hopes DoorDash will provide better support for retailers like hers. She said that she's spent days trying to reach Instacart customer service about an $800 invoice that she received from the company but still doesn't know what the purpose of the charge is.

She's also worried about the deal increasing the commission that she pays to Instacart.

Roark's supermarket charges more for items sold through Instacart to cover the delivery service's fee, she said. While customers like the convenience, many probably can't justify the extra cost, Roark added.

"We really try hard to serve the customers in ways they can afford," Linda Gommel, the chain's CEO, told Business Insider.

A combined DoorDash and Instacart would also know a lot about what consumers buy at specific retailers, said Kevin Coupe, a retail industry analyst who has written a daily newsletter on the industry for two decades.

After Whole Foods said it would cut ties with Instacart in 2018, the delivery startup reached out to some Whole Foods customers and suggested they shop at other grocers on the Instacart app based on their past purchases, he said.

A similar move by a larger DoorDash could make it tricky for retailers to cut ties and work with rival delivery services, even if they want to, he said.

"You're afraid to leave them because you're afraid they're going to weaponize your customer data against you," he said.

Uber, which has its own grocery delivery business, has already heard from retailers looking to work more with its service in the week since DoorDash and Instacart announced the deal, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on an earnings conference call Wednesday. "They want choice," Khosrowshahi said of the retailers.

"This potential deal takes one of those partners off the table," he said.

Do you have a story idea about DoorDash? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Mike Stein is one of 31 Tradewind Aviation captains qualified to fly passengers into St. Barts.
• The tiny Caribbean island is famous for its challenging airport landing.
• Sitting between a steep ridge and the sea, pilots can't see the runway until the last moments.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mike Stein, the Caribbean region's chief pilot at Tradewind Aviation and a trainer for landings at St. Barts' Gustaf III Airport. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My obsession with the skies started at a young age when my parents signed me up for a 15-minute demo flight with Young Eagles.

Now, I'm among the pool of qualified pilots to fly into Gustaf III Airport in St. Barts — a tiny Caribbean airstrip known for one of the world's most challenging approaches in commercial aviation. Only a few dozen captains at my company are allowed to fly the approach.

The roughly 2,100-foot airport runway sits precariously between a steep hilltop ridge and the sea, and can only handle smaller planes. Pilots must fly a low, precise approach over the hill before descending quickly to stick the landing, while simultaneously battling rapidly changing crosswinds and rough turbulence.

The training is intense, but I love the thrill of "The Hill." Here's what passengers don't see during the extreme approach.

Landing in St. Barts is like threading a needle

I work for Tradewind Aviation, a US scheduled charter carrier, which operates its St. Barts flights with Pilatus PC-12 turboprops. Only smaller aircraft can use the island's short runway; large Boeing and Airbus jetliners cannot.

For passengers, the landing may look daunting. For us, it's the result of years of training and trusting our judgment. As of 2026, Tradewind has 31 captains qualified to land in St. Barts, with an average of more than 3,000 flight hours.

The approach is visual: It's hands on the yoke, eyes outside, and feeling how the wind is affecting the airplane. Because of the unique steep descent over the hilltop, the runway stays hidden until the final moment.

As you pitch smoothly down over the crest, the runway appears, framed by the bay. The landing in St. Barts is all about energy management; once you can feel that sensation, it becomes much easier to control the approach.

Inside the cabin, passengers enjoy hillside views as the aircraft makes a scenic, low-altitude approach to the tarmac. We leave the cockpit curtain open so passengers can watch the pilots work.

The best St. Barts pilots are those with solid stick-and-rudder skills, and those who can self-critique their approaches, as no landing is the same on the island. I want pilots thinking about what they did well, what could have gone better, and how to adjust for the next flight.

Still, we never force a landing, and there are conditions under which we simply can't land.

If crosswinds exceed the aircraft's limits, there's very heavy rain, too much standing water on the runway, or the aircraft is too fast or too slow, we'll go around or divert for safety.

Training is intense, and not every pilot qualifies

At Tradewind, where I've been the Caribbean region's chief pilot for three years and am a St. Barts flight instructor, several of our pilots regularly fly in and out of the island.

It's the natural progression if you're in the Caribbean at Tradewind. Between the descent and wind at the airport, we put our pilots through extensive training, but not everyone makes it through.

We only let captains land in St. Barts, so they're already very familiar with flying the PC-12. And the training has to be hands-on.

While full-motion simulators used at major airlines can recreate the look of St. Barts, no simulator can truly replicate the sudden wind shifts and intense turbulence of the actual approach.

To train, we put them through steep-approach drills at standard airports so they can master the physics and feel of the intense descent long before they touch down on the island. Next is live training in St. Barts, where pilots perform dozens of landings and approaches.

There isn't a set time for training. We determine when the pilot is ready and usually give them as much time as they need to figure it out. As long as they are improving while we're instructing, we'll keep training them.

For those who make it, landing in St. Barts is a very exciting approach. It's fun for everyone on board, especially the pilots.

Passengers will probably feel some bumps, but that's part of the charm.

• Americans are still buying plenty of stuff for the holidays.
• Sales continue to shift online, and that calls for a shift in staffing.
• Seasonal retail hiring is shifting from a sales-floor focus to more logistics and delivery roles.

The annual holiday shopping rush needs a lot of workers to keep everything moving.

In the last few years, that seasonal hiring spree has appeared to soften, at least when it comes to traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. One industry estimate projects this year will see about 450,000 seasonal jobs in the retail sector, the lowest gain in nearly 20 years.

But that's not the whole picture.

An analysis from Indeed last month found that retail jobs have slid from about two-thirds of all seasonal jobs in 2019 to around 61% this year. That five-percentage-point decline has mostly reappeared as an increase in loading and stocking roles.

Since that report came out, Amazon bumped up its hiring target to 300,000 seasonal workers, up 50,000 from the prior few years, and UPS said Monday it's looking to add 100,000 seasonal workers this year.

And while neither Walmart nor Target have announced similar companywide goals, both retailers say they've been staffing up ahead of the season with local stores hiring seasonal workers as needed.

Within stores, more of the work is shifting from traditional sales work like cashiering and more toward stocking and fulfillment to meet growing online demand.

For many Walmart stores, digital teams are some of the fastest-growing, and digital fulfillment is a common expectation on seasonal associate job listings. And on Target's jobs board on Wednesday, nearly all of the 4,000 seasonal job listings reference inbound restocking duties.

Some smaller retailers, like Five Below and Dick's Sporting Goods, are still aiming to hire thousands of seasonal workers this year, but across the industry those numbers are increasingly giving way to roles more focused on logistics and e-commerce.

Of course, in-store business is still king for retailers.

Foot traffic from location data firm Placer.ai shows that Walmart, Target, and other mass merchandise retailers had increases in visits during the week leading up to Black Friday. Other specialty categories saw surges of two to four times their average daily traffic on Black Friday.

Even so, as retailers use their stores to fulfill a growing number of online orders at increasingly fast speeds, seasonal hiring is likely to continue adapting to meet the new demand.

• A falling S&P 500 P/E ratio is a bad omen for markets and the economy.
• Most years the P/E ratio has seen a sharp drop, the US was either in a recession or a bear market.
• Strategists at NDR said it's a characteristic of an "echo bear market."

The stock market is flashing a rare omen that has historically pointed to a coming recession, Ned Davis Research says.

In a note on Wednesday, the market research firm highlighted a signal that has rarely been seen in the S&P 500, but is has cropped up this year: the index's price-to-forward earnings ratio, a valuation metric that measures the price of the S&P 500 relative to the 12-month forward earnings expectations for companies in the index, has dropped sharply, falling by 4.4 points in the year through October.

The S&P 500's forward P/E ratio now stands at 18.8x. The ratio is down from the 23.2x recorded last year, which marked the index's most expensive valuation by forward earnings since the pandemic stock boom.

A decline of that magnitude is rare, having only occurred six times since 1983, Ed Clissold, NDR's chief US strategist, said. In five out of those six instances, the S&P 500 was in an "echo bear market" — a bear market that happens within a few years of the last recession — or the US economy was already in the midst of a recession, Clissold said.

The only exception is when the P/E ratio plunged in 1998. Back then, the economy was expanding, though the P/E measure had plunged as a result of the 1987 stock crash, he added. The US would enter a recession about two years after the signal flashed in 1988.

Moreover, it is the only time the ratio has declined in a year when the S&P 500 has been up for the last 12 months.

Here's the rundown of every instance the P/E ratio has seen a steep drop:

Stocks have also historically been volatile in years the P/E ratio sees a steep drop. Though the index was up over the next year in five out of the six instances, the S&P 500's average median drawdown in the year that followed was around 18%, implying that stocks tend to see "some pain along the way" after the forward P/E plunges, Clissold wrote.

He noted that this year was unusual, given that investors have discounted the likelihood of the AI boom continuing by pushing down the forward P/E ratio "by amounts normally reserved for recessions and/or bear markets."

"The skepticism could cushion the blow if earnings growth slows next year, but history suggests that if an AI slowdown leads to a recession, the recent drop in the P/E may not prevent significant drawdowns," he said.

The signal is coming at a sensitive time in the AI trade, with tech stocks acting exceptionally volatile in the weeks leading up to the midterm elections. Investors continued to dump some tech names on Wednesday as they took in the results from the latest midterms, attesting to worries about how Democratic lawmakers could stall data center construction at a time when that's the main focus for hyperscalers.

• AI is changing what it takes to stand out as a newbie on Wall Street.
• We asked our Rising Stars of Wall Street to share the skills workers need to thrive in this era of work.
• Here's what they said, from practicing soft skills to mastering technical work.

AI is raising the bar for entry-level Wall Street workers.

With technology taking over more of the grunt work, early success depends less on how many hours an analyst has spent meticulously formatting pitch decks or compiling reports. Instead, it's more about how well they communicate what's in that deck or model, and how good they are at generating ideas or building relationships.

We asked the latest class of Business Insider's Rising Stars of Wall Street what skills those on the finance path need to master in the AI era. Their answers suggest that the technology has not necessarily changed the skills needed to succeed on Wall Street, but rather is making those skills more important earlier in their careers.

Here's what they said someone starting out on Wall Street should zero in on.

Don't let AI do your thinking for you

What Jim Tilson, a 35-year-old senior managing director at Evercore, stresses to his junior team is that they be active learners.

He sees the biggest risk for juniors using AI is that they rely on the tech too heavily, which could prevent them from developing pattern recognition.

"The best performers are going to leverage it as a tool and get way smarter, and the worst performers are going to let AI do their job and be replaced," the banker said.

Blue Owl Capital investor Diana Liu recently heard someone complain that young employees are increasingly asking AI to solve problems rather than developing their own approaches.

Her advice is to develop a framework for solving a problem, then use AI to refine the solution.

"Let it be your helper, not a replacement," the 33-year-old principal and data center investor said.

Analytical skills will be tremendously valuable, said Asher Hecht, a principal at General Atlantic, echoing some of Tilson and Liu's concerns.

"The ability to drive insight from what that tells you and the right questions to ask and observing the shapes of data and trends, I think that is something that people risk losing sight of."

Have your own point of view

Evercore banker David Oppenheim, a 35-year-old managing director, said that in his experience, "some of the highest performing juniors tend to be those that are thinking about the bigger picture rather than necessarily just performing the task that they've been asked to perform."

Daniel Borkenstein, a 31-year-old private equity principal at Apollo Global, said he's been using AI as a thought partner to help him think through a thesis, its risks, and the best way to communicate nuanced topics.

"In no circumstance was AI able to tell me the answer," he said. "I needed to come with a point of view and work with AI to refine what that answer was and be prepared for whatever conversations I had with people about the deal."

Judgment is your value add, said Borkenstein.

"No one's going to sell their business to Claude," he said. "If you say 'because Claude said so' at the investment committee, that's an unacceptable answer for hopefully obvious reasons."

Make people want to work with you

The ability to connect with people will become an even bigger differentiator, Kate Casey, a 32-year-old principal at KKR, told Business Insider.

"What differentiates you and why a management team would want to work with you is your ability to connect as a person," she said.

Fiona Ismail, global head of investment-grade private credit at JPMorgan, recommends that young professionals double down on listening. That means paying attention to colleagues as they explain their work and understanding what clients are ultimately trying to accomplish.

"AI can answer what you've told it, but it can't get to the crux of what someone is actually trying to say," the 34-year-old executive director said.

Her colleague, John Ballard, a 28-year-old executive director at JPMorgan, believes being in sync with managers will also become increasingly important.

"The people who will succeed are the ones who are incredibly in tune with their direct managers: what they need, what they like, how to navigate situations where you're being asked to do things, and maybe the timeline isn't clear," he said.

Ryan Febles, the global head of equity capital markets at hedge fund Capstone Investment Advisors, recommends putting yourself in situations outside your comfort zone to work on your emotional intelligence. Company leaders want to know that the person they've hired can thrive in a situation outside the confines of a cubicle.

The 31-year-old said leaders would ask themselves, "Who am I confident I can put in front of a management team to represent our business?"

Master the basics before automating them

While AI can accelerate much of the work traditionally performed by junior employees, several Rising Stars warned against neglecting the technical skills that are core to their investments, deals, or the financial solutions they structure.

Jake Epstein, a 28-year-old investor at Blackstone, tells first-year analysts that they have two jobs: producing the work they're assigned and, arguably more importantly, learning.

"It's always worth doing something yourself at least once to learn how," he said.

In real estate investing, that might mean learning how to conduct due diligence or order environmental reports and property condition assessments before turning to AI to help with subsequent tasks.

Epstein also sees AI as an opportunity to learn about parts of the business that junior employees might not otherwise have time to explore.

For example, a first-year analyst may not be responsible for negotiating purchase agreements, but can use AI to understand the back-and-forth between lawyers and learn more about the process.

Maya Venkatraman, a 34-year-old managing director at Morgan Stanley, similarly stressed the importance of mastering the fundamentals.

"You still need the technical understanding to know when an assumption is weak, when an answer doesn't make sense," the US head of transportation and infrastructure leveraged finance said.

A willingness to experiment

For young professionals willing to put in the time to master AI, the technology could also provide an opportunity to stand out early on.

Mike Washington, a 32-year-old managing director at Goldman Sachs, recommends learning how to use large language models and experimenting with vibe coding, or using AI to write software and automate everyday tasks. He said some of Goldman's best young analysts are getting more exposure to senior team members because they are "fluent" in how AI processes work.

"Taking some of these external courses, spending the extra five, six hours a week in an already busy schedule will pay dividends and then some down the road," he said.

Bridget Chaudhry, also a managing director at Goldman Sachs, believes the ability to teach yourself new skills has always been an important predictor of success for junior employees.

"One of the mindset shifts when you start as a junior person on Wall Street is that you shouldn't expect people to teach you, but you should expect to be in an environment where you learn," the investment banker said.

Get comfortable solving unfamiliar problems

Cody Kiechle, a 33-year-old managing director at Bank of America, sees AI as an opportunity for bankers to spend more time on creative work, to develop better ideas, advice, and deal structures.

"It pushes us further into the creativity element, as opposed to some of the more rote tasks that we've done historically, which is really exciting," he said.

For Matthew Caltabiano, a 31-year-old portfolio manager at Millennium Management, problem-solving is the most important skill young professionals can develop.

He recommends that students publish some of their work online to put them on the radar of innovative investors and companies.

"Come up with one good idea and execute it incredibly well," he said.

Venkatraman, who is helping finance the unprecedented data center build-out, also emphasized the importance of becoming comfortable with uncertainty. She said often, the most interesting work happens when there isn't a template or a precedent.

"Get comfortable with ambiguity, get comfortable with the unknown," she said.

For Rex Johnson, the head of equity volatility at Walleye Capital, success in market-facing roles requires learning how to operate without perfect information.

The 32-year-old recommends being willing to make mistakes, learn from them, and move on.

"Be good at failing quickly — and get up when you get knocked down," he said.

• Slate will start building production units of its electric truck this month.
• Kenda, the tire supplier for the EV company, revealed the fresh timeline in a press release.
• Hopeful early adopters tell BI they haven't seen the interior — even if they've ridden in the truck.

Slate's $25,000 electric truck is about to take its biggest step toward reality.

Kenda, the carmaker's tire supplier, wrote in a press release last week that an EV-specific tire will launch on the Blank Slate "when the vehicle enters production in November 2026."

The statement offers the clearest public timeline yet for Slate's production launch. The startup has previously said its first deliveries were expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, without naming a month. In September, Business Insider reported that Slate had told some preorder customers they could receive their vehicles as soon as December.

Slate has been offering ride-alongs to potential buyers across the US since August. Customers who spoke to Business Insider about their test runs said that Slate employees made it clear that interior panels and finishes on those trucks were prototypes — not the final production versions.

Late last month, Ars Technica reported that Slate's factory in Warsaw, Indiana, was still producing prototype models, but would transition to production units "soon."

That all sets up a crucial test for the Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup. Slate is promising a $24,950 electric pickup with no direct rivals in the US auto industry. It's equipped with throwback-grade tech — no radio, no music speakers, and manual-crank windows — all wrapped in a two-door, two-seat small-truck body.

Slate's also betting on customization. It has a marketplace with hundreds of accessories shoppers can add on, like an SUV kit with a second-row bench seat, color wraps, and interior accouterments.

More than 180,000 people placed $50 reservations for the Slate, the automaker said in June. The company hasn't disclosed how many shoppers have sent $300 to enter a preorder queue.

Benjamin Palazzo, a Slate follower and avid poster in the company's subreddits, told Business Insider he plans to wait until 2028 before buying one — and said he expects the startup's earliest vehicles to be works in progress.

"The first Slates are going to be the worst Slates in history, because it's going to get continually better," Palazzo said. "But I believe in the Slate mission. That's why I want to buy one."

Michelle Volberg sent an email to her staff about six months ago with a simple ask: "Please stop talking to me like a robot."

Volberg, the founder and CEO of tech recruiting company Twill, tells me that some workers had increasingly been sending Slack messages and emails they had copied and pasted from Claude. She suspected a bot was to blame, because the pings were more reminiscent of pitches from clueless external consultants than her employees. Instead of hearing from her thoughtful staff, she says, she suddenly received messages that sounded "annoyingly optimistic and dumb." The punctuation and capitalization all looked perfect — more formal than a typical Slack message might — but upon closer review, the messages lacked context about clients and included hallucinations.

It all began when Volberg rolled out an enterprise Claude subscription to her company of 10. Volberg's policy now is simple: use AI to brainstorm and work through ideas, but use your own voice for internal communications. "If you wouldn't say it that way in person, email, or Slack — don't send it."

She noticed a shift immediately. "Creative thinking came back, interpersonal relationships came back, so much of the human humanness of working together, whether it's in person or remote, came back," she says.

A year ago, researchers from the Stanford Social Media Lab and professional training and coaching company BetterUp Labs coined the term "workslop," referring to low-quality, extra verbose, AI-generated memos, documents, emails, and slide decks that white-collar workers had begun foisting onto one another. Now, even more emboldened workers are shoveling it up to the C-suite.

CEOs are somewhat complicit — the slop they're now wading through may have accidentally been unleashed by mandates to use AI. New policies attempt to revive some workplace humanity and parse productive uses of AI from the deluge of wasteful content that distracts from real work. They're also learning that rules alone may not fix the underlying causes of the mess. Some are even firing workers for slopping it up.

"Workslop is predicted by the conditions more than it is in individual behavior," says Kate Niederhoffer, chief scientist at BetterUp Labs, adding that bosses need to set up workplaces where people feel safe to "have an effective dialogue about how these tools can really transform the way we work."

While you're living by the move-fast-and-break-things ethos to figure out AI, your boss is tired of moonlighting as the slop janitor.

Some slop oozes from lazy workers trying to pass the friction of tasks onto others. But much of it has proliferated as people feel pressure to use AI tools without guidance from the bosses pushing its adoption. Tokenmaxxing, the trend that fell nearly as quickly as it rose, led workers to spin up as much content as they could with AI. Companies have begun measuring AI use in performance reviews, although there's little standardization across how its use should be evaluated. AI tools haven't achieved their builders' promises of supercharged productivity. Some who use them have taken on longer hours and more tasks, which can lead to lower-quality output. People also defer to AI's judgment, trusting its authoritative tone and speedy delivery, and may not realize that they're shipping slop.

In Niederhoffer's initial workslop research published last fall, more than half of those surveyed admitted to sending it, noting that some of their work was "unhelpful or low quality." The staggering number, she says, reveals that the problem runs deep, and workers' actions may signal three things: compliance with AI adoption, innovation, or that they're depleted.

Many of the anti-slop policies companies introduced over the past year try to straddle the line between supporting AI use and drawing some boundaries around experimentation. In August, software startup Clay's cofounder Varun Anand posted the company's new AI writing policy on LinkedIn, and it quickly went viral by LinkedIn standards. It's not a ban on AI in writing, but it requires workers to stand behind every idea in every sentence and qualifies that creating a document should take longer than reading it does. The policy also specifies that writing is a useful part of the thinking process and brevity is often best. "Readers will appreciate hearing your thoughts, even at the expense of supposed 'polish,'" it reads.

There's a risk of losing creative thought and judgment when workers use AI to cognitively offload tasks. Spellbook CEO Scott Stevenson told his team in early September that he would rather see five scrappy bullet points when reading an idea proposal than five perfectly formatted pages. He also specified that communication with customers should always be "hand-written," a term now thrown around to refer to writing that is typed out by hand rather than generated.

Workslop can waste time and erode trust among teams. Eric Fischgrund, who runs public relations company FischTank PR, says he bans the use of AI to write content sent to reporters or clients and relies on an AI detector to check. Last year, he fired one worker who continuously used AI for off-limits purposes. The first time resulted in a confrontation; the second, a warning; and yet the person did it for a third time, Fischgrund says. "It's obvious, it's annoying."

Zocdoc also put out anti-AI slop guidance in August, encouraging people to "never ship your slop," make bot-to-human interaction transparent, and to maintain original ideation. "If you give this responsibility to AI, it will do it poorly and your value will decline," the statement reads. Jessica Aptman, chief communications officer at Zocdoc, tells me that the new guidance is "less punitive" for those who churn out slop and more prescriptive about maintaining their own value as they use AI. "Over time, people who are not going to take these expectations seriously will see performance decline — just in how much people trust their work, how much influence they have, how much value they're giving if they're outsourcing all of their smarts and creativity to the robots," Aptman says.

Bosses who want to do away with slop may need to do more than ask for workers to speak as themselves. They need to shape office cultures where people feel their input matters, and trust that AI won't absorb or devalue their work. It may be more effective to discourage spilling slop than it is to mop it up.

• Congress' blue wave puts Social Security reform and 2030s shortfall in the spotlight for seniors.
• Winning Democratic senators back lifting the payroll-tax cap, stronger caregiver support at home.
• Debate over targeting Social Security fraud, raising the age and protecting Medicaid and Medicare.

As the final midterm votes are being counted, older Americans now know the identities of many of the senators who will determine their retirement futures.

While both the House and Senate flipped blue, the 35 senators elected on Tuesday will grapple with the Social Security shortfall expected in the early 2030s.

Given that senators serve six-year terms, more than a third of the incoming Senate will be responsible for reforming Social Security — or letting its funding deplete.

Social Security, a lifeline for millions of older Americans and people with disabilities, is on track to run out of reserves by 2032, which would cut Americans' benefits by roughly 22%. For a typical dual-income couple who recently retired, this could mean almost $17,000 in lost income each year beginning in 2033.

Social Security loses money each year, spending more on benefits to over 75 million people than it gets in tax revenue. Social Security is projected to collect $2 trillion but spend $2.4 trillion in 2033 as the US population gets older. Politicians have skirted the question of whether Social Security will ever be depleted, but there hasn't been a clear path forward. Aging advocates and Social Security researchers have called on Congress to act sooner rather than later.

In local news stories leading up to the midterms, many older Americans told reporters that the candidates' views on Social Security strongly influenced who they would vote for. Though candidates in the closely followed Senate races often spoke more about general affordability, all had at least mentioned Social Security in their campaign promises.

Many Democrats in competitive races favored lifting the payroll-tax cap on high earners, while many Republicans stressed protecting current beneficiaries, cutting fraud, or establishing bipartisan commissions without endorsing a specific solvency plan. A few politicians have suggested creating an investment fund, while others have suggested lowering the annual benefit adjustment.

Below is a list of what the winning Senate candidates in the most closely watched elections have said regarding Social Security's future:

• Sherrod Brown, Democrat from Ohio: He would raise the payroll-tax cap on high earners. Brown has cited his leadership on the Social Security Fairness Act. He also opposes the privatization of Social Security.
• Troy Jackson, Democrat from Maine: He would remove the wage cap so higher earners pay Social Security taxes on more income. He has also supported higher pay for family caregivers and the creation of more in-home services for caregivers.
• Josh Turek, Democrat from Iowa: He has supported removing the payroll-tax cap and increasing income and asset limits for disabled beneficiaries. He has promised to protect Medicare and expand drug-price negotiation.
• Adam Hamilton, Democrat from Kansas: He has not come out in favor of eliminating the payroll-tax cap but has supported raising it. He has also supported higher reimbursement for home-based care and home health aides, as well as stronger enforcement of elder fraud.
• Abdul El-Sayed, Democrat from Michigan: He would lift the payroll-tax cap and end taxes on Social Security benefits. His plan for long-term care has included investing in home- and community-based services, reducing institutional bias in long-term-care financing, and supporting family caregivers.
• James Talarico, Democrat from Texas: He would eliminate the tax cap for people earning over $400,000 and encourage employer pensions. He has also supported expanding affordable home care and a better-paid elder care workforce with more providers.

Lifting the payroll-tax cap would raise substantial new revenue for Social Security. Currently, a worker earning $1 million is taxed only on the first $184,500. Under this proposal, Social Security would still operate at a deficit, but it would significantly push back insolvency. Some candidates supported raising the cap but not eliminating it entirely, which would slightly delay insolvency.

Those in favor of targeting fraud argued that it could prevent benefits from going to ineligible recipients, prevent identity theft, and reduce payment errors. Critics have argued that an improper payment can be an overpayment, an underpayment, or a paperwork error, and thus not intentional fraud. Others have said that devoting resources to eliminating suspected fraud wouldn't amount to substantial savings.

Many shied away from proposing to raise the retirement age, which has been unpopular among younger voters and has led to mass unrest in various European countries. Some proposals would push the normal retirement age up to 69 and increase the age for delayed retirement to 72.

Many older Americans likely voted out of concern for the future of Medicaid, which millions use to help cover long-term care costs. With the provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act set to take effect next year, many older Americans hope a Democrat-controlled House could protect against Medicaid cuts and expand Medicare coverage. Democrats have also discussed restoring Affordable Care Act subsidies.

• Actor Joe Manganiello spent seven years battling chronic autoimmune issues in secret.
• In his new memoir, he shares how he's recovering, including enlisting a shaman to take him floating.
• He shared his health habits with Business Insider, including a testosterone-free workout strategy.

For seven years, actor Joe Manganiello lived in a world of secret pain. In his new book, "Bloodlines," he describes it as a "10-out-of-10 pain" that felt like "someone was raking my intestines with a metal wire grill brush."

From the outside, things looked great. He'd just retired his title as People's "hottest bachelor alive," and was newly wed to actress Sofía Vergara. He was looking forward to playing what he considered the role of a lifetime, having just been cast as a villainous "Deathstroke" in Ben Affleck's new "Batman" movie (later canceled).

Behind the scenes, he was breaking out in itchy bulbous hives, dealing with autoimmune issues affecting his lungs, his thyroid, and his intestines. At a low point, he had to be quietly hauled off the set of the TV series "Six" in an ambulance and rushed to the hospital, pumped full of painkillers.

He kept it all a secret — the surgeries, the relationship struggles, the distance he developed from his new wife, and the near-death moments. His new memoir pulls back the curtain on his years of chronic pain, and details the "journey of spiritual discovery" he went on to understand his illness, his family's traumatic past, and the complex, interconnected nature of mental, physical, and emotional health.

"I open up to the idea that maybe this thing that's going on with me can't be solved by physical cure," Manganiello told Business Insider. "The root can't be pulled out that way; there's some sort of spiritual means."

Now that the pain is over, he tells us he's developed some new healthy routines including a mind-clearing floating activity and early dinnertime. He's also back in the gym, adhering to some of his old go-to formulas for muscle-building, which he says are critical for learning how to inhabit the role of a "big, strong person" on screen.

No testosterone, just training

Manganiello lost 59 pounds when he was sick, shriveling to a size he hadn't been since middle school. At one point, he became so emaciated that he didn't have the strength to communicate at more than a whisper. He remembers shoveling down donuts and slurping "peanut-butter enhanced protein shakes," even hiring a chef to feed him protein-heavy meals every 90 minutes, just to try to regain some weight.

"I'm so happy that I can keep weight on now," he said. "My strength came back fully."

Manganiello — who struggled with addiction in his teens and early 20s — doesn't drink alcohol, and says he's also maintained a hardline abstinence toward performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career.

With starring roles including a topless werewolf in True Blood and Big Dick Ritchie in Magic Mike, he says the training he does, including lots of heavy deadlifts and squats with hundreds of pounds, is a key part of getting into character.

"There are certain characters that I think would never touch a steroid because they don't need to, and so I would think that if I went down that road in order to try to put on muscle that way, that it would be in conflict with the soul or the spirit or the nature of that character," he said. "Thank God I made those choices because when I got sick, had I taken all of those things, I think it would have complicated my situation a lot."

Floating for mental clarity

Under the tutelage of Australian gold medalist and spiritual mentor Peter Evans, the man he refers to as his "shaman," Manganiello started a "float club" a few years back. The "club" isn't huge; it's really just his name for the two-hour sessions that he and Evans embark on together at a dungeon-esque underground spa called the Float Lab in Los Angeles.

Sensory deprivation floating is designed to help people with sleep, pain, and stress. During the therapy, floaters are immersed in a shallow, body-temperature tub filled with epsom salt — which makes floating even more effortless than plain water.

Then, they close the lid, and you're weightless. Large-scale studies on the benefits of this type of relaxation is lacking, but small studies suggest it can help ease stress, lowering blood pressure, slowing down heart rates, and reducing the stress hormone cortisol.

During his first float, Manganiello said he experienced a new kind of clarity, "neutralizing" his overthinking. Inside the dark tank, he became an observer of his life and his loved ones, and then entered a deeply meditative state. His feeling of mental clarity lasted until the next day, when he was a guest star on the TV game show "Password."

"I could read every little bit of emotion and information coming off everyone around me and could sense what was in their minds," he wrote in the book. "At one point I saw that my partner was second-guessing the thought I had implanted, and as he tried to move on from it to explore a new thought, I snapped at him before he could, forcing him to blurt out the correct answer that I had given him."

Manganiello says he continues to employ the relaxation strategy whenever he's going on a game show, including the night before his winning 2025 appearance on "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune." He won both games that night and solved both of the final "bonus" puzzles, netting nearly $200,000 for a Pittsburgh children's hospital.

Finish dinner early

Physically, the most enduring legacy of Manganiello's chronic health issues is in his stomach. He has a long scar below his belly button from the operation to remove his large intestine, and is missing several feet of his digestive tract.

As a result, he says he has to work harder to stay hydrated and remember to eat enough salt to keep his electrolytes in balance. He also tries to finish eating earlier in the evening than he used to, since food goes through him quickly. It's an eating strategy borne of necessity, but it's also one many longevity experts and intermittent fasters swear by, for better sleep and (in many cases) more nutritious choices by default.

Manganiello isn't an absolutist about his early dinner and still recognizes the social benefits of enjoying late meals with friends sometimes, even though he knows he'll pay for it later.

"You're hanging out, and it's like, 'oh man, I'm not going to have good sleep tonight because I was out so late and I'm still eating — my body's going to process it while I'm sleeping and it's going to wake me up,'" he said. "But I swore that if I survived this whole thing and I could do something useful, I wouldn't complain about it. So I try not to complain about it. I just manage it and work around it."

• The midterm backlash against AI data centers could help the biggest cloud providers.
• Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have existing capacity that smaller rivals are racing to match.
• Limits on new construction could reduce competition and push up AI computing prices.

The backlash against AI data centers delivered a stunning political upset in Tuesday's midterm elections. But the biggest winners may turn out to be the tech giants that have already built many of these

Voters across the US sent a clear message Tuesday: They want to slow or stop the construction of new data centers. That could make it much harder for the AI industry to keep up with soaring demand.

Goldman warned the election results could lead to restrictions affecting roughly 45% of planned US data center expansion.

The biggest shock came in Texas, where Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Hinojosa has promised to immediately pause data center development in a state that's home to some of America's largest AI projects.

That sounds like terrible news for Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, the world's biggest data center operators.

Yet their shares jumped on Wednesday, while smaller AI cloud providers, including CoreWeave and Nebius, were hammered.

The divergence highlights an important consequence of the election results: Making new data centers harder to build could strengthen the biggest tech companies while crushing some of their smaller rivals.

Amazon, Google, and Microsoft already operate enormous networks of data centers packed with expensive Nvidia chips that power AI services, including those offered by OpenAI and Anthropic.

Smaller competitors are racing to catch up, investing billions of dollars in new facilities and computing equipment.

But if newer projects are delayed or canceled, these challengers could be stuck with expensive expansion plans while their larger rivals continue to make money from facilities already operating.

That would mean less competition for Amazon, Google, and Microsoft.

It could also mean higher prices.

With demand for AI computing power still booming, restrictions on new data centers could make existing capacity more valuable. That would mean even bigger profits for Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Paul Golding, a Macquarie analyst, highlighted this dynamic in a note to investors on Wednesday.

"Approved, permitted pipeline becomes far more valuable," he wrote, predicting that demand for increasingly scarce data center capacity could drive prices higher.

There's already evidence of this supply-demand phenomenon. Silicon Data, which tracks the cost of renting Nvidia GPUs through cloud services, has recorded steadily rising prices this year for several popular chips.

"If demand keeps growing and protests delay new capacity, that could certainly help support GPU rental pricing," Brad Gastwirth, global head of research at Circular Technology, told me.

The irony is striking.

Voters trying to rein in the AI data center boom may have just handed Amazon, Google, and Microsoft an even stronger grip on the industry.

Sign up for the AI Insider newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com

• Young voters rushed back to Democrats in the 2026 midterms as inflation crushed their wallets.
• Early exit polls show that Gen Z were concerned about the economy, especially gas and food costs.
• Candidates on both sides of the aisle talked about affordability, but young voters went blue.

In 2024, Democrats lost their edge with young voters. In 2026, those fresh-faced ballot casters were fed up with high prices — and made their ire known at the polls.

A majority of both young women and young men voted for Democrats in 2026, according to early exit polling data from Tufts CIRCLE/NORC. Overall, per a New York Times analysis, young voters moved 32 points to the left from 2024. That's a seismic shift for young men — 56% supported President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, per Tufts — and then swung 38 points back to Democrats in 2026.

So what made younger voters have such an abrupt leftward shift? It's the same situation facing the rest of the country: The economy, stupid. Per preliminary exit polling from CNN and other outlets, just 1% of voters age 18 to 29 said that the economy was in excellent condition, and 11% said it was good. An overwhelming 90% of young voters said they were concerned about the cost of gas, 91% said they were concerned about the cost of food, and 87% said that inflation has caused their families severe and moderate hardship. Similarly, younger voters were more likely to say that the economy was the top issue facing the country than voters overall.

"I know that a lot of young adults and Gen Z are having trouble just pursuing the American dream," Nathaniel Beisheim, a 22-year-old Democrat in Massachusetts, told Business Insider. This was his second midterm election; he's watched his friends and peers struggle to move out of their family homes or find a full-time job, which factored into how he's voted. "The youth is out there and is striving for better for everyone in this country."

Many candidates read the affordability tea leaves on the wall, with hopefuls on both sides of the aisle targeting high costs in their campaign messaging.

"I believe every Texan should be able to buy a home, raise a family, and live a healthy life without struggling to make ends meet," Ken Paxton, the Republican Senate candidate in Texas, said ahead of the election.

But, in many states — Texas included — younger voters embraced the Democratic candidates touting their own affordability platform. The Democratic victor in Texas, James Talarico, said in his victory speech that his win was "for every young person who's trying to buy a home, for every parent who's trying to put food on the table."

In New Hampshire, another state with a closely watched Senate race, 24-year-old Jaime Payson voted Democrat. Going into this election, the cost of living was a top concern.

"A lot of people in my parents' generation — my parents are boomers — were able to buy houses very young, work on one income, build the life of their dreams, set their kids up for success, and they don't really see that we aren't able to do the same thing," Payson said. Payson isn't "in love" with a lot of establishment Democrats, but, at this point, sees them as better than establishment Republicans; that sentiment extends to New Hampshire's newly minted Democratic Senator-elect Chris Pappas.

Cost of living didn't seem like Pappas's "biggest thing," Payson said. "But I was noticing a lot of candidates in other states talking about that, which a lot of those candidates did win their elections. So I'm hoping that all of them working together in the Senate can help to try and make some change."

• Democratic lawmakers are pushing the Education Department to address student-loan repayment challenges.
• They're following up on a request from state ombudsmen to look into student-loan servicing "failures."
• Those failures included incorrect billing, delays in debt relief, and improper interest accrual.

Student-loan repayment challenges are mounting, and lawmakers want answers.

A group of over 30 Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, sent a letter to Education Sec. Linda McMahon regarding the host of problems student-loan borrowers have faced as they've navigated President Donald Trump's repayment changes.

Those issues included servicers incorrectly billing borrowers for higher payments than they owed, improperly accruing interest on balances, and delaying the processing of relief through income-driven repayment plans.

The letter, first viewed by Business Insider, followed up on a request from eight state student-loan ombudsmen that called on congressional leaders and the Education Department to address "systemic failures" in the administration of IDR plans and loan forgiveness programs.

The ombudsmen also cited an example of a borrower whose tracker toward student-loan forgiveness displayed payments that did not count.

"This led the borrower to mistakenly believe she was on track for forgiveness, causing her to spend thousands of dollars on payments that ultimately do not count toward forgiveness," they wrote.

The lawmakers called on the Education Department to respond to the ombudsmen's recommendations, which included bolstering the complaint-resolution process and improving loan-forgiveness tracking.

"Failures in federal student loan servicing have repeatedly posed severe and costly problems for American families," the lawmakers wrote.

The Trump administration has maintained that its student-loan changes are intended to simplify a complex repayment system and curb excessive borrowing, and the department has said it has fixed repayment errors as they arose.

Since Trump's student-loan repayment overhaul took effect on July 1, borrowers have reported a range of errors and confusion with their account statuses. Some of those challenges have led to litigation; most recently, the American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit against the Education Department over stalled debt relief for borrowers pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Still, the lawmakers wrote that the challenges borrowers have faced have existed before Trump's repayment changes took effect. His administration slashed staff at the Education Department and reduced oversight; a Government Accountability Office report found that the department stopped monitoring servicers for accuracy and call quality after staffing reductions.

The lawmakers' push for more borrower protections comes on the heels of a blue wave that swept the midterm elections, with Democrats gaining control of both chambers of Congress. Democratic lawmakers have indicated they plan to bolster oversight of the student-loan industry and push back on the Trump administration's plans to dismantle the Department of Education.

Have a story to share about student loans? Contact this reporter at asheffey@businessinsider.com.

• Anthropic engineer Addy Osmani warned about "cognitive surrender" among coders.
• "Nothing in my day-to-day forces critical thinking on me," he wrote, citing AI agents as the culprit.
• Osmani advocated for picking selectively where to offload — and where to ask follow-up questions.

Addy Osmani is thinking hard about thinking.

Osmani works on the Claude Code team at Anthropic. The company is all in on agentic coding — he helps create its AI coding product, after all — and has reduced human code writing.

"Increasingly, nothing in my day-to-day forces critical thinking on me now that so much of my work runs through agents," Osmani wrote in a Tuesday X essay.

Engineers have expressed similar concerns in the last year: AI has turned them more into operators than builders. One OpenAI alum told Business Insider that AI coding was tedious and boring.

Osmani didn't want engineers to stop using AI; he wanted them to learn to think more deeply.

The risk of "cognitive surrender"

Osmani laid out his thesis: "You have to build critical thinking into your day, because by default nothing will do it for you."

There are three types of diminished thinking with AI use, he wrote. First is "cognitive offloading": the process of delegating tasks to AI while retaining ownership of the products. "I do this all day," he wrote. "You should, too."

The second is "deferral," where AI's output becomes your new input. The third is "cognitive surrender," a term coined by two researchers at the Wharton School. This is complete trust in AI outputs, which Osmani described as lazy. Surrendering too often creates "cognitive debt."

It's not yet clear whether AI is making us dumber or changing the way we think. Researchers Business Insider spoke with saw some bad signs, but cautioned against jumping to conclusions.

As for Osmani, he often sees this surrender of critical thinking. It's not the worst thing, he wrote; it's merely a question of the task's importance.

"Where the stakes are low, feel free to delegate entirely," he wrote. "When you can't explain the answer to a question, even by way of your agent, you've ceded ownership."

How to think with AI agents

Osmani shared a list of questions that he asks himself. They include, "Did I formulate a hypothesis before asking?" and "What am I no longer practicing?"

Again, he's not asking engineers to think hard about everything, or even most things. In response to a question differentiating help versus offloading, Osmani wrote: "Both are OK, as long as you know which one you're doing."

Engineers should also build loops to ensure the code that AI has written works, Osmani wrote. He called it "verification as a habit" and told engineers to ask the AI agent what it could verify (and what it couldn't).

Skills often degrade over time. How many of us can navigate using a physical map after phone apps took over? How many of us remember our friends' phone numbers when we can merely save them to contacts? Coding is no different.

"Skills that you stop exercising are going to go away, and probably faster than you might guess," Osmani wrote. "Keep doing the ones you're not willing to let go."

A robot army is transforming the Ukrainian front lines.

Human soldiers who once risked life and limb in the kill zone are being replaced by uncrewed ground vehicles that haul ammunition, deliver food, carry weapons, and evacuate wounded troops.

The machines are doing more than keeping soldiers out of harm's way. They're also changing their jobs.

Soldiers who once delivered supplies to the front, or fired weapons from exposed positions, are now operating robots remotely. They're modifying machines in workshops and planning missions from behind computer screens.

Several Ukrainian service members, some identified only by their call signs for security reasons, shared their wartime experiences with Business Insider. Traditional infantrymen remain essential, they said, but the war is increasingly robotic.

"Infantrymen were always in short supply in the army before, because it was the hardest job," said Dozer, a UGV regiment commander in the Svoboda Battalion of Ukraine's Rubizh Brigade, identified by his call sign. "Now, thanks to robots, the need for infantrymen has decreased."

Business Insider was on the ground in Ukraine earlier this year, exploring the impact that these robots are having on modern warfare. This account is part of our Robonomics series on the rise of robots and their impact on business, jobs, and everyday life. We've unpacked the investment boom in robotics and have gone inside Amazon's robot-powered warehouse to see if machines were taking human jobs. Now we're looking at the battlefield.

New jobs in robotics

The growing use of ground robots is changing the work of Ukrainian soldiers, shifting some of the physical demands of front-line missions to the preparation, operation, engineering, and maintenance of machines.

Soldiers can spend days getting a robot ready for war.

In specialized workshops, they might take a general-purpose UGV straight from the manufacturer and modify it for whatever mission it needs to execute, adding anti-shrapnel armor, communications equipment, or other gear.

And the engineering is only part of the job.

Before sending a robot into the field, soldiers study aerial reconnaissance, map primary and alternate routes, and choose when to send the machine forward based on reported activity in the sector. These plans are then adapted as the missions unfold.

Kyiv's defense ministry said in early September that the number of logistics and evacuation missions undertaken by robots has grown steadily month over month in 2026, from roughly 7,500 in January to 25,000 in August.

That expanding workload is placing new demands on the soldiers responsible for keeping the machines running.

Dozer said that programming skills and engineering have become increasingly important. He said soldiers now spend a lot of time on computers, designing modifications to stay ahead of Russian engineers, who are developing countermeasures of their own.

"There is much more work that requires thinking, not working with physical strength," he said.

The shift is a striking contrast to the traditional physical demands of infantry work, like carrying heavy equipment and digging trenches.

During missions, operators receive guidance from combatant commands as they sift through real-time intelligence and data. In the aftermath, soldiers sometimes spend hours or days repairing the robots, with the workload depending heavily on whether they suffered a mechanical failure or were damaged in combat.

Ukrainian soldiers have said that in some areas of the front, robots may only survive a few missions. Some get stuck, some lose their connections, and others are destroyed, creating constant demand.

Hundreds of local Ukrainian defense firms, including Ratel Robotics and TAF Industries, are manufacturing UGVs and components.

When Business Insider visited one of Ratel's factories earlier in the year, the company had around 350 workers across its facilities, making robots that cost between $2,000 and $40,000. The CEO said at the time that "most important is to save our soldiers' lives." Though Ukraine uses foreign-made robotic systems, it has built a robust domestic industry churning out these increasingly critical systems.

Production has surged into the thousands as robotic missions become more common, but troops say many more robots and support systems are needed.

"With a sufficient supply of these systems, we can execute a wide range of tasks without putting human lives in harm's way," said Agronom, the commander of a ground robot company in Ukraine's 5th Assault Brigade, identified by his call sign.

The growing reliance on robots didn't happen overnight. It was driven by an increasingly dangerous battlefield that made even routine tasks extremely risky.

A changing battlefield

Early on in the war, Dozer recalled, supply runs were about twice a week.

Vehicles would bring food, fuel, ammunition, and weapons as close to the front as they could. From there, soldiers had to carry the supplies the rest of the way on foot, sometimes for several kilometers. They watched the skies and waited for windows when Russian reconnaissance was lighter before making the trip.

"Many people were injured and killed precisely while delivering provisions," Dozer said. And the danger kept growing as drones began to flood the battlefield in greater numbers.

By the summer of 2023, Russian aerial reconnaissance had become much more pervasive, and movement near the front had, in turn, become "much more dangerous," said Dmytro Davydenko, a staff sergeant in the Svoboda Battalion.

Soldiers could still slip out at night to reach the nearest logistical hub for critical supplies, but more and more infantrymen were staying in their positions, sometimes for weeks at a time, rather than risking movement across a battlefield under growing surveillance.

When the war began, Davydenko's days on the front line were largely spent watching and digging. As an infantryman, he observed Russian positions, deepened the trenches around him, and rebuilt shelters damaged by enemy shelling. Then he would dig some more, sustained by supplies being brought in by fellow soldiers.

The greatest threats were artillery, mines, and mortars, but over time, the battlefield evolved, with the number of uncrewed systems rising from thousands to millions.

"Everything has changed dramatically through a gradual shift," Agronom said.

Cheap FPV, or first-person view, drones have dramatically transformed the battlefield, allowing both sides to surveil the front lines and strike targets ranging from tanks to individual soldiers at a fraction of the cost of traditional weapons. As drones proliferate and adapt to evolving countermeasures, troops increasingly carry detectors, electronic warfare, and, as a last line of defense, shotguns to defend themselves.

By late 2025, the drone-saturated front-line "kill zone," where soldiers and vehicles are easily spotted and targeted, had emerged. Movement within the zone, which now stretches dozens of kilometers on both sides of the line of contact in some areas, is so treacherous that it has pushed Ukraine to prioritize the development and deployment of remotely controlled ground robots.

Agronom's unit started out using ground robots within line-of-sight ranges to more easily transport gear. "In dangerous situations," he said, "this drastically increased mobility, as soldiers no longer had to carry heavy rucksacks to forward positions on foot."

As threats and missions evolved, so did the robots.

Ukrainian engineers are making their ground robots more sophisticated, adding advanced cameras, sensors, and communication links and enabling operators to control them from greater distances. The machines have also become increasingly autonomous and are being paired with aerial drones for highly unusual missions.

For instance, NC13, a strike UGV unit within the Third Assault Brigade of the Third Army Corps, used heavy bomber drones to air-drop robots behind Russian lines during Operation Vivaldi. The tactic, called "Gryphon," was designed to surprise Russian forces and create added pressure in the rear, said unit commander Mykola Zinkevych.

Dozer said that as uncrewed ground vehicles began replacing logisticians on supply runs and evacuation crews on missions to rescue the wounded, it became clear that the conflict had changed.

"We realized that war was becoming a war of robots," he said.

What robots can't replace

There are limits, though, to what robots can do in combat. Infantrymen conduct assault operations, Davydenko said. Soldiers hold back the Russians when poor weather, dense tree lines, and complex urban environments hinder robotic missions. Humans make the judgment calls that a robot can't.

Sam Cranny-Evans, a land warfare expert at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank, said ground robots "augment and complement infantry, rather than fundamentally change their role." UGVs allow soldiers to stay light on their feet, but they can easily fall victim to Russian attacks or get stuck in the surrounding environment.

"Infantry and small drones remain responsible for the bulk of the fighting," Cranny-Evans said. "UGVs are a long way from meaningfully supplanting them."

At war, there are some missions only a soldier can do.

"Human assets are still central, especially in assault actions," Volodymyr Dehtyarov, a public affairs officer in Ukraine's Khartiia Corps, told Business Insider.

But even for soldiers whose jobs haven't been taken over by robots, battlefield demands are changing as new technologies deployed at scale raise the threat level.

With the battlefield under constant drone surveillance, Dehtyarov said, infantrymen often work in small groups and spend long periods in concealed positions like foxholes or dugouts. And conventional forces are increasingly required to have the skills of special operations personnel, such as proficiency with a range of weapons, communications and electronic warfare capabilities, and a knowledge of combat medicine.

"Modern high-tech combined warfare requires a combination of human assets and complicated technology," Dehtyarov said.

• Stocks surged after Democrats won Congress, but an economist says markets may be too optimistic.
• Democrats can shape spending and AI policy, but they cannot override a Trump veto.
• The bigger market risk is policy shocks, not a broad reset in tech-stock valuations.

A Democratic Congress may have less influence over markets than investors expect, an economist said.

US stocks rose sharply Wednesday after Democrats won control of Congress in the midterms. The Dow jumped 3% in its best day in 18 months, the S&P 500 gained 1.6%, while the Nasdaq climbed 1.4%, as investors wagered that a divided Washington would limit some of the policy changes that have shaken markets.

The move suggested investors saw the result as a check on fiscal expansion, the war in Iran, and other White House actions that have unsettled markets.

But investors may be overstating how much the result changes the outlook, according to Steven Blitz, the chief US economist at GlobalData TS Lombard.

"Democrats control Congress for the next two years, but not Trump," Blitz wrote in a Wednesday note.

Democrats will not take control of Congress until January. They will also lack the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override a presidential veto.

Democrats could still shape budget negotiations and healthcare spending, and scrutinize or seek to influence the policy environment for data centers and AI.

But the White House will retain substantial discretion over trade, foreign policy, and executive actions — areas with major implications for companies and markets, Blitz wrote.

AI valuations aren't the biggest risk

Blitz also questioned whether Democratic control will bring the lower government borrowing and Treasury yields that some investors may expect.

"Democrats are not about shrinking the budget deficit, just shifting what the deficit finances," he wrote.

Blitz does not see a broad reassessment of technology-stock prices as the market's biggest risk.

He said stocks are fairly valued relative to GDP and the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield. The VIX, a widely watched gauge of expected stock-market volatility, is not signaling unusual stress, he added.

Instead, shifting correlations between stocks point to rotation among sectors rather than positioning for a broader bear market.

Consumer-discretionary stocks and hospital operators rose on Wednesday, while data-center operators and semiconductor companies fell.

Blitz expects the economy to improve in 2027 even as underlying inflation rises.

For stock investors, the bigger question is how fiscal policy, inflation, the Fed, trade, and geopolitics change the prospects for individual sectors.

"Equity returns going forward will be increasingly tied to policy (including the Fed), rather than rerating tech sector equities," Blitz wrote.

US stock futures were mixed late Wednesday. Dow futures were up 0.3%, S&P 500 futures slipped 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures were down 1.1%.

• Ed Catmull has spent decades navigating major technological change.
• He says new tools, from the internet to social media, bring both promise and problems.
• Here's his career advice for anyone worried about navigating the AI wave.

Pixar cofounder Ed Catmull, 81, has some career advice for anyone worried about AI.

In a Tuesday interview with Higgsfield AI CEO Alex Mashrabov, Catmull shared the mindset he believes creatives will need as the technology reshapes their industry.

"The main piece of advice is, besides learning the craft, it's that things are coming whether we like it or not, and our best act is to engage fully with it," Catmull said. "And we engage by learning the craft, adding to it, working with the tool makers and with the artists and forming what it is."

Catmull said that when filmmakers run into AI's limitations, their frustrations can point the way to the next breakthrough because someone will eventually build a solution.

"That's how we move forward," he added.

In 1979, Catmull joined Lucasfilm to lead its computer division, which developed technology for the film industry. In 1986, Steve Jobs bought over the division and established it as an independent company, Pixar, with Catmull as a cofounder and its president.

Having spent his career at the forefront of computer animation, Catmull said major technological shifts always have two sides: They can create new possibilities while also bringing new problems.

"We'll have the same thing here without a doubt," he said. "But it will get adapted because I do know that there are legitimate filmmakers who accept the fact that if you engage with the technology as it develops, you help form it."

Catmull likened it to the rise of the internet and social media.

"When the internet first came out, the term you heard was it's going to democratize information. It's true. It did. It also democratized disinformation," he said.

Catmull said that is simply "the nature of the beast," and he expects AI to be no different.

"Our question is: Where are we on the side? Where are we, in terms of engaging, developing it, and moving towards things which are of great use?" he said.

Catmull's advice comes as workers are grappling with whether using AI will help them stay competitive or put their jobs at greater risk.

Business Insider has previously reported that some workers worry they are training their own replacements, although workplace analysts say the technology is more likely to change and support many roles than eliminate them altogether — at least for now.

There's also a growing concern about AI deskilling, where overreliance on AI can erode judgement and problem-solving skills for employees who are early in their careers.

• Business and tech leaders across the US are reacting after the Democrats took full control of Congress.
• LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, Brad Gerstner, and Elon Musk are among those reacting to the blue wave.
• Data centers and California's ballot measure targeting billionaires are in the spotlight.

The 2026 midterm elections delivered shocking wins for Democrats on Tuesday evening, reshaping the balance of power in Washington.

Business leaders, tech executives, and investors are now assessing what the new political landscape could mean for their industries as Democratic candidates flipped key Senate and House seats.

This includes Texas, where James Talarico won his Senate race despite over $150 million in funding from Elon Musk for his Republican rival, Ken Paxton.

After the results, some of the tech and business leaders who sought closer ties with President Donald Trump ahead of his return to the White House could face new congressional scrutiny.

In California, the results of the nation's first-ever ballot measure to impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on residents with net worth exceeding $1 billion could have major implications for the state's elite, though as of around 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the "No" vote held a strong lead.

Here's how powerbrokers in business and tech reacted to the midterms results amid the blue wave sweeping across the country:

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn cofounder

Reid Hoffman, the cofounder of LinkedIn and a Democratic megadonor, reacted to the party's big wins in a post on X Tuesday evening.

"Voters made clear they demand a different kind of country. Americans want an economy that can compete globally and deliver for them at home. And they made clear that they want leaders they can trust to fight for their constituents," he wrote.

"This night blew the doors off our expectations. From Texas to Ohio, Kentucky to Iowa, and South Carolina to Indiana, voters rejected the status quo. Tonight's lesson: Never discount any voter in any place," he continued.

Hoffman has been active in politics and vocal about his support for Democrats, spending tens of millions this election cycle. He also spent millions to support Kamala Harris's campaign in 2024.

Hoffman has previously said the Democratic Party had alienated Silicon Valley and was partly to blame for its shift to the right.

Elon Musk, SpaceX and Tesla CEO

Elon Musk, who spent hundreds of millions to support Republicans, broke his silence late on election night with two short X posts.

"Data centers in space looking pretty appealing right now," Musk said, referencing concerns that Democratic wins could mean more scrutiny on data center development.

"Guess my election-interfering space lasers didn't work this time," he joked in a quick follow-up post.

Musk, the world's richest person, spent more money than any other individual in the midterms, donating a whopping $446 million, mostly in Texas, the state he calls home along with his companies Tesla and SpaceX.

In addition to Talarico's Senate seat, the Texas governorship was also won by a Democrat, Gina Hinojosa. It was the first time in decades a Democrat won a statewide race in the Lone Star state.

Lisa Su, AMD CEO

Lisa Su, the CEO of chipmaker AMD, saw the election results as showing that tech companies need to do more to convince people about the benefits of AI.

"At the end of the day, what we need to do is ensure that everybody wins from AI," she said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

"I do think this is an opportunity for us as a tech industry to realize that we need to make sure that the value proposition is clear to every local community that is going to host a data center, and I believe we can do that," she added.

Mark Cuban, billionaire former "Shark Tank" investor

Mark Cuban did not share a direct reaction to the election results. As Congress flipped to Democratic control, however, the billionaire former "Shark Tank" investor weighed in on universal healthcare, writing in a Wednesday post on X that he was "all for it."

Cuban, the founder of pharmaceutical company Cost Plus Drugs, wrote, "We need to figure out a non partisan manner of running our American version of Universal Care."

He also referenced Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed's book, "Medicare for All."

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO

Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, shared his thoughts on the midterms in a Wednesday morning interview with CNBC.

"I think the people of our country sent a message regarding change," he said. "I think that continuous inflation really has taken a mark on the consumer."

"I think it's up to businesses and up to our politicians and leaders in Washington to respond, and I hope that they do, because it was a very clear message that was sent out."

Khorowshahi, who is Iranian by birth, was a vocal critic of Trump during his first term, but donated $1 million to the president's inaugural fund after the 2024 election.

Keith Rabois, Khosla Ventures managing director

Keith Rabois held executive roles at PayPal, LinkedIn, and Square, before becoming managing director at Khosla Ventures. As the results came in overnight, he posted on X: "Another reason to move to Miami."

It came shortly after the Associated Press called Florida's US Senate race for the Republican incumbent, Ashley Moody, who held on despite a strong Democratic swing.

While two of the city's three main congressional districts elected Democrats in huge swings, the one that covers downtown Miami looks set to narrowly reelect the Republican incumbent, with 99% of the vote counted.

Rabois is married to Jacob Helberg, Trump's undersecretary of state for economic affairs, and their wedding ceremony was officiated by Sam Altman.

Last year, The Wall Street Journal reported the couple was selling their Miami Beach home for $65 million as Helberg relocated to Washington, DC, although Rabois planned to stay based in Miami.

Brad Gerstner, Altimeter Capital CEO

Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital, had thoughts on how the US data center buildout would be affected by the elections.

In a guest appearance on the All-In podcast livestream Tuesday evening, Gerstner said fears that a "blue tsunami" could make it difficult to build new data centers are "overblown."

But he said that election results could slow down the development of the centers, and candidates like Gina Hinojosa, the Democrat who won the Texas gubernatorial race Tuesday, could "issue a moratorium on new data centers." He said this could be "really challenging for the AI infratrade."

Gerstner also said that Republicans and the AI community have "struggled with the messaging" over AI as the affordability crisis has weighed on Americans' minds.

The investor is the architect of "Trump Accounts," the investment vehicle for children in the country that launched in July.

Dylan Patel, CEO of SemiAnalysis

Dylan Patel, CEO of SemiAnalysis, hinted at what he believes a blue wave could mean for the AI buildout.

"I am now bullish space datacenters," Patel said in a post on X alongside a screenshot of results out of Texas that showed Hinojosa with an early lead over incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Ahead of the midterms, some in tech expressed concern that Democratic wins would mean additional scrutiny on data centers, which have faced fierce opposition in communities across the US.

Dan Ives, senior managing director at Yorkville Ives

Dan Ives, a veteran Wall Street analyst and AI bull, said the midterms will put the brakes on the rapid construction of data centers.

In a post on X, he said the "Democratic blue tidal wave across the Senate and House was a seismic shift that will have a negative impact on the pace of the AI Revolution buildout in the US over the next few years."

Ives added that while some investors will prefer a slower pace, others will view it as added risk.

"We estimate 10% of data centers will not happen now," he said.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group

Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, wrote in a post on LinkedIn that the results of the midterm election are not just "a decisive repudiation of Trump" but also an encouraging sign "about the limits of money in politics."

Branson wrote, "As a successful entrepreneur, I have felt embarrassed by the billions that tech entrepreneurs and hedge fund managers have spent on — mostly Republican — campaigns this election cycle, in an attempt to buy influence and control over public policy."

Branson added that voters looked past the "hateful and false messages" fueled by the billions spent on funding candidates, voting based on the issues that mattered to them.

"I hope this will prompt the next Congress to start a fresh conversation about the toxic impact of money in politics and the need for meaningful campaign finance reform," he wrote.

Patrick Collison, Stripe CEO

Patrick Collison, the CEO of Stripe, said the results were a good sign for American democracy.

"It seems to me that democracy has on the whole worked very well in America over the last decade, and perhaps better than in any other major country in the West," Collison wrote on X Wednesday. "National outcomes have repeatedly been responsive to underlying voter preferences on meaningful questions, and significant changes in policy have ensued."

He also said he'd been reading "Democracy in America" by Alexis de Tocqueville and that "it's striking how much it still rhymes nearly two centuries later."

Collison, an Irish citizen who lives in California, was among the tech leaders spending big to oppose the proposed billionaire tax in California.

Jason Calacanis, angel investor and "All-In" podcast host

"All-In" podcast host Jason Calacanis reposted an MSNOW interview clip of Texas senator-elect James Talarico discussing his plans to crack down on data-center companies he said were taking advantage of Texas communities.

Talarico said data centers should "pay for their own energy" rather than drive up Texans' utility bills, recycle their water, and get the consent of people living in affected communities before construction begins.

"Completely reasonable and exactly what the data center industry is doing," Calacanis wrote on X.

Calacanis, who lives in Texas, added that he was "extremely bullish for Texas and SI" if Talarico was being forthright. He said that, if communities were "lucky enough" to have a data center built in their town, they should "extract as much money from them for your local schools and playgrounds."

Lane Kasselman, Blockchain.com Co-CEO

Lane Kasselman, the Co-CEO of cryptocurrency company Blockchain.com, shared an optimistic reaction to the Texas election results on X.

Kasselman wrote that he spent the early part of his career working in Democratic politics in California and now leads a company based in Dallas. He said people across the political spectrum have more in common than they might think.

"Whether you're from my home state or my adopted state, most Californians and Texans aren't that different: we love our kids, like clean air, want prices to come down and think Mexican food is awesome," he wrote. "I'm proud to see pragmatism win in Texas."

Kasselman added that he saw real opportunity for crypto in the country now, with "the most pro-crypto Congress in history."

• Companies including Meta, Amazon, and Visa have said they're trimming staff this year.
• Many firms, like Wix and Block, have cited the rise of AI as a reason they need fewer staff.
• See the list of companies letting workers go in 2026.

Big companies are still cutting jobs in 2026.

So far this year, dozens of major brands have laid off employees, continuing a trend of significant workforce reductions across a broad range of industries, including tech, media, finance, and retail.

While prominent brands continue to announce cuts, the broader economy shows that unemployment hasn't spiked. Economists frequently describe the environment as low-fire, low-hire.

The big change is AI.

Several companies, including Block, Coinbase, and Standard Chartered, have cited the impact of artificial intelligence as a key reason for the layoffs.

A World Economic Forum survey last year found that some 41% of companies worldwide expected to reduce their workforces in the next five years because of the rise of artificial intelligence. The survey also found that jobs in big data, fintech, and AI are expected to double by 2030.

Last year, Business Insider tracked layoffs at around 65 major companies, including Amazon, Meta, Paramount, and Starbucks. In 2026, we'll continue to track additional job cuts based on company announcements, WARN notices, and our own reporting.

Here are the companies with job cuts underway in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Amazon is laying off thousands of employees

Amazon said in January that it would eliminate around 16,000 corporate roles globally.

Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, described the January move in a company memo as part of broader efforts to cut back on bureaucracy inside the company.

The cuts followed mass layoffs from October 2025, when the tech and retail giant shed 14,000 roles.

In May, Amazon's Selling Partner Services team slashed additional jobs as it continued to reshape its organization.

"Following a recent review, we've made the difficult decision to eliminate a relatively small number of roles in our Selling Partner Services team," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

American Express is cutting 5% of its workforce

American Express took a $336 million restructuring charge as it plans to cut around 5% of its workforce, the company announced during its third-quarter earnings call.

It employed around 77,000 people by the end of 2025, meaning the layoffs could impact between 3,000 and 4,000 employees.

On the earnings call, the company also highlighted how AI has changed its internal structure.

"There's been a lot of talk about how companies are using AI to increase productivity, automate processes, and generally make their organizations more efficient," Stephen Squeri, Amex's CEO, said during an October earnings call. "We're using AI to do all of those things too."

Angi is cutting 350 jobs

Angi, the popular contractor listing site once known as Angie's List, said in January that it was cutting around 350 jobs "to reduce operating expenses and optimize the organizational structure in support of long-term growth." The company also said it's making the cuts "in light of AI-driven efficiency improvements."

In a January 7 SEC filing, Angi said that the cuts would save between $70 million and $80 million in annual spending. The layoffs will cost the company between $22 million and $30 million, according to the filing.

In Angi's November 3 earnings report, the company said it is cutting another 300 roles globally, "mostly in middle management and support functions, to increase focus and organizational velocity."

Angi added in the report that it expects the layoff to accrue between $50.0 million and $60.0 million in annual run-rate savings.

Atlassian is cutting 1,600 employees

Atlassian, the enterprise software company and maker of Confluence, said on March 11 that it will be cutting about 10% of its workforce as it invests in AI to reshape its organization.

CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a statement that about 1,600 employees will be affected by the cuts.

"We fundamentally believe people and AI create the best outcomes. Our approach is not 'AI replaces people,'" Cannon-Brookes said. "But it would be disingenuous to pretend AI doesn't change the mix of skills we need or the number of roles required in certain areas. It does."

The company expects to incur $225 million and $236 million in restructuring charges, according to an SEC filing.

Barclays cuts 5,000 jobs

Barclays, the British financial institution, disclosed plans to cut around 5% of its workforce.

Anna Cross, the Group Finance Director of Barclays, said on an October 22 earnings call that the company expects more than GBP 1 billion in efficiency savings in 2027, which will involve reducing its head count by 5,000 full-time employees.

Cross said that 60% of affected workers are related to "support functions, including fewer developers as AI makes our people more productive."

The company reported Q3 pretax profit of GBP 2.3 billion — about $3 billion — up 12% from the same quarter a year earlier.

Barclays CEO, C.S. Venkatakrishnan, said that the company is moving to "drive even greater cost efficiency through deep technological transformation, reducing the unit cost of product, manufacturing, service and innovation."

British American Tobacco cuts 9,000 jobs

British American Tobacco said it will cut 9,000 jobs by the end of the year, about one-fifth of its workforce. The cuts will not impact the US arm of its business.

"We are building a future-ready organisation that is more agile, cost disciplined and technology enabled," CEO Tadeu Marroco said in the statement.

The company, whose cigarette portfolio includes brands like Lucky Strike and Dunhill, has stepped up its push in recent years into smoke-free alternatives, such as nicotine pouches and vapes.

Citi's job cuts continue this year

Citi will cut more jobs this year as part of its plan to reduce its workforce by 10%, or 20,000 employees.

In a statement on January 13, the bank said that it will continue to reduce head count in 2026.

"These changes reflect adjustments we're making to ensure our staffing levels, locations and expertise align with current business needs," a spokesperson for Citi said.

The plan was detailed in the company's January 2024 earnings report and could save the bank as much as $2.5 billion.

Cloudflare lays off 20% of its global workforce

Cybersecurity company Cloudflare on May 7 said it plans to cut roughly 20% of its global workforce, affecting more than 1,100 employees.

In an internal memo, Cloudflare executives said the company's use of AI has climbed more than 600% over the past three months, and that the rapid shift has forced the company to reconsider its structure.

"We want to be clear that this decision is not a reflection of the individual work or talent of those leaving us," Cloudflare executives wrote in the May 7 memo. "Instead, we are reimagining every internal process, team, and role across the company."

The company's shares fell more than 14% in extended trading following the announcement.

Coinbase is cutting 14% of staff

The CEO of Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, said in a letter to staff on May 5 that 14% of its staff would be cut, largely because of AI.

"AI is changing how we work. Over the past year, I've watched engineers use AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks," wrote. "The pace of what's possible with a small, focused team has changed dramatically, and it's accelerating every day."

Armstrong said this would mean fewer layers and faster decisions in the company. No pure managers, he said — all leaders will now be required to get stuck in and "get their hands dirty."

"AI is bringing a profound shift in how companies operate, and we're reshaping Coinbase to lead in this new era," he added.

Crypto.com laid off 12% of its workforce

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said in March that the company laid off 12% of its workforce, including "roles that do not adapt in our new world."

"Companies that move immediately and pair the best AI tools with top-performers will achieve a level of scale and precision that was previously impossible," Marszalek wrote in a post on X. "This is where we must go."

Dell cut 10% of its workforce

Dell cut its workforce by 10% for the third year in a row, the company said in its annual filing with the SEC.

As of January 31, 2026, the company had 97,000 employees, down 11,000 from the same time last year. The decline includes both layoffs and attrition, Business Insider reported.

eBay is expected to lay off 6% of its employees

eBay is set to eliminate about 800 jobs globally, making up 6% of its workforce. The company told Business Insider that it's taking steps to better align with its strategic priorities.

"We are grateful for the contributions of the employees impacted and are committed to supporting them with care and respect," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Epic Games is cutting 20% of its workforce

Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, said in March that it would lay off more than 1,000 people — about 20% of its workforce — as engagement with the game declined.

CEO Tim Sweeney said in a memo that the layoffs "aren't related to AI."

"To the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can," Sweeney said.

Estée Lauder is deepening its cuts, now to as many as 10,000 roles

Estée Lauder said in its May earnings report that it will deepen its previously announced cuts, which are now expected to affect up to 10,000 jobs.

More than two-thirds of the reductions are in cashier and demonstration roles at lower-performing retail and department stores.

Etsy

Etsy said August 5 that it is laying off about 220 employees, roughly 12% of its workforce.

"We will be saying goodbye to approximately 220 colleagues across the company, with most of the changes concentrated in Product & Engineering," the company's CEO, Kruti Patel Goyal, told staffers in a memo.

The company also reported its second-quarter financial results on Wednesday.

While Goyal's memo made no mention of AI or its potential threat to jobs, she said that the cuts were a preemptive move.

"The answer is that today's decisions aren't a reflection of this quarter or even this year, but of where Etsy needs to go next," she wrote.

Expedia laid off some employees

Expedia confirmed to Business Insider that it had laid off some employees on January 26 and had also posted new job openings. It's unclear how many of its workers were affected by the cuts.

"We are eliminating roles as well as opening some new roles as we remain disciplined about assessing the skills we need for the future," an Expedia Group spokesperson said in a statement. "We are also simplifying our structure and reducing organizational layers to move faster and with more accountability. These are not easy decisions, and we are grateful for the contributions of our colleagues who are impacted."

Freshworks is cutting 11% of staff

The San Mateo, California-based software company said in its early May earnings report that it would cut 11% of its staff in the second quarter. The company had about 4,500 employees at the end of 2025.

The cuts aim "to streamline the Company's organizational efforts and product development process" and increase AI across the company, according to the filing.

On an earnings call, CEO Dennis Woodside said about half the company's code comes from AI.

"Like many other software companies, that is definitely changing how we build products, how fast we can build products, and the amount of people that we need to build products," he said.

The company's stock slumped 35% from May 2025 to May 2026.

General Motors is axing 600 salaried employees

General Motors is cutting 600 salaried employees from its global IT division.

A spokesperson said the layoffs would enable it to "better position the company for the future," by ensuring GM has employees with expertise in AI-native development, data engineering, analytics, cloud engineering, prompt engineering, and AI workflows.

GoPro is laying off 145 employees

On April 7, GoPro said it would lay off about 145 employees as it tries to cut operating costs and restructure operations.

The layoffs make up 23% of its global headcount of 631 employees, the camera maker said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts will start in the second quarter of the year and will largely be completed by the end of 2026. The restructuring is expected to result in a charge of $11.5 million to $15 million.

The company cut about 15% of its staff in August 2024 to cut costs.

Groupon is reducing up to 400 positions globally

Groupon said on May 21 that it would cut up to 400 roles globally as part of a restructuring plan, according to a financial filing. It previously said it planned to rebuild as an "AI-native company."

The cuts are expected to happen by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Groupon is looking to generate $10 million to $12 million in gross savings in 2026.

"Up to half of this year's savings will be reinvested into AI infrastructure, talent density, and the tools and teams building the next version of the company," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

Groupon had 1,734 employees worldwide at the end of 2025, according to its annual report.

Heineken has a multi-year plan to reduce its workforce

Heineken is cutting 5,000 to 6,000 roles over the next two years to boost productivity and bring down costs, according to its latest full-year earnings report.

The company told Business Insider that the divisions and regions where the layoffs are due to take place are yet to be confirmed.

Heineken said in its 2025 report that it faced "subdued consumer sentiment" in the Americas, alongside a "challenging year" for brewers in Europe.

Intuit is laying off 17% of its workforce

Financial software company Intuit announced on May 20 that it would be cutting 17% of its full-time workforce.

The company shared a memo from CEO Sasan Goodarzi to employees that listed five reasons for the culling, including reducing management layers, focusing roles on "high impact work," and closing down two of its offices.

"These changes are a necessary evolution to reduce complexity and architect an organization that operates with the velocity required to fuel our growth engines," Goodarzi wrote in the memo, shared in a blog post on Intuit's website.

Laid-off employees in the US would receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks of pay for every year they have worked at Intuit.

The company said in a May 20 earnings report that restructuring costs from the layoffs would be about $300 million to $340 million.

Kenvue cuts 3.5% of workforce

Consumer healthcare brand Kenvue, which produces Tylenol, plans to cut 3.5% of its staff. Kenvue had about 22,000 employees globally, per its latest annual report.

The company wrote in a mid-February SEC filing that its board aimed to reduce complexity and drive operational efficiencies.

The company's layoffs and restructuring efforts are expected to cost $250 million in 2026, per the filing.

LinkedIn is laying off staff and 'scale back' other investments

LinkedIn CEO Daniel Shapero told employees on May 13 that it was laying off employees, and those in affected roles would receive a calendar invite. The jobs included positions in the Microsoft-owned company's Global Business Organization, marketing, engineering, and product teams.

"We need to reinvent how we work, with agile teams focused on our highest priorities, and by shifting investments toward areas such as infrastructure to fulfill our mission and vision over the long term," Shapero said in the memo.

Shapero also said LinkedIn would "scale back" investments in areas like marketing campaigns, customer events, and underutilized office space.

Lululemon laid off 100 part-time employees at its customer service center

The athleisure giant said it laid off 100 part-time employees to "strengthen the business." The affected roles are in the company's North American contact center.

"After careful consideration, we have made the decision to transition our North America GEC to a full-time employee staffing model. As a result, approximately 100 part-time positions in our GEC have been impacted," a Lululemon spokesperson said.

Meta lays off workers at Reality Labs and other divisions

Meta began laying off employees across multiple teams on March 25, including Reality Labs, Facebook, recruiting, sales, and global operations.

The cuts come as the company ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and talent, alongside broader cost-cutting efforts. Meta said the changes are part of ongoing restructuring to better align teams with company goals, while exploring other roles for affected employees where possible.

Meta first began preparing to slash jobs within its Reality Labs division, the unit responsible for Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse ambitions, in January, three people familiar with the matter told Business Insider at the time.

Two employees said that teams working on virtual reality headsets and Horizon Worlds, the company's VR social network, would be disproportionately affected.

Meta has shifted away from virtual reality in recent years in favor of spending hundreds of billions of dollars on beefing up its AI capabilities.

Nike laid off workers in two rounds

Nike is cutting roughly 1,400 jobs, mostly from tech, as part of a broader push to streamline operations and revive growth.

In a memo to staff on April 23 obtained by Business Insider, Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy said the layoffs are tied to the company's "win now" turnaround plan, which focuses on improving culture, product, marketing, marketplace strategy, and in-person retail. He described the effort as entering its "final stretch."

This is Nike's second layoff in 2026. Nike said on January 26 that it planned to lay off 775 employees across Tennessee and Mississippi, citing efforts to "streamline" its distribution center operations.

"We are sharpening our supply chain footprint, accelerating the use of advanced technology and automation, and investing in the skills our teams need for the future," Nike said in a statement to Business Insider.

Oracle's headcount fell 13% in a year

Oracle's workforce shrank by roughly 21,000 employees, or 13%, over the past year, bringing its headcount to 141,000 as of May 31, according to a 10-K filing released on June 22.

"The adoption and deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce," Oracle wrote in the filing.

Oracle also disclosed that restructuring costs surged in fiscal 2026. The company spent $1.84 billion on severance and other exit costs, up from $374 million in the prior year.

The reduction in workforce comes as Oracle continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure.

Papa Johns is restructuring

Papa Johns said it is laying off 7% of its corporate staff amid a broader restructuring.

The pizza chain said it will also close 300 locations in North America through 2027, starting with 200 this year.

"Optimizing our restaurant portfolio and strategically closing underperforming restaurants are among the most impactful actions we can take to improve restaurant profitability and fleet health," Papa Johns CFO Ravi Thanawala said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call on February 26.

Patreon, a creator economy company, laid off 20% of staff in July

Patreon announced layoffs in July.

The creator economy company is laying off 93 employees — roughly 20% of the company — per a memo its CEO, Jack Conte, shared publicly.

Conte wrote that the "market in which we operate has undergone profound change over the last 6 months," and that Patreon needs to cut costs to "remain a stable, dependable rock for our creators."

Pinterest is expected to lay off 15% of its workforce

Pinterest announced a global restructuring plan that includes layoffs affecting less than 15% of its workforce, according to a January securities filing. The cuts come with reductions in office space.

"We are making organizational changes to further deliver on our AI-forward strategy, which includes hiring AI-proficient talent," a Pinterest spokesperson said.

"As a result, we've made the difficult decision to say goodbye to some of our team members. We are grateful for their service and supporting them with separation packages and benefits," they added.

Saks laid off 16% of its corporate staff, among other job cuts

Saks Global, the beleaguered parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, conducted several rounds of layoffs as it closed stores and trimmed its corporate staff

In April, the company cut about 16% of its corporate staff, representing less than 4% of its total workforce.

"Following the strategic actions we've taken to secure long-term financial stability, sharpen our focus on luxury and full-price selling, optimize our operational footprint, and exit non-core businesses, we are right-sizing our corporate organization to align with our go-forward strategy," a Saks spokesperson told Business Insider.

The cuts followed Saks's closure of dozens of stores and fulfillment centers in the first quarter, resulting in layoffs.

Saks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January.

Sprout Social cut 20% of staff — about 260 employees

Sprout Social — a social media management program — announced on July 15 that it will cut 260 jobs, or about 20% of its workforce.

In a letter about the reduction in force, CEO Ryan Barretto said the cuts were due to rapid industry changes.

"This decision is not a reflection of their talent or commitment," Barrett said. "We made this decision because we believe it was the right one for Sprout's future. Our industry, and software more broadly, is changing quickly, and the way companies need to operate and invest has changed with it."

Affected staff will be offered a 12-week severance package, plus an additional week of pay for every year of tenure, fully-paid health benefits for six months, and a cash payment equal to the value of their equity shares that would have vested in the next 90 days.

Standard Chartered plans to eliminate 15% of corporate functions over the next 4 years

Standard Chartered plans to cut 15% of corporate function roles over the next four years, the company said on May 19.

The bank, headquartered in London, credited AI as a driver for the reductions.

"It is not cost-cutting, but it is replacing, in some cases, lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital that we are putting in," CEO Bill Winters said in a media briefing, Reuters reported.

The company added in a statement: "We are combining the best human talent with AI, investing to support our people into higher-value roles."

T-Mobile cut some jobs

T-Mobile cut some staff in early 2026, though the scope of the layoffs is unclear. Some workers posted on LinkedIn saying they'd been affected by the changes in January.

"As the next step in our evolution, we're making some changes while continuing to hire to ensure we have the right focus, structure, and momentum to keep changing the industry through innovation and our long-standing focus on customers," T-Mobile told Business Insider in a statement.

Tailwind cut 3 of its 4 engineers

Tailwind, a popular web tool, said it cut three of its four engineers in January, citing an AI-driven decline in revenue.

"75% of the people on our engineering team lost their jobs here yesterday because of the brutal impact AI has had on our business," CEO Adam Wathan wrote in a GitHub comment on January 6 that made waves in the tech community.

Target is cutting 500 roles from its distribution and regional offices

Target confirmed to Business Insider in February that it would cut 100 district office roles and 400 supply chain positions. It plans to invest instead in additional labor hours at stores to improve the shopping experience and return to growth.

The store improvement effort is a signature priority of the retailer's new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who started on February 1.

In November, Fiddelke said the company intends to invest an additional $1 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, an increase of 25% from 2025.

TikTok lays off 250 employees

TikTok is laying off 250 employees and closing an office in Nashville, according to documents filed with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Tennessee.

A spokesperson for TikTok US Data Security, a joint venture established in January 2026 to oversee TikTok's US operations, said closing the office will "streamline our operations and better align our teams for long-term growth."

The Nashville office will close in October, according to the documents.

UPS said it will eliminate 30,000 jobs

UPS CEO Brian Dykes told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that the company plans to reduce its operational workforce by 30,000 in 2026.

"This will be accomplished through attrition, and we expect to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers," Dykes said.

He told analysts that the company has identified 24 buildings for closure in the first half of 2026 and will continue to evaluate additional buildings for closure.

Verizon is selling 274 retail stores, affecting about 3,000 workers

Verizon said in July that it would transition 274 retail stores into franchise locations as part of ongoing changes at the telecom giant.

The company said about 2,500 retail workers and 500 corporate roles would be cut, and that typically around 70% of store employees accept jobs under the new franchisees.

The move comes two months after Verizon laid off several hundred corporate employees, or about 1% of its head count, as the company reallocates workers across its overall business.

Volvo is cutting 2,500 global jobs

Volvo's CEO, Håkan Samuelsson, said the luxury automaker is facing "a very tough environment with strong external challenges," including a fierce Chinese car market, US tariffs, and continued high-priced investments in a new lineup of electric vehicles.

The company said it is cutting 2,500 employees globally — including 2,000 in Sweden — to save around $530 million in response to those headwinds.

Volvo is also ending consultant contracts and planning some targeted employee exits, the company said in a press release.

Walmart said it would cut or relocate 1,000 corporate jobs

Walmart told employees on May 12 that it would cut or relocate about 1,000 corporate jobs to address redundancies and duplicate roles.

Suresh Kumar, Walmart's chief technology and development officer, and Daniel Danker, executive vice president of AI acceleration, product, and design, announced the changes in a memo.

"We've made changes to simplify how the work is organized, make ownership clearer, and better align roles to the work and skills we need going forward," the memo said.

The move follows Walmart's May 2025 decision to cut 1,500 corporate roles as part of an effort to "remove layers and complexity."

The company employed 2.1 million people as of January.

WiseTech is cutting 30% of its workforce

Logistics software maker Wisetech is cutting 2,000 jobs, or 30% of its staff, citing AI-driven efficiency gains.

In a conference call on February 25, CEO Zubin Appoo embraced AI and said that it means more productivity, in less time, and from fewer employees. The Sydney-based company employed about 7,000 people, according to its annual report released in October.

"I am prepared to say this clearly: the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over," Appoo said. AI is "unlocking levels of efficiency gains across WiseTech that were previously out of reach."

Wix CEO said the company is set to cut 20% of its workforce

Wix, which provides website-building software, is reducing its workforce by 20%, the CEO told employees in a memo published on X on May 28.

The Israel-headquartered company employs about 5,300 workers.

CEO Avishai Abrahami cited the "fast evolution of AI capabilities" as a reason for the cuts and said the company needed to become a "faster, leaner, and flatter organization."

Workday is cutting jobs

Workday is cutting about 400 jobs, and said on February 4 that the move will help the enterprise software company redirect resources toward priority areas.

The layoffs will primarily affect customer-facing roles that are "non-revenue generating," Workday said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts represent roughly 2% of its workforce and are expected to result in about $135 million in charges in the fiscal fourth quarter, which ended in January.

Workday announced a larger round of layoffs about a year ago, citing the need to invest more heavily in strategic areas such as AI. The company reported about 20,600 employees as of late October.

Visa is cutting roughly 7% of its workforce

Global payment technology company Visa confirmed to Business Insider that it's cutting about 2,600 jobs.

That's roughly 7% of the company's employee footprint.

"To capture the opportunities ahead and best position Visa to lead this transformation, we must continue evolving how we work," CEO Ryan McInerney wrote to staff in an internal memo, according to Bloomberg. "AI is also helping to accelerate this evolution and shape the way work gets done at Visa."

Zillow cut 500 employees

Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman announced on August 4 that the company was cutting 500 employees as part of "organizational changes."

As of December, Zillow had around 7,000 employees, so the changes are affecting about 7% of its workforce.

"These changes are about ensuring we have a disciplined cost structure and getting more efficient, with the right people in the right positions," Wacksman said in a blog post.

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Dropbox is cutting roughly 200 workers

Dropbox announced on October 28 that it is cutting roughly 200 roles, or 9% of its global workforce.

"Delivering on that strategy requires concentrating our resources on the priorities that will have the greatest potential for customer impact and growth," Dropbox co-CEO Ashraf Alkarmi wrote in an email to employees.

Alkarmi said while Dropbox was profitable, it had to make "hard choices."

The affected roles are in the company's Engineering, Product, Design, and G&A teams. Alkarmi also wrote in the email that Dropbox's chief technology officer, Ali Dasdan, would be spending down.

• Agility Robotics is expected to begin trading on Nasdaq Thursday under AGLT.
• Agility is the first humanoid-focused company to go public in the US.
• The humanoid robot maker reported $1.8 million in 2025 revenue and a $138.1 million loss.

Agility Robotics is about to give Wall Street a reality check on the humanoid robot boom.

The Oregon startup, whose two-legged robots carry heavy materials and sort goods in factories and warehouses, is expected to begin trading on Nasdaq on Thursday, becoming the first humanoid-focused company to go public in the US. Its financial disclosures show just how far the industry still has to go before robots become a profitable business.

Agility brought in just $1.8 million in revenue last year while reporting a $138.1 million net loss, according to its merger filings. More than half its revenue came from five robots purchased by one of its investors.

Agility is going public through a merger with Churchill Capital Corp XI, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by former Citigroup executive Michael Klein, which was completed Wednesday. The combined company is expected to begin trading under the ticker AGLT when the market opens Thursday.

"There's something to be said for being first," Agility CEO Peggy Johnson, who previously led Magic Leap and held roles at Microsoft and Qualcomm, told Business Insider. "We will be able to set many of the metrics, if you will, on what customers need in a humanoid."

The merger valued Agility's existing equity at about $2.5 billion. The company expects about $465 million in gross capital before expenses, including $100 million already received.

SPAC mergers boomed in 2020 and 2021, before collapsing as interest rates rose in 2022. They are drawing renewed interest as the IPO market recovers. Johnson said Agility chose the route to bring in Klein, a prolific SPAC sponsor known for helping take Sam Altman-backed nuclear power company Oklo and electric vehicle maker Lucid public.

"Agility is unique to the industry because they're actually deployed," George Chowdhury, a principal analyst at ABI Research, told Business Insider. "In the grand scheme of things, the deployments are very small, but it's big for commercial humanoids."

Agility has deployed Digit, its humanoid robot, across nine customer facilities, including those belonging to Amazon, Toyota, and the logistics company GXO. Its investors include Amazon, Foxconn, Nvidia, SoftBank, and Silicon Valley venture firm DCVC.

Agility's losses aren't just on paper. While about $38 million of the company's $138.1 million net loss came from non-cash expenses tied to employee stock awards, filings show that the company used $99.8 million in cash to run the business in 2025. Agility lost $2.7 million on its sales, even before research and other company expenses.

"We expect to incur additional losses and higher operating expenses for the foreseeable future," the company said in SEC filings.

"There's a lot of challenges when it comes to solving unit economics," Michelle Sun, a robotics analyst who writes the Substack Core Matter, told Business Insider.

Agility is betting on Digit 5, its newest robot, to grow its business. Digit 5 is designed to safely work near people without the safety barriers required by earlier versions.

The company's filing says it has more than $300 million in orders for 1,000 robots from a single customer. This customer would pay to use the robots over a three-year period. But those orders depend on Agility meeting deadlines and delivering robots with the promised features.

Agility is targeting deliveries in the first half of 2027 and general availability by the end of that year.

The company's public debut highlights a striking divide in how investors value humanoid robotics companies.

Agility's $2.5 billion valuation is well below those of some privately held humanoid rivals, including Bay Area-based Figure AI at about $39 billion, Texas-based Apptronik at about $5.5 billion, and Germany-based Neura Robotics at around $7 billion. Tesla is also developing its own humanoid, Optimus, but the project doesn't have a standalone valuation.

"This is a trend we're seeing, where companies with deployments who are actually shipping hardware today are valued by the market a lot lower than companies that are betting on this future," Chowdhury said.

Sun said that Agility's listing would provide a reference point for how public markets value a company that makes humanoids, a form factor that remains controversial among both experts and investors.

Agility's public listing comes as Washington tightens restrictions on foreign-made robots, potentially giving US manufacturers an edge. In July, the Federal Communications Commission banned new foreign-made "advanced robotic devices," including humanoids, quadrupeds, and some robot vacuums. Agility manufactures Digit at its Oregon factory.

The humanoid market is currently dominated by Chinese companies such as Unitree, which went public on the Shanghai stock exchange this summer and has a market value of around $40 billion. Chinese robotics firms accounted for about 90% of humanoid robot shipments last year, according to Omdia.

"It's good for the US to show strength in this area," Johnson told Business Insider.

Have a tip? Contact Rya Jetha via email at rjetha@businessinsider.com or Signal at rjetha.07. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Cat Wu is joining OpenAI to lead product management for its core products team.
• She had just announced her departure from Anthropic, where she was a face of Claude Code.
• The poach is a win for OpenAI ahead of its rival's hotly anticipated IPO in a few weeks.

Cat Wu, who left Anthropic last week after becoming one of the company's highest-profile product managers, is joining OpenAI. She announced the news on X.

Poaching Wu from its archrival is a major coup for OpenAI. Wu was the product leader for Claude Code and had become one of the blockbuster app's prominent evangelists on social media. She oversaw the tool's rise from an internal prototype to a commercial juggernaut that has bolstered both Anthropic's finances and transformed the day-to-day work of software engineers.

Now, she'll help Anthropic's elder rival, leading product management for OpenAI's core products team. She wrote in the announcement post that she has "a lot of respect for OpenAI" and cited its broad reach of over 1 billion users.

OpenAI's Codex, a tool similar to Claude Code, has also boosted the company's growth and, more recently, has increasingly been pointed at non-technical work. AI models' coding abilities and their ability to handle long-term tasks are now central to the industry's growing ambitions. The hire could help OpenAI's Codex adoption, a priority since it fell behind Anthropic in enterprise sales earlier this year.

Wu announced her departure from Anthropic on Tuesday, writing that she'd left last week and thanking Claude Code's team and user base. The exit arrived just a couple of weeks before Anthropic's planned initial public offering, as the startup pitches its financials to investors and tries to shore up its growth narrative.

OpenAI confirmed that Wu is joining the company. Anthropic declined to comment.

On X, Wu wrote that she had "no idea" if leaving would allow her to sell her shares earlier than remaining employees, and said it "wasn't a factor for me."

She also wrote back to a question about whether she'd be taking time off with the response, "post agi!," a reference to the industry goal of "artificial general intelligence."

Her post on Wednesday, announcing her move to OpenAI, said, "we'll build agents that have your back and your team's, and keep you in control, so you get more time for the people and work you love."

She'll work at OpenAI with Nick Turley on enterprise products and Ashley Alexander on consumer products, and report to Tibo Sottiaux, an OpenAI representative said.

This isn't the first time Wu left Anthropic for a rival since joining in summer 2024. She and Claude Code creator Boris Cherny departed for AI coding startup Cursor in 2025, but quickly boomeranged to Anthropic, The Information reported at the time.

She and Cherny led Claude Code's rapid rise late that year and into 2026, buoyed by new AI model capabilities for code-writing work. Software developers flocked to the tool, and eventually to OpenAI's version, Codex, as improvements enabled them to automate more and more of the coding process.

Wu did not respond to a request for comment. Before Anthropic, she worked as a partner at Index Ventures, which would eventually co-lead Anthropic's September 2025 funding round.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at scouncil@businessinsider.com, or over text, Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 415-757-8198. Use a personal email address, a non-work WiFi network, and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

The holiday shopping season kicks off soon, and every year, the best Black Friday streaming deals have thoroughly impressed us. While most of the major limited-time deals don't get underway until closer to Thanksgiving, you can still cut costs while cutting the cord with these early deals.

Our team is constantly hunting for deals using our rigorous vetting process, so you can rest assured that we'll keep this page updated as soon as new streaming deals launch. If you can't wait until later this month, there are a few stellar streaming sales you can shop right now, which we've rounded up below.

Best early Black Friday streaming deals

YouTube TV has consistently offered the best live TV deals throughout the year, and the ongoing sale is no exception. New users can get $15 a month off their first five months of service with the Main plan. This offer brings monthly subscription prices from $83 a month down to $68 a month for five months, or $75 in total savings. You'll need to click through our link to find the full five-month offer, which runs until Thanksgiving Day.

If you're interested in live TV platforms but want something other than YouTube TV, Fubo is one of the best live TV streaming services we've tested, especially for international sports fans or those seeking a massive number of channels. First-time customers can get $25 off their first month of the Pro plan (normally $89 a month) or $30 off their first month of the Elite plan (normally $99 a month).

Other ways to save on streaming services

Most Black Friday streaming deals haven't launched yet, but opting for an annual plan or a bundle is an easy way to score savings right now. The prices below show how much you'd save with an annual plan each year compared to paying for 12 months of a monthly plan, or how much you'd save with a bundle each month compared to paying for the two services separately.

Disney Plus offers some of the best Black Friday deals each year, and we're hoping the streaming platform will participate again in 2026. While the platform doesn't usually launch its deals until much closer to the shopping holiday, you can save some money right now by opting for a Disney Plus annual plan or by bundling monthly service with Hulu and ESPN Unlimited, ESPN Select, or HBO Max. Likewise, you can save some money on stand-alone ESPN or HBO Max by giving one of the annual plans a go.

Paramount Plus is another frequent Black Friday participant, and we're hoping that the streaming service drops a deal later this month. In the meantime, you can save by signing up for annual versions of the Essential or Premium tier.

Even Apple TV got in on the Black Friday action last year, and we'll see if the streaming platform decides to play ball once again. You can already save big-time on a yearly basis by signing up for an annual plan.

If you don't want to commit to an annual plan, there are also some monthly savings opportunities when you sign up for one of the Apple TV and Peacock bundles, compared to what you'd pay if you subscribed to them separately. Last year, Peacock didn't participate in Black Friday, despite doing so in the past, so we're curious to see if they get back into the deals game in 2026. Like Apple TV, you can save money on a yearly basis by subscribing to a Peacock annual plan.

YouTube TV and Fubo are running some of the best live TV introductory offers right now, but DirecTV and Sling TV are two other popular options we've enjoyed that also have some deals. DirecTV is running intro offers on all of its Signature plans, as well as a few genre packs. While Sling TV doesn't have any notable introductory offers, you can get the Sling Orange + Blue combo plan for less than subscribing to Sling Orange and Sling Blue separately, since both plans have some channel overlap.

FAQ

When do Black Friday streaming deals typically launch?

We've found that if a streaming service is going to launch a special limited-time deal, they'll do it by Black Friday and not wait until Cyber Monday (although the sales usually extend until then, which you can read more about below). This year, Black Friday is on November 27, 2026. Oftentimes, a streaming platform will kick off the deal beforehand.

In 2025, services like Apple TV and Prime Video launched their deals about a week before Black Friday. HBO Max launched its deal on the Monday of Thanksgiving week, and the Disney Plus and Hulu bundle deals launched that Tuesday, although early access was available the day before for the ad-supported version. Last year, Paramount Plus also launched its monthly promos on the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week.

When do Black Friday streaming deals end?

Black Friday streaming deals rarely end on Black Friday. Instead, these limited-time discounts usually turn into Cyber Monday deals, and occasionally extend beyond that. This year, Cyber Monday falls on November 30 (not December!), so we recommend signing up by the end of the day on Cyber Monday. When these deals launch, we'll comb through the fine print and identify the exact end date so that you don't have to.

If you're interested in the YouTube TV deal we've highlighted today, you'll want to cash in before Black Friday since the offer ends on November 26, 2026. There's a chance YouTube TV will extend the offer or launch another deal in its place, but if you're keen to sign up for this particular deal, it might be a good idea to do it by Thanksgiving.

Check out our best streaming services guide for more information on these services. If you're planning to wait for official Black Friday deals, check out our piece on why you might want to cancel your services before then.

In September 2026, Apple announced its new generation of smartphones: the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. I've spent a month with the former, testing the device as a daily companion to see if it's worth trusting as yours. I also put the manufacturer's shiny new features to the test, and to spoil the story, the iPhone 18 Pro surprised me with improvements in photography and performance that make it particularly enticing as an upgrade.

For the most part, it's not worth shelling out if you're an iPhone 17 or 17 Pro owner considering the leap. However, if you're coming from an older device or are a new Apple user altogether, it's an excellent step forward for the product line.

Design: Familiar, but improvements hide within

With the naked eye, not much has changed on the iPhone 18 Pro. Its footprint and screen size are the same as the 17 Pro, and it's so similar that many third-party brands designed a single case for both models. The buttons are in the same place, and the camera block remains unchanged. However, the 18 Pro and Pro Max do have serious hardware upgrades that make a big difference across select features.

The first major selling point for this new generation is the variable aperture on the main camera lens. More than a digital upgrade, this physical change features super-thin blades controlled by a rotor to ensure a smooth transition between apertures. It's hard to see and even harder to photograph, but believe me: you can see the aperture change if you look closely at the main lens while doing so.

The other major improvement for this device is an internal restructuring to enhance heat dissipation. I'll go into more detail on the effectiveness of this change in the performance section.

Display: Remains the same, save for fresh Dynamic Island features

With every new iPhone release, Apple tends to focus on some aspect of the device for major improvements. Last year, the 17 line saw a big display overhaul, so this year, the display remains largely the same. The 18 Pro uses the same 6.3-inch ProMotion screen with an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother visuals throughout. Brightness capabilities, PPI, and other specs also remain the same.

The one major display upgrade brought about in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max is more Dynamic Island capabilities. The black ellipse where the selfie camera and Face ID hardware are hidden has, for years now, been an adaptive status indicator. Previous iOS users have probably at least seen it in their periphery, displaying music player buttons, navigation instructions, and other activity information.

Improvements this year have reduced the Dynamic Island's minimum footprint, freeing up more space for regular screen use. Conversely, it can now juggle up to three activities at a time, instead of only two. It's a seemingly minor change, but iOS users who are trained to tap it for quick app interactions may find it a welcome one.

It also interacts seamlessly with Apple's new Siri AI. Since the Apple Intelligence feature seeks to fill in gaps throughout your daily phone usage, it really works that the Dynamic Island is home to a lot of those processes. For example, kicking off a search with "Hey Siri" or holding the lock button results in Siri's response blooming from the Dynamic Island with a very organic animation that looks good and runs smoothly.

The only other change is that the Ceramic Shield introduced in the last generation has been upgraded to the Ceramic Shield 2. It feels similarly smooth and boasts increased durability. In use, it seems especially scratch-resistant and durable, but I still always recommend a good 18 Pro screen protector just in case. Picking up one of the best iPhone cases also goes a long way to preventing damage to the display and device as a whole.

Performance: Smooth, and most notably, heat disperses better

The iPhone 18 Pro comes furnished with the A20 Pro chip, a new development for this generation. Advertised as an all-around improvement over the A19 Pro, in layman's terms, the new processor should deliver faster graphics rendering, smoother multitasking, and better AI workload management.

In testing, the 18 Pro offers snappy performance across gaming, Apple Intelligence processes, and more. Hefty titles like League of Legends: Wild Rift load faster than on older devices. Switching between apps is seamless, with no stuttering that could inhibit an urgent photo snap or online search. It's a marked improvement, noticeable because I'm testing a new phone against its predecessor — but I'm not sure it'll be such a stark difference for your average Apple shopper.

However, if you're coming from an iPhone 16 or earlier, there may be a real performance change worth upgrading for. The N1 wireless networking chip (first introduced in the iPhone 17 and carried over to the 18 Pro and Pro Max) can make a real difference when chasing down a signal out in the wild. When using an iPhone 15 Pro Max and an iPhone 18 Pro in the same room, the latter could sometimes connect more easily than the former — its connection was also steadier.

New to this generation is the C2 cellular modem, which determines your signal reliability along with other factors. When tested against the iPhone 17 on the same carrier in the same room, I have yet to notice any major difference in network connectivity.

A hardware change that directly affects performance is the new thermal management system in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. This is a direct solution to overheating and crashing issues that users can experience when streaming shows, using Apple Intelligence, or juggling several apps at once.

With reorganized chip packaging that redirects heat away from the processor, the 18 Pro makes a strong case for upgrading with this feature. It's a marked improvement over older devices, especially the 15 Pro and Pro Max generations, which were known for heat-dissipation issues due to the seemingly premium titanium frame, which Apple ditched from the 17 Pro onwards. Anecdotally, I find the new device doesn't get hot easily, even during long mobile gaming sessions and lengthy AI queries while plugged in.

For a more quantifiable test, I left both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 18 Pro out in the sun on an 85-degree day in California. Both devices were running League of Legends: Wild Rift with the screens set to max brightness. After 10 minutes in the sun, the new phone was over three degrees cooler — a slight but important gap.

While it's easy to write off an old iPhone's poor performance to planned obsolescence and dwindling battery capacity, the 18 Pro definitely stands out as an overall improvement worth upgrading to for users of devices two to three generations older. If you're coming from the 17 Pro, it's not a big enough step to warrant the price.

Apple Intelligence: Hardly a selling point, but it doesn't hurt

Every year, Apple pushes Apple Intelligence as a major selling point for its new devices. With every manufacturer across the tech industry looking to implement AI as an accessible streamlining tool, it's not surprising — but it's rarely a game-changing feature for users. When testing iOS 27 on the iPhone 18 Pro, I found that statement mostly rings true again.

Siri AI is the manufacturer's biggest achievement in this field, and the feature (currently in beta with a brief waitlist) aims to simplify processes for iOS users across the board. Forget about asking to set a timer or dial your mom's phone number; think instead of having entire tasks taken off your plate. From pointing your camera at an object for Siri to identify to completing app-specific tasks, it's a promising IQ jump for the smart assistant.

Your queries can lead to full back-and-forth conversations, not unlike ChatGPT. Instead of having to repeat the context, you can continue asking questions about the same subject, making information gathering much simpler. It's handy for satisfying your curiosity, verifying facts in an argument, or even figuring out how to use an iOS 27 feature.

In practice, Siri AI is a smooth addition to regular IOS functions, albeit a bit overeager. Here's what I mean: swiping down on your home screen brings up Siri instead of the old search bar, which can now hunt for files, images, web results, and more. The Siri camera is wedged between the normal and Portrait modes, making it very convenient but easy to switch on accidentally. Text suggestions are replaced with "Write with Siri," whether you're drafting an important email or texting a friend.

Its functions work best with descriptive prompts: "Is there a doorbell deal on this page?" is likely to be more successful than "Are doorbells on sale?" Using the Siri app is also the best way to pursue a query, since it shows a chat log you can scroll through — though all of your requests, verbal and text, are eventually logged there.

With information privacy an ever-growing worry for tech users, Apple Intelligence is also designed to ease these concerns. In layman's terms, any AI operations are powered by your phone's chip (the A20 Pro on iPhone 18 Pro) or by designated Apple Private Cloud Compute servers under stringent restrictions against sharing your data with anyone — even the company itself. So, when you use Siri AI to read your personal text messages and update your calendar with family birthdays, Apple promises not to read over your shoulder. This much is verified by both internal and third-party specialists.

The greatest pitfall of Siri AI is one that likely won't be solved as it's moved out of beta, and one that plagues all AI: it's not 100% accurate, but it speaks like it is. It answers to the best of its ability, but like an overconfident friend, Siri won't tell you when it's taking a shot in the dark. In the image above, it continued to get the freshwater plant species wrong, moving further away from the correct species as the conversation proceeded. It also guessed the fruit tree on the right was a kumquat or a lemon multiple times, landing on the correct answer, a calamansi (or calamondin) tree, from certain camera angles.

I can wax poetic about overreliance on AI and how I feel about it, but in the end, it all comes down to a need for fact-checking. Siri AI requires the same level of caution in use that you should exercise with ChatGPT. It's a handy tool for getting answers and completing simple tasks, but you should never trust it entirely for important life decisions, graded work, or potentially life-threatening situations. The chat is a great starting point, especially because Siri cites its facts with links to articles that you can click through for a fuller picture.

In addition to a more capable smart assistant, Apple also introduced sweeping improvements and capabilities to Photos. For one, Clean Up has been improved over previous iterations. The photo editing tool lets you use your finger as a brush to paint over stains, clutter, and other unsightly objects, smoothing over your selections with the power of Apple Intelligence. In practice, this feature failed most of the time.

At best, it struggled with textures, as is to be expected of most AI-generated photo editing at this point. Mattress stains could be removed, but it failed to replicate the tufting pattern accurately, resulting in a visibly inauthentic edit. In the example above, it'd seem like removing the tiny cars on the highway would be a simple fix, yet somehow, it turned a clear photo into an oddly blemished one. It reminds me of the "ghost orbs" you see on ghost-hunting shows.

Other photo editing features, like spatial reframing and image extension, work with varying degrees of success. Simple subjects, like my dog in front of the curtains and the wooden floors above, are easy for Apple Intelligence to recompose. More complex photos can result in artifacting and nonsensical creations attempting to fill in the gaps — something many internet users have come to associate with AI-generated imagery at this point.

Another selling point for Apple Intelligence during this year's announcement was the addition of capabilities to Image Playground, iOS' built-in AI image generator. New in this update, the app now includes photorealistic images, more style options, direct image editing through text or touch, and more.

It doesn't take long fiddling around in the Playground to realize it's just a sleek yet limited take on ChatGPT image creation. While it does add handy controls for style, reference images, and photo ratios, it has more constraints. For example, brand-specific requests are rejected outright. When asked to regenerate an image in a Studio Ghibli style, I was prompted to use different descriptors. When I asked for the Kool-Aid Man eating at In-N-Out, I received "Unable to use that reference."

Cameras: Impressive, and the variable aperture allows you to control your shot

Perhaps the most exciting new aspect of the iPhone 18 Pro is the addition of variable aperture to the main camera, allowing users to toggle between four settings: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0. For casual photo-takers, the phone can handle these automatically, adjusting to best fit the situation you're in; for anyone even remotely interested in controlling their own photography, it opens a world of possibilities.

It's a physical change to the phone itself, which can be simplified to this: a lower number results in a blurrier background by letting in more light, better for moving objects and low-light situations. A higher number keeps more of the scene in focus, best for stationary models and sunny days. Most of the time, a middle-of-the-road f/1.8 gets the job done.

On the downside, the expanded suite of pro camera controls can be overwhelming for users uninterested in artistic photography. It's not hard to accidentally toggle a setting, set a timer, change the lens, or zoom in super close, especially with the easily actuated Camera Control button. It's difficult to strike a balance between accessibility and oversimplification, but it's worth noting: the camera app might be unintuitive for some users.

Whether you plan to touch the settings or not, it's a pretty big step forward for Apple's on-device main camera. Previous iPhones, including Pro models, used a fixed aperture combined with digital processing after the photo is taken (i.e., blurry backgrounds in Portrait mode) to generate the quality the brand is known for. This works fine, but can sometimes lead to a visible lack of authenticity, especially around tricky edges like hair, glasses, and greenery.

Now, the 18 Pro and Pro Max automatically adjust the physical lens aperture as needed to best capture your subject, unless you choose to tweak it manually. The Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras, however, still have a fixed aperture of f/2.2 and f/2.8, respectively.

In practice, this results in crisp details and an elevated quality for my everyday photo-taking across the board. As a casual photographer, I don't have the terminology or the know-how to make my photos shine, but the automatic setting does the work for me, resulting in high-definition photos I sometimes don't expect.

Low-light photos are also alarmingly sharp, offering a level of detail that stands out when compared to previous-gen pictures. Now, the camera isn't a miracle worker; moving subjects will still come out blurry because of the required exposure time in the dark. But for being a pocket-friendly phone camera rather than a hefty DSLR, it's impressive.

I choose to take the shot every time, knowing it may come out unfocused or blurry — after all, what if I never see another squirrel shoving a napkin into its cheeks ever again? How will the group chat ever believe me? The iPhone 18 Pro camera has rewarded my efforts with snapshots of startling clarity, looking good as-is or providing a perfect base for further editing in Apple's revamped post-processing suite.

Photographic styles finally cover all the bases to replace your photo editing apps

Apple didn't just upgrade the camera's hardware with this generation; it also upgraded the suite of editing tools available after you get the shot. Officially termed Photographic Styles 3, the new generation of phones has a few additional capabilities, primarily in the texture category.

When you take a photo on an iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, you'll be able to edit it, as iOS users have been able to for a while now. In the Styles section, tap Customize to find the new features, broken into three sliders: soft skin, glow, and film, each with a toggle to add or remove grain.

For social media posters, the soft skin and glow options are the additions that make this upgrade. After all, many iPhone users are snapping selfies and taking pictures in front of landmarks for posting — yet Apple skipped the beautifying feature until now, even though so many apps and smartphone manufacturers have had it for years. Now, the new device lets you remove blemishes from a person's skin or add a glow that resembles full-glam makeup. Results can vary depending on the subject's skin tone and age, but I was pleased with how it performed on light, senior, and medium-tan skin tones.

The film and grain settings hit that vintage feel, evoking the days when traditional camera use was more common. At its best, it does exactly that — at its worst, it can come across like an Instagram filter from 2010. Ultimately, it's up to how you use it. The soft skin and glow sliders are subtle enough that maxing them out hardly ruins a photo, but you need an eye for how to use the film and grain options.

In conclusion, it's an excellent upgrade that considerably broadens the audience for Photographic Styles. It won't please social media filter users; after all, nothing can replicate the power of Snapchat's puppy filter. But the subtle effects lend more authenticity, perfect for users who want a light touch-up, overall smoothing, or a nostalgic-feeling grainy photo. The upgrade is a real win.

Should you buy the iPhone 18 Pro?

As the time of writing, Apple has nixed (or likely delayed until Spring) the base iPhone option for the 18 lineup — only the Pro and Pro Max are available for purchase. That means base iPhone users of previous generations have no choice but to make the jump to Pro if they want a new '18' device right now. Or pay even more for the new iPhone Duo.

Before testing the iPhone 18 Pro for this review, I was a die-hard base iPhone user. Initially, it started because of budgetary restrictions, and the device felt sufficient for my needs anyway. As the years went on, I still couldn't justify paying more for the premium model. However, after experiencing my first Pro model, I'm not sure that I can go back.

Aside from the color lineup, size, and lens count, there are quite a few differences between the base and Pro models year after year. The latter tends to get a better display, extra camera versatility, Apple's latest processor, premium materials, and better battery life. Its higher price is justified by the phone's better quality in all aspects.

One of my favorite upgrades is the Telephoto Lens and its zoom power. As a fan of live music, I'm no stranger to the struggle of cheap seating in the back of a venue. It usually means I'm stuck watching the big screen for any details, which limits me to a very narrow section of the stage. When I brought the iPhone 18 Pro to a music festival, I was delighted not only by the clarity of my photos but also by the option to use the device as glorified opera glasses. By aiming the camera and zooming in, I had my very own, clear, self-directed feed of the stage.

Outside these rarer applications, the 18 Pro's lengthy battery life has not gone unnoticed, either. Charging overnight is optional, not a necessity. The A20 chip delivers buttery-smooth performance for gaming, streaming videos, and using Apple Intelligence, which is more prominent on iOS 27 than ever.

If you're on the fence about making the jump to a Pro model, I'd never recommend uncomfortably stretching your budget for it. However, if it's a spend you can make, it's a powerful and undeniable upgrade for fans in the stands, avid mobile gamers, and anyone tired of constantly charging.

Check out my guides to the best iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors and 18 Pro cases to keep your new device safe.

• Just one of 45 ballot propositions on data centers fell on the pro-data center side.
• It was in Harwood, North Dakota, a town of 940 people about 10 miles from Fargo.
• Voters rejected a measure that would have required public hearings before a data center was built.

Voters delivered a stern rebuke of data centers in ballot propositions across the country on Tuesday.

Except in one tiny North Dakota town.

The citizens of Harwood, who number about 940, shot down a measure that would have given residents a greater say in how large projects, such as AI data centers, are constructed in the town.

The vote wasn't exactly close, either. Some 325 voted against the measure, compared to 105 who voted for it, according to the North Dakota Secretary of State's office.

Of all 45 data-center-related propositions on the ballot across the country on Tuesday, Harwood stood out as the sole constituency in support of them. The other 44 fell on the anti-data-center side, according to Redbud Consulting, a ballot tracking firm.

And for residents of Harwood, the issue is germane. A $3 billion AI data center equal in size to 17 football fields is under construction in the community's backyard. The company building it hopes to employ 200 people — a number equal to about 20% of the city's population.

"It's frustrating," Mark Coolidge, a 59-year-old resident who voted for the measure, told Business Insider.

"We are the people that have to live with this type of industry as a neighbor," said Mike Swartz, a 47-year-old resident who advocated for the proposition. "Do we not have any say in what we want for the community some have vested decades into calling their home?"

In an interview, Blake Hankey, the mayor of Harwood, said he didn't support the measure. He said the language of the proposition was imprecise and that some of the stipulations "would have been financially burdensome to a city our size."

"This amendment to the home rule charter wasn't strictly aimed at data centers," he said. "It was any kind of business coming to town."

He also said the proposition wasn't a referendum on data centers. "It wasn't if there was going to be a moratorium," he added.

The proposition, should it have passed, would not have affected the existing data center, which is set to be completed next year.

Rather, it would have applied to all future construction projects that met a criteria of scale. For instance, a new gas station wouldn't have qualified, but a new large data center would be subject to independent assessments and mandatory public hearings.

Swartz said the measure was necessary because people in town were "blindsided" by how quickly the current data center was approved.

"Many in town didn't even know what that was or meant," he said. "Yet it only took 21 days from the time it was announced to the time construction began."

Hankey, who said he signed a non-disclosure agreement with Applied Digital, the company building the data center, described the decision as one he and the city council had to make quickly, lest neighboring Fargo got the contract first.

"I don't regret signing it," he said of the NDA. "Had I not, that data center would almost certainly be in the city of Fargo right now, without any kind of sales tax or property tax for our community."

As major developers, including SpaceX, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, OpenAI, and others, seek new AI data centers to power their products, they've encountered stiff resistance at town halls and city councils across the United States. Americans worry about the environmental impact, about electric bills, or the water supply. Many just don't like AI.

After a series of contentious city council meetings in Harwood, including one in which anti-data-center protesters were ejected by sheriffs, Coolidge said Swartz gathered enough signatures to formally put the proposition on the ballot.

Voters ultimately shot it down, Swartz and Coolidge said, in part because people in town disagreed with whether the measure would also apply to smaller buildings and businesses, rather than just large ones.

Applied Digital did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

"It's all about money," Coolidge said. "They could give a rip about us as citizens."

No matter how many Ceramic Shield iterations Apple introduces (we're on Ceramic Shield 2, for the record), a case is always the right choice for prolonging your iPhone's performance and appearance. With so many options ranging in price, design, and utility, you can find a good option for every type of iOS user. Whether you're a modern minimalist or quirky accessorizer, I've got you covered with the best iPhone cases below.

Not only have I spent the last few months testing the biggest brands in the tech accessory space, but I also have years of product experience and research to back up the picks below. While my team and I weren't throwing iPhones off of balconies to assess the damage, we put every model through the throes of daily life, including frequent pocketing, button pressing, and waist-height falls.

A quick look at our top 5 picks

Since iPhone cases are a largely subjective category, I recommend reading through all of our picks below — you might be surprised by which fits your needs. However, if you're looking for the best offerings in terms of affordability, quality, protection, and appearance, these designs stood out.

Below I've highlighted some of the best styles from our favorite brands. If you have an older device, don't be afraid to click in and check for your size; all of our picks make cases for a range of iPhones, and some even cover Android models.

Best overall: ESR

With so many random tech brands vying for shoppers' attention on Amazon, I didn't expect much from ESR before testing the brand's designs. After getting a few cases in hand, though, the quality, craftsmanship, convenience, and durability blew me away.

My personal favorite is the Classic Hybrid with the built-in stand, but the full ESR lineup is worth looking at if you want an iPhone case that won't cost an arm and a leg. For surprisingly cheap, these cases fit like a second skin — they're not the slimmest you can find (especially because of the stand's extra bulk), but each hugs its device tightly and securely. The frosted finish of the Classic Hybrid and the smooth faux leather of the Atelier also feel great to hold, and are sleek enough to slide in and out of pockets with ease.

For a case that covers the essentials and stretches your dollar as far as it can, ESR is my favorite. I'm also a big fan of the brand's accessories — the Geo MagSafe Wallet Stand is a resident on the back of my phone.

• Find a case for your iPhone at ESR's storefront.

Best protective: OtterBox

If you've shopped for a new phone case any time in the last decade, chances are, you've already heard of OtterBox. The brand has made a name for itself in the industry, and for good reason. Its designs offer some serious defense against even the toughest environments.

Ideal for the clumsy, sporty, or anyone else who puts their iPhone in danger, OtterBox's cases spare no expense in keeping your device protected with layers of shock-absorbing plastic. They're on the pricier side for sure, but in exchange, you likely won't need to buy another for as long as you have your smartphone.

Based on years of using the brand and updated tests across its recent case line, we still recommend the Defender Series Pro for shoppers in need of top-tier protection. Alternatively, we also like the brand's lighter, sleeker designs for more casual shielding against everyday threats — the Symmetry Series Stand and shoe-like Sole Series both stood out in our experience.

• Find a case for your iPhone at OtterBox.

Best budget: Spigen

Spigen has been in the iPhone case game for what feels like forever, and over the years, it has perfected the balance between low cost and quality coverage. For a long time, it rose to the top as our top case pick across all brands, and while it's no longer our best overall, we still love what Spigen offers.

You've got a lot to choose from in the lineup, but it especially shines in affordable yet quality cases. If you spent all your money getting your phone, this is the brand to browse for something that won't bleed you dry. You can keep it simple with a clear resin option for less than $15, or flash some techy style with the brand's signature teardown cases. Personally, I really enjoyed the Parallax S MagFit, which offers some nice texture variation for added friction and visual interest.

The Nano Pop cases are a potential hit for being especially slim with satisfying buttons and grippy silicone, but I also found that the flexible material is prone to fingerprints and smudges from food oils.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Spigen's storefront.

Best grippy: Smartish

Beloved across the internet, Smartish comes with a reputation for reasonable pricing, striking prints, and butterfinger-proof grips. I was excited to give them a shot and found that while they may miss the mark with more fashion-forward iPhone owners, they're a hit for functionality and design. They've actually become a staff favorite for some of my teammates.

While rubbery cases may seem like a low-quality option in the age of thick resin, Smartish does them well. The brand's designs are easy to put on and take off, yet still fit like a glove. While the Gripzilla stood out as our favorite with its ridged, textured sides that feel excellent in hand, the simpler Gripmunk also offers solid protection and friction. Fans of quirky designs will also revel in the brand's striking graphics, such as Y2K flame decals, trippy optical illusions, and vaporwave compositions.

The Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 1, though great in theory, sacrifices MagSafe compatibility to keep your cards on the back. It's also bulkier, as you might expect from a wallet case.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Smartish.

Best ultra-slim: Pitaka

If unnecessary phone bulk is your pet peeve, Pitaka has you and your iPhone covered. I've been a fan since finding the brand in 2016, and I'm happy to say its designs have only gotten better, with excellent additions like metallic accents, capacitive buttons, and new styles to choose from. Its signature appearance features woven fibers that lend strength and style without weighing you down.

The Edge Case is the thinnest option offered by the brand; it's available for the newest iPhones and even Android devices. While you won't find trendy Y2K prints and photos on these cases, Pitaka has created an aesthetic of its own, with woven designs invoking vivid sunsets, starry skies, and more. If you want a little extra protection, you can opt for the hefty and rugged Cairn case or the thin, full-coverage Summa case, both of which shield more surface area while still showcasing the brand's signature look.

Though I've only just snapped one on the 18 Pro, I can attest to Pitaka's Edge Case heartiness — my husband used one on an older iPhone for years. The construction makes them hard (but not impossible) to scratch, and the slightly raised edges lend enough display and lens protection for careful users to sleep soundly.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Pitaka's storefront.

Best designs: Society6

If you prefer to go big and bold, Society6 is where it's at. Another longtime name in the custom printing business, the brand offers artist-designed phone cases, wall art, bedding, and more. In terms of iPhone coverage, it's yet another hub of striking designs to choose from.

Though there are literally thousands of prints to choose from, Society6 keeps it simple with two main bases: MagSafe and Tough cases. The latter isn't MagSafe compatible, but knocks $5 off the price in exchange. In hand, the brand's shells are thick, rigid, and glossy, providing reasonable protection without adding too much weight. The buttons work nicely, and the tapered edge to the camera button makes it easy to access even with longer nails. The MagSafe Case's magnet is strong, too, making it easy to pair with grips and mounts.

You've got a lot of options for printed cases, but if you're more of an art connoisseur, or if no other options have satisfied you yet, Society6 is your best bet.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Society6.

Best clear: Zagg

Another longtime contender in the tech space, Zagg is one of our tried-and-true favorites. You may have heard of its lifetime warranty-backed screen protectors, but don't ignore its cases. No one does clear quite like Zagg.

For a durable, long-lasting, super-clear case, Zagg's Crystal Palace Snap is our pick, but I'd also recommend checking out the brand's other cases. It's expanded its library to include an array of equally protective yet slightly more colorful cases, still featuring a perfect see-through back so you can peep your device's finish anytime. Favorites include the rugged Rainier and the glittery Milan.

For more colorful defense than what OtterBox offers, I've also loved the durability and comfortable grip of Zagg's Sedona case. Overall, where OtterBox leans rugged visually, Zagg veers bright and bold. Users of MagSafe accessories can also trust these cases, as they use some of the strongest magnets of all the models we've tested to date.

• Find a case for your iPhone on Zagg.

Best leather: Troubador

It's hard to deny the classiness of a simple, one-piece leather iPhone case, and Troubador does them best. Formerly known as Mujjo, the brand's precisely engineered shells offer a shocking amount of protection, with ridges to spare your camera lenses and display from damage.

The brand's catalog keeps it short and sweet, offering just a one-piece leather case in five colors. In real life, the leather is supple and smooth for a luxurious phone-use experience, though the Tan and Terracotta colors look a little cheap compared to the darker options. The buttons are excellent, save for the camera button, which might be a little too deeply recessed in the case for long-nailed users.

Troubador also offers a Modular case that pairs excellently with the brand's MagSafe 3 Card Leather Wallet Stand, reducing the bulk by making the back panel removable. However, if you don't intend to get the wallet, I advise against the Modular option, as it introduces an unnecessary crevice that can lead to dust and leather damage.

• Find a case for your iPhone on Troubador.

Best statement: Bandolier

If you don't want your phone case dragging down your look, check out Bandolier. We've tested and loved the brand for years, and its polished leather wallet cases just get better with every new design. With a slew of styles, colorways, and straps to choose from, the frequently pocketless should not sleep on this brand.

The most versatile in its lineup, the Remi Magnet uses a MagSafe base case with a magnetic envelope-style wallet that snaps onto the back and attaches to the phone's loops for added security. It's a modular format, perfect for magnetic accessory users who like versatility. Alternatively, if you prefer your cards firmly secured at all times, the Hailey keeps it simple and more compact with a card slot permanently affixed to the shell. In exchange, it loses MagSafe compatibility.

After using a Bandolier case for a year, I was very pleased with the protection and the built-in strong magnets. The on-case loops are also the most secure lanyard and charm attachment methods I've tested to date, though they definitely add some extra bulk to the overall silhouette.

• Find a case for your iPhone on Bandolier.

Best accessories: PopSocket

PopSocket has, at this point, become synonymous with phone grips. Regardless of whether it was the first to do them, the brand definitely perfected the design over the years, with collapsible pucks that can use adhesive or MagSafe to firmly hold your device. It should be no surprise that the brand also offers iPhone cases to pair seamlessly with them.

If you like quirky designs and official collaborations, PopSocket is where to look. While its solid- and gradient-color cases are a little pricey for what you get, its designs (like this floral or Winnie the Pooh print) are adorable and beautifully accommodate the space a PopSocket Grip takes up. The magnets are also robust, making the MagSafe shells ideal for grip and mounting use.

The brand also just released its latest phone grip, the Low-Pro, which boasts a flatter-than-ever profile while still providing a handle and a stand for your device. The flexi plastic feels a bit different than the brand's traditional design, but it is an excellent option for users who don't like extra bulk.

• Find a case and grip for your iPhone at PopSocket.

Best sporty: Torras

One of the best brands you can find on Amazon, Torras cases integrate extra features, and rather than hiding them, spotlight them as part of the design. It's reminiscent of athleticwear and designer sneakers, and the available colorways lean into it.

Depending on what model you're covering, Torras has several designs to choose from. One of the priciest, the Q3 Air Pro, showcases built-in airbags along the corners to absorb shock when dropped. Its back ring is also adjustable, giving you a kickstand for watching videos, or it can be collapsed flat for use with MagSafe accessories. For a more designer look, you can also find the brand's signature features in a faux-leather finish on the Q3 VegSkin.

Torras definitely offers a unique visual that some iPhone users will love. I found the cases to be shockingly slim, as they don't add much to the phone's thickness. However, the airbags and corner protections do add width and length that may feel uncomfortable in smaller hands.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Torras' storefront.

Best for all of your devices: Casely

If it wasn't already obvious, there are a lot of case brands to choose from, especially in the printed design space. Casely is another contender here, and its pieces stand out for neat printing, solid all-around protection, and quality coverage for all of your devices.

My personal favorite, the Bold Flex MagSafe case, is the heartier of Casely's iPhone case designs, featuring a plastic outer shell and a rubber inner lining for shock absorption. While not the thinnest case, it's not bulky either, and the beveled edges make it smooth to put in and take out of your pockets. A little cheaper, the Classic MagSafe is more of the traditional printed shell you'd expect, with a thinner silhouette and the same eggshell finish.

Casely's strength as an option is in its collection of designs and cases. Tons of brands offer an overwhelming amount of flowers, animal hides, and stripes you can have printed on your phone. Casely stands out for its options for Apple, Samsung, and Google smartphones, along with laptop, iPad, Kindle, and other tech device cases to browse. Whether you want to match with your bestie or keep your AirPods coordinated with your MacBook, this is the brand that'll help you do it.

• Find a case for your iPhone and other devices at Casely.

Best for bikers: Peak Design

Peak Design is known for luggage, travel gear, and other accessories that move with you. Its phone cases are no different. Deceivingly simple, we found that the brand's iPhone designs offer minimal, sleek protection and, with SlimLink-compatible options, integrate seamlessly with biking.

SlimLink, as the name suggests, is Peak Design's low-profile mounting hardware intended for use on handlebars. The Universal Mount features a silicone band with some stretch, making it adaptable to a range of handlebar diameters. The small square indent on the back of a SlimLink Case is unintrusive and snaps easily yet securely onto the compatible mount.

Even if you're not a biker or motorcyclist, the brand's Everyday Case gives that same techy yet outdoorsy look, and feels nice to hold. It's slim and sleek, too, making it pocket- and purse-friendly. Peak Design also makes a Loop Case, which is the same thing with a slot for your finger. It's initially attractive because the loop collapses so flat, but in testing, we found it to be a tight fit even for slim and average-sized fingers, so we don't recommend it.

• Find a case for your iPhone at Peak Design.

How we test iPhone cases

While I could make an argument for throwing iPhones in cases from great heights to see exactly what "military-grade drop protection" really means, most people aren't doing that in their daily lives. So, rather than creating a lot of electronic waste in the name of science, my team and I opted to assess these products based on a few key factors instead.

Preliminary research: With so many brands vying for shoppers' attention, I narrowed my initial focus to industry staples, viral sensations, and cult favorites. From there, I looked through countless customer reviews, Reddit threads, and, of course, price points, to see what was worth testing in the first place. I still test plenty of new names and startups if the prices aren't astronomical, though.

Appearance: A largely subjective factor, I do my best to withhold personal bias when judging appearance. Instead, this is best assessed through quality markers such as print irregularities, overall finish/texture, leather grain, smudgability, and the variety of available colorways and styles. All of the iPhone cases above passed most, if not all, of these tests, leaving it up to your personal preference from there.

Thickness/bulk: Though this can also be a very personal preference, I assessed a case's clunkiness based on how the bulk is allocated and whether it serves a purpose. For example, a wallet case will always be thicker than a minimalist one, but is it unnecessarily so? Alternatively, is a design heavy because it has more drop protection, or is it simply made of weighty materials?

Glass protection: All smartphone cases should have at least a small ridge around the display and camera lenses to reduce the chances of glass breakage in a fall. The height of this lip depends on how protective the design is: the higher it is, the more defensive it is, but it will also make it bulkier. All of the picks above offer at least a small ridge, with some brands going minimal to reduce thickness.

Magnet strength: Since MagSafe is one of the major selling points of iPhones, it's important for your case to have strong magnets for use with accessories like grips, car mounts, and wireless chargers. Thin cases can get away with weaker ones, as they compound on the magnetic strength already built into your iPhone. Thicker cases require especially powerful magnets to ensure true compatibility.

Fit: For comfort, protection, and quality, an iPhone case should fit snugly, but not be impossible to remove. All of the picks above held the device without it shifting around within, and while some took a little elbow grease, they could all be removed without damaging the phone. Tougher designs include specific instructions for uncasing, too.

Buttons: You don't want a case that makes your phone harder to use or less pleasant to use, so buttons are an important feature of any model. There are a variety of ways manufacturers address them, like cutouts, metallic caps, and capacitive touch sliders.

When it comes to mobile service, it doesn't get simpler than an MVNO like Visible. The Verizon-backed service is easy to sign up for, with monthly fees not unlike those of a streaming service or a gym membership. It's already affordable, but with a good Visible deal, you can save even more.

Right now, Visible is offering shoppers their first year starting at $19 a month with the promo code HOLIDAYHACK. Plus and Plus Pro plans cost more but are also discounted for the seasonal sale.

Are you not sure which Visible plan to choose? You have three to choose from: Visible, Visible Plus, and Visible Pro Plus, with the latter two included in the ongoing sale. All of them offer unlimited data of varying speeds, plus mobile hot spot functionality, select international calling, and more.

Best deals on Visible phone plans

For the holiday season, Visible is discounting each of its plans by $6 with the promo code HOLIDAYHACK, which is locked in for up to five years. The base plan can only be guaranteed for one year, Plus for three, and Plus Pro for five.

While a price lock may at first sound uncomfortably similar to a contract, it's actually a very good security to have in place. In the age of constantly hiking prices due to tariffs, hardware shortages, and oil costs, the option to lock in your pricing for up to five years spares you from potential price hikes in the meantime.

Also available now, Visible is giving up to $480 off iPhone 18 Pro and Visible Plus Pro bundles via monthly credits. Here's how it works: buy the device at full price up front and get $480 off your Visible Plus Pro over 24 months.

While it does require you to shell out for the phone right now, it doesn't require an annual payment for your cell plan — only monthly. In the end, that breaks down to $20 off every month, bringing Visible Plus Pro to only $25 a month for unlimited data, hot spot, Global Pass perks, and more.

• Follow our WhatsApp channel and Instagram for more deals and buying guides.

Visible mobile FAQs

Does Visible have a free trial?

Visible offers a free 15-day trial to anyone with a compatible and unlocked smartphone. All you have to do is connect to Wifi and download the Visible app. Once there, you can follow the steps to get a trial phone number that lets you use Visible's unlimited data, talk, text, and hotspot for 15 days. 

You do not need to cancel your current carrier's service to sign up for Visible's free trial. In fact, Visible recommends keeping your service to compare against their own during your free trial.

Visible vs. Visible Plus: What's the difference?

The most significant difference between Visible and Visible Plus is that the latter offers access to Verizon's fastest 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) network, which has faster speeds and better reliability in congested areas. Those benefits only come into play if you can even access them. 5G UW is only available in select markets and requires specific phones. You'll also get broader international calling and texting options, and the "Premium Network Experience" guarantees you full speeds up to 50GB, even during peak traffic hours.

No matter which you pick, both plans offer unlimited everything. That includes talk, text, data, and even a mobile hotspot, a rare concoction for MVNO cell phone service.

How good is Visible phone service?

Our Visible Wireless review found that it offers great overall value for money. The cellular network is top-notch, owing to its piggybacking on Verizon's extensive nationwide 5G network. We like the low monthly prices and the ability to get unlimited data, no matter which plan you're on.

The slow network speeds after exceeding thresholds and experiencing network congestion are annoying, but that's a standard practice most MVNOs use to keep costs down. We also thought Visible's customer support could be better (you only get direct help using its online chat) and would have appreciated even a small discount for having multiple lines.

Is Visible owned by Verizon?

Verizon owns Visible. Unlike T-Mobile's purchases of Metro and Mint Mobile and AT&T's purchase of Cricket Wireless, Verizon built Visible from the ground up. The MVNO launched in 2018 and operates independently under Verizon's supervision.

See more: Visible review | Verizon iPhone 18 Pro deals | Mint Mobile deals | Best unlimited data plans | Best cheap cell plans

LG's C-Series OLEDs have long been the poster child for high-value TV performance. But in an age of increasingly innovative display tech, is more of the same really enough? This year's C6 OLED puts that question to the test. Available in 42- to 65-inch sizes, the C6 offers a marginal upgrade over last year's C5, with a modest but welcome bump in brightness and processing.

That's not a bad thing, since the C5 was already so impressive, but with even brighter OLEDs on the market and new RGB LED tech making a splash, it's getting harder for the midrange C-Series to really stand out. In that sense, it's tempting to direct those who value meaningful innovation to step up to the bigger, brighter C6H (sold in 77- and 83-inch sizes), or to a pricier premium OLED like the LG G6 or Samsung S95H, all of which offer more expansive color to better handle next-gen content.

But ultimately, none of this detracts from the C6's price-to-performance ratio. For the money, this TV is still a whopper of visual brilliance, capable of striking awe and raising your everyday viewing experience, especially for OLED newcomers. The C6's biggest drawback is actually its smart system, from some uneven streaming over my test period to increased concerns about LG's data collection. That all leads to the $64,000 question: Is the LG C6 still the midlevel OLED TV to beat? Let's break it down.

The design offers equal parts style and substance

The C6 is available in 42-, 48-, 55-, and 65-inch screen sizes. LG also has 77- and 83-inch editions, but they're branded under a new submodel called the C6H and use a more advanced, brighter OLED panel. This review only applies to the standard C6. For details on the C6H, read our full LG C6H TV review.

The C6's design isn't much of an update over previous iterations, looking almost exactly like last year's C5. That's one area of stagnation I won't complain much about, as the C-Series remains among the prettiest and best-designed TVs in the mid- to premium tiers. Thin, chrome-capped bezels frame a stylishly slim panel that measures just a quarter-inch deep at its thinnest point.

As with previous models, however, the C6's lower-back section sticks out from the panel, pushing the depth of my 65-inch review model to 1.8 inches. This prevents the TV from mounting completely flush with a wall. If you want a more seamless look, you'll need to step up to the pricier G6, which has a uniform profile and no-gap mount.

For those using a media console, the TV's stylish, compact pedestal measures just nine inches deep for an easy fit on most stands. The fin-shaped base requires more assembly time than Samsung's rival S90H, but it's also more stable, and even the ultra-thin display feels relatively stout.

I'm less pleased with LG's latest remote, which trades a dedicated input button for an AI/input hub and removes the mute key altogether, forcing you to hold down the volume to mute. I still mostly appreciate the remote's "magic" pointable cursor, which makes things like adding a password easier, even if it sometimes gets in the way.

Behind the TV's left side is a formidable collection of inputs, highlighted by four HDMI 2.1 ports that support a Variable Refresh Rate up to 165Hz for PC gaming. Other gaming extras include Nvidia's G-Sync and AMD's FreeSync Premium support, as well as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) for snappy response. HDMI eARC makes it easy to get the most from a soundbar or other audio system, which is important given the TV's thin design, which leaves little room for onboard audio quality.

Other notable features include LG standbys like Dolby Vision HDR support, the most prevalent of the advanced HDR formats (and something Samsung TVs lack), and innovative options like Auracast broadcasting for latency-free Bluetooth streaming to supported devices. I'm still disappointed by LG's lack of ATSC 3.0 support for antennas, which omits NextGen broadcast features like HDR video, and by its lack of DTS audio support, even as LG's own Sound Suite H7 soundbar added it.

The TV's pixel-level contrast is stunning, but its color range can't match newer display tech

After recently testing an art-style TV, which offered the typically poor contrast and flat colors those types of displays are known for, moving to LG's C6 OLED was like a salve for my cinephile soul. After swapping the default Auto Low Power picture mode for the more accurate Filmmaker mode, I was treated to ruby-rich colors, inky black levels, and surprisingly peppy brightness.

Using a Portrait Displays C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, a G1 pattern generator, and Calman software, I measured the TV's peak brightness at 1,350 nits in Filmmaker, a solid 200 nits more than last year's C5. That proved plenty bright for most scenarios; my wife even found it too bright at times in lower lighting. I had no issues there, apart from some spicier app menus, and the TV proved impressively accurate across my catalog. I even raised the brightness by switching to Cinema Home mode for sports like "Thursday Night Football" on Amazon Prime. I did turn down the OLED Pixel Brightness setting a few points for basic SDR broadcasts, as it's set surprisingly high by default in Filmmaker mode at 80 out of 100.

Just as impressive as the C6's brightness is its incredible shadow delineation, which reveals detail in even the gloomiest scenes without artificially raising black levels. The only time I had trouble seeing dim content, like the torturous hilltop scene in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," was in a sunlit room, where the C6's glossy screen and midlevel reflection handling can't keep up with the matte anti-glare tech used by Samsung's rival S90H. This is also where LG's G-Series holds an advantage, offering better anti-reflectivity than the C6 while still preserving its glossy screen for rich black levels.

LG's image processing has continued to improve, and this is the best I've seen it in a C-Series TV to date. That leads to great upscaling for low-quality content, and incredible clarity for 4K video, sometimes revealing details I missed in multiple previous views, like the subtle leather creases in Star-Lord's coat in "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2." Like all OLEDs, the C6's off-axis viewing is also excellent, a coup over even the fanciest Mini LED and RGB displays. As a result of normal production variances, some units may exhibit a slight green tint when viewed at an angle, but my review unit was free of this issue.

The TV's color accuracy is another highlight, including for gaming, where the default Game Optimizer picture mode gives titles like "Red Dead Redemption 2" a natural look without oversaturation. That isn't surprising given the TV's pedigree and my measurements that hit around 98% of the most common DCI-P3 color gamut. However, the TV measured over 20 points lower when evaluating the more advanced BT.2020 spectrum. That won't matter for most current content, but it could give folks a reason to jump to the more capable G6 or even an RGB LED TV, which are better primed to support future content that uses a wider color range.

The TV's few other performance drawbacks include some image stuttering during hard camera pans and minor screen uniformity issues (banding) in tough greyscale test scenes, but nothing noticeable in regular viewing. Otherwise, there's not much to complain about in a mostly flawless picture.

The C6's webOS smarts can be pretty dumb

LG's latest webOS 26 smart interface is the C6's biggest weakness. It's speedy and responsive, and offers some cool features like customized widgets and limited free access to LG's Gallery+ art collection, but streaming performance was uneven for me.

Over three weeks with the TV, I had to power-cycle it multiple times when it froze while loading apps like Disney Plus and Hulu. However, these hiccups may be tied to specific network types since we didn't encounter any major crashes while testing the similar C6H at a different location. That said, I didn't have those issues with LG's RGB Micro TV, and the vast majority of TVs I test work fine on my network.

The bigger elephant in the room is a recent video from Gamers Nexus questioning LG's smart TV privacy practices, data sharing, and audio recording methods. This article from Ecoustics offers a great recap and analysis of this report with important context. For its part, LG issued a statement strongly denying any allegations that its TVs continuously record or transmit audio.

Ultimately, whether you purchase a TV from LG or any other brand, all smart TVs collect some form of user data. If that's a primary concern, the only way to be truly safe is to turn off smart features altogether and use your TV without an internet connection. However, if you're not on board with losing smart features, there are a few settings you can adjust to minimize the amount of data you share.

For instance, I always recommend turning off any viewing data collectors, such as ACR (Automatic Content Recognition), which LG also calls Live Plus, during the initial TV setup or in the Advanced System Settings menu afterward. I also recommend disabling any voice recognition or smart assistant support and hands-free microphones, and ensuring you only agree to necessary licensing and privacy agreements.

And one thing I actually do like about webOS is that you can turn off most ads and customize the home screen for minimal intrusiveness, something many other smart TVs don't offer.

Alternatively, you could keep your TV offline and use a separate streaming device from Roku, Google, Apple, or Amazon. But, again, these streaming devices all have their own data collection and voice recognition methods, so those concerned with privacy will still have to deactivate certain functions and opt out of certain policies.

LG C6 vs. LG C6H

As mentioned earlier, LG also has a new submodel in the C-Series, called the C6H. The C6H is only available in 77- and 83-inch sizes, while the standard C6 is available in 42-, 48-, 55-, and 65-inch sizes.

Other than size, the main difference between the C6 and C6H is the type of OLED panel they use. With one exception, the C6 uses a standard WOLED screen, while the C6H uses a four-stack primary RGB tandem OLED screen, allowing it to reach higher brightness and a slightly wider color range. However, since brands seemingly can't help but overcomplicate their product lines, the 48-inch C6 also reportedly uses a four-stack panel, but its brightness remains in line with other C6 sizes rather than the C6H.

It's a bit confusing, but the takeaway is that the C6H delivers a noticeably punchier HDR image than the C6. While testing the 77-inch C6H, our team measured a peak of around 2,000 nits. Otherwise, the C6 and C6H offer the same basic design and features.

Should you buy the LG C6?

LG's C6 OLED is an impressive midrange TV, but it's lost some of its luster amid ever-growing competition, and even setting aside privacy concerns, my sometimes-dodgy streaming experience didn't help. As good as the C6's picture is, it's worth considering other top models for your money.

The Samsung S90H OLED is the obvious alternative. It's our pick for the best TV of the year for its blend of strong value and balanced performance in any room. Samsung's smart interface has its own struggles, but I had far fewer streaming issues while testing the S90H. And speaking of streaming, Roku just launched two new price-conscious OLEDs that marry pixel-level contrast with the company's user-friendly RokuOS software. While we haven't tested the LX model yet, its specs point toward it offering an enticing alternative to the C6.

If you're not set on OLED, you could save some money with a Mini LED TV, like the striking TCL QM8L, which offers higher brightness and impressive overall performance thanks to its local-dimming backlight. That said, even if its Google TV smart system is more reliable than webOS, the QM8L can't match OLED's black levels or near-perfect viewing angles.

The C6 is still a serious value for anyone after a top-tier viewing experience, while the larger C6H is an attractive upgrade if you want to go bigger in more ways than one. If LG's webOS interface isn't a concern, or you simply plan to turn off the TV's network functions and use your own streaming device, the C6 remains an excellent option for midrange OLED shoppers.

• America's largest grocery workers union is celebrating Democrats' midterm success.
• The UFCW quickly called on lawmakers to ban surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels.
• Large retailers have defended the tech and said they do not and will not charge personalized prices.

America's largest grocery workers union wants Dems to keep food prices fair and grocery workers in stores.

The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents more than 1.2 million people, issued a statement celebrating victories of labor-backed candidates across the US in this year's midterm elections. It also called on politicians to enact legislation to keep digital price tags and personalized pricing out of grocery stores in order to address affordability concerns and preserve jobs.

"Lawmakers should ban surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels in grocery stores, so that shoppers are safe from corporate price gouging," UFCW president Milton Jones said in the statement.

The tech has come under fire this year as retailers like Walmart and Kroger continue to replace printed price tags with digital versions that can be updated remotely.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission said it ordered several of the largest grocery chains to prepare detailed reports on their pricing practices.

"Consumers deserve to know whether companies use their web surfing habits or other personal data to estimate the highest price they can charge each consumer," FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said.

Some states have taken action against the practices. New Jersey banned surveillance pricing and put a one-year moratorium on electronic labels earlier this year. Maryland requires retailers to lock in prices for at least one business day.

Retailers have defended the tools, saying they simplify a labor-intensive process and improve accuracy, and that their pricing has been and will remain fair and transparent.

Walmart and Target each issued statements last month that said they do not use personal information to charge shoppers a higher price, and that they will not in the future either. Both chains still offer personalized discounts through promotions and membership programs.

The best artificial Christmas trees dazzle your home without the cleanup and upkeep that come with a real tree. They also offer benefits no live tree can match, including the ability to reuse it year after year and convenient extras like built-in lights that change colors with the push of a remote.

We've applied our in-depth testing process to more than a dozen fake trees to find realistic-looking options that are durable and easy to assemble. For consistency's sake, most of the trees in this list are the 6.5-foot or 7.5-foot versions, but most are available in several sizes, ranging from 4.5 to 15 feet.

Our top picks for the best artificial Christmas trees

Best overall: Balsam Hill 6.5-Foot Fraser Fir Artificial Christmas Tree - $1,599 $1,249 at Balsam Hill

Best pre-lit: King of Christmas King Fraser Fir with LED Lights - $1,499 $899 at King of Christmas

Best budget: The Puleo International 6.5-Foot Pre-Lit Aspen Fir Artificial Christmas Tree - $200 at Amazon

Best under $300: Home Accents Holiday 7.5 ft. Pre-Lit LED Jackson Noble Artificial Christmas Tree - $299 at The Home Depot

Best unlit: King of Christmas 7.5' Yorkshire Fir Artificial Christmas Tree - $499 $279 at King of Christmas

Best slim: National Tree Company 6.5-Foot Downswept Douglas Slim Fir Artificial Christmas Tree - $249 at Amazon

Best small: National Tree Company 4-Foot North Valley Spruce Tree - $56 at Amazon

Best overall

Balsam Hill is nearly synonymous with realistic artificial trees, and for good reason. It creates full trees with thousands of branch tips that make a beautiful home for your Christmas ornaments and lights. For the truly particular, Balsam Hill offers a branch sample kit to preview their offerings before you commit; the purchase price will be applied to your tree. Our favorite, the Balsam Hill Fraser Fir Artificial Christmas Tree, is available in several configurations. You can choose from heights of 5.5 to 12 feet; a full, wide, or narrow shape; and six lighting options, ranging from unlit to smart lights. The tree is also available with a standard setup or a unique "flip" mechanism, where the tree is on wheels and flips into place.

The standard 6.5-foot Fraser Fir has three hefty sections chock full of faux needles. While there are some bristly PVC branches near the pole to help fill out the tree, the majority of the tips are more realistic PE. These don't take nearly as much arranging as the PVCs. 

Setup took around an hour and a half. I was impressed by how the branches overlapped to minimize sparse areas. All those branches make the tree beautiful and full but also heavy. As I dragged it from room to room, I could feel its full 39 pounds. Unlike other trees I tested, I only had to plug this one into the wall instead of attaching different light sections together. This made setup easier and meant I didn't have to hide garish tags. 

Balsam Hill includes a sturdy canvas mesh storage bag and a separate bag for the tree stand. You also get two pairs of gloves, which I found helpful because some of the needles were a bit scratchy. 

The branches did a great job of supporting lightweight ornaments but depressed a fair amount with a very heavy one. However, the needles held onto string fasteners tightly, making them very secure but difficult to remove during disassembly. 

Best pre-lit

What makes the King of Christmas Fraser Fir unique is its multi-functional lights. Using the foot pedal, you can toggle through nine light settings, including warm white, multi-color, and a few patterns. Some even blink on and off. It also comes with a remote you can use instead of a foot pedal to turn the tree on and off.

While it doesn't offer as much variety as something like Twinkly smart Christmas lights, you don't need an app. The tree uses the company's Power Pole feature, so the lights automatically connect when you add each section to the tree — no fussing with plugs or stringing.

While our top pick from Balsam Hill is also pre-lit, this one features 150 more lights: 750 to Balsam Hill's 600 for the 6.5-foot tree. Since the King of Christmas tree has slightly fewer branch tips than Balsam Hill, that means there are more lights per branch. The lights also extend all the way to the back of the branches, giving the tree the appearance of being lit from within. Our one complaint is that the colored lights setting features a bit too much blue.

To assemble the tree, you'll need to pull down the hinged branches and separate and fluff them. Once the tree was fluffed and decorated, we didn't spot any gaps at all.

Best budget

The Aspen Fir from Puleo International is a natural-looking tree pre-lit with 500 incandescent lights, and the 6.5-foot-tall version typically costs $200. Puleo includes instructions for how to fluff the tree, and setup took about 45 minutes. There are a good number of branch tips for a tree this size and price. As with many artificial trees, there are gaps where sections meet. The branches are a mix of bristle-like PVC and more realistic PE tips.

These needles are rubbery and feel a bit waxy, which made arranging the branches without gloves no problem. They're also incredibly sturdy, holding up heavy ornaments with no trouble. One of the most distinctive features of this tree was the slight variation in the color of the PE needles, which adds a bit more realism to the tree. Similarly, the pole is coated with a rough brown substance to mimic bark. This coating shed a bit out of the box and when I grasped the tree by the pole to move it around. 

The included lights are pre-strung and wound around branches to hold them securely in place. That can make arranging some of the branches a bit tricky, and I had to plug in the different light strings, too. The cord is fairly short, so you must place the tree close to an outlet.

Other budget-friendly options we tested

If the Puleo Aspen Fir is unavailable, consider these other budget-friendly trees we looked at around the $200 mark or less.

• The Puleo 6.5 Foot Pre-Lit Slim Fraser Fir Artificial Christmas Tree is a suitable option for those looking for a slim tree around $200. The tree is quite full and dense in appearance, but our reviewer didn't find the PVC needles to look as realistic, and the lights don't feel evenly dispersed. Compared to the Aspen Fir, which has 500 incandescent lights, the Fraser Fir only has 350. It also took a long time to fluff.
• National Tree Company has a range of affordable tree options, including the 6.5 ft Pre-Lit Dunhill Fir with 650 lights, which was super full-looking and easy to assemble. It does not have the brand's PowerConnect feature, so some of the wiring is visible when you look at it up close. We initially wanted to review the unlit version to compare it as a budget alternative to our top pick from King of Christmas, but we received the pre-lit version instead. It's essentially the same build with the same number of branch tips — and no clunky connectors to look at.
• Wayfair has its own faux tree collection with The Holiday Aisle and this lush Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree with Warm White Lights is available in sizes ranging from 4 to 9 feet tall. The 6-foot version clocks in around $150. In addition to its realistic appearance, we particularly liked how the plugs are sleek and well hidden, setup was seamless, and that it came with gloves to save our fingertips during fluffing. The tree is lush and full, but was overshadowed in fullness when our tester compared it to a tree from National Tree Company. Its more manicured appearance makes it look more luxurious than the Aspen Fir from Puleo, too.

Best under $300

If you can stretch your budget to $300, Home Depot's high-quality Home Accent Holiday trees look realistic and offer great value. We looked at the Pre-Lit LED Jackson Noble Artificial Christmas Tree, which features a beautiful lighting scheme.

The setup instructions were easy to follow, but assembly is definitely a two-person job, as some sections of the tree can be rather heavy and a second set of hands will cut down on the time needed to arrange and fluff the tree. Once assembled, the tree is very sturdy and won't be easily toppled by a rambunctious child or pet.

The tree looks pretty realistic. It has a more manicured look, but the needles have a natural appearance. There are some gaps between the branches, and those gaps are a bit uneven, which lends to their realistic look. We also like that I can't see the center pole.

The branches support nearly all ornaments, even heavier blown-glass bulbs. However, the top of the tree is weak, so placing a heavy tree topper will require some rigging. We ultimately propped a heavier topper against the top branches.

The Jackson Noble is pre-lit with 1,200 color-changing micro-dot LEDs that are controlled by a foot pedal or a remote, so you can toggle through any of the nine light settings, including a flashing and a fade setting. The white lights have a medium-warm glow, and the colored lights are nice and bright. We also love how seamlessly the lights blend into the tree and how evenly they're dispersed. If a bulb goes out, it won't affect the rest of the tree. Even better, the wires didn't catch on anything during assembly.

Best unlit

The King of Christmas 7.5' Yorkshire Fir Artificial Christmas Tree Unlit is the best unlit option for those who want a big, classic-looking tree that's a blank canvas. You can customize your lighting, or forgo it completely. This tree comes in various heights, but none are much wider than 45 inches in diameter, making it an excellent option for small spaces.

The absence of lights removes the hassle of unwinding stray cords, and it was easy to customize this tree to fit our own decorating style. We wrapped snowflake lights around it, which were easy to arrange and nicely visible on the branches. 

With over 2,000 branch tips, the tree has a dense, full look that is often hard to find in fake trees. Once unfurled, the branches held their shape even when we placed our heaviest, half-pound ornaments on them. Decorations looked attractive on the dark green needles, although in bright, direct light, the needles had a very artificial appearance. 

We also liked the density of needles concealing the tree's pole. While there are small gaps in the foliage, waxy green needles a shade darker than the exterior needles covered the tree rod. These needles camouflaged the pole well, making it less noticeable than a standard black one. 

Assembling this tree was quick, but at 32 pounds, it's on the heavier side. The limbs are attached individually to the pole, and they need to be pulled down for assembly. A few limbs fell and struck our tester as they arranged the branches for decoration. Some branches also fell off during assembly, but were easy to reattach to the pole. This tree also includes a storage bag, and the tree packed away with no trouble.

Best slim

For tight spaces, the National Tree Company Downswept Douglas Slim Fir is perfect for corners. The 6.5-foot tree is 30 inches in diameter, which is an inch narrower than the 4-foot version we tested. 

Like the full-size Douglas, this slim model has dual-color LEDs you can change with a foot pedal. It offers a nice variety instead of all-white or steady multi-color displays, and a convenient PowerConnect feature that integrates lights more seamlessly.

The tree doesn't have as many branch tips as other slim trees we've seen at this height. But both PE and PVC branches are included for a realistic look.

As you assemble the tree, it's helpful to separate the branches before adding a new section. National Tree Company has a useful video that shows the whole assembly process. As with the wider version, some reviewers have noticed gaps in some spots.

Best small

National Tree Company's North Valley Spruce is a short, narrow tree that's great for bedrooms or smaller apartments. While no one will mistake this tree for something you cut yourself, it's sturdy and looks good covered in ornaments and lights. It could also fit nicely on a tabletop.

I've had this tree for two years. I like that it's quick to assemble, with just two sections to put together. Fluffing the tree takes a while. You'll want to stand back every now and then to look for gaps, but the instructions explain how best to arrange the branches.

The branches are less realistic PVC, and some gaps exist, especially where the sections join. The pole is wrapped in needles, so it blends in with the branches. They're easy to maneuver and hold heavy ornaments well. Because it's fairly small, the lights I added, a 100-count string, fit almost perfectly.

At 31 inches wide, it's a fairly slim tree and light enough to move around even when fully assembled. It compresses fairly well, so I've been able to store it in its original box. 

Our top picks compared

What to look for when shopping for an artificial Christmas tree

Size: You'll want to consider both the height and diameter of your tree and how much space you have to devote. For instance, if you have 8-foot ceilings, you'll want to leave a little space to accommodate a tree topper and also keep the tree from brushing the ceiling. In that case, 7- and 7.5-foot trees will be a good height. Trees are typically sold in slim (more narrow for tight spaces), full, or sparse shapes.

Polyethylene (PE) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC): PE branches are molded and feel more rubbery. They look more like individual needles attached to a branch. PVC branches are more bristle-like, with individual strips of plastic fastened to the branch. PE is more realistic but also heavier and pricier. 

Branch tip number: A higher number of branch tips will mean a fuller-looking tree. If the tree has a mix of PE and PVC branches, more PE needles will look more realistic. 

Unlit or pre-lit: Pre-lit trees are easier to set up, especially if they automatically connect different sections via the trunk so you don't have to hook up various strings. On the other hand, unlit trees give you a bit more flexibility on the type of lights you add. Pre-lit trees either have LEDS (more customizable light settings, energy-efficient, cool to the touch) or incandescent bulbs (more affordable, give a warm glow).

Tree variety: Common artificial Christmas tree types include fir, spruce, and pine. Which you choose mainly depends on your aesthetic preferences. You might like the pyramid shape of a Douglas fir or the hue of a blue spruce, for example.

Safety: Pre-lit artificial trees should be tested by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to ensure their safety. You can look for UL symbol on the box and the retailers' and manufacturers' product pages.  

Warranty: Tree manufacturers often offer warranties on their products for between 2 and 10 years.

How we test Christmas trees

To test artificial trees, we looked at a mix of realism, assembly time and difficulty, ease of connecting lights for pre-lit trees, and how branches held up when decorated with ornaments. For untested trees, we relied on brands that I had tested and viewed in person at retailers in addition to looking at reviews and specs like number of branch tips, size, and assembly style. 

Assembly: We timed how long it took me to set up each tree, including attaching sections and fluffing the branches. We also noted how easy it was to do alone, particularly if the sections were heavy. 

Realism: We noted the different types of branches and how realistic they looked. Some trees have variations in needle color or faux bark to make them look more life-like. 

Fullness: Trees with fewer branches tend to leave gaps. We looked at the trees after we fully fluffed them to look for spaces. They were often where sections fit together because you need a place to grasp the pole.

Lights: We looked at how easy it was to assemble pre-lit trees. Some didn't require anything more than plugging a single cord into an outlet. For others, we needed to connect several strings of lights. We also paid attention to the spacing of the lights and their glow. 

Durability: Our tester has a 4-ounce dragon that serves as a tree topper. We used it to see how well branches can hold heavier ornaments. Additionally, we moved each tree from room to room to see how likely they were to topple. 

Artificial Christmas tree FAQs

Who makes the best artificial Christmas tree?

Balsam Hill is often regarded as one of the best artificial tree companies. Its trees are lush, with thousands of PE branches and some PVC ones to add to the fullness. We also like many of the budget-friendly options from Puleo International and National Tree Company. 

What is the best type of artificial Christmas tree?

More realistic trees will have a high number of PE branches for a dense, full look. The type of tree, whether spruce, fir, or pine, is a matter of preference.

What's the most real-looking artificial Christmas tree? 

Trees with a lot of PE branches will look more realistic than PVC trees. Needles with subtle color variations also look more life-like, but no tree will completely fool anyone up close. 

Are expensive artificial Christmas trees worth it? 

The main benefit we've found with top-of-the-line trees is that they're fuller with fewer gaps between branches. They tend to look more realistic and will be sturdier. The trees with lights will also have more streamlined set up (with fewer cords) and typically customizable light settings and timers. You can still make a less-expensive tree look beautiful with lights and decorations though.

How to fluff a fake Christmas tree

Fluffing your tree is the key to getting a realistic look. For a 6- to 7-foot tree, you should expect to spend one to two hours fluffing your tree the first time. Future fluffing should go faster since the branch tips will already be separated. Here is the best way to fluff a fake Christmas tree:

1. Fully assemble your tree. Some experts recommend fluffing each section as you assemble, but we think it's better to fluff once the tree is fully assembled, so you can easily spot gaps, especially where the sections meet each other.
2. Make sure each branch is pulled as far away from the base as possible. This will help cover gaps between each layer of branches.
3. Working branch by branch, pull the tips of each branch in separate directions starting from the back of the branch and moving forward. Fan out the branch tips as much as possible in all directions; for example, if the branch contains four tips, pull one each to the left, right, top and bottom. You may want to wear gloves for this part, as it can be tough on the hands.
4. Continue fluffing each branch as you move around the tree. It doesn't matter if you start at the top or the bottom, but you should fluff all the branches in one row before you move on to the next.
5. Once all the branches are fluffed, stand back and look for any gaps. You can fill in gaps by adjusting the position of the branch tips. Larger gaps can be filled with ornaments or other decorations.

Whether your favorite traveler is settling in for a 14-hour red-eye, braving the Friday night road trip exodus, or just trying to streamline their weekly commuter hustle, the best travel gifts all do one thing: strip the friction out of getting from A to B.

We've curated a mix of battle-tested travel classics and clever, unexpected problem-solvers for long-haul flyers, weekend wanderers, and everyone in between. Encourage their wanderlust, because they most likely already have a trip booked, and splurge on one of the best luggage sets for a truly memorable gift, or consider these in-flight carry-on accessories that can make a travel day feel a little less hectic.

This gift guide includes a sponsored product that has been suggested by Patagonia. It also meets our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.

Our favorite tested luggage, bags and packing systems

The most dependable carry-on

• See more of the best carry-on bags we've tested

Best space-saving packing cubes

A backpack built for the trails and the long-haul

• See more of the best clothes and gear from Patagonia we've tested

A versatile 3-in-1 convertible travel purse

• See our review of what makes this the best travel purse

A customizable luxury suitcase made in the US

A lightweight and stylish carry-all tote

A very giftable leather passport cover and luggage tag set

A jewelry organizer

An under $150 weekender tote

A waterproof toiletry kit

Travel day comforts

An adjustable neck pillow for long flights and car rides

• See more of the best travel pillows

High-quality earplugs that drown out unwanted sound

Compression socks to reduce post-flight swelling

Breathable, stretch-performance travel pants

• See more of the best travel pants for women and men.

A packable puffer coat for variable climates

Travel shoes that can be dressed up or down

• Read more of the best travel shoes for men and women

Packable, double-cushioned hotel slippers

• See more of our favorites from Bombas

A footrest hammock

A bag hanger so their bag never touches the floor

A cozy blanket and eye mask set

On-the-go wellness and toiletries

An overnight lip mask for dry cabin air

A leak-proof bottle that works for hot or cold beverages

A portable mini-humidifier for their hotel room

Magnetic capsules for toiletries and medications

• See our Cadence Capsule review.

A TSA-friendly facial mist that hydrates and wakes up dull skin

Transit survival and tech essentials

The power bank we never leave home without

• Our tech contributor shares why this is his go-to power bank

Top-rated noise-canceling headphones for long flights

• See more of the best noise-canceling headphones

Earbuds that support live translation for their international travels

A stylish hands-free solution for their phone

• See our Bandolier review

A Bluetooth adapter for wireless flight audio

For keeping up with their reading goals while on the go

A precision Bluetooth luggage tracker

A personal safety device for solo traveling

Smart sunglasses with style

A portable speaker to carry the music wherever they go

Portable power for campers and off-grid traveling

Little luxuries, travel keepsakes, and wanderlust cures

A plush, spa-quality hotel bathrobe

• See more of the best robes for men and women

Gift them an adventure of their choosing

A travel journal for recording their favorite moments

A candle that reminds them of that five-star stay

Snacks inspired by their world travels

A photo album of their travels

• See more of the best photo books

A screen-free digital camera to stay in the moment

A compact, lightweight travel Mahjong set

A custom map to record where they've been and where they want to go

A colorful instant camera bundle for retro trip photos

A travel watercolor paint set

An elevated sunglasses case with their monogram

• Meta previously gave its AI internal codenames like Mango, Watermelon, and Avocado.
• Now that it has cutting-edge AI, Meta wants to be taken a bit more seriously.
• "We've run out of fruit," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg joked on a recent podcast.

Meta is done with fruits.

The social media giant has internally decided to stop naming its AI models after fruit, a person familiar with the matter said.

It's largely a branding decision, as fruit-based codenames don't chime well with Meta's lofty AI ambitions, the person added.

"Watermelon" was the internal codename for Meta's latest AI, Wonder Full, which Meta said was its first cutting-edge "frontier" model. Meta teased its launch by posting photos of the fruit.

Meta dubbed its previous language and image models "Avocado" and "Mango," respectively.

Meta declined to comment.

Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and AI chief, Alexandr Wang, joked on the Cheeky Pint podcast last month that they've run out of fruit names for their AI.

"We're out of fruits," Zuckerberg said. "So we're going to have to switch to a new convention."

"I think the only fruit that is technically larger is the durian, and you don't want to go to the durian," Wang said.

Meta isn't the only tech company to name its AI products after items you can buy in a grocery store.

In 2025, OpenAI dubbed one model "Garlic" internally, The Information reported. Google also released its "Nano Banana" image generator in 2025.

More recently, as AI models get more powerful, it's become trendy to give them more awe-inspiring names, like Anthropic's Mythos or OpenAI's Astra.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter securely on Signal at charlesrollet.12 or +1-628-282-2811. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• The tax on second homes worth over $5 million was challenged by a lawsuit from NYC homeowners.
• The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city's pied-à-terre tax.
• The tax still faces another pending lawsuit in December challenging its constitutionality.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani just secured a big win — and those with luxury second homes in the Big Apple might have to pay up soon.

On Wednesday, the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court ruled that the City could roll out its pied-à-terre surcharge. This comes after the tax hit a roadblock in September, after a Staten Island judge ruled in favor of NYC homeowners who sued over the rollout of the tax. The ruling indicated that the implementation of the tax — which targets second homes worth over $5 million — needed to be redone after causing confusion and the revelation of personal information. The same night, the city invoked a stay, appealing the September ruling.

The appellate court reversed the decision and ruled in favor of the city, explaining that the homeowners lacked standing and could not prove injury. The decision said the homeowners' stated "confusion has been held to be too generalized, tenuous, and ephemeral" to prove actual injury. The court also said worries about future alleged injury to these homeowners were "based on speculation about what might occur," not evidence of actual injury.

When addressing the homeowners' concerns that it would cost them time and money to prove their homes were their actual primary homes to avoid paying the tax, the court said that tax paperwork normally takes time, and no documentation was shown to substantiate these costs.

In a statement, the NYC mayor said the court prevented the attempt of the "ultrawealthy to avoid paying their fair share." Mamdani said the income from the tax will contribute to "safer streets, cleaner parks and essential public services."

Randy Mastro, a lawyer for the homeowner plaintiffs, said in a statement that it's "a shame" the court decided to revert the September decision.

"What the City has done here is unconscionable - trying to ensnare thousands of people who don't owe this surcharge into having to prove they live in their own homes or else have to pay it," he said. "Now, this lawless and chaotic data collection scheme will go unremedied."

Yet the tax has other battles to fight before it's ready for rollout.

Wealthy Florida residents with New York properties, businessman Steve Wynn and former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, also filed a lawsuit against the tax, suing the state of New York in September over its constitutionality. The arguments over this lawsuit are set to take place in December.

"The ultimate day of reckoning for this 'pied-a-terre' surcharge will occur next month when its constitutionality will be decided," said Mastro. "We remain confident we will prevail and put an end to this unconstitutional surcharge altogether."

Mint Mobile is a strong option for anyone who wants a lower phone bill without signing a traditional long-term contract. The prepaid carrier runs on T-Mobile's nationwide network and offers service in multi-month plans, often at rates that undercut those of the major carriers. Before signing up, check the latest Mint Mobile deals to see if there's an introductory offer available.

Though MVNOs commonly offer discounts, not all deals are equal in quality. Luckily, now is an excellent time to sign up, with Mint's Black Friday sale underway. The promotion brings all plans down to $15 a month — even Unlimited. It's an incredible chance to save, and if you need internet, don't miss out on the ongoing Minternet bundle sale, which effectively brings Unlimited service down to $5 a month.

Keep scrolling to learn how to score these Mint Mobile deals. Be sure to check the coverage map to ensure you're eligible for service, too.

Today's best Mint Mobile plans and deals

For the biggest sale of the year, Mint Mobile is offering shoppers any of its plans for any term for only $15 a month. That makes the Unlimited plan an obvious choice, with up to 50% off locked in for 12 months.

Though the 6-, 17-, and 23-GB plans are also all down to $15 a month, with no contracts and all fees paid up front, we highly recommend choosing the Unlimited plan during Mint's Black Friday sale. It offers the best value and, with uncapped data, you can use your phone worry-free during your membership.

Alternatively, you can save big by shopping for internet with an Unlimited plan, thanks to Mint's new Minternet service. One year of the two bundled together is only $45 per month, with a total of $540 paid upfront. Buying the deal effectively locks in the intro offer Minternet pricing plus Unlimited for only $5 a month for your first 12 months.

Still need a phone? The deals above require you to bring your own device, but smartphones are also frequently included in Mint deals. Right now, the best offer features $500 off the Google Pixel 11 with an annual Unlimited plan. You can also score an extra $400 off with an eligible trade-in.

In addition to unlimited talk and text, all Mint plans include free calling to Canada and Mexico, WiFi calling and texting, and free mobile hotspot access to share your phone's data with other devices. Hotspot data is limited to 10GB on the Unlimited plan, though. 

Mint Mobile home internet deals

Mint Mobile's newly added internet plans — called 5G Home Minternet — are an incredible value for shoppers. New signups can get their first three months for only $40 each, matching the price of a one-year commitment without the longer term. Mint Mobile users can save even more, bringing the price down to just $30 a month.

After the initial three-month period, plans renew at $10 extra, costing $40 or $50 a month. To avoid the price hike, you can sign up for a longer term, such as a six-month or annual plan, which won't increase.

• Follow our WhatsApp channel and Instagram for more deals and buying guides.

Mint Mobile sale on phones

Mint's base plans require you to bring your own device, but you can also save big by buying one directly from the provider. Right now, the retailer is holding a holiday sale featuring hundreds off the entire Samsung Galaxy S26 and Google Pixel 11 lineup when bundled with Unlimited service. It's a great sale, especially if you have an old phone to trade in, which can save you even more.

Is Mint Mobile good?

Ask most price-savvy wireless service shoppers which company they should consider switching to for the lowest possible monthly phone bill, and Mint Mobile is almost guaranteed to come up. That's for good reason—Mint Mobile offers solid wireless service on the same networks the big names use for a fraction of the cost. Specifically, Mint Mobile runs on T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network and is now owned by that very company.

In our Mint Mobile review, we found that while overall service quality was pretty good, data speeds could be a little slow during peak usage. This affected video call quality enough that you might opt to wait until you're on WiFi for FaceTime action. But at only $15 a month, it is still one of the best values in alternative phone service, and signing up is easy thanks to Mint Mobile's deals targeting new customers.

How Mint Mobile's family plan works

Mint Mobile's "Modern Family" plan diverges from the traditional family plans often touted by other carriers, which typically offer discounts for adding lines. Instead, Mint charges the same rate for each line as it does for the first.

The real benefit of Mint's family plan lies in its centralized management rather than cost savings. Customers can initiate a family plan with at least two lines, each priced according to its data allowance. For instance, a family could opt for a plan that includes one unlimited data line, a 15GB line, and a 5GB line.

How Mint Mobile's unlimited data plan works

One of the Mint Mobile plans offers unlimited data starting at $30 per month (currently discounted to $15), making it one of the more budget-friendly options. Like many in its league, Mint limits the amount of high-speed data you get after hitting a certain threshold—40GB of usage in this case. After that, your speeds are cut down considerably until your cycle refreshes.

Be sure to take a look at our in-depth Mint Mobile review. See how it stacks up against Verizon's MVNO in our guide to Mint vs. Visible.

We've also compiled a roundup of today's best Visible phone plans if you'd like to check out the competition.

• Ana María Ramírez Cetina, 24, was one of the victims of Sunday's Florida plane crash.
• Cetina was a biomedical engineering graduate who had moved to the US for new opportunities.
• She worked as a nanny for Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp's children, Emma and Charlie.

Ana María Ramírez Cetina, 24, was one of the victims of the Learjet crash near Palm Beach on Sunday.

She was working as a nanny for Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp's children, Emma and Charlie, who were also victims in the accident, along with the other passengers and pilots.

In a Tuesday X post, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella mourned Ana María, a Colombian citizen.

"Her untimely passing fills us with sadness," Abelardo de la Espriella wrote in the post, translated by Business Insider from Spanish. "To her family, friends, and loved ones, I send a heartfelt embrace and all my solidarity in this difficult moment."

She had a degree in biomedical engineering

Ana María Ramírez Cetina was a biomedical engineering graduate from ECCI University in Bogotá, according to a Tuesday interview with her sister, Angie Ramírez Cetina, on Colombia's Caracol Radio.

Seeking better opportunities, she said Ana María moved to the US about two years ago with her mother and lived in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, while caring for the family based in Aspen.

She also told Caracol Radio that Ana María had found it difficult to find a job and, not wanting to sit still, successfully found work as a nanny: "She was very happy with that family," Angie said.

Angie said that Ana María video-called her from the airport before she boarded the flight, and had sent her a photo of the plane.

Angie had also sent her a video of her son, which Ana María said she would watch as soon as she landed.

"My sister and I were inseparable," she added. "Truly, Ana María will always be my other half."

In a joint statement, the victims' families wrote, "Anita Maria cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion, and she was truly part of the family. She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion."

She loved traveling

In a Tuesday interview with Colombia's La FM radio, Mario Alejandro Ramírez, Ana María's father, said they spoke several times a week and that she often told him about her travels.

"It was very hard for me, but it was her dream, and I told her: keep going, and I'm always there for her, keep going," he said in the interview, translated from Spanish. "She would tell me: 'Dad, I'm going this way, Dad, I'm going that way.' She really liked to travel, and things were working out for her there."

He added that Ana María had moved to the US before she could collect her diploma, so he went to the university to receive it on her behalf.

"It was an achievement for her and for me too," he said.

• US stocks surged after the Democratic sweep in Tuesday's midterms.
• Data centers were a flashpoint, as investors see Democrats as a potential obstacle to the AI buildout.
• Treasury yields dipped on the expectation that inflation pressures could ease if Democrat victories bring an end to the Iran war.

The "Blunami" is washing over markets.

US stocks soared on Wednesday as investors digested the stunning streak of Democrat victories in the midterm elections. Major indexes initially dropped overnight before reversing to surge on Wednesday, with the Dow gaining nearly 1,600 points in the session.

It marks the index's best day since April 2025, when President Donald Trump announced a pause on tariffs and kicked off a historic stock rally.

Here's where US indexes stood at the 4:00 p.m. ET closing bell on Wednesday:

• S&P 500: 7,688.62, up 1.58%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 53,356.12, up 3%, (+1,569.50 points)
• Nasdaq 100: 28,437.17, up 0.9%

The day's 1% pop in the Nasdaq 100 may be a signal that investors don't see the AI trade suffering a major setback as Democrats get ready to wield power in Congress next year. Without a veto-proof majority to reshape the rules around things like data-centers, it's likely that debates around the AI buildout will continue to take place at the state and local level. Still, data center operators and neocloud companies like CoreWeave plunged on the result.

But for the broader market, the outlook is rosier.

Since 1970, the S&P 500 has gained an average 14% in the six months following a midterm election, compared to the average 6% gain in non-midterm years, according to an analysis from BlackRock.

"The midterm elections come at the perfect time to rescue the stock market from its bout of AI-driven volatility. Stocks have historically tended to rally after the midterms regardless of the outcome," Justin Buell, the chief investment officer of Continuity Group, wrote in a note.

"There's that sigh of relief that comes with knowing what the results are and being able to move forward and contemplating a world where some of the more drastic of the rules and regulations that have been put in place over the last couple of years may be moderated," Art Hogan, the chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth Management, told Business Insider.

Here's the rundown of the market's biggest losers and winners:

The losers

1. The data-center trade

Investors see the Democratic sweep as a possible obstacle to the continued AI infrastructure buildout. Democratic lawmakers could push for more regulation and oversight on data center construction, slowing down the AI boom at a time when infrastructure is still the major focus among the market's hyperscalers.

In Texas, a state that's expected to host around 30% of future data center capacity expected through 2030, Democrat Gina Hinojosa's victory in the race for governor is being viewed as bearish for infrastructure developers and neocloud companies in the state.

SpaceX, a major AI spender, dropped as much as 7% after the election results. Tesla, which is also headquartered in the Lone Star state, dropped as much as 4%.

Neoclouds were among the biggest losers, with the Roundhill Neocloud ETF sliding 8%. CoreWeave fell 9%. IREN Limited and Nebius dropped 11% and 7%, respectively.

AI infrastructure, chips, data center stocks are among the market's "most vulnerable" areas with a Democratic sweep, Ioan Jauregui, an analyst at ActivTrades, wrote in a note.

Here were some of the sector's most notable moves:

"Hinojosa is a known anti-data center politician and negative on the AI buildout which makes worries around the future of the datacenter buildout in Texas a real issue for tech investors," Dan Ives, a longtime tech analyst and a senior managing director at Yorkville Ives, wrote on Wednesday.

Still, others say the bull market can keep pushing on, regardless of possible hiccups in the AI infrastructure trade.

"While a blue wave could spark volatility in certain sectors, such as tech and AI, given growing public opposition to the buildout of data centers, we believe markets can grind higher regardless of the outcome as investors applaud falling uncertainty," Continuity Group's Justin Buell wrote.

2. Defense stocks

The idea that a Democratic victory could push the US and Iran toward a resolution has spoiled the year-long rally in defense stocks.

Here were some of the sector's most notable moves:

3. Trump Media, TRUMP coin, other cryptos

Investments tied to Trump and his family's interests were battered by the election results. Trump Media & Technology Group, one prominent piece of the Trump Trade, cratered 23% by Wednesday afternoon.

TRUMP coin, Trump's cryptocurrency, dropped 17% alongside other tokens associated with Trump's family.

These investments are "hyperspeculative" and don't trade on clear fundamentals, B. Riley's Hogan said.

"I don't know that there's any fundamental reasons for them to even exist. And since they do, not surprising to see the Democratic sweep of Congress would certainly cast a harsher light on the potential as investment vehicles," he said.

The winners

1. Healthcare stocks

Investors are feeling more bullish on healthcare with democrats in charge of Congress. Markets are pricing in a higher probability that democratic lawmakers repeal some of the cutbacks to programs like Medicaid and Medicare, Hogan said.

Healthcare stocks have also outperformed in the months leading up to the midterms, he added, pointing to the secular growth potential analysts have been eyeing in the sector.

Here were some of the sector's most notable moves:

2. Renewable energy stocks

Renewable energy stocks also gained, attesting to expectations that a Democratic Congress will push policies that could give the sector a boost.

"They're catching a bid with the concept that there may be more sponsorship of that sector," Hogan added.

Here were some of the sector's most notable moves:

3. US Treasurys

Investors are also directing their attention to one major perk of the Democratic sweep: the idea that lawmakers could rein in the US-Iran war, potentially cooling oil prices and the inflationary impacts of the conflict.

The war has been a stumbling block for markets for most of 2026. Should Democrats push for an end to the war, and if oil flows rise back to pre-war levels, inflationary pressures could ease throughout the economy and lessen the need for the Fed to hike rates.

Investors are also cheering the idea that a possible resolution to the war will remove a big pressure on the fiscal situation, as fears about debt and deficits have forced yields higher all year.

Treasury yields declined throughout the maturity curve.

Here were some of the most notable moves:

4. Gold and bitcoin

The same logic is boosting gold and bitcoin. As the market pares rate-hike expectations, it makes US Treasurys and the dollar less competitive against non-yielding assets like gold and crypto, which encourages flows into those assets, Ranim Turfa, the head of research and market analysis at Tickmill's Middle East and North Africa arm, wrote in a note.

Gold rose nearly 3% to $4,054 an ounce by Wednesday afternoon.

Bitcoin jumped 3%to trade around $79,864.