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In artificial intelligence, compute and data matter, but people matter more. Behind every breakthrough model, every infrastructure leap, and every “revolutionary” chatbot lies a shrinking pool of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians capable of building them. The defining constraint on the next decade of AI isn’t just hardware: it’s human capital. Across the world, a quiet arms race is unfolding for that capital. The most advanced AI firms, like OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, Meta, Google, and a few in China, are no longer competing just for customers or GPUs. They are competing for brains. The new concentration of intelligence In the past two years, the hiring and acquisition patterns of AI companies have begun to resemble a geopolitical map. Anthropic and OpenAI lure entire research teams from Google or Meta with compensation packages approaching nine figures. Apple and Amazon, late to the party, are buying startups not for products, but for the engineers behind them. And venture capital is no longer funding ideas so much as acqui-hiring: purchasing human potential before it matures elsewhere. Multiple analyses show that elite U.S. programs, especially Stanford, Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, and MIT remain dominant feeders into frontier AI labs, reinforcing a tight concentration of expertise in a few firms and geographies. The result is intellectual concentration unprecedented in the history of technology. This clustering may accelerate progress in the short term. But it also increases fragility. When innovation lives inside a handful of firms, the industry becomes monocultural. The same assumptions, ethical frameworks, and commercial incentives repeat themselves. Alternative approaches, like symbolic reasoning, hybrid models, and decentralized architectures, struggle for attention or funding. The global scramble for minds Meanwhile, countries are treating AI researchers the way they once treated nuclear physicists or oil engineers. The United Kingdom launched its Frontier AI Taskforce with special visas for top scientists. Canada’s Global Talent Stream fast-tracks work permits for AI engineers in under two weeks. France offers tax incentives and research grants for companies that locate their labs in Paris or Grenoble. China, faced with export controls on chips, has doubled down on human intelligence as a strategic resource. Its leading universities are producing tens of thousands of AI graduates a year, many trained on open-weight models after Washington’s hardware restrictions. As one analyst at the Carnegie Endowment put it, “If you can’t import compute, you import talent.” In other words: brains are the new semiconductors. America’s self-inflicted wound And yet, the United States, still home to most of the world’s top AI firms, is busy tightening the spigot. Donald The President’s renewed hostility toward immigration includes threats to limit, suspend, or impose heavy fees on H-1B and F-1 visas, the very programs through which thousands of AI researchers enter the country each year. The pattern is not new. In 2020, during his previous term, The President signed an executive order suspending key visa categories, prompting MIT Technology Review to warn that the move “threatened to undercut America’s lead in artificial intelligence.” The logic hasn’t changed. The world’s best AI researchers are disproportionately international: roughly 60% of top AI scientists working in the U.S. were born abroad, according to the National Foundation for American Policy. Limiting their entry isn’t protectionism: it’s strategic sabotage. When your biggest competitive advantage is talent, closing the door to talent is a slow form of self-destruction. The corporate paradox Ironically, the companies that benefit from global talent the most are also the ones making that talent scarce. By offering astronomical salaries and exclusivity contracts, they create a gravitational field that pulls expertise out of universities and startups. Academia, long the seedbed of AI progress, is now bleeding researchers to industry at an unprecedented rate. The result is a research vacuum where public institutions can no longer afford to compete. Even national labs struggle to retain talent when private firms offer multiples of government pay. This corporate concentration of minds has another cost: intellectual homogeneity. When the same people cycle between the same companies under the same investors, the frontier of AI becomes narrower, more predictable, and less plural. The next big breakthroughs might never happen, and not because we lack compute, but because we’ve trained the global research community to think the same way. The geopolitical stakes For decades, the United States has dominated global innovation by acting as a magnet for talent. The H-1B and F-1 visa systems, for all their flaws, turned American universities and tech hubs into engines of discovery. That advantage is now at risk. If Washington continues down the path of visa restriction, and if the industry continues to hoard rather than nurture expertise, the gravitational center of AI could shift elsewhere. Canada, the European Union, and the UAE are already competing for displaced researchers. China, meanwhile, is developing homegrown alternatives with staggering speed. The irony is that America may lose the very thing that made its technology ecosystem unstoppable: openness. The more insular it becomes, the more it resembles the centralized systems it once out-innovated. The ethics of scarcity Talent concentration also raises moral questions. When a small number of corporations control the majority of global AI expertise, they effectively control which problems get solved and which are ignored. We are already seeing this bias in practice. Billions are being poured into models that optimize productivity, marketing, and financial forecasting, while underfunded projects in climate modeling, education, and healthcare languish. AI’s promise to “benefit humanity” is hollow if humanity doesn’t have a seat at the table. Diversity of thought, background, and geography is not a moral luxury; it’s a prerequisite for resilience. Homogeneous systems fail in homogeneous ways. A new social contract for intelligence The solution is neither regulation alone nor market freedom alone. It’s a new social contract for talent — one that treats human intelligence as a shared strategic resource, not a proprietary asset. That means: Immigration policies that attract, not repel, the world’s brightest minds. Funding mechanisms that keep public research competitive with corporate labs. Ethical frameworks that prevent non-competes and exclusivity contracts from turning scientists into captives. Global cooperation that recognizes AI as a common infrastructure challenge, not a zero-sum race. In the 20th century, nations competed for oil. In the 21st, they will compete for cognition. A warning and a choice The United States still holds the advantage: world-class universities, deep capital markets, and a culture of risk. But advantages erode when arrogance replaces openness. If America turns inward, it won’t just lose talent: it will lose the diversity that fuels creativity. And when the next generation of scientists chooses to work in Toronto, Paris, Madrid, or Shenzhen instead of Silicon Valley, the “American century” of innovation will quietly end. Not with a revolution, but with a resignation letter. Computing power, as I said in previous articles, is important, as it is access to cheap energy, or as Europe very well knows, regulation. But the race for AI supremacy will not be won by compute, nor by energy prices or by policy alone. It will be won by whoever attracts and empowers the minds that make intelligence itself. And right now, those minds are watching which countries still deserve them. View the full article

The latest gambling scandal to rock the NBA is about a real-world event that normal people would never have noticed. In March 2023, the 35-37 New Orleans Pelicans coasted to a 115-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets, who would go on to finish the year with a record of 27-55. The Pelicans never trailed in the game thanks largely to the play of Brandon Ingram, who notched the first triple-double of his career. The ninth paragraph of the recap on ESPN mentions one other factor that may have contributed to the decisive margin of victory: Hornets guard Terry Rozier left the game early, complaining of a sore right foot, and did not return. As alleged by federal prosecutors in New York, this was not a coincidence. Before the game, they say, Rozier told a childhood friend that he intended to fake an injury, thus allowing that friend to place sure-thing wagers on Rozier’s props—a type of bet that allows users to gamble on whether a player will accumulate more (“over”) or less (“under”) than a sportsbook-supplied total in a given statistical category. Rozier’s friend then sold this information to an uncertain-but-significant number of other bettors, who collectively bet hundreds of thousands of dollars that Terry Rozier, a serviceable-but-not-spectacular guard playing in a late-season game between two perennially forgettable teams, would just happen to have an off night. Sure enough, Rozier checked out after scoring just five points in less than ten minutes of playing time, which meant that, as promised, those under bets hit. A few days later, the bettors convened in Philadelphia to settle up. Rozier’s friend then drove to Rozier’s home in Charlotte, where they counted their cash together, according to the indictment. Prop bets—bets that a given event will or will not occur in a game—are not the only variety of cheating alleged in this scandal, which involves a cast of characters that includes current and former NBA players, enterprising sports gamblers, and Mafia associates running rigged poker games that will almost certainly be portrayed in a Netflix limited series sometime next year. But player props are at the heart of this story nonetheless, because player props will likely be at the heart of every sports betting scandal for the foreseeable future. Props are the betting industry’s single greatest threat to the legitimacy of the games fans watch, and to the public trust the leagues spent decades building. Yet because their availability makes so much money for everyone involved—not bettors, of course, but the leagues and their official sportsbook partners—no one in a position of power has much of an incentive to do anything about it. Among bettors, props are popular because they are fun: They give casual viewers a reason to root for players they otherwise wouldn’t care about, and take advantage of armchair quarterbacks’ fervent belief that they understand their favorite team’s tendencies better than some oddsmaker ever could. But from an integrity-of-the-game standpoint, the problems with these bets are pretty intuitive. First, in many cases, the outcome is easily manipulable by one person. A player in Rozier’s shoes can’t guarantee that he’ll score a certain number of points, and he certainly can’t guarantee that the Hornets will win (or lose) the game. But he can guarantee that he scores less than a certain number of points. All he has to do is remember what that number is, and to grasp at his foot and wince a little before he reaches it. Second, the outcomes of prop bets are often inconsequential to the final score, which is what most non-bettor fans pay attention to and care about. Earlier this year, for example, regulators flagged that bettors in Ohio, New York, and New Jersey seemed unusually confident that Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz, in two specific games and in two specific innings, would throw a ball or hit the batter with his first pitch. Sure enough, in both instances, Ortiz’s deliveries were outside and in the dirt; one skipped by the catcher altogether. Major League Baseball placed Ortiz on leave, and its investigation is ongoing. But if Ortiz was colluding with friendly bettors whom he tipped off beforehand, it is easy to see how they might have settled on this particular moneymaking strategy, which hinges on the results of a single pitch, thrown when nobody is on base, while fans who went to get beers during the break are still making their way back to their seats. Again, by himself, a player like Ortiz can’t control whether his team wins a nine-inning game. But he can control whether his first pitch of the third inning is anywhere close to the strike zone, or gets all the way to the backstop. In the past year or so, the leagues have begun to understand the dangers that the proliferation of prop bets poses to their respective enterprises. Over the most recent MLB All-Star Break, Commissioner Rob Manfred criticized prop bets as “unnecessary” and “particularly vulnerable” to manipulation. At the NFL’s request, Illinois regulators banned props on made kicks, incomplete passes, and other events where the outcome is “100% determinable by one person in one play.” The NCAA has asked Congress to ban player props in college athletics; in Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine has pushed for a total ban on props in both college and pro sports, calling the market for these bets an “experiment” that has “failed badly.” The NBA had the chance to address props last year, when Toronto Raptors reserve Jontay Porter was implicated in a Rozier-style scheme in which he removed himself from a game to ensure his under bets would hit. Shortly afterwards, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver asked sportsbooks to stop offering props on players who are, like Porter, signed to two-way or ten-day contracts, reasoning that fringe players making the least money are the most susceptible to pressure to try and supplement their incomes while they still have the chance. But the Rozier scandal reveals the flaws inherent in trying to regulate a multibillion-dollar industry by reacting to the most recent scandal. First, the unavailability of props for players of Porter’s caliber would not have affected Rozier, a ten-year veteran who, when he pulled himself from that game back in March 2023, was in the first year of a four-year contract worth $96 million. And second, all Silver could do was ask the sportsbooks for help, because the league only has so much control over the bets its partners do and don’t take. As a result, according to NBC News, even after the Porter scandal, the league had to make the business case to the sportsbooks that prop bets on bit players like him were not lucrative enough to continue to offer. It is true that leagues, sportsbooks, and regulators have procedures in place to try and ferret out cheating. Hours before the game from which Rozier removed himself, many sportsbooks stopped taking bets on his props after a third-party monitoring firm flagged unusual betting activity on his unders, including one bettor at one casino who wagered more than $13,000 across 30 separate bets in 46 minutes. But the fact that these systems have caught some cheating only raises the question in fans’ minds of how much cheating is actually going on. If Rozier’s friend had been a little more circumspect about placing his bets—or, at the very least, if he hadn’t passed it on to God knows how many people who flooded gambling apps and casino floors, looking to get in on the action—perhaps no one would have found out. And even if (a big if, but stay with me) these systems are as effective as leagues would like you to believe, perception is as important as reality. The more often that bettors read about scandals like this one in the news, the more often their lost wagers and bad beats will start to feel like the results of corruption that the leagues must have missed. Already, players across sports endure harassment and receive death threats from bettors angry about a leg of their parlay that didn’t hit. If you search X for the name of any underperforming player in any given game, you will get a deluge of irate all-caps tweets concluding that the fix must be in, and snitch-tagging the FBI to beg Kash Patel to open an investigation immediately. To date, the leagues have—pardon the phrase—bet that the billions of dollars they make from legal gambling will make the occasional embarrassing scandal worth the trouble. (Silver recently described the NBA as “learning as we go.”) For now, that’s probably still true, but at some point, if betting and non-betting fans no longer trust the on-field, on-court, or on-ice product, it won’t be. The question is whether the leagues will give up some of this easy money to protect what remains of their credibility, or whether they are willing to risk losing it for good. View the full article

When OpenAI was started in 2015, its founders (including both Sam Altman and Elon Musk) chose to make it a nonprofit. Its initial goal was to guarantee that artificial general intelligence (AGI), a type of AI that is theoretically better at humans at most tasks, would benefit everyone. The company has gone through a number of changes in the years since. It hasn't been a true nonprofit since 2019, when it moved to a "capped-profit" structure, which limited profits to 100 times any investment. Musk even sued the company last year, claiming it had ditched its original mission in favor of profits. But now, OpenAI is looking more like a traditional for-profit company than ever. On Thursday, it announced the company will now operate under a new for-profit structure, called OpenAI Group PCB, a public benefit corporation. OpenAI's nonprofit arm, which is now called the OpenAI Foundation, holds a $130 billion stake in OpenAI Group PCB, and controls the for-profit company. OpenAI says it is particularly focused on how this move will affect its goals of achieving AGI, and ensuring that AGI "benefits all of humanity." As OpenAI sees it, the better its for-profit businesses perform, the more funds the OpenAI Foundation will have to continue its philanthropic work. To that point, OpenAI says the OpenAI Foundation is committing $25 billion to two key objectives. The first is to health and disease, as the OpenAI Foundation will aim to create open-sourced health datasets and offer funding for scientists. The second goal will be to bolster "AI resilience," which OpenAI sees as "maximizing AI's benefits and minimizing its risks." According to OpenAI, the OpenAI Foundation and OpenAI Group both have the same mission, and that the terms of the new structure require the for-profit side to advance that mission. What does this mean for OpenAI?The way OpenAI puts it, this move is the best of both worlds for the company. It asserts that it will continue to operate with the same values and goals as it did prior to this restructuring, while at the same time having more freedom to raise capital to fund those efforts. That second point is certainly true. CEO Sam Altman has been working for nearly two years to restructure the company into something that can more easily compete financially with other for-profit companies in the AI space, like Amazon, Google, and Meta. Other strictly-AI companies, like Anthropic and xAI, also have this type of structure. Already, the move has solidified funds for OpenAI: The Japanese-baed SoftBank had previously pledged to a $40 billion investment, with $10 billion in April and another $30 billion in December. However, that investment was contingent on the company's restructuring plans. Had OpenAI not restructured, SoftBank would've dropped its investment to $20 billion. By bolstering its for-profit core, OpenAI earned itself that extra $20 billion. OpenAI has also agreed to extend an agreement with Microsoft that allows the latter to use and sell OpenAI products. The original agreement ran through 2030, and allowed OpenAI to cancel the deal if the company achieved AGI. But now, the deal runs through 2032, even if OpenAI achieves AGI, so long as the tech has the "appropriate safety guardrails." An independent expert panel will make the call on whether OpenAI has achieved AGI. Rights to OpenAI's research will still be capped when OpenAI achieves AGI, or by 2030, whichever comes first. It's no secret that AI is big business, so this move could realistically continue OpenAI's many financial successes. It may also heat up the race to achieve AGI, as it now allows Microsoft to pursue that benchmark with OpenAI's technologies as well. But against this news is a lingering, and concerning, question: Are we in an AI bubble? And will that bubble burst? OpenAI currently has $1 trillion in AI deals, though only pulls in $13 billion in actual revenue. Perhaps its restructuring will allow it to develop more lucrative revenue streams, but even still, AI is generating a lot of investment without the tangible returns you'd necessarily expect. View the full article

Pendulum has swung towards capital allocators View the full article

Apple has become the third company to see its market capitalization top $4 trillion, underscoring its role as one of the leading publicly traded tech companies and making it the second most valuable company in the world. Shares of the company briefly topped $269.53 soon after trading began on Tuesday, putting it above the milestone. Apple was the first company to top $1 trillion, $2 trillion, and $3 trillion in market capitalization. But Nvidia beat it to the $4 trillion mark, on the back of surging investor interest in artificial intelligence. That company’s staggering chip sales have boosted its stock more than 400% since October 2023. Apple’s march to $4 trillion began in earnest on Oct. 20, when Loop Capital upgraded its rating from hold to buy, citing improving demand for the iPhone. In a note to investors, the firm wrote: “we are NOW at the front end of AAPL’s long-anticipated adoption cycle that suggests ongoing iPhone shipment expansion through CY2027.” The stock hit an all-time high following that upgrade. Nvidia seems to be the new market leader and on path to be the first to reach $5 trillion. But from the dizzying heights of Big Tech, things shift quickly. Microsoft, for example, was the second company to hit a market cap of $4 trillion, topping it on July 30, following a strong earnings beat. But it lost ground, sending its market cap lower than Apple’s for a period of time. (Microsoft surged above the milestone once more Tuesday as well.) Trillion-dollar milestones don’t have any specific value in and of themselves. They’re visible indicators, however, of which companies are growing at impressive rates (assuming those companies maintain the levels). The first company to ever be worth $1 trillion was Petrochina, which reached the valuation briefly on its first day of trading following its 2007 IPO. But that peak coincided with a Chinese stock-market bubble and was short lived. Today, PetroChina is worth roughly one quarter of that. Apple’s ascent to the $4 trillion club is a notable turnaround from earlier this year, when analysts were less bullish as the company struggled to keep up with its competitors. Apple also faced tariff-based manufacturing issues in China and India. Year to date, the company’s stock has climbed nearly 10%, however. And demand for the most recent iPhone showed that, despite the economic froth of this year, pervasive recessionary threats and tariff concerns, consumers are still willing to buy top-tier devices. (The high-end iPhone 17 Pro now starts at $1,099, $100 more than the previous year’s model.) Additionally, the base model of the iPhone 17 has been selling well in China, while the iPhone Air sold out when it went on sale in that country. Lead times for iPhone 17 orders are longer than they were a year ago as well, underscoring strong, continued consumer demand. What’s perhaps most remarkable about Apple making it into the $4-trillion club is that it has done so without a real artificial intelligence play. (Its AI efforts have, so far, not impressed anyone, including the company.) In January, Apple suspended its news summary notifications from Apple Intelligence, after users called out for making repeated mistakes. The company is expected to roll out a long-delayed AI-enhanced Siri in the spring of 2026, assuming it meets the company’s standards. That could be another catalyst for investors that gives Apple’s stock (and market cap) another boost. The takeaway of Apple crossing this milestone, though, is that, for investors and consumers, new hardware and improved features are, at the moment, even more important than AI. View the full article

Adobe has unveiled an innovative AI Assistant in Adobe Express, aimed at revolutionizing content creation for businesses of all sizes. This tool, launched during the Adobe MAX creativity conference, promises to streamline the design process, enabling users to transform ideas into visually appealing content quickly and effortlessly. The AI Assistant offers a conversational interface that allows users to create and edit designs simply by describing their vision. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a business owner with no design background, this feature minimizes the learning curve associated with traditional design software. Users can seamlessly transition between using the AI Assistant and manual editing tools, adjusting elements like colors, fonts, and images without disrupting the overall design. Govind Balakrishnan, senior vice president and general manager of Adobe Express, emphasized the tool’s transformative potential, stating, “The new AI Assistant in Adobe Express is built to transform how you create. It works with you, removing obstacles, speeding up processes and providing inspiration.” This approach aims to lower the barriers to creativity, making it easier for small business owners to produce high-quality marketing materials that reflect their brand’s unique style. A recent Adobe survey revealed that over 81% of creators have utilized generative AI tools to produce content they couldn’t have otherwise created. This is particularly relevant for small businesses looking to enhance their marketing efforts without the resources to hire professional designers. The AI Assistant’s capabilities extend beyond basic editing. It can interpret vague requests and generate tailored designs, providing contextual prompts to guide users through the creative process. For instance, if a user asks the assistant to “Make this more tropical,” it can replace elements of the design with vibrant foliage and suggest color adjustments to match the new theme. This level of interaction empowers users to make informed decisions about their designs in real-time. Small business owners can leverage the AI Assistant to create marketing content, social media graphics, and promotional materials that stand out in a crowded marketplace. The tool’s ability to generate edits on any layer of a design without losing the integrity of existing elements allows for quick iterations and refinements, making it a valuable asset for businesses needing to produce content quickly. However, there are considerations to keep in mind. While the AI Assistant simplifies many aspects of design, small business owners should be aware of the potential challenges of relying on AI tools. The need for a stable internet connection and the possibility of encountering technical glitches could disrupt workflow. Additionally, while the AI can assist with creativity, it does not replace the nuanced understanding of brand identity that comes from a human designer. Businesses may still need to invest time in training employees to use the tool effectively and to ensure that the designs align with their brand messaging. The AI Assistant is currently available in beta on desktop for Adobe Express Premium customers, with plans for broader access in the future. Adobe’s approach to AI emphasizes its role as an enhancement to human creativity rather than a replacement. As Balakrishnan noted, the tool is designed to inspire and facilitate creativity while respecting creators’ rights. With the impending rollout of enterprise capabilities, small businesses can anticipate features like template locking and batch creation, enabling teams to produce consistent, on-brand content more efficiently. Feedback from early users indicates that these enhancements will make it easier for non-designers to create high-quality visuals, further democratizing access to professional design tools. As small business owners explore the potential of the AI Assistant in Adobe Express, they can look forward to a more accessible and less intimidating design experience. By harnessing this technology, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts, streamline content creation, and ultimately stand out in their respective markets. This article, "Adobe Launches AI Assistant in Express to Transform Creative Content Creation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe has unveiled an innovative AI Assistant in Adobe Express, aimed at revolutionizing content creation for businesses of all sizes. This tool, launched during the Adobe MAX creativity conference, promises to streamline the design process, enabling users to transform ideas into visually appealing content quickly and effortlessly. The AI Assistant offers a conversational interface that allows users to create and edit designs simply by describing their vision. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a business owner with no design background, this feature minimizes the learning curve associated with traditional design software. Users can seamlessly transition between using the AI Assistant and manual editing tools, adjusting elements like colors, fonts, and images without disrupting the overall design. Govind Balakrishnan, senior vice president and general manager of Adobe Express, emphasized the tool’s transformative potential, stating, “The new AI Assistant in Adobe Express is built to transform how you create. It works with you, removing obstacles, speeding up processes and providing inspiration.” This approach aims to lower the barriers to creativity, making it easier for small business owners to produce high-quality marketing materials that reflect their brand’s unique style. A recent Adobe survey revealed that over 81% of creators have utilized generative AI tools to produce content they couldn’t have otherwise created. This is particularly relevant for small businesses looking to enhance their marketing efforts without the resources to hire professional designers. The AI Assistant’s capabilities extend beyond basic editing. It can interpret vague requests and generate tailored designs, providing contextual prompts to guide users through the creative process. For instance, if a user asks the assistant to “Make this more tropical,” it can replace elements of the design with vibrant foliage and suggest color adjustments to match the new theme. This level of interaction empowers users to make informed decisions about their designs in real-time. Small business owners can leverage the AI Assistant to create marketing content, social media graphics, and promotional materials that stand out in a crowded marketplace. The tool’s ability to generate edits on any layer of a design without losing the integrity of existing elements allows for quick iterations and refinements, making it a valuable asset for businesses needing to produce content quickly. However, there are considerations to keep in mind. While the AI Assistant simplifies many aspects of design, small business owners should be aware of the potential challenges of relying on AI tools. The need for a stable internet connection and the possibility of encountering technical glitches could disrupt workflow. Additionally, while the AI can assist with creativity, it does not replace the nuanced understanding of brand identity that comes from a human designer. Businesses may still need to invest time in training employees to use the tool effectively and to ensure that the designs align with their brand messaging. The AI Assistant is currently available in beta on desktop for Adobe Express Premium customers, with plans for broader access in the future. Adobe’s approach to AI emphasizes its role as an enhancement to human creativity rather than a replacement. As Balakrishnan noted, the tool is designed to inspire and facilitate creativity while respecting creators’ rights. With the impending rollout of enterprise capabilities, small businesses can anticipate features like template locking and batch creation, enabling teams to produce consistent, on-brand content more efficiently. Feedback from early users indicates that these enhancements will make it easier for non-designers to create high-quality visuals, further democratizing access to professional design tools. As small business owners explore the potential of the AI Assistant in Adobe Express, they can look forward to a more accessible and less intimidating design experience. By harnessing this technology, businesses can enhance their marketing efforts, streamline content creation, and ultimately stand out in their respective markets. This article, "Adobe Launches AI Assistant in Express to Transform Creative Content Creation" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Move comes after Israel accuses Palestinian militants of ceasefire violations over delayed return of bodies of hostagesView the full article

In many ways, renowned illusionist Rob Lake’s entire life has been building up to his Broadway debut in Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets, which begins previews tonight at the Broadhurst Theatre. As a child growing up in Oklahoma, his parents exposed him to theater by taking him to touring shows. The education didn’t stop there. “When they took me to New York, my first Broadway shows were The Secret Garden, The Will Rogers Follies, and Beauty and the Beast, ” Lake tells Fast Company. “I was just so fortunate to be exposed to the arts quite often as a kid.” This early education included the Muppets and their films. “I wore those tapes out so many times. The Muppets Take Manhattan was my favorite,” Lake explains. This is especially fitting since Lake is now essentially living the plot of the 1984 film, which revolves around Kermit the Frog and friends and their madcap efforts to mount a musical on the Great White Way. “These characters, they’ve been part of my life for as long as I can remember. And I wouldn’t be in show business without them,” Lake says. “Kermit and the gang taught me what show business is, success is, how to follow your dreams and how to persevere. That’s not just a sound bite.” Where the magic happens Lake has great respect and reverence for Jim Henson and Walt Disney, childhood heroes of his. At age 10, a magic show in Branson, Missouri, would clarify his life trajectory and give him a clear goal—to become a world renowned illusionist. At just 42 years old, Lake has certainly accomplished that and more. He has performed to sold-out audiences in over 60 countries and made numerous television appearances. ABC dubbed him “one of the world’s top Illusionists” while NBC crowned him “the world’s greatest illusionist.” In 2008, he became the youngest person ever to be given the Merlin Award—as “International Stage Magician of the Year.” This is magic’s highest honor, similar to an actor winning an Oscar. Beyond performing, he worked as a creative consultant on multiple Broadway productions, such as Death Becomes Her. He also worked at Sesame Street Live, Walt Disney Imagineering, and as the creative consultant and illusion designer for Adele’s Las Vegas Residency at Caesars Palace. In 2018, he competed on America’s Got Talent. “One of the questionnaires where they’re trying to get your backstory asked you to name a celebrity that you’re similar to or you relate to,” Lake recalls. “And my response to that was Kermit the Frog.” Shortly after this, he met producer Joe Quenqua. (Lake, Quenqua, and Glass Half Full Productions all serve as producers on Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets.) Quenqua, who previously worked for the Walt Disney Company, had Muppet connections. “When we discussed bringing Rob’s show to Broadway, we spoke about his early inspirations and what drove him to be a performer,” Quenqua says. “The Muppets were at the very top of this list.” After an introduction from Quenqua, all the pieces fell into place to have Lake join forces with Kermit and the gang. “The creativity and the vision and the idea for that came at the right time, the right place,” Lake says. “Just everything aligned perfectly when that happened.” “Surreal and humbling” Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets officially opens on November 6 after beginning previews tonight. It will have a limited 12-week run. Both Lake and Quenqua are acutely aware that they are fulfilling a dream that the late Jim Henson didn’t live long enough to accomplish. “I’d had no idea until the documentary by Ron Howard that Jim had been wanting to get this to Broadway,” Lake revealed. “It really struck a chord with me, because when I saw that documentary, I had already been working on my show with the Muppets, and it just really hit me—the gravity and reverence of this.” Quenqua called fulfilling Henson’s legacy, “both surreal and humbling.” A good magician never reveals his tricks, especially not before opening night, but Lake was able to give some hints on what audiences may be able to expect. Lake has curated “my favorite illusions, the culmination of my entire life’s work, to be able to bring my best magic to Broadway.” These greatest hits represent years of work, trial and error, and perseverance. Adding the Muppets into his illusions was a fun challenge for Lake. “I think I was really well prepared just because of my childhood obsession with the Muppets,” he says. “I had a really good understanding of how they filmed and how they operated. I was able to design illusions that could incorporate my whole life’s memories, research, and studying of the process for them.” He took special care to incorporate their specific character traits into the show. “Magic is not about being tricked” Lake says his show is going to take the audience on a journey filled with “peaks and valleys and highs and lows.” He compared it to an orchestral piece with contrasting movements, saying “Not every part of my show is light and fun, and not every part of my show is mysterious and intense.” “For me, magic is not just about being tricked,” he added. “No one likes to be tricked. No one likes to be fooled. For me, magic is about creating wonder and enchantment: a scene, a world, an emotion and experience where anything can happen.” The Broadhurst, he says, offers the perfect backdrop for this magical 90-minute theatrical event: “It’s very intimate, even though it’s one of the largest theaters. Everyone will be able to see myself and Kermit really well.” When asked what he would want Jim Henson to notice about the show if he could come back and see it, Lake replied, “I would just want to make sure I did him proud. I would just want to make sure I took care of the world he created. And I would want him to know that the Muppets are as beloved and cherished and celebrated as they always have been.” Quenqua, meanwhile, would want Henson to know how hard Lake worked to honor his legacy: “I would hope that he sees how much love and reverence Rob has for him and all he created.” “I’ve been preparing for this moment my whole life,” Lake says, “before I even knew it.” View the full article

If I were to grade the five boxes across every Strategy Choice Cascade that I have ever seen, the How-to-Win (HTW) box would get the lowest grade—even lower than Enabling Management Systems, which is the least understood box. To remedy the weakness, I am dedicating this Playing to Win/Practitioner Insights (PTW/PI) to Why the How-to-Win Strategy Choice is So Hard: How to Overcome the Challenge. And as always, you can find all the previous PTW/PI here. Key feature of weak HTW choices I have talked extensively about the key weakness of HTW choices both in a previous piece in this series, From Laudable List to How to Really Win, and in my viral video, A Plan is Not a Strategy. The weakness is that the so-called HTW is in fact a list of initiatives, one that doesn’t pass the key test of strategy: Is the Opposite of Your Choice Stupid on its Face? That is, it is a set of things that are utterly sensible but don’t add up to a strategy that wins, and therefore won’t compel desired customer action. Considered another way, it is a list of pixels, not a portrait. This, by the way, is a core problem manifested in the popular strategy tool called the OGSM—which stands for Objectives, Goals, Strategy, and Measures. As I have discussed before in this series, P&G is known for its use of the OGSM for strategy and since I am known for my longtime involvement with P&G, people think that either OSGM is my tool, or I am a proponent of it. Neither is true. I had nothing to do with the development of the tool, and I find it not to be a tool for good strategy—especially for HTW. In the classic OGSM, the S is a list of initiatives, generally called “strategies”—a term I hate (which I explain in this piece)! I had to work hard (along with AG Lafley) at P&G to convert the S in OGSM to something useful—and related to strategy. Why is How-to-Win so weak? I think there are at least four reasons why HTW is so generically weak. Unhelpful Top-of-the-Cascade Choices Logically, Winning Aspiration (WA) and Where-to-Play (WTP) sit before HTW in the Strategy Choice Cascade. In this respect, they set the context for HTW—and they generally don’t set it particularly well. WA choices err in one of two unhelpful ways. First, WA is often unrealistic. We aspire to be the best IT company in world. We aspire to be the most innovative company in the world. For some companies, these may be fully realistic WAs for which there are entirely plausible HTWs. But for most, there is no plausible HTW for such an over-the-top WA, so whatever the company puts in its HTW box, it can’t match with the WA. For example, if you are a modestly sized company, chances are that you won’t be able to spend the resources necessary to be either the best IT or most innovative company in the world. Given the impossibility of the task, you will be lost in coming up with a robust HTW. The second error is a WA made up of vague, platitudinous statements. We aspire to be a caring company. We aspire to elevate the world’s consciousness. What do those even mean? These provide little or no context for the WTP/HTW choices that follow and are unhelpful to crafting a great HTW. With respect to WTP choices, they are unhelpful to HTW choices when they are unlinked—which is frequently the case. Far too typically, management contemplates WTP independently of HTW and picks the WTP that look most luscious—it is large, it is growing, it features high margins, etc. Unfortunately, that WTP inevitably looks luscious to many other competitors as well. Because of the intense competition for that luscious WTP, when it comes to determining a HTW for it, there simply isn’t one for the company in question. There are lots of how-to-play options available to play like one of the other enthusiastic participants—and one of these blah options becomes the misnamed “HTW.” This sort of thing often happens with “fighting brands.” The scenario is that a differentiated player doesn’t like the incursion of an effective low-cost player into its market that creates dramatic growth in the low-price segment of its market. So, it adds this segment to its WTP. But every single time I have seen this, the HTW is really a blah how-to-play—and an unprofitable one at that. It is harder than the other four questions You have wide latitude of what you say on your WA. You can say practically anything. Similarly, for WTP, you can pick anything because with few exceptions, no one can stop you from playing in a place of your choosing. Must-have Capabilities (MHC) are not terribly hard to identify when you have done the first three boxes—though if you haven’t done them well, you will end up identifying MHC that you are incapable of building. And similarly, once you have identified your MHC, it isn’t terribly challenging to identify the Enabling Management Systems (EMS) that you would have to put in place to build and maintain the MHC. But for HTW, there is a high bar. You must be superior to everyone else in your chosen WTP to have a genuine HTW. That means developing a plausible theory for how you will be competitively distinctive. How-to-play is easy because it is a low bar. HTW is hard because the definition is tighter and more challenging. Management delusion The fact that it is hard leads to delusion when it comes to HTW. My friend and colleague Michael Porter often remarked that the dream of many executives is to do the same as every other company but get superior results. Sadly, like Mike, I have seen this often. There is a relatively widespread belief that if a company does the same things as competitors but just tries harder, it will earn superior and attractive returns. It would be nice if that were true—but it just isn’t. The others try hard, too! Unhelpful supporting systems The systems outside the company that should support strong HTW choices don’t. The capital markets generally mete out greater punishments for unique choices that don’t work out well than they do for making no interesting choices whatsoever. They love blah sameness. Business schools don’t teach students how to generate creative strategy choices but rather how to analyze data as a managerial technocrat. And strategy consulting firms do very little real strategy anymore because it is a much smaller and less profitable business than overhead cost reduction, post-merger integration, and digital transformation. Net, there is very little either encouragement or support for high-quality HTW choices in strategy. What to do about it There are four things that you can do to improve the quality of your HTW choices. Recognize the playing field Internalize the reality that the supporting systems aren’t supportive. Don’t be discouraged by the reality. Recognize that the capital markets will be net negative, business schools unhelpful, and strategy consulting firms expensive and unhelpful. Recognize that you will have to build your skills with little outside help. This is the biggest reason that I write this series—to provide practical help when there is little out there to be found. And drop the delusion. Don’t waste precious time and resources on replicating competitors and hoping for terrific results. Such results aren’t just around the corner. Show restraint on the front end Don’t believe that you can lock and load on your WA before proceeding to the other choices. Just develop a general idea of what kind of WA would be interesting and inspiring and then park it for further work and refinement when you have considered the other four choices. Don’t ever make your WTP choice independently of HTW. I keep making this argument as strenuously as I can, including in this series—On the Inseparability of Where-to-Play and How-to-Win: Why Thinking about them Independently will Wreck your Strategy. The subtitle is not an exaggeration! Nonetheless, strategy teams still make lists of WTP and pick a luscious one before proceeding to HTW. As I have written previously in this series, there is lots of strategic leverage in WTP, but only if it is paired with a great HTW with each complementing the other perfectly. Buckle up for hard thinking Recognize that HTW is a tough task and buckle up. It doesn’t just pop out of a slew of analyses. And it isn’t the summation of a list of consensus initiatives. It is a theory of advantage: how we are going to perform sustainably better than competitors. It isn’t easy to create a unique new theory. So, it is unlikely that you will get it on your first iteration. It will be a journey and not a quick or easy one. Remember while you are on that journey that a winding road is a feature, not a bug—that is, it is a feature of the development of a HTW worth having. Search along multiple vectors Don’t jump quickly onto a single HTW theory. Source theories broadly and keep multiple theories in play. I have discussed three search vectors—analogies, trade-offs and anomalies—in a previous piece in this series. Search across all three for unique HTWs. Don’t worry at all if you haven’t got lots of data early on to support your theories. You don’t want to kill possibilities early. They need to be nurtured—and stress-tested ever more intensively over time using the Strategic Choice Structuring Process (laid out in the piece). Practitioner insights To be a great strategist, you need to master HTW. A strategy can’t be great without a great heart of strategy—the WTP/HTW combination—and of course that pair can’t be great without a uniquely powerful and well-matched HTW. Done poorly, HTW undermines strategy—making it into a blah playing to play. And frankly, life is too short for you to waste years of your worklife playing to play. HTW is the hardest part of strategy. Help yourself by treating it as such. Impatience isn’t helpful to you in creating a powerful HTW. Taking the necessary time is. Don’t undermine your effort by setting the bar low to make the task easier. Set the bar high at a theory of sustainable advantage. Go broad before narrowing. Iterate before settling. You can do this! View the full article

Improved standards of living are the foundation of modern democracy View the full article

Adobe has unveiled an impressive suite of AI tools and innovations within its Firefly creative studio, aiming to revolutionize how small businesses approach audio, video, and imaging projects. Announced at Adobe MAX, the world’s largest creativity conference, these enhancements promise to streamline the creative process and empower small business owners to produce professional-quality content with greater efficiency. Among the standout features is the new Generate Soundtrack tool, which allows users to create fully licensed audio tracks in seconds. This capability is particularly beneficial for small businesses that rely on unique soundscapes for marketing videos or social media content, eliminating the need for costly music licensing fees. Additionally, the Generate Speech tool enables creators to produce lifelike voiceovers in multiple languages, providing a versatile solution for businesses looking to reach diverse audiences. “Adobe Firefly supports your entire end-to-end creative process, from when you first explore ideas to when you bring them to the world with AI-powered video, audio, imaging, and design,” said Ely Greenfield, Adobe’s chief technology officer. This statement underscores a key selling point for small business owners: the ability to manage all aspects of content creation within a single platform, significantly reducing the time and resources typically required for production. The new Firefly video editor further enhances the platform’s capabilities, offering a timeline-based interface where users can generate, organize, and edit video clips with ease. This feature allows for precise editing and seamless integration of audio and visual elements, making it ideal for small businesses aiming to create engaging promotional materials without hiring external video production services. Firefly also introduces innovative AI ideation tools through Firefly Boards. This collaborative surface enables teams to brainstorm and visualize ideas rapidly. New features, such as the Rotate Object capability, allow users to manipulate 2D images into 3D formats, enhancing creative flexibility. For small businesses, this means improved collaboration and quicker concept development, fostering a more dynamic creative environment. Moreover, Adobe has expanded its ecosystem of partner models, incorporating technology from industry leaders like ElevenLabs and OpenAI. This integration provides users access to cutting-edge tools for image enhancement and voice generation, ensuring that small businesses can leverage the best technologies available to enhance their creative output. However, while these advancements present significant opportunities, small business owners should be mindful of potential challenges. The introduction of new AI tools often requires a learning curve, and businesses may need to invest time in training staff to maximize these tools’ potential. Additionally, as AI continues to evolve, staying updated on the latest features and best practices will be essential for leveraging these technologies effectively. Another consideration is the pricing model. While Adobe Firefly promises a range of AI capabilities, small businesses must evaluate whether the investment aligns with their budget and creative needs. Adobe is currently offering unlimited image and video generations for subscribers until December 1, which could provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to experiment with the tools without upfront costs. In summary, Adobe Firefly’s latest innovations represent a significant leap forward for small businesses seeking to enhance their creative processes. With tools designed to simplify audio and video production, as well as improve ideation and collaboration, small business owners can harness the power of AI to produce high-quality content efficiently. As they navigate this new landscape, the focus will be on balancing the adoption of these tools with the practicalities of training and cost management, ensuring that they can fully capitalize on the transformative potential of Adobe Firefly. This article, "Adobe Unveils Innovative Firefly AI Tools to Transform Creative Processes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe has unveiled an impressive suite of AI tools and innovations within its Firefly creative studio, aiming to revolutionize how small businesses approach audio, video, and imaging projects. Announced at Adobe MAX, the world’s largest creativity conference, these enhancements promise to streamline the creative process and empower small business owners to produce professional-quality content with greater efficiency. Among the standout features is the new Generate Soundtrack tool, which allows users to create fully licensed audio tracks in seconds. This capability is particularly beneficial for small businesses that rely on unique soundscapes for marketing videos or social media content, eliminating the need for costly music licensing fees. Additionally, the Generate Speech tool enables creators to produce lifelike voiceovers in multiple languages, providing a versatile solution for businesses looking to reach diverse audiences. “Adobe Firefly supports your entire end-to-end creative process, from when you first explore ideas to when you bring them to the world with AI-powered video, audio, imaging, and design,” said Ely Greenfield, Adobe’s chief technology officer. This statement underscores a key selling point for small business owners: the ability to manage all aspects of content creation within a single platform, significantly reducing the time and resources typically required for production. The new Firefly video editor further enhances the platform’s capabilities, offering a timeline-based interface where users can generate, organize, and edit video clips with ease. This feature allows for precise editing and seamless integration of audio and visual elements, making it ideal for small businesses aiming to create engaging promotional materials without hiring external video production services. Firefly also introduces innovative AI ideation tools through Firefly Boards. This collaborative surface enables teams to brainstorm and visualize ideas rapidly. New features, such as the Rotate Object capability, allow users to manipulate 2D images into 3D formats, enhancing creative flexibility. For small businesses, this means improved collaboration and quicker concept development, fostering a more dynamic creative environment. Moreover, Adobe has expanded its ecosystem of partner models, incorporating technology from industry leaders like ElevenLabs and OpenAI. This integration provides users access to cutting-edge tools for image enhancement and voice generation, ensuring that small businesses can leverage the best technologies available to enhance their creative output. However, while these advancements present significant opportunities, small business owners should be mindful of potential challenges. The introduction of new AI tools often requires a learning curve, and businesses may need to invest time in training staff to maximize these tools’ potential. Additionally, as AI continues to evolve, staying updated on the latest features and best practices will be essential for leveraging these technologies effectively. Another consideration is the pricing model. While Adobe Firefly promises a range of AI capabilities, small businesses must evaluate whether the investment aligns with their budget and creative needs. Adobe is currently offering unlimited image and video generations for subscribers until December 1, which could provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to experiment with the tools without upfront costs. In summary, Adobe Firefly’s latest innovations represent a significant leap forward for small businesses seeking to enhance their creative processes. With tools designed to simplify audio and video production, as well as improve ideation and collaboration, small business owners can harness the power of AI to produce high-quality content efficiently. As they navigate this new landscape, the focus will be on balancing the adoption of these tools with the practicalities of training and cost management, ensuring that they can fully capitalize on the transformative potential of Adobe Firefly. This article, "Adobe Unveils Innovative Firefly AI Tools to Transform Creative Processes" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Multiple Twin Sisters Creamery cheese products have been recalled following an E. coli outbreak in Washington and Oregon. To date, two adults and one child have reported illnesses linked to the outbreak. On October 25, 2025, Twin Sisters Creamery recalled Whatcom Blue, Farmhouse, Peppercorn, and Mustard Seed varieties of its 2.5-pound round cheese wheels. The cheese wheels were sent to distributors in Washington and Oregon. Some products were further distributed to retail stores for repacking or sold as pre-cut, half-moon-shaped pieces. The products are made with raw, unpasteurized milk and may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Escherichia coli O103. Third-party testing of Farmhouse cheese samples confirmed the presence of E. coli O103. Whatcom Blue samples analyzed by the FDA and the Washington State Department of Agriculture tested positive for E. coli STEC. On October 26, 2025, Washington State-based food distributor Peterson Company recalled half-moon-shaped pieces of Farmhouse, Whatcom Blue, and Twin Sisters Creamery cheeses after Twin Sisters Creamery notified them of the three reported STEC infections. The FDA published the Twin Sisters Creamery and Peterson Company recall notices on October 27, 2025. Here’s what you need to know. FDA Which products are included in the recalls? The following Twin Sisters Creamery products have been recalled: 2.5-pound Whatcom Blue cheese wheels 2.5-pound Farmhouse cheese wheels 2.5-pound Peppercorn cheese wheels 2.5-pound Mustard Seed cheese wheels Roughly 5 to 6-ounce half-moon-shaped pieces of Whatcom Blue cheese Roughly 5 to 6-ounce half-moon-shaped pieces of Farmhouse cheese The 2.5-pound round cheese wheels were shipped to distributors in Washington and Oregon between July 27, 2025, and October 22, 2025. The cheese wheels may also have been further distributed to retail stores for repacking or sold as pre-cut, half-moon-shaped cheese pieces with different lot numbers and expiration dates. The recalled 2.5-pound round cheese wheels have the following batch codes: Batch Code 250527B Whatcom Blue Batch Code 250610B Whatcom Blue Batch Code 250618B Whatcom Blue Batch Code 250624B Whatcom Blue Batch Code 250603F Farmhouse Batch Code 250616B Farmhouse Batch Code 250603P Peppercorn Batch Code 250616M Mustard Seed The recalled half-moon-shaped cheese pieces were packaged in clear wrap and distributed to retailers and food businesses, including caterers, distributors, and restaurants, in Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington between August 14, 2025, and October 24, 2025. They have the following manufacturer codes printed or them or on a sticker: Item# 28855 Whatcom Blue – MFG Code 793511 Item# 28855 Whatcom Blue – MFG Code 781511 Item# 28855 Whatcom Blue – MFG Code 775511 Item# 28855 Whatcom Blue – MFG Code 761511 Item# 29608 Farmhouse – MFG Code 765511 Item# 29608 Farmhouse – MFG Code 752511 Item# 29608 Farmhouse – MFG Code 738511 Item# 29608 Farmhouse – MFG Code 726511 Do not consume the recalled products. Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled products should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. If you have questions, call Twin Sisters Creamery at 360-656-5240 or Peterson Company at (800) 735-0313, extension 2101. Three infections linked to the E. coli outbreak There have been three reports of STEC infections caused by E. coli O103 to date, one in Oregon and two in Washington. One of the three reported infections involved a young child. An infected Oregon resident consumed Twin Sisters Creamery Farmhouse cheese before becoming ill. The Washington State Department of Health, Oregon Health Authority, and federal authorities are investigating the outbreak. E. coli can cause STEC infections You can get an STEC infection by eating foods contaminated by E. coli. Symptoms may include diarrhea, stomach cramps, or blood in the stool. Symptoms typically appear 1 to 10 days after exposure. The FDA recall notices explain that STEC infection can lead to Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which is a life-threatening condition that can cause kidney failure and have fatal complications. HUS is particularly dangerous for young children, elderly adults, and immunocompromised people. View the full article

At the forefront of generative AI innovation, Adobe has unveiled its latest offering, Adobe Firefly Foundry, designed to empower businesses with customized AI models tailored to their unique branding needs. Announced during the Adobe MAX conference, this initiative aims to address the growing demand for dynamic and impactful content creation while maintaining brand integrity. Adobe Firefly Foundry allows businesses to collaborate directly with Adobe experts to develop proprietary generative AI models. These models, trained on a company’s existing intellectual property, promise to enhance content production across various media types, including images, videos, audio, vectors, and 3D assets. By leveraging Adobe’s existing Firefly technology, businesses can streamline their creative processes and elevate customer engagement. “Adobe Firefly Foundry builds on years of Adobe innovation and expertise, spanning generative AI models for image, video, audio, vector and 3D, to help businesses solve today’s most complex content and media production challenges,” said Hannah Elsakr, vice president of GenAI New Business Ventures at Adobe. This statement underscores Adobe’s commitment to helping businesses navigate the complexities of content creation in a digitally-driven marketplace. Key Benefits for Small Businesses The introduction of Firefly Foundry holds several significant advantages for small business owners. First, the ability to develop bespoke generative AI models means that companies can produce content that accurately reflects their brand identity, thereby enhancing consistency across marketing channels. This is particularly crucial as the demand for content is projected to increase dramatically; an Adobe study indicates that marketers expect content needs to grow by more than five times within the next two years. Moreover, Firefly Foundry facilitates faster content delivery. By automating and streamlining the creation process, small businesses can respond more effectively to market trends and consumer demands. This efficiency is vital for maintaining a competitive edge in a landscape where timely and relevant content can influence customer loyalty and engagement. The seamless implementation process provided by Adobe further alleviates potential hurdles for small businesses. With a single platform for managing and deploying generative models, teams can focus on creativity rather than technical complexities. This organized approach also includes testing generated outputs, ensuring that businesses can maintain the quality and brand fidelity of their content. Co-innovation is another benefit that distinguishes Firefly Foundry. Adobe’s embedded experts will work alongside small businesses to tailor solutions that meet specific organizational needs. This collaborative effort can significantly enhance a company’s ability to drive growth and achieve measurable returns on their investments. Real-World Applications The applications of Adobe Firefly Foundry are vast. For example, small businesses in e-commerce can utilize customized AI models to generate product images and marketing materials that resonate with their target audience. Similarly, marketing agencies can leverage these tools to create diverse multimedia campaigns that maintain brand coherence across platforms. Additionally, industries such as entertainment and media can utilize Firefly Foundry to produce engaging promotional content that captures consumer attention. The flexibility of generating multimodal outputs means that businesses can cater to various digital channels, ensuring their messaging remains fresh and impactful. Potential Challenges to Consider While the benefits are substantial, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges associated with integrating generative AI into their workflows. One concern may involve the initial investment in developing and implementing these customized AI models. Small businesses need to evaluate their budgets and determine the long-term value of such an investment. Furthermore, as with any AI application, there are considerations around data privacy and ethical use. Adobe emphasizes its commitment to responsible AI principles, but businesses will need to ensure that they are compliant with regulations and best practices in their own operations. The collaboration with Invoke, a generative media solution, signals Adobe’s intent to enhance creative production workflows further. This partnership may lead to more robust solutions that benefit small businesses seeking to harness the power of AI in their creative processes. As Adobe Firefly Foundry rolls out, small business owners stand to gain significant advantages in content production, brand consistency, and operational efficiency. By embracing these innovative tools, they can navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving digital landscape, ultimately driving growth and enhancing customer experiences. This article, "Adobe Launches Firefly Foundry to Tailor Generative AI for Brands" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

At the forefront of generative AI innovation, Adobe has unveiled its latest offering, Adobe Firefly Foundry, designed to empower businesses with customized AI models tailored to their unique branding needs. Announced during the Adobe MAX conference, this initiative aims to address the growing demand for dynamic and impactful content creation while maintaining brand integrity. Adobe Firefly Foundry allows businesses to collaborate directly with Adobe experts to develop proprietary generative AI models. These models, trained on a company’s existing intellectual property, promise to enhance content production across various media types, including images, videos, audio, vectors, and 3D assets. By leveraging Adobe’s existing Firefly technology, businesses can streamline their creative processes and elevate customer engagement. “Adobe Firefly Foundry builds on years of Adobe innovation and expertise, spanning generative AI models for image, video, audio, vector and 3D, to help businesses solve today’s most complex content and media production challenges,” said Hannah Elsakr, vice president of GenAI New Business Ventures at Adobe. This statement underscores Adobe’s commitment to helping businesses navigate the complexities of content creation in a digitally-driven marketplace. Key Benefits for Small Businesses The introduction of Firefly Foundry holds several significant advantages for small business owners. First, the ability to develop bespoke generative AI models means that companies can produce content that accurately reflects their brand identity, thereby enhancing consistency across marketing channels. This is particularly crucial as the demand for content is projected to increase dramatically; an Adobe study indicates that marketers expect content needs to grow by more than five times within the next two years. Moreover, Firefly Foundry facilitates faster content delivery. By automating and streamlining the creation process, small businesses can respond more effectively to market trends and consumer demands. This efficiency is vital for maintaining a competitive edge in a landscape where timely and relevant content can influence customer loyalty and engagement. The seamless implementation process provided by Adobe further alleviates potential hurdles for small businesses. With a single platform for managing and deploying generative models, teams can focus on creativity rather than technical complexities. This organized approach also includes testing generated outputs, ensuring that businesses can maintain the quality and brand fidelity of their content. Co-innovation is another benefit that distinguishes Firefly Foundry. Adobe’s embedded experts will work alongside small businesses to tailor solutions that meet specific organizational needs. This collaborative effort can significantly enhance a company’s ability to drive growth and achieve measurable returns on their investments. Real-World Applications The applications of Adobe Firefly Foundry are vast. For example, small businesses in e-commerce can utilize customized AI models to generate product images and marketing materials that resonate with their target audience. Similarly, marketing agencies can leverage these tools to create diverse multimedia campaigns that maintain brand coherence across platforms. Additionally, industries such as entertainment and media can utilize Firefly Foundry to produce engaging promotional content that captures consumer attention. The flexibility of generating multimodal outputs means that businesses can cater to various digital channels, ensuring their messaging remains fresh and impactful. Potential Challenges to Consider While the benefits are substantial, small business owners should also be aware of potential challenges associated with integrating generative AI into their workflows. One concern may involve the initial investment in developing and implementing these customized AI models. Small businesses need to evaluate their budgets and determine the long-term value of such an investment. Furthermore, as with any AI application, there are considerations around data privacy and ethical use. Adobe emphasizes its commitment to responsible AI principles, but businesses will need to ensure that they are compliant with regulations and best practices in their own operations. The collaboration with Invoke, a generative media solution, signals Adobe’s intent to enhance creative production workflows further. This partnership may lead to more robust solutions that benefit small businesses seeking to harness the power of AI in their creative processes. As Adobe Firefly Foundry rolls out, small business owners stand to gain significant advantages in content production, brand consistency, and operational efficiency. By embracing these innovative tools, they can navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving digital landscape, ultimately driving growth and enhancing customer experiences. This article, "Adobe Launches Firefly Foundry to Tailor Generative AI for Brands" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

RoundPoint's corporate parent generated positive comprehensive income with the legal expense excluded and expanded its subservicing activity. View the full article

I'll say it: There are too many messaging apps out there. There's WhatsApp, Messenger, Snapchat, Discord, Signal, Telegram, and iMessage (if you're on iPhone), and that's just the dedicated chat apps. You might have to keep up with new messages on Instagram, TikTok, Threads, even Spotify. If I install one more app with a messaging feature, I'm going off the grid. As it happens, another non-chat app is joining this list. On Tuesday, Zillow—yes, Zillow—announced its app will also now support messaging. Starting today, you can send people messages in the app you use to look at houses you will most likely never actually buy. We live in interesting times, indeed. Of course, Zillow's goal here isn't to become the next WhatsApp. In fact, you can only choose to chat with one other person on Zillow—at least, that's the case for now. The idea of Zillow messaging is strictly to chat about listings you find through the app, without needing to leave Zillow to do so. The goal for most app developers is to keep users on the platform for as long as possible, so there's a cynical case to make here for Zillow trapping its users within the app. If you don't move to another chat app to talk about a listing, you're more likely to interact with additional houses on the app. But I actually see the logic here: If you're in a housing market with a lot of listings, you're probably firing off a number of them every day to interested parties—namely, whoever you're buying the house with. Keeping those conversations in the same app as those listings could be a smart way to keep track of all those houses, instead of the usual routine of "wait, which house was that? I can't find the text you sent me." And the fact that Zillow is limiting this experience to one chat partner at this time means you're not going to be DMing a number of people about houses in your area. This does seem designed for people who are trying to buy a house together to do so with a bit more convenience. How to try Zillow messagingThis feature is live as of this article. To get started, open Zillow on your smartphone or in your web browser. On the app, tap "Inbox;" on the web, click your profile in the top-right, then choose "Inbox." In order to start a chat, you need to invite the other person to join you. To do so, choose "Invite now," which will pull up a pop-up about the feature. This screen explains the invite link is good for 24 hours, and that you can only invite one person for now. Credit: Lifehacker Choose "Share invitation," and Zillow will let you share it wherever you'd like. You can copy the link, and paste it in another chat app, or choose a destination for Zillow to share the link to directly. View the full article

Football season is in full swing, but these are such strange days that even of game day, Americans can no longer put their political differences aside to enjoy the savage ballet. Yes, the National Football League has once again become a flashpoint in the endless, maddening culture wars—and surprisingly, the NFL seems to be on the "woke" side of the board. Right now, there's a lot of misinformation being spread about the game, the league, and the personalities within. Here are some of the biggest I've encountered. Did Andy Reid refuse pledge to not attend the 2026 Super Bowl over a planned Charlie Kirk tribute?The questionable Facebook pages of both Kollam's Media and Together We Rise both recently claimed that Andy Reid, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, "ignited one of the most explosive controversies in sports history" when he refused to attend the 2026 Super Bowl because of a tribute to Charlie Kirk planned for the opening ceremonies. But that didn't happen. There are multiple levels of deception at work here. First, we have no reason to think that the NFL has planned its opening ceremonies this early, and if they have, there's no reason they would have shared them with Andy Reid anyway. So it follows that Reid did not preemptively announce a boycott of the 2026 Super Bowl, and there is no evidence of him doing so aside from those Facebook posts. It is true that Reid most likely won't be attending the Super Bowl this year: His team is currently battling the Raiders for third place in a four-team division. Did Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, and George Strait refuse to perform a Charlie Kirk tribute at Super Bowl 2026?Together We Rise's Facebook page is evidently on the cutting edge of fake stories about the Super Bowl and Charlie Kirk, as another post there reports Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, George Strait, Vince Gill, and Reba McEntire all declined to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show over a planned tribute to Charlie Kirk. But again, there is no known "tribute to Charlie Kirk" planned for the Super Bowl, and the performer for halftime is Bad Bunny anyway, meaning there's nothing for this random cadre of vaguely left-leaning country artists to boycott. Did Coca-Cola pull its sponsorship of the 2026 halftime show?Speaking of Bad Bunny, according to a Facebook post from PR Informa, Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey responded to the announcement of Bad Bunny's halftime gig by pledging, "I will end my sponsorship of the Super Bowl if they let Bad Bunny to perform at halftime." Quincey never said this, and Coca-Cola hasn't advertised during the Super Bowl since since 2020 anyway. All the advertising has been purchased already for the game, and no company has announced plans to pull out over Bad Bunny's performance, nor for any other reason. Did Carlos Santana object to Bad Bunny playing at the Super Bowl?Despite post circulating on social media suggesting music icon Carlos Santana objected to Bad Bunny playing the Super Bowl, it's just not true. Santana addressed the rumor on his own Facebook page, posting, "Fear is the flavor right now. Fear is what motivates ignorant people to put words in my mouth—saying that I didn’t want Bad Bunny to be represented at the Super Bowl. I never said that, nor would I ever.” Is the NFL considering pulling Bad Bunny's halftime show?When asked about the rumors that the NFL was considering pulling Bad Bunny from the 2026 halftime show, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made it clear the league stands behind Bad Bunny. "He’s one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world," Goodell told ESPN. "I'm not sure we've ever selected an artist where we didn't have some blowback or criticism." Did Travis Kelce sue Karoline Leavitt, buy a diner for homeless people, and announce he impregnated Taylor Swift?Travis Kelce did not sue Karoline Leavitt, buy a diner for homeless people, or announce that he and Taylor Swift are having a child. He didn't donate his bonus to a homeless non-profit, threaten to "twist Elon Musk into a pretzel," or rent out Disneland for a day. Dude's just a football player, damn. That Kelce is a center for misinformation is clearly because he's among the highest profile players out there, he has a high-profile fiancée, and he doesn't completely hide his political views. Not that Kelce is anything like an activist, but having done a commercial encouraging people to get vaccinated is enough to put a celebrity in certain crosshairs. The Super Bowl is rigged in favor of...This is a preemptive debunking: We don't yet know who is going to be in the big game, but when we find out, there are bound to be conspiracy theories suggesting the game is being rigged in favor of one team, for whatever reason. But as far as we know, the Super Bowl hasn't been rigged in the past, and it probably won't be this time, either. Remember: Last season's pre-Super Bowl rumor was the game would be fixed in favor of The Chiefs, and it didn't exactly work out that way. Why is football suddenly so controversial?Maybe I'm looking at the past with astroturf-colored glasses, but football used to be something like a shared national pastime. Sure, there were a ton of false beliefs about the game out there, but they were things like, "The refs cheat," or "The Raiders are a lock." It didn't matter whether you were a Democrat or a Republican, we all laughed at the Jets. But like every other cultural event or institution, football is also being sorted into Team Red and Team Blue, neither of which has attractive jerseys. It's such a drag that we can’t just enjoy the circus without someone turning it into the next political crisis. View the full article

UnitedHealth on Tuesday raised its annual profit forecast and said it aims to grow in 2026, in a sign that the turnaround efforts under new CEO Stephen Hemsley were gaining steam. Shares of the company rose more than 5% in premarket trading after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings as the U.S. health insurer kept medical costs in check. The company had set a far lower profit forecast in July after suspending its prior outlook in May, which had sent its shares reeling. The healthcare giant now sees 2025 adjusted profit per share to be at least $16.25, compared with its previous estimate of at least $16.00, and above analysts estimate of $16.20 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG. “We remain focused on strengthening performance and positioning for durable and accelerating growth in 2026 and beyond, and our results this quarter reflect solid execution toward that goal,” said newly returned CEO Hemsley. Hemsley, who was at the helm of the company from 2006 to 2017, has been working to regain investor and consumer trust in the wake of an unexpected surge in medical costs and Americans’ anger at the high price of health care. He was brought in earlier this year as part of a management shakeup and has since replaced several long-time executives. UnitedHealth said it continues to see elevated costs, which the industry has been struggling with for more than two years. For the third quarter ended September 30, the company’s medical loss ratio — the percentage of premiums spent on medical care — stood at 89.9%, in line with the company’s expectations. Insurers aim for a ratio close to around 80%. Analysts on average had expected the company to report a ratio of 89.87%. Shares of peers CVS Health, Humana and Elevance rose about 2% before the bell. UnitedHealth’s quarterly revenue at its Optum health services unit was flat year-over-year at $25.9 billion. Revenue at Optum Rx, UnitedHealth’s pharmacy benefit manager, rose 16% to $39.7 billion, partly helped by higher prescription volumes. On an adjusted basis, the company earned a profit of $2.92 per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ average estimate of $2.79. —Sriparna Roy and Sneha S K, Reuters View the full article

Bill Gates thinks climate change is a serious problem but it won’t be the end of civilization. He thinks scientific innovation will curb it, and it’s instead time for a “strategic pivot” in the global climate fight: from focusing on limiting rising temperatures to fighting poverty and preventing disease. A doomsday outlook has led the climate community to focus too much on near-term goals to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that cause warming, diverting resources from the most effective things that can be done to improve life in a warming world, Gates said. In a memo released Tuesday, Gates said the world’s primary goal should instead be to prevent suffering, particularly for those in the toughest conditions in the world’s poorest countries. If given a choice between eradicating malaria and a tenth of a degree increase in warming, Gates told reporters, “I’ll let the temperature go up 0.1 degree to get rid of malaria. People don’t understand the suffering that exists today.” The Microsoft co-founder spends most of his time now on the goals of the Gates Foundation, which has poured tens of billions of dollars into health care, education and development initiatives worldwide, including combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. He started Breakthrough Energy in 2015 to speed up innovation in clean energy. He wrote his 17-page memo hoping to have an impact on next month’s United Nations climate change conference in Brazil. He’s urging world leaders to ask whether the little money designated for climate is being spent on the right things. Gates, whose foundation provides financial support for Associated Press coverage of health and development in Africa, is influential in the climate change conversation. He expects his “tough truths about climate” memo will be controversial. “If you think climate is not important, you won’t agree with the memo. If you think climate is the only cause and apocalyptic, you won’t agree with the memo,” Gates said during a roundtable discussion with reporters ahead of the release. “It’s kind of this pragmatic view of somebody who’s, you know, trying to maximize the money and the innovation that goes to help in these poor countries.” Climate scientists say every fraction of a degree of warming matters Every bit of additional warming correlates to more extreme weather, risks species extinction and brings the world closer to crossing tipping points where changes become irreversible, scientists say. University of Washington public health and climate scientist Kristie Ebi said she thoroughly agrees with Gates that the U.N. negotiations should focus on improving human health and well-being. But, she said, Gates assumes the world stays static and only one variable changes — faster deployment of green technologies — to curb climate change. She called that unlikely. Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, called the memo “pointless, vague, unhelpful and confusing.” “There is no reason to pit poverty reduction versus climate transformation. Both are utterly feasible, and readily so, if the Big Oil lobby is brought under control,” he wrote in an email. Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field said there is room for a healthy discussion about whether the current framing of the climate crisis is typically too pessimistic. “But we should also invest for both the long term and the short term,” he wrote in an email. “A vibrant long-term future depends on both tackling climate change and supporting human development.” Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer said he doesn’t dispute the principle of making human well-being the primary objective of policy, but what about the natural world? “Climate change is already wreaking havoc there,” he wrote in an email. “Can we truly live in a technological bubble? Do we want to?” Gates is clear in his memo that every tenth of a degree of warming matters: “A stable climate makes it easier to improve people’s lives.” Carbon dioxide pollution is increasing A decade ago, the world agreed in a historic pact known as the Paris agreement to try to limit human-caused warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. The goal: to stave off nastier heat waves, wildfires, storms and droughts. In a 2021 book, Gates laid out a plan for reducing emissions to avoid a climate disaster. But humans are on track to release so much greenhouse gas by early 2028 that scientists say crossing that 1.5-degree threshold is now nearly unavoidable. Breakthrough Energy focuses on areas where the cost of doing something cleanly is much higher than the polluting way, such as making clean steel and cement. Gates concluded his memo by saying governments should work toward driving this difference to zero, and be rigorous about measuring the impact of every effort in the world’s climate agenda. Gates is optimistic innovation will curb climate change Gates said the pace of innovation in clean energy has been faster than he expected, allowing cheap solar and wind energy to replace coal, oil and natural gas plants for electricity and averting worst-case warming scenarios. Artificial intelligence is helping accelerate advances in clean energy technologies, he added. At the same time, money to help developing countries adapt to climate change is shrinking. Led by the United States, rich countries are cutting their foreign aid budgets. President Donald The President has called climate change a hoax. Gates criticized the aid cuts. He said Gavi, a public-private partnership started by his philanthropic foundation that buys vaccines, will have 25% less money for the next five years compared to the past five years. Gavi can save a life for a little more than $1,000, he added. Vaccines become even more important in a warming world because children who aren’t dying of measles or whooping cough will be more likely to survive when a heat wave hits or a drought threatens the local food supply, he wrote. Health and prosperity are the best defense against climate change, Gates said, citing research from the University of Chicago Climate Impact Lab that found projected deaths from climate change fall by more than 50% when accounting for the expected economic growth over the rest of this century. Under these circumstances, he thinks the bar must be “very high” for what’s funded with aid money. “If you have something that gets rid of 10,000 tons of emissions, that you’re spending several million dollars on,” he said, “that just doesn’t make the cut.” AP Writer Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. —Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press View the full article

Recently, there has been a rise in reports from consumers that some physical retail stores are running low on pennies, making it difficult for cashiers to give customers exact change. This week, many social media users reported that one of America’s largest grocery store chains, Kroger, was asking customers to use exact change. This has led many to wonder if there is a national penny shortage. The answer is more complex than just a simple yes or no. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happened? Numerous reports this week said customers at Kroger stores were greeted with signs asking them to provide exact change when paying in cash. Among the reports was one from the Cincinnati Enquirer, which said that these signs were posted at the company’s 103 stores in the Cincinnati/Dayton Division. “The U.S. Treasury has stopped production of pennies, which is now impacting supply,” the signs read. “If using cash for payment, please consider providing exact change.” Reached for comment by Fast Company, a Kroger spokesperson confirmed the move. “We continue to assess the impact of the U.S. Treasury’s decision to end penny production,” the spokesperson said. These signs, along with a growing number of other reports on social media, have contributed to speculation about an American penny shortage. Is there a penny shortage? Without a doubt, the availability of the penny seems to be decreasing. However, according to the American Bakers Association (ABA), there isn’t currently a “penny shortage” in the traditional sense. Rather, there is a slowing of the circulation of pennies throughout America’s banks and retailers. And there’s a reason for this. In February, President The President announced on Truth Social that he had instructed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to stop producing new pennies. “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” The President wrote, adding, “Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.” And the Treasury did as The President instructed. As the ABA notes, the U.S Mint, which is responsible for minting America’s currency, “reportedly stopped production and delivered their last shipment of new pennies in August.” That means no new pennies have been minted in two months. Still, the ABA estimates that there are about 250 billion pennies still in circulation. So why are they reportedly getting harder to come across? It’s because many people don’t like carrying around the 1-cent coins. They take up too much space in a wallet or purse, so people just tend to leave them in drawers, jars, or car cupholders. This means that, unlike most dollar bills, a significant amount of the existing pennies that are out there don’t reenter circulation. When no new pennies are being minted, and enough existing pennies aren’t reentering circulation, it can lead to an absence of an adequate amount of change at banks and in cash registers. This is responsible for the “penny shortage” some retailers and customers are now beginning to see. Why does The President want to get rid of the penny? It’s not just The President who wants to get rid of the penny. A YouGov poll from earlier this year found that more Americans now support eliminating the coin rather than saving it. Pennies can be inconvenient. You need need a hundred of them or more just to buy something simple, like a can of soda. And carrying a hundred pennies around in a purse, wallet, or pocket can be cumbersome. As for The President, he is correct that the penny coin actually costs more than 1-cent to make. A 2024 report from the U.S. Mint revealed that the U.S. government lost more than $83 million in 2024 producing the penny. This is because though the penny has a face value of only 1-cent, it had a total unit cost of $0.0369 per coin in 2024. That’s over 3.5x its face value. In other words, the penny is both disliked by some consumers and doesn’t make financial sense from a minting standpoint. No wonder so many people want to see it go. Can The President actually kill the penny? While the U.S. Treasury and U.S. Mint have followed The President’s instructions to stop producing the penny, the penny remains legal tender in America. And most experts seem to agree that The President can’t just end the penny’s life by dictate. As New York Magazine noted in May, killing off the penny likely requires an act of Congress, since Congress controls the specifications of America’s currency. However, both houses of Congress have reportedly introduced bills to kill off the penny since The President issued his decree. The ABA itself notes that the decision to eliminate the penny “lies with Congress and the President, as the Constitution gives Congress the authority to coin money.” But it adds that “The banking industry is prepared to support whatever policy is enacted and will ensure a smooth transition if the penny is officially phased out.” Can I still get exact change if there are no pennies available? Given that so many items in America are priced at one penny short of a whole dollar—before tax—it’s no surprise that if there is a penny shortage, stores may have trouble giving consumers their exact change. But if this is indeed the case, the ABA says that “banks and retailers may temporarily round cash transactions to the nearest five cents” since nickels are widely available. This means the customer may save a few cents—or pay a few cents more—depending on which way the rounding goes. However, the price of online transactions, as they are all electronic, shouldn’t be impacted at all. View the full article

U.S. President Donald The President lavished praise on Japan’s first female leader Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Tuesday, welcoming her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signing deals on trade and rare earths. Takaichi, a protegee of The President’s late friend and golfing buddy Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, applauded The President’s push to resolve global conflicts, vowing to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, according to The President’s spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt. Both governments released a list of projects in the areas of energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals in which Japanese companies are eyeing investments of up to $400 billion in the U.S. Tokyo pledged to provide $550 billion of strategic U.S. investments, loans and guarantees earlier this year as part of a deal to win a reprieve from The President’s punishing import tariffs. Those gestures may temper any The President demands for Tokyo to spend more towards its security in the face of an increasingly assertive China, calls that Takaichi sought to head off by promising to fast-track plans to increase defence spending to 2% of GDP. “Everything I know from Shinzo and others, you will be one of the great prime ministers,” The President told Takaichi as they sat down to discussions, accompanied by their delegations, at Tokyo’s Akasaka Palace. “I’d also like to congratulate you on being the first woman prime minister. It’s a big deal,” The President added. TAKAICHI INVOKES ABE LEGACY Takaichi repeatedly referred to Abe’s affection for The President and gifted him the former prime minister’s putter encased in glass, a golf bag signed by Japanese major winner Hideki Matsuyama and a gold-leaf golf ball, photographs posted on X by The President’s assistant Margo Martin show. Abe, who was assassinated in 2022, was the first foreign leader to meet The President after his 2016 election victory and the two went on to forge a close bond over several rounds of golf in the United States and Japan. Over a lunch of U.S. rice and beef, and vegetables from Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, she presented The President with a map of major investments Japanese firms have made in the United States since his last visit in 2019. Japanese companies on the list of possible future investors included Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Softbank, Hitachi, Murata Manufacturing and Panasonic, among others. Japanese carmaker Toyota would also open auto plants in the United States to the tune of $10 billion, The President said. Toyota did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DEAL ON CRITICAL MINERALS The President praised Japan’s efforts to buy more U.S. defense equipment, while Takaichi said his role in securing ceasefires between Cambodia and Thailand, and Israel and Palestinian militants, was an “unprecedented” achievement. They signed a deal to bolster supplies of critical minerals and rare earths, as their nations seek to reduce China’s dominance of some areas of key electronic components. After lunch, The President met relatives of people abducted by North Korea in the 1960s and 1970s. While some were later repatriated, Japan continues to press Pyongyang for a full accounting of all the abductees and the return of any who remain alive, a cause championed by Abe. “The United States is with them all the way,” The President told reporters after greeting the families. He has repeatedly said he was open to meeting North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong Un during his five-day Asia visit. The U.S. leader began his trip in Malaysia on Sunday, before traveling to Japan late on Monday to receive a royal welcome at the Imperial Palace. He hopes to cap off his trip, his longest overseas journey since returning to the White House in January, by agreeing a trade war truce with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday. VISIT TO U.S. NAVAL BASE Takaichi’s efforts to invoke Abe’s legacy to forge a bond with The President could help bolster her weak political position at home and help her navigate The President’s at times erratic decision-making, analysts said. Though she has seen a surge in public support since becoming prime minister, her coalition government is two votes shy of a majority in parliament’s lower house. The President and Takaichi later flew on his presidential helicopter to the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington, docked at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo. There The President delivered an hour-long speech that ranged from topics such as the U.S. southern border and inflation to American football and the possibility of deploying “more than the national guard” to “troubled” U.S. cities. Flanked by two fighter jets, The President ushered Takaichi up on stage before 6,000 U.S. sailors. “This woman is a winner,” he said, before Takaichi thanked the forces for helping defend the country and the region. Japan hosts the largest concentration of U.S. military power abroad. Delivery would begin this week on Japan’s long-awaited order of U.S. missiles for F-35 fighter jets, The President added. “I told the president that I want to work with him to build a new chapter in the Japan-U.S. alliance that will make both countries stronger and more prosperous,” Takaichi told reporters after returning to Tokyo. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is due to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi on Wednesday. The President will meet business leaders in Tokyo later on Tuesday, before travelling on Wednesday to South Korea to meet President Lee Jae Myung ahead of his Thursday summit with Xi. —Trevor Hunnicutt, Tim Kelly and John Geddie, Reuters View the full article

US president expected to name successor to Jay Powell by ChristmasView the full article

iPhone maker’s share price is up 28% over the past six monthsView the full article