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☆ I took the new Hyundai Kona on a family road trip: It's a practical car with pizzazz that I'd be comfortable letting my teenager drive.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A friend sought advice on a safe but not too-large car for his teenage sons. I drove a Hyundai Kona from Silicon Valley to Santa Barbara to find out if this car fits the bill. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . On a recent trip from Silicon Valley to visit UC Santa Barbara with my wife and daughter, I got to try out a vehicle that fits the bill: The 2024 Hyundai Kona. AdvertisementHere are the highlights of the trip and a rundown of what we loved, liked, and disliked about this vehicle.

Persons: I've, Santa Barbara, —, It's Organizations: Hyundai, Service, UC Santa Barbara Locations: Hyundai Kona, Silicon Valley, Santa

☆ I'm Gen Z and spent 7 hours a week on TikTok. I deleted the app and now have more time to do actually fun things.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I created my TikTok account at the pandemic's start while stuck at home with nothing to do. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. What was true for me, at least, was that TikTok took hours away from my day. A better work-life balanceOther Gen Z TikTok addicts who spoke to the Journal shared similar concerns. TikTok did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Persons: —, TikTok, it's, It's, Alistair Barr, there's, Zuckerberg, Z, Keilah Bruce, Gautam Mengi, Will, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Street Journal, Elon, Twitter, Wall Street

☆ Tesla's US market share grows through the EV carnage
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla's US electric vehicle market share has grown to 51.3%, despite numerous challenges. Tesla's US market share actually grew in the first quarter. Related storySince the end of September, Tesla's share of the US EV market has grown by 1.3 percentage points to 51.3%. The next closest rival is Ford, with a meager 7.4% market share. These stats say more about the general sorry state of the US EV market.

Persons: Elon, —, Tesla, Elon Musk, Cox Automotive's Kelley, Tesla's, That's Organizations: Service, Cox, US, Hyundai, VW, BMW, Ford, Rivian Locations: Polestar, China

☆ Google's new Gemini AI model says the company has a 'virtual monopoly' on digital advertising
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A CEO and a VC used Google's Gemini AI models for investment advice. Gemini listed Google parent Alphabet as a top 'Bottleneck Stock.' The AI model noted Google's domination of the online advertising market. Every Media CEO Dan Shipper recently posted a video of him playing with Google Gemini AI models, including the fancy 1.5 version. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, Dan Shipper, Jesse Beyroutey Organizations: Service, Every, Google, Business

☆ Google's AI can ingest multiple books. What will it do with all that data?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Today, the emergence of huge AI models is turning this book-scanning debate on its head. So it's safe to interpret this comment as a yes: Google will use this data to train future AI models. Developers versus corporate customersThe internet giant treats information shared with its AI models and services differently, depending on the offering. It's probably why some big companies have sent around warnings again recently prohibiting employees from sharing sensitive data with AI models. Prompt data controlsHere are some other important tips for controlling how Google uses any prompts you submit to its AI models.

Persons: —, Larry Page, Sundar Pichai, Gemini Organizations: Google Gemini, Service, Google, Gemini, Services

☆ An OpenAI mystery: YouTube videos, Google throttling, and AI training data.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Alistair Barr | Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe AI community assumes that OpenAI uses vast quantities of YouTube videos to train models, including its new Sora offering. The mystery is how OpenAI accesses enough YouTube content to make this work. Business Insider asked OpenAI whether it has downloaded YouTube videos at scale and whether the startup uses this content as data for AI model training. Google, OpenAI, and other tech companies are currently arguing that using copyrighted content for AI model training is also legal. And when pressed again about sources of training data, Murati replied, "I'm not going to go into the details."

Persons: —, OpenAI, Mira Murati, Sora, I'm, Murati, Axel Springer, Ashley Stewart Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Google, Microsoft, Street

☆ YouTube's mass exodus of stars show the uncertainty of the creator economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today's big story, we're looking at a potential exodus of stars from YouTube and what it means for the creator economy. What's on deck:This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementBut some people who helped fuel YouTube's rise are walking away from the platform that gave them their big break. TikTok's challenges represent the ongoing uncertainty content creators face trying to make a living in such an unpredictable and shrinking world.

Persons: —, we've, Rebecca Zisser, It's, Insider's Lindsay Dodgson, MatPat, Lindsay, Andy Kiersz, Critics, it's, Alistair Barr, Dan, Jamie Dimon doesn't, Dimon, Karim Qubadi, Abanti Chowdhury, OpenAI, Musk's, Christopher Nolan's, Tyler Le, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Nielsen, Gaming, ISI, SensorTower, BI, CPI, JPMorgan, Elon, University of Chicago, Quest, realtors, Meta, Google, Companies, Adidas Locations: United States, New York, London

☆ TikTok's growth rate has collapsed. 'Life' may be getting in the way for its younger users.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This is especially true for young users who are now entering a new busy time of life known as adulthood. AdvertisementAfter demolishing the competition from 2020 through the first half of 2022, TikTok's DAU growth rate has collapsed. One interesting theory is that TikTok users are growing up and taking on new responsibilities that leave less time to watch videos. If some of TikTok's core users can no longer afford to spend an hour a day on the app, that's not good for business. This is not just meThe Wall Street Journal recently interviewed a few TikTok users in their 20s.

Persons: —, TikTok, it's, Brielle, There's, I'd, she'll, Keilah Bruce Organizations: Service, Evercore, YouTube, Facebook, Street Journal, Intelligence, Street Locations: TikTok

☆ A Google engineer ran a secret startup in China while stealing AI technology, DOJ alleges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Google employee was accused by the DOJ of stealing confidential AI technology. The DOJ also said he ran a Chinese-based startup while employed as a software engineer at Google. AdvertisementA Google employee indicted by the US Department of Justice has been accused of stealing confidential AI technology while secretly working for tech companies in China. The indictment said Ding, who lived in Newark and was a Chinese national, joined Google as a software engineer in 2019. In May 2022, Ding started secretly uploading confidential information from Google to his private Google Cloud account, the indictment alleged.

Persons: Linwei Ding, —, Leon Ding, Ding, Castañeda, Merrick Garland Organizations: DOJ, Google, Service, US Department of Justice, Authorities, Business, Prosecutors, FBI, supercomputing Locations: China, Newark , California, Newark, Chinese

☆ Google is starting to feel like any other business, and staging a comeback won't be easy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today's big story, we're looking at how Google has gone from the tech industry's vanguard of cool to just another boring company . AdvertisementGoogle has long stayed atop Silicon Valley's volatile popularity contest — but the best place to work in tech is starting to feel like any other business , Business Insider's Hugh Langley and Lara O'Reilly write. Bureaucracy, an aversion to risk, and deference to Wall Street over employees — things Google long eschewed — have become the norm. The latest example is the debacle surrounding Gemini — its flashy new AI model that faced backlash for being too "woke."

Persons: —, Rebecca Zisser, Hugh Langley, Lara O'Reilly, Alistair Barr, Sundar Pichai, Hugh, Lara, Mateusz Wlodarczyk, BI's Peter Kafka, it's, David Rosenberg, Gary Shilling, Snowflake's Frank Slootman, Ozgur Hakan Aslan Toyota, Boxabl, Elon Musk, Tesla, Hewlett Packard, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Gemini, Meta, Big Tech, OpenAI, Corporations, Nvidia, SEC, Universal Music Group, Universal, BI Locations: —, New York, London

☆ The Google Gemini conspiracy theory
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Google had to pull parts of its fancy Gemini AI model after it spat out inaccurate images and text. To catch you up: Google had to pull part of its fancy new Gemini AI model after it spat out inaccurate pictures, including depicting Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin as Asian. One theory is that Googlers are too woke and their biases have infected what could be a powerful and useful AI model. AdvertisementIs this Google future? Probably not as profitable revenue as Google Search, but that's still a lot.

Persons: —, there's, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, it's, Mark Shmulik, Bernstein, Sundar Pichai, Pichai, that's Organizations: Google, Service

☆ Google's new AI-powered wingman highlights the challenges of using a tool that could eventually replace you
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today’s big story, we’re looking at Google’s new internal AI model aimed at improving worker efficiency. The big storyAI assistanceCBS Photo Archive/Getty ImagesGoogle employees are getting an AI-powered wingman in the company’s bid to improve efficiency. Goose can answer questions about Google's tech and write and edit code, according to an internal summary of the model. Tech companies have tested inventions on their own employees for years in a process known as "dogfooding," writes BI's Alistair Barr.

Persons: —, Denny's, customizations, Hugh Langley, Tom Cruise’s copilot, Alistair Barr, Tyler Lee, “, Bryan R, Smith, Wall, Gary Gensler, We’re, Société, Elad Gil, Gil, ChatGPT, it’s, Uber, Nomura, Young homebuyers, Meredith Whitney, Donald Trump, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, CBS, Getty, Microsoft, OpenAI, Tech, Google, Big Tech, Fed, UBS, SEC, Silicon Valley’s, BI, Xbox, Dragon, Workers, Wall Locations: China, New York, London

☆ Silicon Valley's biggest ever 'dogfooding' experiment has begun. The implications are huge.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Big Tech companies are testing AI tools internally in a massive 'dogfooding' experiment. This involves Big Tech companies taking large language models and generative AI tools and putting them to work inside their own organizations. The findings could also change how Big Tech companies operate — and how many expensive engineers they need. Big Tech companies want to sell AI tools to help businesses, developers, advertisers, creators, and other customers reach this new productivity nirvana. If these dogfooding tests go well, Big Tech companies may not need to hire as many workers in the future.

Persons: —, It's, Googler Anthony Vallone, Ruth Porat, Hugh Langley, it's, BI's Ashley Stewart, Stewart, there's, Urs Hölzle Organizations: Big Tech, Google, Microsoft, Service, Microsoft Microsoft Locations: Silicon

☆ Nightmare on Wall Street: A Lyft typo projected profit to be 10x better than it really is.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Lyft mistakenly forecast 500 basis points of margin improvement for 2024, causing a stock surge. The error was later corrected to 50 basis points, and the shares came back to earth. Despite the typo, Lyft predicts healthy growth in rides for 2024. A closely watched profit margin should expand by about 500 basis points in 2024. Just not 500 basis points.

Persons: Lyft, — Organizations: Service, Wall

☆ Tech layoffs are way down from last year. Why does it feel so grim?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

2024 has started with another wave of tech industry layoffs. AdvertisementIn early 2023, a decade of abundance came to a painful end for many tech workers. Software job postings are also relatively healthy, suggesting that tech companies are still hiring even as they shed other workers. AdvertisementSmall, continual job cutsSo why does it still feel so grim across the tech industry? This year, there's small, continual job cutting by many tech companies, rather than a single huge round of layoffs.

Persons: Matt Hedberg, it's, Amazon, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, hadn't Organizations: Google, RBC Capital Markets, Pharmacy

☆ In cloud, there's AI (which is hot) and everything else (which is not)
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

There's an "AI Cloud" future that excites investors. So far, Microsoft is winning the "AI Cloud" future. There's the "AI Cloud" future, where Nvidia GPUs and large language models form the foundation of new generative AI services delivered and rented over the internet. Then there's the existing "Cloud 1.0" business, where CPUs and more traditional servers support apps, websites and other software services. Microsoft's Azure cloud business saw revenue grow 28% in its latest quarter (fiscal Q2, calendar Q4).

Persons: —, Mark Schilsky, Schilsky, Goldman Sachs, Bernstein Organizations: AWS, Microsoft, Service, Nvidia, Amazon, Services, Bernstein Research Locations: OpenAI

☆ Apple, Zuck, Elon, and the lesson of Microsoft Windows
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

However, this person has been investing for more than 2 decades and sold a startup to a big tech company in the first dot-com boom. "The lesson of Microsoft Windows"Then this hedge funder schooled me on the "lesson of Microsoft Windows." He also pointed out that if you don't own a big platform, your life kinda sucks. AdvertisementThe biggest betsThis is why big tech companies are investing 100s of billions of dollars to find the next big platforms. Big Tech is all about winning our attention and being the first "funnel" that sends us out into the world.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, —, Apple, Tesla, it's, Mark Gurman, I've, Matthew Ball, Zuckerberg, Ball, OpenAI, Nora Naughton, Elon Musk Organizations: Apple, Service, Apple's, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Android, Amazon, Google, Big Tech, Tesla, Software, GM, Ford, Meta Locations: American

☆ Direct File is the most important tech product of 2024, helping you to finally file your taxes for free
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'll go further and say this offering is the most important tech product of 2024. Direct FileI'm talking about Direct File , a new way for many Americans to file their taxes for free. She also questioned the value of the new Direct File service in various ways. Give Direct File a tryWhich brings us back to the new Direct File service. When I searched for "free file taxes" this weekend, the top of Google's results page was full of ads.

Persons: —, Dan Grover, ChatGPT, It's, ProPublica, Tania Mercado, Mercado, Janet Yellen, Guess Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, Forbes, IRS, Intuit, Google, Internal Revenue Service, Revenue Locations: Silicon, Arizona , California, Florida , New York, Texas, ProPublica

☆ The generative AI future will not be free
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Our paid AI futureToday, we're at the start of a similarly exciting new technology wave with generative AI. Even Google, the master of free online services, is considering paid subscriptions for some of its new AI offerings. So, why will generative AI offerings be paid from the start? One possible answer is that ads may not work as well in this new generative AI future. Charging for new generative AI services is one way to create new earnings.

Persons: —, Chris Anderson, Stephen Colbert, Colbert, Alexa, Insider's Eugene Kim, Sundar Pichai, Bard chatbot, Oren Etzioni, Dave Limp, Etzioni, Goldman Sachs, Goldman Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook, YouTube, Google, Engadget, Alexa, Big Tech, Apple, Microsoft, Meta Locations: Silicon, we're

☆ You can rent a Cybertruck on Turo — if you can cough up $1,000 a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Nora Naughton | Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementThe Tesla Cybertruck is starting to pop up on the vehicle rental app Turo. For about $1,000 a day, in either San Jose, California, or Austin, you can test drive early versions of the Cybertruck. Tesla Cybertruck listing on Turo Business InsiderIt's worth noting that off-roading is restricted by both Turo and the renter in this case. Photo of the Cyberbeast decal in a Turo listing for the Cybertruck Business InsiderThere has already been chatter among Cybertruck fans online about renting out Cybertrucks on Turo, with one posting their experience on TikTok earlier this month. Have you rented a Cybertruck or listed your own Cybertruck on Turo or through another service?

Persons: —, Tesla, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, Turo, Cybertruck Locations: San Jose , California, Austin, Texas, San Jose, San Francisco

☆ I was shocked by all the tiny vehicles I saw in Japan. Here are my top 16 'Kei' vehicles.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Here are the most interesting tiny cars I saw on a recent trip to Japan, along with my top pick. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and other locations were awash with tiny "kei" trucks, cars and vans. Kei cars are also lighter, so even though most are still gas-powered, they are efficient. For passengers, these small vehicles may not perform as well as big vehicles in crashes. Still, I was won over by these kei cars.

Persons: Kei, —, Suzuki Organizations: Service, Daihatsu, Toyota Locations: Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Japanese

☆ Marissa Mayer wants to embrace the AI race and risks — in the right way
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-12 | by ( Josée Rose | Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Marissa Mayer has worked at Google, Yahoo, and founded a startup called Sunshine. But perhaps what Mayer should be most known for is her early bet on artificial intelligence. AdvertisementAs the generative-AI race picks up speed, Mayer said we have to understand the technology's "discomfort zone." Advertisement"What happens with the artificial intelligence the West develops, versus the AI that's developed inside of China?" "The values, standards, and a lot of different things in terms of what goes into the underpinnings of AI is very different across cultures."

Persons: Marissa Mayer, Mayer, —, I've, Sundar Pichai Organizations: Google, Yahoo, Service, Business, Stanford University, Big Tech Locations: Silicon Valley, China, America

☆ Sam Altman suddenly looks less powerful. The panic caused by OpenAI's near-death experience is to blame.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

VCs threatened to sue OpenAI's board, and some jockeyed to get in on whatever new situation might replace the fizzled startup. And in OpenAI's case, Altman was brought back as CEO and all the employees stayed. AdvertisementUntil this moment, the consensus was that Altman came through this crisis looking even more powerful and crucial to OpenAI's future. 'The company will be totally fine without me'Silicon Valley just realized that the fate of the world's most important AI company rested in the hands of just one person. The startup's near-death experience unsettled the companies and developers that have come to rely on OpenAI's artificial intelligence platform.

Persons: OpenAI, Altman, —, Sam Altman, VCs, OpenAI's, Wesley Chan, Claude, Guillermo Rauch, Rauch, pinged Rauch, –, Bret Taylor, Madeline Renbarger Organizations: Service, Microsoft, FDIC, FPV Ventures, Google, Services Locations: Silicon Valley, It's

☆ Yes, Sam Altman is back as OpenAI's CEO, but we still have lots of unanswered questions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

We now know Sam Altman's returning to the company after being fired, but we are still very confused. AdvertisementSam Altman is set to return as CEO of OpenAI after one of the most confusing weeks in Silicon Valley history. Why was Sam Altman suddenly fired as CEO of OpenAI? Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientist who was rumored to play a central role in Sam Altman's ousting, was committed to AI safety. Commentators had speculated that Microsoft would be after an OpenAI board seat — or at least a more formalized communication system — in the wake of the fallout.

Persons: It's, Sam Altman's, —, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Altman, Alistair Barr, Yann LeCun —, Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Adam D'Angelo, Satya Nadella, Nadella, Brockman, Kara Swisher, OpenAI should've, would've, Sam, Elon Musk, Peter Welinder Organizations: Service, Microsoft, OpenAI, Big Tech, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Atlantic, Ofc Locations: OpenAI, Silicon Valley

Sam Altman is returning as the CEO of OpenAI. We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. — OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023The news comes after a chaotic weekend in Silicon Valley. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m… — Sam Altman (@sama) November 22, 2023Nadella has also commented on Altman's return, writing that they are "encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board." November 23, 3:03 p.m. — This story has been updated to reflect Sam Altman and Satya Nadella's comments on X.AdvertisementThis is a developing story.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI, they'd, Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, Adam D'Angelo, —, Altman's, Taylor, Altman, OpenAI's, Satya Nadella, msft, i’m, Nadella, Satya Nadella's Organizations: Service, Microsoft, Business Insider Locations: Silicon Valley, openai

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