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☆ How Google CEO Sundar Pichai shook up his leadership team for the AI era
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

It came almost 12 months after Google combined two key AI groups, DeepMind and Google Brain. Google's AI MVPGoogle DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis GoogleDemis Hassabis might be the most important person at Google right now. Then, in April last year, Pichai announced he would merge DeepMind with Google's in-house AI unit, known as Brain, into a supergroup named Google DeepMind. Reid reports directly to Raghavan, the ads and search senior vice president, and is shepherding a dramatic transition of Google Search. Fears of chatbots eating into Google's search dominance have yet to be realized, giving Google time to reinvent its most hallowed product.

Persons: —, Sundar Pichai, Pichai, Susan Wojcicki, Demis, Hassabis, Larry Page, DeepMind, OpenAI, it's, accrues, ED JONES, Rick Osterloh, Sameer Samat, he'll, Hiroshi Lockheimer, Osterloh, Prabhakar Raghavan, Siri, Tim Cook, Hiroshi, SAJJAD HUSSAIN, Liz Reid, Reid, Raghavan, Pandu Nayak, Venkatachary, It's, chatbots, Bernstein, Mark Shmulik Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Google's, BI, Research, Hassabis, Android, Apple, Apple's Vision, CNBC, Google Local Locations: Raxium

Learn moreWhether you have yet to buy a Mother's Day gift or just want to shop this weekend, Best Buy has you covered. The retailer is holding another three-day event, so we've gathered the best Best Buy deals the store has to offer this week. Apple is also a prevalent player in this week's Best Buy deals, with the 2nd Gen AirPods down to only $80 and the 2nd Gen Apple Pencil down to $79. Best Buy sale quicklinks Appliances : Get up to 30% off major appliances. Shop at Best BuyThis is just a small taste of this weekend's top Best Buy sale picks.

Persons: we've, AirPods, It's, Dyson, JBL, It’s, Mason Organizations: Business, JBL, 2nd, Apple, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm, iPad, Apple Watch

☆ Daniel Ek’s Next Act: Full-Body Scans for the People
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Bernhard Warner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The problem: Mr. Ek had neither a plan, nor the time or money to do much about it. He knew whom to contact: Hjalmar Nilsonne, a Swedish tech entrepreneur who Mr. Ek had met the year prior at the Brilliant Minds event, an annual gathering Mr. Ek started. At first, Mr. Nilsonne rebuffed Mr. Ek’s proposition. But Mr. Ek eventually won him over. Mr. Ek, a former computer coder, and Mr. Nilsonne, an engineer, zeroed in on building a better diagnostic tool.

Persons: Daniel Ek, ” Mr, Ek, DealBook, Hjalmar Nilsonne, Mr, Nilsonne, Watty Organizations: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Amazon Music, Apple Watch, Neko Health Locations: Swedish, Stockholm, London

☆ There is no loneliness epidemic
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

With the report, a steady trickle of headlines about the epidemic turned into a firehose: "Loneliness is at epidemic levels and it's killing Americans" (USA Today); "This Epidemic of Isolation Is as Harmful as Smoking" (Bloomberg); "America's Loneliness Epidemic Comes for the Restaurant" (The Atlantic). There's one problem: The loneliness epidemic doesn't exist. Even the authors caution in their meta-analysis that "the frequently used term 'loneliness epidemic' seems exaggerated." Calling it a "loneliness epidemic," then, may be a bit like calling COVID a "sneezing pandemic." "There are many, many surveys that are just making up questions about loneliness and are not using the UCLA Loneliness Scale or some other validated loneliness scale," she says.

Persons: Vivek Murthy, Murthy, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Sen, Chris Murphy, Ruth, University of Michigan —, Eric Klinenberg, Julianne Holt, it's, Dave Sbarra, Holt, David Riesman, Lunstad, I've, —, Sbarra, Klinenberg, Adam Mastroianni, " Mastroianni, Mastroianni, Biden, isn't, Jill Lepore, voicemails, There's, Jerome Adams Organizations: Bloomberg, Business, York, Gallup, University of Michigan, New York University, Brigham Young University, University of Arizona, Bell, University of California Los, Commerce, UCLA, Republican, Democratic Locations: Connecticut, Brooklyn, University of California Los Angeles, America, Washington, DC, COVID

☆ Jimmy Fallon wakes up at 6 a.m. to a sunrise alarm clock and then checks his WHOOP score to see how he slept
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The late-night host said his sunrise alarm clock wakes him up at 6 a.m. on Mondays. He said his sunrise alarm clock wakes him up with a gradual fake sunrise. AdvertisementA Philips sunrise alarm clock. Fallon did not immediately respond to requests for comment about which sunrise alarm clock he owns. WHOOP offers a free one-month trial period that comes with a pre-owned device.

Persons: Jimmy Fallon, Fallon, —, it's, Fallon hasn't, Barry Chin, everyone's Organizations: Service, Wall, Philips, Boston Globe, Getty, Apple, OpenAI

Oura will now sell its smart rings on Amazon , its latest retail expansion as the health and wellness wearable space continues to grow. Starting Thursday, Oura will have its full selection of rings and accessories available to U.S. shoppers on Amazon through its own brand store. The move also comes as Oura faces a new challenge from Samsung in the smart ring category, as well as other wearables adding more health benefits. More than one million Oura rings have been sold to date, according to Oura. As for Samsung's potential entry into a ring, Sweeny said Oura is viewing it "as a positive thing."

Persons: Oura, Doug Sweeny, Sweeny, Fitbit Organizations: Best, Oura, CNBC Disruptor, Samsung, Apple, Garmin, Amazon, Google, Watch Locations: U.S

☆ Neuralink faced many challenges in its bid to implant humans with brain chips. Here are the key takeaways.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's firm Neuralink said it's successfully implanted a brain chip in its first human patient. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementElon Musk's futuristic company Neuralink has implanted a brain chip into its first human patient. In 2019, Musk said Neuralink was aiming for approval for human trials by the end of 2020. In November last year, the company faced renewed scrutiny over the deaths of Neuralink's test monkeys.

Persons: Elon, Neuralink, it's, —, Musk, Gary Gensler, Stephen Hawking Organizations: Service, Elon, FDA, Reuters, Food and Drug Administration, Wired, SEC

☆ Can You Optimize an Orgasm?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Gina Cherelus | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The data is generated by her vibrator, the Lioness, which measures her arousal and uploads information about her orgasm patterns to the company’s app. The sensors embedded in the toy track her pelvic floor movements. With each involuntary squeeze and release of her pelvic floor muscles, the app displays a graph showing her rhythmic pattern in a series of peaks and valleys. The option to track female orgasms at home introduces the possibility of hacking what some scientists have treated as an enigma. Some people use the tracking technology to combat sexual changes that can come with menopause or polycystic ovary syndrome, for example.

Persons: Melissa, ”, “, it’s Organizations: Apple Watch, Spotify Locations: Chicago, masturbates

☆ Elon Musk claims the first human patient has received a Neuralink brain implant
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk claimed on X that Neuralink's first human patient received their brain implant. AdvertisementElon Musk on Monday claimed in a post on X that a Neuralink brain implant has, for the first time, been inserted into a human patient's brain. "The first human received an implant from @Neuralink yesterday and is recovering well," Musk wrote. AdvertisementMusk previously said the Neuralink device would record and stimulate brain activity, acting as a "Fitbit in your skull," and claimed the implant would eventually "solve" conditions including autism and schizophrenia . "However, any for-profit medical device company also has a vested interest in generating a consumer base, which is why they make the sometimes grandiose claims they do."

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, —, Elon, Stephen Hawking, Hilary Brueck, Neuralink, Tesla, Lou Gehrig's, Insider's Brueck, Randy Bruno, Bruno, that's, Jason T, Eberl, Albert Gnaegi, Healthline Organizations: Service, Business, SpaceX, FDA, Reuters, Columbia University, Albert Gnaegi Center for Health, Saint Louis University

☆ You can now sign up to try a $2,000 AI headband that a startup says will help control your dreams
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Prophetic opened its bookings for users to test its Halo: a headband that aims to control dreaming. The startup claims the Halo can shoot signals to the user's brain when a wearer enters REM sleep. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . The startup claims the model can use ultrasound holograms instead of written prompts to stimulate the prefrontal cortex part of the brain. The Prophetic Halo is retailing for an estimated $2,000.

Persons: —, it's, Eric Wollberg, Wollberg, Elon Musk, Musk, Morpheus Organizations: Service, Morpheus, Business, Twitter, MORPHEUS

☆ Tech layoffs are expected to continue as companies seek to hire more AI talent, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

And more Big Tech layoffs may be coming this year as companies bet big on AI, an analyst told CNBC. As of January 2024, 89 tech companies have laid off almost 25,000 employees, according to tracker site Layoffs.fyi. "Google and the rest of Big Tech are betting big on AI while cutting back on non-strategic areas," Dan Ives, a tech analyst at Wedbush Securities, told CNBC. Layoffs will continue in some areas, while"the hiring frenzy in AI will be unprecedented as this arms race continues across the tech world." But while growing investment in AI may soon put more out of work, new roles are being created within the AI space.

Persons: —, it's, Dan Ives, Ives, Sundar Pichai Organizations: Big Tech, CNBC, Google, Service, Wedbush Securities, Business, Amazon, Prime, Amazon MGM Studios, SAP, Apple, Meta, Nvidia

☆ Leaked memo: Google is laying off hundreds of employees in its advertising sales team
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Google is laying off "several hundred" employees in its advertising sales team, Business Insider has learned. Schindler wrote that the cuts were the result of changes being made to how Google's sales team operates. BI previously reported that Google was shifting more staff away from Large Customer Sales (LCS), a team that serves the company's bigger advertising clients, to its Google Customer Solutions (GCS) team, which serves more medium-level clients. This reorg is the next evolution of that as cuts appear to be primarily targeted at the LCS team. Our goal has always been to have the right customer, mapped to the right channel for growth, with the best support models and streamlined operations.

Persons: Philipp Schindler, Google's, Schindler, Max, Chris Pappas, Jerry Dischler, Vidhya Srinivasan, Here's, we've, we're, I've, we'll, Philipp Organizations: Google, Business, BI, LCS, Alphabet Workers, Global, Solutions

☆ Google staff sound off about 'corporate overlords,' impersonal layoffs, and a changing company culture, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewIt's just days since Google employees were hit by another round of layoffs. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. However, CEO Sundar Pichai has yet to address the new round of layoffs internally, a report by The Verge's Command Line said. The poorly explained job cuts have left some employees disgruntled and lashing out against management. The popular post, which referenced Google's last round of job cuts, read: "Thank you, our corporate overlords, for our new annual tradition."

Persons: —, Sundar Pichai, we've Organizations: Service, Google, Business, Verge's, Amazon

☆ Google is laying off staff who work on some of its most recognizable products
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The layoffs include hundreds of employees who work on some of the company’s most recognizable products, including Google Assistant, the voice-activated software that helps users check the weather, set timers and quickly look up facts. The Google Assistant layoffs are at least partly driven by a shift in focus toward artificial intelligence, Google said, amid plans to more deeply integrate the company’s latest AI models into its products. Google is working to find other roles for some of the affected employees amid the restructuring, the company said. “We’re responsibly investing in our company’s biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. The layoffs were earlier reported by Semafor and 9to5 Google, which also reported that Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman are departing Google as part of this week’s changes.

Persons: “, ”, Semafor, Fitbit, James Park, Eric Friedman Organizations: Washington CNN, Google, CNN

☆ Here are some last-minute options to spend down your flexible savings account ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's common for workers to not know what their employer's FSA rules are. Stock up on over-the-counter medications The CARES Act of March 2020 removed prescription requirements to use FSA funds for many over-the-counter medicines. Buy certain skin care products You can use your FSA savings for eczema-approved creams and lotions. Plan ahead for a new baby New and expectant parents can use their FSA funds for baby products such as diaper rash cream, baby breathing monitors and baby sunscreen. How to use FSA funds wisely

Persons: Tom Werner, Digitalvision, Carolyn McClanahan, Jake Spiegel, you've Organizations: Getty, Planning Partners, CNBC's, Research, CNBC, Invest, Garmin, IRS Locations: Jacksonville , Florida

The Commission's legal service did not think a statement of objections regarding the deal was warranted, in contrast with antitrust officials handling the case, the people said. Without such a charge sheet, the deal would have been cleared unconditionally. The lawyers subsequently changed their mind and backed antitrust officials' decision to send the charge sheet setting out their concerns, the sources said on condition of anonymity, declining to provide confidential details. Antitrust officials can override objections from the legal service by either tweaking or narrowing their concerns to get their backing or by appealing to the top officials. While Amazon might still gain unconditional approval to buy iRobot, the charge sheet indicates that officials are looking to remedies from the company to address their concerns.

Persons: Pascal, Foo Yun Chee, Richard Chang Organizations: Rights, European Commission, Antitrust, Reuters, EU, Google, Digital, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: Boves, France, Rights BRUSSELS

Cheetahs are usually daytime hunters, but the speedy big cats will shift their activity toward dawn and dusk hours during warmer weather, a new study finds. While cheetahs only eat fresh meat, lions and leopards will sometimes opportunistically scavenge from smaller predators. But the new study found that on the hottest days, when maximum daily temperatures soared to nearly 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), cheetahs became more nocturnal — increasing their overlapping hunting hours with rival big cats by 16%. In addition to competition with lions and leopards, cheetahs already face severe pressure from habitat fragmentation and conflict with humans. The fastest land animal, cheetahs are the rarest big cat in Africa, with fewer than 7,000 left in the wild.

Persons: ”, Briana Abrahms, Bettina Wachter, Wachter, Kasim Rafiq, Rafiq —, it's Organizations: Cheetahs, Royal Society, University of Washington, “, Cheetah Research, Leibniz Institute for Zoo, Wildlife Research, Botswana Predator Conservation, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: “ Lions, Namibia, Botswana, Africa, Zambia

☆ Thousands of people are reportedly lining up to have a portion of their skull removed and one of Elon Musk's brain chips implanted
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk's startup received FDA approval to start human trials earlier this year. The brain chip startup aims to implant a device that acts as a "Fitbit in your skull." NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementAdvertisementThousands of people have expressed interest in receiving one of Neuralink's brain implants, according to a recent Bloomberg report from one of Elon Musk's biographers, Ashlee Vance. "They are currently kicking our ass," Musk said after Synchron implanted its first device in a US patient in July 2022.

Persons: —, Elon Musk's, Ashlee Vance, Neuralink, Musk, Vance, Elon, Musk's, Synchron, That's, SpaceX's Organizations: Bloomberg, Elon Musk's, Service, US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Reuters, SpaceX, YouTube Locations: Australia

☆ Alphabet chief Pichai labored in trenches but rose to defend search giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The move was done to give Page fewer direct reports and product units to oversee. * Pichai became CEO of Google in 2015 and all of Alphabet in 2019. * Alphabet, Google's parent company, has a long list of other businesses. Since Pichai became CEO, it acquired Fitbit in 2021 and the security company Mandiant in 2022. * Pichai's total compensation was about $226 million in 2022, more than 800 times the median employee's pay, the company said in a securities filing in April.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Larry Page, Andy Rubin, Page, Pichai, Bard, Diane Bartz, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Google, U.S, India's, White, REUTERS, Rights, Big Tech, Wharton, Stanford University, Indian Institute of Technology, McKinsey & Co, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

☆ How 'micro' breaks throughout the day can help decrease work burnout—'flow + rest = success'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

They found that having short periodic breaks dedicated to exercise, meditation and goal setting can help increase flow while working, which in turn can prevent burnout. On top of this, the employees in the flow group were also encouraged to have 10-15 minute breaks sprinkled two to three times throughout the day. This increase in flow led to a decrease in reported stress and stability in the physiological symptoms. Participants in the flow group left work feeling less drained and actually had the time after work to rest and recuperate, preparing themselves to enter the next working day with even more focus and energy. "There is this common expression that 'stress + rest = success', well we are changing that a bit into "flow + rest = success."

Persons: Exos, Chris Bertram, Bertram Organizations: Hofstra University

That's why I'm spending Prime Day looking out for the gaming deals that are actually worth your money. I've been scouring Amazon Prime Big Deal Day's kitchen section to find Prime Day deals on kitchen items. Displays can vary a lot in performance, so figuring out which Prime Day deals on TVs are worth your money can be tricky. Some of the best Prime Day deals on printers include the Brother MFC-J1010DW, a budget multi-function unit that's less than $80. I'm also loving the Prime Day deals on Rivet furniture (read our Rivet review), including 15% off a leather sectional.

Persons: we've, I've, Zelda, I'm, — William Antonelli, that's, — Gabrielle Chase, Lily Alig, — Steven Cohen, Apple, There's, — John Lynch, Amazon Steven Cohen, James, — James Brains, Sam Crozier, — Sally Kaplan, Lash, haircare, — Kevin Webb, Les Shu, — Lauren Savoie, Anker, soundbar, wimpy, — Lisa Sabatini, Amazon Emma Kershaw, Sarah Saril, Rick Stella Organizations: Amazon Amazon, Hispanic Heritage, Amazon Antonio, Boas, Buyers, Sony WH, Amazon Apple, Apple Watches, Amazon, Samsung, Amazon The, Casper, Samsung's, Facebook, Amazon Dyson, Deal, Nvidia, Gaming, MFC, HP, Samsung Watch, Garmin, Apple, Amazon Amazon Prime, Kindle Locations: Western

Learn moreAmazon's October Prime Day event is here, as its Prime Big Deal Days sale takes place October 10 and 11. Below are the best Prime Day fitness tracker deals you can buy, including discounts on a few smartwatches that offer essential fitness features. To see more of what's on sale during Prime Big Deal Days, check out our live roundup of the best Prime Day deals. The best Prime Day fitness tracker dealsSee more fitness tracker deals at Amazon. Prime Day fitness tracker deals buying adviceIs Prime Day the best time to buy a fitness tracker?

Persons: you've, it's Organizations: Deal, Garmin, Apple, Amazon, Prime, Apple Watch, Samsung, Amazon Prime

The Pixel Watch 2 replaces the first-generation Pixel Watch, which was released in October of 2022. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhere to preorder the Google Pixel Watch 2The Google Pixel Watch 2 can be preordered through the Google Store, or at other retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon. AdvertisementAdvertisementGoogle Pixel Watch 2: pricePricing for the Google Pixel Watch 2 starts at $349 for the Bluetooth and WiFi-only option, and $399 for the LTE-enabled model. Google Pixel Watch 2: new featuresJohn Lynch/InsiderThe Pixel Watch 2 ushers in a number of upgrades over its predecessor, the first-generation Pixel Watch, that appear to make it a solid blend of being both a Google smartwatch and a Fitbit fitness tracker. AdvertisementAdvertisementGoogle Pixel Watch 2: release dateThe Google Pixel Watch 2 will be available starting October 12 and is available for preorder now via the Google Store.

Persons: John Lynch, There's Organizations: Google, Bluetooth, Walmart, Watch, Pixel, Fitbit, Samsung Galaxy, preorder

☆ Google's latest Pixel phones have new camera AI tricks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Sofia Blum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

In this article GOOG Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTGoogle's new Pixel lineup including the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel Watch 2, and the Pixel Buds Pro. The Pixel 8 starts at $699, while the Pixel 8 Pro starts at $999. Google Pixel 8 Pro Courtesy: GoogleThe Pixel 8 Pro also has a built-in thermometer. Pixel Watch 2Google Pixel Watch 2 Courtesy: GoogleGoogle also unveiled its Pixel Watch 2. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Google Pixel Watch 2 Courtesy: Google

Persons: Pro Max, it's, It's Organizations: Google Google, Google, Pro, Android, Pixel Watch Locations: New York City

☆ Your Fitbit and Apple Watch may wind up hurting you
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Kelli María Korducki | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementWhen numbers take overThe 10,000-step benchmark has generally been the baseline goal for smartphone apps and fitness trackers. When the Fitbit tracker launched in 2009, 45 years after Yamasa's gadget cemented the 10,000-steps ideal in the public consciousness, it kick-started a boom in fitness wearables and spawned a frenzy for health data. This flood of easily accessible health data has certainly had some positive effects. Many fitness-tracking products also incorporate social-sharing features, which can give us a better perspective on how our exercise habits stack up against our friends', providing a little healthy competition as motivation. Many health- and fitness-tracking apps and wearables issue notifications throughout the day to urge their users toward their movement goals.

Persons: I've, Amanda Paluch, —, Paluch, John Toner, Toner, Cathleen Kronemer, Louis, she's, Kronemer, there's, I'm, Kelli María Korducki Organizations: Apple, US Department of Health, Human Services, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of Hull, Health, Washington University School of Medicine, — Locations: East Asia, St, New York City

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