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☆ The story of Neuralink: Elon Musk's AI brain-chip company that has implanted its first chip into a human patient
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In 2020, Neuralink showed off one of its chips embedded in a pig named Gertrude. The Neuralink device in Gertrude's brain transmitted live data during the demo as she snuffled around. Musk said the pig had been living with the chip embedded in her skull for two months. "This is solid engineering, but mediocre neuroscience," he said. Jackson told Insider following the 2020 presentation that the wireless relay from the Neuralink chip could potentially have a big impact on the welfare of animal test subjects in science, as most neural interfaces currently in use on test animals involve wires poking out through the skin.

Persons: Neuralink, Gertrude, Musk, Andrew Jackson, Jackson Organizations: Newcastle University

☆ The story of Neuralink: Elon Musk's AI brain chip company where he had twins with a top executive
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Neuralink is one of Elon Musk's strange and futuristic companies. Neuralink is Musk's neural interface technology company. It's developing a device that would be embedded in a person's brain, where it would record brain activity and potentially stimulate it. Musk also had twins with top Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, Insider was first to report. While Musk likes to talk up his futuristic vision for the technology, the tech has some potential near-term medical applications.

☆ Elon Musk says he won't ban the Twitter account that tracks his jet due to his commitment to free speech. He previously offered the owner $5,000 to take it down.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk said he won't ban the Twitter account that tracks his private jet. Musk previously offered the account owner, Jack Sweeney, $5,000 to take it down. Sweeney thanked Musk and told Insider he'd still be open to discussing a new deal to take it down. Musk previously offered Sweeney $5,000 to take down the account and asked for advice on how to make his jet less trackable, Insider's Isobel Asher Hamilton reported in January. Sweeney told Insider in a phone interview Sunday he was "pleased" Musk addressed his account but wasn't surprised by his decision.

☆ The wild life of billionaire Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who has apologized for Elon Musk's layoffs and is known for eccentricities like eating one meal a day, and taking ice baths
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | Katie Canales | Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Jack Dorsey cofounded Twitter in 2006 and the company made him a billionaire. He's famous for his unusual life of luxury, including a daily fasting routine and regular ice baths. He stepped down as Twitter CEO in November 2021 but continues to lead Block as its "Block Head." From fighting armies of bots to quashing rumors about sending his beard hair to rapper Azealia Banks, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey leads an unusual life of luxury. Scroll on to read more about the fabulous life of Jack Dorsey.

☆ Amazon confirms it is raising pay for warehouse staff and delivery drivers by $1 per hour
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon announced Wednesday it's upping pay for warehouse workers and drivers by roughly $1 per hour. Insider's Katherine Long reported Amazon was planning broad pay raises of between $0.50 and $1 on Wednesday before Amazon's announcement. Amazon did not say specifically why it had chosen now to up pay for its warehouse workers and drivers. This year saw the creation of the first US Amazon warehouse workers' union at a facility in Staten Island, New York. Amazon warehouse workers in the UK protested in August after being awarded a pay rise of 35p (38 cents).

☆ Apple kicked Russia's biggest social media platform off the App Store
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple removed VK, Russia's biggest social media platform, from the App Store. Apple users can no longer download the VK app, although it will continue to work for users who'd already downloaded it. Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyApple has removed VK, Russia's biggest social media app, from its App Store, as first reported by The Verge. Major Western social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram were blocked by the Russian government at the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's not clear whether Google will bring in similar restrictions on VK in its own app store.

☆ Apple's new London office is set to open in 2023 inside a decommissioned coal-fired power station — take a look
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple plans to move 1,400 London staff into a new office in Battersea Power Station in 2023. Cook tweeted Monday that Apple would open the new office, in Battersea Power Station, in 2023. An Apple spokesperson told Insider the Battersea Power Station office would cover 500,000 square feet and occupy six floors. A rendering of Apple's new Battersea Power Station office, shared by CEO Tim Cook. PA Images via Getty ImagesBuilt between 1929 and 1955, at its peak, the coal-fired power plant supplied 20% of London's electricity.

☆ Animal rights group seeks release of 185 pictures related to the autopsies of animals that died during experiments for Elon Musk's Neuralink
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An animal-rights group says UC Davis has 371 photos showing Neuralink's experiments on monkeys. UC Davis and Neuralink have refuted the claims its test animals experienced "extreme suffering." The group said they learned of the photos through a legal document from UC Davis dated September 7, 2022. A spokesperson from Neuralink did not respond to a request for comment and a UC Davis spokesperson referred Insider to a previous statement. "Animal research is strictly regulated and UC Davis follows all applicable laws and regulations including those of the US Department of Agriculture," the statement said.

☆ Amazon officially confirms it will hold a 2nd 'Prime Day' sales event in October
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon announced it's holding a new sales event called the "Prime Early Access Sale" in October. Amazon has historically had a big sales event for its prime subscribers in July. Insider previously reported Amazon was planning the second October event. The October timing of the Early Access Sale means Amazon will be throwing the sales event right before it heads into its busy holiday season, known internally as "peak." Amazon did not immediately respond when contacted by Insider about why it had decided to introduce another sales day.

☆ Meta has to pay walkie-talkie app $174 million for infringing on its patents, jury says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Voxer accused Meta of infringing its patents with Facebook Live and Instagram Live. A jury ruled in favor of Voxer Wednesday and ordered Meta to pay $174.5 million in damages. The jury ordered Meta to pay Voxer $174.5 million in damages, and struck down attempts by Meta to have Voxer's patents invalidated. It also accused Facebook of using communications technology patented by Voxer in its Facebook Live and Instagram Live features. "We believe the evidence at trial demonstrated that Meta did not infringe Voxer's patents," a Meta spokesperson told Bloomberg Law.

☆ Amazon didn't give its UK warehouse workers a full day off for the Queen's funeral
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Queen Elizabeth II was given a state funeral on Monday, and many UK workers got the day off. Amazon workers told Insider they had to make up the difference using their personal time off. For some UK workers the time-off was not paid, as reported by Insider's Bethany Dawson. Many Amazon workers work four 10-hour shifts meaning to actually have the day off they'd need to sub in two hours of their personal allotted time off, both workers told Insider. Both workers told Insider warehouse workers had to request the time off, meaning managers had the ability to deny it.

☆ California is suing Amazon, accusing it of inflating prices and crushing competition
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-15 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

California is suing Amazon accusing it of anticompetitive conduct. The lawsuit says Amazon coerces third-party sellers into agreeing not to sell their products cheaper anywhere else. The suit seeks to stop Amazon from enforcing contracts that restrict the prices sellers can set for their products off Amazon. In response to the lawsuit an Amazon spokesperson told Insider: "Sellers set their own prices for the products they offer in our store." This isn't the first time Amazon has been accused of anticompetitive conduct in relation to third-party sellers.

☆ Elon Musk says 'population collapse' is more dangerous than global warming. Experts say that won't happen.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-02 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk is scared low birth rates could lead to what he calls "population collapse." Experts told Insider the global population is still growing, and when it shrinks it'll be gradual. "Global population decline is therefore still some way off, and is likely to happen gradually when it does take place. Dr. Peter Matanle, an expert in East Asian social and cultural geography, agreed low birth rates "will not cause a population collapse." Reid also disputed Musk's claim that low birth rates are a "bigger risk to civilization than global warming."

☆ Elon Musk's Starlink gets FCC green light to beam broadband into moving cars, planes, boats
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-01 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Starlink is now allowed to beam broadband into moving vehicles, the FCC said Thursday. This means it will be possible to use Starlink in moving cars, planes, and boats. Starlink already has deals to provide in-flight WiFi to at least two airlines. Starlink uses a network of satellites in low orbit to beam down broadband to users' satellite dishes, called terminals. At launch the company said the internet service could not be used while the RV was in motion.

☆ A former 'The Apprentice' contestant who first pitched Truth Social to Trump has left the company behind the app, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-29 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Andy Dean Litinsky, a senior exec at the company behind Truth Social, left months ago Reuters reports. Litinsky is a former "The Apprentice" contestant who reportedly pitched Truth Social to Donald Trump. Andy Dean Litinsky — who sometimes goes by just Andy Dean — appeared as a contestant on the first season of "The Apprentice" with Trump in 2004, and was hired by Trump in 2006 to head up his production company Trump Productions. The New York Times, The Guardian, and Reuters reported Litinsky pitched the idea for Truth Social to Trump along with fellow former "The Apprentice" cast member Wes Moss in January 2021. One source told The Guardian in April that Litinsky and Moss were the "senior, day-to-day leadership" at Trump Media and Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social.

☆ Amazon CEO tells staff it is still committed to diversity after a management shakeup left it with no top Black executives
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-23 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon lost two top Black executives amid a management shakeup Tuesday. Amazon's top-level executive team now has no Black executives on it. Alicia Boler-Davis is one of two senior Black executives to depart Amazon this week. Marcus Ingram/Getty Images"It's not lost on any of us that we're losing two of our most senior Black leaders," Jassy wrote in the memo, as published by CNBC. "I am (as I know the rest of s team is) committed to continuing to hire and develop Black senior leaders, as well as leaders in other under-represented segments," he added.

☆ Tesla's 10% staff cuts have kicked off, with ex-employees confirming on LinkedIn that they've been laid off
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-15 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Job cuts appear to have started, with Tesla staffers saying on LinkedIn that they've been laid off. The Tesla staffers posting on LinkedIn come from various departments across the company. On Wednesday morning, Insider found 11 LinkedIn posts from Tesla employees who said they'd been laid off as part of the cut. After saying the company would cut 10% of salaried staff, Musk confusingly said its total head count would increase, and that salaried staff would be "fairly flat." He also instituted a new policy that mandates Tesla staff return to the office for a minimum of 40 hours per week.

Persons: Elon Musk, they've, Tesla, they'd, I've, Christopher Bousigues, he'd, Musk Organizations: Morning, Securities and Exchange Commission, Reuters, Tesla, Netflix, Microsoft Locations: Tesla's Singapore, China

☆ Elon Musk reportedly issued an ultimatum to Tesla staff: return to the office or quit
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk reportedly told Tesla's executive staff to return to the office or resign. Elon Musk issued an ultimatum to Tesla's executive staff on Tuesday, calling for the workers to come into the office and stop "phoning it in" or quit, according to reports. Musk reportedly said in one of the emails that if staff continue to work remotely, he will assume that they have resigned. Musk titled his first email "remote work is no longer acceptble (sic)" and appeared to address it only to a listserv for executive staff, according to Electrek. "The more senior your are, the more visible must be your presence," Musk wrote, according to Electrek.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Samuel Nissim, Nissim, —, Tesla, Insider's Isobel Asher Hamilton, Brian Chesky, gkay Organizations: Morning, Twitter, Electrek, Washington Post, SpaceX, Financial Times, Bloomberg Locations: Shanghai

☆ SpaceX is selling shares at $125 billion valuation as Elon Musk rejigs Twitter financing, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-17 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sources told The Post and Bloomberg SpaceX is planning to sell employee stock at $70 a share. The Post reported the sale, which would value the company at $125 billion, would start on Tuesday. It is not clear whether Musk is selling stock as part of the employee offer, Bloomberg reported. Bloomberg reported last week that Musk was seeking financing to replace a $12.5 billion loan against his Tesla stake. On Monday Bloomberg reported that Musk told a Miami tech conference that negotiating a lower price for Twitter was not "out of the question."

☆ Amazon drivers staged a protest demanding higher pay to cope with surging gas prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-03-18 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Delivery drivers are trying to pressure Amazon to pay more to its Flex program drivers to accommodate surging gas prices. Around 50 delivery and rideshare drivers, including drivers for the Flex delivery program, gathered to protest outside an Amazon warehouse near Los Angeles on Wednesday, CNBC reported. Gas prices have spiked since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine at the end of February, and the price of gas had already been rising in the months running up to the invasion. The national average price for gas was $4.27 a gallon as of Thursday, according to American Automobile Association Gas Prices, an increase of about 75 cents from a month earlier.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Wednesday, CNBC, Russia, American Automobile Association Gas, Business Locations: Los Angeles, Ukraine

☆ Watch Tesla's $133,000 Model S Plaid race around the Nürburgring in record time
▼ + stars: | 2021-09-13 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk tweeted that the Tesla Model S Plaid broke a record for the Nürburgring race track. CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday that a Tesla Model S Plaid had completed the Nürburgring in 7 minutes, 30.9 seconds. The $133,000 Model S Plaid broke the previous record for production EVs, set by Porsche's Taycan Turbo, by just over 11 seconds. Tesla would go again with a modified version of the Model S Plaid, Musk said. The 1,000-horsepower Plaid is the most powerful version of the Model S.It's one of the fastest production cars ever made.

Persons: Elon Musk, Plaid, Tesla, Porsche's Taycan, Musk Organizations: Tesla, Porsche, Plaid, Model

☆ There's a debate raging in video games over whether loot boxes should be classified as gambling
▼ + stars: | 2020-07-05 | by ( Isobel Asher Hamilton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

There's a debate raging over whether in-game loot boxes encourage kids to gamble. In the UK, the House of Lords this week recommended the legal reclassification of loot boxes in video games as gambling. Experts are divided over whether paying for loot boxes has a causal link to gambling and one told Business Insider it could be "apocalyptically stupid" to regulate loot boxes like gambling without doing more research. In some games, players are able to trade the rewards they get from loot boxes with each other for real money. The 71% figure referred to the share of players in the sample who had played games with loot boxes, not the share of games containing loot boxes.

Persons: —, David Zendle, Zendle, Pete Etchells, Andrew Przybylski, Przybylski Organizations: Service, FIFA, Steam, Juniper Research, University of York, Bath Spa University, Oxford Internet Institute, Business

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