DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ PRO: Watch CNBC's full interview with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPRO: Watch CNBC's full interview with Uber CEO Dara KhosrowshahiDara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's partnership with Waymo, Uber's ability in different municipalities, and customer's willingness to accept an autonomous vehicle.

Persons: Dara Khosrowshahi Dara Khosrowshahi, Waymo

She has pushed conspiracy theories about undocumented immigrants registering to vote in November, and she touted the baseless story about Haitian immigrants eating cats. On Wednesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., called for Loomer to delete an “extremely racist” post targeting Vice President Kamala Harris. “This does not represent President Trump. Greene has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and made controversial remarks about the Holocaust, comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust before later apologizing. She also previously expressed support for the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon and been criticized for a series of racist comments.

Persons: Donald Trump, Laura Loomer, Trump, Sen, JD Vance, Loomer, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Harris, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Marjorie Taylor Greene, MAGA, ” Greene, ” Harris, Greene, George Floyd Organizations: Wednesday, Trump, NBC News, NBC Locations: New York, Manhattan, Ohio

☆ Visual AI startup NEX raises $3.5 million seed round led by Foundation Capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-27 | by ( Sri Muppidi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Lam aims to change that with NEX, which develops AI image tools for entertainment, gaming, and marketing. Founded in late 2023, the company recently raised a $3.5 million seed round led by Foundation Capital, with participation from Point72 Ventures. NEX does this by enabling users to generate images inspired by other images, not just text inputs, in a "real-time canvas." The startup's tech can also tailor the AI models based on a customer's existing data, a process called finetuning, or even develop models from scratch. Lam's vision for NEX is to be the "visual media tool for the AI era."

Persons: —, Darius Lam, Lam, NEX Ikon, NEX, OpenAI's Organizations: Service, Business, Foundation Capital, Point72 Ventures, NEX, Cerebras Systems, Adobe, Autodesk

☆ Internal Amazon sales guidelines spread doubt about OpenAI capabilities while bad-mouthing Microsoft and Google
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-26 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Other talking points from the documents include OpenAI's lack of access to third-party AI models and weak enterprise-level contracts. "For generative AI workloads, AWS will compete most often w/ Microsoft's Azure OpenAI Service, OpenAI (directly), and Google Cloud's Generative AI on Vertex AI," one of the documents said. Instead, Amazon has prioritized selling AI tools like Bedrock, which gives customers access to third-party AI models. The sales guidelines also outline how AWS sales reps should respond to customers' questions about Microsoft and Google. In situations where Microsoft pitches its AI-powered analytics software, Fabric, to customers, AWS salespeople are instructed to say, "Microsoft Fabric is a new (unproven) offering."

Persons: —, It's, isn't, ChatGPT, OpenAI, OpenAI's, Sam Altman, Jason Redmond, Claude, Satya Nadella, Justin Sullivan, Maia, We're, they're, doesn't, Atle Erlingsson Organizations: Microsoft, Google, AWS, Service, Business, OpenAI, Amazon, Nvidia, Getty, Meta, Amazon's, AI, Fortune Locations: AFP

☆ I don't let my emotions get in the way of my business. Here's how I overcome 6 common frustrations.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Susie Moore | ) 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. As Warren Buffett said, "Until you can manage your emotions, don't expect to manage money." I started my career in sales and business development in adtech in 2007 and became a full-time life coach in 2014. Here's how I manage six of the most common business frustrations. As a former sales director for a Fortune 500 company, I know that success usually comes down to volume.

Persons: —, Warren Buffett, I've, It's, you've, we've, it's, they're, you'll, Susie Moore Organizations: Service, Business, Fortune, Staff, Mother's Locations: adtech

☆ How 'Coach' Tim Walz led high schoolers with dad vibes, irrepressible energy, and one classic Simpsons episode
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-10 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | Alice Tecotzky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"I was just your average adolescent, angry punk rock vegan kid who hated the system, and thought: 'Oh, my God, this guy's the football coach. Screw him' — because nothing says 'the system' like the football coach." Walz coached Becker at Mankato West football team in the late 1990s. A football turnaroundIn the late 1990s, Mankato West football struggled. "I didn't necessarily see this coming," said Greenwald, who is an assistant football coach himself.

Persons: —, Seth Meyer, Tim Walz, Meyer, Walz —, that's, Walz, Homer —, Mankato West High School Seth Meyer Walz, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, JD Vance, blunting, Bob Becker, Becker, Seth Greenwald, David Schoettler, Rick Sutton, we're, Sutton, Tim, " Walz, Schoettler, Greenwald, he's, q70HV0H8F1 Organizations: Service, Mankato West High School, Democratic, Business, Titans, Minnesota State, Mankato West, Mankato Locations: Midwestern, San Francisco, Mankato West, @RickSutton7

☆ 10 fast-food menu items you didn't know were more than 50 years old
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Erin Mcdowell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Many popular fast-food items were invented decades ago and remain unchanged. Other fast-food chains have similar menu items from when they first opened. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! AdvertisementMany chains are experimenting with new menu items, like Taco Bell's lineup of Cheez-It items, as well as expanding upon old favorites — think Burger King's Fiery Bacon Whopper or Wendy's new saucy nuggets. While introducing new and exciting menu items is one way to grab a customer's attention, there's also something to be said for chains keeping their oldest, most popular menu items at the forefront of their businesses.

Persons: —, there's Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Verizon sees early success using generative AI to answer questions from business customers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Verizon uses generative AI to reduce the workload from its high volume of business-related calls. Debika Bhattacharya, the chief technology-solutions officer at Verizon Business, said Verizon received 170 million calls from business and individual customers every year. Last year, the company added generative AI as another layer to help reduce the demands on customer-service agents and answer clients' questions faster. AI in actionIncorporating generative AI into its business-to-business customer-service strategy helps agents answer questions and resolve issues faster, Bhattacharya said. Bhattacharya said it's too early to share data about how generative AI was improving Verizon's business customer service.

Persons: —, Debika Bhattacharya, Bhattacharya, it's Organizations: Verizon, Service, Verizon Communications, Fortune, Verizon Business, hyperpersonalization, Telecom Locations: New York City

☆ Traders expect a monster 18% move in Carvana post earnings this week. How to play it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It reports earnings this week and traders are expecting a monster move. Customers can browse a large inventory of used vehicles on Carvana's website, complete with detailed photos, 360-degree views, and vehicle history reports. Their model eliminates most of the negative associations of used car dealers by offering convenience, transparency, and a hassle-free car buying experience without the used car salesman. The company's stock fell more than 80% from February 2020 in the pandemic plunge before rallying 1600% on record used car margins caused by supply constraints due to pandemic shutdowns. CVNA YTD mountain Carvana (YTD) Carvana will report earnings this coming Wednesday after the bell and the 18% earnings-related implied move ranks near the top of the Russell 1000 companies regarding earnings volatility.

Persons: Carvana, Russell, I'm Organizations: Carvana, Machines, CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL

☆ Read the memo from CrowdStrike explaining how its update broke the world's computers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-24 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The issue on Friday involved a Rapid Response Content update with an undetected error. Rapid Response Content Testing and DeploymentRapid Response Content is delivered as content configuration updates to the Falcon sensor. This release followed all Sensor Content testing procedures outlined above in the Sensor Content section. Software Resiliency and TestingImprove Rapid Response Content testing by using testing types such as: Local developer testing Content update and rollback testing Stress testing, fuzzing and fault injection Stability testing Content interface testingAdd additional validation checks to the Content Validator for Rapid Response Content. Rapid Response Content DeploymentImplement a staggered deployment strategy for Rapid Response Content in which updates are gradually deployed to larger portions of the sensor base, starting with a canary deployment.

Persons: —, CrowdStrike Organizations: Delta Air Lines, Windows, Linux, IPC

It's also for that reason that the best savings account bonuses are typically smaller than checking account offerings. How bank account bonuses workEarning a bank account bonus is typically a straightforward process. Benefits of bank account bonusesYou can earn a cash bonus when you open a bank account just by completing the bank's promotional requirements. How to maximize the value of bank account bonusesYour greatest risk of not earning a bank bonus is misunderstanding the conditions set by the bank. Common Bank Account Bonus FAQsWhat should I look for in a bank account bonus offer?

Persons: Banks, You've, Jay Zigmont, It's, it's, doesn't, Zigmont, you've Organizations: Childfree, Chevron

You can keep money in a bank account during a recession and it will be safe through FDIC and NCUA deposit insurance. Up to $250,000 is secure in individual bank accounts and $500,000 is safe in joint bank accounts. If you're concerned about whether money is safe in a bank during a recession, there's good news — your money will be likely secure in a bank account. Savings accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, and CDs are examples of federally insured bank accounts. Up to $250,000 is secure in individual bank accounts, and $250,000 is protected per owner in joint bank accounts.

Persons: they're, Jeffrey Miron, Miron, Charles Calomiris, Maggie Gomez, Maggie, Gomez, You'll, Banks Organizations: FDIC, Pew Research, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Harvard University, Columbia Business School, National Credit Union Administration, Bank, doesn't Locations: U.S, United States, Chevron

☆ See the 9-slide pitch deck that startup Thoughtful AI used to raise $20 million from Drive Capital for its AI agents
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"We just didn't see the ROI except for in healthcare," Thoughtful AI cofounder and CEO Alex Zekoff said. AdvertisementThe Austin, Texas-based startup just grabbed $20 million in Series A funding, led by Drive Capital and including TriplePoint Capital. Thoughtful AI is also announcing its first three AI agents, named CAM, EVA, and PHIL, to process medical claims, check patient insurance coverage, and record payments. Zekoff said Thoughtful AI aims to hit $10 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of the summer. Check out the presentation Thoughtful AI used to raise $20 million from Drive Capital.

Persons: —, Alex Zekoff, it's, PHIL, — it's, Zekoff Organizations: Service, Business, Drive Capital, TriplePoint, Athelas, Big Tech Locations: Austin , Texas, Brazil, Romania

☆ Wende Zomnir revolutionized makeup with Urban Decay. She's not done building her empire.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Amanda Krause | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

And Urban Decay was the first brand to have all recycled paper cartons," she told BI. "So it's not like Caliray's wellness and sustainability is a 180 departure from Urban Decay. Wende Zomnir at an Urban Decay party in 2018. Wende Zomnir CalirayStarting fresh with CalirayConceptualizing a new makeup brand with a California aesthetic was a no-brainer for Zomnir. While on the road promoting Urban Decay, she noticed that people asked her the same questions: What's California like?

Persons: I'm, Zomnir, she's, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden skincare, Leo Burnett, Sandy Lerner, Lerner, she'd, Wende, Han Myung, Carol Hamilton, Tara Simon, Caliray's mascara, Caliray, There's, She's Organizations: Business, Leo, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Cisco Systems, Beauty Independent, Urban, Fast Company, BI Locations: New Jersey, she's, Newport Beach , California, It's, Texas, California, Sandy, L'Oréal, Sephora

☆ Finally, an explanation for why it's so frustrating to deal with customer service
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Corporations absolve their employees of responsibility by delegating decision-making to an algorithm or deferring to company policy. Sorry, it's company policyAccording to Davies, accountability sinks emerged over the past decades of privatization and technological innovation. In addition, middle management and customer service jobs were cut or outsourced as corporations prioritized profits, optimizing costs, and delivering strong quarterly earnings. It often looks like a customer service representative working within a system with limited options to help. Accountability sinks can range from customer service to decision-making at major corporations.

Persons: —, you've, Dan Davies, It's, Davies, Milton Friedman, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Dave Calhoun, there's Organizations: Service, Business, Boeing, CNBC Locations: jtowfighi@businessinsider.com

And at some Chipotle locations, customers filmed workers to try to make sure they didn't skimp on their burrito bowls. The three joined a growing list of consumer brands contending with customers' deep frustration over high prices — and wariness that prices will only rise more. Walmart, on the other hand, said the new price tags will cut a tedious task from store workers' to-do lists. They eliminate the need for store workers to swap out traditional paper tags. Shoppers at a Walmart store in Secaucus, New Jersey, US, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Persons: Wendy's, Jean, Pierre Dubé, David Chavern, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, hasn't, Dianna Campbell, she's, Campbell isn't, Biden, skimping, Sen, Bob Casey, Andrea Foote, Tricia Moriarty, it's, Jim Cramer, CNBC's, Brian Niccol, Chipotle, We've, Wells, Zachary Fadem, Brandon Bell, It's, Kirk Tanner, Yuki Iwamura, Cristina Rodrigues, Gabby Jones Organizations: Walmart, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Consumers, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Brands Association, Procter, Gamble, Pew Research, Pew, Reuters Shrinkflation, Federal Reserve, Customers, Gatorade, PepsiCo, CNBC, Chipotle, New York, Mexican Grill, Getty, American Farm Bureau Federation, Bloomberg, University of Chicago Locations: U.S, Goffstown , New Hampshire, Manhattan, New York City, Mexican, Austin , Texas, Queens, New York, Europe, Secaucus , New Jersey, US

☆ Online-gambling giants conquer U.S. with tactics deemed too tough for Britain
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +22 min

NYSEIn 2018, British regulators sanctioned the UK arm of online gambling giant Flutter after it failed to catch an astonishing anomaly. The United States is Flutter's largest and fastest-growing market in terms of revenue. Both online sports betting and online casinos have been legal and regulated far longer in Britain than in the United States. But in the United States, Flutter doesn't place such limits on the age group. Around a decade ago, British politicians became concerned about a rise in gambling-linked fraud and suicides involving online VIP customers.

Persons: Peter Jackson, America —, Amit Patel, Patel, Alex King, King, FanDuel, Chris Ratcliffe, haven't, hasn't, Jackson, weren't incentivized, Flutter's FanDuel, Entain, Rob Wood, BetMGM, Paul Tonko, Tonko, Entain's Wood, —, Joe K, Joe, Pavlo Gonchar, Rob Gronkowski, Jamie Foxx, Foxx, Gronkowski, Goldman Sachs, who'd, Betfair, Entain's, Felicia Grondin, Silquia Patel, Eduardo Munoz, Flutter's, Chris Jones, Josh Giaramita Organizations: MGM, New York Stock Exchange, NYSE, Flutter's U.S, Jacksonville Jaguars, Reuters, Fanduel Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, The New York Stock Exchange, NYSE BetMGM, MGM Resorts International, MGM Resorts, New York Democrat, U.S, Lightrocket, Supreme, American Gaming Association, New York, Gaming Commission Locations: America, Edinburgh, Britain, United States, Dublin, U.S, British, BetMGM, New Jersey, States, United Kingdom, Ireland, New York, East Rutherford , New Jersey, FanDuel

☆ How Wall Street giants like JPMorgan are using AI to manage your retirement portfolio and the risks and regulations surrounding it, according to the founder of an AI safety software platform
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Christine Ji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Now, investment advisors are finding new and expansive use cases for AI in financial management. Vanguard is using AI to aggregate information from earnings transcripts and research reports, and has recently begun using AI to manage four of its stock funds. State Street is adding a generative AI feature to its platform which will answer customer questions about their portfolio and run analyses on portfolio data. There are some risks to using AI in investing, especially when your money could be on the line. Congress has pushed back on the rule, but Crawford is confident that AI regulation is in the cards, given the technology's far-reaching nature.

Persons: —, Alec Crawford, They're, Crawford, it's, chatbots — Organizations: Service, Inc, JPMorgan, Vanguard, Business, SEC, GameStop

☆ I skipped grad school and became a mechanic instead. I ended up getting a dream job at Tesla.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Ella Hopkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Diana Welsch about training to be a car mechanic instead of going to grad school. I went to trade school instead of grad schoolI decided to go to trade school in 2014. AdvertisementI got a dream job at TeslaAt my trade school fair, I saw that Tesla was hiring trainees. I left Tesla later that yearI'd wanted to stay at Tesla my whole life — it was the most fun job ever. I wish I had gone to trade school after high school instead of college.

Persons: —, Diana Welsch, I've, Tesla, I'd, Elon Musk, Uncle Elon, Elon, they'd Organizations: Service, Business, Universal Technical Institute, Sun Devil, Tesla, Bluetooth, LA, Management Locations: Arizona, Phoenix, Los Angeles, North Dakota

☆ 4 reasons to unify your financial technology
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Sponsor Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A unified financial technology platform enables 360-degree customer insights and AI innovation. But when it comes to financial technology, less is more: Too many technology platforms can make it challenging for businesses to leverage data and AI for financial payments and customer management. Here are four ways merchants can deliver a better customer experience by moving to a unified financial technology platform. Businesses can reduce this risk and save time by using a unified financial technology platform. Learn how Adyen can help your organization scale faster with unified financial technology.

Persons: Gayathri Rajan, Rajan, Adyen Organizations: Product, Adyen, Insider Studios Locations: Adyen

☆ Startup Kinetic rolls out robots to fix electric cars, and someday robotaxis
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

By providing diagnostics and recalibration of the high-tech systems in modern vehicles, the company hopes to decrease costs associated with EV ownership and repairs. The existing collision repair industry is well-equipped to handle most physical fixes like replacing a bumper, a busted windshield, brakes and paint or adjusting alignment. But for many collision repair centers and auto dealerships, ensuring all sensors, software and computers are working properly can prove time-consuming and expensive. Kinetic puts its robotic systems and technicians to work helping these shops and dealerships fix the finicky, "digital" aspects of customers' cars. Then Kinetic's software, which is connected to the vehicle's systems, will initiate and track the completion of those fixes.

Persons: Power, Nikhil Naikal Organizations: EV Locations: U.S, Santa Ana, California

☆ Psychology student did a daily act of kindness for 108 days: ‘My life was better in just about every way’
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-18 | by ( Kasley Killam | In Kasleykillam | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The question was a precursor to my graduate work, and the next decade of my career, promoting community, belonging, and social health in society. In the experiment, acts of kindness would be my daily beads and mantra, reminding me to set out each morning with the intention of connecting. After 108 days of prioritizing connection, my life was better in just about every way you can imagine. Kasley Killam, MPH, is a leading expert in social health and author of "The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier." She's a graduate of the Harvard School of Public Health, sought-after advisor and keynote speaker, and founder of Social Health Labs.

Persons: I'd, Kasley, Harvard —, I'm, League baseballs, Penelope, Homer's, he'd, She's Organizations: Queen's University, Harvard, League, Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Social Health Labs, Google, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, Economic Locations: Canada, Nepal, laundromats, Vancouver, Toronto

☆ His wife had a common skin condition and tried expensive creams for over 20 years. She became 'patient zero' for his personalized skincare company — and had clear skin in a month.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Julia Pugachevsky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

For 20 years after getting pregnant, Cherry Jia tried everything to fade the dark patches on her face. After giving birth to her son, she had melasma, a fairly common skin discoloration caused by hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy. The treatments they sold for dark spots had no effect on her skin. Jia said Musely's top-selling products treat aging concerns like dark spots, rosacea, and hair thinning. MuselyPart of the boom comes from the desire for products that target specific skin concerns, like dark spots or wrinkles.

Persons: Musely, —, Cherry Jia, she'd, Jack Jia, Cherry, Jack Jia Jia, Marie Jhin, he'd, Jhin, Lori Bush, Kimber Maderazzo, dermatologists, Jia, Jhin . Cherry Jia's, Jack Jia's, Musely Jia, estriol, they've, isn't, it's Organizations: Healthcare, Service, Musely, Jhin, FDA, New York Times Locations: drugstores

☆ I used to regularly fly on ultra-low-cost airlines to save money, but the cheap tickets aren't worth the headache anymore
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementPlus, I'm not convinced that Frontier and Spirit's recent addition of "premium" perks will give either a competitive edge. Frontier and Spirit offer 28 inches of pitch, while coach seats on all three mainline carriers start at 30 inches. AdvertisementAmerican Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines recognized the budget competition years ago and created their own version of a cheap ticket: basic economy. ULCCs are not always cheaper once you do the mathIn my experience, mainline tickets are sometimes cheaper than Frontier or Spirit. Spirit has dropped all change and cancel fees, and Frontier is adding business-class-like seats to lure in more premium travelers.

Persons: —, I've, I'm, Taylor Rains, mainlines, it's, Scott Kirby, LaGuardia Organizations: Service, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Business, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Mobile, LaGuardia Airport, Delta, Google, United, Spirit Locations: Delta, Orlando

☆ I bought my last Starbucks drink 4 years ago. I pay more for coffee now, but the benefits are worth it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Rachel Chang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Constantly searching for new coffee shops has taught me how to better trust my instincts. AdvertisementMany independent coffee shops closed during or shortly after the height of the pandemic. Plus, at local coffee shops, I'm one of few customers instead of one of many in a long line. Sometimes, I still end up at coffee chains — but my self-imposed ban means I'll opt for smaller ones like Blank Street or Gregory's Coffee instead of mega-global franchises. It's just that by quitting, my coffee world has opened up beyond the limitations of one company — and forever hunting for a new coffee shop has become my ultimate pick-me-up.

Persons: —, Rachel Chang, I'd Organizations: Service, Starbucks Locations: Bali, Morocco, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, San Francisco

Search resuls for: "Omer's"

25 mentions found