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☆ There’s hope beyond moaning for European telcos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Pierre Briancon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The annual Barcelona tech fest this week was in line with tradition, but a different mood music could also be heard beyond the bleatings of European telco executives. The good news for them is that European competition authorities seem to have been mollified by the constant pleading, and could take a softer approach to consolidation in the industry. Höttges compared the 55 billion euros invested by European telcos on infrastructure last year to the 1 billion euros invested in connectivity by those he calls the “hyperscalers”. The hope is now that, considering the European telcos’ low return on investment, European competition authorities will review their strict stance on consolidation in the sector. But European telcos also have means to address some of the problems they are facing without giving the impression that everything depends on forces beyond their control.

☆ Microsoft, Kimbal Musk, NBA's Russell Westbrook invest in Brooklyn-based climate tech company BlocPower
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The round, which includes more than $24 million in Series B funding, was led by VoLo Earth Ventures. Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Credit Suisse, New York State Ventures, Kimbal and Christina Musk, and NBA player Russell Westbrook also were part of this equity round. The company also raised $130 million of debt financing led by Goldman Sachs, bringing BlocPower's total capital raised to-date to more than $250 million. BlocPower, a two-time CNBC Disruptor 50 company, has focused on improving the energy consumption and efficiency issues that many of the old buildings in the U.S. face. Since its founding in 2014, BlocPower says it has completed energy projects in more than 5,000 households, commercial buildings and houses of worship.

☆ Kohl's blamed its rough quarter on a squeezed middle class, but one analyst says it's because stores are a mess
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But one analyst blamed messy Kohl's stores and "dispiriting" stores during the holidays. Kingsbury said that Kohl's store portfolio remains healthy. Kohl's partnerships with other brands is driving sales, CEO saysKohl's and Amazon inked a deal in 2019 that allows Amazon customers to return items to Kohl's stores. Ted Shaffrey/APKingsbury also highlighted Kohl's partnership with Sephora, which operates store-in-store concepts in Kohl's locations across the US. Kohl's previously said that the Amazon partnership drew over 2 million new customers to its stores in its first year.

☆ Hacked Washington law firm fights SEC subpoena in effort to protect attorney-client privilege
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

People exit the headquarters of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington, D.C., May 12, 2021. Covington & Burling has more than 700 lawyers in Washington, D.C., where the international firm has built a reputation of working with regulators rather than fighting them. "The SEC's subpoena turns advocate into informant, conscripting Covington as a source for investigative leads against its own clients," the firm said in a filing. Covington remains unyielding in its opposition, and the firm is getting a hefty dose of support from its legal peers. Officials have said cooperation and support from the private sector, ranging from small businesses to top law firms, is a critical part of law enforcement's efforts to protect U.S. interests.

☆ DeSantis' new memoir skips juicy details about his life that could emerge in a presidential bid. Here's what he left out.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

DeSantis published his first memoir, "The Courage to Be Free," on TuesdayThe book is widely viewed as laying the groundwork for a presidential run. DeSantis doesn't mention his gap year between Yale and Harvard, when he taught at the elite Darlington School. DeSantis writes extensively about his legislative victories in his book, but not about the legal battles that have ensued. DeSantis writes nothing about the January 6 attack on the Capitol to overturn the election results, nor does he address Trump's false claims about election fraud. He also, without naming Trump, writes about "the dangers of truning over the country to the likes of Dr. Anthony Fauci" during the pandemic.

☆ All investors need a worldview. Here's mine and how to think about developing your own
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +23 min

You need to know what you think will happen and then you can insert stocks into that worldview. I think this view, which Jay cares and is most likely going to get it right, is fundamental to my worldview. I think that's an absurd tradeoff and those who are making it, those who own 10-year Treasurys, are sorely ill-advised. Fortunately, I don't think the Fed has to go that far to break the trio. The companies you think might not make it I think aren't going to make it because they won't be able to raise cash.

The technology that printed the Gutenberg Bible in 1455 made abstract human thought communicable generally and rapidly. Whereas the printing press caused a profusion of modern human thought, the new technology achieves its distillation and elaboration. In the process, it creates a gap between human knowledge and human understanding. The new technology is known as generative artificial intelligence; GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. As its capacities become broader, they will redefine human knowledge, accelerate changes in the fabric of our reality, and reorganize politics and society.

The AI industry is vast, encompassing not only buzzy chatbots and conversational search engines but also things like self-driving vehicles. Big technology companies have laid off tens of thousands of workers in recent months, but workers with AI skills are still in demand. Highly educated data scientists and core AI specialists with technical know-how are still highly in demand despite recent layoffs, Forshaw said. Natural language processing is really hot right now, but data science and data analytics skills are still in high demand." Still, Kimmel— who recently launched a bootcamp for AI startups— suggests that it's best to jump in and learn alongside early builders.

☆ The Russia-Ukraine war will continue into 2024 and any definitive outcome has risks, a veteran investment chief and former Moscow-based journalist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Rhys Williams, chief investment officer of Spouting Rock Asset Management. Spouting RockRhys Williams is the chief investment officer at Spouting Rock Asset Management. Phil Rosen: What are the implications for financial markets of Russia's war on Ukraine? What do you think of Williams' insights on markets and the Russia-Ukraine war? The Reddit-loving day traders are back in a big way, piling record amounts of cash into stocks to start the year.

He asked ChatGPT to write a book titled, "This book is made by AI." Inspiration arrived when I read an Insider article about an entrepreneur who'd used ChatGPT to write a children's book. I entered: "This prologue looks promising for the book 'This book is made by AI.' But I do think AI will be a great tool authors can use for new ideas. I don't think ChatGPT can ever completely replace a computer programmer because it doesn't know what the final result for each specific task should look like.

☆ A.I.-guided strategies for the ETF investor. Here's what to know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Kevin Schmidt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

As investors weigh what the growing interest in artificial intelligence means for the marketplace, one analyst thinks that ETF investors should be cautious in utilizing it to aid in strategy selection. "ChatGPT knows a lot about a lot of things," Art Amador, EquBot Co-Founder, told Bob Pisani on CNBC's 'ETF Edge' on Wednesday. Amador runs the AI Powered Equity ETF (AIEQ) , an actively managed fund of U.S. stocks selected with a model that uses artificial intelligence. Studebaker's ROBO Global launched the ROBO Global Robotics and Automation ETF (ROBO) in 2013 as a fund that invests in innovative companies driving robotics, automation, and AI spaces. "You want to make sure you're investing with people that have done this before, that have deep expertise and deep knowledge in this space."

☆ I'm a professional writer, and I'm not scared of ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jake Meth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

ChatGPT is really good about writing things that are goodAt the same time, it's really bad at writing things that are great. If you're looking for answers to fairly uncomplicated questions that require a lot of data to be processed, it's a valuable tool. My clients aren't looking for a novelist; they're looking for someone to help them achieve their goal of becoming a respected thought leader. Such specialized skill sets abound in the professional writing world. I'm not scared of AI, because I'm using it to my advantageI do what I do far better than AI can, which distinguishes me from other professional writers who haven't found their lane.

☆ How Hybrid Work Is Changing Offices of the Future
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Ray A. Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Workplaces that look like your living room; flexible, multiuse spaces; outdoor terraces. Today’s new hybrid work styles are reshaping the office buildings of tomorrow. Leading architects and real-estate developers are pioneering concepts aimed at workers who are splitting their time between home and office, and they predict these innovations will become mainstream in the years to come.

☆ 1 in 6 retirees are mulling a return to work. What to consider before 'unretiring'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mixetto | E+ | Getty ImagesIf you don't need the income, consider a low-stress jobIf your reasons for considering work are nonfinancial, you're not alone. "Boredom is a huge problem," said CFP David Mendels, director of planning at Creative Financial Concepts in New York. watch nowIf you're seeking work for fulfillment, it's worth considering a job that is low-stress and provides some flexibility, Bunio said. Then, when you reach full retirement age, the money comes back to you in the form of a permanently higher monthly check. At that point, you also can earn as much as you want from working without it affecting your Social Security benefits.

☆ China's millennial managers are confronting a pissed-off wave of Gen-Z staff out to 'rectify' the workplace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

China's Gen Z is out to "rectify" the workplace, and they want their millennial bosses to give in. The Weibo hashtag "The post-2000s generation is rectifying the workplace" is a forum filled with Gen Z rage. The hashtag documents Chinese Gen Z rage in all its varied formsIt is unclear exactly how the hashtag started. At times, the posts on the Gen Z workers' threads devolve into rants about their "evil" millennial bosses. The rumblings from Gen Z, however, stand in stark contrast to narratives about Chinese millennials that have dominated popular culture.

☆ Moncler Genius presents new 'co-creators' at London Fashion Week show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Italian luxury brand Moncler unveiled an expansion of its Moncler Genius collaborations project at London Fashion Week on Monday, introducing new "co-creators" in the realms of art, music, design and sport. For Williams' "Art of the Terrain" concept, models dressed in khaki camping outerwear walked around a set covered in grass. Others posed in a range of colourful puffer jackets, coats and gloves at the Adidas space. Earlier this month, Moncler (MONC.MI) said it was evolving from the Moncler Genius fashion collaborations project it launched in 2018, where guest designers presented different versions of its jackets, "to a platform for co-creation across different industries". The Monday evening show drew famous faces from the worlds of entertainment, fashion and sport, including the likes of Serena Williams and Lewis Hamilton.

☆ I've spent hours talking to college students about money — and there's one personal finance concept that's highly misunderstood and should be part of every curriculum
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Kathleen Elkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The past four years, I've had the opportunity to talk to college students about personal finance. In the US, there's a lack of financial literacy, with just 8 states guaranteeing personal finance courses for high schoolers. It's an 80-minute personal finance presentation that starts with the very basics: saving and budgeting. It could be because of a lack of personal finance education. Many digital advisors don't require an account minimum, meaning anyone can start investing with just $1.

☆ Artificial Intelligence is booming – but how will it impact your career?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Concepts such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, smart cities, metaverse, post-humanism are expressed. Wang Yukun | Moment | Getty ImagesArtificial Intelligence is the latest technology buzz topic thanks to the boom of ChatGPT. Its capabilities have also put another topic at the forefront of people's minds: if, how and when artificial intelligence might impact their jobs and careers. The short answer to the question of whether AI will replace some jobs is a big, fat "yes." Developments in artificial intelligence mean that technology can achieve more and more, and that will, of course, impact jobs, Steven Miller, professor emeritus of information systems at Singapore Management University, says.

☆ Chipotle is launching Farmesa, a spinoff selling 'California-inspired' bowls of salmon, whipped potatoes, quinoa, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chipotle is launching a virtual restaurant brand featuring "California-inspired" bowls. The virtual restaurant makes its debut later this month in a ghost kitchen in Santa Monica, California. Farmesa will operate at the Kitchen United Mix food hall at Third Street Promenade, a tourist-heavy outdoor retail center in Santa Monica. Kitchen United is a Pasadena, California-based ghost kitchen operator with locations all over the US. Chipotle's new concept, Farmesa, is opening later this month at ghost kitchen/food hall Kitchen United Mix.

☆ Factbox: Some potential successors to Brainard at the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Meanwhile, analysts and Fed observers are already swapping notes on potential replacements for Brainard at the Fed from a bench of economists aligned with Biden's Democrats, who control the U.S. Senate. MARY DALYDaly is president of the San Francisco Fed, ascending to that position in 2018 after 22 years at the regional Fed bank, including a stint as its director of research. Furman has been a prominent, Twitter-savvy commentator on macroeconomic and Fed policy. He has a PhD from the University of Virginia and served as a Fed economist for a little over a year in the mid-1990s. With a PhD from Stanford University, he's held staff positions at the Fed board and the San Francisco Fed, where he also served as president before moving to the New York Fed role in 2018.

☆ The College Board claps back at DeSantis, calling Florida's reasoning for banning AP African American studies 'slander'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The College Board clapped back on Saturday, defending the course. Instead, the College Board said the administration has leaned into spreading misinformation: "We need to clear the air and set the record straight." The College Board maintained that the course framework was just an outline for the pilot course. The organization also slammed the administration for taking credit for changes that the College Board made to the course and said that there have not been any negotiations between the College Board and the FDOE. "The College Board condemns this uninformed caricature of African American Studies and the harm it does to scholars and students," the statement continues.

☆ Where EV trucks are going to hit the road first
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Due to the limitations that EV truck batteries face in mileage range, they're best suited for drayage transportation, or the movement of goods across short distances. So, trucking companies are making efforts to develop short-haul EV trucks and put them to use at ports and intermodal logistics facilities. How electric trucks navigate long-haul shipping is one of the main issues that the trucking industry faces as it looks to expand EV usage. Performance Team, a subsidiary of shipping giant Maersk, deployed Volvo short-haul EV trucks in Southern California for distribution facilities and warehouses starting last October. Regardless of how these EV trucks are being deployed to lower carbon emissions, the goal is also for them to save the trucking companies money.

☆ Former VMWare CTO turned VC Steve Herrod has left General Catalyst to join the firm Juxtapose. Here's where he sees opportunity in building enterprise and AI startups.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( April Joyner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Herrod, the former CTO of VMWare, will build enterprise startups in areas like AI and cybersecurity. Herrod is joining the venture studio Juxtapose, where he will focus on creating enterprise software startups, he told Insider exclusively. Though Juxtapose's portfolio includes a range of industries such as fintech, insurance, and healthtech, the firm hasn't had a long reach within enterprise software. He told Insider he sees ample opportunity within segments such as cybersecurity, open-source software, software supply-chain management, and artificial intelligence — several of which are receiving a hefty amount of attention from VCs right now. Now the venture world is full of former tech executives who have made the switch to backing startups.

☆ Chinese state media, AI companies warn of risks in ChatGPT stock frenzy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Chinese state media on Thursday cautioned against risks in chasing ChatGPT-concept stocks, while artificial intelligence (AI) companies urged investors to be rational after their soaring share prices caught regulators' attention. Frenzy around the ChatGPT chatbot has spurred speculative bets in China's stock market, pumping up AI firms such as TRS Information Technology Co Ltd (300229.SZ), Hanwang Technology Co Ltd (002362.SZ) and CloudWalk Technology Co Ltd (688327.SS). ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI and backed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), gives strikingly human-like responses to user queries. The Securities Times in a front-page editorial highlighted several technological concepts that spurred stock buying in China, such as fifth-generation telecommunications networks (5G), augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and anti-virus garments - the excitement for which has died down. Companies developing ChatGPT-like concepts have also flagged risks at the request of regulators after their prices shot up amid intense interest in generative AI - technology that can generate new data and media such as text and images.

☆ Movie theaters get creative with food and drink as they struggle to fill seats
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

At many movie theaters, popcorn and soda appear alongside flatbreads, lobster grilled cheese and elaborate cocktails. "It is things like concessions and how that fits into a broader movie theater experience that really are things that movie theaters need to focus on and hammer in," Gallinari said. AMC Entertainment , the world's largest movie theater chain, exited its third quarter with more than $5.3 billion in debt. According to data from research firm EntTelligence, the average medium popcorn at domestic movie theaters is $8.14, while a medium drink runs for $6.20. "With movie theaters and concessions already having a reputation for being overpriced, being subject to the wills of the market in that way can really work against the movie theater's favor," Gallinari said.

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