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☆ 9 startups bringing AI tech to Netflix, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and more Hollywood studios — and attracting millions in VC funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

VCs and private equity have poured millions into startups bringing AI tech to film and TV production. AI startups disrupting Hollywood include MARZ and Wonder Dynamics, cofounded by "X Men" star Tye Sheridan. Investment in AI startups for entertainment is "blowing up right now," said Michael Blank, head of consumer investing at CAA. There are already AI tools that can write full scripts. Vendors and investors told Insider that over time, AI tools will change jobs, not replace them.

☆ Belize reaffirms ties with Taipei as Taiwanese president visits
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Jose Sanchez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen arrives at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, Belize City, Belize in this handout picture released April 3, 2023. Tsai's visit comes a week after Honduras severed diplomatic relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing amid heightened U.S.-China tensions. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own territory with no right to state-to-state ties, a position Taipei strongly rejects. Guatemala and Belize are two of just 13 countries that Taiwan has diplomatic relations with. The Taiwanese leader is set to meet with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a second U.S. stopover in California on Wednesday.

☆ Goldman Sachs isn't getting a new private jet, but are there better places to cut costs on Wall Street?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

If there is a senior Goldman Sachs' executive in your life, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Insider's Dakin Campbell has the scoop on Goldman nixing plans to buy a third corporate aircraft under CEO David Solomon. So as the bank has looked to cut costs this year more broadly, the private jets, naturally, were a topic of discussion. I will say, I think corporate jets have been unfairly labeled as the poster child for excessive spending at the corporate level. Now, regional banks are looking to serve the firms looking for a new banking home, per The Wall Street Journal.

☆ UK's Bellway to buy back shares, hike social housing output
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Ajose Koilparambil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chief Executive Jason Honeyman told Reuters the company started hastening construction in its social housing programme in October after a demand slump. Honeyman said homes built in the programme would make up more than quarter of overall output in the fiscal year ending on July 31. Bellway, which builds everything from one-bedroom apartments to six-bedroom family homes and luxury penthouses, said there was a moderate improvement in bookings since January. Bellway shares edged up about 1% in morning trade. ($1=0.8121 pounds)Reporting by Aby Jose Koilparambil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Welcome to Swift City: When Taylor Swift comes to town, businesses build new bars, prepare thousands of cookies, and welcome over 150,000 Swifties
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Glendale, Arizona, which hosts the first two dates, has renamed itself Swift City in her honor. Usually, it's known as Glendale, Arizona, but the city hosting the kick-off show for Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour" has fully embraced Swiftsanity, renaming itself Swift City for Friday and Saturday. The Swift City logo. The Swift City proclamation. "Now, Glendale is Swift City, so we welcome them with open arms," he added.

☆ Crypto just lost both of its main banks. Here's what it means for the industry going forward
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The days before the industry had crypto-forward banks to turn to were some of the darkest for the industry. At the end of February, three major banking regulators issued a joint statement warning banks of the liquidity risks associated with banking crypto companies. "Banks and law firms are getting a clear message from regulators: distance yourselves from crypto companies," said Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals. "But for the moment, crypto companies are increasingly finding themselves where cannabis companies were a decade ago." Employees work at a Signature Bank branch in Manhattan on March 13, 2023 in New York City.

☆ These 8 startups are bringing AI technology to Netflix, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, and more — and attracting millions in VC funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

VCs and private equity have poured millions into AI startups seeking to disrupt film and TV production. Startups making waves in Hollywood AI include MARZ and Deep Voodoo, founded by the creators of "South Park." Generative AI has spawned a raft of tools with real-life applications to Hollywood — and VCs are getting in on the action. There are already AI tools that can write full scripts. Vendors and investors told Insider that over time, AI tools will change jobs, not replace them.

☆ Troubled Jones set to make new bid for UFC greatness
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Philip O'Connor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I'm ready to dominate, but if I don't dominate and the fight goes five rounds, I'm ready to press forward, I'm ready for a dog fight,” Jones told a media conference ahead of his return at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. "I'm ready to bleed and sweat and leave my heart out there. I'm ready for however it goes. Australia's featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski was unsuccessful in his recent bid to add the lightweight crown, but Jones is looking beyond him and all others. "He (Volkanovski) is refreshing, he speaks well, his country loves him, he represents the sport well," Jones said when the comparison was put to him.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

☆ Iran marks revolution anniversary, hackers interrupt state TV coverage
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] Iranians are seen under a large flag of Iran during the 44th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2023. His live televised speech was interrupted on the internet for about a minute, with a logo appearing on the screen of a group of anti-Iranian government hackers that goes by the name of “Edalat Ali (Justice of Ali). A voice shouted “Death to the Islamic Republic.”Nationwide protests swept Iran following the death in September of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country's morality police. Government television on Saturday aired live footage of the state rallies around the country. His speech was frequently interrupted by chants of “Death to America” - a trademark slogan at state rallies.

☆ Generative AI is coming for the classroom, whether teachers like it or not. Here's why many in education think it should be embraced rather than shunned.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Fears of generative AI helping students cheat are rampant, and some school districts are banning it. Instead, educators should think about how generative AI can be used as a classroom learning tool. Insider spoke with multiple AI researchers and academics, startup founders, and education-nonprofit leaders to learn how they're approaching generative AI in the classroom. If used effectively, generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which are crucial learning outcomes for most teachers. That way, students are actively engaged and wouldn't be able to use generative AI to complete a full assignment, he said.

☆ A 20-year market veteran explains why China's reopening means more upside for investors than they realize — and how betting on the nation could be a winning strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mike Edwards believes that markets haven't fully priced in the upside from China's reopening. In the long run, Edwards said that China can maintain its global presence even without the US. The end of China's zero-COVID policy and the country's subsequent economic reopening has undoubtedly been one of the biggest tailwinds for markets so far this year. But while investors have welcomed this news with open arms, Mike Edwards — deputy chief investment officer at Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers — doesn't believe that they've realized yet just how much upside the reopening of the Chinese economy could bring the stock market. Europe's outperformance over the US so far this year can, in part, be attributed to its significantly larger exposure to the Chinese economy.

☆ A Wharton business school professor is requiring his students to use ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

UPenn professor Ethan Mollick now requires his students to use ChatGPT in their studies, per NPR. While some schools banned ChatGPT, Mollick said that it can serve as a useful learning tool. Ethan Mollick, an entrepreneurship and innovation professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, told NPR on Thursday that he now requires his students to use ChatGPT to help with their classwork. His new AI policy — which NPR reviewed — calls AI usage an "emerging skill." During class this week, nearly all of his students used ChatGPT to help generate project ideas for an assignment.

☆ EU debt fears hinder U.S. green subsidies riposte
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Rebecca Christie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

That ties von der Leyen’s hands. Since September, von der Leyen has been pushing a “solidarity fund” to offset the imbalances that could arise out of freer-flowing EU subsidies. To move ahead, von der Leyen will just have to scatter some seeds and see what grows. Follow @rebeccawire on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a Jan. 17 speech at Davos on her forthcoming green technology strategy. Von der Leyen has since September been advocating for a “solidarity fund” to help smaller countries keep up with their bigger, richer peers.

☆ UK review of 'golden' visas for millionaires finds links to corruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The government first commissioned the visa's review in 2018 after the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal in Britain. Russian oligarchs and newly-minted Chinese entrepreneurs have flocked to London over the past two decades, snapping up everything from opulent homes to soccer clubs. Under the programme, foreigners who invested 2 million pounds in assets in Britain could apply for permanent residency after five years in the country. Investing 10 million pounds allowed an application after two years. In total, more than 12,000 golden visas have been granted, including more than 2,500 to Russians, according to government data.

☆ Inflation is expected to have declined in December, but it may not be enough to stop the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

They also point to weaker-than-expected wage growth in December's jobs report, as well as other data that reflects lower inflation expectations. Inflation is rolling over, and the Fed is almost done raising interest rates," said Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Financial Group. A basis point equals 0.01 of a percentage point. Rental market data shows a slowing in rates, but the CPI has not yet reflected it. "Everyone is familiar with the lag that it takes for the data to show up in the CPI," Tilley added.

☆ Spaceport locals say rocket launch by billionaire Richard Branson boosted their farming community and put the area on the map
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Virgin Orbit's rocket broke down, but residents said the launch will put Cornwall on the map. Kate Duffy/InsiderSue and Paul Nuttall, who were looking to retire soon, told Insider that Virgin Orbit's launch was needed to put Cornwall, a farming county, on the map. Hosting Virgin Orbit's launch will hopefully keep children like Seth who are interested in space in Cornwall, Emma said. Virgin Orbit's mission was set to be the UK's first orbital space launch from UK soil. In a press conference on Sunday, Melissa Thorpe, head of Spaceport Cornwall, said she hopes residents feel proud of Cornwall "going to the stars."

"It's not a question of if it will happen, it's now just a matter of how many and how fast." As the Lunar New Year holiday - typically a peak travel period for Chinese tourists - starts on Jan. 21, some businesses are already gearing up. Japan, however, is being cautious about Chinese tourism due to the rapid spread of the virus in China. Australia, Germany, Thailand and others, however, said they would not impose additional rules on Chinese travel for now, with France taking to social media platform Sina Weibo to emphasise it welcomed Chinese friends "with open arms". "I suspect any meaningful rebound will have to wait until the travel boom in June or July next year."

☆ 'Top Gun' and 'Avatar' nab Golden Globe nominations, pointing the way for the Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The cliché about award shows is that it’s an honor just to be nominated. Having endeavored to address those issues on both fronts, the Globes are here again, although not everyone has embraced the event or the HFPA with open arms. "Avatar: The Way of Water" debuts Dec. 16. The steep decline in award-show viewing, exacerbated by the pandemic, hasn’t made studios or talent any less enthusiastic about earning such recognition. In that sense, however tarnished the Golden Globes might be, its example could be another factor that helps point the way for the Oscars when those nominations are unveiled in January.

☆ Peru's Castillo faces criminal charges as new president Boluarte takes helm
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LIMA, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Peru's former President Pedro Castillo faced a first court hearing on Thursday over his arrest on charges of rebellion and conspiracy, as his successor issued her first pronouncements from the presidential palace. Castillo was ordered to be detained for seven days as the investigation into the charge that he orchestrated a rebellion proceeds. The former president attended the hearing via teleconference from a penitentiary center in Lima where he is being detained. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has indicated he would be open to granting asylum to Castillo, a fellow leftist. BOLUARTE TAKES OFFICEDina Boluarte, Castillo's vice president, was sworn in as the South American country's new president on Wednesday, making her the sixth president in five years and the first woman to lead the nation of some 33 million.

☆ Xi Jinping: Saudi's MBS rolls out the red carpet for China's president, in a not too subtle message to Biden
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Saudi leaders will infuse the trip with a dose of spectacle. The Saudi king – or his powerful Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman – may bestow the Chinese leader with some honors and medals. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps US President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 15. Today, the US consumes only a fraction of that Saudi oil, and China is Saudi Arabia’s biggest client and trading partner. Over the last year, Gulf Arab countries appear to have ramped up their independent-minded policy.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File PhotoNov 24 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. The Fed gave U.S. markets a perfect pre-Thanksgiving tonic on Wednesday, which should keep risk appetite bubbling along nicely in Asia on Thursday. U.S. markets are closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, and liquidity and activity will be light on Friday. chartEncouraging signs could come from South Korea. South Korea's economy is losing momentum as higher living costs dent household income and demand.

But the door knockers didn't explain where to vote or promote a candidate, the usual work of canvassers ahead of a big election. At another, they listed names of registered voters and demanded to know if they still lived at the address. In at least one state, Michigan, they plan to use their list of alleged irregularities to challenge voters in the Nov. 8 election. Reuters identified at least 23 state-wide or local efforts where canvassers may have crossed the line into intimidation, according to election officials and voting rights lawyers. This August, people affiliated with USEIP were also canvassing in La Plata County, according to the county clerk.

☆ Meet a 41-year-old who regretted quitting the same consulting job — twice — for more excitement and better pay. With a recession looming, he says he's staying put.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chris Downs, 41, returned to the same company twice after quitting in 2008 and 2021. In a recession, returning to one's old job might not be so easy. In 2008, Downs quit his job as an associate for the global consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Economic uncertainty is among the reasons Downs says he is "even less likely to leave" his job again. If he were on the job hunt now, he says he would probably prioritize job stability.

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