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☆ Tesla found a way to get out of environmental regulations at its Texas gigafactory
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla's gigafactory outside Austin won't have to follow the city's environmental regulations. Elon Musk has said the property will be an "ecological paradise," but Tesla has a history of violating the environment. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTesla's massive gigafactory outside Austin, Texas will no longer have to follow local environmental regulations, thanks to a recent state law. Tesla's 2,500-acre property, which includes its 10-million-square-foot electric vehicle gigafactory, is in unincorporated land on the outskirts of Austin.

Persons: Tesla's, Elon Musk, Tesla, — Organizations: EV, Service, Business Locations: Austin, Austin , Texas

☆ The FTC is fighting for your right to job-hop
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe FTC wants to give Americans the freedom to job-hop without pesky noncompete contracts getting in the way. The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 on Tuesday to approve a nationwide ban on noncompete agreements, the agency announced in a press release. The move could help American workers make $300 billion more a year, the FTC has previously said. Companies can keep existing contracts for some senior executives, but that will only affect about 0.75% of workers, the FTC said.

Persons: —, pesky noncompete, Evan Starr, Lina M, Khan, Suzanne P, Clark Organizations: Service, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Business, Employers, University of Maryland, New York Times, US, of Commerce, Commerce's, National Labor Relations Locations: California , Massachusetts, Illinois

☆ Former CEO of buzzy tech startup hit with prison time for fraud
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The founder of startup HeadSpin just got an 18-month prison sentence for wire and securities fraud. Prosecutors said his sentence is a warning to other "fake it til you make it" Silicon Valley execs. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementThe founder of a buzzy Silicon Valley startup was sentenced to prison over a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme — and prosecutors want it to be a lesson to other "fake it til you make it" entrepreneurs. Manish Lachwani, the former CEO of app testing company HeadSpin, was sentenced on Friday to 18 months in prison, plus three years supervised release, for wire fraud and securities fraud, the Department of Justice announced.

Persons: —, Manish Lachwani, Lachwani, Lachwani's, Ismail J, Ramsey, HeadSpin Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, Department of Justice, DOJ, Lachwani, Business Locations: Silicon Valley

☆ China is getting a head start on the flying car industry: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

China is pulling ahead in the flying car industry. AdvertisementChina is leading the pack as the flying car industry tries to take off. Kellen Xie, the vice president of Chinese eVTOL company AutoFlight Group, told the Financial Times that the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has been "quite supportive" of the growing industry. Related storiesXie told FT that CAAC regulators "work longer hours" and "are determined to actually speed up the process of bringing this new technology into reality." A month later, California-based startup Aska became the second eVTOL company to earn FAA certification, but Aska's prototype is more like an aircraft than a car.

Persons: AutoFlight, —, Kellen Xie, Xie Organizations: Service, AutoFlight, Financial Times, Civil Aviation Administration of China, Federal Aviation Administration, Alef Aeronautics, FAA Locations: China, Europe, California

☆ Tesla lays off its new marketing team months after launching it: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla has eliminated about 40 marketing and advertising staff, Bloomberg reported. AdvertisementTesla appears to have pulled the plug on its short-lived marketing team. The company cut its entire US "growth content" team in its recent round of layoffs, according to a report from Bloomberg. The team included a group of about 40 people, the publication said. Tesla still has a small group of marketing employees based in Europe, a person with knowledge of the issue told Bloomberg.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, — Organizations: Bloomberg, Service Locations: Europe

☆ A restaurateur learned the hard way not to mess with Lauren Sánchez
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

NYC restaurateur Keith McNally insulted Lauren Sánchez in an apparently unprompted Instagram post. And his latest target is Lauren Sánchez, the fiancée of one of the most powerful people in the world, Jeff Bezos. McNally, who owns more than a dozen restaurants including NYC's famed Balthazar, wrote a seemingly out-of-the-blue Instagram post attacking Sánchez and Bezos on Monday. Chrissy Teigen commented on McNally's post, writing, "She's actually incredibly dynamic, accomplished and kind, and everyone who knows her would say the same." If his edited-down post is any indication, McNally sure learned the hard way not to mess with Sánchez, or her famous friends.

Persons: Keith McNally, Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos, He's, James Corden, Adele, Instagram, —, who's, Sánchez, McNally, Balthazar, Bezos, — Lauren Sanchez —, Sanchez, MacKenzie Scott, Chrissy Teigen, She's, Jessica Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld, Lauren, Stephanie Ruhle, Rachel Zoe, Corden, Corden's, Megastar Adele Organizations: Service, MSNBC, Independent, Representatives, New York Times

☆ Warner Bros.' boss made bank last year, despite the Hollywood strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Warner Bros. Zaslav's compensation increased despite actors' and writers' strikes, topping his 2022 earnings. Warner Bros. reported losses for the year despite Zaslav's increased compensation. The CEO of Warner Bros. Related storiesDespite both the actors' and writers' strikes that lasted nearly 4 and 5 months respectively, Zaslav's pay for the year went up.

Persons: David Zaslav, — Organizations: Warner Bros, Discovery Inc, Service, WarnerMedia, Street Journal

☆ There's a conservative 'great migration' from blue states — and one place is the big winner
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Conservatives are fleeing blue states in favor of red states. Conservatives are fed up with the cost of living, and the politics, in blue states. AdvertisementConservatives are flocking en masse from blue states to one Republican stronghold in particular: South Carolina. Chabot said blue states need to take a page out of red states' playbook. "And so if these blue states want to get better, then they need to look at what red states are doing to retain their populations and their businesses."

Persons: —, Paul Chabot, he's, Chabot, Brad Liles, homebuyers, Zillow, Washington state's, It's, Lina Brock Organizations: Service, Republican, Wall Street, The State, New York Times, Washington, Times, Furman University, Forbes, Census Bureau Locations: Carolina, South Carolina, North Carolina , Georgia, New York , California, Florida, Virginia , Pennsylvania, Texas , New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, California, Washington, Oregon, Democratic, Spartanburg, Greenville , South Carolina, United States, Greenville, Black, —

☆ Columbia's president managed to avoid the missteps of other elite colleges in heated congressional grilling
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nemat "Minouche" Shafik, Columbia's president, appeared before the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday. But there was a big difference between what those presidents said at their hearing and what Shafik said at hers. Related storyHarvard President Claudine Gay answered with, "It can be, depending on the context," while MIT President Sally Kornbluth said, "I have not heard calling for the genocide for Jews on our campus." In a similarly soft response, UPenn's president Elizabeth Magill responded, "If the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment." AdvertisementIn Wednesday's hearing, Shafik also commented on a few controversial professors.

Persons: —, Elise Stefanik, Shafik, Israel's, Claudine Gay, Sally Kornbluth, Elizabeth Magill, Magill, Kornbluth, Mohamed Abdou, Joseph Massad, Massah, Stefanik Organizations: Service, Wednesday, Columbia, Republican, Committee, Education, New York, Business, Harvard, MIT, Gay, Street Journal, Street, Middle East Institute, Hamas, African Studies Locations: Israel, Gaza, UPenn, —, Dubai, Columbia's, South

☆ Tesla gives Delaware the cold shoulder and pitches a move to Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk has disapproved of Delaware ever since a judge there ruled against his massive pay package. 2024 is the year that Tesla should move home to Texas," the proxy statement reads. "We have received letters from thousands of Tesla stockholders — large and small — supporting a move home to Texas. The proxy statement also asks shareholders to re-approve Musk's pay package, which is now valued at $47 billion. Shareholders are scheduled to vote on both proposals — the move and the pay package — in June.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, —, Musk Organizations: Elon, Service, SEC Locations: Delaware, Texas

☆ Oakland airport is adding 'San Francisco' to its name. SF is appalled.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Oakland officials voted to add "San Francisco" to their city's airport name. San Francisco is not having it. Oakland officials say the name change would bring more travelers to their airport, bolstering the city's economy. AdvertisementOakland Airport wants what San Francisco has — its name. The Port of Oakland's Board of Commissioners decided in a unanimous vote on Thursday to change the name of their airport from "Metropolitan Oakland International Airport" to "San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport."

Persons: — Organizations: Oakland, Service, Oakland's, Metropolitan Oakland International, Francisco Bay, International, Business Locations: Francisco, San Francisco Bay

☆ Hackers from China and Russia are finding cracks in Microsoft's security
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewChina and Russia keep finding ways to get past Microsoft's security systems. Advertisement"Midnight Blizzard's successful compromise of Microsoft corporate email accounts and the exfiltration of correspondence between agencies and Microsoft presents a grave and unacceptable risk to agencies," CISA wrote in its emergency directive. AdvertisementLast week, the US Department of Homeland Security released a report from the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) detailing a "cascade" of "avoidable errors" in the company's security systems. A Microsoft spokesperson told BI of the latest Russian attack: "As we discover secrets in our exfiltrated email, we are working with our customers to help them investigate and mitigate.

Persons: —, CISA, Jen Organizations: Service, Infrastructure Security Agency, Microsoft, Business, Blizzard, Midnight Blizzard, US Department of Homeland Security Locations: China, Russia, Russian, U.S

☆ AI companies are hiring gig workers to write essays that can train AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Companies are hiring highly educated gig workers to write training content for AI models. AI could run out of data to learn from by 2026, one research institute has warned. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAs artificial intelligence models run out of data to train themselves on, AI companies are increasingly turning to actual humans to write training content. For years, companies have used gig workers to help train AI models on simple tasks like photo identification, data annotation, and labelling.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ O.J. Simpson dead at 76, family announces
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Simpson, the ex-football star who was acquitted of murder at his highly publicized trial in 1995, died on Wednesday, his family announced. AdvertisementSimpson had been diagnosed with cancer, his family said. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren," they wrote in a post on X.Simpson was 76. This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

Persons: O.J, Simpson

☆ GOP-run states are warning that they could keep Biden off the ballot
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementOhio and Alabama — both GOP-run states — are saying they might not allow Biden on the ballot this November. Mike DeWine, has also flagged that the Democratic convention is happening after Ohio's own August 7 deadline. Like Alabama, Ohio requires political parties to give their official nominations before the deadline if they want to appear on the ballot. "Joe Biden will be on the ballot in all 50 states," a spokesperson for the Biden campaign said in a statement shared with BI. AdvertisementWhile Alabama is a deep-red state, Ohio is much more competitive, though it has trended more Republican-leaning in recent years.

Persons: Biden, —, Wes Allen, doesn't, Allen, Democratic National Convention —, Trump, Mike DeWine, Ben Kindel, Kindel, Paul DiSantis, it's, Joe Biden Organizations: GOP, DNC, Service, Alabama's, Alabama Democratic Party, Democratic National Convention, Republican National Convention, Republican, Alabama, Business, GOP Gov, Democratic, RNC, Ohio, State, BI, Ohio's Democratic, Chair Locations: Ohio, Alabama, Alabama , Ohio, Alabama , Illinois, Montana, Washington

☆ Internet providers have to start using this 'nutrition facts' label that breaks down fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Nutrition facts" style labels for internet plans are finally a reality. As of Wednesday, the FCC now requires internet providers to break down costs and services for customers. That includes companies that provide both home, or fixed, internet services, as well as mobile broadband. AdvertisementAnd the labels aren't just designed for new customers — internet service providers must also make them available to current customers in their online account portals and provide the label when a customer asks for it. "The labels are modeled after the FDA nutrition labels and are intended to help consumers comparison shop for the internet service plan that will best meet their needs and budget."

Persons: — Organizations: FCC, Service, Federal Communications Commission, Reuters, Google, Verizon

☆ Microsoft is about to pump billions more into AI data centers
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft plans to invest $2.9 billion in AI data centers in Japan by 2025, according to reports. In November, Microsoft announced it'd spend roughly $3 billion on AI data centers in the UK. AdvertisementMicrosoft is investing some serious capital in new AI data centers, and Japan is the latest country to benefit. The tech giant plans to pour $2.9 billion into AI data centers in Japan by 2025, according to reports in Reuters and Nikkei Asia. As part of its investment — the company's largest ever in Japan — Microsoft will place advanced AI semiconductors in two of Japan's existing data centers, Nikkei Asia reported.

Persons: it'd, — Organizations: Microsoft, Service, Nikkei, Business Locations: Japan, Nikkei Asia

☆ Arizona's abortion ban from 1864 — which would jail doctors for years — reinstated
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Arizona's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a near-total abortion ban from 1864 can be enforced. AdvertisementThe ban would jail anyone who provides an abortion or helps someone get an abortion and makes Arizona the latest state to effectively ban the procedure — including in cases of rape or incest. The 160-year-old ban was passed before Arizona became a state. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.

Organizations: Business Locations: Arizona's, Arizona

☆ Uber Eats is joining the ranks of apps that want to be just like TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Uber Eats is experimenting with short-form videos. TechCrunch first reported the new feature on Monday in an exclusive interview with Uber Eats' Senior Director of Product, Awaneesh Verma. AdvertisementThe video snippets, which merchants will have the option to provide to Uber Eats, will appear in a feed on the app's home screen as well as in carousels throughout the app, Uber Eats said. AdvertisementAnd because the videos aren't advertisements, Uber Eats won't charge restaurants to display them in the app, the company said. Uber Eats is just the latest company to get in on the short-form video content craze, following the success of TikTok.

Persons: —, you'll, Uber, Awaneesh Verma, Verma, TechCrunch, Instagram Organizations: Service, Business, TechCrunch, Uber Eats, Meta, Facebook, YouTube Locations: New York, San Francisco, Toronto, carousels

It had a magnitude of 4.8 and an epicenter 30 miles west of Newark, New Jersey, per the USGS. AdvertisementA rare earthquake outside New York City rattled the tristate area on Friday morning. New York City experienced an earthquake on Friday. While earthquakes in New York City are rare, North America is home to some of the world's biggest. In 2011, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Virginia, marking the last major rattler to hit the East Coast.

Persons: —, Paul Earle, Talia Lakritz, Earle, Jessica Jobe, Phil Murphy, Kathy Hochul, John F, Flightradar24, Eric Adams Organizations: Service, New York City, United States Geological Survey, Gov, New York Police Department, New, New York City Fire Department, Business, Newark Liberty International, Kennedy, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Philadelphia, Boston, Newark , New Jersey, New York, New Jersey, East, Norfolk , Virginia, Maine, New York City, Newark, Holland, North America, Virginia, Toronto

☆ Buckle up for likely earthquake aftershocks, geologists say. Here's how the East Coast should prepare.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Geologists say the East Coast could be in for more earthquakes in the weeks ahead. To prepare, you should create an emergency plan, secure household items, and assemble a bugout bag. AdvertisementAftershocks could hit the East Coast following Friday's 4.8 magnitude earthquake, and millions of people in the region should prepare in the unlikely event the earthquake is bigger next time, the US Geological Survey said. "As a reminder, damaging earthquakes can occur in the future," Jessica Jobe, a research geologist with the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, said on Friday. Related storiesOne of the most important things you can do to prepare, Earle said, is to create an emergency plan.

Persons: There's, —, Paul Earle, Earle, that's, Jessica Jobe, hadn't Organizations: Service, Geological Survey, Earthquake Information, Business Locations: East, New Jersey, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, Maine

☆ OpenAI's CTO said she wasn't sure if Sora was trained on YouTube videos. YouTube's CEO says that would be a problem.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Is OpenAI training its video generator Sora on YouTube content? If it is, that would be a violation of YouTube's terms of service, its CEO said. But OpenAI's own chief technology officer could not answer if Sora is scraping YouTube content. AdvertisementOpenAI should not be using YouTube videos to train its artificial intelligence tools, YouTube's CEO says. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last month, Murati was asked if OpenAI's text-to-video generator Sora was trained on video content from YouTube.

Persons: OpenAI's, —, Mira Murati, Murati, Sora, I'm Organizations: Service, Wall, YouTube, Business

☆ Google says crypto fraudsters are making it look bad
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google is suing two crypto scammers it says threatened the integrity of its platforms. Scammers tricked Google Play into hosting 87 fake crypto apps, conning over 100,000 users, Google says. The lawsuit alleges the fraudsters tricked Google into accepting their apps on its app store, Google Play, by misrepresenting their identity, location, and intent. Advertisement"By using Google Play to conduct their Fraud Scheme, Defendants have threatened the integrity of Google Play and the user experience," the lawsuit states. "Defendant's scheme has thus impaired Google users' confidence and trust in Google, its services, and its platforms."

Persons: Scammers, —, Halimah DeLaine Prado Organizations: Google, Service Locations: New York, Shenzhen, China, Hong Kong

☆ Disney proxy battle is about a lot more than just two board seats
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As for the newsletter, in today's big story, we're breaking down Disney's big proxy fight . Activist investor Nelson Peltz's proxy fight against Disney for two seats on the company's board comes to a head at its annual shareholder meeting today. The total amount spent between Disney and its rivals wrangling votes is estimated to be at least $70 million, a record for a proxy fight. The statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse at Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, at Walt Disney World, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 3 things in businessWin McNamee/Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BIIn other newsAdvertisementWhat's happening todayThe Walt Disney Company's annual meeting will be held today.

Persons: —, Congrats, ya, Bob Iger, Nelson Peltz, Neilson Barnard, David A, Grogan, Nelson, Madeline Berg, BI's Peter Kafka, BI's Grace Eliza Goodwin, Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, Joe Burbank, Rowe Price, Peltz's Trian, Neuberger Berman, Peltz, It's, Trian, they're, Stocks, Ray Dalio, it's, Quincy Krosby, Jeffrey Buchbinder, Alyssa Powell, Win McNamee, Chelsea Jia Feng, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, National, Getty, Disney, Magic, Walt Disney World, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Wall, BlackRock, Peltz's Trian Partners, California Public Employees, Financial Times, DuPont, Fed, JPMorgan, Bridgewater Associates, Astera Labs, Arm Holdings, LPL Financial, Apple, Nvidia, BI, Walt Locations: —, Virginia, Lake Buena Vista , Florida, China, Haiti's, New York, London

☆ Microsoft really blew it, says government report on Chinese hacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft's security systems are inadequate and need an "overhaul," a government report found. Security flaws in Microsoft's systems let Chinese hackers breach the company's networks last summer, DHS found. Microsoft needs to seriously improve its systems for the sake of national security, the report says. AdvertisementMicrosoft's security culture needs work, a government-backed cybersecurity board says in a new report. In it, the board details a "cascade" of "avoidable errors" in Microsoft's security systems.

Persons: —, Gina Raimondo, Nicholas Burns, Don Bacon Organizations: DHS, Microsoft, Service, US Department of Homeland Security, Storm, United, Business Locations: China, United States, People's Republic of China

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