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☆ House Democrats investigate if Big Oil colluded with OPEC to inflate gas prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Congressional Democrats are investigating whether leading US oil companies have illegally colluded with one another and with OPEC to inflate prices at the pump, CNN has learned. The Federal Trade Commission earlier this month accused Sheffield, the founder of Pioneer Natural Resources, of conspiring with OPEC and its allies to boost prices. Pallone argued that public data suggests US oil producers did not ramp up drilling during the period that Sheffield was trying to influence his rivals. Pallone sent Exxon additional document demands, including communications between Pioneer employees who were involved in developing production plans and representatives of OPEC and OPEC+. Sheffield was among the oil CEOs who testified before Pallone’s committee during an April 2022 hearing on Big Oil and gas prices.

Persons: Frank Pallone Jr, ”, Scott Sheffield, “, ” Pallone, Sheffield, Hess, Pallone Organizations: New, New York CNN, Congressional, OPEC, CNN, Committee, Energy, Commerce, ExxonMobil, BP, New Jersey Democrat, Federal Trade Commission, Sheffield, Pioneer Natural Resources, FTC, Oil, Exxon, Chevron, Shell USA, Devon Energy, Big, ” Locations: New York, Chevron, Hess, BP America, New Jersey, Texas, OPEC, Russia, colluding, United States, ”, Occidental

☆ I used bots to work for Instacart. You need one to make the job worthwhile.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Business Insider has verified his identity and his use of two bots designed for gig delivery apps. I found this guy who writes some articles on gig work, and he talked about having access to bots for Instacart. AdvertisementThe biggest reason I purchased it was because you just have to keep refreshing the screen to get orders on Instacart. AdvertisementAn Instacart spokesperson told BI: "This shopper was deactivated from our platform for blatant and abusive violations of our terms of service." Do you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Walmart Spark, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: Ted Rosner, That's, Instacart, I've, it's Organizations: Service, Business, Walmart Locations: Washington, DC, Instacart, DoorDash

For a food that begins with just flour, water or sometimes eggs, there are infinite variations of pasta. So what happens when you convene a panel of five Italian cuisine experts and ask them to determine the 25 most essential pasta dishes throughout Italy? The final picks appear below in unranked alphabetical order, along with the ideal wine to drink with each pasta dish, as recommended by the chosen restaurants and reviewed by Davies’s husband, the sommelier Marco Lami. This list is the latest in our T 25 series, which highlights significant achievements in the worlds of design, literature, fashion, architecture and food. We chose pasta because it’s the food most associated with Italy, and because it’s the subject of T’s new Travel issue.

Persons: ”, Davide Palluda, Stefano Secchi, Emiko Davies, Karima Moyer, Roberta Corradin, I’d, Davies’s, Marco Lami, It’s, you’ll, della Neve, dei Fiori, Massimo Bottura’s, Maria Luigia, ” Secchi, Secchi Organizations: della Locations: Italy, Piedmont, York, Tuscany, Umbria, Florence, Sicily, Boston, Paris, Mexico City, Marche, Modena, Emilia, Romagna

☆ Arup revealed as victim of $25 million deepfake scam involving Hong Kong employee
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —A British multinational design and engineering company behind world famous buildings such as the Sydney Opera House has confirmed that it was the target of a deepfake scam that led to one of its Hong Kong employees paying out $25 million to fraudsters. A spokesperson for Arup told CNN on Friday that it notified Hong Kong police in January about the fraud incident, and confirmed that fake voices and images were used. “Unfortunately, we can’t go into details at this stage as the incident is still the subject of an ongoing investigation. According to Hong Kong police, the elaborate scam saw the employee duped into attending a video call with people he believed were the CFO and other members of staff, but all of whom turned out to be deepfake recreations, Hong Kong police revealed in February. Authorities around the world are growing increasingly concerned about the sophistication of deepfake technology and the nefarious uses it can be put to.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Arup, ” Rob Greig, Michael Kwok Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Sydney Opera, Hong Kong, CNN, Hong, Beijing Olympic Games, Arup’s East Locations: Hong Kong, British, Hong, Arup’s East Asia

☆ YouTube blocks videos of Hong Kong protest song after local court order
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —YouTube has blocked access to a popular protest song in Hong Kong, a week after a court in the city granted a government request to ban the anthem. The ballad contains lyrics that reference the phrase “liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” a protest slogan that was already outlawed in 2020. The Hong Kong government and courts had said the phrase had secessionist and subversive connotations. CNN has reached out to the Hong Kong Department of Justice for comment. Hong Kong was promised key freedoms and autonomy to run its own affairs after it was handed over from British rule to China in 1997.

Persons: We’ll, ”, Hong Kong ”, Jeff Paine, Paul Lam, Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s Organizations: CNN, YouTube, Google, ” CNN, Spotify, Hong, Asia Internet Coalition, Meta, Hong Kong Department of Justice, Hong Kong, “, Volunteers, ”, Hong Kong’s Department of Justice Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, Hong, China

☆ Apple looks kind of ridiculous right now
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) 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. Apple, though, has kept pretty quiet about its own AI ambitions so far — and it's increasingly obvious. "The buzz around AI, and specifically GenAI, has been so deafening that Apple is noticeable by omission," Dipanjan Chatterjee, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, told Business Insider. Still, if the rumors about OpenAI or Gemini iPhone integration are true, this week's "strong announcements actually would bode well for Apple," William Kerwin, an analyst at Morningstar, said. AdvertisementThe analyst told BI that the new iPad rollout is simply an "appetizer to the real meat and potatoes" of Apple's AI strategy, expected to be announced at the WWDC in June.

Persons: —, Sam Altman's, Google's, Dipanjan Chatterjee, Forrester, Chatterjee, Gene Munster, it'd, Apple's, bode, William Kerwin, Siri, Dan Ives Organizations: Service, Big Tech, Business, Apple, Conference, Google, Deepwater Asset Management, Morningstar, Microsoft

☆ With Oscar Pistorius released on parole after serving nine years for murdering Reeva Steenkamp, her family still wants answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN's documentary examines the details leading to Reeva Steenkamp’s murder Rikki Hibbert Photography/Courtesy of StimuliiPistorius shot Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of his house. Why did he do it?” Steenkamp’s mother, June, asked in the documentary. Very clever, and she was always laughing.”“She would have done amazing things,” said Tania Koen, CEO of the Reeva Steenkamp Foundation. The world was a better place with Reeva in it.”Pistorius, now 37 years old, was released on parole on January 5 this year. Steenkamp’s mother has been vocal in her criticism of his release and expressed her concern for the safety of other women.

Persons: Oscar Pistorius, Pistorius, Steenkamp, LeBron James, Leonardo DiCaprio, ”, Scott Roder, Jesse L, Martin, Steenkamp’s, Reeva, Rikki Hibbert, “, Tania Koen, ” Pistorius, Oscar, ” “ Oscar Pistorius Organizations: CNN, Games, South, Appeal, Reeva, “ Locations: South, Pretoria, South Africa, ”

☆ A can of paint. Stolen license plates. Odd messages. How the FBI charged a Florida man with kidnapping his wife in Spain
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Faith Karimi | Al Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But the FBI said this week they’ve arrested the mystery man who entered her Madrid apartment building that night: her estranged husband. Knezevich’s attorney, Kenneth Padowitz, told CNN in February that his client is innocent and “has never been to Spain.” Padowitz declined to comment Wednesday after Knezevich’s arrest. She was planning a trip to Barcelona with her friends on February 5, her brother told CNN, making her sudden lack of contact more concerning. Spanish firefighters entered her apartment for a welfare check and she was nowhere to be found, court documents said. And they were written with the help of another Colombian woman Knezevich had met on a dating app months earlier, court documents said.

Persons: Ana Maria Knezevich, Henao, they’ve, David Knezevich, he’d, Kenneth Padowitz, “, ” Padowitz, Knezevich, ” Henao, Padowitz, Ana Maria Knezevich Henao, Manu Fernandez, James Marshall, they’re, ” Marshall, ”, Sanna Rameau, ” Rameau, she’d, — Knezevich, Knezevich’s, CNN’s Pau Mosquera, Denise Royal, Carlos Suarez Organizations: CNN, FBI, Miami International Airport, EOX Technology Solutions Inc, Peugeot, AP FBI Locations: Madrid, Spain, Florida, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Serbia, Spanish, Turkey, Belgrade, Salamanca, Colombia, Colombian, Bogota

☆ Husband of American woman missing in Spain arrested, FBI says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Denise Royal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The husband of Ana Maria Knezevich Henao, a woman who was reported missing while in Spain in February, has been arrested in Florida, the FBI confirmed Monday. Knezevich Henao, 40, was reported missing in February after she failed to meet a friend in Madrid. Around the time she went missing, Rameau said she received a WhatsApp message from Knezevich Henao which read: “I met someone wonderful!! Two people who know the situation told CNN Knezevich Henao initially rented the apartment in Madrid from January 5 to February 5. It says David Knezevich is Serbian and Knezevich Henao is a native of Colombia and a project manager.

Persons: Ana Maria Knezevich Henao, David Knezevich, James Marshall, Marshall, Knezevich, Knezevich Henao, Juan Felipe Henao, Sanna Rameau, Rameau, “ I’m, ”, “, Henao, CNN Knezevich Henao, CNN’s Pau Mosquera, Al Goodman, Carlos Suarez Organizations: CNN, FBI, Broward County Sheriff's, Diplomatic Security Service, Miami International Airport, Miami Federal Court, Spanish National Police, US Customs, Knezevich, EOX Technology Locations: Spain, Florida, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Broward County, Miami, Madrid, Her, Barcelona, Madrid’s, Salamanca, Serbia, Knezevich, South Florida, Colombia

☆ Restaurants are competing for frugal diners’ dollars
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For some restaurants, it feels like a battle to get them to spend. Olive Garden-parent Darden Restaurants saw same-restaurant sales dip during its most recent quarter. Darden saw sales from households with incomes above $150,000 climb from the prior year. What to expect in Friday’s jobs reportThe US job market has been on a roll for the past three years. That’s about 25,000 more jobs per month than last year and 111,000 more per month than in 2019.

Persons: ”, Laxman Narasimhan, “, we’ve, Ian Borden, Ricardo Cardenas, Scott Sheffield, “ Mr, —, Matt Egan, Read, Alicia Wallace, ” Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Starbucks, Darden, OPEC, Federal Trade Commission, Sheffield, Organization of, Petroleum, Saudi Arabia, Regulators, Pioneer Natural Resources, CNN, of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, China, Olive, American, Saudi, Sheffield, Texas, OPEC, Russia

For the first time in the history of the United States, billionaires had a lower effective tax rate than working-class Americans. Opinion Guest Essay Make Billionaires Pay (Their Taxes)Until recently, it was hard to know just how good the superrich are at avoiding taxes. Let’s agree that billionaires should pay income taxes equivalent to a small portion — say, 2 percent — of their wealth each year. Billionaires who already pay the baseline amount of income tax would have no extra tax to pay. The idea that billionaires should pay a minimum amount of income tax is not a radical idea.

Persons: Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, we’ve, Demetrio Guzzardi, Jeff Bezos, Bezos, Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, Bernard Arnault, Arnault’s, Arnault, Reagan, Critics, haven’t, Biden Organizations: Government, Social Security, European Economic Association, Institut des Politiques, Economic, Amazon, Elon, Twitter, Shepard, Getty, Trump, Internal, Abaca, New York, Facebook Locations: United States, Netherlands, States Netherlands Italy France, Italy, France, Tesla, LVMH, America, Europe, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, U.S, Brazil, South Africa, Spain

The U.S. government’s landmark antitrust trial against Google’s search business is nearing its conclusion. Under the Trump administration, the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission started investigating Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, the parent company of Instagram and WhatsApp, for monopolistic behavior. The government has since sued all four companies — Google twice — in what it says is an effort to rein in their power and promote more competition. Closing arguments wrap up on Friday in Google’s first antitrust suit on allegations that it has a monopoly in internet search. and 17 states sued Amazon, accusing it of protecting a monopoly by squeezing sellers on its vast marketplace and favoring its own services.

Persons: Trump Organizations: U.S, Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, Apple, Google, Big Tech, Amazon Locations: Google’s

She loaded her carry-ons onto the conveyor belt at the security checkpoint and prepared to walk through the metal detector. “I just felt like they were searching for something.”At first, when they flagged her bags, Griner wasn’t too concerned. This was her eighth season in Russia; she paid taxes there and was familiar with the country and its laws. As soon as she felt the cannabis-oil cartridge stowed in a zippered inner pocket in her backpack, her stomach sank. Griner was told to wait while the agent took the cartridges for testing, along with her passport.

Persons: “, ”, wasn’t, Cherelle, Griner, Lindsay Colas, Colas, Alex Boykov, Boykov, snickered, peered, “ I’ve Organizations: Moscow Locations: Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Russia, Arizona, United States, Russian

☆ The future of Google — and Big Tech — hangs in the balance at trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) 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. Google's landmark antitrust trial is wrapping up this week in DC with closing arguments, capping off a yearslong saga. AdvertisementIn the end, Judge Mehta could clear Google or find it liable, which could result in changes to its search engine contracts. Mehta could even bar Google from making future deals around its search engine. In his testimony, Google SVP Prabhakar Raghavan noted the search giant is referred to as "Grandpa Google" in some circles and cited execs' fears that its influence might be dwindling.

Persons: —, Amit Mehta, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, Google's, Kent Walker, Judge Mehta, Mehta, Prabhakar Raghavan, Google Organizations: Service, Apple, Business, US, Microsoft, Justice, Google, The New York Times, DOJ, FTC, Amazon, Meta, Big Tech, AP

☆ Scott Sheffield, former Pioneer CEO, accused of trying to conspire with OPEC to inflate prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Scott Sheffield, the founder and longtime CEO of a leading American oil producer, attempted to collude with OPEC and its allies to inflate prices, federal regulators alleged on Thursday. Regulators say Sheffield, then the CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources, used WhatsApp conversations, in-person meetings and public statements to try to “align oil production” in the Permian Basin in Texas with that of OPEC and OPEC+, the wider group that includes Russia. Unlike with OPEC nations, US oil production is supposed to be decided by the free market, not by coordination among the major players. The FTC said that while Sheffield was discussing efforts to coordinate output with other Texas producers, the Pioneer CEO said: “If Texas leads the way, maybe we can get OPEC to cut production. Exxon said that in response to the FTC’s concerns, it will not add Sheffield to its board.

Persons: New York CNN — Scott Sheffield, “ Mr, —, Kyle Mach, Sheffield “, Douglas Farrar, Sheffield, ”, Exxon Organizations: New, New York CNN, OPEC, Federal Trade Commission, Sheffield, Organization of, Petroleum, Saudi Arabia, Regulators, Pioneer Natural Resources, FTC, ExxonMobil, Competition, CNN, Railroad Commission, Texas, Exxon Locations: New York, American, Saudi, Sheffield, Texas, OPEC, Russia, FTC’s, Saudi Arabia

☆ Opinion | Israel and Saudi Arabia Are Trading Places
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Thomas L. Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

But the other part of the deal, which is seen as critical to winning support in Congress, is for Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel. There are a lot of “ifs” and “provided thats” in this equation that seem most unlikely today. As a result, the U.S. and the Saudis are considering finalizing the deal and taking it to Congress with the stated proviso that Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel the minute Israel has a government ready to meet the Saudi-U.S. terms. Hopefully, though, if there can be a permanent end of fighting and a return of all Israelis taken hostage, Israel will hold new elections. And then — maybe, just maybe — the choice on the table for Israelis will not be Bibi or no Bibi, but Bibi or a credible pathway to peace with Saudi Arabia and the Palestinians.

Persons: Biden, Israel, “, Netanyahu, Bibi Organizations: U.S, West Bank, Palestinian, Saudi, New York, Facebook Locations: U.S, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Taiwan, Israel, Gaza

☆ College students desperate for jobs are getting scammed online by criminals posing as tech recruiters
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

College students are increasingly targeted by job recruitment scammers, the FTC warned. Scammers use fake listings and pose as recruiters to steal money and identities. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But they can also target a college student's identity or bank information. AdvertisementThe Wall Street Journal recently interviewed students who had encountered scammers during their job hunts.

Persons: —, scammers, Murray Organizations: FTC, Service, Street, Microsoft, Murray Resources Locations: Houston

☆ Meta's AI search is weird and uncanny — and I'm not sure who it's for
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementFacebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram have integrated Meta AI into the search fields of their mobile apps. The search bar in the Facebook and Instagram apps is one place you probably know very well. You come to the Facebook search bar to type in the name of your local Buy Nothing group, but instead, you see an animated blue circle with "Ask Meta AI anything." The search bar on the Facebook app now has AI prompts. Instagram search suggestions are slightly more Instagram-y.

Persons: Instagram, —, Meta, Pew, ike, .. F, els Organizations: Service, Facebook, Fast Company, rit, up id, Meta Locations: uri

☆ Opinion | A TikTok Divestiture Is Long Overdue
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Tim Wu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

China’s violations of human rights and the basic norms of internet freedom are blatant and obvious. This month, with little fanfare, the country ordered Apple to block downloads of WhatsApp, Threads and Signal within its borders. This new law, which gives TikTok roughly 270 days to find a new owner, is designed to change that. But more fundamentally, it sends a message to the world: You cannot disregard basic internet norms and expect to be treated just like any other country. Infrastructure is destiny, and on some level, the continuing struggle to control the internet is a struggle for the future of civilization.

Persons: —, Biden Organizations: Apple, Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, Susquehanna International Group Locations: United States, Beijing

Arm Ukraine With Fanfare and Israel in Secret? That package will pay for billions of dollars of arms flowing to Ukraine, Israel and other nations. As soon as the bill became law, the administration issued new announcements about weapons shipments to Ukraine, but not about transfers to Israel. Press releases about military aid for Ukraine and Israel Since both wars began, the U.S. government has issued at least 126 press statements or updates describing military aid sent to Ukraine and just three describing military aid sent to Israel. Information on maritime support sent to … Ukraine IsraelInformation on air-based weaponry and drones sent to … Ukraine IsraelThere is another distinction worth noting.

Persons: Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Antony Blinken, ”, Josh Paul, Israel —, Ukraine Israel “, Daniel C, it’s, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Israel . Press, U.S . Department of State, U.S . Department of State ; U.S . Department of Defense, Internet, State Department, Defense Department, State and Defense, Washington Post, Ukraine authorizations, Democratic Party, West Bank, White, New York, Facebook Locations: Israel, Ukraine, U.S, U.S . Department of State ;, Ukraine Israel, Gaza, American, Egypt, Russian, Rafah, Lebanon, Iran, Iranian, Syria, United States

☆ Who could buy TikTok?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Still, the company is under such close scrutiny that it would be a poor candidate to buy TikTok, experts say. If you were to tell me it’s Verizon, or AT&T, maybe it’s not as big of a problem.”Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Emarketer, highlighted a paradox: Only the largest, most dominant tech giants may have the resources to buy TikTok. Microsoft had been one of the handful of contenders to buy TikTok in 2020 when President Donald Trump first pushed for a sale. A former Trump Cabinet official enters the frayIn a move that caught many by surprise, former Trump Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced last month that he is putting together a team of investors to buy TikTok. As with Mnuchin, O’Leary has said a potential acquisition of TikTok may have to exclude TikTok’s algorithm.

Persons: Joe Biden, There’s, ”, Gene Kimmelman, Jasmine Enberg, ” Enberg, TikTok’s, Donald Trump, TikTok, Steven Mnuchin, Mnuchin, ” Oregon Democratic Sen, Ron Wyden, Trump, who’ve, Kevin O’Leary, O’Leary Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Google, Meta, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Department, YouTube, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, Verizon, Emarketer, Activision Blizzard, Walmart, Oracle, Project Texas, Texas, Trump Cabinet, Trump Treasury, Trump, ” Oregon Democratic, Washington Post, O’Leary Ventures Locations: United States, TikTok, ” Oregon

☆ Mark Zuckerberg's wealth may slide $25 billion in a day as Big Tech faces $350 billion sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewMark Zuckerberg's fortune could shrink by $25 billion in a single day due to Meta's post-earnings slump. The cofounder and CEO of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp's parent company was worth an estimated $175 billion at Wednesday's close, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Zuckerberg has a stake of about 13% in Meta that was valued at around $170 billion at Wednesday's close. However, the stock price tumbled as much as 15% to $420 in premarket trading on Thursday, indicating Zuckerberg's shares are now worth $25 billion less at $145 billion. AdvertisementA $25 billion reduction in wealth in one day would be remarkable, as only the top 70 richest people in the world command fortunes of that size.

Persons: —, Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Gates, Elon, Musk, we've Organizations: Service, Facebook, Bloomberg, Business, Microsoft, Big Tech, Meta Locations: Meta

☆ Meta's AI is now in your Instagram and Facebook. Here's what it does — and whether you can turn it off
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Meta introduced its AI-powered chatbot Meta AI across its social media and messaging platforms. The prompt "ask Meta AI anything" shows up whenever you click on the search bar in Instagram and Facebook. But despite being available on the app, Meta AI isn't automatically connected to your social media accounts or personal information. Unlike other chatbots that you can use at your own will, you can't get rid of Meta AI. And on WhatsApp and Messenger, users can just ignore the Meta AI chats since they're not available in the search bar.

Persons: Meta, —, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Ana Altchek Organizations: Gemini, Service, Facebook, Apple, Meta Locations: Instagram

☆ PR firms are running execs' LinkedIn profiles — and turning ghostwriting into big business
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Marta Biino | Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Executives looking to boost their own profiles have for years paid freelancers to ghostwrite their LinkedIn posts. Now big PR firms are getting into the game, and LinkedIn profile management is going mainstream. Business Insider spoke to 14 PR firms that said more companies are asking for LinkedIn writing and strategy services for their leaders. Zappa said he does not offer specific rates for LinkedIn posts and instead includes LinkedIn in broader content contracts. However, he estimated that PR firms solely focused on LinkedIn ghostwriting could charge companies $5,000 a month for three to five LinkedIn posts.

Persons: Erin Ledbetter, Weber Shandwick, Ogilvy, Contessa Kellogg, Winters, resharing, There's, Lana McGilvray, Katie Burcham Glasshoff, execs, Chris Harihar, Dan Allocca, Joe Zappa, Zappa, Nicola Dodd, Laura Franklin, Franklin, Kim Metcalfe, Zeno Group's, —, upend ghostwriting, William Dobinson, Farrer Kane, Greg Swan, Lewis Goldberg, Claude Organizations: Business, Zeno, LinkedIn, Weber, Purpose, The Washington Post, BCW, Crenshaw Communications, Sharp Pen Media, Ogilvy UK, ghostwriting, London, Finn Partners, KCSA Strategic Communications Locations: Ketchum, gatekeepers, Midwest

☆ Meta stock plunges on ‘aggressive’ AI spending plans
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Shares in Meta plunged in premarket trading Thursday as the Facebook owner’s plans to “invest aggressively” in artificial intelligence spooked investors. The company is competing head-to-head with Microsoft and Google to unlock the enormous potential of AI. Meta (META), which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, said Wednesday that first-quarter profit more than doubled year-on-year, while revenue was up 27%. Meta said full-year capital expenditure would be in the range of $35-40 billion — up from previous guidance of $30-37 billion — as it continues to accelerate infrastructure investments to support AI. Meta has forecast revenue of $36.5-39 billion, versus analyst expectations of $38.2 billion.

Persons: —, ” Sophie Lund, Yates, Hargreaves Lansdown, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, ”, Stephen Innes Organizations: London CNN —, Meta, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, ”, Management

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