• Companies are banning AI agents from their platforms, with United Airlines being the latest.
• Firms are citing privacy and security concerns, among others.
• Amazon, eBay, and Target are among the companies rolling out restrictions.

The AI bots are hitting roadblocks.

Major companies are rolling out bans and restrictions on AI agents, preventing the bots from making purchases directly on your behalf and, in some cases, from browsing their site for you.

Companies from retail to travel are reckoning with the rise of AI agents, which have grown in popularity since the release of Meta's Muse in September and similar personal assistant tools, like Instinct. Popular chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude have also added agentic capabilities.

Those banning AI agents have cited privacy and security concerns, among others. There's also been speculation that agents could cause sites to lose traffic if humans no longer visit them directly to browse, buy, or book.

Here's a list of companies that have banned or restricted AI agents.

Amazon

GeekWire first reported in September that people trying to use Muse to shop on Amazon were seeing a popup that read "continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon's Conditions of Use, to which our customers have agreed."

Amazon's conditions of use do not explicitly ban all AI agents, but the company states that "at our sole discretion, we may limit, including by technical measures, whether and how any Agent accesses, uses, and interacts with Amazon Services."

Booking.com

Booking.com does not allow automated assistants to make bookings or reservations without express permission. The company's terms say AI-powered assistants are also not allowed to access its platform for any reason without prior permission.

The company says it will block anyone it suspects of using AI-powered assistants.

eBay

eBay is shutting the door on AI shoppers.

The marketplace has recently updated its user agreement to prohibit automated access without the company's permission, specifically naming "buy-for-me agents," "LLM-driven bots," and "end-to-end flow that attempts to place orders without human review."

Resy

Resy, the restaurant booking platform, limits which AI agents are allowed to access its platforms. The company says it supports discovery and booking with ChatGPT and Claude, but it can block AI activity outside those approved services.

The company cited platform security and concerns about excessive demand on its system, and said users who violate their rules could have their accounts terminated.

Target

Target is keeping a tighter guest list for AI shoppers.

The company's terms prohibit AI shopping agents from accessing or gathering data from its site unless explicitly authorized. The approved list includes "Target's AI Shopping Assistant, OAI, Google and Microsoft."

According to the user terms, approved agents can sign in to accounts, build carts, place orders, and initiate returns with customers' permission. Target also said in its terms that the company can change the list or restrict agents' access at any time.

United Airlines

United Airlines announced Wednesday it was restricting access for third-party agents, citing security and regulatory risks, as well as the possibility of unintended purchases.

The airline said some actions, such as an agent checking in on behalf of a flyer, could violate federal regulations requiring a human to acknowledge that their bags do not contain banned items like explosives.

The company's new policy states that unauthorized AI agents are not permitted to search, book, buy, or manage your trips on United's platforms.

Yelp

Yelp does not allow non-human traffic on its site without express permission. The company has a paid data-licensing program, which could allow an agent to access its data and take certain actions through approved integrations, including one that lets ChatGPT users make reservations.

• Nvidia stock fell 8% following a Wall Street Journal report that the company's board plans to oust CEO Jensen Huang.
• The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Huang had a second extramarital affair, this time with an Nvidia employee.
• This is what smart people in business and tech are saying about Huang's potential exit from Nvidia.

Speculation over what Nvidia's future could look like without its high-profile chief executive ramped up on Wednesday.

The chipmaker's stock fell 8% in after-hours trading Wednesday after The Wall Street Journal reported that its board was preparing to remove CEO Jensen Huang.

The New York Times also reported Wednesday that Huang had an affair with an Nvidia executive who reported to him, citing five people who worked at the company.

The report came days after Huang said in a memo to employees that he had an extramarital affair, and after Nvidia's board launched an investigation into whether Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. The New York Times previously reported US officials believed Huang had grown close to a tech executive, Alice Huang, who had been recruited to gather information for the Chinese government.

As the chip giant's succession plans remain unknown, here is what smart people in business and tech are saying about Huang's potential exit from Nvidia.

Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management

Ross Gerber said Huang's departure would be a disappointment for Nvidia shareholders but said the company could move forward without him.

"Looks like Jensen is done. What a disappointment. Sad day for Nvidia shareholders and looks like another tough day for the stock. Never would have guessed he'd go down this way," Gerber wrote in one of several posts on X on Wednesday.

"Jensen will be replaced and Nvidia is still Nvidia. That's business. He must go and Nvidia needs to focus on selling chips!" Gerber added.

Eric Wallerstein, chief macro strategist at Clocktower Group

Eric Wallerstein wrote on X on Wednesday that Huang's likely ousting could shake investor confidence in the broader AI trade, given Nvidia's role in financing the industry.

"Jensen has helped foster a complex web of circular financing relationships, and ultimately backstopped the AI trade, with Nvidia's balance sheet," Wallerstein said.

"Removing that Put, or even placing uncertainty on its availability, will cause investors to increase the risk premium on AI-related assets," Wallerstein added.

Ed Zitron, CEO of EZ Primary Research

Ed Zitron said in a post on X that he questions what else Nvidia might be withholding from investors, pointing to the company's past regulatory troubles.

"Oh so NVIDIA knew about this affair already, huh? What else is this company not telling us?" Zitron wrote on Wednesday.

Zitron also cited two previous SEC cases involving Nvidia, one in 2002 over accounting practices and one in 2022 over disclosures related to cryptocurrency mining and gaming revenue.

Jason Calacanis, co-host and executive producer of the All-In Podcast

Jason Calacanis said the company shouldn't be so quick to remove Huang.

"A much better solution for NVIDIA's board, shareholders, customers and employees (and America) would be to (a) finish their investigation and (b) make @JensenHuang the chairman if it comes to that," Calacanis wrote on X on Wednesday.

"China doesn't need NVIDIA's chips. America needs NVIDIA to win. Act accordingly," Calacanis added, alongside a screenshot of his new Nvidia share purchases.

Keith Urbahn, president of Javelin

Keith Urbahn, president of Javelin, a literary and creative agency that has repped prominent figures like James Comey and Tucker Carlson, said Wednesday in an X post that the situation was "a generational case study in how not to manage a crisis."

He outlined several lessons to take away from the ordeal, including: "Never let a CEO's personal crisis take precedence over the interests of the company and its shareholders."

"The board must speak with its own voice. It cannot outsource its institutional credibility to the CEO," he added.

Byrne Hobart, venture capitalist and founder of The Diff

Byrne Hobart, general partner at Anomaly Fund and founder of The Diff, a finance and tech newsletter, suggested ousting Huang could lead to new competition for Nvidia.

"On one hand, boards have to do what they have to do. On the other hand, he's a guy who's worth $150bn, knows everyone in hardware, named his company after the Latin word for "spite," and he lives in a state where you can't enforce noncompetes," he wrote in a post on X.

Anthony Pompliano, crypto investor and entrepreneur

Anthony Pompliano, a crypto investor and entrepreneur, wrote on X: "Jensen's yet-to-be-launched Nvidia competitor is going to do numbers in the seed round."

Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management

Gene Munster, a tech analyst and managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said in an X post that Nvidia will go on, with or without its famous CEO.

"Remember: AI infrastructure customers will act in their best interest," he said. "That means they'll keep buying just as many $NVDA chips with or without Jensen."

He also said he guesses the stock will open on Thursday at $150, or about 20% lower than the close at the end of last week, but that he expects it to "quickly rally back."

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's Mad Money

Jim Cramer, who has interviewed Huang on several occasions, questioned how investors should value Nvidia if Huang were suddenly gone.

"As I said this morning, there is a bench. As Mike from Coreweave said, there is a company," Cramer said on X on Wednesday. "What is it worth when a key man is just erased?"

"Let me think about how sickening this is and then i will come back to you," Cramer added. "I want to throw up."

Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures

The founder of venture capital firm Khosla Ventures backed calls to treat the matter seriously while praising Huang's record.

Khosla wrote, "Agree with Ron!" on X in a response to VC Ron Conway's post.

Conway said the situation should be taken seriously, but urged people to remember Huang's "determination and vision," which he said laid the foundation for much of today's technology industry. He added that Huang's statements had shown "grace."

Dan Niles, founder and portfolio manager of Niles Investment Management

In a post on X, Niles predicted Huang could leave Nvidia but argued the company's product pipeline would sustain it for about two years.

"Given NYT article, I think Jensen is gone at $NVDA, potentially by tomorrow morning," the portfolio manager wrote, speculating that Nvidia's CFO could become interim CEO.

He said the stock could bottom relative to the semiconductor index after earnings, and that Nvidia had a "deep bench of direct reports."

Niles compared the situation to Apple after Steve Jobs took medical leave, saying that Nvidia's business could continue to perform for a time even without Huang. He also said the wider AI trade could face further forced selling.

Balaji Srinivasan, founder of the Network School and former Coinbase CTO

Srinivasan said Huang should remain Nvidia's CEO.

"No. Bill Clinton did not resign. Jensen Huang shouldn't either," Srinivasan wrote, referring to the former US president. "And the Nvidia board shouldn't fire him. Particularly in the heat of the moment."

He urged Huang and Nvidia to "ride it out and ignore the journos," adding: "Clinton did. And then no one cared."

Srinivasan also reposted a tweet from Elon Musk saying he would be honored to hire Huang.

Srinivasan wrote: "If the Nvidia board is silly enough to do something rash, they will likely face immediate market consequences as all kinds of talent leaves to join Jensen at his next thing."

Dan Ives, partner at Yorkville Ives & Co.

Tech megabull Dan Ives said that Huang's "days at Nvidia could be numbered" and that investors were now weighing questions around a successor, an interim strategy, board changes, and potential government investigations.

"Jensen has created a black eye moment for himself and Nvidia and now has created a spider web of complexity that Wall Street, Silicon Valley, DC, and the global tech ecosystem are trying to figure out what is next," he wrote.

Still, Ives wrote that Nvidia's leading-edge GPU technology and its entrenched role in the AI race would continue. He said Huang was "not replaceable," but argued the company could navigate the turmoil and remain a foundational part of the AI revolution.

• Chandana Shivanand moved to California in her 20s for a master's in electrical engineering.
• She was happily married and working at Meta when she and her husband decided to move back to India.
• They gave themselves two years to decide if it was the right move.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chandana Shivanand, 32, an Indian National and cofounder of Polygnan, a nonprofit that supports engineering students in India. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I was born in India and brought up in a small city about 60 miles northeast of Bengaluru.

During my third year of undergrad, my mother encouraged me to look for opportunities abroad. I graduated in 2016 and moved to the US a few months later to pursue a master's in electrical engineering at the University of Southern California.

I went on to work as a senior technical program manager at Meta. I briefly moved to Microsoft because I wanted to learn from its larger community of program and product managers, but I was back at Meta in less than seven months.

My now-husband Prajwal and I had an arranged marriage in 2021. We rented a two-bedroom apartment in Santa Clara and lived there for about two years before eventually buying our own home.

We wanted to do more than send money home

I have always been interested in giving back to society, and I started volunteering in high school.

After getting married, Prajwal and I established a charity back in India. But we were in the US, and our parents were hosting activities on our behalf. We began asking ourselves whether there was a better way to give back than simply sending money.

In 2023, we started Global Engineers Connect with about 35 friends and professionals from our networks around the world. We wanted to help engineering students from rural India tackle real problems within their own communities. We gave small amounts for social impact projects, along with mentorship, mock interviews, résumé reviews, and referrals.

In February 2024, after organizing a full-day event back on the campus where I had studied for undergrad, my husband asked me whether I wanted to move back to India. I said yes without a second thought.

We asked ourselves why we were always associating our lives with our careers. Was working at Meta a better thing than following my passion? We had enough of a financial cushion to explore what we were passionate about, so nothing scared us. We decided to give ourselves two years in India, and both moved toward the end of 2024.

Initially, we rented out our home in the US rather than selling it, keeping the option of returning if things didn't work out. I moved back with just 11 boxes of belongings. Two years later, we sold our house in California to a neighbor, completing the transaction through an online notary. We had purchased it for $1.7 million and sold it for $2 million.

We returned to India to figure out what came next

We knew we wanted to work in social impact, particularly education, but we weren't planning to start an organization immediately. We wanted to explore and figure things out first.

Our strength was engineering. I had worked in AI and network infrastructure, while Prajwal had worked at Oracle. We also had a global network of more than 150 mentors who could support aspiring engineers.

We now have two main programs: entrepreneurship and AI. Through the entrepreneurship program, we incubate engineering students for 10 weeks to help them develop an idea into a minimum viable product.

In the beginning, it was chaotic. Adjusting to the Indian work culture, traffic, pollution, and societal expectations wasn't easy. We made a conscious decision to live independently of our parents and rented a five-bedroom villa, which also became our office.

I don't regret returning to India. Working at Big Tech companies gave me the exposure, confidence, and financial backing to make this decision. In India, the highs are very high, and the lows can be equally intense. But there has been flexibility, freedom, and support to figure out the path we want.

If I had stayed in India, I don't think I would have started my nonprofit this early. Going to the US, getting that exposure, and then coming back to India made much more sense for me. Otherwise, I would always think the grass is greener on the other side. Now I know both ways of life, and I can make a conscious decision about the lifestyle that works for my dreams, passion, and vision.

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is caught up in a scandal after admitting to an extramarital affair.
• Following allegations of a Chinese spy plot, Nvidia is investigating if Huang was targeted.
• Here's everyone who's been talked about in the scandal, from Huang's family to top US officials.

One of the most powerful figures in Big Tech is caught up in a messy scandal that involves an affair, an alleged Chinese spy, and a wide array of characters.

At the center is Jensen Huang himself.

The Nvidia CEO on Sunday admitted to having an extramarital affair in a memo sent to Nvidia employees. Nvidia's board of directors announced the same day it was launching an investigation into whether Huang was the "target of a foreign intelligence effort."

The investigation came after The New York Times previously reported US intelligence officials believed a woman who had grown close to Huang — Alice Huang, a Chinese tech executive — was recruited to gather information for Beijing.

The timeline of events goes back at least to the Spring but has ramped up in the past week, as has speculation about what the news means for Huang and Nvidia.

The Times published a separate piece on Wednesday that said Huang was involved in another affair, this time with Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, Kimberly Powell.

The Times reported, citing five unnamed company sources, that Huang and Powell were "captured on video being affectionate" at an Nvidia conference in March.

Here's all the people you need to know who have been talked about in the saga.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO

Jensen Huang is the CEO of Nvidia, a company he cofounded in 1993 and has led through the generative AI boom, including its rise to the world's most valuable company.

The executive on Sunday admitted to having an extramarital affair and apologized for being "unfaithful" to his wife. He said that, given the national security concerns surrounding the matter, he supported the Nvidia board in pursuing an investigation.

"I love our country and our company. I am committed to protecting NVIDIA and supporting America's national security," Huang said in a memo to Nvidia employees.

Alice Huang, Chinese tech executive

Alice Huang is a Chinese tech executive who developed a close relationship with Jensen Huang. The two are not related, despite having the same last name. She was an executive at Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based cloud computing company and Nvidia customer.

The New York Times reported last month that US intelligence officials believed Alice Huang was acting as a spy for the Chinese government.

It's unclear when Huang met Alice Huang, but the pair have been photographed together on several occasions. Last week, Huang told Bloomberg his dealings with Alice Huang had been business-related and "completely normal and not unusual."

When Huang told Nvidia staff he had engaged in an affair, he did not name Alice Huang.

Kimberly Powell, Nvidia VP of healthcare

The Times reported on Wednesday that Huang had another extramarital affair, this time with Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare.

The outlet, citing unnamed company sources, wrote that the pair were captured on video being affectionate toward each other at a San Jose hotel during an Nvidia conference in March.

According to Powell's public LinkedIn, she has been working at the company for more than 18 years.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Nvidia's board of directors was preparing to oust Huang from his role following the news of his affairs.

Nvidia's stock took a big hit on Wednesday, falling more than 8% in after-hours trading.

Lori Huang, Jensen Huang's wife

Lori Huang has been married to Huang for over 40 years. The pair met as lab partners in an electrical engineering class at Oregon State University.

Lori Huang is the president of Jen-Hsun and Lori Huang Foundation, a charitable organization founded by the couple in 2007. Huang has praised his wife for supporting his work with Nvidia.

"Lori's been with me for a long time, our whole life," Huang told CNA, a Singapore-based outlet, in May. "She's been part of Nvidia every step of the way."

The Huangs have two adult children, both of whom work at Nvidia.

Marco Rubio, US secretary of state

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has been caught up in the drama due to an alleged memo from earlier this year that warned about Huang's ties to a Chinese spy.

The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported Sunday that Rubio oversaw the drafting of a "highly classified memo" this Spring that warned about Huang's relationship with a Chinese spy. The Times said the memo was based on electronic surveillance of Alice Huang, who was under investigation regarding illegally sending Nvidia AI chips to China.

Donald Trump, US president

President Donald Trump has had a positive relationship with Huang and has stuck by the executive through the scandal.

Trump told reporters he called Huang on Monday to see how he was doing. He said the CEO told him he had "no idea" the person he was involved with was a Chinese spy.

"And I really believe him," Trump said.

The president also praised Huang and added he was "very confident that he'll be in good shape."

Madison Huang, Nvidia senior director of product marketing

Madison Huang is Huang's daughter and an executive at Nvidia as senior director of product marketing for physical AI.

Huang's memo to employees about his affair referenced his family and his children directly.

"I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children," he wrote, adding, "To my wife and family: I love you. I know an apology cannot undo what I have done. I hope our family will heal and that, over time, I can earn back your trust."

Bloomberg reported early Monday that Madison Huang had abruptly dropped out of an AI event happening in Seoul.

A former employee told Business Insider's Geoff Weiss that Madison Huang had been asserting authority across the company's divisions, potentially to set herself up for a greater leadership role.

Spencer Huang, Nvidia director of product management

Spencer Huang is Huang's son and also works as an executive at Nvidia as director of product management for robotics.

John Rizzo, Nvidia head of public policy communications

John Rizzo is Nvidia's head of public policy communications and a spokesperson for the company.

Rizzo told The Times last week that Huang's dealings with Alice Huang were business-related.

"Jensen's interactions with Ms. Huang are not unusual or unexpected. Meetings with customers are part of a C.E.O.'s job; Jensen talks with thousands of customer executives every year," Rizzo said, as reported in the outlet.

Tim Teter, Nvidia general counsel

Tim Teter is an executive vice president and general counsel at Nvidia.

The Times reported Monday that the Commerce Department paused an investigation into Megaspeed, which was suspected of illegally sending Nvidia chips to China, and that it was transferred to the Justice Department. The outlet reported the pause came after Teter reached out to Commerce employees about the case, claiming Jeffrey Kessler, who was a top official in the department, said it was okay.

The Times reported the communication was unusual and that it "alarmed" the Commerce agents.

Jeffrey Kessler, US Department of Commerce official

Kessler was a top official at the US Department of Commerce as the undersecretary of commerce for industry and security, appointed by Trump last year.

Kessler got entangled in the Nvidia scandal when the Times reported Teter, Nvidia's general counsel, name-dropped him in an email to Commerce Department agents who were investigating Megaspeed.

Joon H. Kim, lawyer leading Nvidia investigation

Nvidia's board hired the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and partner Joon H. Kim to lead its investigation into whether Huang was targeted, the company said Tuesday.

Kim, who joined the firm last month, was the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York in 2017 and 2018.

According to his firm, Kim's work focuses on "high-stakes litigation and enforcement, including internal investigations, white-collar criminal and regulatory defense, commercial litigation, arbitration, and crisis management."

In 2021, Kim was hired to investigate sexual harassment claims against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

• Elon Musk weighed in on Jensen Huang-gate.
• Nvidia's board is reportedly preparing to oust Nvidia CEO Huang.

Elon Musk said he would hire Jensen Huang if Nvidia's board removes its longtime CEO.

"That would be an honor," Musk wrote on X Wednesday evening, responding to a post from financial news account ZeroHedge that said: "Elon please hire Jensen."

The exchange came soon after The Wall Street Journal reported that Nvidia's board was preparing to oust Huang following revelations about two extramarital relationships.

One involved a woman whom US intelligence officials suspect of spying for China, according to WSJ and other news organizations including The New York Times. That allegation has not been independently confirmed by Business Insider.

Musk's response recalls another Silicon Valley scandal.

In 2010, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison publicly defended Mark Hurd after Hewlett-Packard's board forced him out following an investigation involving allegations of sexual harassment and inaccurate expense reports. The board found no evidence of harassment but ousted Hurd over expense-reporting issues.

Ellison went a step further, hiring Hurd as Oracle's co-president just weeks later. Hurd eventually became Oracle's co-CEO, before passing away in 2019.

Huang, who cofounded Nvidia in 1993, has become one of the most influential figures in the AI industry. His company's chips power much of the AI boom.

Musk's companies are major users of AI computing technology and are huge buyers of Nvidia GPUs, making Huang's expertise incredibly valuable.

For now, Musk's comment is an expression of interest, not a formal job offer.

Sign up for the AI Insider newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com

My new all-time favorite suitcase — the customizable ROAM Large Expandable Carry-on bag — just dropped by 25%, headline news in a surprisingly strong wave of early Black Friday luggage deals. After months of testing, ROAM won me over with its featherlight shell, effortless glide, and custom colorways — and seeing a top-tier bag like this marked down weeks before Thanksgiving is a rare win. We're also seeing early markdowns across several other standout travel brands, including Away, Monos, and Béis.

Instead of aggregating random coupon codes, my team and I are only tracking the pieces we've dragged through airports, crammed into overhead bins, and stress-tested on real trips. If you have your heart set on a specific carry-on or colorway, grabbing an early November markdown is smart before popular stock sells out.

Below are the early Black Friday luggage deals genuinely worth your money right now, organized so you can upgrade your travel setup before the holiday rush hits.

The best early Black Friday carry-on deals

If I were buying only one piece of luggage for the coming holiday travel season, I'd start with a carry-on bag. It's the workhorse of the travel setup and the bag whose design flaws will frustrate you the fastest when you're sprinting across a terminal with 15 minutes to make a tight connection. Fortunately, Black Friday sales are already dropping prices on top-tier brands — including major markdowns running across the Travelpro carry-on collection and discounts live on Samsonite carry-on luggage.

The best early Black Friday deals on personal items, totes, and travel backpacks

I have a soft spot for a truly exceptional personal-item bag. The right weekender, tote, or travel backpack can save precious space in a cramped economy seat, keep your tech within arm's reach, and spare you from constantly getting up to wrestle a suitcase open in the overhead bin. November is the month to shop travel accessories. I'm tracking high-utility standouts from brands like Away, Dagne Dover, and Monos that are designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between a sleek daily commute, a weekend road trip, and a multi-flight international itinerary with structured interior compartments and trolley sleeves that actually fit securely over your suitcase handle.

The best early Black Friday deals on checked bags and luggage sets

This is where you have to play chess, not checkers. While deals on travel accessories peak early in the season, massive hardsides and luggage sets often operate on an entirely different retail timeline, with their deepest percentage-off markdowns hitting later in the holiday shopping season. If you have holiday travel on the books for Thanksgiving or winter break, playing that December waiting game is a gamble. That said, there are deals to be found on checked luggage at Monos and Samsonite, two of our favorite luggage brands.

The best early Black Friday deals on travel clothing and other accessories

Shop more luggage deals by brand: Away | Béis | Calpak | Cotopaxi | July | Monos | Nordstrom | ROAM | Samsonite | Travelpro | Tumi

How Business Insider Reviews covers Black Friday deals

Navigating Black Friday sales can feel overwhelming, with hundreds of "deals" that aren't actually discounts. At BI Reviews, our deals coverage is built on three core pillars:

• Price verification: We track historical pricing on all featured products. If a brand claims an item is 50% off, we cross-reference it against its true baseline price over the last 90 days. If it's not a genuine discount, it doesn't make our guide.

• First-hand testing expertise: We don't just aggregate random internet discounts. The brands and models we feature — such as Travelpro, Samsonite, and Away — are chosen because they have spent time in our editors' hands, passed rigorous real-world testing, and earned our top recommendations.

• Editorial independence: While we do earn an affiliate commission when you click and buy through our links, our editors maintain control over which products and deals make the cut. If a piece of luggage fails our durability or value standards, no discount will get it onto our list.

Read more about how we cover deals at Business Insider

FAQs

When do Black Friday luggage deals actually start?

In 2026, Black Friday officially falls on November 27, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Major luggage brands like Travelpro and Samsonite are rolling out "early Black Friday" deals in early November. Inventory on popular colorways and core models tend to sell out fast, so shopping early is often safer than waiting until after Thanksgiving.

Are early Black Friday deals as good as actual Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals?

For travel accessories, backpacks, and personal items, absolutely. Discount availability peaks from early November to Black Friday weekend. Deals on full-sized suitcases and major luggage sets are harder to find ahead of Black Friday.

Should I buy hardside or softside luggage?

Choose the type of luggage you nuy based on your packing style, and whether you prefer zippered compression or a structured shell. Hardside luggage offers better weather resistance and maximum protection for fragile items, but it usually doesn't flex. Softside luggage often features exterior pockets for quick-access items (like your laptop or headphones) and has more give if you tend to over-pack.

• Nvidia's market value drops more than $300 billion on concerns that the board will oust Jensen Huang.
• Analysts warn removing Huang weakens America's AI lead as China tries to catch up.
• Huang had a romantic relationship with a woman who may be a Chinese spy.

How valuable is a CEO? Often, it's hard to say. Sometimes, though, a series of unusual events provides a crystal-clear answer.

On Wednesday afternoon, the New York Times reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with a subordinate, following revelations earlier this week that he had a romantic relationship with a possible Chinese spy.

Right after that, The Wall Street Journal reported that Nvidia's board was preparing to oust Huang.

That one-two punch knocked Nvidia shares down about 8% in after-hours trading, wiping more than $300 billion off the company's market value.

The Chinese spy allegations were already known days ago. The new news today is that Jensen Huang is likely to be ousted as CEO.

So we have our answer: Huang is worth at least $300 billion. That's more than Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, the world's most important investment banks.

And quite right, too. Huang is "the architect of the US AI trajectory," Stacy Rasgon, a top chip analyst from Bernstein Research, wrote in a note to investors earlier this week.

This is the most powerful new technology to emerge since the dawn of the internet 30 years ago. And the US is in the lead — well ahead of China in second place.

Now, with Huang likely out, and no obvious successor, America's AI lead looks shakier.

"We can't even begin to speculate as to who they might find to fill Jensen's shoes," Rasgon wrote in a note to investors Wednesday evening. He slashed Nvidia's price target to $200 from $400.

Earlier in the week, Rasgon warned of the geopolitical risks if Huang was forced to step down.

"The primary beneficiary of Jensen's removal as Nvidia's CEO would clearly be China; we hope cooler heads prevail," he wrote.

On Wednesday night, other analysts shared similar concerns.

"This would be a setback for the US, particularly as China continues aggressively investing in its own AI capabilities," Brad Gastwirth, global head of research at Circular Technology, told me.

"Removing Jensen would be a tremendous mistake," he added. "Nvidia is central to America's AI leadership, and losing Jensen at this stage could create unnecessary disruption."

Nvidia's board has serious questions to answer about Huang's conduct, especially his relationship with a possible Chinese spy. If they do nothing, the directors expose themselves to legal risk as representatives of the company's shareholders.

One of the few real powers a public company board holds is the ability to hire and fire executives, so actions often involve tough decisions like this.

But the board also has to weigh the enormous cost of losing the man who built Nvidia into the engine of the AI boom.

Tonight, that cost is at least $300 billion.

"The board obviously needs to take the allegations seriously, particularly anything involving national security," Gastwirth said. "Unless the investigation uncovers something that makes his position untenable, I believe the board would be making a major strategic mistake by removing him."

Sign up for the AI Insider newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com

• Nvidia stock fell 8% after hours after two major reports dropped about CEO Jensen Huang.
• The WSJ reported the board was preparing to oust him days after announcing an investigation.
• The NYT reported Huang had an affair with an Nvidia executive who reported to him.

Nvidia's stock was down 8% after hours on Wednesday after new reports dropped concerning CEO Jensen Huang.

The Wall Street Journal reported the Nvidia board was preparing to remove Huang. Days earlier, the board said it was investigating whether Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort after the CEO acknowledged having an extramarital affair.

The New York Times also reported new allegations on Wednesday, saying Huang had a second extramarital affair with an executive at Nvidia who reports to him, citing five unnamed sources who worked at the company. The Times said the executive was Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of health care.

Nvidia declined to provide a statement to The New York Times.

Other stocks with direct ties to Nvidia also seemed to move in response to Wednesday's news.

CoreWeave, a cloud computing company that uses Nvidia chips and counts Nvidia as an investor, saw its stock drop over 4% after hours. Micron, which supplies memory used alongside Nvidia's chips, was down nearly 3% after hours while Supermicro, which builds servers, was down nearly 5%. TSMC, which manufactures the chips Nvidia designs, was down over 2%.

Later on Wednesday, Bernstein, a global equity research and brokerage firm, downgraded Nvidia's stock and slashed its price target in half to $200.

"We admit to struggling mightily with this call, and can sympathize with the case to buy the dip," researchers at the firm wrote in their report. "But our gut tells us that we probably haven't yet fully probed the depths of what might be found here; we've had enough, and prefer to watch from the sidelines."

On Sunday, Huang admitted to having an affair in a memo to employees and said he was cooperating with the board's investigation. He did not name his affair partner. The New York Times had previously reported that US intelligence officials believed Alice Huang, a tech executive who had grown close to the CEO, was recruited to gather information for Beijing.

Days before disclosing his affair, Huang told Bloomberg his interactions with Alice Huang were related to their business dealings and "all completely normal and not unusual."

Alice Huang, a Chinese national who is not related to the Nvidia CEO, has worked as an executive at Megaspeed, a cloud computing company in Singapore that was also an Nvidia customer.

Nvidia's board hired Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, an elite Wall Street law firm, to carry out the investigation, with partner Joon H. Kim, a former US attorney, tapped to lead it.

Lawmakers last week also sent a letter to Huang requesting he testify about his relationship with Alice Huang, citing "significant national security concerns."

Nvidia succession plans

Nvidia's CEO has become nearly synonymous with the company he cofounded, but the question of succession at one of the world's most valuable companies has gotten major attention this week.

Nvidia has not publicly shared a succession plan. On Sunday, the board told Business Insider that "Jensen is committed to continuing to lead Nvidia as CEO without interruption."

Analysts and former employees said there were several potential successors, including vice president Ian Buck and chief financial officer Colette Kress.

Huang's two adult children, Madison and Spencer, also work at Nvidia.

This is a developing story.

• Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's VP of healthcare, reportedly had a relationship with CEO Jensen Huang.
• Powell joined Nvidia in 2008 and has risen through the ranks.
• Huang wrote in a memo to staff earlier this week that he was "unfaithful" to his wife.

Kimberly Powell, Nvidia's vice president of healthcare, had an extramarital relationship with CEO Jensen Huang, according to a New York Times report on Wednesday that cited five company sources.

Powell, 48, reports to Huang, 63. The Times reported that the duo was "captured on video being affectionate" at an Nvidia conference hotel in San Jose in March, and that Powell is also married.

Huang is already under investigation at Nvidia on whether he was the target of a "foreign intelligence effort." The Times had reported that US officials believed another woman he grew close with, tech executive Alice Huang, may have been recruited by the Chinese government to spy on the chip giant. The Nvidia CEO admitted to being "unfaithful" to his wife in a note to staff on Sunday.

Here's what to know about Powell.

Powell steered Nvidia's healthcare efforts

Powell joined Nvidia as a director in 2008 and has steadily risen through the ranks. According to her corporate profile, she was originally responsible for promoting the use of Nvidia's AI chips for medical imaging.

She'd previously worked as an engineer and then in product at an electronics startup and ended up getting ahold of Nvidia to talk about their computing chips. Once the company realized its technology would have healthcare applications, it got back in touch to hire her, she said on an episode of the Lifers podcast published this August.

Powell called the job a "dream come true" on the podcast.

Her LinkedIn says she was promoted to senior director in 2016, and she led a business development team focused on AI. Powell's authority was growing — in 2017, she became vice president of healthcare, her profile says.

Her corporate profile now says she is responsible for both the hardware and software sides of the company's healthcare business, including technology for medical imaging, life sciences, and drug discovery.

"I pretty much live and breathe healthcare. So I'm talking about it all the time," Powell told Business Insider in 2025.

Kimberly Powell's ties to Jensen Huang

Huang, one of the entire tech industry's best-known representatives, has led Nvidia since he founded the company in 1993, so he and Powell have worked together for over 18 years.

In the August interview with Lifers, Powell credited Huang's healthcare ambitions.

"Jensen has been passionate about the healthcare industry going back 20-plus years, and that was really fueled by seeing just researchers who had dreams and aspirations to do something very, very meaningful and impactful in the healthcare domain and us potentially having the tools to do it, to achieve that goal," she said.

Nvidia's code of conduct, which begins with a letter from Huang, includes personal relationships among the activities that can create a conflict of interest.

It also says, "We promptly investigate reports of misconduct."

Neither Powell nor Nvidia responded to requests for comment from Business Insider.

CNN reporter Meg Tirrell posted on X that she'd been planning to moderate a conference panel featuring Powell on Thursday morning, but that Powell had cancelled.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at scouncil@businessinsider.com, or over text, Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 415-757-8198. Use a personal email address, a non-work WiFi network, and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's admission of an affair and a board investigation has sparked questions about succession.
• The board is reportedly discussing removing Huang after a report of a second romance with a direct report.
• Analysts and former employees point to Colette Kress and Ian Buck as possible successors.

It's hard to imagine Nvidia without Jensen Huang — and the CEO has repeatedly discussed his intention to work for as long as possible.

Now, the question of succession has come into sharp focus after Huang admitted to having one affair, Nvidia's board announced it's investigating whether Huang was the target of a "foreign intelligence effort," and The New York Times reported he also had a romance with a direct report at Nvidia.

If Huang steps down or is ousted from his role, analysts and former employees floated several potential successors, including vice president Ian Buck and chief financial officer Colette Kress. Huang's two children, Madison and Spencer, also work at Nvidia, raising questions about whether leadership could remain in the family.

Nvidia told Business Insider in a statement on Sunday that "Jensen is committed to continuing to lead Nvidia as CEO without interruption." On Wednesday, after the bombshell report that Huang had an affair with executive Kimberly Powell, The Wall Street Journal reported that the board was preparing to remove Huang.

Huang would be hard to replace, said Brad Gastwirth, the global head of research at Circular Technology. While Huang doesn't have controlling voting power, he owns about 3.6% of Nvidia and would likely "have considerable input into succession unless the investigation uncovers serious wrongdoing," Gastwirth said.

"Jensen's combination of technical expertise, strategic vision, and industry relationships is nearly impossible to replicate," he said.

Inside Nvidia's succession dilemma

Nvidia has not publicly designated a number two, and Huang is known for keeping an unusually flat leadership structure with as many as 60 direct reports.

"That works beautifully while he's in the seat, but it means nobody has been groomed, tested, or publicly positioned as the heir," said Daniel Newman, CEO of The Futurum Group.

One former employee said Madison Huang, who works as senior director of product marketing for physical AI, has been asserting greater authority across Nvidia's businesses, which they believe could be an effort to position herself for a larger leadership role.

Gil Luria, an analyst at DA Davidson, said Kress is the company's only other highly visible executive and could take over as interim CEO if Huang stepped aside.

Kress has worked at Nvidia for 13 years, and prior to that, she held finance roles at Cisco and Microsoft.

Since Kress lacks the engineering background that has been central to Huang's leadership, another possible long-term replacement is Ian Buck, a longtime executive who helped develop CUDA, the chip software that has become central to Nvidia's dominance in AI.

Buck heads Nvidia's data center and computing businesses, and he has worked at Nvidia for 22 years.

"He's already running the group that is generating virtually all the revenues," the former employee said, referring to Nvidia's data center business.

Dan Morgan, vice president at Synovus Trust Company, said that Nvidia cofounder and fellow Chris Malachowsky could be a key player in a leadership change. Huang and Malachowsky cofounded Nvidia along with Curtis Priem.

"He may be a part of the leadership change if Huang steps down," Morgan wrote in a note to investors. "Despite Huang's ownership stake, I would still assume as a founder, to heavily influence the succession decision."

A second former employee cited the importance of Nvidia's distinctive culture in promoting a current executive as a successor.

"Ideally it has to be someone from the company who's lived the values and the culture," they said.

Could Nvidia look to an outsider?

Some observers have floated executives from other major technology companies as potential successors, including Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian and Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman.

Both oversee enormous cloud computing businesses that invest heavily in AI infrastructure and work closely with Nvidia, giving them firsthand knowledge of the customers and technologies driving its growth.

While Huang's departure appears unlikely for now, Gastwirth said losing him under the current circumstances could seriously hurt Nvidia.

"I think it would be one of the worst things that could happen to Nvidia," he said. "The company would continue operating, but I would question whether it could maintain the same pace of innovation and execution."

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at gweiss@businessinsider.com or Signal at @geoffweiss.25. Use a personal email address, a non-work WiFi network, and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Running out of pet food, litter, or treats is the kind of household emergency Chewy can solve without requiring an extra trip to the store. The retailer carries everyday supplies for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, and small pets, including food, toys, grooming products, and more. Before you restock, check the latest Chewy promo codes, coupons, and deals to save easily.

Chewy is also a useful place to shop for more specific pet-care needs, from orthopedic dog beds and fish oil supplements to cat brushes, dog raincoats, and prescription medications. Its Autoship program can set up recurring deliveries for eligible items, which is particularly helpful for the staples your pet goes through repeatedly.

Even if your cart is mostly basics, a coupon or limited-time offer can make a larger Chewy order feel more manageable. We've rounded up the best Chewy deals and promo codes available now below. Once you're done, check out our roundup of the best early Black Friday deals for more seasonal sales.

Today's best Chewy promo codes

Today's best Chewy pharmacy promo codes

Previous Chewy promo codes

Are there any other Chewy sales running at the moment?

Check out the full list of markdowns and ongoing deals, including the option to shop deals by pet, on Chewy's Today's Deals page. At the time of writing, you can shop for the following deals.

Use Chewy promo codes on these items

If you purchase items we recommend in our pet guides on Chewy's site, you can easily spend enough to earn the free $20 gift card with the code WELCOME. Purchasing one of our top cat treats, the Inaba Churu Chicken Variety, for $32.96, and the ChomChom Pet Hair Remover, one of our favorite pet hair removers we've reviewed, for $24.99, puts the total price of your order over the $49 minimum to use the promo code.

• Follow us on Instagram and WhatsApp for more deals and buying guides

How to use Chewy promo codes

Start by adding coupon-eligible items to your cart. Once on the "Shopping Cart" page, you should see a list of applicable promo codes in the "Available Savings" dropdown box. Apply any of the Chewy promo codes by clicking "Apply," and you should see a checkmark to let you know that the coupon will be applied. From there, continue to checkout to enter your shipping and billing information.

Can you stack Chewy promo codes?

Chewy does allow you to stack promo codes. If multiple promotions apply to your purchase, they will be listed in your cart's "Available Savings" dropdown box. However, certain promotions may not be eligible for stacking, so be sure to check the terms and conditions.

Chewy promo code frequently asked questions

Does Chewy offer discounts for students, teachers, and the military?

As of the time of writing, Chewy does not offer special discounts for students, teachers, or members of the military, so your best bet is to take advantage of their other coupons and deals.

If you're a student or teacher, check out our roundups of the best student discounts and best teacher discounts for more ways to save on your favorite brands.

Can I get pet insurance through Chewy?

Yes, Chewy does offer insurance. Chewy's Care Plus insurance offers its customers four plans at varying price points, including everyday wellness coverage and accident and illness coverage.

Read our full Chewy pet insurance review for more information on plans and pricing.

Does Chewy offer free shipping?

Chewy offers customers free shipping on all orders over $49. For all other orders, shipping costs a flat fee of $4.95 per order.

What is Chewy's return policy?

Chewy allows you to return items for a full refund within 365 days of your original purchase. This policy does not apply to prescription medications. That said, if you received damaged or incorrect medication, Chewy will help you exchange it or provide a refund on a case-by-case basis.

Do I need a vet prescription to get pharmacy products from Chewy?

Yes, you must have a prescription from a licensed vet to order medication from Chewy. Chewy will contact your vet by phone or fax for their authorization before fulfilling your order. This process can take around three business days, so consider the timing when deciding how soon to order.

What are the benefits of choosing Chewy's autoship option?

In addition to not having to remember to reorder pet supplies and prescriptions, shoppers who use autoship can save an extra 5% on select brands for all future autoship orders. There's no additional fee for choosing the autoship option, so it may be worth it if you frequently need to order the same food, medication, or supplies.

Still shopping? Check out our roundup of the best dog subscription boxes.

Sephora is a sweet place to browse both cult-favorite beauty products and whatever is taking over your social feeds. Its shelves are packed with skincare, makeup, fragrance, hair care, and tools from brands like Laneige, Rhode, and Tatcha, so you can restock on your OGs and try something new in the same order. If you tack a Sephora coupon code onto your order before checking out, you can also score freebies and gifts.

You'll need a Sephora Insider account to use any discounts on the site. Luckily, joining is free, and it earns points and perks you can use later. It's a win-win, especially if you're a frequent shopper at the beauty store. By adding in your birthday information, you'll also score a free gift every year, no purchase necessary.

Sephora regularly offers free samples, member perks, and limited-time promos. We've rounded up the current Sephora coupon codes, discounts, and freebies below to help you save before checkout. For more seasonal savings, read through our roundup of the best early Black Friday sales.

Today's best Sephora coupons

Previous Sephora promo codes

Are there any other Sephora sales running at the moment?

You can find a full list of current markdowns on the "Sale" page of Sephora's website at any time. As of the time of writing, Sephora is running the following promotions.

• Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel on mobile for more deals, reviews, and shopping guides

How to use Sephora coupon codes

Start by creating or logging in to a Beauty Insider account, then add coupon-eligible items to your basket. On the cart page, you can apply a coupon by pasting the code into the "Promo Code" text box and clicking "Apply." The code will then be applied, or if the code you entered offers multiple free gifts, you'll first be prompted to make your selection. Once the coupon is added, continue to checkout to enter your shipping and billing information.

Can you stack Sephora promo codes?

Sephora does not allow coupons to be stacked together. Only one promo code may be applied per order.

Sephora coupon frequently asked questions

Do I need to join the Beauty Insider program to use Sephora promo codes?

Most Sephora coupons are only valid for Beauty Insider members, so they cannot be used on guest orders. That said, the program is free to join and comes with many perks, including free shipping on all orders, a free birthday gift each year, access to exclusive deals, and more. Learn more and sign up on Sephora's website.

Does Sephora offer free shipping?

Sephora offers free standard shipping on all orders to Beauty Insider members. For orders using guest checkout, Sephora offers free shipping if you spend $50 or more. Learn more about shipping rates and times on Sephora's website.

What is Sephora's return policy?

Sephora allows new or gently used products to be returned for a full refund by mail or in-store within 30 days of the original purchase. Learn more about how to make returns or exchanges on Sephora's website.

Can I use Sephora coupon codes in-store?

Most Sephora promo codes are only eligible for online purchases. However, there may be some exceptions, so be sure to check the specific terms and conditions for the code you want to use.

Score more beauty deals with our roundup of the best Olive & June discount codes.

I've tested nearly a hundred pairs of dress shoes in my time as a style editor at BI, but I end up walking everywhere in my loafers. In our search for comfortable penny loafers, chunky platforms, and slip-ons, this team and I have tried just about every type there is.

Now that my closet has been home to 23 pairs, I can tell you which ones are worth the break-in period. I make the most of my loafers by using a leather-safe waterproofing spray and wearing these callus cushions to prevent painful friction. Trying all these leather shoes was a labor of love (just ask my blistered heels), but I also found several that felt walkable right out of the box.

The best loafers for women in 2026

Most comfortable: Frankie4 Franklin Loafer - See at Frankie4
You can adjust the fit to your preference using the three pairs of plush, foam footbeds.

Best budget: Quince Italian Suede Penny Loafer - See at Quince
Quince's $84 loafers were a surprise hit for us. The supple sheepskin suede and lightly cushioned footbeds made them easy to break in.

Best for walking: Vionic Uptown Loafer - See at Vionic
The arch support and super flexible soles on these collapsible loafers were the most comfortable walking shoes on our list.

Best lightweight: Cole Haan Danby Travel Loafer - See at Cole Haan
These pebbled loafers have a sleek fit akin to our favorite flats. The insides are lined with a smooth leather that's gentle on your skin.

Best suede: M.Gemi Sacca Donna Loafer - See at M.Gemi
These Italian-made loafers have a soft, unstructured fit that borrows from traditional menswear designs.

Best packable: Sabah - See at Sabah
Inspired by Turkish tradition and handmade with pliable suede, these soft slip-ons can stow neatly inside a travel bag.

Best for bunions: Calla Nadia - See at Calla
The wide, stretchy toe box conforms to triangle-shaped feet and feels gentle on sensitive joints. This pair also has excellent arch support.

Best platform: Camper Milah - See at Camper
Lift your look with these leather high-platform loafers, which have cushioned Ortholite insoles and various fashion-forward colors.

Best classic penny: G.H. Bass Whitney Weejuns - See at G.H. Bass
A classic penny loafer will always be in style. G.H. Bass makes this preppy version with ruched stitching and high-shine leather.

Best for wide feet: Ally City Loafer - See at Ally
Available in four widths, this made-to-order pair is boardroom ready. While they are pricey, they feel like an investment in sustained comfort.

Best trendy: Tuckernuck Vivian Suede Loafer - See at Tuckernuck
Their stitched moc toe and suede uppers bear a striking resemblance to Yves Saint Laurent's Le Loafers.

Best stretch: Vivaia Samantha Walker Loafer - See at Vivaia
This pair has a stretchy, roomy square toe box that tapers off for a comfortable fit from forefoot to heel.

Best T-strap: Bared Footwear Emutail - See at Bared Footwear
These comfy buckled-up loafers stand out with a woven brogue detail and gold hardware. Included is a "Fit Kit" with spare insoles.

Best for avoiding blisters: Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers - See at Sam Edelman
This pliable pair takes no time to break in, and the leather conforms to your foot the more you wear them.

Best mid-range luxury: Nomasei Nono Loafers - See at Nomasei
The centerpiece of this Parisian-inspired pair is a shiny hand medallion atop their boxy leather upper.

Best luxury: Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafers - See at Saks Fifth Avenue
These classic horsebit loafers are made with supple Italian leather and have fold-down heels so they can double as mules.

Best velvet: Birdies The Starling Flat - See at Birdies
These cushioned velvet loafers are designed to look like classic smoking slippers and have newly resculpted, more elongated look.

Best driving loafer: M.Gemi The Felize - See at M.Gemi
M.Gemi's Felize loafer is the perfect travel shoe because of its typical driving rubber sole, which offers extra cushion and support with each step.

Most comfortable: Frankie4 Franklin Loafer

Frankie4 appears in several of our dress shoe guides, including the most comfortable heels and best ballet flats. These smooth, cushioned leather loafers are just as impressive.

The Franklin loafers look just boxy enough to be deemed menswear-inspired — it's the low vamp and sleek shape that tips them off as women's loafers. The fit is slightly small and narrow, but I ordered my normal size 8 and they work fine. I suggest sizing up by half if you plan to wear socks.

Each pair comes with a spare set of extra triple-layer footbeds (so don't accidentally throw them out with the shoebox!). This saved me a ton of hassle in terms of returning shoes that are only slightly off. This "Sole Saver Pack" lets you adjust the fit:

If your foot is narrow and you prefer a more snug toe box, you can add the full length footbed and forefoot cushions.
If you have a wide or high volume foot, you can sub in the half-length footbeds for more wiggle room up front.

The supportive cushions feel really soft on my bare skin, yet they're firm enough to cradle my arches. I could walk in them right out of the box and sustained zero blisters, thanks to the little padded cushions around the upper edge of the heel counter. I've since worn them on daylong walks around Brooklyn, and they keep up on busy travel days, too.

Best budget: Quince Italian Suede Penny Loafer

Quince undercuts many brands featured in this guide. This pair has many of the same features as the Quince's Glove Flats, like a genuine Italian leather upper and Ortholite insoles.

I tested these against Margaux's leather loafers, and the $84 Quince loafers function the same. The main drawback is that the black suede around the toes got a little faded the more I wore them, so I recommend choosing the Almond colorway to keep them looking newer for longer. I also know from testing a lot of Quince items that the colors look darker and flatter in person.

Not all Quince shoes are good (for instance, its horsebit mules were a hard pass for me). That said, I'm still impressed at how much this suede pair looks and performs like Margaux loafers. The stacked leather heel is actually sturdy, and inside the leather is soft and molded to my feet. I don't suggest these for wide feet or sensitive high arches, but they fit me (size US 8) comfortably and true to size.

Best for walking: Vionic Uptown Loafer

Halfway between a sneaker and a loafer, the Vionic Uptown Loafer is an important style to know about if you're prioritizing comfort. Their performance is backed by Heeluxe's rigorous assessment that tests for fit, stability, cushioning, and flexibility.

When I first put these on, I was impressed by the sturdiness around my ankles from the deep heel cups. The leather was very stiff to begin with, but it started to soften after about five or six wears. These are also great if you have high arches like mine, because the padding reaches all the way up the inner wall of the shoe.

You can wear the Uptown Loafers just as you would walking sneakers — the lightweight, flexible soles can fold in half, and they have enough traction for stepping on uneven or slippery terrain. They're also perfect for travel, since they collapse into a slim profile.

Best lightweight: Cole Haan Danby Travel Loafer

I wore these lightweight Cole Haan loafers over a trip to Rhode Island, testing them on slick train station stairwells and throughout an errand-filled weekend. I loved the look of their slightly square, stitched moc-toes peeking out from under my bootcut jeans. They feel practically weightless on foot, and I'd recommend them to anyone who's averse to lug-soled styles, which in my experience are too heavy for true all-day wear.

This pair is not very cushioned in the heel, so avoid them if you have sensitivity in that area. However, they do fold neatly in half if you need them to fit in a crowded suitcase. Since they're made from pebbled leather, you won't have to worry about them creasing or scratching.

The Danbys were a close contender for our best overall pick, but the Frankie4 Franklins ultimately won — mostly because smooth leather loafers felt more versatile than ones with braided twist details.

Best suede: M.Gemi Sacca Donna

The soft, unstructured M.Gemi Sacca Donna loafers are some of my favorites for its balance of comfort and elevated, masculine style. Its leather footbed feels softly cushioned underfoot with a subtle 0.4-inch stacked heel. Mine are a snazzy leopard print, but you can also find them in classic leather and suede colorways.

I wore them straight out of the box to our office in the Financial District, and they felt flexible and comfortable right away. The interior has a smooth, suede-like texture, and the thinner leather along the sides and heel allows the shoe to move naturally with your foot, thus reducing your risk for blisters. Underfoot, the flat outsole offers reliable grip, so I felt steady even on slick subway stairwells.

While the Sacca Donnas sit at a higher price point, the quality is evident. They're the kind of classic loafers that go with everything. From the premium materials to thoughtful Italian-made construction, this is a reliable loafer that delivers on comfort, fit, and timeless style. There's also a lattice Sacca Donna if you like a more breathable feel.

Read more in our full M.Gemi review.

Best packable: Sabahs

If you're traveling with a strict amount of space in your bag, it's wise to bring a pair of soft, collapsible loafers that go with any outfit.

This style of slip-on has practically been around for as long as the Ottoman Empire. Sabahs are very simple in construction, but the craftsmanship and material quality justify the price. They're handstitched in Gaziantep, Turkey using water buffalo leather for the soles. You can choose from a variety of uppers, including buttery soft leather and flexible suede that mold to your feet the more you wear them. The rubber outsoles are replaceable in case you wear them into the ground.

After testing Sabah shoes, I've decided that what they lack in support they more than make up for in versatility. Even though their thin, flat soles are really more for casual wear rather than serious walking, I'm partial to them on trips because they weigh almost nothing.

I recommend sizing up if you're between sizes, since European sizes tend to run slightly small.

Best for bunions: Calla Nadia Loafer

I really admire the mission behind Calla's bunion-friendly dress shoes, which proves that just because your feet are in pain doesn't mean you have to hide them away in sneakers.

Its stylish designs are made for sensitive joints, but they don't read as orthotic. In each pair of Calla shoes we've tested, there's a a stretchy, wide toe box that can accommodate triangle-shaped feet. The Nadia loafers have excellent arch support and a subtle heel to lift your feet out of the flat position, which helps take pressure off your forefoot. If you want to go a step further, Calla also sells no-show socks with built-in toe separators that wear discreetly with these loafers.

Best platform: Camper Milah Loafer

These super shiny leather loafers have a 2-inch platform heel and lightweight EVA soles — less clunky, more chunky. I won't lie, breaking these in gave me some blisters around my heels (something to be expected with new leather). To amend this, I wear mine with no-show socks.

The Milah loafers are becoming more flexible around the vamp with each wear. And despite their height, I don't feel like I'm on stilts — I feel grounded walking in them thanks to the Ortholite insoles. These give them some light cushioning in the heel and arch areas. 

As for their design, they're a slightly more rugged version of a classic penny loafer. The platform gives me just enough lift that I can wear them with extra long flared pants for a retro-inspired look.

Best classic penny: G.H. Bass Whitney Weejuns

There are several versions of G.H. Bass' Whitney Weejuns (a super chunky lug-sole pair, a '90s-inspired platform pair, a croc-effect pair, the list goes on), but nothing beats the most classic version of these women's loafers. Though they take a bit of time to break in, especially at the heel, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how comfy and supportive the insole is. Plus, the traditional penny loafer look will never go out of style. 

In terms of sizing, these come in whole and half sizes, and I recommend going true to your usual size. If you're in between, you'll want to size up, especially if you plan on wearing them with socks.

Best for wide feet: Ally City Loafer

These dressy loafers come in impressive range of four different widths, meaning those with narrow or extra wide feet can achieve a near-custom fit. They're a more business-formal option made with supple leather, a sleek almond toe, and an adjustable buckle strap with polished hardware.

The City Loafers are considerably expensive and take a while to ship because they're made to order. I chose the chocolate brown leather pair in a size 38.5 B according to Ally's Fit Finder Quiz, and sure enough, they were a perfect fit. When I looked inside, the cushioned insoles illustrated how much attention to detail went into their design. So yes, while they're definitely steep, it's a good price compared to actual custom-made shoes.

I was surprised to find that, despite the lambskin lining, I don't sweat as much in these. That's because the perforated footbeds allow for more air flow than solid leather ones. These footbeds are also great for cradling high arches, and they come with a metatarsal dome that takes the pressure off the ball of my foot as I walk.

Ally also makes our favorite pumps for work, which you can read about in our guide to the most comfortable heels.

Best trendy: Tuckernuck Vivian Suede Loafers

When Tuckernuck opened the doors of its first NYC flagship store earlier this season, this pair of loafers were one of the first items to sell out. They're a solid dupe for the Yves Saint Laurent Le Loafer, which stands out for its hand-stitched moc toes.

Tuckernuck's Vivian loafers have the same subtle detail, available in either a pale cocoa or espresso brown. These are both great low-contrast shades that fit in perfectly with the brown-is-the-new-black trend. They reportedly run a touch large, and because they're suede, expect them to loosen a little as you break them in.

Best stretch: Vivaia Samantha Walker Loafer

Vivaia's Samantha Walker loafers have an extra roomy toe box to fit wide feet. They then taper off in the heel, so your feet won't slip out while you walk. The flexible knit upper is soft, stretchy, and even water-repellent (I tested this by running them under the sink, and the beads of water brushed right off).

They also have more squishy cushioning for light arch support and a slightly thicker padded heel, so you can walk on concrete for miles (as I did) without getting tired feet. Their knit design is another great pick if you have bunions or high-volume feet.

Read more in our full Vivaia shoes review.

Best T-strap: Bared Footwear Emutail Loafer

Here's yet another footwear brand from the Land Down Under. Bared Footwear is an Australian company that, similar to Frankie4, includes a pack of interchangeable insoles to allow you a more customized fit.

These loafers run pretty true to size. I wear a size 8 and have medium-to-narrow width feet, so I used the extra forefoot pads from the "Fit Kit" to make them feel a little more snug around my ankles. The toe box is tapered so it's not ideal for extra wide feet.

I love the feeling of buckling the T-straps of the Emutail loafers because they feel more secure atop my foot. This way my feet aren't sliding around inside whenever they get sweaty.

They come in black and brown suede, though I opted for the brown leather option. It's coated with a glossy sheen and the color has a warm, almost orange hue. These chunky lug-soled loafers are not your typical pair — the long, square toe box is adorned with a woven brogue detail on top, and the gold hardware buckle adds to their shine.

Best for avoiding blisters: Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers

The Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers come in more than 20 colors, from classic neutrals to bold choices like bright lemony yellow, jade green, or pink croc-effect. Each season, you'll find new colors and textures introduced. 

The leather loafers for women are just structured enough to hold their shape, but not so stiff that they'll blister you out of the box. I was able to wear mine for the first time for a whole day (including commuting from the suburbs to Manhattan and back) with no discomfort. They have a small amount of cushioning — like enough that I would definitely bring these on a walking-heavy vacation. 

As for sizing, they come in whole and half sizes with a few colors offering a wide width. I am often in between a 7.5 and 8, and I opted for the 8 this time, but I easily could have fit in the 7.5. The leather will stretch and conform to your feet as you wear them, so I'd recommend going a half size down if you are already in between sizes. Otherwise, I'd opt for your usual size.

Best mid-range luxury: Nomasei Nono Loafer

"A great pair of loafers should be just like a perfect pair of jeans: deliciously comfortable, wearable with just about anything, and a dependable staple for year-round wear. Founded by a duo who met while working at Chloé in Paris, Nomasei's luxe Parisian-inspired Nono loafers fit the bill precisely, albeit for a high price of $650," says executive editor Sally Kaplan. "But even after comparing these to my platform pair from Gucci, I'd opt for this style almost every time (and the Gucci loafers cost twice as much)."

"The leather feels sturdy and thick yet buttery and luxurious, and while they do fit a little stiff at first, they break in nicely with a few wears," Sally continues. "The arch support is also substantial, making them comfy to walk in (at least once the leather on the back of the heel softens up a bit). I got the all-black pair, though the brand is known for its bold bicolor and tricolor designs. I think the black will keep these feeling timeless despite the very trendy gold hand medallions, but if I had an unlimited budget, I'd be nabbing them in every color combo possible. I would follow the brand's advice of going a half size down — I went true-to-size with my initial order, and they were too big, so I had to return them and reorder."

Best luxury: Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafer

If you've thought long and hard, and you know that designer loafers for women are what your heart desires, get the Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafers. They're pricey, sure, but these fantastic women's loafers will last you a lifetime. Our former senior style and beauty editor, Maria Del Russo, has had her pair of Brixtons for five years and says they're the most versatile shoe she owns. She credits this to the fold-down heel that lets you wear them like mules, so you're essentially getting two shoes in one. The workmanship is apparent the longer you wear them, too. Maria has gotten these loafers re-soled twice, but the leather and hardware have both stood the test of time.

The one drawback to the Brixtons is that after many years, the fold-down heels have turned a slightly more faded shade of black than the rest of the heel. You can take them to a cobbler or use a leather conditioner to fix that, though. 

As for sizing, these come in whole and half sizes, but be careful to check the sizing chart since they're usually listed in Italian sizing, which is different from European sizing. We recommend going up if you're in between sizes.

Best velvet: Birdies The Starling

Birdies makes loafer-flats that are as comfy as a pair of velvet smoking slippers. Executive editor Sally Kaplan compared two versions of its best-selling Starling flats in order to detect any key differences.

"I tested both the Starling classic loafers and the newly resculpted version that just launched from Birdies. They're basically the same shoe, but with some elegant design upgrades to the newer version. The resculpted pair has a slightly more elongated toe, a more premium velvet material (though the difference is negligible to me, both look great!), and a bit more traction on the bottom. The shoes look almost identical on foot and in terms of comfort, there's very little difference, but I do happen to prefer the more elongated look of the new version (pictured in the Brandy Velvet color at the top of this guide). I think it comes down to aesthetic preference for most people.

As for comfort and fit, these are unbelievably plush and cozy for a pair of loafers! They have a good amount of arch support without being stiff at all, and they're easy to wear with or without socks. All of its styles come in both regular and wide sizes, and though the site says they run true to size, I find them to run a bit large. I went down a half size in both pairs I tested, and I'd recommend you do the same. Birdies makes their signature Starling loafers in a ton of colors, and they're always launching new seasonal styles. In the fall and winter you'll see a lot of embellished velvet designs, and in the warmer months you'll find woven leather and fun textures like raffia."

Best driving loafer: M.Gemi The Felize

The M.Gemi Felize loafers are some of the most softest yet sturdily built shoes owned by our former senior reporter, Mara Leighton. After a year of testing them multiple times per week for our M.Gemi review, she says they've held up well (no wrinkles along the top, minimal wear along the underside of the toes and heel). However, she notes that sizing isn't perfect.

"I ordered my true size, and they've grown looser and more custom-fit as moccasins do over time. But, even so, the top is still snug; I couldn't layer anything thicker than a light sock with my pair."

Especially if you have a high-volume or wide foot, you'll want to size up. Learn more in our full M.Gemi Felize Loafer review. 

How we tested women's loafers

Over the years, our editors have personally tested over two dozen loafers. From podiatrist-led brands to French luxury labels, our goal was to find pairs that strike the sweet spot between tailored style and all-day wearability.

We wore each pair commuting to our office in Manhattan and on neighborhood strolls, logging at least a mile of walking at a time. Any shoe that felt unsupportive before hitting that mark didn't make the cut. The most comfortable styles featured built-in arch support and enough give through the vamp to prevent pressure across the instep after hours on our feet.

A lot of our favorite loafers are made from structured calfskin leather — which can be stiff at the heel, no matter how well-made they are — so we paid close attention to break-in time. Any leather loafers that made the cut took less than five or six wears to break in.

Meet the expert behind this guide

Gabrielle Chase, style editor: Shoes are my passion, and I live in New York where they're put through a lot of hard wear. I personally own 23 pairs of loafers, though I've donated others to make room for more. I'm constantly testing new styles and have maintained this guide since I began my career at BI over three years ago. In that time, I've witnessed the evolution of women's fashion trends bend toward comfort-first footwear. Here I've curated pairs that feel good to put on and complement a range of personal tastes.

FAQs on the best loafers for women

How should loafers fit?

Loafers should feel snug around the heel and midfoot without pinching at the toes. There should be a tiny bit of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Be sure to mind the curve of your toes — whether they're more squared, rounded, or pointed — and choose a toe box that is roomy enough to let your toes splay naturally.

What materials should I look for?

Calfskin is durable and molds to your foot over time, though as I've learned several blisters later, can take a while to break in. I've also tried flexible knit loafers like those from Rothy's and Vivaia, and while they're definitely ideal for travel, they don't have quite the same classic look as leather pairs. It's ultimately a matter of personal preference. In any case, look for padded heel collars and rubber soles that add traction.

How do I break in new loafers?

Try wearing your loafers around the house first to help soften the leather. You can also break them in with a thick sock to help loosen them up. Most quality leather loafers should start feeling more comfortable after five or six wears. If they're still giving you blisters, I recommend wearing a neutral no-show sock, just to give your heels some respite. I also swear by these callus cushions for especially stiff leather.

A good mattress is expensive enough that it's worth timing your purchase around a Casper sale. Casper sells hybrid and foam mattresses alongside the practical bedroom add-ons—pillows, sheets, protectors, and bed frames—that tend to make a new-bed purchase snowball.

The Casper Dream is one of the brand's core hybrids, combining responsive springs, breathable foam, and zoned support for a medium, balanced feel. It's particularly well suited to back and stomach sleepers, as well as people who tend to run warm at night.

Casper runs mattress promotions throughout the year, often with savings on beds, bundles, and sleep accessories. Right now, the brand's early Black Friday sale knocks up to 35% off sitewide. Keep reading to find the coupons you can add to your cart, and check out our roundup of the best early Black Friday sales for deals in every room of your house.

Today's best Casper coupons and promo codes

Previous Casper promo codes

Are there any other Casper mattress sales running at the moment?

You can find a full list of clearance markdowns on Casper's website at any time. As of the time of writing, Casper is running the following promotions.

How to use Casper coupons and promo codes

Casper coupons are pretty easy to use. Copy the code you're planning to apply. Add the product you're buying to your cart, then click "Apply promo code" to open the entry field. Paste your discount code there, then click Apply.

Can you stack Casper coupon codes?

Casper coupon codes are not stackable, so you can apply only one per purchase. Therefore, it's important to use the best one available.

Luckily, the coupon codes work with any ongoing Casper sales.

Can I use Casper coupons in-store?

Casper coupon codes vary in whether they can be used in-store. Most often, they are limited to online use, but in-store associates can price-match any discounts you have proof of.

What mattress should I buy from Casper?

Casper offers a full lineup of great beds designed for different sleepers. You can learn more in our full Casper mattress guide, or check out these favorites of ours:

Casper coupons: frequently asked questions

Does Casper offer discounts for teachers, students, or the military?

Casper offers exclusive military, education, and healthcare discounts for verified members. Active-duty service members, veterans, military family members, teachers, students, nurses, healthcare professionals, first responders, and hospital employees can all save 5% on Casper purchases.

If you fall into the education category, be sure to check out our roundups of the best student discounts and best teacher discounts you can score year-round.

Do Casper mattresses have a warranty?

Casper offers a 10-year limited warranty that automatically comes with mattresses purchased on Casper.com. It covers defects, including abnormal deterioration, physical flaws in the foam, and manufacturing errors in the zipper assembly. If you bought your bed from another retailer, you can register your bed here.

Final sale and clearance items receive a shorter warranty than other purchases.

What is Casper's returns/refunds policy?

Casper's return policy aims to be as painless as possible, offering free returns anytime after the 30-night adjustment period. Just reach out to support within the first 100 nights of your purchase to have the brand remove the mattress from your home and provide a full refund.

Other products, like pillows, sheets, and accessories, can be returned by printing out a given shipping label and sending it back for free.

Does Casper offer free shipping?

Every mattress order with Casper receives free, no-contact delivery. As the term "bed-in-a-box" suggests, each mattress arrives tightly coiled in a box for you to place on your bed and unfurl.

Other items, such as headboards and bed frames, may incur a shipping fee depending on where you live. Learn more about the specific costs here.

Does Casper offer white-glove delivery?

Casper offers an in-home delivery and setup service starting at $199. After placing your order, you can schedule a delivery date for two to four weeks in the future. From there, you'll receive a four-hour delivery window the day before to prepare for your new product's arrival.

Will Casper remove my old mattress?

If your order includes in-home delivery and setup, Casper will offer disposal options for your old mattress. If your order does not include in-home delivery, check Casper's website or contact their customer support team for suggestions.

Does Casper only offer mattresses?

In addition to mattresses, you can shop for pillows, bedding, and furniture on Casper's site. You can even purchase dog beds from Casper to show your pets some love.

How does Casper compare to other online mattress companies?

Many online bed-in-a-box companies have risen in popularity in recent years, and each has its own merits and drawbacks. Check out our full guide to the best mattress to see how Casper compares to competitors across criteria like price range, mattress types, and delivery options.

Can I reuse a Casper coupon?

For the most part, Casper promo codes can only be used once per person. However, there may be exceptions, so be sure to check the terms and conditions for the specific code you want to use.

For the latest buying advice updates, follow us on Instagram and WhatsApp.

Black Friday is still a couple of weeks away, but that hasn't stopped mobile carriers from launching early promotions. Right now, you can snag early Black Friday phone deals on new iPhones, Androids, various device bundles, and cell plans from Verizon, Mint Mobile, Visible, T-Mobile, and more.

Verizon's device bundle is one of the best values so far. The carrier is offering a free smartwatch and a pair of earbuds when you purchase select iPhone, Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones with a Simplicity Plan and Watch Plan. Meanwhile, if you're interested in joining Mint Mobile, you can sign up for any plan at just $15 a month, including an Unlimited plan.

It's important to note that most of these promotions have very specific eligibility requirements, and device discounts are often applied as monthly credits on your bill, so you'll need to maintain your plan to get the deal. But as long as you meet the requirements, they all offer excellent savings or freebies that are well worth taking advantage of.

Shopping for more discounts? Check out our full roundup of all the best early Black Friday deals.

The best early Black Friday Verizon deals

Verizon is offering a slew of holiday bundles when you buy certain Apple, Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones with a Simplicity and Watch Plan. All of the deals include a free smartwatch and a pair of earbuds. In addition, some eligible phones are discounted from their full price. You can learn more about each deal, including step-by-step instructions, in our full breakdown of Verizon's latest bundles.

You can learn more about the latest Apple, Samsung, and Google phones in our iPhone 18 Pro review, Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review, and Google Pixel 11 Pro review.

The best early Black Friday Mint Mobile deals

Ahead of Black Friday, Mint Mobile is offering any plan for $15 a month. Depending on the plan and term you sign up for, this deal can save you up to $20 a month. To maximize your savings and get the best bang for your buck, we highly recommend the Unlimited plan, which is usually the most expensive and offers uncapped data. In addition, Mint is offering select Google and Samsung phones at a discount when you sign up for any 12-month plan. You can learn more in our full roundup of all the latest Mint Mobile deals.

The best early Black Friday T-Mobile deals

T-Mobile is offering free Apple and Samsung phones when you sign up for select plans and redeem a certain number of T-Mobile Picks. Picks are promotional credits that you get when you purchase a plan, activate lines, or upgrade your service. In order to take advantage of the deals below, you'll need to have three Picks available to redeem.

The best early Black Friday Visible deals

As part of an early Black Friday deal, Visible is knocking $6 off various plans when you use the promo code HOLIDAYHACK. The deal pricing is locked in for up to five years, depending on the plan you select: the Base plan is guaranteed for one year, the Plus plan for three years, and the Plus Pro plan for five years. In addition, Visible has select Samsung and Google phones for $480 off. The savings require a Visible Plus Pro plan and will be applied via monthly credits over 24 months.

The best early Black Friday AT&T deals

AT&T is offering up to $1,200 off an iPhone 18 Pro when you activate or add a new line and trade in an eligible device. However, the discount varies depending on the value of your trade-in device and which AT&T plan you select. If you meet the maximum qualifications, you can get the iPhone 18 Pro for free. Apple devices that qualify for the full trade-in discount include the iPhone 14 Pro Max, 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, Air, 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.

Phone deals FAQs

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday will officially kick off on November 27. Cyber Monday follows on November 30. We'll keep tracking the latest discounts on phones and cell plans before and during the main event, so check back for more deals.

Will unlocked phones be on sale for Black Friday?

Yes, we expect several unlocked Samsung, Google, and Motorola phones to be available at a discount on Black Friday. In particular, Amazon often has excellent unlocked Android phone deals during big sales.

However, unlocked iPhone deals are uncommon because Apple itself rarely offers discounts, and Amazon doesn't sell new iPhones directly. We expect more Black Friday carrier promotions with various iPhones once the main event starts, but they will likely require certain plans and conditions.

Vistaprint is a lifesaver when you need custom products but don't have the time — or design background — to start from scratch. You can create business cards, flyers, signs, stationery, apparel, gifts, and invitations, whether you're working from a template, uploading your own design, or using its design services. Don't forget to tack on a good Vistaprint coupon or discount code to get the price before you pay.

With the holidays looming, the site is an especially great place to start your family's yearly card or calendar update. With beautiful templates and graphics to choose from, you can fall in love with the best format for your photos.

Before ordering, browse the latest Vistaprint coupons, promo codes, and sales below to see if there's a discount you can apply at checkout. Save on more this season by checking out our roundup of the best early Black Friday sales, too.

Today's best Vistaprint discount codes

Previous Vistaprint discount codes

Are there any other Vistaprint sales running at the moment?

In addition to their voucher codes, Vistaprint also runs several ongoing sales and promotions, all available on their "Offers" page. As of this writing, Vistaprint is running the following deals.

• Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides

How to use Vistaprint voucher codes

Vistaprint requires all shoppers to create an account before designing products, so start there. Once you've created an account, you can add coupon-eligible items to your cart. From the "My Cart" page, you can apply a promo code by clicking the "Have a code?" dropdown, pasting the code into the text box, and clicking apply. Once the voucher code has been applied, continue to checkout to enter your shipping and billing information.

Can you stack Vistaprint promo codes?

Vistaprint does not allow discount codes to be stacked together. Only one code may be applied per purchase.

Vistaprint discount code frequently asked questions

Does Vistaprint offer discounts for students, teachers, and the military?

Vistaprint does not offer special discounts for students or teachers in the United States, so your best bet is to take advantage of their other coupons and deals.

Military members can receive a discount on all Vistaprint purchases. To take advantage of the discount, shoppers must verify their military status.

If you are a student or teacher, check out our roundups of the best student discounts and best teacher discounts to unlock more deals.

Does Vistaprint offer free shipping?

Vistaprint offers shoppers free economy shipping on orders of $100 or more. You don't need to enter a promo code to access free shipping; just add enough items to your cart.

Does Vistaprint offer special pricing plans for businesses?

Vistaprint offers special corporate pricing plans for businesses to use to create their branding and marketing materials. Businesses that participate in one of the three corporate pricing plans (each designed for different business sizes) enjoy perks like free shipping on orders over $50, multiple logins for other team members, and ease-of-ordering features like bulk ordering and auto-reordering. Learn more about the different corporate pricing plans on Vistaprint's corporate website.

Can I reuse a Vistaprint promo code?

In most cases, Vistaprint allows you to apply a promo code to multiple orders as long as your order contains qualifying items. There are some exceptions, though, so it's best to check the terms and conditions for a coupon to confirm.

Does Vistaprint save my previous designs?

When you create an account, Vistaprint saves all your designs and orders on the "My Projects" page, so you can access your previous designs and reorder them anytime.

Does Vistaprint offer resources to help me with my designs?

Yes, you can visit Vistaprint's "Ideas and Advice" blog for resources to help you with your designs, including design tips like packaging and graphic design trends, how to choose a logo for your business, the best promotional products for building brand loyalty, and more.

Can I hire someone to design things for me on Vistaprint?

Vistaprint makes creating your own designs easy. But if you don't have the bandwidth or would rather hire a professional, Vistaprint offers design services on many of its products, including business cards, flyers, and more. Learn more on Vistaprint's website.

Can I apply a Vistaprint discount code after placing an order?

If you forgot to apply a discount code before placing your order but later found one that applies, you won't be able to apply it yourself. That said, you can contact Vistaprint's customer care team through their help center, and they can apply the code for you.

Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides

Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but plenty of retailers are already rolling out worthwhile early deals. Sales are popping up across fashion, furniture, tech, beauty, streaming, and travel, so there's no need to wait until Thanksgiving week if you have a gift list to tackle — or simply need to replace a lost earbud.

As someone who has been covering Black Fridays for over a decade, I'm not exaggerating when I say that the deals are pretty ripe for the picking already. While some retailers are holding out for the holiday to drop their best discounts, offers like $15 Mint Mobile and $1,500 off at Koala are already the lowest drops we're likely to see. If you can wait until the big day, do so — but you can shop worry-free with the deals our team has gathered below.

• Read our editors' early Black Friday roundups: Streaming services | TVs | Headphones | Verizon

• Read our editors' early Black Friday roundups: Mattresses | Sofas | Bedding | Coop Sleep Goods | Saatva | Koala | Pet carriers | Litter boxes

• Read our editors' early Black Friday roundups: Shoes | Luggage | Macy's | Alo | Vuori | Lilysilk | Spanx | Levi's | Athleta | Ugg

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday 2026 lands on November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. The following Monday, November 30, will be Cyber Monday. As you can see above, though, many stores have started their sales early, hoping to steal a march on the competition.

For the latest buying advice updates, follow us on Instagram and WhatsApp.

• Thomas Markle was arrested and charged with one count of possession of child pornography.
• Meghan Markle's relationship with her father has been publicly strained since 2018.
• A judge ruled Thomas Markle must be detained as his case proceeds after first granting him home detention.

Thomas Markle was arrested and charged with one count of possession of child pornography, the Department of Justice confirmed on Friday.

The news comes less than a month after Thomas Markle Jr., Meghan Markle's half-brother, told The Sun he had reported finding child sex abuse images at their father's home in the Philippines to the Philippine police and the FBI.

Markle Sr., 82, denied the allegations to the Daily Mail on October 23 before his arrest, describing them as the "worst thing anyone could accuse" him of.

Markle Sr. and Markle Jr. did not respond to requests for comment.

Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" by the allegations against her father in a statement made before his arrest.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, has had a publicly strained relationship with her father since 2018, when he posed for paparazzi photos for money ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry.

Here's a timeline of their relationship.

Meghan Markle has said she and her father had a close relationship in her childhood.

Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, and her dad divorced in 1987 when she was 6 years old.

In her December 2022 Netflix series, "Harry & Meghan," the Duchess of Sussex said she was with her mom during the week and her dad on the weekends after their split. She said her parents "co-parented well" and that she was close with her dad, describing herself as a "daddy's girl my whole life."

She also said in the series that she would spend time with her dad after school, joining him on sets when he worked as a lighting director on shows like "Married…With Children."

He also helped with lighting at her school plays, as a friend of Meghan's shared in "Harry & Meghan."

May 2018: Markle accepted money for paparazzi photos and didn't attend his daughter's wedding.

Days before Meghan's wedding on May 19, 2018, tabloids including TMZ and the Daily Mail reported that Markle had sat for staged paparazzi photos — which showed him preparing for the event, reading articles about it, and looking at a book about England — in exchange for money. The Daily Mail's reporting included a video that appeared to show the photo shoot.

TMZ also reported Markle's back-and-forth decisions on whether he would attend his daughter's wedding ahead of the event. He ultimately said he would not be there because he needed urgent heart surgery.

On May 17, 2018, Meghan confirmed in a statement shared by the royal family that her father wouldn't be in attendance.

"Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding," the statement said. "I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health."

In episode three of their Netflix series, Meghan said her dad did not return her phone calls after the story broke, even though she called him over 20 times. She also said she learned he wasn't attending the wedding from the tabloids.

Harry's father, then known as Prince Charles, walked Meghan down the aisle in her dad's absence.

Summer of 2018: Markle began doing public interviews about Meghan and the royal family.

After he didn't attend her wedding, Markle began speaking to the British press about Meghan more frequently, including making an appearance on "Good Morning Britain" in June 2018.

He said in the interview that making a deal with the paparazzi was "a serious mistake," though he hoped it would change his image, as other paparazzi photos showed him in ways he found unflattering. He also said that he regretted not being able to walk Meghan down the aisle.

On July 15, 2018, he told The Sun that Meghan wasn't speaking to him. He said the same thing to the Daily Mail about two weeks later.

He also took aim at Harry in an August 2018 interview with the Mail on Sunday, saying he hung up on the prince when he called about the paparazzi incident and that Harry was "rude" to speak to him about the matter after his heart attack. Kensington Palace declined to comment on the phone call at the time.

February 2019: The Mail on Sunday published excerpts from a letter Meghan wrote Markle.

In February 2019, Markle gave the Mail on Sunday a letter Meghan wrote to him in August 2018, three months after her wedding.

The Mail on Sunday published excerpts of the letter, in which the Duchess of Sussex said her father had "broken my heart into a million pieces" by speaking to tabloids about her and Harry. She also contradicted his claims that she did not reach out to him about his heart attack in May 2018, saying he ignored her calls and texts in the lead-up to her wedding.

She beseeched him in the letter to stop speaking to the press, a request he ignored by sharing the letter with the Mail on Sunday.

In 2019, Meghan sued Associated Newspapers, which owns the Mail on Sunday, for publishing the excerpt, alleging breach of the Data Protection Act 2018, copyright infringement, and misuse of private information.

"The Mail on Sunday stands by the story it published and will be defending this case vigorously," a spokesperson for the newspaper told Business Insider at the time. "Specifically, we categorically deny that the Duchess's letter was edited in any way that changed its meaning."

Meghan won her case in December 2021, and the Mail on Sunday had to publish a statement acknowledging that it had infringed her copyright and had to pay her £1.

March 2021: Meghan opens up about her fractured relationship with Markle in her interview with Oprah Winfrey.

During the interview, Winfrey asked Meghan "if it felt like betrayal" when she discovered her father had accepted money for paparazzi photos.

Meghan responded that her father had lied to her when she confronted him about the photos. She said she had learned that a story would be coming out about the pictures from the royals' "comms team," and she and Harry then called her dad to ask him about it. Meghan said her father denied the story, even after she and Harry offered to try to prevent its publication.

"I look at Archie, and I think about this child, and I go, 'I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child,'" she said, referring to her son and daughter Lilibet, whom she was pregnant with at the time.

December 2022: Harry, Meghan, and her mom spoke about Markle's deal with the paparazzi in "Harry & Meghan."

Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, commented on the incident in the docuseries, saying she was "absolutely stunned that Tom would become part of this circus" and was shocked "that he would capitalize" on the media attention.

Harry, on the other hand, sounded less surprised.

"It's amazing what people will do when offered a huge amount of money," he said. "Fifty thousand, a hundred thousand, to hand over photographs, to create a story."

Harry also described the situation between Meghan and her father as "sad" and said that he "shouldered" the burden of their strain.

"She had a father before this, and now she doesn't have a father," he said. "And I shouldered that because if Meg wasn't with me, then her dad would still be her dad."

Markle attempted to contact Meghan in the years after the docuseries aired. She did not respond publicly.

October 2026: The Sun reported Markle was being investigated for possession of child sex abuse images.

On October 22, The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr., Meghan's half-brother, had reported their father to authorities in the Philippines after he said he found child sex abuse images in Markle's home there.

Markle Jr. did not respond to a request for comment.

Markle Jr. said he also contacted the FBI. In a statement to outlets like People and The Guardian on October 23, the federal agency said, "The FBI is aware of the allegations and will provide support, as appropriate, to the Philippine authorities. We will also investigate any related allegations of federal violations of US law."

Markle denied the allegations to the Daily Mail on October 23.

"I'm shocked, I'm hurt, and I'm very upset that my son is making these accusations against me," he said. "I could never do what I'm being accused of. It's the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."

He went on to say that the allegations are "a bunch of lies" and "sick."

October 2026: Meghan says she is "deeply distressed" about the allegations, which she was first made aware of in 2019.

In a statement shared on October 23, the Duchess of Sussex said she had distanced herself from her father after becoming aware of "troubling and disturbing allegations" made against him.

"I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," she said. "In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father, and I was given assurances that these were being investigated."

"I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications' distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children was for one reason: to protect them," Meghan's statement went on to say. "I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families."

"Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children," the statement said.

On October 29, the Metropolitan Police released a statement clarifying it received the letter in January 2019, not 2018. The statement said the letter was "passed to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness."

The Met also announced that the Independent Office for Police Conduct would investigate why the letter was given to Harry and Meghan's office and not given to any other law enforcement agencies.

November 2026: Thomas Markle Sr. is arrested and charged with one count of possession of child pornography.

On November 6, Markle was arrested and charged with one count of possession of child pornography.

The Department of Justice said Markle was arrested in Florida after suspected child sexual abuse material was found in two storage units in Los Angeles that he has rented since 2008.

"Mr. Markle is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material, including photographs depicting himself with minor girls," Bill Essayli, the first assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, said in a press release. "These allegations are extremely serious, and we will prosecute Mr. Markle to the fullest extent of federal law."

Markle appeared in US District Court in Tampa on Friday, according to another statement shared by the Department of Justice and the US Attorney's Office, Central District of California.

No plea was taken, and he was released on personal recognizance.

The court ruled that he would have to "submit to home detention and electronic monitoring" and could not travel outside the Central District of California and the Middle District of Florida. He will be arraigned at a later date, though that date has yet to be set, and was ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.

Outlets including The Times and The Telegraph reported in the days after his arrest that Ragland had assisted the FBI by identifying Markle in photos and that Meghan would also help authorities if needed.

Ragland and representatives for Meghan did not respond to a request for comment on Markle's arrest and the ongoing investigation.

On November 10, Meghan made her first public appearance following her father's arrest, opening the Lost Screen Memorial in Brussels with Harry.

The same day, a judge revoked Markle's home detention, saying he "violated the conditions of his pretrial release" by tampering with his ankle monitor, according to court documents.

A lawyer for Markle did not respond to a request for comment on the judge's order.

• Nvidia is investigating whether CEO Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort.
• The episode raises questions about the company's future, Huang's future, and the AI trade.
• It also raises a pressing question for execs with access to company secrets: How do you avoid dating a spy?

It often starts with a beautiful stranger, a "chance" encounter, and a powerful man who thinks he simply got lucky.

As Nvidia's board investigates whether CEO Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort and Huang has admitted to having an affair, an old spycraft tactic has been thrust into the modern world of AI chips, corporate access, and national security.

"The Chinese MSS and PLA are very aggressive and play the long game," Fred Burton, a former US Diplomatic Security Service special agent, told Business Insider, referring to China's Ministry of State Security and People's Liberation Army.

For executives with access to company secrets, the episode raises a pressing question: How do you avoid dating someone who just may be a spy?

A sticky business

Will Geddes, the founder of London-based corporate threat-management firm International Corporate Protection Group, said the most effective operations rarely begin with an obvious proposition at a hotel bar.

Instead, operatives may spend months studying a target's "pattern of life" — their travel, routines, hobbies, and vulnerabilities like isolation, marital difficulty, or separation — before engineering a meeting at a conference, work event, or through someone the executive already trusts, he said.

In this case, the woman linked to Huang is Alice Huang, a former executive at Nvidia customer Megaspeed. The New York Times reported that US officials believe she was an asset of China's Ministry of State Security who had been recruited to collect intelligence on Huang. China's foreign ministry has repeatedly said the "Chinese spy" allegation is unsubstantiated.

Jensen and Alice Huang, who aren't related, can be seen together in photos dating back to June 2024 at an after-party following Computex 2024, Taiwan's annual computer and tech trade show.

Since then, they've been pictured together in Taipei in May 2025, on the sidelines of Computex 2025, and in a series of photos shared by Alice Huang on WeChat, the Chinese social media platform.

The warning signs and the key questions

There are several key questions executives should ask themselves if they start to suspect someone in their lives, said Eric O'Neill, a former FBI counterintelligence operative. O'Neill helped capture Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who spied on the US for Moscow for over two decades.

Among those questions: Who initiated contact? How quickly did it develop? What does the person know about their business, finances, travel, and personal life? And have they sought introductions, access, or unusual favors?

"A skilled intelligence officer rarely arrives wearing a trench coat and introducing herself as a spy," O'Neill said. "The best ones look and behave exactly like the person you want to meet."

O'Neill said executives should verify a new partner's identity and background before allowing them into their home, private life, or professional orbit.

They should also separate personal and corporate devices and accounts, and use multifactor authentication.

Yet Burton said background checks on people close to a CEO are "rarely done unless they are requested."

And when they do happen, he said, they often focus on criminal or financial checks for household staff rather than a boss's friends or romantic partners.

The most dangerous spy in your life

If you suspect something is amiss, seek help before embarrassment becomes leverage.

"The most dangerous spy in your life may be the person you've stopped questioning," O'Neill said.

Geddes said executives should be alert if a new partner seems unusually attractive, initiates contact, or accelerates intimacy faster than expected. They should also pay attention to someone who repeatedly controls where and when they meet — choosing the restaurant, bar, or hotel and steering the timing.

None of those signs alone proves malicious intent. But together, Geddes said, they can warrant a closer look.

"Even sharp, experienced decision-makers can lose their judgement in the presence of someone attractive," Geddes said.

A slim track record

Documented cases involving major corporate leaders falling for foreign operatives are rare, Burton said, but the tactics used are well established.

In March 2024, authorities charged ex-Army officer David Slater with sharing classified information through a dating site with someone claiming to be a Ukrainian woman. He pleaded guilty and received a 70-month sentence in October 2025.

And in December 2020, Axios reported that US officials believed Chinese national Christine Fang cultivated politicians, including sexual or romantic relationships with two Midwestern mayors, in an alleged intelligence-gathering operation. Fang left the US in 2015 amid an FBI-led investigation and has not faced public charges.

While the Huang matter is still under investigation and Huang has not disclosed with whom he had the affair, the news has roiled markets and led to widespread speculation about whether Huang will have to step down as CEO.

It's also, Burton said, a reminder to companies at the cutting edge of the tech sector to be wary of threats from hostile agencies and threat actors.

"The oldest tricks in the espionage playbook still work," O'Neill said.

Aritzia is one of those brands I could see myself filling with my closet with — if only it weren't so pricey. Fortunately, Aritzia's robust sale section has a ton of elevated basics marked down ahead of its Black Friday event.

Last year, Aritzia's Black Friday offer featured 20% to 50% off almost everything, including the Super Puff — and while there aren't any puffer jacket deals yet, Aritzia still has plenty of winter dress coats, knit sweaters, and cozy athleisure on sale now for about the same discount as you'll see on Black Friday.

Aritzia early Black Friday deals: Save 30% to 50%

Below are the top deals on Aritzia clothing that will likely dwindle in availability once Black Friday hits. From a warm Super Puff vest to versatile work pants and base layers, these are the styles worth snapping up on sale right now.

FAQs on Aritzia's early Black Friday sale

When is Aritzia's actual Black Friday sale?

Last year's Aritzia Black Friday event ran for five days, starting on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ending on Cyber Monday. We expect the sale will start early again this year, as indicated by its current rollout of deals.

Will the Super Puff be on sale for Black Friday?

The current Super Puff deals are slim, but likely to expand as we approach Black Friday. Last year, we saw a small discount on Super Puff jackets. Since Aritzia recently debuted its 2026 Super Puff collection featuring a higher fill power of 800+ compared to its standard 700, this season could be an opportunity to score discounts on the latest upgrade.

Read more in our full Super Puff review and see an affordable alternative to the Super Puff in our Quince jackets review.

What is Aritzia's return policy?

You can receive a full refund within 14 days from the shipping date, or store credit within 30 days from the shipping date. During the holiday season, Aritzia will refund regular-priced items purchased as gifts until January 10. See the full details on Artizia's return and exchange policies.

Some items are currently marked as final sale, so be sure to check this before placing your order if you are unsure whether you will keep what you buy.

Shopping for more discounts today? Check out our roundup of all the best early Black Friday deals.

• Amanda Seyfried gave her first detailed account of starring in "You Can See Everything."
• Seyfried spoke to Rolling Stone about sparring with Billy Evans in one of the movie's climactic scenes.
• "There was no reason for him to get that aggressive," Seyfried said, referring to Evans, who is Elizabeth Holmes' partner.

The wait is over: Amanda Seyfried has finally spoken out about appearing in "You Can See Everything."

In an interview with Rolling Stone released on Wednesday, Seyfried, along with directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, spoke about how "The Dropout" star got involved in the hit Elizabeth Holmes documentary.

It began harmlessly enough, when Seyfried's friend Emma Stone connected her with Fielder, who asked if she'd look over the interview footage they'd shot with Elizabeth Holmes. After sharing her thoughts, Seyfried's involvement eventually expanded to include her filming reenactments playing Holmes, and, in one shocking moment, traveling with Fielder to have dinner at the home of Holmes' partner, Billy Evans.

The scene is one of the doc's most climactic and surreal moments, as Seyfried ends up sparring with Evans at the dinner table.

Seyfried admits in the Rolling Stone interview that she already had "negative feelings" toward Evans after seeing Fielder's footage. But she said things "only got worse" after meeting him.

"I am sitting there with her children and cuddling with her dog! While she's in prison!" Seyfried said of being in Evans' home while Holmes is in prison. Holmes even calls from prison while Seyfried and Fielder are there.

"Someone asked me if that was real, if that was really her on the phone. And I'm like, 'It's a documentary. Who else would it be?'" she said.

Things quickly went downhill during dinner when Evans insulted Seyfried's acting and the two sparred over Seyfried's comments about Charlie Kirk. Seyfried told Rolling Stone the moment really was as intense as it's portrayed onscreen.

"There was no reason for him to get that aggressive," Seyfried recalled. "That's the word I'm going to use, as it's more diplomatic. If my jaw wasn't obviously on the floor, you could tell, like, it had come unhinged. I don't want to provoke him, but at this point, it's kind of like, the gloves are off. Because this guy has disrespected me in such a way that I was like, 'Oh, I don't think so, buddy.'"

Seyfried said she has no regrets about how she handled the argument.

"I was in the frame of mind where I'm like, 'OK, this guy is disrespectful, and I'm here in his home, I'm gonna argue this because I actually have a pretty solid stance on things. I don't like the way he's using this human being, his wife — the person he says he's "building monuments of love' to — as a tool. Maybe he does respect her, but he's behaving like he does not respect her. And not only am I protective of myself, I'm just trying to set the record straight in a way where I'm trying to defend myself, too, while maintaining some kind of rapport with him, so I can stay and he doesn't kick us out, you know?"

Billy Evans did not respond to a request for comment.

"You Can See Everything" is in theaters now.

The LegalTech Fund Summit, which enters its fifth year in Scottsdale, Arizona, next week, brings together the industry’s founders, funders, and power brokers for a few days of five-star schmoozing.

I’ll be there in my cowboy boots. Come say hi and tell me what you’re building.

Mentioned in this edition: Crosby, Rami Karabibar, EvenUp, Harvey, Legora, Latham & Watkins, Lerer Hippeau, Blackletter, Cohere, Blue J, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, Stanford, Ilona Logvinova, and Adam Sterling.

• EvenUp reminds us there are riches in niches
• What I’m reading and writing
• Inside a Big Law firm’s executive retreat

Is legal AI in a bubble?

Tech stocks got clobbered last week as AI doomsayers declared a bubble burst.

Our little corner of the tech world has its own bubble to worry about.

Investors are plowing money into legal tech. Valuations are soaring. “AI-native law firms” seem to be sprouting from the ground, each with a pitch about how it’s different from Crosby.

It’s a good time to ask which of these businesses are built to last.

Last week, I spoke with Rami Karabibar, CEO of EvenUp, which sells software to personal injury law firms. It’s a niche market, but a lucrative one. EvenUp has surpassed $150 million in recurring revenue under contract and now serves more than 2,000 firms. 

Karabibar has a theory about what separates legal-tech startups with staying power from those that could get swept away when the tide goes out.

It comes down to how deeply they embed themselves in their customers’ business.

EvenUp started out as something of a one-trick pony, helping plaintiff-side lawyers draft demand letters. Over the past 18 months, the company has expanded into software that helps lawyers manage their cases from start to finish.

While its product line has broadened, its target market hasn’t. Other players like Harvey and Legora build applications that serve everyone from Big Law to multinational corporations. EvenUp has never strayed from personal injury.

And Karabibar thinks that focus keeps his company bubble-proof.

Quick links

• Young money. Harvey held early talks with lawyers at Latham & Watkins about an IPO. 
• A neofirm is born. Early-stage venture firm Lerer Hippeau is backing Blackletter, a new law firm started by former executives at Cohere and Blue J.
• Campus life. My colleague Aditi Bharade profiled two college students who are helping law firms figure out technology. 

Big Law goes back to school

How do you teach an old law firm new tricks? Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer went to Stanford to find out.

The law firm retreat, which took place over three days before the start of school, was designed to get the firm’s top brass out of their offices, said Ilona Logvinova, HSF Kramer’s chief AI officer. She wanted them to think less like lawyers and more like founders.

Thirty-one firm members traveled to Palo Alto, where they stayed together and took a bus to campus each morning. Logvinova encouraged them to pack hoodies. Only a few obliged.

The first day gave them a crash course in the state of AI. Executives heard from legal-tech founders, OpenAI representatives, Stanford researchers, and general counsels about where the tech is heading and what clients increasingly expect from their outside counsel.

On day two, the executives got their hands on AI developed at Stanford. One tool helped them turn the expertise rattling around in their heads into instructions that autonomous agents could potentially follow. The exercises were meant to close what Logvinova calls the “imagination gap” — the distance between knowing what the tech can do and actually applying it.

The lawyers weren’t the only ones learning. For Stanford, the program doubled as a dry run for its new bootcamp, Legal Engineering Academy, which launches next summer.

Adam Sterling, an associate dean at Stanford Law, said the university wanted to see how the lawyers engaged with the technology in practice, not just in theory.

Just as importantly, Sterling said, working with practitioners helps the faculty better understand the profession its students are entering and how to prepare them for the future.

The experiment suggests that preparing the next generation of lawyers may start with retraining the current one.

Please let me know what you think of the newsletter and send along your story ideas. Email me at mrobinson@businessinsider.com or text me on WhatsApp at +1 603-913-3085.

The Legal AI Insider team

Melia Robinson, senior correspondent, in New York. Alistair Barr, tech anchor, in San Francisco. Grace Lett, senior newsletters editor, in New York. Leena Rao, executive editor, in Los Angeles.

• Nostalgia is proving lucrative for video game makers.
• "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" and "World of Warcraft: Forever" debuted this month.
• Take-Two's CEO said preorder sales of "Grand Theft Auto VI" have exceeded his expectations.

Gen X and millennial gamers might be feeling a heavy dose of deja vú right now.

Major developers are leaning into nostalgia, releasing new video games this month from beloved, decades-old franchises. So far, it seems to be paying off.

Blizzard Entertainment, owned by Microsoft, kicked it off on November 4 when it debuted "World of Warcraft: Forever." The original "World of Warcraft" came out 22 years ago.

Two days later, the company said the "World of Warcraft: Forever" launch made franchise history. Blizzard said the video game has been the largest launch in "World of Warcraft" history in terms of peak concurrent players and the highest number of returning players.

Nintendo then released "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" for Nintendo Switch 2 on November 5. This game is a full remake of the company's original 1998 version developed for the Nintendo 64. On Wednesday, Nintendo said the game set a record by selling more than 5.2 million units worldwide in the first four days.

And who could forget "Grand Theft Auto VI," the highly anticipated game by Rockstar Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive? Although the latest "Grand Theft Auto VI" doesn't hit shelves until November 19, fans have been clamoring for a copy since at least 2022, when a hacker leaked footage of the game, which was still in development at the time. Rockstar Games formally announced "Grand Theft Auto VI" in 2023. The last iteration of "GTA" was released in 2013, and the original came out in 1997.

Despite the production delays, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick told CNBC on Tuesday that preorder sales have "vastly exceeded" their expectations.

"The good news is it's our second biggest release in the history of the franchise," Zelnick said. "And we expect it's going to be immensely successful and profitable."

While Zelnick declined to share the official sales numbers, Sensor Tower, a market intelligence and data analytics platform, estimated that "Grand Theft Auto VI" has already raked in over $1 billion in revenue.

The success around the three games comes at a time when the video game industry is trying to win over customers even as rising hardware costs and semiconductor competition drive up prices.

• October's hot inflation data is fueling speculation the Fed will turn more hawkish on rates.
• Fed governor Christopher Waller said he would back a 50 basis point hike in inflation stays high.
• But a more hawkish Fed also raises risks of policy overtightening, economists say.

Stubborn inflation might send the Fed into high gear when it meets next month to figure out what to do with interest rates.

After the latest consumer price index reading, economists and Wall Street pros are starting to worry that central bankers are going to overdo it in their battle against rising prices, upsetting the economy by hiking rates too high.

October inflation data came in hot on Tuesday, with consumer prices rising 0.4% month over month. There was no annual reading because the government was shut down last October, but New York Life Investment Management estimated that it stood around 4.1%.

Thats more than double the Fed's 2% target, and an uptick from the 3.7% reading in September and 3.4% in August.

The hot reading has prompted some senior Fed officials to strike a decidedly more hawkish tone this week. Markets are pricing in a 25-basis-point rate hike at the Fed's December meeting, but speculation is growing that a more aggressive move may be in the works.

Fed governor Christopher Waller, a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee, said on Tuesday that the central bank should raise rates by 50 basis points.

"Hiking only 25 basis points would put our credibility at risk, a risk I am not eager to take," Waller said at the Bank of England Watchers Conference.

Austan Goolsbee, the president of the Chicago Fed but not an FOMC voting member, called October's inflation print "borderline disturbing" in an interview with PBS Newshour on Tuesday.

So far in 2026, the Fed has implemented one rate hike at its September meeting. Here's what a few Wall Street economists are saying about the October print and its implications for future Fed policy.

Neil Dutta, Renaissance Macro Research

Dutta said that Fed is indeed behind on fighting inflation, and that investors are still underappreciating the degree of hawkishness the Fed may have to adopt.

While battling inflation is necessary, Dutta also said this creates the risk that the Fed overdoes it.

"Inflation tends to be a lagging indicator, and monetary policy tends to work with lags," Dutta wrote in a client note on Tuesday. "To the extent Waller is a benchmark for the FOMC, today is a reminder that overtightening is the dominant risk going into 2027."

David Rosenberg, founder of Rosenberg Research

Rosenberg also expressed the belief that the Fed is going to get more hawkish from here — and suggested that it's still battling post-Covid runaway-inflation boogeymen that will inform its approach this time around.

"This Fed is still consumed with missing 'transitory' in 2021-2022 and, insofar as it is concerned over the lags from energy to the other components of the CPI and focused on 'breadth' measures of inflation, one can reasonably expect at this point for December 9th to show a 'hawkish hike,'" Rosenberg said in a client note on Tuesday.

Aditya Bhave, Bank of America

Bhave said October's print showed was yet another sign that the Fed is failing on its inflation mandate.

Core PCE, which exludes food and energy prices and is often cited as the Fed's favorite inflation measure, hasn't been at 2% since 2020.

That will have to change, Bhave said, or investors and consumers will start to lose confidence in the Fed's ability to rein in rising prices.

"Had inflation been above target for just a year or two, we think the Fed could have accepted 2-2.5% PCE inflation as 'good enough' in exchange for a stable labor market," Bhave wrote in a note on Tuesday. "But with a large overshoot that's coming up on six years, the onus is on the Fed to get inflation back to 2.0% (or lower) to prevent losing its credibility."

We’ve been covering venture capital for a long time, but we’ve never seen a pace of dealmaking like this, with such eye-popping valuations. Each week, we’ll make sense of the biggest stories in VC and get beyond the chatter to reveal what Silicon Valley’s sharpest minds are actually thinking, not just what they’re posting on X or LinkedIn. -Ben and Katie

This week is SF Tech Week here in San Francisco, aka Andreessen Horowitz marketing week. The free flood and drinks are flowing, and for some reason, there are two blimps floating over the Bay. 

It turns out that AI hasn’t replaced human networking…yet. Topics du jour include: Is SaaS making a comeback? Why is there so much drama between Factory AI and Cognition? How do I get into Claude Founder House?

With some 2,000 events, there is always a better one you’re hearing about around the corner. The FOMO is real. 

We’re biased, but we think the best event was our Tech Insider: Growth Mode town hall, where one of Anthropic’s biggest investors weighed in on the upcoming IPO. 

Somehow, I ended up with two sisters of famous tech founders.

My tweet this week about “Zuck’s sister” DJing in a rooftop penthouse at the FARR Summit went viral, with many people adding she does have a name of her own and is a successful VC in her own right. Sorry, Arielle Zuckerberg! (Arielle later chimed in to add she has been DJing since 2018 at Burning Man and small festivals.)

Tuesday, I interviewed Ginger Luckey Gaetz, the sister of Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, who is an advisor to the government of El Salvador. Interestingly, when I asked what company she wished she had invested in, she said it was Anduril. She said she was prohibited from investing because her husband, Matt Gaetz, was a US congressman. 

If startup investing isn’t a gamble enough for you, I’m co-hosting a poker tournament with $10,000 at stake tonight at the Foundry. I will donate any winnings to charity, so wish me luck! -Ben

Major Anthropic investor says he’s not concerned about losses or competition

Last night, Ben sat down with Menlo Ventures partner Matt Murphy, an early investor in Anthropic. If the listing goes well, Menlo will be one of the biggest winners, turning an estimated $1 billion investment into around $25 billion at a $2 trillion valuation. The firm has invested in every round since 2023.

Not surprisingly, Murphy remains extremely bullish. He shrugged off leaked financials obtained by Reuters showing Anthropic racked up an eye-watering $8 billion in operating losses last year, saying investors should wait for the company’s S-1 before judging the business. “If I could buy more, I would,” Murphy said.

He also pushed back on the idea that Chinese open-weight models are poised to commoditize the biggest AI labs. His argument is that the market has moved beyond experimentation and into optimization, with companies increasingly focused on cutting costs, post-training models, and routing work to the right system. Menlo is betting heavily on that infrastructure layer — compute, inference, routing, and optimization — which Murphy said has accounted for roughly 60% to 70% of the firm’s AI investments.

As for finding the next Anthropic, Murphy was blunt: “I don’t think there’s going to be another Anthropic.”

That doesn’t mean he sees no froth. Murphy called neo-labs and robotics “super interesting,” but warned that some startups are raising $100 million or even billion-dollar rounds before showing much real traction. 

And in a lightning round, he took a swipe at Anthropic’s biggest rival. Asked which company was most overhyped right now, Murphy didn’t hesitate: “Definitely OpenAI,” he said with a grin.

The Tech Insider audience of investors and founders was less bullish on Anthropic. When Ben asked how many people would invest in Anthropic at a $3 trillion valuation, the response was tepid, with most in the audience saying they would not buy Anthropic stock at that price. 

The head of Washington University’s endowment, in comments last month, sided more with the audience. At a conference of chief investment officers in Fort Worth, Texas, he warned that the AI labs are in major trouble because of competition from Chinese models.

"When we looked at the original OpenAI deal that some of our peers participated in and made tons of money on paper, we were highly skeptical," Wilson said. "I've gotten more skeptical over time."

Yet early OpenAI investor Vinod Khosla told Ben he strongly disagrees with Wilson, saying OpenAI and Anthropic have a huge cost advantage in chips and data centers. 

I have found that most investors remain highly bullish on American AI, particularly the largest players like Anthropic and OpenAI, but many privately voice skepticism about ballooning valuations in the broader ecosystem. -Katie 

Read more

The Buzz

I was at Munich’s Bits & Pretzels last week, where even the robots were dressed for Oktoberfest. 

I chatted with Legora CEO Max Junestrand, who made the case for building legal AI in Stockholm. He said that European employees seem more likely to stick around, partly due to less competition but also because San Francisco has a "very mercenary culture." 

People there, he added, "go and do one year in lots of AI companies. And I think we have been able to build a culture of missionaries rather than mercenaries.” 

Still, Legora’s dual HQ is now in New York, closer to its American customers. That contrasts with Hugging Face and Listen Labs, both of which were started in the US despite their founders’ European roots. 

One investor lamented that neither business had been built locally. He wished they’d sold to European companies instead of Nvidia and Salesforce, imagining a self-sustaining ecosystem independent of America. 

But my sense is that few in Germany’s tech ecosystem share his dream. The most anticipated event at the conference? San Francisco Tech Week. -Katie

Around the Cap Table

• Katie teamed up with our sister publication, Politico, for a scoop on $100 million in compute power gifted to the White House for its Genesis Mission program for AI researchers. An additional $100 million is for public sector employees. Venture capitalist Anjney Midha’s new endeavor, National Compute, is behind the gift.
• This is not your average SPV. Get Access came out of beta last week, an invite-only program for personal investors to gain access to select later-stage rounds. Madonna’s manager and Sound Ventures cofounder Guy Oseary led an investment into the startup. 
• Why Noa Argamani, a October 7 survivor, is choosing venture capital after 246 days in Hamas captivity. 
• Ben talked to VCs putting their money into concerts as a hedge against AI. "Real life experiences are the ultimate hedge against AI," said Paul Martino, managing partner at Bullpen Capital. “The place you're going to escape from AI is a concert.”
• Henry Chandonnet wrote about doggy drama at Corgi, the $5 billion AI insurance company known for its San Francisco cafés and “Corgi girls.”
• In August, Bill Gates went public with his blunt warnings about AI. Hearing Gates talk about it on Ezra Klein’s podcast last week was much more alarming. In a testy conversation, Gates says AI “makes nuclear weapons look like nothing.”

Please let us know what you think of the newsletter and send along your tips. Email Ben or Katie anytime or contact them on Signal at benbergman.11 and kroof.26.

The VC Insider team

Ben Bergman, chief correspondent, in Los Angeles. Katie Roof, editor at large, in San Francisco. Pranav Dixit, senior technology editor, in San Francisco. Leena Rao, executive editor, in Los Angeles.

Get in touch. Email us at vcinsider@businessinsider.com

I’ve been covering venture-backed deals for 13 years, and we’re in an M&A environment unlike I’ve ever experienced.

We’re seeing some of the biggest deals on record, including SpaceX’s $60 billion acquisition of Cursor. (OK, technically, the $250 billion Elon-Elon SpaceX/xAI deal was bigger.) And billion-dollar venture-backed acquisitions are at their highest level since 2021, according to Crunchbase.

The year kicked off with Capital One’s $5 billion-plus deal for Brex, but the real frenzy began after SpaceX’s Cursor acquisition in June. Most of the action since has been in AI. We were first to report that Hugging Face was attracting takeover interest, followed by our scoop on Nvidia’s acquisition talks. Nvidia has since agreed to buy the company for $12.9 billion. Stripe struck an $8 billion deal for OpenRouter, while AMD agreed to buy World Labs for $8.2 billion. And the deals keep coming. 

This week, there was a WSJ report that Amazon is in talks to buy Decart for $7 billion, while according to the FT, Nvidia is eyeing Reflection AI, which has been seeking a $25 billion valuation. We also reported that Decagon hired a bank to explore M&A interest. And we scooped Salesforce’s $2 billion deal to buy Listen Labs, as well as Google’s $1.5 billion deal with Mechanize.

So what’s driving all this activity?

First, there is clearly a frenzy to acquire AI talent.  Some of these are like giant acqui-hires, bringing in skilled AI teams that work well together. But they are also gaining advanced technology that is improving at a rapid clip. Missing out on new technology can be a lot more costly in the long run than the purchase price of a deal. There are also a number of trillion-dollar technology companies now that can easily afford to make a multibillion-dollar purchase. 

Sometimes the market even rewards strategic acquirers for making AI-related deals. If the stock jumps on the deal announcement, it reduces the cost, or sometimes makes the acquisitions “free.” SpaceX, for instance, surged 10% after its $60 billion Cursor announcement (although it was shortly after the IPO, so that might not have been the sole reason).

Regardless, AI acquisitions are making venture capitalists a lot of money right now, even if they missed out on IPO-bound behemoths like Anthropic and OpenAI. Deedy Das, partner at Menlo Ventures, recently posted on X that “it is absolutely possible to return a multibillion dollar venture fund with phenomenal IRR, even if you aren’t in big AI! This is one of the hottest liquidity markets ever.”

In an interview at the 2026 M&A Summit in San Francisco this week, John Chambers shared with me that he made 180 acquisitions while CEO of Cisco, including the $3.2 billion deal for WebEx. He touted what he viewed as a 70% success rate, saying he wished it were lower because it meant he hadn't taken enough risk. Chambers said in the conversation the best acquisitions are so transformative that they offset failures, and predicted that the uptick in venture-backed M&A will continue, with cybersecurity deals a particularly strong point. 

What’s clear is that the M&A industry now takes venture-backed deals a lot more seriously. For many years, some in the industry scoffed that this genre of deals was too small. I regularly told bankers, lawyers, PR people, and fellow journalists to keep an eye on VC because the price of these deals would rise someday. 

How did I know? There was a significant increase in capital flow in the startup ecosystem and ballooning valuations. Even if a small percentage of today's 1900+ unicorns are valued correctly, that leads to a number of large liquidity events, including acquisitions. The economics of the startup ecosystem also attract some of the best and brightest employees, talent that strategic acquirers might want in-house. -Katie

The Buzz

Ben here. I was standing at a happy hour for Tinder and Wonder Ventures at a Venice Beach golf course Tuesday afternoon when an eager twenty-something founder walked up and asked, “What are you building?” He seemed crestfallen when I told him I wasn’t building anything.

After SF Tech Week last week, the action has shifted to LA for Tech Week. Many of the attendees, desperate to land any funding for their nascent idea, attend both. 

The problem is that there are few VCs at these events, so founders (or mostly wannabe founders) end up pitching to each other. As others have suggested, founders would have much better luck finding VCs if they went to the South Park Blue Bottle in San Francisco on any day of the week. 

People love to talk about how many Tech Week events they got into or how many connections they made, but it's not clear to what end.

I was also at SF Tech Week, where there were almost twice as many events, and the mood was more technical and serious. With the exception of defense tech, LA’s tech scene has taken a noticeable step back since Andreessen Horowitz hosted its first LA Tech Week here in 2022. AI is all the rage, and San Francisco is the undisputed epicenter of the AI revolution. 

Continuing the theme from last year, wellness is a big focus, with a daily 6 am lifting club and surf lessons in Manhattan Beach.

Elizabeth Holmes is back 

Back up North, the Valley is abuzz with excitement for You Can See Everything, Nathan Fielder’s fly-on-the-wall documentary about Elizabeth Holmes that opens Friday. VC firms are renting out theaters for the occasion. One Menlo Park firm, Felicis, is hosting a screening next week for tech reporters and PR people, which is a curious choice given that Theranos was probably the biggest black eye in Silicon Valley history.

"The group chat needed a field trip," the invitation reads. "Black turtlenecks optional, but encouraged. Leave your crisis plan at home."

It would be like Wall Street hedge funds hosting screenings of a documentary about Bernie Madoff. 

Around the Cap Table

• Unlike its 2010 predecessor, the Social Reckoning has been a flop at the box office. I think the movie is worth watching for one scene alone, in which a monstrous Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jeremy Strong, sits robotically in his bulletproof glass-enclosed office and rejects safety proposals because they would put a small dent in engagement.

  The movie also effectively shows how hard it is to cultivate a source. One less realistic part is that writer and director Aaron Sorkin seems to relish the fact that the protagonist, Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horowitz, is bad with tech and barely knows how to use his GPS to find the bureau. 

  In reality, just because you’re a tech reporter does not mean you are good with tech. Most of what we report on is the money, deals, and people. I always find it funny when people ask me for tech support. After I saw the movie, I read Eli Tan’s excellent New York Times story about how Zuckerberg rushed Muse to be released despite safety concerns. It was hard not to see parallels. -Ben

• In other news, OpenAI said that it found a hidden recording device in its SF office, allegedly planted by an employee and Saudi national Abdulrahman Alfozan. The FBI is now investigating  Alfozan, who was also an investor at Middle East VC firm Raed Ventures. 
• A16Z has laid off most of its in-house recruiting team, which helps portfolio companies bring in talent, per Axios. 

Please let us know what you think of the newsletter and send along your tips. Email Ben or Katie anytime or contact them on Signal at benbergman.11 and kroof.26.

The VC Insider team

Ben Bergman, chief correspondent, in Los Angeles. Katie Roof, editor at large, in San Francisco. Pranav Dixit, senior technology editor, in San Francisco. Leena Rao, executive editor, in Los Angeles. Get in touch.

Email us at vcinsider@businessinsider.com

Mentioned in this edition: Jeff Dean, Ilya Sutskever, Mira Murati, Thinking Machines Lab, Matt Murphy, Menlo Ventures, Deedy Das, Aaron Rosenberg, Radical Ventures, Andrew Schoen, NEA, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Venky Ganesan, and Michael Grimes.

VCs are questioning the neolab math 

Ben here. Up until recently, it was a great time to be the founder of a neolab, the lavishly funded, research-first AI startups founded by top talent who defected from the likes of OpenAI or Google DeepMind.

We reported last month that Jeff Dean, Google’s former chief scientist, is seeking a valuation as high as $50 billion for his new AI science startup. OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever’s Safe Superintelligence is worth $32 billion. Another OpenAI alum, Mira Murati, is raising a round for Thinking Machines Lab at a valuation of around $40 billion. 

But lately, in conversations with multiple VCs around Silicon Valley, there is a growing divide about whether neolabs can make the economics work with their multibillion-dollar price tags and formidable competition from frontier labs. 

One VC at a top firm, who asked that I not use his name, told me neolabs are the most hotly debated type of investment right now.

“Some would say you shouldn't invest in any, and others would say this is basically all you should be investing in because software's dead, and you either have to own models or hardware, and even if you enter at a billion, the company could be worth a trillion,” he said. 

When I recently asked Menlo Ventures partner Matt Murphy at Business Insider’s Growth Mode conference which sector he thought was most overhyped, he immediately cited neolabs, which was noteworthy, given that Menlo invested in some of them.

Murphy pointed to an example from his time as an early board advisor at Google, which he said did so well because it “was like a match thrown into a bonfire.”

“The opposite thing you want to do is start a match with a bonfire,” Murphy told me. “That's the risk of what's going on now with companies raising such large rounds.”

Another Menlo partner, Deedy Das, posted last month about the “difficult game” of making neolab math work. 

Das seemed a bit taken aback by the reaction to his post and later texted me: “Like all startups, many will fail, some will work.”

Picking which ones will work is why VCs get paid the big bucks. 

Neolabs are a power-law bet taken to an extreme, Radical Ventures’ Aaron Rosenberg told me. 

Investors know most will likely burn enormous sums on compute and talent without ever becoming profitable. But the rare winner could become a foundational AI company worth hundreds of billions or more.

“We're confident that the best neolabs will attract ongoing support,” Rosenberg said. “Talent continues to transition out of the incumbents and academia into founder roles, and we see no signs of that slowing.”

Like Radical, New Enterprise Associates wrote a bullish view in June. One of the authors, Andrew Schoen, told me his views have not changed. "There are neolabs I know of that are finalizing billion-plus-dollar rounds of equity financing, and those processes are moving very smoothly and quickly," he said.

The Buzz

Katie here. Many of tech’s biggest names gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco on Saturday, at a black-tie event in the name of Menlo Ventures' 50th anniversary. 

Hollywood titan turned venture capitalist Jeffrey Katzenberg of Dreamworks fame asked the audience to join a prayer “for the blockbuster IPO of Anthropic,” a joking reference to Menlo’s early investment in the company. 

I also spotted Morgan Stanley’s storied technology banker Michael Grimes, who is undoubtedly holding his own AI IPO prayers. Other attendees included an array of public company and startup CEOs, including those from Snowflake, Zscaler, Legora, and OpenRouter.

As Menlo partner Venky Ganesan quipped, there was more AUM (assets under management) in the room than in many countries, given the attendees' net worth and the investment capital they manage. 

Menlo isn’t the first venture firm to host a splashy anniversary party; Index Ventures recently went big for its 30th anniversary.

A person at a rival venture shop expressed disappointment that their firm doesn’t host such celebrations.

Menlo’s night ended with concerts from two super confidential Grammy Award winners trying to rake in those AI bucks!

Around the Cap Table

• We reported this week that Fireworks AI is seeking fresh funding at a valuation of between $30 billion and $40 billion, a dramatic jump just months after its last blockbuster round was closed.
• "You Can See Everything" has everyone talking. Ben thought it was absolute genius, if a bit long. It will make this year's Oscars race exciting. See it in theaters before the experience is lessened by spoilers.
• Our colleague Rya Jetha explored the excitement and pitfalls of investing in robotics startups. Like neolabs, robotics companies are commanding big valuations with little to show for it, yet. 
• Foursquare’s $0 acquisition ended with no payout for employees or investors, according to founder Dennis Crowley.

Post of The Week

There are only 130 US tech companies, public or private, valued at $10B or more (decacorns). That’s roughly 20 to 30 new companies per decade, for the last five decades. This year alone, with a quarter to go, there have been 42 decacorns minted privately. Either this is the most economically transformative event since the industrial revolution, or we’re getting a wee bit ahead of ourselves.

— Rory O'Driscoll (@rodriscoll) October 21, 2026

The VC Insider team

Ben Bergman, chief correspondent, in Los Angeles. Katie Roof, editor at large, in San Francisco. Pranav Dixit, senior technology editor, in San Francisco. Leena Rao, executive editor, in Los Angeles. Get in touch.

Email us at vcinsider@businessinsider.com

Anthropic mints record gains in record time

It happened! After a fall full of delays, Anthropic’s S-1 finally dropped. 

What stood out to me was how incredibly fast Anthropic has scaled. Spark Capital was the first firm to lead a round into the AI giant in spring 2023 – just three and a half years ago. They own more than 1% of the company, an investment that could be worth tens of billions of dollars in short order.

It was just months ago that SpaceX set the record for the largest ever IPO, but that timeline was remarkably different: the first venture capitalists invested in 2002!

"There's no company that's gone from zero to where they are today in this period of time,” said Byron Deeter, partner at Bessemer Venture Partners. The firm has spent $800 million investing in Anthropic since 2024, the largest bet in its history, netting Bessemer an almost 1% stake.

At the time Bessemer first invested, many in the industry considered the $18 billion price tag to be steep for a startup that wasn’t the industry leader. Some dismissed Anthropic as a “FOMO bet,” that investors were just disappointed that they missed out on OpenAI. 

Deeter knew that was the perception, but said he had conviction that Anthropic could take the lead or come close, believing that “even if they didn't fully get there, they were going to be a hell of a challenger.”

They not only challenged OpenAI, but they also beat them to the IPO. The ChatGPT-maker expects to go public next year.

Although Anthropic’s numbers quieted some (but not all) financial critics, other AI-related issues are still expected to be controversial at the ballot box next week. Right now, the tech industry wants more compute, and the populists are against data centers...

The Buzz

Ben Bergman here in New York. I’m in town for The Long Play, featuring media mogul Barry Diller, Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick, Ro’s Zach Reitano, and many more. I hope to see some of you there today, or tonight at the Eniac Ventures Halloween party. Costumes are required, so I’ll be curious to see what VCs are choosing this year. I’m tempted to go as filmmaker Nathan Fielder.

I went on a walk this week with a VC at a large firm on a sunny fall day in the West Village. Even though they are based here, they said they spend nearly all their time in San Francisco these days because it’s the epicenter of the AI boom and home to the startups they care about.

Separately, I asked New York-based VC Jesse Middleton, a general partner at Flybridge, for his read on New York these days, and he texted me: “It’s true that SF is where most of the models have been trained, and the dollars are certainly there for the big guys, but New York is where founders turn them into products for the rest of the world (not just developers). The app layer here is booming, including Clay, Hebbia, Rogo, and ElevenLabs. Every industry that actually has to buy this stuff sits within a few subway stops of our office.”

By the way, New York is still the more expensive city to rent an apartment, but San Francisco is rapidly closing the gap. Median asking rent for a one-bedroom is about $4,580 per month in New York City, versus roughly $4,400 in San Francisco, a difference of only $180, according to Zumper. Who wants to bet San Francisco will be more expensive next year? 

Post of The Week

The craziest reveal in You Can See Everything is actually the fact that she never sold secondary

— Olivia Moore (@omooretweets) October 25, 2026

Around the Cap Table

• We tallied the founders and many of the VC stakeholders in Anthropic ahead of the company’s expected IPO. 
• Spark Capital was mentioned more than 50 times in Anthropic’s IPO paperwork. Here’s why.
• A scoop from Katie: AI coding startup Cognition has received fresh offers valuing it between $70 and 80 billion.
• Software business Guidewire announced that it was acquiring UK-based agentic insurance startup Hyperexponential for $1.7B.
• Canada’s fintech Wealthsimple said that it raised financing at a $13.8B CAD valuation.
• Ferring agreed to acquire fertility startup Gameto in a deal worth up to $1.4B.
• Elizabeth Holmes’ husband Billy Evans’ blood-testing startup has the support of Palantir board member Lauren Friedman Stat, who co-founded it with him.
• Intel acquired Israeli quantum startup Classiq for $2.3B.
• Andreessen Horowitz expanded its crypto fund to include other emerging technologies and rebranded as a16z Frontier.
• The US Department of Justice is asking questions about whether Nvidia’s deal to buy Hugging Face for nearly $13 billion would hurt competition in AI.

Please let us know what you think of the newsletter and send along your tips. Email Ben or Katie anytime or contact them on Signal at benbergman.11 and kroof.26.

The VC Insider team

Ben Bergman, chief correspondent, in Los Angeles. Katie Roof, editor at large, in San Francisco. Pranav Dixit, senior technology editor, in San Francisco. Leena Rao, executive editor, in Los Angeles.

Get in touch. Email us at vcinsider@businessinsider.com

• Actors James Van Der Beek, Hayden Panettiere, Robert Duvall, Chuck Norris, Patrick Stewart, and Eva Marie Saint died in 2026.
• So did musicians Dolly Parton and Duncan Sheik.
• Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, activist Gloria Steinem, and NFL Hall of Famer Mike Ditka also died this year.

Below, we look back at the celebrities we lost in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Scott Adams, 68

Scott Adams worked at a telephone company in the 1980s. The experience inspired his beloved comic strip, "Dilbert."

By the end of the decade, the character and his satirical office humor began appearing in comic strips.

At its peak, "Dilbert" was syndicated in over 2,000 newspapers. A cartoon series debuted in 1999, running for two seasons.

Adams gained notoriety when he began writing blog posts praising Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential run. In 2023, "Dilbert" was pulled from newspapers across the US following racist comments made by Adams.

Adams died on January 13 from metastatic prostate cancer.

Brad Arnold, 47

The lead singer of 3 Doors Down, Brad Arnold launched the group into fame with the 2000 rock anthem "Kryptonite," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year.

The success led to other hits like "Loser," "Here Without You," and "When I'm Gone." Arnold's vocal range and lyrics focused on love and love lost, which fueled the group to stardom.

Arnold died on February 7 from a type of kidney cancer.

Afrika Bambaataa, 68

A hip-hop pioneer during the 1970s and 1980s, Lance Taylor, known professionally as Afrika Bambaataa, first gained attention as a DJ in the Bronx.

He signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1981 and released landmark songs like "Jazzy Sensation" and "Planet Rock." He would go on to influence the likes of Queen Latifah and A Tribe Called Quest throughout his career.

Bambaataa founded the hip-hop awareness group, Universal Zulu Nation, in the 1970s to steer kids away from gang life. Bambaataa stepped down as the head of the organization in 2016 after accusations of sexual abuse.

Bambaataa denied all claims.

He died on April 9 due to prostate cancer.

Rob Bass, 59

One of the icons responsible for bringing hip-hop to the mainstream, Rob Bass crafted the iconic track "It Takes Two" alongside DJ E-Z Rock.

The track, released in 1988, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs chart and later went certified platinum. In 1989, it was voted the greatest single of all time by Spin magazine.

Bass died on May 22 following cancer.

Nicholas Brendon, 54

Nicholas Brendon was a television actor, best known for playing Xander Harris in all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

He also starred in "Criminal Minds" and "Kitchen Confidential."

Brendon died in his sleep on March 20 due to natural causes, according to his family's statement.

In 2023, Brendon suffered a heart attack and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He also had cauda equina syndrome, which led to several spinal surgeries.

"While it's no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis, and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing," the statement to The Hollywood Reporter read. "Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart."

Peabo Bryson, 75

Two-time Grammy winner Peabo Bryson is best known for his classic love ballads.

Bryson began releasing music in the late 1970s, but one of his first major hits was opposite Roberta Flack on the 1983 duet, "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love." He continued hit-making a year later with the smash "If Ever You're in My Arms Again," and in 1991, he topped the R&B charts with "Can You Stop the Rain."

Bryson found global stardom with his renditions of two Disney classics. In 1991, he released the pop version of "Beauty and the Beast," alongside Céline Dion, and a year later, he duetted with Regina Belle on "A Whole New World" from the 1992 release of "Aladdin."

Bryson died on June 2. No cause was given.

James Burrows, 85

An 11-time Emmy winner and co-creator of "Cheers," director James Burrows helped shape modern TV comedy through his work on iconic sitcoms including "Will & Grace," "Friends," and "Frasier."

Known for his comedic timing and elaborate blocking, Burrows got his start directing episodes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Throughout his career, he directed episodes of "Frasier" (winning an Emmy for the pilot episode), "Will & Grace," "Friends," and "The Big Bang Theory." He directed over 50 pilot episodes.

Burrows died on June 19. No cause was given.

Kyle Busch, 41

Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch was considered one of the greatest racers of all time.

Busch was hospitalized on May 21, before two upcoming races. Hours later, he was pronounced dead.

Busch died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.

Robert Carradine, 71

Robert Carradine was best known for his roles as Lizzie McGuire's dad and as the iconic geek Lewis Skolnick in the 1980s franchise "Revenge of the Nerds."

As a member of Hollywood's famed Carradine family, Robert was destined for an onscreen career.

He received one of his first screen credits starring in his brother David Carradine's popular 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" and went on to land roles in everything from Samuel Fuller's World War II classic "The Big Red One" to the "Lizzie McGuire" series.

Carradine's family shared statements with Deadline that emphasized being open about his struggles with mental illness.

"We are bereft at the loss of this beautiful soul and want to acknowledge Bobby's valiant struggle against his nearly two-decade battle with Bipolar Disorder," Carradine's family said. "We hope his journey can shine a light and encourage addressing the stigma that attaches to mental illness."

Carradine died by suicide on February 23.

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

Bud Cort, 77

Most famous for his role as Harold in the 1971 cult-classic "Harold and Maude," Bud Cort became the epitome of 1970s counterculture thanks to his baby-faced looks, wit, and sophisticated persona.

The dark comedy starred Cort as Harold, a man in his 20s who is obsessed with suicide until he meets 79-year-old eccentric Maude (Ruth Gordon).

Before that, Cort scored bit parts in Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H*" (1970) and "Brewster McCloud" (1970).

After "Harold and Maude," Cort worked steadily for the rest of his life, occasionally showing up in hit movies like Michael Mann's "Heat" (1995) and Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" (2004).

Cort died on February 11 following a long illness.

Tim Curry, 80

Curry is best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult-classic musical "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," after originating the role in the original stage production.

Over six decades, Curry carved out a niche playing outlandish villains like Rooster Hannigan in the 1982 film "Annie" and Pennywise in the 1990 miniseries "It." Other notable roles include Wadsworth the Butler in "Clue" (1985) and Mr. Hector in "Home Alone 2: Escape from New York."

Curry suffered a major stroke in 2012, which required brain surgery. He said in 2025 that he was "still recovering."

Curry died at his Los Angeles home on August 26. No cause was given.

Eric Dane, 53

Long before becoming one of TV's most recognizable heartthrobs, Eric Dane was building his career with guest roles on series like "Saved by the Bell" and "Married… with Children."

He later gained wider attention with appearances on "Charmed" before landing his breakout role as Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan on "Grey's Anatomy." He most recently starred in HBO's "Euphoria," where he played Cal Jacobs, the father of Jacob Elordi's character, Nate Jacobs.

Dane has two children with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart. In April 2025, the actor said that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.

Dane died on February 19 at age 53, his publicist confirmed in a statement to Business Insider.

"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," his publicist said.

Clive Davis, 94

A legend in the music world, Davis was responsible for elevating pop music to unthinkable heights by discovering talents like Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys, to name a few.

Over his 50-year career, along with being an executive behind millions of album sales, he also won five Grammys, including two for Album of the Year ("The Bodyguard" soundtrack and "Supernatural" by Santana).

Davis died on June 22. No cause was given.

Mike Ditka, 86

Mike Ditka was the first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a coach for the Chicago Bears, he led the team to its only Super Bowl win to date in 1986.

Ditka's success turned him into a celebrity who showed up in commercials, TV shows, and movies in cameo roles.

One of his most famous was starring opposite Will Ferrell in the 2005 comedy "Kicking and Screaming."

His persona became the long-running "Saturday Night Live" sketch called "Bill Swerski's Superfans," in which cast members dressed up as Ditka and spoke about their love for "Da Bears."

Ditka died on October 9; no cause was given.

Robert Duvall, 95

Robert Duvall starred in a plethora of timeless classics, including "The Godfather," "The Godfather Part II," "Apocalypse Now," "THX 1138," "The Natural," "Days of Thunder," and "The Apostle."

Duvall will be best remembered for starring in three of director Francis Ford Coppola's iconic films: playing Tom Hagen in the first two "Godfather" movies and Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now," in which he delivers one of the most memorable lines in movie history: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."

Duvall was lauded for his acting talent, from not saying a word while playing Boo Radley in his first big screen role in the 1962 classic "To Kill a Mockingbird" to his portrayal of a country singer dealing with alcoholism in 1983's "Tender Mercies," which earned him an Oscar.

He died on his ranch in Virginia on February 15. No cause was given.

Brenda Fricker, 81

This Irish actress was a fixture on the stage and screen for six decades. But she's most known for showing up in the "Home Alone" sequel.

As The Pigeon Lady in 1992's "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," Fricker has become a fixture for families during the holiday season for decades (and in 2020 became the subject of a popular meme).

But Fricker's acting talents go beyond playing a spooky wanderer of Central Park.

In 1990, she became the first Irish actress to win an Academy Award, as she was given the best supporting actress Oscar that year for her performance in "My Left Foot."

Fricker died on July 16; no cause was given.

Mark Fuhrman, 74

Fuhrman cemented his place in popular culture as one of the lead LAPD detectives on the 1995 murder case of O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Fuhrman found the famed bloody glove on the Simpson estate, and during the trial, he gained infamy when Simpson's defense team used his past racist language to discredit him as a witness.

Fuhrman retired from the LAPD after the Simpson trial and moved to Idaho, where he wrote true crime books.

Fuhrman died on May 12 of throat cancer.

Valentino Garavani, 93

For over six decades, one name has been synonymous with women's high fashion: Valentino.

The Italian designer launched his fashion business in Rome in 1960 and never looked back. Soon, every star wanted to be seen in his creations. They've been worn by icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Sharon Stone, and more.

Though Garavani retired from designing in 2008, his label is still a red carpet staple, as is his famous shade of bright red dubbed "Valentino Red."

Garavani died on January 19. No cause was given.

Donald Gibb, 71

No one defined a bully for a generation more than Gibb's hulking fraternity character Ogre in the "Revenge of the Nerds" movies of the 1980s.

Since the original raunchy comedy was released in 1984, Gibb's intimidating size and loud yells of "NERDS!" have become as memorable as the pocket protectors worn by the movie's geeks.

Gibb went on to star opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in his classic 1988 action movie "Bloodsport." He also landed guest star roles through his career on shows like "Quantum Leap," "Magnum P.I.," "MacGyver," "Night Court," and "Cheers."

Gibb died on May 12 following health complications.

Chad Gilbert, 45

Gilbert was the guitarist and backing vocalist for the punk band New Found Glory.

The band's hit albums include 2002's "Sticks And Stones" and 2004's "Catalyst." Both showed up in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Gilbert died on September 20; no cause was given, but Gilbert told People in April he was battling stage 4 adrenal cancer.

Glen Hansard, 56

Irish singer-songwriter Hansard was the frontman of the rock band The Frames and one-half of the band The Swell Season. But he was perhaps best known for writing and starring in the hit 2007 indie film "Once," in which he and his Swell Season bandmate Markéta Irglová play two struggling musicians who fall in love. The duo won an Oscar for best original song for the film's standout track, "Falling Slowly."

Hansard also embarked on a solo career; his 2015 album, "Didn't He Ramble," was nominated for a Grammy for best folk album.

Hansard died on July 29 in a motorcycle crash in Dublin.

Dennis Haskins, 75

For those who grew up in the '90s, Dennis Haskins was your favorite high school principal, Mr. Belding.

Starring in the hit TV series "Saved By The Bell," Haskins' Belding character traveled the halls trying to be a step ahead of the hijinks inflicted by Zack Morris (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) and his friends. But unlike many school principals in pop culture who were mean and seemed to hate kids, Haskins played his authority role with a playful, good-natured style.

He was on the show's full four-season run from 1989 to 1993, and also starred in the spin-off, "Saved By The Bell: The New Class," from 1993 to 2000.

Haskins' other credits include "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Mad Men," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," and "New Girl."

Haskins died on September 27; no cause was given.

Anthony Head, 72

Rising up through the UK stage scene in the 1980s, Head found fame when he was cast as Rupert Giles, who became a father figure to Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy Summers in all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Most recently, he played the bitter former owner of AFC Richmond on "Ted Lasso."

Head's death was announced by his family on June 5. They stated the cause was "complications due to pneumonia."

David Hockney, 88

British painter David Hockney was renowned for his striking portraits and figurative pop art. Many of his best-known paintings, including 1966's "The Splash" and 1972's "Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)," were inspired by the bright colors and sun-dappled pools of Los Angeles.

Hockney moved to Los Angeles in the late '60s, and his work became synonymous with the warmth and leisure of Southern California. He was also one of the few popular artists at the time to depict openly gay scenes, and Hockney was outspoken about anti-gay censorship.

Throughout his career, Hockney split time between California, England, and France. He died at his home in London on June 12 at age 88, his publicist confirmed to The New York Times. No cause of death was given.

Jesse Jackson, 84

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, a minister, and an activist icon who twice ran for president.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson experienced Jim Crow segregation on public buses and at school firsthand. It would shape the rest of his life.

His fight for civil rights began in the 1960s, when he helped organize protests and demonstrations across the US and worked closely alongside civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

His decadeslong career as a leading civil rights activist included support for modern national movements, such as the push for voting rights, the fight against racism, and a higher minimum wage.

Jackson ran for president twice, both times as a democrat. He placed third for the party's nomination in 1984 and second in 1988. This marked the most successful presidential runs of any Black candidate prior to Barack Obama.

Jackson announced in 2017 that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. In November 2025, Jackson was treated in a Chicago hospital after complications from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative condition.

Jackson died on February 17.

Stacy Keach, 85

Keach brought intensity and charisma to every role he played on stage, film, and TV.

He was a major player in Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Shakespearean works in the late 1960s, earning him awards and a Tony nomination.

He would go on to gain steady work on TV and movies the rest of his career. He was perhaps best known for playing private eye Mike Hammer in the 1980s TV series "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer," and won a Golden Globe playing Ernest Hemingway in the 1988 miniseries "Hemingway."

Later in his career, he developed a knack for playing the villain in movies like "American History X" (1998) and "Nebraska" (2013).

Keach died on November 10 after heart failure complicated by heart disease.

Walter Koenig, 90

As the boyish Russian crewman Pavel Chekov on "Star Trek," Walter Koenig left an indelible mark in the minds of sci-fi fans for generations as one of the key crew members of Captain Kirk's ship, the USS Enterprise.

First appearing in the show's second season, Koenig played Chekov in 36 of the 50 episodes that aired in 1967-68 and 1968-69. He also starred in the first seven releases of the movie franchise, from 1979 through 1991.

Koenig died on October 25 of natural causes.

Yayoi Kusama, 97

Kusama was a famed Japanese pop artist who often used polka-dot motifs in her work, initially rising to prominence in Japan in the 1950s.

In 1959, Kusama presented her first solo exhibition in New York: a collection of abstract paintings that an ARTnews review praised as "strong, advanced in concept and realized."

Kusama later branched into sculptures, performances, and immersive installations. She continued to expand her influence and relevance into the social media era, when her mirrored "Infinity Room" installations became Instagram-friendly attractions that inspired many copycats.

Kusama died on August 14 in Tokyo. She was 97.

Bob Mackie, 87

As one of Hollywood's most renowned costume designers, Bob Mackie's eye set the style for decades.

Known as the Sultan of Sequins, the Rajah of Rhinestones, or the Guru of Glitter, a signature of Mackie's work was its use of sparkle, which made everyone from Cher to Elton John to Dolly Parton to Sabrina Carpenter shine on stage.

He also was the costume designer on "The Carol Burnett Show" for all eleven seasons through the 1970s. He won nine Emmys, a Tony Award, and was nominated for three Academy Awards for his work.

Mackie died on September 14; no cause was given.

RJ Mitte, 34

Mitte was best known for playing the son of Bryan Cranston's Walter White in the hit series "Breaking Bad."

Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was 3 years old, became a disability rights activist after finding fame with "Breaking Bad."

His other credits include the 2021 movie "Triumph," in which he played a high school student with cerebral palsy who tries out for the wrestling team. He also starred in the 2024 thriller "Love Me Dead" opposite Dove Cameron.

Mitte died by suicide on October 12.

Patrick Muldoon, 57

In the 1990s, you couldn't escape the piercing eyes of Patrick Muldoon.

He played Austin Reed on "Days of Our Lives" for most of the decade, and when he wasn't on the soap, he was over on "Melrose Place" playing the villain role of Richard Hart.

If being on two iconic shows wasn't enough, he also showed up on "Saved by the Bell" and had a role in the cult classic movie "Starship Troopers."

Muldoon died on April 19 after a heart attack.

Sam Neill, 78

With a career spanning more than five decades and including countless memorable performances in movies and television, Sam Neill was one of the most versatile actors of his generation,

The New Zealand actor starred opposite Nicole Kidman in the 1989 thriller "Dead Calm," played the loyal first officer opposite Sean Connery in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," played the lead in John Carpenter's 1994 horror "In the Mouth of Madness," and most recently starred in the hit series "Peaky Blinders."

But Neill is best known for playing the brave and all-dinosaur-knowing Dr. Alan Grant in the "Jurassic Park" franchise.

Neill died on July 13; no cause was given. Neill was battling a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer, but was cancer-free at the time of his death, according to a post on his Instagram account announcing his passing.

Tom Noonan, 74

Standing at a towering 6' 5", Tom Noonan was born to play the bad guy. And he did just that, starring as the villain in movies like "Manhunter," "RoboCop 2," and "Last Action Hero."

But this actor had more to show off. He showcased his comedy chops as Rodney Dangerfield's degenerate gambling friend in the 1983 comedy "Easy Money," and set up the heist for Robert De Niro in Michael Mann's 1995 classic "Heat."

His knack for storytelling also translated behind the camera. Noonan wrote, directed, and starred in the drama "What Happened Was," which won the grand prize at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Noonan died on February 14; no cause was given.

Chuck Norris, 86

Few action stars have Chuck Norris' credentials.

Before he ever stepped in front of a camera, he was a martial arts champion and a black belt in Karate, judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Taekwondo, and Tang Soo Do.

His talents would become known the world over in 1972, when he faced off against Bruce Lee in "The Way of the Dragon."

Through the 1980s, Norris became one of the biggest action stars in the world thanks to movies like "A Force of One," "The Octagon," and the "Delta Force" and "Missing in Action" franchises.

In the 1990s, he took over the small screen, playing the lead in the "Walker, Texas Ranger" TV show, which aired in over 100 countries during its run from 1993 to 2001.

Norris was hospitalized on March 19 in Hawaii and died the following day, according to his family. No cause was given.

Catherine O'Hara, 71

O'Hara, who was best known for her roles in "Beetlejuice" and "Home Alone," got her start in the Canadian comedy scene, appearing in the now-legendary cast of "SCTV."

It would mark the beginning of a fruitful partnership with fellow actor Eugene Levy, who became her frequent costar and collaborator in memorable appearances in Christopher Guest films like "A Mighty Wind" and "Best in Show" and television series like "Schitt's Creek," which earned her an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in 2020.

O'Hara's representative confirmed her death to Business Insider on January 30. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed in a death certificate viewed by People that O'Hara died of a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer listed as an underlying cause.

Hayden Panettiere, 36

Panettiere began acting as a child, landing one of her earliest major roles as Sarah Roberts on the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live," on which she appeared from 1994 to 1997.

As her career progressed, she became best known for portraying Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville."

Over the years, Panettiere had spoken openly about her struggles with alcoholism and postpartum depression. She detailed those experiences in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," which was released in May.

Panettiere died on August 16. A final autopsy report by the Greenville County Coroner's Office ruled her death an accident caused by the toxic effects of fentanyl and other drugs.

Dolly Parton, 80

Parton released her debut album, "Hello, I'm Dolly," in 1967 and went on to pen country hits like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene," both of which were released as singles in 1974.

In addition to her music, Parton was beloved for her flamboyant style and her philanthropy. She founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988, a charitable organization focused on education and community initiatives in her home state of Tennessee. She continued to fund scholarship programs and donate to hospitals, public health initiatives, and disaster relief programs throughout her life.

Parton is known as the best-selling female country music artist of all time. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Parton's 49th and final solo studio album, "Rockstar," was released in 2023. The tracklist included both original material and covers of classic rock songs, featuring an array of guests like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Joan Jett, and Parton's goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.

News broke on August 25 that Parton died following unspecified health issues. She was 80.

Vincent Pastore, 80

This character actor found fame appearing in a string of mob movies in the 1990s, like "Goodfellas," "Carlito's Way," and "Men of Respect." But Pastore truly became a star when he was cast in the hit HBO series "The Sopranos."

As Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, Pastore was part of the main cast for the first two seasons of the show, playing Tony Soprano's mob enforcer-turned-FBI informant. Bonpensiero's shocking death was one of the most famous in the show's history and proved that no one was safe from getting whacked.

Pastore died on August 1. No cause was given.

Valerie Perrine, 82

Perrine found herself cast alongside the biggest stars of the 1970s.

She played the love interest opposite Jeff Bridges in 1973's "The Last American Hero" and Robert Redford in 1979's "The Electric Horseman." She earned an Oscar nomination for starring alongside Dustin Hoffman in 1974's "Lenny."

For most, she'll be remembered best for sharing the screen with Gene Hackman as the secretary to his evil Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman." She also starred in the sequel. As Ms. Teschmacher, her loyalty to Luthor is questioned when she rescues Superman (Christopher Reeve) after he's chained with Kryptonite.

Perrine died in her home in Beverly Hills on March 23. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015.

Richard Riehle, 78

A prolific character actor, Riehle has over 400 screen credits, appearing in everything from "Casino" to "Bridesmaids" over his career.

He's best known for playing the worker in "Office Space" who, after being laid off, wins a large payout from a lawsuit after a suicide attempt.

Other credits include "The Fugitive," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," and "Transformers: Age of Extinction."

Riehle died on October 15; no cause was given.

Sonny Rollins, 95

One of the most influential jazz musicians in history, Rollins recorded more than 60 albums over his seven-decade career.

His live album, "A Night at the Village Vanguard," is considered one of the greatest jazz albums ever made.

Rollins died on May 25; no cause was given.

Eva Marie Saint, 102

An Oscar and Emmy winner, Eva Marie Saint appeared in classic movies in Hollywood history.

She made her film debut starring opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan's 1954 classic "On the Waterfront," which won her the Oscar for best supporting actress. In 1959, she heated up the screen with Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock's defining thriller "North by Northwest."

In 1990, she won an Emmy for her work in the miniseries "People Like Us."

Saint died on October 6 of natural causes.

Susan Saint James, 80

Saint James was a fixture in television from the late 1960s through the 1980s, starring in "The Name of the Game," "McMillan & Wife," and "Kate & Allie."

She was Emmy-nominated eight times and won an Emmy for lead actress in 1985 for "Kate & Allie."

Saint James' movie credits include "Outlaw Blues" (1977), "Love at First Bite" (1979), and "How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980).

Saint James died on October 26 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Neil Sedaka, 86

Sedaka is responsible for some of the biggest pop songs of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Brooklyn native wrote over 500 songs, including classic hits like "Laughter in the Rain," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Bad Blood" and the Captain & Tennille song, "Love Will Keep Us Together."

Sedaka died on February 27; no cause was given.

Gene Shalit, 100

Before there was Rotten Tomatoes or even Siskel & Ebert, movie lovers got their recommendations from Gene Shalit.

The iconic movie critic could be seen sporting his signature look of glasses, bushy hair, and big mustache as a staple on the "Today" show from 1973 to 2010. If he wasn't interviewing the biggest movie stars, he was reviewing movies with incredible puns ("'Ishtar' is Ish-terrible.")

His larger-than-life presence left a mark on pop culture: he was parodied as a Muppet and on countless episodes of "SCTV" and "Saturday Night Live."

Shalit died on June 12; no cause was given.

Duncan Sheik, 56

Sheik found success in the late 1990s with his hit song "Barely Breathing." He later pivoted from alt-rock to a career on Broadway, composing the music for the Tony-winning musical "Spring Awakening." His other stage credits include "American Psycho" (2013) and "The Secret Life of Bees" (2019).

Sheik died on September 17 after a cardiac arrest.

Kiki Shepard, 74

In her 15-year tenure as a co-host on "Showtime at the Apollo," Kiki Shepard was considered royalty at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.

Known in the building as "Apollo Queen of Fashion" thanks to her dazzling outfits, Shepherd was a fixture on the show from 1987 to 2002.

Throughout her career, Shepard also appeared on TV shows like "Baywatch," "A Different World," "NYPD Blue," and "Grey's Anatomy."

Shepard died on March 16 after suffering a heart attack.

Tom Skerritt, 93

A beloved actor in Hollywood for over six decades, Tom Skerritt appeared in some legendary movies and television.

Robert Altman gave Skerritt his big break when he cast him as the womanizing and sarcastic surgeon Captain "Duke" Forrest in the classic 1970 movie "M*A*S*H." Skerritt followed it up with a string of hits, including Altman's "Thieves Like Us" (1974), "The Turning Point" (1977), and a hilarious cameo in Cheech & Chong's classic debut movie "Up in Smoke" (1978).

Then, Skerritt went sci-fi when Ridley Scott cast him as Captain Arthur Dallas in 1979's "Alien." Skerritt also scored a memorable role as Tom Cruise's flight instructor "Viper" in 1986's "Top Gun."

On the small screen, Skerritt earned an Emmy for playing Sheriff Jimmy Brock on the hit series "Picket Fences," which ran from 1992 to 1996.

Skerritt died on October 21 of natural causes.

Gloria Steinem, 92

An icon in the women's liberation movement of the 1970s, Steinem dedicated most of her life to fighting sexism.

Starting her career as a journalist, she became a columnist for the newly founded New York Magazine in 1968. She cofounded Ms. magazine in 1971, which focused on women's issues. She also helped launch the Women's Action Alliance, which focused on tackling sexism.

Steinem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.

Steinem died on September 2, according to a post on her social media. No cause was given.

Patrick Stewart, 86

In a career spanning over 60 years on stage and screen, Stewart is responsible for some of the most memorable characters in the biggest franchises.

After getting his start with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late 1960s, he found acclaim on the stage, performing Shakespearean classics like "Antony and Cleopatra" and "Hamlet," both of which earned him Laurence Olivier Awards.

Hollywood soon came calling, leading him to star in epics like "Excalibur" (1981) and David Lynch's "Dune" (1984). But he would get his big break in 1987 when he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Fans quickly gravitated to this new captain of the USS Enterprise, and the show ran until 1994. He also reprised the Picard role in four movies in the franchise: "Star Trek Generations" (1994), "Star Trek: First Contact" (1996), "Star Trek: Insurrection" (1998), and "Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002), as well as in the TV series "Star Trek: Picard" (2020-2023).

In 2000, he joined the comic-book world when he was cast as mutant Professor Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men in the Marvel Comics. Stewart portrayed Xavier in several more "X-Men" films, and will reprise the role in the forthcoming MCU film "Avengers: Doomsday," out this December.

Stewart died on October 28 after suffering from Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Dementia.

Béla Tarr, 70

Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr became a legend in the arthouse world for his unflinching work featuring several-minute-long takes.

With movies like "Family Nest" (1979) and "The Turin Horse" (2011), Tarr showcased his slow cinema style while focusing on marginalized characters living bleak lives. Tarr pushed the envelope with his style when he made "Sátántangó" in 1994, which had a run time of 450 minutes.

His work influenced several arthouse filmmakers, including Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant's "Death Trilogy" ("Gerry," "Elephant," and "Last Days").

Tarr died on January 6 following a battle with a "long and serious illness."

James Tolkan, 94

You might not recognize the name, but if you're a movie fan, you know the face.

Tolkan's tough-guy persona made a mark on movie history in films like "Top Gun" and the "Back to the Future" franchise.

In "Top Gun," he played Commander Tom "Stinger" Jardian, who famously gives Tom Cruise's character a tongue lashing, saying, "Your ego is writing checks your body can't cash."

In "Back to the Future" and its sequels, he played Principal Strickland, who had zero tolerance for "slackers."

Other credits include "Serpico," "WarGames," "Masters of the Universe," and "Dick Tracy."

Tolkan died on March 26; no cause was given.

Ted Turner, 87

Ted Turner changed the television landscape thanks to his maverick maneuvers to harness the 24-hour news cycle.

After taking over his father's advertising company in the 1960s at the age of 24, Turner embarked on a path to change the media landscape by buying up radio and TV stations around the South. He even bought sports teams including the Atlanta Braves MLB team and the Atlanta Hawks NBA team.

All of that programming would eventually become part of TBS, a "super station" that showed old movies, reruns, and Braves and Hawks games.

Turner then set his sights on the news. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour news channel, in June of 1980.

Over the decades, Turner gained celebrity status, particularly after marrying Jane Fonda, a union that lasted from 1991 to 2001. In 1991, he was named Time's "Man of the Year." He sold his networks to Time Warner for $7.5 billion in 1996.

Turner died on May 6; no cause was given.

Bonnie Tyler, 75

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler became one of the biggest artists of the 1980s thanks to her legendary power ballads.

Tyler was behind hits like "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Holding Out for a Hero," which was also featured on the 1984 "Footloose" soundtrack. Both songs were chart-toppers that have since become two of the best-selling singles of all time.

Over her career, Tyler was nominated for three Grammys and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.

Tyler died on July 8 in Portugal, where she was being treated for an illness, according to a statement posted on her social media.

James Van Der Beek, 48

Van Der Beek was beloved all over the world for his role as the titular teen Dawson Leery on the WB series "Dawson's Creek."

The series, which ran from 1998 to 2002, turned Van Der Beek into a star and a teen heartthrob. While "Dawson's Creek" was still airing, he'd cement his stardom playing the lead role of high school quarterback "Mox" Moxon in the 1999 coming-of-age drama "Varsity Blues."

Van Der Beek found steady work the rest of his career in movies like "Texas Rangers" and "The Rules of Attraction, and memorably played a fictional version of himself on the TV series "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," and performed on "Dancing with the Stars" in 2019.

Van Der Beek learned he had stage 3 colon cancer in 2023, and publicly announced his diagnosis in late 2024.

Van Der Beek previously told Business Insider that the news came as a shock, given the subtleness of his symptoms and his efforts to stay as healthy as possible.

"I was doing everything," he said. "I was doing sauna, cold plunge, weightlifting, Pilates. I would dance and also do football training."

Van Der Beek died on February 11.

Bob Weir, 78

Weir was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead.

The singer-songwriter wrote and/or sang on songs like "Sugar Magnolia," "Playing in the Band," "Truckin,'" "I Need a Miracle," and "The Other One."

After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir went on to form several other bands, including Kingfish, Bobby and the Midnites, RatDog, The Other Ones, and, alongside John Mayer, Dead & Company.

In the summer of 2025, Weir was diagnosed with cancer.

Weir died on January 10.

Victor Willis, 74

Willis was the lead singer of the iconic disco band the Village People.

Along with being the lead vocalist and dressing as the police officer (and sometimes naval officer), Willis was also the cowriter on many of the band's hits, including "In the Navy," "Macho Man," and the song that will keep the Village People in pop culture lore until the end of time, "Y.M.C.A."

Willis left the band to embark on a solo career in 1979, then re-formed the Village People in 2017.

Willis died on June 30 following a "short but aggressive illness," according to the Village People Facebook page.

Frederick Wiseman, 96

For over five decades, Wiseman's brand of non-fiction storytelling put a spotlight on everyday people.

From high schoolers to hospital workers to Air Force cadets training for nuclear war, Wiseman's close to 50-film catalogue is an unvarnished reflection of America over the last half century.

Wiseman died on February 16. No cause was given.

If a Coach bag has been on your wishlist, I wouldn't wait around for Black Friday. Macy's already has an early Black Friday Coach sale, with up to 50% off bags, shoes, and accessories that make great gifts for yourself or others.

We poked around at the other Coach deals on the internet, and Macy's is winning right now, but there are a few other places you can find Coach on sale.

The Coach markdowns are part of Macy's early Black Friday sale, where new deals are already dropping ahead of the big day. There are daily flash sales, so we highly recommend giving it a browse — even if Black Friday still seems like eons away.

Shop the full Macy's Coach sale, and check our Black Friday deals hub for more early Black Friday deals worth grabbing.

The best deals from the Macy's Coach early Black Friday sale

Macy's Coach sale FAQ

Is Macy's Coach sale better than Coach Outlet?

It depends on what you want. Coach Outlet has steeper discounts, but they're generally on outlet-specific styles. Macy's is the better place to look for a wider selection of Coach at 25-50% off.

Does Coach have an early Black Friday sale?

Coach has deals running now, but Macy's has the best early Black Friday Coach sale we've found so far. You can shop plenty of bags for 40% off, including crossbodies, shoulder bags, and totes.

What is Macy's return policy?

For holiday shopping, Macy's has an extended window: Most items purchased between October 5 and December 31, 2026 can be returned through January 31, 2027.

Shop the full Macy's Coach sale

• Women have been serving in the military, officially or unofficially, since the Revolutionary War.
• Queen Elizabeth II was a military truck driver during World War II.
• "Golden Girl" Bea Arthur was one of the first members of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Women have been an important part of the armed services since the beginning, with icons like Harriet Tubman participating in the Civil War.

While being female in a traditionally male-dominated space hasn't always been easy, these women still served their countries.

In 2024, the US Department of Defense reported that the percentage of women serving in active-duty roles grew between 2022 and 2023 — 17.7% of active-duty roles were held by women in 2023, it reported, citing the 2023 Demographics Profile of the Military Community.

That trend has continued. Per a DoD report released in August 2025, 24,000 women entered basic training that year, up from 16,700 in 2024.

These 10 famous women served in the military around the world, including Bea Arthur, Queen Elizabeth, and more.

Harriet Tubman was a military leader and Union spy during the Civil War.

Most know Harriet Tubman for her groundbreaking work with the Underground Railroad and, later, as an abolitionist, but as National Geographic wrote, Tubman was also an integral part of the Civil War.

In 1863, Tubman and Colonel James Montgomery led a group of soldiers to free enslaved people from plantations in South Carolina, making Tubman the first woman in US history to lead a military expedition, according to National Geographic.

Her work continued as a spy and recruiter for the Union Army. This operation was so covert that only President Lincoln knew about it.

Tubman received compensation for her military contributions decades later, in 1899. Thomas B. Allen, the author of "Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent," called Tubman "one of the great heroines of the Civil War."

Queen Elizabeth was a military truck driver during World War II.

Queen Elizabeth was only 18 years old when she begged her father, King George VI, to help during World War II. 

She joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service in England that same year and was known as "Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor," according to the National Archives.

While serving, the young queen drove military trucks and trained as a mechanic, making her, to this day, the only female member of the Royal Family to have served in the armed forces. 

NASA's Eileen Collins was one of the first female pilots in the Air Force and in space.

Eileen Collins broke several barriers during her career: Not only was she NASA's first female shuttle commander, but at 23, she became the Air Force's first female flight instructor, according to the agency.

She joined the Air Force in 1978, becoming one of the first four women to go through pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. 

She wrote in Time, "The Air Force was testing whether women could succeed as military pilots. We obviously were living in a fishbowl — everyone knew who we were, our personal business, our test scores and our flight performance. My philosophy was to be the best pilot I could be."

Her military training directly led her to test pilot school, where she "knew" she would become the first female space shuttle pilot — and she succeeded.  

"Golden Girl" Bea Arthur was one of the first members of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve.

Before she was Dorothy Zbornak on "The Golden Girls," Emmy Award-winning actor Bea Arthur was a Marine.

As reported by The Daily Beast, Arthur enlisted in the Women's Reserve at age 21. She first served as a typist and truck driver. She worked her way up to the rank of staff sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1945. 

Official documents show that Arthur's supervisors thought she was "argumentative," which is not a far cry from the feisty persona she became known for on both "The Golden Girls" and "Maude."

"Stranger Things" actor Jennifer Marshall served in the US Navy for five years.

Before Jennifer Marshall scored the role of Susan Hargrove on Netflix's hit show "Stranger Things," she served in the United States Navy from ages 17 to 22. 

According to Marshall's website, during her service, she was a forklift operator, aircraft handler, and logistics specialist. She also worked for the USS Theodore Roosevelt's Sexual Assault Victim Intervention (SAVI) program. 

Marshall was awarded many honors and medals for her time in the Navy. Now, in addition to acting, she works with Pin-Ups For Vets, a nonprofit organization that aids hospitalized veterans and deployed troops.

Food Network star Sunny Anderson was in the Air Force.

Anderson, who hosts "The Kitchen," "Cooking for Real," and "Home Made in America," grew up around the military because of her parents. As an adult, she enlisted in the US Air Force as a radio broadcaster and journalist, working in Seoul, South Korea, and in San Antonio. 

"I knew that there were radio stations, television stations, newspapers, and magazines, for the military, by the military, and I wanted to be a part of that," Anderson told ABC News in 2013.

She also wanted to train in something that would be useful when she left the military.

"My transition from the Air Force started before I even got in the Air Force," she said.

Radio talk show host Robin Quivers was a captain in the Air Force.

Robin Quivers has co-hosted "The Howard Stern Show" for over 30 years, but before that, she served as a captain in the US Air Force.

Quivers earned her nursing degree from the University of Maryland and put it to use by joining the military as a second lieutenant after college. She quickly climbed the ranks, and when she was discharged in 1978, her official title was captain, according to Biography.com.

She served as a reserve in the Air Force until 1990, per military records, after which she pivoted fully to her radio career. But Howard Stern hired her for his show in 1981, which means that Quivers — though she was "inactive" — was still technically serving while she was on the air.

Actor Zulay Henao served in the US Army for three years.

Colombian-American actor Zulay Henao has appeared on the show "Army Wives," but few know that she herself served in the US Army before becoming an actor.

Henao enlisted after completing high school and, after three years of serving, went on to enroll at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

She previously spoke to the paparazzi about her time in the military, saying: "I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing, and I wouldn't have the perspective I have of the world, if it weren't for the Army."

Olympic medalist Shauna Rohbock was in the National Guard.

Shauna Rohbock is an Olympic bobsledder and won the silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. But before that, according to Team USA, Rohbock joined the Utah Army National Guard and participated in the National Guard Outstanding Athlete Program.

Olympian Amber English competed while still in the military. She won gold in women's skeet shooting at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

At her first Olympics, First Lt. Amber English took gold with an Olympic record score of 56, NBC reported. Technically not yet a veteran, she's a logistics officer and member of the Army Marksmanship Unit, according to Military.com.

After English's win, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin congratulated her on Twitter, now known as X.

"Your country is extremely proud of you today, and I'm so glad you're representing us," he wrote.

She joins an illustrious list of medal winners, both male and female, with military backgrounds.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in November 2022 and most recently updated in November 2026.

• An October report shows some states are approving housing permits at double the national average.
• The Carolinas and Idaho are approving the most permits per 1,000 residents.
• New supply could ease prices and cost burdens as housing comes online in 2028 and 2029.

America needs to build more housing — and some states are outperforming.

Housing permits were "essentially flat" nationwide from January to August 2026 compared to the same months a year earlier, according to an October research report from the Lied Center for Real Estate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Yet, some states are ahead of the curve, issuing permits for new homes at rates above the national average of 2.83 units per 1,000 residents, according to the report. States like Idaho, South Carolina, and North Carolina all had permit rates more than double the national average.

Nicholas Irwin, coauthor of the report and research director at the Lied Center for Real Estate, said prospective homebuyers in states issuing more permits and building more housing will benefit, as more supply could put downward pressure on prices.

"That means hopefully, as wages continue to grow year over year, and the amount of building you're doing is putting downward pressure on housing prices, housing naturally becomes more affordable," he said.

Here are the top 10 states that issued the most permits per 1,000 residents from January to August 2026. These show the new housing supply that may come online throughout 2028 and 2029.

Overall, America is doing a "terrible job" building housing, Irwin said. Yet, some of the states that came out on top were unsurprising, especially those with abundant land and population growth.

"South Carolina, Idaho, North Carolina, Kansas, Nebraska — what a lot of these states have in common is they have a lot of land, and that is a key input into building," he said. "Developers, they don't build it in without some indication that demand is rising."

Idaho had the most permits issued per 1,000 residents during this period, with 12,994 housing units approved from January through August 2026. That is 126% above the US rate, according to the report. Idaho is also ranked first in the country for the number of units permitted per 1,000 cost-burdened households, a measure that accounts for those who pay 30% or more of their income on housing, said the report.

Yet, while increased housing supply could help ease prices, that does not mean housing will immediately be more affordable for residents in Idaho. The report said that in the state, households would need to earn 47% more income to afford a typical home at the same affordability level as in 2018. Eight years ago, a median-priced home cost 28.7% of a median income — today, the median home costs 42.1% of a median income in the state.

Although these 10 states with high permit approval rates are seeing higher permitting rates, each state is unique with its own factors. Irwin said the rate of permits issued cannot be viewed in a vacuum — states must be analyzed holistically.

"There's no one state that is sort of the perfect example, and there's no one state that is perfectly problematic," Irwin said. "It's how much are these states growing, and what's the rate of household formation in these states? How many folks in these states are cost-burdened?"

Meanwhile, South Carolina was the top-ranked state in the report's overall housing supply pipeline rankings — performing well across four metrics, including the permit rate per 1,000 residents. The state with the second-largest number of permits in the country per resident issued 33,822 across the first eight months of 2026, 114% above the US rate — up 5% from the same period in 2025 and up 15% from 2023. Residents in the state need around 35% more income to return to 2018 housing affordability levels, less than in Idaho.

"Your Carolinas and Idaho are sort of leading the way," Irwin said. "Some states clearly have prioritized it and have made meaningful changes when it came to encouraging more housing to be built."

Tennessee rounded out the top 10. While it still finds itself approving permits above the national average, at 3.88 permits per 1,000 residents, it was ranked 18th overall across the report's four measurement pillars. Although the state is permitting at a higher rate than 40 other states, its overall permitting is declining over time within the state. The report shows a loss of momentum, with Tennessee experiencing a 4.9% decrease in permits per resident from 2025 to 2026 and an 18.5% decrease from 2023 to 2026.

There are many approaches to "building this cake of housing," Irwin said. "Every state's different. Every state's needs are different."

• Life on board the International Space Station takes some getting used to.
• Being weightless affects everything from the way food tastes to getting a good night's sleep.
• Photos show what it's like to spend months in space.

Ask any astronaut who has spent extended periods in the International Space Station what the most challenging part was, and they will probably say missing friends and family.

While it's a unique experience, life in space comes with other little challenges, too — try getting your hair to stay flat without gravity or wearing the same outfit for days on end.

NASA and other space agencies are trying to learn all they can about how humans cope with difficulties, big and small, while traveling at 17,500 miles an hour around the Earth.

They work hard to bring some of the comforts of home to space.

Films, TV shows, and books have attempted to shed light on humans' experience of going to space, from Samantha Harvey's "Orbital" to Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Atmosphere," and the Ryan Gosling-led "Project Hail Mary," signaling our obsession with imagining life off Earth.

However, real photos taken aboard the International Space Station show what it really looks like to spend months in space.

Since 1998, the International Space Station has had nearly 300 visitors.

Astronauts and cosmonauts from 26 countries have been on board, according to NASA. It's a floating lab where researchers conduct experiments related to space travel. Astronauts typically stay for six months to a year.

Almost everything they do revolves around discovering more about life in space, and they keep meticulous track of how their bodies respond to the weightless environment. Some of what they've learned has led to developments in drugs and medical technology that benefit humans on Earth, too.

There's not a lot of room on the ISS.

It's more like a not-a-lot-of-space station. It's a six-bedroom house packed into an area that's shorter than a football field, according to NASA. Five agencies share the station, which has six sleeping quarters, a gym, and two bathrooms.

Astronaut Frank Rubio described it as a building made of hallways, with no large space like a living room to gather.

"You almost have to block the fact that it is so small," he told "Houston: We Have a Podcast" in 2024.

The food isn't all freeze-dried.

Space food needs to meet a few requirements. It can't crumble to bits and clog machinery; it has to stay fresh for months, and it should taste good.

Several newer methods for preserving food for long-distance travel have given astronauts more meal options, and ISS astronauts can make everything from spicy shrimp to chocolate pudding cake.

"A lot of it was really tasty," retired astronaut Leland Melvin told Business Insider in 2023.

Lots of astronauts like spicier options because the lack of gravity causes fluid to float into their sinuses, leaving them stuffed up and affecting how food tastes.

Astronauts and cosmonauts will often bring snacks that remind them of home. For example, one of Rubio's crewmates brought items for a charcuterie board.

Daily exercise helps prevent bone loss.

Early in space travel, doctors realized that astronauts were losing bone density after spending long periods in a weightless environment. Now, ISS residents do a couple of hours of exercise every day to help prevent that.

It's a mix of cardio and load-bearing workouts, Rubio said. They do so many squats that "every day is leg day in space," he added.

There's a special lifting machine.

The advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) enables astronauts to perform exercises such as bench presses and squats. Using vacuum cylinders, it can simulate weightlifting up to 270 kg.

And a cycling machine.

The Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System (CEVIS) enables astronauts to cycle.

In fact, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir recently joined a Peloton class live using satellite for a special 20-minute "Space Ride."

There's a technique for brushing your teeth without running water.

In 2013, retired astronaut Chris Hadfield demonstrated how he brushed his teeth in space on the Canadian Space Agency's YouTube channel.

First, he used a resealable water container to wet the toothbrush. Then he slurped the water off the brush and applied regular toothpaste. When he was done, he swallowed the toothpaste and filled his mouth with water to clean the toothbrush.

Showers are actually sponge baths with washcloths, per NASA. Astronauts use shampoo that they don't have to rinse out. Suction takes care of extra water, which then goes to a waste tank.

The toilets on the ISS rely on airflow.

Hoses, funnels, and suction are all crucial components when it's time to go in space. In 2020, NASA redesigned its toilets for more comfort and durability.

Astronauts dispose of toilet paper in watertight bags, and the solid waste is burned up on reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Urine is another story.

Most of the water on board is reused.

Water is a precious and heavy commodity. Humans generate a lot of it, including through sweat, urine, and the droplets in their breath. Most of it doesn't go to waste on the ISS.

"We have hardware on station that helps take that output and turn it back into clean, drinkable water," NASA aerospace engineer Brendan Lutes told "Houston: We Have a Podcast" in 2024.

In 2023, NASA said it attained its goal of recycling 98% of the water astronauts bring along the journey.

There's no laundromat on the ISS.

Astronauts only get to bring a small amount of clothes with them, and they have to make them last. They might wear the same outfit for a week, according to NASA. Washing clothes would be too water-intensive, so their well-worn garments get burned up like other waste.

That doesn't mean there are no chores on the ISS. Astronauts have to use vacuums — like the one pictured above — to make sure there are no crumbs or debris floating around that could damage instruments.

The astronauts are on the ISS to work.

A typical workday on the space station lasts around 12 hours, with breaks for lunch and exercise, according to Rubio. During that time, astronauts and cosmonauts conduct experiments and monitor their own health. They're often involved in ongoing medical experiments.

The ISS also needs a lot of maintenance. In recent years, the modules have started to show cracks and leak air. A toilet breakdown and temperature fluctuations are among the other problems the station has faced.

This year, NASA briefly sheltered five astronauts in a docked SpaceX Dragon spacecraft due to persistent leaks in a Russian module on the ISS, but later returned to normal operations.

Days fall into a routine.

Astronaut Rubio spent over a year on the ISS and said that "every day is different, and yet every day is the same." He woke up around 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast, and got ready for work, which started around an hour later.

He would take half an hour for lunch and get in his two-hour workout. The workday would end around 7 p.m., he said. The work he would do each day — experiments, maintenance, spacewalks — would vary.

Email, phone calls, and video chats help astronauts stay connected to their families.

When astronauts and cosmonauts are stationed at ISS for months at a time, they often miss events like birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. Email is a reliable way to stay in touch.

"On Saturdays, we have meet-with-the-family time," astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson said in a 2013 NASA video. During these weekly video chats, they can catch up on everything that's been happening at home.

Holidays aren't the same as at home.

On Christmas Day 2024, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore — the two astronauts who were unexpectedly stranded on the space station — wore Santa hats, decorated cookies, and contacted their families, The New York Times reported.

Holidays in space can be tough even for astronauts who expect to spend an entire year away from home. "Thanksgiving, where you're used to having it with loved ones, those kind of tend to hit home a little harder," Rubio said during the podcast.

There are also no Champagne toasts, since NASA doesn't allow its astronauts to drink alcohol on the job.

There's entertainment to keep astronauts from getting bored.

Homesickness isn't just about missing family members. Astronauts often long for many comforts Earthlings take for granted.

Karen Adkins is a NASA psychological support coordinator who works on morale and well-being for people heading to ISS for lengthy missions. She and other team members start meeting with astronauts two years before their mission, and "we start developing what we call their in-flight support resource plan," she told "Houston: We Have a Podcast" in 2024.

It includes everything from figuring out how they'll contact their family to deciding what special items they might want to bring on board. They also set up a crew personal webpage, stocked with TV shows, movies, podcasts, music, and other entertainment.

Several astronauts have voted from space.

In the late 90s, NASA figured out how to help astronauts participate in US elections. Before they leave Earth, they fill out a request for an absentee ballot. County officials then email the ballot to the astronaut to fill out and return.

In the past, astronauts have created mini "voting booths" in the crew quarters. "The voting clerks love getting pictures of crew voting on board," Marta Durham, a former NASA flight operations Instructor, told "Houston: We Have a Podcast."

NASA is keen to see how the ISS garden grows.

If humans are going to live on Mars, they must first perfect space gardening. Fresh produce is key to providing necessary nutrients.

The Vegetable Production System, or Veggie, is the space station's six-plant garden, per NASA. It's helping astronauts learn how to make food without gravity and sunlight.

They've grown fresh vegetables, such as lettuce and kale.

An experiment currently underway, ISSGardens, allows astronauts to independently grow their own crops aboard the ISS. This is to observe how plants grow outside Veggie on board and help inform the development of a seed bank.

NASA also said that caring for plants has been shown to benefit astronauts' mental health.

NASA keeps a close eye on astronauts' health before, during, and after their time on ISS.

Long spaceflights change astronauts' bodies in a lot of ways. The lack of gravity affects their balance and ability to walk. The brain adapts to the lack of gravity, and some of these changes can become permanent, University of Florida researchers found.

Astronauts routinely track their own health, taking saliva samples and wearing monitors for heart rate, sleep, and temperature. Not only will such data be helpful for future missions, but research on it could also affect people on Earth, especially those in remote areas with limited access to medical care.

Haircuts aboard the ISS are doable.

Six months can be a long time to go without a haircut. Astronauts can get a trim, provided they have a vacuum on hand to capture the clippings.

It can be tough to sleep through 16 sunrises a day.

As the ISS orbits the Earth, it experiences the sun rising and setting 16 times a day. That's just one reason astronauts may have trouble catching their z's.

Rubio described crew quarters as a phone booth. Inside, there's a sleeping bag attached to the wall to keep sleeping astronauts from floating and knocking into walls. He actually enjoyed the weightless sleep, but for some people, it takes some getting used to, he said.

Some days, it's nice to step outside for a spacewalk.

When the ISS needs maintenance or repairs, astronauts get suited up for a spacewalk. There have been over 280 since 1998, per NASA. Some have been only a couple of hours; others have taken over eight hours.

The suits are equipped with oxygen and water. Before heading out into space, astronauts breathe pure oxygen to rid their bodies of nitrogen and avoid "the bends," a condition often associated with scuba diving.

Astronauts actually do a lot of underwater training on Earth before a real space walk. Nothing can quite prepare them for the real thing, though, astronaut Nick Hague told "Houston: We Have a Podcast."

"You just can't replicate that floating around in a spacesuit in the vacuum of space," he said. "The only place you do it real for the first time is in space."

The view from inside isn't bad, either.

One of the major perks of spending time on the ISS is its view of the Earth. Astronauts have seen hurricanes, lightning, and glittering cities.

They have incredible photos to prove it. Some astronauts, including Don Pettit, are known for their astrophotography. He brought a lot of equipment on board to help himself and his fellow crew members take even better pictures, he told "Houston: We Have a Podcast."

This recent photo of the aurora australis was taken by Jessica Meir.

In a June Instagram post, Meir wrote that they had "witnessed a spectacular southern aurora show yesterday thanks to a recent solar event."

Eight WTA stars have descended on Indian Wells for the last major women's tournament of the season. We've rounded up all the details on where to watch the WTA Finals, including global streaming options and details on Elena Rybakina's recent withdrawal.

If you don't want to read any further, you can catch the WTA Finals on the Tennis Channel in the US, Sky Sports in the UK, and TSN in Canada. You can access your usual streaming options from anywhere with a VPN, like NordVPN.

Where to watch the WTA Finals in the US

The WTA Finals will be shown on the Tennis Channel in the US. The Tennis Channel is available as a stand-alone subscription service or as a channel through a live TV package, such as Fubo or YouTube TV. Both of these live TV services also carry Tennis Channel 2 (T2), which usually broadcasts overflow matches.

The Tennis Channel is available on Fubo's Elite plan, which costs $99 a month and comes with 200+ channels. New users can get $30 off their first month after a free trial.

YouTube TV subscribers can also access the Tennis Channel, although they'll need to get the Sports Plus add-on for $11 a month. This is on top of a base plan, like YouTube TV's Main Plan, which offers 100+ channels for $83 a month. For a limited time, new users can get their first five months of the YouTube TV Main plan for just $68 a month after a free trial.

Where to watch the WTA Finals in the UK

Sky Sports holds coverage rights to the WTA Finals in the UK. Sky prices vary depending on the exact package and contract. You can learn more in our guide to the best Sky TV deals and plans.

How to watch the WTA Finals from anywhere

Tennis fans traveling abroad can still access their usual viewing methods with a VPN. VPNs, or virtual private networks, are easy-to-use tech tools that let people temporarily change the virtual locations of their electronic devices. This way, they can access their favorite websites and apps without interruption. Since the services we've recommended come with country-specific payment methods, this option will work best for Americans who are simply traveling abroad.

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs we've tested. It's user-friendly (even for beginners) and offers a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee if you find it's not helping you.

• See also: Best sports streaming services | How to watch NFL games | How to watch NBA games

Who is competing in the WTA Finals?

The singles portion of the WTA Finals is broken into two groups. Group 1 features Marta Kostyuk, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Linda Noskova. Group 2 includes Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Muchova.

Why isn't Elena Rybakina a part of the WTA Finals?

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina was supposed to take part in the WTA Finals, but she withdrew from competition shortly before the start of the tournament. Rybakina was initially scheduled to kick off the singles portion of the tournament in a match against Linda Noskova, but Marta Kostyuk will now take her place.

Where do the WTA Finals take place?

The 2026 WTA Finals are being held at Indian Wells in California. Last year, the WTA Finals took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

When are the ATP Finals?

The ATP Finals start on the same day that the WTA Finals end, so tennis fans won't have to go long in between tournaments. The ATP Finals take place at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy, from November 15 to 22.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

• The Cybertruck has a new lease on life (for a few months) because of an "order backlog."
• Elon Musk previously said the truck would end production by around mid-2027.
• Now, he says production will continue through the summer.

The Cybertruck is getting a last-minute extension. Maybe call it Cyberluck?

On Wednesday, CEO Elon Musk posted on X saying the angular electric truck's production would be "extended through the end of summer 2027," as Tesla works "through more of the Cybertruck order backlog."

It comes five days after Musk said the Cybertruck was getting chopped from the Tesla lineup around the middle of 2027 to focus more assembly power toward Cybercab, its steering wheel-less robotaxi.

Musk said that the Cybertruck was still profitable — but the company had to kill the truck because of manufacturing "complexity."

Wednesday's production update also comes after Musk said that Tesla would have to "return deposits for a lot of people."

After the Cybertruck's 2019 unveiling, Tesla said it received more than 1 million reservations, costing $100 a pop. Musk said at the time that he expected to sell 150,000 to 250,000 units of the truck each year.

Instead, like nearly every electric pickup that has hit the US market, the Cybertruck underperformed sales expectations.

Per Cox Automotive data shared with Business Insider, Tesla sold just 76,000 Cybertrucks over the past three years. That includes the $131 million worth of Cybertruck sales to another Musk company, SpaceX, in 2025.

The best advent calendars of 2026 have come a long way from the humble chocolate countdown. These days, you can spend December unwrapping luxury skincare, building mini Lego sets, sampling gourmet treats, or spoiling your pets with a daily surprise.

The catch? Many of the most coveted calendars are limited-edition releases, and the good ones sell out fast. We've tracked down and vetted 26 of this year's standouts, from affordable crowd-pleasers to extravagant splurges and delightfully unexpected gifts. Whether you're shopping for someone who has everything or treating yourself (no judgment), these are the advent calendars worth getting your hands on before they're gone.

The best advent calendars of 2026

If you're not sure where to start, five advent calendars are at the top of our list. There's the classic chocolate countdown with an altruistic twist, a luxe beauty box filled with travel-size essentials, and a luxurious fragrance collection from Diptyque. Each brings something different to the holiday countdown, whether you're shopping for yourself or someone on your list.

Sunday Riley Carry-on Essentials Advent Calendar

A 12-day holiday skincare set featuring a curated selection of travel-sized bestsellers from Sunday Riley, including Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment, C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, and Luna Retinol Sleeping Night Oil.

ULTA 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar

Ulta's biggest advent calendar offers an incredible 31 pieces packed into 25 days of surprises. It includes a diverse mix of makeup, skincare, hair care, and wellness favorites from popular brands like lemme, Osea, Lolavie, Peach & Lily, and Morrocanoil. With a massive $440 value, it's an exceptional way to sample a variety of premium products and makes a great gift.

Tony's Chocolonely Assorted Chocolates Advent Calendar

This sweet holiday countdown features a festive mix of 25 individually wrapped milk, dark, and white chocolates with delicious fillings like nougat, caramel, and hazelnut. Designed to highlight industry inequities, the calendar includes 25 pieces spread across 24 spaces with one intentionally empty slot. Crafted from 100% traceable, Fair Trade beans purchased directly from partner cooperatives, every sweet treat supports a mission to end exploitation in the cocoa supply chain. It is a wonderfully unique and ethical way to celebrate the season while enjoying gourmet flavors.

Diptyque 25 Scented Treasures

The 2026 Diptyque advent calendar is a festive way to explore the French fragrance house's signature scents, especially if you've been curious about the iconic brand but aren't sure where to start. Inside, you'll find several candles — longtime favorites of the Insider Reviews team — alongside a selection of eaux de toilette and perfumes. It's an extravagant splurge, but one that makes every day of the countdown feel like a little luxury.

Fly By Jing limited-edition 12-day advent calendar

Fly By Jing's 24-day advent calendar is already sold out, but you can still score the 12-day version. Starting December 12, discover an assortment of Sichuan hot sauces in a festive, panda-themed gift box.

Best beauty and self care advent calendars

Beauty advent calendars can be a great way to try new products, but some are more impressive on the outside than what's tucked behind the little doors. Dermstore and Sephora offer a mix of skincare and beauty discoveries, while Revolve's 2026 calendar leans into buzzy brands. For something more indulgent, there's Jo Malone's fragrance-filled countdown or Charlotte Tilbury's holiday makeup collection.

Laneige Advent Calendar

The limited-edition 2026 Laneige Advent Calendar includes 12 mini- and full-size products, including Korean skin and lip bestsellers. Like the iconic Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, the calendar also contains products formulated to hydrate, visibly plump, and nourish skin.

More beauty advent calendars worth shopping

• For the candle connoisseur: Yankee Candle 12 Days of Christmas Candle Advent Calendar, $70

• For the GRWM girls: Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Wonderland 15-Piece Advent Calendar, $220

• A skincare lover's jackpot: Best of Dermstore 2026, $250

• Lingerie drawer makeover: Hanky Panky 25 Days of Original Rise Thongs Advent Calendar, $660

• The daily reset: Canopy 12 Days of Self Care Advent Calendar, was $317, now $249

• Fragrance lover's favorites: 12 Days of Jo Malone London Advent Calendar, $250

• The cool-girl beauty edit: Revolve Beauty Advent Calendar, $150

• An analogue moment: Papier 24 Day Advent Calendar, $195

• For the boho beauty: 2026 Free People Curated Beauty Advent Calendar, $148

Best food and drink advent calendars

For anyone who considers the holidays an excuse to eat something delicious every day, this category delivers. There's classic chocolate from Godiva, gourmet confections from Compartés, and a Nespresso x Swarovski coffee collab to make December mornings a little more interesting. But the real fun is the unexpected finds, like Fishwife's tinned seafood countdown and Fly By Jing's collection of spicy Sichuan flavors.

Vinebox 12/24 Nights of Wine

The Vinebox 12 Nights of Wine Advent Calendar makes an unforgettable holiday gift for a wine enthusiast. (If the wine lover you know is really enthusiastic, the calendar also comes in a 24 Nights of Wine set.) Both boxes feature 12 sommelier-selected wines — you choose white, red or rosé — in individually sealed 100ml glass tubes, as well as tasting notes and food pairing ideas.

More food and drink advent calendars worth shopping

• Cool coffee collab: Nespresso x Swarovski Advent Calendar Coffee Pack, $50

• A chocolate classic: Godiva Limited Edition Luxury Chocolate Advent Calendar, was $58, now $52

• For the tinned fish obsessive: 12 Days of Fishwife Advent Calendar, $150

• A gourmet splurge: Williams Sonoma Chuck's Luxury Advent Calendar, $400

Best advent calendars for kids and pets

The best part of an advent calendar for kids (and, I would argue, pets as well) is the anticipation, and these picks give them plenty to look forward to. Melissa & Doug's magnetic Christmas tree is a charming tradition they can grow up with, while Lego's minifigure puzzles add a little brainpower to the daily countdown. And because dogs are family too, Bonne et Filou has created a calendar filled with treats that look almost too pretty to feed your pup.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Advent Calendar

A durable, screen-free (and sugar-free!) holiday tradition featuring magnetic ornaments and a shining star to count down the days to Christmas. Designed with an attached storage box, Melissa & Doug's charming wooden tree invites little hands into interactive play.

More advent calendars for kids and pets

• For the Lego lover: Countdown to Christmas Puzzles: 12 Days of Minifigure Advent Puzzles, $25

• A very Bluey holiday: Bluey Fuzzies Advent Calendar Pack, $24

• Macarons for your pooch: Bonne et Filou Dog Treats Advent Calendar, $70

• Cat toy collection: Larchio Interactive Cat Toy Advent Calendar, $20

How I chose the best advent calendars in 2026

At Business Insider Reviews, we spend the year researching, comparing, and recommending products worth your money, and advent calendars are no exception. For this guide, I looked beyond the festive packaging to find calendars with contents anyone would be excited to unwrap, from established favorites like Lego and Bonne Maman to more unexpected finds from Fly By Jing, and Fishwife.

I considered the quality and variety of the contents, brand reputation, price, and overall gift appeal, as well as whether each calendar offers something genuinely different from the others. I also prioritized options for a range of budgets and interests, because a $300 fragrance calendar and a $24 reusable wooden Christmas tree can both be great gifts for entirely different reasons.

Advent calendar FAQs

When should I buy an advent calendar?

October is a good time to start shopping for specialty advent calendars, particularly limited-edition beauty, food, and luxury releases. Some brands open pre-orders a month before December, and popular calendars can sell out well before the holiday season. Check the retailer's estimated shipping dates to make sure yours will arrive before you want to start opening it.

Are luxury advent calendars worth the money?

It depends on what's inside and how much I'll use it. Luxury beauty and fragrance calendars can be an appealing way to explore several products from an expensive brand without committing to full-size versions of everything. But don't rely on the advertised retail value alone. Compare the contents and sizes, and consider whether you'd actually buy the products individually.

What's the difference between a 12-day and a 24-day advent calendar?

A traditional advent calendar typically counts down the 24 days from December one through Christmas Eve, although some include a 25th surprise for Christmas Day. 12-day calendars offer a shorter experience, often with more substantial gifts behind each door. Check the individual products, since brands don't all follow the same countdown.

Outdoor life is tough on cats. Extreme temperatures, traffic, disease, and predators can shorten their lifespan. The best outdoor cat houses give community cats — whether they're feral or friendly strays — a chance for improved welfare. They offer an insulated, weatherproof shelter when the weather turns, and a safer spot to rest. And when cats have a reliable home base, caretakers can better monitor their health.

To choose the best outdoor shelters for cats, I spoke with experts in community cat care and shelter medicine, along with an authority on pet product safety, expanding on earlier reporting by freelance pets reporter Shoshi Parks. Then, I put nine cat houses to the test outdoors for at least 3 weeks each. Over that time, they endured 6.9 inches of rain and dropping temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. I also placed a heating pad inside each shelter to mimic a cat's body heat, tracking how much the interior warmed while a heat source was inside and how well it held that heat after it was removed.

My top pick is the Trixie Natura Pet Home, a wooden shelter that's waterproof, easy to maintain, and the most affordable prefabricated option, though you can't beat the value of my DIY cat shelter recommendation. If winter temperatures in your area drop to near or below freezing, the Kitty Tube Outdoor Insulated Cat House effectively retains body heat in chilly outdoor conditions.

Read more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and reviews pet products.

Our top picks for the best outdoor cat houses

Best overall: Trixie Natura Pet Home - $50 at Chewy

Best insulated: Kitty Tube Outdoor Insulated Cat House - $195 at Kitty Tube

Best for multiple cats: New Age Pet Feral Cat House - $60 $72 at Chewy

Best pre-assembled: UnderCover Pet Houses Small Outdoor Cat House - $279 at Etsy

Best for garage: K&H Thermo Outdoor Kitty House - $85 at Chewy

Best DIY: Sterilite Storage Bins - See 18 Gallon ($7) and 30 Gallon ($12) bins at Walmart

Best overall

No matter the forecast, the Trixie Natura Pet Home is well-equipped to handle all weather conditions, and it's easy to clean and prep for the next season. Even after several inches of steady Pacific Northwest rain and a direct hose spray to simulate heavier storms, the house never took on water. Its single baffled entrance helped retain heat in chilly weather. It's also the most affordable prefabricated cat house on this list, making it a win-win for caretakers and the community cats who depend on them.

The house is elevated 3 inches off the ground, a height that Dr. Lauren Abrams, a veterinarian and intern at Maddie's Shelter and Community Medicine Program at Cornell University, says is ideal. The best outdoor cat houses sit high enough to prevent flooding, keep cats off the cold ground, and prevent snow from blocking the entrance while still being easy to access. Even so, the wooden ramp leading to the entry offers a gently sloped incline to support cats with mobility limitations. My own cats were a little hesitant to use it; if your community cats are too, you can add a nonslip tread or remove the ramp entirely with a screwdriver.

This shelter was the easiest to clean of those I tested. When the interior needed freshening up, I just lifted the hinged roof and propped it open with the built-in support. While the house isn't insulated, you can add straw during cold weather and remove it when temperatures rise. Abrams prefers shelters that make it easy for caretakers to add or remove insulation so cats can stay comfortable year-round.

Best insulated

In cold weather, outdoor cats often seek warmth in dangerous places, including under car hoods. The Kitty Tube provides a safer alternative. Its fully insulated interior retained heat at a higher temperature and for longer than any other shelter I tested. The interior is protected by Scratch Guard, a scratch-resistant coating that blocks moisture, mold, mildew, and bacteria. A single, small entrance is fitted with an optional protective flap and awning to shield cats from wind, snow, and rain while deterring predators.

It's also suitable for use in warmer weather. "Insulation works both ways. If the shelter has appropriate insulation and is placed in a shaded area, then it will stay cooler in the warm months," says Aurora Velazquez, director of Best Friends Animal Society's East Region. The space between the top insulation and the dome lid promotes airflow, and the carry handles can be adjusted for increased ventilation.

The unique tube-shaped design helps limit drafts while accommodating a cat's curled position. My cat found it especially comfortable, sprawling along the walls and flexing her claws across the foam insulation without causing any damage.

Although the shelter arrived nearly fully assembled and didn't require any tools, it still took me about 15 minutes and some troubleshooting to set up the Kitty Tube. The tight-fitting components are great for heat retention and waterproofing, but make assembly a bit tricky. On day five, I noticed water inside and called customer service. I was routed directly to the shop owner and inventor of Kitty Tube, Jim Bradac, who patiently walked me through a simple fix, which involved tightening the top vent cap and gasket. The issue was resolved easily, and the experience reflected excellent customer support. The shell is also backed by a lifetime guarantee against chipping, cracking, or fading.

Best for multiple cats

Cats in established colonies are often bonded and tend to stick together, Velazquez says. However, not all community cats are part of a colony, and solitary cats often prefer multiple small shelters rather than a single shared space.

When providing the best outdoor cat houses for a bonded group, smaller is still better: A compact space with a lower ceiling retains body heat more effectively than a large house, Abrams says. The New Age Pet Feral Cat House is well-sized for two to three bonded adult cats, or a mother with kittens. While its sloped roof is slightly taller than ideal, laying straw on the floor and building it up at least halfway along the walls can improve heat retention.

For single-cat shelters, one entry door is ideal, but Abrams says two doors work best for shared spaces. The doors on this shelter are baffled and slightly off-center, keeping cats out of the direct path of wind and rain. While the elevated design and baffled entrances kept most rain out, I noticed a small gap at the edge of the baffle, which let in a few droplets and slightly reduced heat retention.

The house is constructed from Ecoflex, an eco-friendly composite of polymers and wood fiber byproducts that is durable and moisture-repellent for comfort and easy cleanup. It's also covered by a 10-year limited warranty. Cleaning the interior or refreshing the insulation, however, requires removing four screws from the roof using the included specialized tool. Misplacing that tool could make maintenance tricky.

Best pre-assembled

The best pre-assembled outdoor cat house removes all the guesswork, tools, and setup time from creating a safe haven for outdoor cats — all you have to do is set it in place. UnderCover Pet Houses provides just that with this fully assembled, wooden shelter. Though pricier, Abrams recommends it for its beautiful design and high-quality construction.

UnderCover Pet Houses lets you customize your ready-to-use cat shelter, including the option to choose one or two doors. Unless you're dealing with a known prevalence of predators or territorial disputes, a second door usually isn't necessary. "More holes in a shelter introduce more outside air and allow the warm inside air to escape, making the shelter less effective," Velazquez says. You can also add a plastic baffle or awning to shield the entrance from wind, rain, and predators. I chose a single baffled door without an awning, which kept the rain out — but not my cat, who quickly cozied up inside.

Since every joint is caulked and both the walls and ceiling are insulated, the house did a great job retaining heat. The floor is also slightly elevated off the ground. While my experts still recommend adding straw for extra warmth and coziness, the interior is a bit narrower than ideal. With insulation added, the smaller size is not suited to larger cats. My 11-pound, 20-inch-long cat could comfortably enter and turn around without the straw, but adding it made maneuvering difficult. When the shelter was packed with straw, my 10-pound, 19-inch-long cat could still enter and turn around comfortably. Although no assembly is required, you'll need to remove six screws to take the roof off for cleaning.

Best for garages

"In general, if it's too cold for you to be outside for any length of time, it is certainly too cold for cats to be outside without proper shelter," says Dr. Stephanie Ninnemann, a veterinarian at VCA Spring Creek Animal Hospital in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When below-freezing temperatures are in the forecast, outdoor cats should be housed inside a barn or shed with access to heat, water, and food.

The K&H Thermo Outdoor Kitty House is ideal for these sheltered spaces and includes a removable, weight-activated heat mat. Assembly took five minutes, and my cats refused to stay out of it. The house is made from lightweight, vinyl-backed nylon and features a removable velcro-attached roof with overhanging eaves. The plastic door flaps can be removed if preferred. Although the shelter may be just big enough for two small cats to snuggle, my cats adamantly refused to share — and for many community cats, the interior would be too cramped for two.

Safety is just as vital. The best outdoor cat houses use low-voltage electricity and outdoor-rated wiring that's well concealed, says Lindsey Wolko, founder and CEO of the Center for Pet Safety. The K&H Thermo Outdoor Kitty House features a low-voltage, 20-watt orthopedic mat that's MET safety-listed, meaning it has been independently tested and approved. Still, you should place water bowls well away from the cord and plug.

Even waterproof structures can collect condensation. Because the heating pad is susceptible to absorbing moisture, it could become damp or even freeze, which can put outdoor cats at risk. For that reason, I don't recommend using this house outside of sheltered areas. To clean it, remove the heating pad and wipe down the interior with a damp cloth. You can also put the removable heating pad cover in the washing machine.

Best DIY

"One of the most used materials for shelters are plastic totes, usually lined with styrofoam and straw. They're among the most waterproof kinds of shelters," Velazquez says. After experimenting with a few different storage totes, I found that Sterilite's 18-gallon and 30-gallon bins made the best outdoor cat houses. They're budget-friendly, waterproof, roomy enough to comfortably house two to three bonded cats or a mother with kittens, and effective at retaining heat — all reasons Velazquez prefers a well-built DIY cat shelter over even the best prefabricated models.

After gathering a box cutter, hair dryer, marker, plastic nursery pot, and straw and Styrofoam for insulation, assembly took roughly 15 minutes. Following Alley Cat Allies' step-by-step guide, I built a double-insulated shelter by cutting entry doors, nesting one bin inside another, filling the space between them with insulation, lining the inner bin with straw, and securing both lids.

I found that flexible plastic totes like these from Sterilite were sturdy yet pliable enough to cut, especially after warming them with a hairdryer. Another set of bins was so rigid that they were nearly impossible to cut, and their handles prevented the smaller bin from properly nesting inside the larger one. Abrams recommends sanding the edges of the cut doorway to prevent injuries as cats enter and exit. I also needed duct tape to keep the door in place. The plastic flowerpot I used created a snug 5.38-inch entry, which was a bit tight for my 11-pound cat. A tapered 1-gallon nursery pot, measuring closer to 7 inches in diameter, may provide a more comfortable opening.

What to look for in outdoor cat houses

Outdoor cats require a shelter that can withstand all weather conditions — from cold winter nights and heavy rain and wind to summer heat. The experts I spoke to say if you focus on a few key features, you can find the best outdoor cat house to keep your neighborhood community cats safe all year.

Weather resistance: Even the fluffiest of cats are no match for inclement weather. "A cat's fur only keeps them warm when it's dry," says Dr. Erin Katribe, veterinarian and medical director at Best Friends Animal Society. When temperatures drop to 45 degrees or below, cats are at risk of frostbite and hypothermia, especially if they're wet.

• Water-resistant construction. Look for shelters made from waterproof or water-resistant materials that prevent rain and snow from seeping in and help keep cats dry and warm. Features such as the caulked seams on the UnderCover Pet House help block drafts and moisture from entering through gaps.

• Slanted or pitched roofs. These prevent water from pooling on top of the shelter, reducing leaks and extending the life of the structure.

• Protected doorways. Baffled entrances, overhangs, or awning-style door covers help block wind, rain, and snow from blowing inside. However, some cats may be deterred by plastic flaps. Choosing a shelter with removable baffling, such as the Kitty Tube, K&H Thermo Outdoor Kitty House, or New Age Feral Cat House, allows you to adjust the setup to suit your cats' preferences.

• Raised floors. Abrams recommends elevating outdoor cat shelters 3 to 5 inches off the ground to prevent the floor from getting wet, reduce snow buildup at the entrance, and make the shelter less accessible to wildlife or predators. Elevation also improves airflow and helps a cat's body heat warm the interior more efficiently. If the shelter isn't already raised, you can place it on bricks, pallets, or similar supports. Keep in mind that doors higher than 5 inches from the ground may be difficult for a cat to access.

• Insulation. "Insulation is a key part of keeping shelters warm, and it should not be skipped," Velazquez says. It helps maintain a cat's core temperature during cold nights and also blocks heat in the summer, keeping the shelter comfortable year-round. Some cat houses come with built-in insulation, such as the UnderCover Pet House. Others such as the Kitty Tube are designed with removable insulation. You can also start with an uninsulated shelter and customize it for your climate.
  
  While materials like egg cartons, Mylar, or Styrofoam can work, both Velazquez and Abrams strongly recommend using straw rather than hay in your cat house. "Straw is the best option to keep the inside of the shelter dry, as it repels moisture, can easily be changed out, and provides a comfy area for cats to rest and burrow into," she says. In contrast, hay absorbs water, stays wet, becomes cold and uncomfortable, and can quickly develop mold. Even if your cat house comes insulated, adding straw creates a warmer, more inviting interior.

Ease of assembly: Prefab outdoor cat houses should require minimal assembly and have straightforward, easy-to-follow directions. I favored shelters that are quick to assemble, with only one or a few tools. Of the DIY houses, I selected the one requiring the least technical skill to build while offering the most benefit to community cats.

Ease of maintenance: Outdoor cat houses should be easy to clean, resistant to odors, and simple to refresh from season to season. They should also allow for adding or replacing insulation, such as straw, when needed. Abrams recommends changing out the straw once to twice per season.

Size: Abrams recommends an interior of roughly 12"L × 18"W × 12"H for a single cat, increasing the dimensions by 1.5 to two times the size for each additional cat. This is just enough space for an average cat to stand up and turn around comfortably. These compact shelters trap body heat more efficiently, helping to keep cats warm.

Entry and exit points: A cat house with two entrances can make it easier for cats to escape if there is a prevalence of predators, such as coyotes, or a history of conflict between community cats around territory or resources. Two entry points are also recommended when housing more than one cat in a single shelter. Outside of these circumstances, it's recommended to look for a shelter with one door only. The more doors on a cat house, the more likely it is for rain to enter or heat to escape.

Door size: Abrams recommends that doors be 6 to 8 inches wide. "Any smaller, and some of the thicker kitties will not be able to enter. Any larger, and you may find yourself with more than just cats in the shelter," she says.

Cost: Outdoor cat houses come in a range of styles and prices to suit different needs. Pre-assembled shelters, for example, come at a premium because they're ready to go straight out of the box. Velazquez was also happy to pay a little more for aesthetic value. "When I added a shelter to my backyard among the landscaping, I opted for one of the wooden ones. It looked great and was a hit among the cats, but fared worse in the elements over time than my storage container ones," she says. If longevity is important to you, the Kitty Tube is also pricier, but it comes with excellent customer support and a durable shell backed by a lifetime guarantee. On the other hand, my DIY option cost a fraction of the price and performed just as well at retaining heat and keeping water out — but it likely won't last through a lifetime of seasons.

How we tested the best outdoor cat houses

I researched different types of houses based on our experts' recommendations and reviewed options available at major online retailers. From there, I selected nine shelters to test against the elements and developed an extensive list of evaluation criteria along with an objective scoring system.

Ease of assembly (15 points): I evaluated how easy it was to assemble each cat shelter. I timed the setup, assessed the clarity of instructions, and noted any issues. Cat houses that include all the necessary tools for one-person assembly received higher scores.

Durability (25 points): I assessed how well each shelter would hold up over time and through various weather conditions.

• Initial inspection (5 points): Once fully assembled, I checked all parts — seams, joints, and any glued, screwed, or snapped-in pieces — for stability. I gently tugged on panels, doors, and roofing to spot any looseness or weak points.
• Heat retention test (5 points): I placed the shelter outside and recorded both the outdoor temperature and the internal baseline temperature of the shelter. To mimic a cat's body heat, I placed a heating pad inside the shelter and tracked the internal temperature at 10-minute intervals for 30 minutes to see how effectively the shelter warmed. I then removed the pad to simulate a cat leaving and continued to measure the shelter's temperature every 10 minutes for another 30 minutes to evaluate heat retention.
• Water retention test (5 points): Using a hose, I sprayed the shelter for 5 minutes, noting any leaks or pooling inside.
• Structural integrity test (5 points): I applied consistent pressure to the walls and roof using a luggage scale and placed a 10-pound sandbag on the roof for 24 hours to simulate snow accumulation. I then inspected the shelter for sagging, warping, or other signs of damage.
• Field test (5 points): Each shelter was left outdoors for three to four weeks during the Pacific Northwest rainy season. In total, the houses were outside for 40 days, enduring 6.9 inches of rain and dropping temperatures. I documented any shifting, warping, or weakening of materials over time.

Biologically appropriate features (30 points total): I considered multiple features that make the best outdoor cat houses cat-friendly.

• Size (5 points): Cats should be able to stand and turn comfortably, but houses should not be so large that body heat easily escapes. Most adult cats are approximately 9 to 11 inches at shoulder height when standing. Ceilings much higher than that can let warmth rise away from the cat.
• Door type and size (10 points): Small or baffled doors between 6 and 8 inches wide keep out wind, rain, cold, and predators. Awnings also help keep rain and snow out.
• Elevation (5 points): Shelters should be raised to keep floors dry, prevent snow blockage, improve airflow, and reduce access by wildlife.
• Accessibility (5 points): Elevated shelters should not be so high that cats with limited mobility cannot easily enter. Shelters lost points if any entrance was more than 5 inches off the ground and lacked a ramp or step.
• Temperature regulation (5 points): Insulation, a solid floor, and slight elevation help keep cats dry and warm. I chose shelters with built-in insulation or ones that could be outfitted with Mylar, Styrofoam, or straw. Heated shelters should use outdoor-rated electrical connections with auto-shutoff or other safety features.

Ease of maintenance (15 points): I insulated each shelter with straw, then removed and cleaned it, assessing how easy it was to access the interior, swap bedding, and prepare the house for the next season. I preferred shelters that didn't require removing screws or parts to clean, as long as the structure remained water-resistant and secure.

Cat preference (5 points): While my indoor cats don't have the same urgent need for shelter and warmth as community cats, observing how they used each house provided valuable insight into accessibility, size, and features that could encourage or deter a cat in need.

Outdoor cat house FAQs

What kind of house does an outside cat need?

Outdoor community cats require shelter that stays dry and is properly insulated. Fill the shelter with more straw than you think you might need to make the shelter warmer and more inviting, says Velazquez.

A well-maintained shelter clear of debris and filled with clean straw will be far more appealing than a neglected one, Abrams says. Placement can also make a shelter more inviting: Locating the shelter in a low-traffic area, near the cat's colony, or against a structure that helps block wind and rain can make it feel safer. "A warm, well-positioned shelter is more than likely to be found by the cats who need it," she says.

How should I clean my cat's house?

Abrams recommends replacing the straw in your cat shelter once or twice per season, and any time it becomes soiled. Between seasons or when dirty, wash the shelter with mild soap and water. Allow the shelter to dry completely before replenishing it with straw.

What is the best size for an outdoor cat house?

Once outfitted with the appropriate amount of insulation for the season, a cat should be able to comfortably stand up and turn around within the shelter, as larger houses are less efficient in retaining body heat. Abrams says an internal size of 12" L x 18" W x 12" H is appropriate for one cat. For each additional cat using a shelter, she recommends increasing the dimensions by 1.5 to 2 times the size.

Do outdoor cat houses need litter boxes? 

No, community cats generally do not need litter boxes. Most are resourceful and will find discreet places to eliminate on their own. Placing a litter box near an outdoor shelter can unintentionally attract wildlife. Cat feces can also spread disease to people, and outdoor litter boxes should be made inaccessible to children.

However, if the community cats you care for are eliminating in your garden or other unwanted areas, you can offer litter boxes, with some considerations. "Litter boxes for outdoor colonies aren't something we see very commonly because of the maintenance required," Abrams says. You'd need to provide one litter box area per cat plus one extra. Because colonies often include more than five cats, managing that many boxes can become challenging, especially because they should be scooped daily and deep-cleaned weekly. Rather than using one of the best cat litters for indoor cats, add sand or peat moss to the box. The boxes should be placed in a covered, weather-protected spot such as an indoor/outdoor garage or accessible shed, away from food and water.

Do feral cats use outdoor cat houses? 

Yes. "Community cats — the broader umbrella term that encompasses feral cats as well as friendly strays — are extremely resourceful and will do their best to find shelter from the elements," Velazquez says. Feral cats differ from strays in that they generally avoid any interaction with humans, making them less likely to be seen. As a result, truly feral cats may prefer shelters placed away from human activity, close to their colony location. Abrams emphasizes that if you plan to help colony cats by providing shelter and food, it's just as important to get them spayed or neutered and vaccinated. She says the most common issues communities encounter with sheltered feral cats are reproductive-related behaviors, such as urine marking, fighting, and yowling.

What is the best way to heat an outdoor cat house?

"Straw is hands down the best and most cost-effective insulation," Velazquez says. Other suitable insulation options include egg cartons, Mylar, and Styrofoam. Never attempt to insulate an outdoor shelter with blankets or other fabric. "Blankets are very absorbent and can not only provide a host for bacteria and mold to grow, but wet blankets can freeze, turning what should be a toasty shelter into an icebox," she says. Cat houses equipped with low-voltage heating pads and outdoor-rated cords can be placed inside sheltered areas, such as a garage or porch.

How do outdoor cats stay warm in the winter?

Cats conserve body heat by curling up in tight, cozy spots that are safe from wind, rain, and snow. Many outdoor cats seek shelter somewhere elevated to take advantage of rising heat or find their way under the hood of a car to the still-warm engine. Others will huddle together with other cats to share body heat. Because cats burn through so much energy trying to stay warm, they also benefit from eating frequent large meals to make up that lost energy. 

Do outdoor cats need a cat house?

If your cat spends time outside, they may appreciate a cat house as a safe place to relax or find shelter from the weather. A cat house can help them stay warm in the winter and find shade in the summer. They also provide a dry place to nap on rainy or snowy days. In extra cold conditions, a heated shelter is better than an unheated shelter for preventing hypothermia. However, most cats in more moderate climates will do just fine with a well-insulated, waterproof cat house.

Are outdoor cat houses safe?

Yes, outdoor cat houses are safe for cats as long as they're well-maintained and used properly. That said, outdoor cat houses are meant for community cats already living outdoors, not to encourage transitioning indoor cats to outdoor living — indoors is the safest place for cats. When insulating a cat house, straw is the best option. Improper insulation with blankets or other moisture-trapping fabrics can put cats at risk of frostbite or hypothermia. Avoid placing food inside the shelter, which can attract wildlife. In areas with known wildlife or territorial disputes, a second door can provide an alternative escape route for cats. Otherwise, one small entry is ideal for retaining heat.

Where's the best place to put an outdoor cat house?

Whenever possible, place cat shelters near buildings or other permanent structures, which can help protect them from the elements and provide extra warmth. A wall, porch, or a spot tucked into shrubs can block strong winds, keep the shelter warmer, and even provide a bit of camouflage. In the summer, move the shelter into a shaded area to prevent overheating. For feral cat shelters in an established colony, choose a location where property owners and neighbors are informed about feral cat care, Abrams says. Attaching a laminated sign to the shelter can help explain its purpose, and adding a bike lock can help keep it in place.

What should I put inside an outdoor cat house?

The only thing you need inside an outdoor cat house is straw. "Materials like fabrics or cushions absorb moisture and can freeze, creating an ideal scenario for hypothermia," Wolko says. While it's important to provide water for community cats, it should be placed near — but not inside — the shelter. "Placing food or water inside the shelter can attract wild creatures into the cats' safe space," Abrams explains. Velazquez adds that food and water can also introduce moisture and organic matter, which can lead to mold inside your shelter.

• Companies including Meta, Amazon, and Visa have said they're trimming staff this year.
• Many firms, like Wix and Block, have cited the rise of AI as a reason they need fewer staff.
• See the list of companies letting workers go in 2026.

Big companies are still cutting jobs in 2026.

So far this year, dozens of major brands have laid off employees, continuing a trend of significant workforce reductions across a broad range of industries, including tech, media, finance, and retail.

While prominent brands continue to announce cuts, the broader economy shows that unemployment hasn't spiked. Economists frequently describe the environment as low-fire, low-hire.

The big change is AI.

Several companies, including Block, Coinbase, and Standard Chartered, have cited the impact of artificial intelligence as a key reason for the layoffs.

A World Economic Forum survey last year found that some 41% of companies worldwide expected to reduce their workforces in the next five years because of the rise of artificial intelligence. The survey also found that jobs in big data, fintech, and AI are expected to double by 2030.

Last year, Business Insider tracked layoffs at around 65 major companies, including Amazon, Meta, Paramount, and Starbucks. In 2026, we'll continue to track additional job cuts based on company announcements, WARN notices, and our own reporting.

Here are the companies with job cuts underway in 2026, listed in alphabetical order.

Amazon is laying off thousands of employees

Amazon said in January that it would eliminate around 16,000 corporate roles globally.

Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology, described the January move in a company memo as part of broader efforts to cut back on bureaucracy inside the company.

The cuts followed mass layoffs from October 2025, when the tech and retail giant shed 14,000 roles.

In May, Amazon's Selling Partner Services team slashed additional jobs as it continued to reshape its organization.

"Following a recent review, we've made the difficult decision to eliminate a relatively small number of roles in our Selling Partner Services team," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

American Express is cutting 5% of its workforce

American Express took a $336 million restructuring charge as it plans to cut around 5% of its workforce, the company announced during its third-quarter earnings call.

It employed around 77,000 people by the end of 2025, meaning the layoffs could impact between 3,000 and 4,000 employees.

On the earnings call, the company also highlighted how AI has changed its internal structure.

"There's been a lot of talk about how companies are using AI to increase productivity, automate processes, and generally make their organizations more efficient," Stephen Squeri, Amex's CEO, said during an October earnings call. "We're using AI to do all of those things too."

Angi is cutting 350 jobs

Angi, the popular contractor listing site once known as Angie's List, said in January that it was cutting around 350 jobs "to reduce operating expenses and optimize the organizational structure in support of long-term growth." The company also said it's making the cuts "in light of AI-driven efficiency improvements."

In a January 7 SEC filing, Angi said that the cuts would save between $70 million and $80 million in annual spending. The layoffs will cost the company between $22 million and $30 million, according to the filing.

In Angi's November 3 earnings report, the company said it is cutting another 300 roles globally, "mostly in middle management and support functions, to increase focus and organizational velocity."

Angi added in the report that it expects the layoff to accrue between $50.0 million and $60.0 million in annual run-rate savings.

Atlassian is cutting 1,600 employees

Atlassian, the enterprise software company and maker of Confluence, said on March 11 that it will be cutting about 10% of its workforce as it invests in AI to reshape its organization.

CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes said in a statement that about 1,600 employees will be affected by the cuts.

"We fundamentally believe people and AI create the best outcomes. Our approach is not 'AI replaces people,'" Cannon-Brookes said. "But it would be disingenuous to pretend AI doesn't change the mix of skills we need or the number of roles required in certain areas. It does."

The company expects to incur $225 million and $236 million in restructuring charges, according to an SEC filing.

Barclays cuts 5,000 jobs

Barclays, the British financial institution, disclosed plans to cut around 5% of its workforce.

Anna Cross, the Group Finance Director of Barclays, said on an October 22 earnings call that the company expects more than GBP 1 billion in efficiency savings in 2027, which will involve reducing its head count by 5,000 full-time employees.

Cross said that 60% of affected workers are related to "support functions, including fewer developers as AI makes our people more productive."

The company reported Q3 pretax profit of GBP 2.3 billion — about $3 billion — up 12% from the same quarter a year earlier.

Barclays CEO, C.S. Venkatakrishnan, said that the company is moving to "drive even greater cost efficiency through deep technological transformation, reducing the unit cost of product, manufacturing, service and innovation."

Boeing cut 5% of its commercial airplane division

Boeing said in November that it will cut 5% of its workforce in the commercial airplanes division, which employs about 50,000 people.

The cuts come two weeks after the company reported a 3% decline in third quarter revenue, which it attributed to a less favorable delivery mix.

The company also said monthly deliveries of 737 aircraft have come in below its targets, and that it would likely come in short of its goal of 500 for this year. The 737 is one of the most widely used models and a significant source of Boeing's commercial sales.

Boeing will make the cuts through "a combination of attrition and involuntary layoffs," the division's CEO, Stephanie Pope, said in an internal memo obtained by Business Insider.

British American Tobacco cuts 9,000 jobs

British American Tobacco said it will cut 9,000 jobs by the end of the year, about one-fifth of its workforce. The cuts will not impact the US arm of its business.

"We are building a future-ready organisation that is more agile, cost disciplined and technology enabled," CEO Tadeu Marroco said in the statement.

The company, whose cigarette portfolio includes brands like Lucky Strike and Dunhill, has stepped up its push in recent years into smoke-free alternatives, such as nicotine pouches and vapes.

Citi's job cuts continue this year

Citi will cut more jobs this year as part of its plan to reduce its workforce by 10%, or 20,000 employees.

In a statement on January 13, the bank said that it will continue to reduce head count in 2026.

"These changes reflect adjustments we're making to ensure our staffing levels, locations and expertise align with current business needs," a spokesperson for Citi said.

The plan was detailed in the company's January 2024 earnings report and could save the bank as much as $2.5 billion.

Cloudflare lays off 20% of its global workforce

Cybersecurity company Cloudflare on May 7 said it plans to cut roughly 20% of its global workforce, affecting more than 1,100 employees.

In an internal memo, Cloudflare executives said the company's use of AI has climbed more than 600% over the past three months, and that the rapid shift has forced the company to reconsider its structure.

"We want to be clear that this decision is not a reflection of the individual work or talent of those leaving us," Cloudflare executives wrote in the May 7 memo. "Instead, we are reimagining every internal process, team, and role across the company."

The company's shares fell more than 14% in extended trading following the announcement.

Coinbase is cutting 14% of staff

The CEO of Coinbase, Brian Armstrong, said in a letter to staff on May 5 that 14% of its staff would be cut, largely because of AI.

"AI is changing how we work. Over the past year, I've watched engineers use AI to ship in days what used to take a team weeks," wrote. "The pace of what's possible with a small, focused team has changed dramatically, and it's accelerating every day."

Armstrong said this would mean fewer layers and faster decisions in the company. No pure managers, he said — all leaders will now be required to get stuck in and "get their hands dirty."

"AI is bringing a profound shift in how companies operate, and we're reshaping Coinbase to lead in this new era," he added.

Crypto.com laid off 12% of its workforce

Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said in March that the company laid off 12% of its workforce, including "roles that do not adapt in our new world."

"Companies that move immediately and pair the best AI tools with top-performers will achieve a level of scale and precision that was previously impossible," Marszalek wrote in a post on X. "This is where we must go."

Dell cut 10% of its workforce

Dell cut its workforce by 10% for the third year in a row, the company said in its annual filing with the SEC.

As of January 31, 2026, the company had 97,000 employees, down 11,000 from the same time last year. The decline includes both layoffs and attrition, Business Insider reported.

eBay is expected to lay off 6% of its employees

eBay is set to eliminate about 800 jobs globally, making up 6% of its workforce. The company told Business Insider that it's taking steps to better align with its strategic priorities.

"We are grateful for the contributions of the employees impacted and are committed to supporting them with care and respect," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Epic Games is cutting 20% of its workforce

Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, said in March that it would lay off more than 1,000 people — about 20% of its workforce — as engagement with the game declined.

CEO Tim Sweeney said in a memo that the layoffs "aren't related to AI."

"To the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can," Sweeney said.

Estée Lauder is deepening its cuts, now to as many as 10,000 roles

Estée Lauder said in its May earnings report that it will deepen its previously announced cuts, which are now expected to affect up to 10,000 jobs.

More than two-thirds of the reductions are in cashier and demonstration roles at lower-performing retail and department stores.

Etsy

Etsy said August 5 that it is laying off about 220 employees, roughly 12% of its workforce.

"We will be saying goodbye to approximately 220 colleagues across the company, with most of the changes concentrated in Product & Engineering," the company's CEO, Kruti Patel Goyal, told staffers in a memo.

The company also reported its second-quarter financial results on Wednesday.

While Goyal's memo made no mention of AI or its potential threat to jobs, she said that the cuts were a preemptive move.

"The answer is that today's decisions aren't a reflection of this quarter or even this year, but of where Etsy needs to go next," she wrote.

Expedia laid off some employees

Expedia confirmed to Business Insider that it had laid off some employees on January 26 and had also posted new job openings. It's unclear how many of its workers were affected by the cuts.

"We are eliminating roles as well as opening some new roles as we remain disciplined about assessing the skills we need for the future," an Expedia Group spokesperson said in a statement. "We are also simplifying our structure and reducing organizational layers to move faster and with more accountability. These are not easy decisions, and we are grateful for the contributions of our colleagues who are impacted."

Freshworks is cutting 11% of staff

The San Mateo, California-based software company said in its early May earnings report that it would cut 11% of its staff in the second quarter. The company had about 4,500 employees at the end of 2025.

The cuts aim "to streamline the Company's organizational efforts and product development process" and increase AI across the company, according to the filing.

On an earnings call, CEO Dennis Woodside said about half the company's code comes from AI.

"Like many other software companies, that is definitely changing how we build products, how fast we can build products, and the amount of people that we need to build products," he said.

The company's stock slumped 35% from May 2025 to May 2026.

General Motors is axing 600 salaried employees

General Motors is cutting 600 salaried employees from its global IT division.

A spokesperson said the layoffs would enable it to "better position the company for the future," by ensuring GM has employees with expertise in AI-native development, data engineering, analytics, cloud engineering, prompt engineering, and AI workflows.

GoPro is laying off 145 employees

On April 7, GoPro said it would lay off about 145 employees as it tries to cut operating costs and restructure operations.

The layoffs make up 23% of its global headcount of 631 employees, the camera maker said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts will start in the second quarter of the year and will largely be completed by the end of 2026. The restructuring is expected to result in a charge of $11.5 million to $15 million.

The company cut about 15% of its staff in August 2024 to cut costs.

Groupon is reducing up to 400 positions globally

Groupon said on May 21 that it would cut up to 400 roles globally as part of a restructuring plan, according to a financial filing. It previously said it planned to rebuild as an "AI-native company."

The cuts are expected to happen by the end of the third quarter of 2026. Groupon is looking to generate $10 million to $12 million in gross savings in 2026.

"Up to half of this year's savings will be reinvested into AI infrastructure, talent density, and the tools and teams building the next version of the company," a spokesperson told Business Insider.

Groupon had 1,734 employees worldwide at the end of 2025, according to its annual report.

Heineken has a multi-year plan to reduce its workforce

Heineken is cutting 5,000 to 6,000 roles over the next two years to boost productivity and bring down costs, according to its latest full-year earnings report.

The company told Business Insider that the divisions and regions where the layoffs are due to take place are yet to be confirmed.

Heineken said in its 2025 report that it faced "subdued consumer sentiment" in the Americas, alongside a "challenging year" for brewers in Europe.

Intuit is laying off 17% of its workforce

Financial software company Intuit announced on May 20 that it would be cutting 17% of its full-time workforce.

The company shared a memo from CEO Sasan Goodarzi to employees that listed five reasons for the culling, including reducing management layers, focusing roles on "high impact work," and closing down two of its offices.

"These changes are a necessary evolution to reduce complexity and architect an organization that operates with the velocity required to fuel our growth engines," Goodarzi wrote in the memo, shared in a blog post on Intuit's website.

Laid-off employees in the US would receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus two additional weeks of pay for every year they have worked at Intuit.

The company said in a May 20 earnings report that restructuring costs from the layoffs would be about $300 million to $340 million.

Kenvue cuts 3.5% of workforce

Consumer healthcare brand Kenvue, which produces Tylenol, plans to cut 3.5% of its staff. Kenvue had about 22,000 employees globally, per its latest annual report.

The company wrote in a mid-February SEC filing that its board aimed to reduce complexity and drive operational efficiencies.

The company's layoffs and restructuring efforts are expected to cost $250 million in 2026, per the filing.

LinkedIn is laying off staff and 'scale back' other investments

LinkedIn CEO Daniel Shapero told employees on May 13 that it was laying off employees, and those in affected roles would receive a calendar invite. The jobs included positions in the Microsoft-owned company's Global Business Organization, marketing, engineering, and product teams.

"We need to reinvent how we work, with agile teams focused on our highest priorities, and by shifting investments toward areas such as infrastructure to fulfill our mission and vision over the long term," Shapero said in the memo.

Shapero also said LinkedIn would "scale back" investments in areas like marketing campaigns, customer events, and underutilized office space.

Lululemon laid off 100 part-time employees at its customer service center

The athleisure giant said it laid off 100 part-time employees to "strengthen the business." The affected roles are in the company's North American contact center.

"After careful consideration, we have made the decision to transition our North America GEC to a full-time employee staffing model. As a result, approximately 100 part-time positions in our GEC have been impacted," a Lululemon spokesperson said.

Meta lays off workers at Reality Labs and other divisions

Meta began laying off employees across multiple teams on March 25, including Reality Labs, Facebook, recruiting, sales, and global operations.

The cuts come as the company ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and talent, alongside broader cost-cutting efforts. Meta said the changes are part of ongoing restructuring to better align teams with company goals, while exploring other roles for affected employees where possible.

Meta first began preparing to slash jobs within its Reality Labs division, the unit responsible for Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse ambitions, in January, three people familiar with the matter told Business Insider at the time.

Two employees said that teams working on virtual reality headsets and Horizon Worlds, the company's VR social network, would be disproportionately affected.

Meta has shifted away from virtual reality in recent years in favor of spending hundreds of billions of dollars on beefing up its AI capabilities.

Nike laid off workers in two rounds

Nike is cutting roughly 1,400 jobs, mostly from tech, as part of a broader push to streamline operations and revive growth.

In a memo to staff on April 23 obtained by Business Insider, Chief Operating Officer Venkatesh Alagirisamy said the layoffs are tied to the company's "win now" turnaround plan, which focuses on improving culture, product, marketing, marketplace strategy, and in-person retail. He described the effort as entering its "final stretch."

This is Nike's second layoff in 2026. Nike said on January 26 that it planned to lay off 775 employees across Tennessee and Mississippi, citing efforts to "streamline" its distribution center operations.

"We are sharpening our supply chain footprint, accelerating the use of advanced technology and automation, and investing in the skills our teams need for the future," Nike said in a statement to Business Insider.

Oracle's headcount fell 13% in a year

Oracle's workforce shrank by roughly 21,000 employees, or 13%, over the past year, bringing its headcount to 141,000 as of May 31, according to a 10-K filing released on June 22.

"The adoption and deployment of AI technologies across our operations have resulted, and may continue to result, in reductions to our workforce," Oracle wrote in the filing.

Oracle also disclosed that restructuring costs surged in fiscal 2026. The company spent $1.84 billion on severance and other exit costs, up from $374 million in the prior year.

The reduction in workforce comes as Oracle continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure.

Papa Johns is restructuring

Papa Johns said it is laying off 7% of its corporate staff amid a broader restructuring.

The pizza chain said it will also close 300 locations in North America through 2027, starting with 200 this year.

"Optimizing our restaurant portfolio and strategically closing underperforming restaurants are among the most impactful actions we can take to improve restaurant profitability and fleet health," Papa Johns CFO Ravi Thanawala said during the company's fourth quarter earnings call on February 26.

Patreon, a creator economy company, laid off 20% of staff in July

Patreon announced layoffs in July.

The creator economy company is laying off 93 employees — roughly 20% of the company — per a memo its CEO, Jack Conte, shared publicly.

Conte wrote that the "market in which we operate has undergone profound change over the last 6 months," and that Patreon needs to cut costs to "remain a stable, dependable rock for our creators."

Pinterest is expected to lay off 15% of its workforce

Pinterest announced a global restructuring plan that includes layoffs affecting less than 15% of its workforce, according to a January securities filing. The cuts come with reductions in office space.

"We are making organizational changes to further deliver on our AI-forward strategy, which includes hiring AI-proficient talent," a Pinterest spokesperson said.

"As a result, we've made the difficult decision to say goodbye to some of our team members. We are grateful for their service and supporting them with separation packages and benefits," they added.

Saks laid off 16% of its corporate staff, among other job cuts

Saks Global, the beleaguered parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, conducted several rounds of layoffs as it closed stores and trimmed its corporate staff

In April, the company cut about 16% of its corporate staff, representing less than 4% of its total workforce.

"Following the strategic actions we've taken to secure long-term financial stability, sharpen our focus on luxury and full-price selling, optimize our operational footprint, and exit non-core businesses, we are right-sizing our corporate organization to align with our go-forward strategy," a Saks spokesperson told Business Insider.

The cuts followed Saks's closure of dozens of stores and fulfillment centers in the first quarter, resulting in layoffs.

Saks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January.

Sprout Social cut 20% of staff — about 260 employees

Sprout Social — a social media management program — announced on July 15 that it will cut 260 jobs, or about 20% of its workforce.

In a letter about the reduction in force, CEO Ryan Barretto said the cuts were due to rapid industry changes.

"This decision is not a reflection of their talent or commitment," Barrett said. "We made this decision because we believe it was the right one for Sprout's future. Our industry, and software more broadly, is changing quickly, and the way companies need to operate and invest has changed with it."

Affected staff will be offered a 12-week severance package, plus an additional week of pay for every year of tenure, fully-paid health benefits for six months, and a cash payment equal to the value of their equity shares that would have vested in the next 90 days.

Standard Chartered plans to eliminate 15% of corporate functions over the next 4 years

Standard Chartered plans to cut 15% of corporate function roles over the next four years, the company said on May 19.

The bank, headquartered in London, credited AI as a driver for the reductions.

"It is not cost-cutting, but it is replacing, in some cases, lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital that we are putting in," CEO Bill Winters said in a media briefing, Reuters reported.

The company added in a statement: "We are combining the best human talent with AI, investing to support our people into higher-value roles."

T-Mobile cut some jobs

T-Mobile cut some staff in early 2026, though the scope of the layoffs is unclear. Some workers posted on LinkedIn saying they'd been affected by the changes in January.

"As the next step in our evolution, we're making some changes while continuing to hire to ensure we have the right focus, structure, and momentum to keep changing the industry through innovation and our long-standing focus on customers," T-Mobile told Business Insider in a statement.

Tailwind cut 3 of its 4 engineers

Tailwind, a popular web tool, said it cut three of its four engineers in January, citing an AI-driven decline in revenue.

"75% of the people on our engineering team lost their jobs here yesterday because of the brutal impact AI has had on our business," CEO Adam Wathan wrote in a GitHub comment on January 6 that made waves in the tech community.

Target is cutting 500 roles from its distribution and regional offices

Target confirmed to Business Insider in February that it would cut 100 district office roles and 400 supply chain positions. It plans to invest instead in additional labor hours at stores to improve the shopping experience and return to growth.

The store improvement effort is a signature priority of the retailer's new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, who started on February 1.

In November, Fiddelke said the company intends to invest an additional $1 billion in capital expenditures for 2026, an increase of 25% from 2025.

TikTok lays off 250 employees

TikTok is laying off 250 employees and closing an office in Nashville, according to documents filed with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in Tennessee.

A spokesperson for TikTok US Data Security, a joint venture established in January 2026 to oversee TikTok's US operations, said closing the office will "streamline our operations and better align our teams for long-term growth."

The Nashville office will close in October, according to the documents.

UPS said it will eliminate 30,000 jobs

UPS CEO Brian Dykes told analysts during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call that the company plans to reduce its operational workforce by 30,000 in 2026.

"This will be accomplished through attrition, and we expect to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers," Dykes said.

He told analysts that the company has identified 24 buildings for closure in the first half of 2026 and will continue to evaluate additional buildings for closure.

Verizon is selling 274 retail stores, affecting about 3,000 workers

Verizon said in July that it would transition 274 retail stores into franchise locations as part of ongoing changes at the telecom giant.

The company said about 2,500 retail workers and 500 corporate roles would be cut, and that typically around 70% of store employees accept jobs under the new franchisees.

The move comes two months after Verizon laid off several hundred corporate employees, or about 1% of its head count, as the company reallocates workers across its overall business.

Volvo is cutting 2,500 global jobs

Volvo's CEO, Håkan Samuelsson, said the luxury automaker is facing "a very tough environment with strong external challenges," including a fierce Chinese car market, US tariffs, and continued high-priced investments in a new lineup of electric vehicles.

The company said it is cutting 2,500 employees globally — including 2,000 in Sweden — to save around $530 million in response to those headwinds.

Volvo is also ending consultant contracts and planning some targeted employee exits, the company said in a press release.

Walmart said it would cut or relocate 1,000 corporate jobs

Walmart told employees on May 12 that it would cut or relocate about 1,000 corporate jobs to address redundancies and duplicate roles.

Suresh Kumar, Walmart's chief technology and development officer, and Daniel Danker, executive vice president of AI acceleration, product, and design, announced the changes in a memo.

"We've made changes to simplify how the work is organized, make ownership clearer, and better align roles to the work and skills we need going forward," the memo said.

The move follows Walmart's May 2025 decision to cut 1,500 corporate roles as part of an effort to "remove layers and complexity."

The company employed 2.1 million people as of January.

WiseTech is cutting 30% of its workforce

Logistics software maker Wisetech is cutting 2,000 jobs, or 30% of its staff, citing AI-driven efficiency gains.

In a conference call on February 25, CEO Zubin Appoo embraced AI and said that it means more productivity, in less time, and from fewer employees. The Sydney-based company employed about 7,000 people, according to its annual report released in October.

"I am prepared to say this clearly: the era of manually writing code as the core act of engineering is over," Appoo said. AI is "unlocking levels of efficiency gains across WiseTech that were previously out of reach."

Wix CEO said the company is set to cut 20% of its workforce

Wix, which provides website-building software, is reducing its workforce by 20%, the CEO told employees in a memo published on X on May 28.

The Israel-headquartered company employs about 5,300 workers.

CEO Avishai Abrahami cited the "fast evolution of AI capabilities" as a reason for the cuts and said the company needed to become a "faster, leaner, and flatter organization."

Workday is cutting jobs

Workday is cutting about 400 jobs, and said on February 4 that the move will help the enterprise software company redirect resources toward priority areas.

The layoffs will primarily affect customer-facing roles that are "non-revenue generating," Workday said in a regulatory filing.

The cuts represent roughly 2% of its workforce and are expected to result in about $135 million in charges in the fiscal fourth quarter, which ended in January.

Workday announced a larger round of layoffs about a year ago, citing the need to invest more heavily in strategic areas such as AI. The company reported about 20,600 employees as of late October.

Visa is cutting roughly 7% of its workforce

Global payment technology company Visa confirmed to Business Insider that it's cutting about 2,600 jobs.

That's roughly 7% of the company's employee footprint.

"To capture the opportunities ahead and best position Visa to lead this transformation, we must continue evolving how we work," CEO Ryan McInerney wrote to staff in an internal memo, according to Bloomberg. "AI is also helping to accelerate this evolution and shape the way work gets done at Visa."

Zillow cut 500 employees

Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman announced on August 4 that the company was cutting 500 employees as part of "organizational changes."

As of December, Zillow had around 7,000 employees, so the changes are affecting about 7% of its workforce.

"These changes are about ensuring we have a disciplined cost structure and getting more efficient, with the right people in the right positions," Wacksman said in a blog post.

Is your company conducting layoffs? Got a tip?

Dropbox is cutting roughly 200 workers

Dropbox announced on October 28 that it is cutting roughly 200 roles, or 9% of its global workforce.

"Delivering on that strategy requires concentrating our resources on the priorities that will have the greatest potential for customer impact and growth," Dropbox co-CEO Ashraf Alkarmi wrote in an email to employees.

Alkarmi said while Dropbox was profitable, it had to make "hard choices."

The affected roles are in the company's Engineering, Product, Design, and G&A teams. Alkarmi also wrote in the email that Dropbox's chief technology officer, Ali Dasdan, would be spending down.

Love Island Australia has returned for a bombshell of an eighth season. We've scoured the international watch options to highlight everything you need to know about where to watch Love Island Australia, featuring free streaming options.

Host Sophie Monk returns for the eighth season of Love Island Australia, where she's welcomed a new slate of hopefuls to the villa. This time, the show has moved away from its previous Mallorca setting and taken up residence in Fiji, right where Love Island USA is filmed. Below, you can find everything you need to know about tuning into the tropical new season and catching past episodes, no matter where you are.

Where to watch Love Island Australia for free

Love Island Australia is available to stream for free in several countries, although release dates vary by region. New episodes are available for free right now on 9Now in Australia. Season 8 episodes stream on TVNZ, which is free in New Zealand, about a day behind Australia.

How to watch Love Island Australia from anywhere

If you happen to be away when a new episode drops and don't want to miss out on any of the drama, you can keep up with your usual streaming services, including the free options, from anywhere with the help of a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are easy-to-use cybersecurity tools that enable you to change your virtual location. They're extra popular among those hoping to keep up with their usual apps and subscriptions while traveling or boost their online security.

Our top VPN pick is NordVPN. It's beginner-friendly and has a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. For a full breakdown of the service, you can check out our NordVPN review. Keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.

Where to watch Love Island Australia in Australia

Love Island Australia streams on 9Now in Australia. The streaming service is free and only requires account creation to get started. The season premiered on October 26, and new episodes air Monday through Thursday. The service's catalog includes all past seasons and new Season 8 episodes.

Where to watch Love Island Australia in New Zealand

Love Island Australia is available through TVNZ in New Zealand. New Season 8 episodes become available the day after they air in Australia. New Zealanders just need to create an account on the free streaming service to get started. TVNZ also offers Seasons 3, 5, 6, and 7 on demand.

Where to watch Love Island Australia in the US

In the US, Love Island Australia streams on Hulu. New episodes drop a couple of days after they first premiere in Australia, beginning October 29 at 3 a.m. ET. Hulu subscriptions start at $12.49 a month for ad-supported service, but you can upgrade to an ad-free viewing experience for $21.49 a month. All past seven seasons are also available on Hulu. The streaming platform no longer offers a free trial for new customers.

Where to watch Love Island Australia in the UK

There's no way to watch Season 8 episodes of Love Island Australia in the UK right now, but the ITVX streaming platform (the home of Love Island UK) usually gets the latest season sometime after it has finished airing in Australia. This is a free streaming option that just requires account creation to use. No announcements have been made yet regarding Love Island Australia Season 8, but we'll keep this page updated if ITV announces when or if it will be showing the latest season.

When is the Love Island Australia Season 8 finale?

There's no exact confirmed finale date for Season 8 of Love Island Australia, but the past four seasons have all lasted 29 episodes. If Season 8 follows a similar schedule, that would put the finale around December 14, 2026, which is seven weeks after the premiere. We'll keep this page updated if an official finale date or episode count is announced.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

• Anthropic's CEO said AI will solve cancer and Alzheimers in less than 10 years.
• That prediction riled people in the medical community, who said it was unrealistic.
• What's not up for debate is Anthropic's IPO, which is only weeks away.

A cure for cancer is less than a decade away, if you ask Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

If you ask some in the medical community, though, that timeline is a bit ambitious, if not altogether unrealistic.

In a 42-minute IPO roadshow video the company released on Tuesday, Amodei made the audacious prediction that "cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, mental illness — these will be relics of the past in, I think, less than a decade."

The claim that all those diseases, which have bedeviled medicine's best minds for centuries, will be suddenly cured by AI riled some AI naysayers and physicians, who took to X to voice their disbelief.

"Curing cancer, Alzheimer's and mental illnesses can definitely benefit from AI. But that is impossible in just 10 years," Karl Lauterbach, Germany's former health minister, said on X.

"Unclear whether people like @DarioAmodei know so little about medicine or are deliberately misleading the public," he added.

Melinda B. Chu, an AI medical researcher with an MD from Saint Louis University, said Amodei made those predictions just to stoke hype for the company's IPO.

"Anthropic has done nothing to suggest they themselves will contribute meaningfully to these goals," Chu said.

Rami Elghandour, a biotech executive, said Amodei's prediction reeks of desperation. "I've taken two companies public. These are insane things to say in an IPO pitch," he said.

Amodei, long prone to waxing poetic about how AI could be misused by bad actors, has sought to soften his doomer reputation by, in part, highlighting AI's potential benefit to medicine.

Anthropic has moved to expand its reach into drug development by buying several biotech startups, including a one-person company focused on developing treatments for muscular dystrophy.

In an October blog post, the company said it had "begun drug discovery efforts of our own."

The company also opened a "wet lab" in the Bay Area to explore how AI technology can support research in fundamental biology, a person familiar with the matter said.

In an August X post, Amodei said that the best way to win over AI skeptics is for AI companies to "actually cure cancer." In that post, however, he also noted that "saying that AI will cure cancer is more a cliché than it is inspiring, and most people think it is deceptive."

With the company's looming IPO, as it seeks to convince investors to buy stock at a trillion-dollar valuation, Amodei's calculus has apparently shifted.

"I think if we do this right, we can create an age of miracles," Amodei said in the video.

• I spent a week helping care for my 6-year-old grandson and 3-year-old granddaughter.
• School pickups, homework, and toddler tantrums reminded me how exhausting parenting can be.
• I loved every moment but appreciated being able to enjoy the kids without all the responsibility.

Never underestimate the resoluteness of a 3-year-old. I was reminded of this — and several other things I'd forgotten about toddlers and parenting — when I spent a week with my son and his beautifully busy family, which includes a new rescue pup named Peaches.

Because my kids span two generations — my son is about to be 41, and my youngest daughter just turned 21 — I'm a grandmother with two college-aged daughters.

Fresh off an early morning flight, my son picked me up, and it was go-time for Grammy. He and his wife both work full-time and are fortunate to have grandparents nearby who provide afternoon day care for 6-year-old Landon and 3-year-old Sloan. When I visit, it gives them a break.

I have to think about things I haven't thought of for decades

Weekday afternoons mean pick-up from two different schools, and then, because Grammy can do whatever she wants, we stop for ice cream.

Running around with little ones was a test for my middle-aged zen. The subconscious maternal checklists spark back to life. Is everyone buckled correctly? Do they have a snack? And then, because I like to have something to worry about at all times, I reviewed what I'd do if one of the kids were to choke while I'm driving.

Things I haven't thought about in decades come into hyper focus. The specific patience required for dealing with young kids is a muscle I haven't exercised in months. When the newly potty-trained 3-year-old announces she has to go to the bathroom — and we're somewhere with no bathroom, it's back to the car to find one fast. We did.

At Scoops, I threw caution to the wind and let them order "Superman" and "Cotton Candy" ice cream, which probably contained some kind of problematic food dye based on the bright colors.

Back at home, I attempted to get a head start on Landon's first-grade homework before jiujitsu. I was happy to see that this involved 10 minutes of daily reading. "Readers are leaders," I said to him half-seriously, secretly hoping the words would stick. He wanted to do anything but sit down, and he is a fearless negotiator. Feeling my frustration rise, I reminded myself that I couldn't talk to him the way I might've talked to his father at that age. Instead, I explained to him calmly that in the time we'd been talking about why he didn't want to read right then, we could've been done.

My son understands me more now

My daughter-in-law was away on a work trip for a couple of days, which meant it was my time to shine. Like any household with young children, things get messy quickly. Fully caffeinated after morning drop-off, I cleaned and straightened, and genuinely enjoyed doing the kids' laundry.

My son, who admitted he'd been judgy about the messes his little sisters made when they were this age, was appreciative. We laughed about how fully he understands now. I knew my daughter-in-law would appreciate coming home to a clean house, however short-lived.

I was also reminded of how many different directions parents are pulled in. Especially moms, working or not, because there are significantly more moments, especially with a toddler, when they want mommy and only mommy.

I'd forgotten the challenges of dining out with young kids. When Sloan went from happily climbing back and forth across her brother in the booth to angrily yelling (in the earnest way only a 3-year-old can), "Landon, stop looking at me," I reminded myself that it wasn't necessary for me to say or do anything, except to try not to laugh. Her two capable parents were there, and this wasn't my problem to solve. The realization that I have the luxury of simply enjoying my grandkids was freeing.

It was a fully immersive experience (I even slept in my grandson's room with a hammock filled with stuffies watching over me), priceless quality time. Landon has a sharp sense of humor, and there's nothing better than seeing the subtle humor in something and then the recognition in his eyes. We played a cool Pokémon board game and ruthless rounds of UNO. On after-school car rides, we listened to Nick Bean's "Chicken Nugget" more times than I'd recommend.

On my last night there, the stars aligned and Sloan was in the mood for a bedtime story and some snuggles. She gave big hugs and kisses to last until next time, and said, "I love you, Grammy Jen." My eyes welled up, and I thought my heart might burst. Tiny moments like this will stay with me forever. I want to collect them all.

• A former Tesla president told "The Knowledge Project" how Elon Musk drove the carmaker's success.
• Jon McNeill said Musk wanted everything done as quickly as possible.
• This also showed in Musk's communication style, preferring 3-sentence emails.

Elon Musk's need for speed was key to Tesla's push toward the mass market, and what sets him apart from other CEOs, one of the company's former presidents said.

"The thing with Elon that separates him from other people is that a lot of people would be like, 'Oh, we'll do that next week.' No. It's like the timing is as fast as you can," Jon McNeill told "The Knowledge Project" podcast in Monday's episode.

"He believes that speed of all types — speed of decision-making, speed of cash through the business, speed of response time — creates competitive advantage, because your competitors are probably moving slower," he added.

McNeill was Tesla's president of global sales, marketing, policy, and services from 2015 to 2018, before leaving to join rideshare platform Lyft as COO.

He joined when the company was unprofitable, expanding its stores and charging network while preparing to launch the Model 3 — the more affordable EV that proved pivotal to Tesla's success.

Musk's fixation on speed also showed through in his communication style.

"It has to be concise," McNeill said.

The former Tesla exec recounted how Musk once came up with the idea of running the EV maker on three-sentence emails.

For example, outline the problem in your first sentence, then suggest a solution, and then outline the next steps, such as requesting resources.

"It was really the key to communicating with him," McNeill said, adding that it showed he'd really thought about the solution and next steps before asking Musk.

A second key was to give Musk bad news as quickly as possible so it could be addressed before it worsened.

"He said this to everybody, because bad news only gets worse with time," McNeill said. "The way that you could get on his bad side was saving bad news."

• CoreWeave is igniting a fresh rally in the AI trade on Wednesday.
• The stock is rallying after solid Q3 earnings, boosting fellow neoclouds.
• Data center operators have been among the most heavily beaten-down parts of the AI trade lately.

CoreWeave is trying to mount a comeback after weeks of stock losses driven by concerns about its debt and a broader panic in the AI trade.

Shares surged on Wednesday after the company reported earnings, lifting fellow neoclouds and the tech sector. Investors were piling back in after Tuesday's sell-off sparked by a hot October inflation report.

The stock was 26% around midday.

Other big moves among neoclouds on Wednesday include:

• Nebius Group: +18%
• Applied Digital: +7%
• IREN Limited: +9%

The broader market rallied as tech mounted a comeback.

Here's where major indexes stood around noon ET:

• S&P 500: 7,626.95, up 1.4%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 52,337.98, up 0.2% (+106 points)
• Nasdaq 100: 28,515.51, up 2.79%

CoreWeave's revenue for the third quarter came in above Wall Street's estimates, at $3.66 billion compared to $3.55 billion expected, marking a 168% surge from the previous year. It also raised its guidance for the fiscal year to a range of $13 billion to $13.3 billion, up from $12 billion to $13 billion, signaling continued demand for compute at a time when investors have been fretting over a slowdown in the AI boom.

The spike on Wednesday is a stark departure from weeks of volatility that hammered CoreWeave's stock since October. A panic about its bonds, which saw yields spike and prices drop into distressed territory, drove the stock down 20% in a week.

In its latest earnings report, CEO Michael Intrator said that the company's cost of debt came down in the quarter.

"At the end of Q3, our weighted average cost of debt across our entire business was 7.9%, down 250 basis points year over year. Looking ahead, we will not use the unsecured debt market to fund our business at current yields. Nor do we need to."

In a post on X, Eric Jackson, founder of EMJ Capital, flagged a bullish detail from the report related to CoreWeave's sprawling GPU network.

"Management laid out a potential second economic life for its GPU fleet. 130,000 GPUs coming off contract in 2027," he wrote. "Another 170,000 in 2028. And potentially ~$10 billion in annualized revenue from recontracting that capacity at today's prices."

That could address a key concern for investors, who have worried that GPU depreciation could be a major headwind for CoreWeave and other AI infrastructure firms. Vinny Daniel, cofounder of Seawolf Capital and an investor made famous by "The Big Short," recently said this issue is a key reason behind his short bet against CoreWeave.

Despite the rally on Wednesday, there remains some lingering uncertainty around the trajectory for CoreWeave and the neoclouds. One major headwind on the horizon could be the elections, with the blue wave hinting at a slowdown in infrastructure development next year when Democrats take power in Congress next year.

Some have also raised concerns about heightened competition from the hyperscalers, which are building their own infrastructure and chips to use themselves and offer to AI customers.

"Our experts suggest that declining inference costs could drive even greater demand for computing capacity," noted Garrett Waters, an analyst at market research firm Third Bridge. "That doesn't necessarily mean CoreWeave will capture all of that growth, particularly as hyperscalers continue building out their own infrastructure and deploying custom AI accelerators in-house.

• Jensen Huang's affair with a suspected Chinese spy has roiled Nvidia's stock in recent days.
• Baird issued a rare downgrade for Nvidia on Wednesday, citing Huang as a key factor.
• Morgan Stanley removed Nvidia from its list of top stock picks, though its analysts remain bullish.

Jensen Huang's affair has roiled Nvidia stock in recent days, and some analysts on Wall Street are starting to recalibrate their views in light of the scandal.

Nvidia shares rallied on Wednesday after two days of losses stemming from news of Huang's relationship with a Chinese national suspected of being a spy.

Analysts at Baird published a note issuing a rare downgrade, citing Huang's affair as a reason to doubt the outlook for the company and the stock.

The firm downgraded Nvidia to Neutral from Buy, highlighting the controversy surrounding Huang's relationship with Alice Huang, an executive who has been employed by Singaporean data center firm Megaspeed.

"Downgrading to Neutral until uncertainties regarding U.S. government action likely resulting from the upcoming congressional hearing are lifted, U.S. government investigations reach their conclusions, revenue impact from risk channel near-term adjustments along with potential charges is quantified, and uncertainties around CEO tenure clear," Baird's Tristan Gerra wrote.

The analyst slashed his price target for the stock from $500 to $200. Nvidia shares were trading as high as $176.27 on Wednesday.

In Baird's view, the US government could respond by tightening export controls on advanced AI chips due to concerns about the "Southeast Asia data center loophole," the idea that tech companies in China are able to access restricted Nvidia GPUs through business with companies in places like Singapore and Malaysia.

"We believe low-level shipping is taking place into Asia-based warehouses with some inventories awaiting China demand," stated Gerra. "We estimate this could translate into a $5B write down."

Baird isn't the only firm that's scaled back its rosy view of Nvidia in response to the scandal now surrounding its CEO. Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore removed the chipmaker from the bank's list of top stock picks, though he maintained an Overweight rating and a bullish $300 price target.

Moore said that Nvidia stock has fallen 25% since its addition to the list on October 2, though his team still sees the AI buildout as strong and durable.

"We do acknowledge that the near term uncertainty will remain, as CEO Jensen Huang's leadership is crucial to the company's strategic direction in our view," he said.

Even one of Wall Street's biggest bulls has acknowledged that the Huang controversy stands to negatively impact Nvidia stock if the situation deteriorates. Dan Ives of Yorkville Ives, a tech and AI mega-bull, said on Tuesday that Huang's departure from Nvidia would result in a 30% reduction in the company's value.

"Jensen is the core DNA of Nvidia and its AI success and ambitions are heavily tied to him staying on as CEO. Jensen is not replaceable," Ives said. "There is no other person on the management team bench that can step in seamlessly as CEO."

• Alex Karp told Politico that Palantir's products are "essentially progressive."
• "I've been a Democrat my whole life," the Palantir CEO said one week after the midterm elections.
• Palantir has been criticized for its business with ICE.

After the "blunami," Alex Karp is talking up his ties to the Democrats.

The Palantir CEO once described wokeness as a "thin pagan religion" and called Democrats irresponsible and childish. Meanwhile, he praised President Donald Trump as a model for entrepreneurs.

In a Wednesday interview with Politico — Business Insider's sister company — Karp reaffirmed his left-leaning politics.

"I've been a Democrat my whole life," Karp told Politico. "I know more about being a progressive than almost anybody on the planet, and I absolutely believe Palantir — all of our products are essentially progressive."

Karp has long called himself an "unhappy Democrat," criticizing both what he calls the "Mamdani wing" and the "woke right."

Karp continued to criticize the Democratic Socialists of America in the interview. He said that they "gaslight Jews and segregate Blacks."

The declaration may surprise onlookers who know Palantir for its immigration enforcement platform, the so-called "ImmigrationOS." The company has long been criticized for its business with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Palantir's work with ICE has sparked protests and sowed internal division.

In the Politico interview, Karp said that Trump mishandled his immigration crackdown. "I was really happy to hear the president be honest that — you know, his words, I believe, were something like, 'Yeah, we kinda went too far,'" he said.

The Palantir CEO tied it back to economic justice — and the future of capitalism.

Democrats aren't beholden to the belief that capitalism will solve all problems, Karp said. "Maybe that was once true. I never thought it was true. It's definitely not true now."

• West Point is the longest continuously garrisoned military installation in the United States.
• It also houses the highly selective United States Military Academy at West Point.
• Public tours include the Cadet Chapel, Trophy Point, and views of the campus and academic buildings.

I knew I was in the right place when I saw the tank outside the parking lot.

Established by George Washington in 1778, West Point is the longest continuously garrisoned military installation in the United States. It is also home to the United States Military Academy at West Point, an elite, highly selective institution that trains future military leaders.

West Point's storied history remains especially resonant following America's 250th anniversary celebration in July 2026. Amanda Bundt, tour manager at West Point Tours, told Business Insider that West Point "is one of the reasons we are a country."

"We were here for all four years of the Revolutionary War fighting for our independence, so we have great honor in that aspect," Bundt said.

West Point is an active military post and college, but some parts of the campus are open to the public through guided tours.

I visited West Point in April to learn more about its Revolutionary War history and its modern curriculum that equips soldiers for war. Take a look.

West Point, located about 50 miles north of New York City, played a key role in keeping the British at bay during the Revolutionary War.

West Point overlooks the Hudson River, which was the fastest and most reliable means of transporting troops, weapons, food, and other crucial supplies during the war. George Washington knew that controlling the river was key to America's survival in the fight against the British. He established his headquarters there, calling West Point "the most important Post in America."

In 1802, Congress authorized the establishment of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Sylvanus Thayer, known as the "Father of the Military Academy," became the school's superintendent in 1817 and established a strict code of conduct, rigorous fitness standards, and a standardized curriculum.

Famous graduates include Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Chief of Staff of the US Army Douglas MacArthur, and former CIA directors David Petraeus and Mike Pompeo.

Tours of the military academy begin at the Frederic V. Malek West Point Visitors Center.

I bought a $22 ticket for the West Point Story tour, which lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes.

While waiting for the tour to begin, I walked through the West Point Experience exhibit that shows what it's like to be a cadet.

The exhibit featured a model of a room in the West Point barracks, as well as details about West Point's history, values, 47-month course of study, and graduation requirements.

To enroll in West Point, cadets must be between the ages of 17 and 23, be unmarried with no legal dependents, pass academic, physical, and medical examinations, and be nominated for admission by a member of Congress or the president or vice president of the United States. The acceptance rate is around 10%. Once admitted, tuition is free.

Graduates are required to serve in the Army for five years of active service and three years in the reserves.

When the tour bus pulled up into the parking lot, a staff member checked our tickets and IDs.

Since West Point is an active military post, everyone who takes a tour must present a government-issued photo ID to undergo a background check.

Our tour guide told us to keep our phones and cameras out of sight until we passed through the security checkpoint.

He also gave a rundown of the rules. Photographing cadets? Permitted. Photographing security gates or military police? Not allowed.

Once we were through the gate, our guide pointed out some of the brick homes where West Point instructors live.

West Point has 500 instructors, 75% of whom are members of the garrison and are posted there. The other 25% are civilians.

With 4,400 cadets, the student-to-instructor ratio is six-to-one.

The bus took us past Michie Stadium, where West Point's football and lacrosse teams play.

The outdoor stadium holds 40,000 people.

The grounds of West Point were full of military statues and monuments, such as "The American Soldier" by Felix de Weldon.

The sculpture was a gift from the classes of 1935 and 1936, honoring enlisted combat soldiers.

Our first stop off the bus was the Cadet Chapel, a non-denominational Protestant worship space built in 1910.

The Gothic Revival chapel was designed by architect Bertram Goodhue and constructed from granite quarried locally.

The chapel was decorated with replicas of battle flags donated as class gifts.

The space can hold 1,500 people.

The Bibles and hymnals were lined up in the pews with military precision.

Our tour guide said we were allowed to look through the books as long as we put them back exactly where we found them.

"Indeed, there is somebody with a wooden board who measures the space between them and makes sure it's uniform," the West Point tour guide said.

The Cadet Chapel houses the world's largest pipe organ in a house of worship, with 23,511 pipes.

The pipes range from the size of one's index finger to "thunder pipes" measuring 30 inches in diameter.

A limestone carving of St. Michael, the patron saint of soldiers, was displayed behind the altar.

The carving was donated by the family of West Point alums and former President Ulysses S. Grant.

The Cadet Chapel's 178 stained-glass windows were designed by Willett Studios, a Philadelphia-based company that beat Tiffany & Co. for the contract.

The Sanctuary Window at the front of the chapel features West Point's motto: "Duty, Honor, Country."

A pew at the front of the chapel was reserved for West Point's superintendent.

Every superintendent's signature, dating back to the chapel's founding in 1910, appeared on silver nameplates on the pew.

The current superintendent, Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland, graduated from West Point in 1990 and is married to his West Point classmate, Betsy Gilland.

Outside the chapel, we took in stunning views of West Point's main post, which spans about 3,000 acres.

West Point also features a 13,000-acre military reservation with rugged terrain used for field training exercises, known as Camp Buckner.

Back on the bus, our tour guide pointed out the West Point Jewish Chapel completed in 1984.

West Point has six chapels and one interfaith religious center.

As we disembarked from the bus at our next stop, Trophy Point, we got one of our first looks at some West Point cadets on their way to class.

The grey-and-black uniform is the cadets' standard weekday uniform, known as "As For Class." The camouflage uniform worn for field exercises is called the Army Combat Uniform (ACU).

Looking out at the Hudson River, our tour guide explained how West Point was located in a crucial strategic position during the Revolutionary War.

West Point is situated above an "S"-shaped turn in the river, overlooking the narrowest part of the channel where the current is at its swiftest. In other words, it's where British ships would be at their most vulnerable.

"Washington knew if those ships were fighting the ebbing tide, the narrow channel, and the swift current, there would be no better place to shoot at them than from West Point," our tour guide said.

To further fortify the Hudson River, Washington ordered a giant chain strung from one end of its shore to the other as a deterrent.

The chain stretched 1,700 feet, weighed 65 tons, and took 270 men to anchor it in place. It successfully deterred the British from attacking West Point.

Instead, the British attempted to take West Point by other means, conspiring with the infamous traitor Benedict Arnold, who was placed in command there in 1780. When Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British was exposed, he evaded capture and defected to the British army.

While learning about West Point's Revolutionary War history, two helicopters roared past in a reminder of its contemporary military significance.

The West Point tour guide guessed that the helicopters may have been used for air assault training, in which soldiers rappel from a helicopter while it hovers 50 feet off the ground.

Further along at Trophy Point, our guide pointed out the Trophy Point Amphitheater, where graduating classes receive their class rings.

The tradition of West Point class rings dates back to 1835.

Each year, gold from rings donated by past West Point graduates is melted down and incorporated into the outgoing class's rings.

Sedgwick Monument holds special significance to West Point Cadets.

This statue of Major General John Sedgwick, nicknamed "Lucky John," is said to bring good fortune to cadets who sneak out after curfew in their dress uniforms to spin the spurs on his boots the night before exams.

Across the parade ground, we could see the Jefferson Library, completed in 2008.

The library is named for President Thomas Jefferson, who was president when the United States Military Academy at West Point was founded in 1802.

Washington Hall houses West Point's mess hall, which feeds all 4,400 cadets in under 25 minutes.

In West Point's dining hall, a team of over 200 cooks serves more than 13,000 meals per day.

Mealtimes at West Point feature unique etiquette rules. Cadets line up in formation before the meal and march into the hall. Plebes, or freshmen, are in charge of setting the table and pouring water for the upperclassmen.

On the other side of the parade ground, the superintendent lives at Quarters 100, a home built in 1820.

The historic home spans 16,600 square feet.

Trophy Point also featured a putting green.

West Point features an 18-hole golf course open to the public.

On the bus back to the Visitors Center, we passed Lincoln Hall, which houses classrooms.

Lincoln Hall currently houses the English and Philosophy and Social Sciences departments, the Combating Terrorism Center, and the Office for Economic and Manpower Analysis, but is undergoing renovations.

Cullum Hall is an alum building with a grand ballroom.

Cullum Hall was designed by architect Stanford White, who designed the Washington Square Arch in New York City, in 1898.

West Point Club, another event venue, featured a semicircular wall of windows overlooking the Hudson River.

Members of the public can also book events at the West Point Club.

When it was built in 1911, Thayer Hall was the world's largest indoor riding arena.

"In 1959, they repurposed it as a classroom building and an office building, but the cadets say on a hot day, they can still smell the horses," our tour guide said.

We caught a brief glimpse of the new Cyber and Engineering Academic Center that is under construction before returning to the Visitors Center.

The building will house the departments of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Systems Engineering.

"Cyber warfare is the latest thing in national defense, so West Point's getting ready," our guide said.

After the tour ended, I stopped at the West Point Museum, where I saw artifacts like President Dwight D. Eisenhower's military uniform.

Eisenhower graduated from West Point in 1915.

The West Point tour offered a combination of US history and contemporary Army education, providing a fascinating look into the past, present, and future of America's military.

Evidence of West Point's distinguished history and unbroken lineage, known as "The Long Gray Line," was visible at every turn.

While admiring a view of the Hudson River and the surrounding mountains, my gaze was drawn up to a particularly striking tree along the sidewalk. Above its enormous trunk, its knarled branches had begun to flower with spring blooms. Then I noticed the plaque. It was a gift from the class of 1888.

• Google has been testing what it calls a "fast" Gemini 4 Flash model internally, named Hydrogen.
• The company just launched Carbon, which it says is its most capable model yet.
• Google offers other Flash models for free in its Gemini app.

Google's Gemini 4 era is fully in its element.

Following the release of its Gemini 4 Argon and Carbon models, Google has been internally testing a new model that is designed for speed and efficiency. The new model is known internally as Hydrogen, according to an internal message seen by Business Insider.

In a message to staff this week, a Google engineer described Hydrogen as "very capable, fast and efficient." Staff were given access to Hydrogen in Google's internal development platform, known as Jetski, which often pre-empts a public launch.

An employee who has used Hydrogen described it to Business Insider as akin to Google's previous Flash models, which are positioned as workhorse models designed to be faster and more cost-effective than models like Argon. As the lightest element in the periodic table, Hydrogen would be a fitting name.

After Google delayed and then ultimately canceled the release of Gemini 3.5 Pro earlier this year, many considered the company to have fallen behind in the race for the most advanced AI models, known as the frontier.

Google has since roared back to life with the launch of its Gemini 4 family. On Tuesday, it announced the rollout of its latest frontier model, Gemini 4 Carbon, which it says is strongest for cybersecurity and long-horizon tasks that require multiple steps. However, both Carbon and Argon are currently limited to paying users.

It's not immediately clear whether Hydrogen, if released, would be a paid or free offering. Google offers other Flash models for free in its Gemini app.

It also comes as competition between the top AI companies continues heating up. On Monday, Anthropic announced new models in its Fable and Mythos lines that it said were more capable at finding cybersecurity flaws and designing physical hardware.

Google declined to comment on the record.

Have something to share? Contact this reporter via email at hlangley@businessinsider.com or Signal at hughlangley.01. Use a personal email address and a non-work device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Early Black Friday bedding sales are officially live, with verified discounts hitting up to 50% off at top sleep brands like Brooklinen, The Company Store, and Coop. Instead of waiting until the post-Thanksgiving rush, you can already grab our top-tested sleep staples at rare holiday lows — including 20% off sitewide at Brooklinen and my favorite Bedsure duvet insert dipping under $30.

Over the past year, our team has slept on, washed, and stress-tested dozens of sheets, pillows, and comforters to separate luxury hype from what actually improves your sleep. We track real-time price histories only for our highest-rated picks to filter out inflated and fake holiday discounts.

Below are the best early Black Friday bedding deals, sorted by category so you can skip the filler and upgrade your bed for less.

The best Black Friday deals on comforters, quilts, and duvet covers

Early Black Friday comforter deals are already hitting the lowest prices of the year, led by 43% off the Bedsure Down Alternative comforter — a budget staple I personally keep on every bed in my house. Whether you need a plush, heavyweight comforter for winter or a breathable quilt to prevent night sweats, you can score verified discounts on our top-tested picks right now.

The best Black Friday deals on sheets

Switching out your sheets is the fastest way to adapt your bed for colder weather — or refresh a tired bedroom without replacing your whole setup. If you run cold, flannel gives you instant warmth without needing to pile on heavy blankets, while hot sleepers will still want breathable cotton, smooth sateen, or cooling weaves. Right now, our top-tested pick for the season is heavily marked down: The Company Store's Classic Ultra-Cozy Cotton Velvet Flannel Sheet Set is 40% off, dropping a queen set to $119.

The best Black Friday deals on pillows

Our overall top-tested pillow — the Coop Original Adjustable — is currently 25% off, making this a smart time to upgrade of you're waking up with a stiff neck. Because you can add and remove its shredded memory foam fill, it adapts easily to your exact loft and support needs whether you sleep on your side, back, or stomach. Beyond standard bed pillows, we also found standout ealry discounts across specialty designs, including a cooling pillow for hot sleepers and full-body support like the plush Buffy Wiggle Pillow, now 25% off.

The best Black Friday deals on other bedding accessories and sleep tech

Beyond comforters, sheets, and pillows, there are accessories that can help you drift off to sleep faster and sleep better so you wake feeling fully rested. We're tracking early deals on throw blankets, electric blankets, and more.

Black Friday bedding deals FAQs

Is Black Friday a good time to buy new bedding?

Yes. Black Friday is one of the best times of year to refresh your bedding. Retailers typically offer their deepest discounts on comforters, pillows, sheets, and more. This year's early Black Friday sales are already showing especially good discounts.

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We've tested pillows, sheets, and comforters from dozens of bedding brands, and a few brands consistently deliver in terms of quality and value for their price point. Some of our favorites are already on sale ahead of Black Friday, including the Coop Sleep Goods Original Pillow (25% off), the Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Sheet Set (20% off), and the Bedsure Down Alternative Comforter (43% off).

Shopping for more discounts today? Check out our deals homepage for more savings across tech, home, kitchen, style, streaming, pets, and more.

• My partner and I have spent the past decade living between a sailboat and a campervan.
• People ask us a lot of questions about our nomadic lifestyle. No, we don't get sick of each other.
• I shower every day, either at my gym or with a portable unit. And I do often miss living in a house.

My partner and I have lived on sailboats and in vehicles for 10 years, an idea that's unfathomable to many people.

They worry about things like getting along with their partner in such a small space, where to go to the bathroom, and the complexity of a life without structure or plans. And I get it.

While there are more stories in the media of people choosing an untraditional path over a 9-to-5 and a mortgage, people like us are still the minority.

Our first foray into vehicle living was a Toyota Prius in 2015 to avoid steep rent in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we now split our time between a Sprinter campervan in the US during the summer months and a sailboat in Mexico all winter.

Here are the most common questions we get about our lifestyle, answered.

How do you shower?

One misconception about van lifers is that we're dirty and don't shower often. Maybe that's true of some of us, but not me.

I take a shower every day, either by heating water on my camp stove and pouring it into a solar shower (a portable system that heats water with sunlight) or by stopping at my gym, Planet Fitness.

Our van carries 27 gallons of water, so plenty for brief military-style showers, where you conserve water by keeping it off while you apply soap and shampoo.

If I absolutely can't have a shower for whatever reason, I will do a washcloth bath inside the van to get the dirt off before bed.

Our sailboat has an entire bathroom where we shower, typically using a solar shower that we hang up on a hook. We boil seawater and take saltwater showers, and my hair has never felt better!

Where do you go to the bathroom?

If I could get a penny for every time I've heard this question, I'd be rich. Strangers have even walked up to us in parking lots asking us about our bathroom situation, which is awkward to say the least.

Here's the truth: We don't have a bathroom in our campervan. It grosses me out too much to do No. 2 right by where I sleep and cook.

We use public bathrooms or dig a hole following Leave No Trace Principles, and we use a "pee jug" for overnights.

We do have a toilet on our sailboat, but that comes with its own headache, like pumping out at a marina or legally discharging at least 3 miles offshore.

There's no "flush it and forget it" system like you have in a house.

Don't you get sick of each other?

Many couples have sworn to me that they would kill each other if they lived in such a small space. However, my partner and I have a rhythm that ensures we don't get sick of each other.

He knows not to talk to me in the morning when I'm drinking coffee and reading the paper. We both like to do our own thing on our computers, or when our sailboat is at the boatyard, he'll work on the boat all day while I work on my online business.

We also do our own activities. For example, he loves surfing and windsurfing and will leave me alone in the van for hours. I'll take girls' trips and treat myself to a hotel stay away, or go on bike rides with my friends.

Like any couple, we have disagreements, but for the most part we get along very well.

What do you miss most about living in a house?

Since I've been living this life for 10 years, I'm starting to miss certain things about a house.

I especially miss taking hot baths and having a washer and dryer, a large kitchen for cooking, space to spread out, and a place to entertain my relatives and friends.

For now, I try to incorporate versions of these desires into my current lifestyle, like frequently visiting hot springs for a steamy soak. I also work on accruing credit card points so I can stay in nice hotels when we go on a trip.

How do you sail at night? Do you anchor in the ocean?

Part of our lifestyle involves living on a sailboat and making overnight passages, during which the sailboat sails at around 6 to 8 miles per hour all night.

Our last passage was six days straight down the Baja Peninsula. Another passage we plan to take in the future will be about 20 to 25 days straight from Mexico to French Polynesia.

I've had people ask whether we can anchor at night, and the answer is typically no. We sail far offshore where water depths are hundreds or thousands of feet.

Instead of anchoring, we take turns on watch, which means we keep track of our course, any ships or obstacles out on the sea, and our sail trim. Each person will take a four- to six-hour shift while the other rests or sleeps.

How long are you going to do this?

This is the question I get the most often from both strangers and family. The answer I always give is this: for as long as I'm having fun.

After 10 years, though, I'm starting to miss having a home base, so my dream is to have a house or cabin somewhere that I can visit a few months a year between van and sailboat adventures.

Another idea is to rent apartments in various places around the world, such as Hawaii. This way, I have some of the luxuries and amenities of a normal housing situation while still having the freedom of nomadic living.

Even though I sometimes crave a hot bath, I am really thankful that I can choose the way I live. I can do my online business anywhere, whether I'm in a boatyard in Mexico, camping in the mountains, or renting an Airbnb in a foreign town.

It took a lot of sacrifice, grit, and effort, but the freedom I enjoy now makes it all worth it.

• Over the weekend, actor Amanda Seyfried shared something I wrote on her Instagram Stories.
• It was about normalizing divorce, which is something I've been working on for years.
• As a parent, I want my kids to know that adults can change their mind and their lives, and that's OK.

Whenever divorce comes up in conversation, everybody seems to raise their eyebrows. People want to know what happened, who did what, and whose fault it was. We treat a marriage ending like a mystery to solve. Interestingly enough, this does not happen just for celebrities; ordinary people get the side-eye, too.

On Sunday, actor Amanda Seyfried shared something that I wrote last year on her Instagram Stories. I was thrilled she shared my work, of course. But it was the words she chose to share that caught people's attention, and one word in particular: boring.

I'd written those words while reflecting on my own divorce and my family's history. My parents are divorced. Both sets of my grandparents were divorced. I grew up in a family where divorce was absolutely normal, yet society still treated it like a scandal or a failure. I think it's high time we reframe divorce as just another life transition.

As I wrote in the post she shared, "The most radical thing we can do is make divorce boring. Make it normal. Make it accessible."

Seyfried then shared a photograph of herself embracing Thomas Sadoski, the father of her children, from whom she announced her separation in September. She tagged him, too.

By Monday morning, my words were appearing across celebrity news outlets. Seyfried was making headlines for normalizing divorce, something I've championed for five years through Fresh Starts Registry, which I co-founded with my sister.

Yet amid the excitement, I kept thinking about the two people I most want to understand why this matters: my sons.

Divorce allowed a different kind of childhood

When my divorce was finalized in 2020, my boys were 4 and 7. I worried that the end of my marriage would become the defining tragedy of their childhood. Despite growing up around divorce, I'd still absorbed the cultural message that a family became "broken" when a marriage ended.

My sons are now 10 and 13. We live upstairs in my childhood home, with my mother and stepfather downstairs. Their days are filled with homework, snacks, school pickups, activities, and endless negotiations about whose turn it is to watch a movie with Mom. Their grandparents are part of that rhythm. Their lives are steady and complete.

I want my sons to recognize this as a whole family, not as a consolation prize for the one we supposedly lost.

I tried to send a realistic message about divorce

That doesn't mean pretending divorce was easy. Children can miss things, wish things were different, or have complicated feelings about the decisions adults make. My boys don't have to celebrate my divorce to love their family exactly as it is.

I want them to understand that adults can change their minds and their lives. Sometimes putting yourself first is a radical decision. They know me as their mother, but also as someone who writes, runs a business, and makes art at night while they hang out nearby. Marriage isn't the only measure of a successful adulthood, and staying married certainly isn't the only way to be a good parent.

Energy changes form, and so does life

The question I hear most often from parents in my divorce work is whether ending a marriage means harming their children or blowing up their family. I completely understand that fear. A family changing shape can be scary, even when the change is necessary.

I explain it to my boys using a scientific principle: energy doesn't disappear, it changes form. I think of divorce like an atom splitting. The structure changes, sometimes dramatically, but the people in that family don't vanish. The love and support my children receive haven't disappeared since our household changed.

Two people can live under different roofs and still be a family. Two people can share a roof and still live in an emotionally unhealthy home. Children need care and stability through difficult transitions. But why declare a family damaged based on marital status, or how many roofs it lives under?

Making divorce boring doesn't erase its pain. It means the end of a marriage doesn't have to become a scandal, a moral verdict, or a burden our children carry for life.

People grow and change throughout their lives. Sometimes we grow together, and sometimes we grow in different directions. I want my sons to understand that choosing a different future doesn't mean the past was a mistake, and that changing a relationship doesn't have to mean erasing everything that came before it.

Most of all, I want them to grow up knowing that their family isn't defined by whether their parents are married or live under the same roof. It's defined by the people who love them, care for them, and continue to show up for them.

My marriage may have ended, but the family we created didn't disappear. It evolved, and I hope my children grow up knowing that they're allowed to evolve, too.