• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax was temporarily blocked by a judge on Monday.
• The ruling comes after New York homeowners sued the city.
• The tax is intended to apply to non-primary homes worth at least $5 million.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax was temporarily blocked by a state judge on Monday after homeowners sued the city last week.

The Staten Island judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the city from proceeding with enforcing the tax, which is intended to be levied on non-primary homes worth at least $5 million.

The ruling came after New York homeowners sued over the rollout of the tax, which included the publishing of a property roll that the lawsuit said "caused mass confusion" and "facilitated, invited, and amplified unwanted scrutiny of homeowners' personal information."

The judge ruled that the city must take down the list of over 900,000 homeowners, including names, addresses, and property values, and could not enforce any deadlines laid out in the notices mailed to homeowners while the order is in effect.

The next hearing in the case was set for August 31.

"We are very gratified by the judge's decision, which has vindicated the rights of hundreds of thousands of New York City homeowners who were subjected to a process they never should have been a part of in the first place," Randy Mastro, lawyer representing the homeowners, said in a statement provided to Business Insider.

Matt Rauschenbach, a spokesperson for Mamdani, said in a statement to Business Insider that the city would appeal the ruling.

"We disagree with today's ruling, but we are confident in both the pied-à-terre surcharge and the City's ability to implement it fairly and effectively," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Mamdani criticized Mastro, who served as first deputy mayor under his predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams, for filing several lawsuits against the city.

"You know, there are few things more certain in New York City than death, taxes and Randy Mastro filing a lawsuit against this administration," Mamdani said at a press conference. "So we look forward to vigorously defend our city's position in court as we have done so with the previous lawsuits that he has filed and I'm sure with the lawsuits that he will continue to file in the months and years to come."

A mattress protector is a non-negotiable, a safeguard against liquid damage, sweat, allergens, and pet accidents while keeping your mattress warranty intact. The best mattress protectors provide a completely waterproof barrier that stays quiet, cool, and undetectable beneath your sheets.

To find covers that offer complete protection without sacrificing sleep quality, we tested 27 mattress protectors and encasements. Each model underwent rigorous testing: we poured 8 ounces of blue-dyed water onto each protector, let it sit for 2 hours, then checked whether any liquid passed through, both before and after 5 full wash cycles. We also measured thermal retention with laser thermometers and evaluated noise level, fabric breathability, and pocket depth.

Learn more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.

Our top picks for the best mattress protectors

Best overall mattress protector: Coop Sleep Goods Ultra Tech Mattress Protector - See at Coop Sleep Goods

Best budget mattress protector: SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector - See at Amazon

Best cooling mattress protector: Helix Mattress Protector - See at Helix

Best organic mattress protector: Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector - See at Avocado

Best deep-pocket mattress protector: Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector - See at Amazon

Best waterproof mattress protector: Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector - See at Amazon

Best mattress encasement: Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement - See at Amazon

Best overall

Unmatched waterproofing at an accessible price point. At under $60 for a queen, the Coop Sleep Goods Ultra Tech is our top pick because it combines impressive waterproofing with barely-there comfort. The Coop passed our leakage tests with flying colors. There was absolutely no blue dye or water on the paper towel under the protector. Rather than letting liquid pool and run off the edges, its bamboo-blend fabric absorbed the spill.

Silent, breathable feel with top-only barrier coverage. The bamboo-blend top surface is virtually undetectable beneath standard fitted sheets, eliminating the plastic crinkling noises and heat retention typical of cheaper polyurethane covers. It clings to mattresses up to 18 inches like a fitted sheet and doesn't shift at night. I barely noticed that the protector was there during testing. However, keep in mind that waterproofing is strictly limited to the top sleeping surface; the side skirts are made of breathable stretch fabric and will not block lateral spills.

Generous trial and warranty — if you follow care rules. Coop backs the protector with a 100-night trial and a one-year warranty. Note that warranty coverage is strictly contingent on following the care tag: wash on a cold cycle, tumble dry on low heat, and ensure the polyurethane backing faces inward during drying to avoid damaging the membrane and voiding your warranty.

Best budget

Our top budget performer. Of the five mattress protectors we tested that cost less than $50, the SafeRest Premium Mattress Protector was the best at remaining leak-free while also staying cool and regulating temperature.

Snug 18-inch fit with top-only barrier coverage. The SafeRest protector fits mattresses up to 18 inches thick and provides good, secure coverage all the way to the edges, even after five cycles in the washer and dryer. As with many protectors, the waterproof part that rests on top of your mattress is made of a different material than the skirt around the sides, which will not block spills.

Noticeable noise and texture, but reliable accident protection. The main trade-off for its low price is tactile comfort. Its cotton-terry surface creates friction against fitted sheets, preventing them from gliding smoothly, and generates audible crackling noises when you shift positions. While coarser and louder than higher-cost options, the noise level is manageable and won't disrupt sleep, making it a dependable, cost-effective safeguard to keep on your bed in case of an accident.

Best cooling

Unmatched thermal dissipation for hot sleepers. The Helix Mattress Protector is the best cooling mattress protector because it excels at staying cool and dissipating heat quickly. For instance, within two minutes of getting up from the bed, the surface temperature dropped by more than 14 degrees, as measured with our laser thermometer.

Zero leakage or shrinkage through five wash cycles. Helix allowed zero moisture through its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) membrane under an 8-ounce load. The protector also showed no shrinkage after the washings, which is essential since the waterproof TPU backing is only on the part that covers the mattress top, not the skirting. 

Near-silent profile and plush feel. With its soft knit surface, the protector was comfortable to sleep on, quiet, and virtually undetectable. I didn't notice any crackling or rustling as I shifted in the night. Also, I tend to overheat at night, but didn't experience any issues. I

Best organic

Rigorously certified organic construction that's also leak-free. The Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector is the best organic mattress protector, pairing non-toxic materials with an uncompromising defense from spills. Not only did it pass our leakage tests, but it carries an exhaustive list of independent third-party certifications, including GOTS-organic certification, Made Safe-certified to be free of toxins, GREENGUARD Gold-certified for low emissions, PETA-approved vegan, and formaldehyde-free, verified by UL.

Flawless lab leak performance and versatile pocket depth. Beneath the organic cotton top layer is a thin polyurethane backing that defends against liquids, dust mites, and bacteria. In my leakage tests, not a drop of water penetrated the protective materials during the two-hour period. And, after five trips through the washer and dryer, the protection was just as strong as ever. I think the Avocado protector fit

the test mattresses better after washing than before. The standard sizing fits mattresses up to 16 inches, while the deep-pocket version accommodates mattresses up to 22 inches thick.

It sleeps warmer and crinkles under the sheets. The dense organic cotton construction retains more body heat than specialty cooling covers, as confirmed by elevated thermometer readings during overnight testing. However, the heat dissipated quickly when I got up. While the waterproof membrane creates a soft crinkling sound when you shift positions and is a little louder than other protectors, the acoustic profile is easily muffled beneath fitted sheets and won't disrupt sleep. Overall, my sleep quality on the Avocado Organic Waterproof Mattress Protector was excellent.

Best deep pocket

For extra-thick beds and toppers. The Lucid Terry Top Mattress Protector is our top deep-pocket pick because its elastic skirt stretches to accommodate thick mattresses with pillowtop designs and topper combinations ranging from 6 to 22 inches, the most generous allowance on our list.

Reliable lab leak defense backed by a 15-year warranty. Despite its budget-friendly $20 price tag, the Lucid passed our standardized fluid evaluation with zero leakage onto the paper towel beneath, maintaining full protection even after five machine wash-and-dry cycles. Rather than absorbing fluids into the terry weave, its polyurethane barrier causes liquid to pool on the surface for easy cleanup, and the cover is backed by an industry-leading 15-year warranty.

Noticeable noise and heat retention trade-offs. The primary compromises for its deep profile and low price are tactile comfort and thermal regulation. Its cotton-blend terry cloth surface creates friction against fitted sheets, generating noticeable crinkling sounds as you shift positions, while laser-thermometer testing confirmed that the dense backing tends to trap body heat compared to dedicated cooling models.

Read our full Lucid Mattress Protector review.

Best waterproof

Five-sided fluid containment with superior spill absorption. The Tuft & Needle Mattress Protector earns our top waterproofing spot because its TPU coating extends fluid defense beyond the top panel down over the sides of most standard mattress protectors. In our lab evaluation—pouring 8 ounces of blue-dyed liquid under a 2-pound weight for two hours—it allowed zero moisture through to the paper towel beneath. Instead of pooling atop the material, the polyester-polyamide fabric absorbs liquid on contact, keeping some of it from getting on your bedding, the floor, or elsewhere.

Quiet, comfortable feel, but runs a little hot. The soft surface provides cushioned comfort, generating virtually no rustling or crackling noises as I shifted positions. While it also meets Oeko-Tex Standard 100 credentials for chemical safety, laser-thermometer testing revealed that its dense weave tends to trap body heat and run warmer than dedicated cooling covers, making it better suited for average sleepers than those prone to night sweats.

A secure fit tailored for standard-depth mattresses. The protector is designed for mattresses up to 14 inches thick, and stretched smoothly across standard bed profiles without bunching or creeping up at the corners. Of note, it also lacks any head/foot orientation tags to speed up bed-making, but the elastic skirt remains.

Best mattress encasement

Complete 360° fluid and bed bug isolation at an unbeatable price. At around $28, the Utopia Bedding Zippered Mattress Encasement provides full six-sided mattress protection, offering a budget-friendly shield against extermination costs that could exceed $1,500 in the event of a bed bug infestation. The encasement style passed leakage tests before and after washing, and most of the liquid pooled on the encasement surface. It was one of the quietest protectors and never got hot when I slept on it.

Full zip enclosure with a bug-proof Velcro guard seal. The most significant issue with any encasement is putting it on. Fortunately, the Utopia Bedding encasement has a wide zippered opening that makes it manageable to slide over your mattress while holding it upright. Crucially for bed bug containment, a heavy-duty Velcro flap secures directly over the zipper pull tab, sealing off micro-gaps and preventing bed bugs from sneaking through. Despite its complete enclosure, the thin polyester fabric remains surprisingly quiet and cool beneath fitted sheets, generating no crackling noises or heat retention overnight.

Keep in mind that encasements don't prevent bed bug infestations from starting, and warranty considerations. Lastly, no encasement protects you from getting bed bugs. Instead, it protects your mattress from harboring bed bugs that can destroy it over time. If a mattress is already riddled with bed bugs, an encasement can trap them. But you need to keep it on for at least 12 months to kill all the bugs, and you'll still need to treat your home. Also, Utopia does not offer a manufacturer's warranty, so following proper laundering steps (gentle wash, low heat) is critical to maintaining the barrier's integrity over time.

What else we tested

We tested 27 mattress protectors and encasements for this guide. Here are a few that missed the cut.

• Purple Waterproof Mattress Protector: Purple previously made our best mattress protector, but it was discontinued in favor of a new waterproof version available in standard and deep-pocket variations, emphasizing enhanced stretchiness to complement Purple's signature GelFlex Grid system. The new version passed our leakage tests, but the liquid spread throughout the entire protector — including the non-waterproof elastic edges.
• Nolah GlacioTex Cooling: This is an outstanding mattress protector. It just doesn't top any of our categories. It passed our leakage tests, stays cool, and produces minimal noise. The biggest negatives are that you have to pay for shipping if you return it, and the warranty is only one year. Still, it's worth considering if a top pick is out of stock.
• Bear GlacioTex: While it's virtually identical to the Nolah GlacioTex protector, this Bear protector is much pricier ($250 retail) and failed our leakage test after five washings. It stays cool and fits our test mattresses well, but at this price point, it needs to be waterproof.
• Coop Sleep Goods Ultra-Cool Waterproof: Coop's mattress protector is designed for hot sleepers, helping them stay cool throughout the night. We still recommend it, but keep in mind that liquid pools rather than being absorbed by this protector.
• Casper Waterproof: In general, I'm a fan of Casper products. Its Dream mattress is one of the coolest beds I've slept on. But, the company's mattress protectors get a hard pass from me. While the Casper Waterproof lives up to its name by passing our leakage tests, it was the hardest to put on because of its small elastic ring. I worked up a sweat each time I wrestled it on. Plus, it comes with a minimal one-year warranty. 
• Casper Breathable: This protector is water-resistant but not waterproof. Consequently, it failed the leakage tests before and after we washed it five times. It also appeared to shrink in the wash, so portions of the mattress weren't covered by the protector's top section. The Casper Breathable protector only has a one-year warranty. It was cooler and quieter than most other models, but at $159 for a queen, it needs to protect your mattress better.
• Linenspa Encasement: We hoped this would be a good alternative if the Utopia Bedding encasement isn't available, but we can't recommend it. It passed the leakage tests, protects against bed bugs, and has a 10-year warranty. However, it only fits mattresses up to 12 inches thick, makes loud rustling sounds when you move on it, and traps heat.

The best mattress protectors, compared

What to look for in a mattress protector

Choosing the right mattress protector comes down to balancing barrier protection with breathability, noise, and fit. When evaluating options, prioritize these core factors:

Level of coverage:

• Top-Only: Fits like a fitted sheet, with waterproofing strictly limited to the top sleeping panel. Ideal for standard everyday spill protection and budget buyers, though side skirts remain permeable to lateral spills.
• Five-Sided: Extends the waterproof membrane down over all four side skirts. Best for complete liquid containment, pet accidents, or edge-of-bed spills.
• Six-Sided Encasement: Fully encapsulates the top, bottom, and sides with a heavy-duty zipper and bug-proof Velcro flap. Required for 360° isolation against bed bugs, severe dust mite allergies, and deep core contamination. The trade-off is that they're a pain to put on and remove.

Waterproofing materials:

• Modern Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU): Flexible, quiet, breathable, and free of hazardous phthalates or vinyl odors. It creates a quiet liquid seal without feeling like a plastic tarp.
• Vinyl / PVC: Older, cheaper plastic membranes that run hot, off-gas chemical odors, and crack easily in the dryer. (Best avoided unless buying ultra-budget covers).

Comfort, noise, and breathability: The top fabric layer determines how the bed feels under your sheets. Bamboo-derived viscose, jersey knits, and cotton muffles membrane friction and promote airflow, whereas thick cotton terry cloth can feel coarse, crinkle during movement, and trap body heat.

Pocket depth & fit: Standard protectors fit mattresses up to 14 inches deep. If you own an extra-thick hybrid, a pillow-top mattress, or use a mattress topper, choose a deep-pocket model rated for 18 to 22 inches to prevent corner pop-offs and bunching overnight.

Trial and warranty: After two weeks of using a mattress protector, you should be able to tell whether it meets your needs. If it doesn't, you want to be able to return it for a full refund. Look for a long home trial (30 nights is the standard) and a reasonable warranty (one year is the bare minimum)

How we tested each mattress protector

I tested all of the mattress protectors in this guide. In addition to sleeping on each protector, each model undergoes many objective tests. The most important factors to consider when choosing a mattress protector are comfort, protection, and fit.

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Comfort: I slept on each mattress protector (with a fitted sheet in place) and rated how comfortable they felt on a scale of 1 to 5. Most protectors were barely noticeable, and none scored below a 3. I also used a laser thermometer to compare the temperatures before lying on the protector, after lying on it for at least an hour, and two minutes after getting up. This told me how well the protector dissipated heat. 

Protection: I placed a paper towel in a plastic tray and set it beneath the center of each mattress protector. Next, I poured eight ounces of blue water on each protector. Then, I placed a 2-pound weight on the liquid to simulate someone lying on it. I let the water sit for two hours before checking to see if it leaked through. Then I washed and dried each protector 5 times and repeated the test. Though I couldn't test for them, I also noted if the protectors are designed to protect against dust mites and bed bugs.

Fit: I put each protector on mattresses ranging in thickness from 10 to 15 inches and noted how difficult it was to put on, whether the protector bunched up, whether the protective top covered the whole mattress top, and whether it stayed put or crept up the corners throughout the night. Next, I washed and dried the protector five times and repeated the test. 

Noise: The polyurethane used in mattress protectors for waterproofing sometimes makes a crackling sound when you move at night. This sound can lead to restless sleep, so I compared all the protectors head-to-head to see how loud they were. I crinkled each one in my hands. As I did this, I arranged the protectors from quietest to most audible. I kept doing this until I was confident my order was accurate.

Trial and warranty: The most foolproof way to know if a mattress protector is comfortable for you is to sleep on it for an extended period, so a lengthy trial is a must. I looked at the length of the trial period (30 nights was the median of the protectors I tested) and whether there are hidden return fees. I also looked at the warranty length (5 years was the median of the models I tried).

Meet the experts behind the guide

James Brains, senior reporter: I have seven years of mattress evaluation experience, including testing mattress protectors. I built out the testing methodology and have personally tested over 20 mattress protectors, emphasizing waterproofing, breathability, and fit as the most important factors.

Kinsley Searles, associate editor: I've expanded on James methodology with new testing insights, examining not only how well a protector prevents leakage, but whether liquid pools or absorbs into the fabric.

Mattress protector FAQs

Why do you need a mattress protector, and will it protect your warranty?

While frequently associated with kids, everyone should have a mattress protector. Rebecca Robbins, PhD, associate scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, reinforced the need to protect the mattress from spills and accidents, bodily fluids such as sweat or menstrual blood, and allergens such as dust mites.

"A mattress protector can also help extend the general life of your mattress and reduce the overall wear and tear," said Robbins. "So it's always a good idea to make sure that when you're buying a new mattress, you're coupling it with a mattress protector."

Furthermore, almost all major mattress manufacturers will void your warranty if the mattress shows visible stains or liquid damage—even if the defect you are claiming (such as sagging springs) is unrelated to the spill.

How often (and how) should you wash a mattress protector?

If you have allergies, wash your protector every two to four weeks to reduce dust-mite buildup. If you're just protecting your mattress from spills, wash your protector every two to six months or immediately after a spill or accident. If you're using an encasement to keep bed bugs in, you'll need to keep it on your mattress for at least 12 months.

The less you wash your mattress protector, the longer it will last. Always follow the instructions on the care tag — incorrect washing can sometimes void the warranty. Never dry on high heat or use bleach, as extreme temperatures will melt or crack the waterproof polyurethane membrane and void the protector's warranty.

What is the difference between a mattress protector, encasement, pad, and topper?

• Mattress Protector: A thin, waterproof cover that fits over the bed like a fitted sheet to protect against spills and allergens without changing the mattress's feel.
• Mattress Encasement: A six-sided cover that zips around the entire mattress to provide 360° protection against liquids, allergens, and bed bug infestations.
• Mattress Pad: A thin, lightly quilted layer that adds minor cushioning and basic stain protection, but is likely not waterproof.
• Mattress Topper: A thick (2—4 inch) layer of foam, latex, or down designed specifically to alter the firmness and support of your bed.

Even more than a year after its release, the Samsung S90F OLED is still the best TV for most viewers. This 2025 model delivers an excellent balance between performance and value, with a vibrant, high-contrast picture that either matches or beats anything else in its price range.

Out-of-the-box color accuracy is fantastic, exceeding many direct rivals. While the S90F isn't the absolute brightest OLED on the market, it has more than enough luminance for a typical room and pixel-perfect black levels that look deep and inky in a dim home theater.

There is a new 2026 edition of this set, called the S90H, that's also worth considering, especially if reflections are a big concern in your room. But otherwise, the S90F delivers very similar performance for less money. Here's why this 2025 TV model is still the best Samsung TV on the market and one of our favorite displays, period.

The TV has a great design, but beware that not all sizes are created equal

The S90F is available in six screen sizes — 42, 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83 inches. However, only the 55-, 65-, and 77-inch versions use a QD-OLED panel. The others use a non-quantum dot OLED, so their color performance isn't quite as advanced. My sample was a 65-inch S90F, so my impressions also apply to the 55- and 77-inch sizes.

All sizes have an incredibly thin frame that looks sleek and stylish. The S90F's profile is notably slimmer than that of many competing Mini LED TV models, such as the TCL QM8L, because its OLED panel doesn't require space for a separate backlight. Its thickest point is only 1.6 inches, where its back panel protrudes to house the TV's electronics and connections.

The majority of the display's ports are either side- or downward-facing, allowing the TV to be mounted very close to the wall if desired. Although it requires no screws to assemble, the included pedestal stand feels stable and holds the S90F well. It measures 14.4 inches wide by 10.4 inches deep, so it still comfortably fits on a thinner credenza or table.

There are four HDMI inputs, all version 2.1, supporting up to 4K/144Hz signals. But to use full bandwidth capabilities, it's important to ensure Input Signal Plus is enabled in the TV's menu. The setting can be found by navigating to General & Privacy, then External Device Manager, then Input Signal Plus. You can turn this on for each HDMI input to enable the port to receive high-bandwidth signals. If it's set to off, the TV will not be able to display at 4K/120Hz (or 144Hz for PC gaming).

The S90F comes with Samsung's compact SolarCell remote with Alexa and Bixby voice control. There's an additional AI button at the top of the remote, but otherwise, its face is identical to that of previous models. The small size of the remote keeps all its functions easily within reach of your thumb, but the tiny buttons could be mildly frustrating to use if you have large hands.

The remote's rear has a solar panel for charging, so you don't need batteries, and it also has a USB-C port as a backup if you ever run out of juice from light sources.

The S90F's excellent color volume delivers vibrant images

As I mentioned above, I reviewed the 65-inch S90F, which uses a QD-OLED panel. One of the benefits of a QD-OLED screen over regular OLED (called WOLED) is color volume. WOLEDs rely on white light that passes through a color filter. But QD-OLEDs use blue light with red and green quantum dots. Without getting too into the weeds on technical details, this process enables a QD-OLED to produce greater color volume and brighter, purer saturation.

Using my X-rite i1 Pro 3 spectrophotometer, C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, Murideo Seven-G 8K pattern generator, and Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays, I measured the S90F's P3 color gamut coverage at 99.78% in Filmmaker Mode (the TV's most accurate setting). That's an exceptional number at the top end of what TVs can achieve. The P3 color gamut is what modern high dynamic range (HDR) movies and TV shows use, so the S90F is capable of displaying the full range of colors that Hollywood productions are graded for. On top of that, its color accuracy is excellent. All of this results in bright, realistic colors that look stunning on screen.

I watched several HDR videos to test the TV's real-world performance. The explosions in "Mad Max: Fury Road" burst in swirls of red, orange, and yellow. Skin tones looked natural and not overblown. The TV's accurate, vibrant hues accentuated the film's shifting color palette, starkly delineating the red-and-yellow daytime sequences from the rich blue scenes at night. The S90F allowed the film's stylistic look to shine through, creating a highly engaging cinematic experience.

However, like all Samsung TVs, the S90F doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR, opting instead for HDR10+, a competing, royalty-free HDR format originally developed by 20th Century Studios, Panasonic, and (surprise) Samsung. Both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ do the same thing — adjust the picture on a scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame basis to offer the most accurate HDR image your TV is capable of. But Dolby Vision content is more widespread, and it allows for more fine-tuning in post-production, which could lead to better performance. You can learn more about the pros and cons of different high dynamic range formats in our HDR guide. Ultimately, the benefits of Dolby Vision are too subtle to be considered a must-have, but this is one area where the S90F is a step behind OLEDs from LG and Sony.

When it comes to brightness, though, the S90F edges out other OLEDs in this price range, and it delivers a decent upgrade over the older S90D. The S90D offered around 1,240 nits of brightness on a standard 10% window. The S90F improves that number by a couple of hundred nits, with a max of around 1,457 nits on a 10% window. Smaller window sizes can hit an even higher peak of around 1,620 nits. This allows specular highlights (like explosions and light sources in movies and TV shows) to really pop. For example, a scene with stars against a black night sky sparkles with a wonderful intensity on the S90F.

The S90F's OLED panel also delivers perfect black levels when watching TV in a dark room, free from the patchiness or uneven backlighting that can pop up on QLED and Mini LED sets. That said, ambient light slightly raises those black levels, making them look a little gray in a bright room. This is due to the TV's QD-OLED panel lacking a polarizing layer, which LG's WOLEDs have. A TV's overall brightness is higher without this filter, but it also allows light to reflect internally, which can adversely affect the screen's black levels.

During regular viewing, this rise in black level is only slightly apparent, and it's not as distracting as it is on TVs that use a matte screen coating, like the newer S90H and flagship Samsung S95H. Even in a room with ambient light, I found myself able to sit back and enjoy TV shows without any major issues. That said, the TV's glossy finish doesn't handle reflections as well as the matte screen used on the 2026 S90H.

The S90F also has extremely wide viewing angles, which is a benefit found on all OLED displays. There's no visual degradation in color or brightness, even at more than 60 degrees off-axis. If you have a large group over to watch TV or a movie, you can be sure everyone is getting a similar experience.

The S90F's picture performance is remarkable for the price. Its closest competitor is the LG C5, which is often sold for around the same amount. Performance between the two is a trade-off: you get better color and brightness on the S90F, but better daytime black-level performance and Dolby Vision support on the C5.

The interface is quick, but a bit frustrating to navigate

Samsung uses the Tizen smart TV operating system, and the company has made improvements over the past couple of years that have made navigation far more responsive. I have an older S90C in my bedroom, and even with consistent OS updates over the years, moving the cursor on the home screen can be frustrating because it stutters or fails to respond right away. The S90F, on the other hand, is zippy and smooth, and apps load quickly.

But I find Tizen's organization to be cumbersome, and it requires a good amount of setup and customization to work well. The S90F autoplays the last app you used if you leave it idle for a few seconds, and the setting to disable this is buried in the Smart Features menu. Adding new apps to the home screen takes a bunch of clicks and searching to find them in the Apps tab, moving them to the main page, and then shifting them from the end of the apps bar to a more accessible spot toward the beginning.

If you have external devices attached to the TV, there isn't an input select button on the remote, so you need to navigate to Connected Devices and then scroll over to the desired input. Everything feels like it takes a few more button presses than it needs to.

For gamers, though, Tizen's centralized gaming screen is a useful feature. All gaming options, including cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Game Pass, are in one place, easily accessed by clicking the Gaming Hub in the sidebar menu. If you have a console connected, it will also be shown on that page.

The TV also supports a suite of AI features that Samsung has dubbed "Vision AI," including image and audio enhancements, but none of these functions are all that noteworthy. I generally recommend keeping the TV in Filmmaker mode for the most accurate picture.

How does the S90F compare to the newer S90H?

Samsung also offers a newer version of this TV, the 2026 S90H. Though the updated model has some benefits, it costs more and isn't a clear-cut upgrade across the board.

The biggest difference is that S90H now uses Samsung's anti-glare screen coating instead of the traditional glossy coating on the S90F. This anti-glare screen is much better at reducing reflections, which is a huge perk if you watch TV in a sunny room. However, this causes the S90H's black levels to rise a bit more than the S90F's.

Aside from the anti-glare feature, the other notable change is that the S90H no longer uses quantum dots in any size. This means that the 55-, 65-, and 77-inch S90F actually have superior color performance than the newer S90H. The difference is subtle when watching most content, but the older model does technically have an advantage.

Pricing for both models fluctuates, but the S90F is often on sale for up to $1,000 less than the S90H. The S90H is an excellent TV in its own right, but unless its anti-glare screen is a big selling point, the cheaper S90F remains the better value for most needs. You can learn more in our full Samsung S90H OLED TV review.

Should you buy the Samsung S90F TV?

The Samsung S90F has great contrast and a bright, detailed picture that's incredibly color accurate. The high refresh rate and cloud gaming support also make it an excellent gaming TV.

The TV's black levels are perfect in a dark room but slightly compromised in a brighter space, and the Tizen OS isn't my favorite smart TV interface. But those strikes are small compared to the S90F's many strengths.

Though this is last year's model, it remains the best OLED in its class, and easily one of the top TV values for the money. It's unclear how long the S90F will remain in stock, so if you're interested, don't hesitate to snag it while it's still available at a discount. The 65-inch model typically goes for $1,400 or less, so as long as you're not paying more than that, you're getting a good deal.

Dagne Dover is one of our favorite brands ever. We constantly come back to them for practical bags that have all the functional bells and whistles you could possibly think of. A key leash? Check. A phone-sized slip pocket on the outside? Check. An interior organization system that will make even the most type-A person drool? Absolutely.

If you love dresses with pockets, you're probably a Dagne Dover type of person. With this brand, it seems as if even their pockets have pockets. Each bag has a thoughtfully constructed interior organizational system, with space-saving features and tons of attention to detail.

If there's one thing we don't love about the brand, it's just that some of their products lean more towards functionality than fashion. But their work bags beautifully execute both.

Here's our review of Dagne Dover's most popular styles, like our favorite work bag ever, the Allyn Tote, or a brilliant garment bag duffle hybrid that is a must-have for weddings.

Dakota Neoprene Backpack

Of all the Dagne Dover products, I've seen this one the most in the wild. I've spotted tons of these backpacks in the office, all over public transit, and on airplanes. And it's easy to see why people love this particular bag.

Since it's made of neoprene, the backpack is incredibly lightweight. But, yet again, the internal organization features elevate this above your average backpack. Heres' what our writer Rebecca Strong had to say when she ranked it as one of the best backpacks for work:

"The Dakota Backpack comes in 10 different eye-catching colorways, from muted taupe and heathered gray to rich olive green and neutral blush. Beyond the style factor, though, this backpack also boasts a waterproof neoprene exterior and is loaded with storage options, from the dedicated zip-closure laptop pocket and tablet sleeve, a hidden pocket for valuables, and — wait for it — a separate shoe bag for those necessary after-work footwear changes (IYKYK). I love that the main compartment is spacious enough to fit a whole outfit, too, in case I'm headed to the gym or happy hour drinks after I leave the office."

Allyn Tote

This work tote is so good that it got our best overall award in our guide to the best work bags for women. That's no easy feat, considering we tested dozens upon dozens of bags to curate that list. Of all the bags we tried, the Allyn Tote came out on top because of it's sleek silhouette and extensive internal organizational system.

Inside, you'll find: a built-in neoprene sleeve that keeps your laptop safely tucked away, a key leash, a snap-in water bottle holder, a phone-sized slip pocket on the outside, a few pen pockets, and a bevy of other zippered and unzippered pockets. But all these features are contained within a relatively slim body.

Of every tote I tried (and I've tried tons), this one had the best organizational features while still being relatively lightweight. Other totes had similar internal compartments, but since the inserts were made from leather, they added weight. The interior pockets of this bag are all constructed with featherweight polyester. The lining is printed with a drab grey camo pattern, though, which is the one thing I would change about the tote.

For more information on why we love this bag, see our full Dagne Dover Allyn Leather Tote review.

Landon Carryall

When you're lugging a ton for a weekend trip, you want your duffle to be as light as possible. Dagne Dover's Landon Carryall is made of the same lightweight, water-resistant neoprene material as the Dakota Backpack. It's also structured to be super roomy, with a flat bottom and a wide opening.

The bag comes in four sizes, from small to extra large, and six different colors. Our writer, Talia Ergas, tested the extra-large version of the Landon Carryall and was amazed by its functionality.

"The oversize interior compartment offers 35.2 liters of packing space, which was more than enough for a pair of sneakers, a toiletry bag, and a weekend's worth of clothing. I had a decent amount of space left over and could easily use this bag for four- or five-night trips.

Plus, the entire interior is lined with mesh elastic pockets that are perfect for keeping track of smaller items like underwear, socks, chargers, and accessories. There's also a zippered laptop pocket that can accommodate most 16-inch computers. It includes a detachable zippered pouch (for toiletries or tech accessories) on a key leash and a shoe bag," she writes.

See our full Dagne Dover Landon Carryall review and our best weekender bags guide for more options.

Cairo Sling Bag

Dagne Dover's Cairo Sling Bag is the fits-everything belt bag that is an incredibly functional travel companion. It's a little bulky though, so it might be better for someone with a larger frame. You can see it above filled with sunscreen, sunglasses in a case, an iPad Mini, a cosmetic bag, a bulky wallet, a phone, and a bottle on the outside. And there's still space for more, if you need it.

Here's what our writer Kristin Magaldi said about the bag in her guide to the best belt bags: "The Cairo is also made from 100% vegan, recycled materials that prove especially durable for travel, along with an adjustable strap that can transform this bag from a belt bag to a sling. When you're done using it, you can easily pack it away in your luggage once you reach your destination."

Remi Glasses Case

Traditional glasses cases — especially the ones with rigid sides that protect your lenses from getting squished — have an irregular shape that makes them a drag to pack. It gets even harder if you want to bring multiple pairs. But the Remi Glasses Case from Dagne Dover lets you store all your glasses together for easy packing.

I love how protective this case is. The strap that holds each frame down so they don't bump around during travel is a nice touch. As is the mesh compartment at the top for storing a microfiber cloth and the hook at the top so that you can hang it in your hotel room.

I do wish this were a little more compact. Since I'm a fan of smaller lenses rather than oversized frames, there was a lot of empty space in each compartment. So when you fold it closed, it feels bulkier than I'd like.

Arlo Tech Organizer

I've been looking for a case like this for a while, and this one from Dagne Dover is a winner. On a weekend trip, I packed the small version of the Arlo Case with a laptop power brick, a phone charging cube, and two cables. It would also be great for storing a portable phone charger, AirPods, or other small accessories.

The best thing about this case is how strong the zipper is. Dagne Dover's thick, plastic zippers are meant to be highly durable, and they rarely disappoint. You can overstuff this and pull the zipper closed with no issue.

I just love that this case keeps me from getting tangled up in all my cables. It packs tight and keeps everything together. There's also a larger version of the Arlo case that's about twice as big, if you usually take things like hard drives or multiple power bricks on trips.

FAQs

Is Dagne Dover worth it?

Dagne Dover is worth it if organization and functionality are high priorities for you. The brand's bags tend to include thoughtful details like laptop sleeves, key leashes, water bottle holders, exterior phone pockets, and internal compartments that make it easier to keep everything in its place. The tradeoff is that some styles prioritize practicality over a more fashion-forward look, so the best choice depends on how much you value organization versus design.

What makes Dagne Dover bags different?

Dagne Dover stands out for its unusually detailed approach to organization. Many of its bags include designated spaces for items like keys, phones, laptops, water bottles, and smaller accessories rather than relying on one large open compartment. That makes the brand particularly appealing if you like knowing exactly where everything in your bag is.

Are Dagne Dover bags good for work?

Yes, Dagne Dover makes some of our favorite work bags because many styles have dedicated laptop storage, plenty of pockets, and enough structure to keep everything organized during a commute. The Allyn Tote is one of our top picks because it feels professional enough for the office without sacrificing practical features.

What is the best Dagne Dover bag?

The best Dagne Dover bag depends on what you need it for. For work, we especially like the Allyn Tote because it combines a polished look with the kind of internal organization Dagne Dover is known for. We're also huge fans of the Dakota Backpack, which is a lightweight, practical option for travel and commuting

• YouTube is changing the requirements for creators to be accepted into its primary monetization program.
• YouTube's Partner Program, which pays creators a cut of ad revenue, has propelled careers.
• Starting in February, it's going to be harder to qualify.

Do you dream of making money as a content creator?

Well, it's about to get harder to qualify for YouTube's program that pays creators.

YouTube announced on Monday that it's raising the entry requirements for the main tier of its YouTube Partner Program (YPP), the video platform's advertising revenue-sharing program.

"The biggest changes are on what it takes to earn from ads rev-share," Amjad Hanif, YouTube's VP of creator product, said in a video about the changes.

The updates will particularly affect Shorts creators, who publish short-form content to YouTube.

Before you panic: "If you are in YPP today, you stay in YPP," Hanif said.

Here are the key changes affecting creators — which will go into effect on February 1:

• Creators who post long-form videos (aka not TikTok-style Shorts) now need 8,000 "qualified watch hours" in the last 12 months when applying to YouTube's ad revenue share program. Previously, that number was 4,000 "qualified watch hours." Creators will still need at least 1,000 subscribers to qualify.
• For creators mostly posting shorter-form content, they can qualify for YouTube's Shorts revenue-share program if they have 20 million "qualified Shorts views" within the last 90 days, also doubling the requirement (which was previously 10 million views). Creators will still need at least 1,000 subscribers.
• Once accepted, Shorts creators will also need to stay within the 10 million views threshold over the 90-day period to keep making money. (They'll be able to earn money from long-form videos even if they drop below the Shorts threshold, though.)
• YouTube is "broadening revenue opportunities" with new initiatives like incentive-based payouts for milestones, shopping bonuses, and "earning boosts for starting and growing trends." YouTube said it wants to diversify its creator monetization offerings so that the program isn't "relying solely on ad revenue."

Creator Austen Tosone told Business Insider that the changes could make it "so much tougher for small creators," adding that many creators already find monetizing their long-form video content challenging.

YouTube's Hanif said the platform is making the adjustments because of the "growth of the creator ecosystem over the last several years."

The creator economy looks very different than it did in 2018, when YouTube last updated its monetization requirements for long-form videos. Now, the program has 3 million creators. (YouTube's program launched in 2007, making it almost old enough to drink in the US.)

The rise of short-form videos, for which YouTube introduced a permanent revenue-sharing model in 2023, has also changed the platform.

Hanif pointed to the wide variability in views on short-form videos that creators encounter when he explained the requirement to maintain 10 million qualified views.

"We had a case where if you had only a few thousand views, you might have a few cents for that month," he said. "Instead, we'd like to design the program in a way where it rewards creators who are leaned in, who are driving views and engagement."

In other words, you won't be able to keep making money if you're a one-hit wonder with a viral video. You're going to have to keep those viral hits coming in order to cash out.

Using sunblock on a sunny day may be second nature to you, but your dog may benefit from protection, too. Veterinary dermatologists say the best dog sunscreens can help prevent sunburns and cancers caused by ultraviolet (UV) rays. While most dogs can tolerate brief periods in the sun, veterinarians say broad-spectrum protection should be considered for dogs who spend significant time outdoors during peak UV hours, especially for hairless dogs and those with fair skin, thin coats, or areas with sparse fur, like the belly, nose, and ears.

During the summer, my miniature pinscher mix, Olive, loves to lounge by the lake. She always has access to shade and fresh drinking water, but her hairless belly and partially pink nose could use extra sun protection. To find the best sunscreen for my dog's skin, I asked several veterinary dermatologists what I should look for in a formula. Based on their guidance, I evaluated five products containing dog-safe ingredients, or in the case of Epi-Pet, with FDA-compliance. Every sunscreen I tested offered broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection.

When choosing a sunscreen for dogs, the most important rule is to use a product specifically formulated for pets. The veterinarians I consulted recommend looking for formulas with titanium dioxide, which is safe for topical use in pets and provides broad-spectrum UV protection. Dog guardians should also prioritize sunscreens that are water-resistant and have an SPF of at least 15.

There are a few ingredients to avoid, too. My experts recommend steering clear of sunscreens with salicylates, zinc oxide, and octinoxate, which can cause gastrointestinal upset, hematologic issues, and endocrine disruption, respectively.

Read more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and evaluates pet products.

Our top picks for the best dog sunscreen

Best overall: Lucky Pup Sunscreen Cream SPF 40 - $11 at Chewy

Best stick balm: Petkin Doggy Sunstick SPF 15 - $12 at Chewy

Best spray: Divine Canine Supreme Sunscreen SPF 30 - $14 at Chewy

Best overall

Best for: Full coverage over large areas of the body, such as the belly or inner thighs

Skip this if: You only need targeted protection for small areas like the nose or ears

For dogs who like to sunbathe stretched out on their back, a lotion sunscreen is often the best choice. "Lotions and creams tend to work well on larger, exposed areas like the belly and inner thighs," says Dr. Anthea Schick, a veterinary dermatologist and senior national specialty director of dermatology at Thrive Pet Healthcare. Unlike a spray, lotions allow for more deliberate and controlled application. Dr. Elizabeth Falk, a veterinary dermatologist and owner of Unleashed Veterinary Dermatology, says that lotions are also a little safer than sprays, which can be inhaled or accidentally sprayed in the eyes.

Lucky Pup Sunscreen Cream meets most of the criteria my experts recommend for the best dog sunscreen. Of the formulas I recommend, it contains the highest level of titanium dioxide, a mineral that sits on the skin's surface and physically blocks UV rays. When formulated for pets, Schick says titanium dioxide is generally considered safe. As a bonus, Lucky Pup contains several moisturizing ingredients that Falk says help restore the skin barrier, including coconut oil, aloe oil, and shea butter.

Just as important are the ingredients it leaves out. You won't find zinc oxide or salicylates, two ingredients Schick says can cause toxicity if ingested. There's also no octinoxate, a chemical compound that's been shown to act as an endocrine disruptor in animal studies. Lucky Pup is also fragrance-free with no discernible scent, which is ideal for dogs, since they have a strong sense of smell and can find fragrances irritating.

Because of its lotion formulation, this sunscreen takes a bit longer to rub into the skin, and I found it to be the least water-resistant of the bunch. I was also disappointed that Lucky Pup was not developed under veterinary oversight. Still, it met most of the criteria established by my veterinary experts for a good sunscreen, which is why it's my top recommendation for protecting larger areas of exposed skin.

Best stick balm

Best for: Protecting small, targeted areas like the nose and ear tips

Skip this if: Your dog is sensitive to fragrances or needs broader coverage over large areas of their body

Sunscreen sticks or balms are ideal for smaller, targeted areas like the nose and ear tips, Schick says. Compared to lotions and sprays, she says balms are more precise, less messy, and won't be inhaled. "They also have a bit more sticking power for places where the dog may lick," she adds.

Petkin Doggy Sunstick resembles a deodorant stick. The compact design makes it easy to toss in a beach tote for touch-ups throughout the day. It contains 6% titanium dioxide (twice the amount in the other stick balm I tested), and it provides broad-spectrum UV protection. This sunscreen also includes beeswax, which is both moisturizing and lends the formula its impressive water resistance. In testing, I applied this sunscreen to my palm and ran water over it for several minutes — it didn't budge. Even vigorous washing with hand soap was no match for the Petkin Doggy Sunstick.

On the downside, this sunscreen includes a mild vanilla-coconut fragrance, which I found pleasant enough, though some dogs may find it off-putting because of their strong sense of smell. Application also requires some finesse: My dog dodged my attempts to apply the balm directly to her muzzle (she's a bit jumpy as a rule). In the end, I found it easier to apply by rubbing the balm onto my palm first, then transferring it to Olive's skin.

Best spray

Best for: Quick application over larger areas, like the belly

Skip this if: You need to apply it to the face

If your dog is fidgety, a spray sunscreen may be a good option. Schick says sprays are convenient for a quick application, especially on larger dogs. Compared with creams and balms, they can also penetrate a dog's fur more effectively, Falk says. That said, care must be taken to avoid inhalation, and Schick says coverage can be inconsistent.

Divine Canine's Supreme Sunscreen features a user-friendly pump spray. I like that it's not an aerosol spray, which frightened my dog when testing a competitor's formula. Once I had sprayed Olive's belly, this formula was relatively easy to work into the skin.

This sunscreen provides broad-spectrum protection with titanium dioxide, but the label doesn't specify the amount included. I inquired with the brand about this, but unfortunately, I did not hear back. On the plus side, it has an SPF of 30 and features several moisturizing ingredients, including coconut oil, jojoba oil, and aloe extract.

This formula is moderately water-resistant. It should hold up to a dip in the lake, but you'll need to reapply after longer swims. While there are no added fragrances, it contains lavender oil, which lends it a faint herbal scent.

Our top picks compared

What to look for in a dog sunscreen

Above all, the veterinarians I spoke with emphasize the importance of using a sunscreen made specifically for pets. Dog-specific formulas are designed with ingredients that are safer if your dog licks the product off during grooming, reducing the risk of toxicity. Here's what my experts recommend prioritizing in your search.

Format: Consider the application format that makes the most sense for your dog. Lotions are best for broad coverage and large areas such as the belly. For targeted application on noses, paws, and ears, a stick works well. Sprays are ideal for fast, fuss-free coverage, but they shouldn't be used on the face because they can be inhaled or accidentally sprayed into the eyes.

Safe and effective ingredients: "Since dogs are likely to lick sunscreen, we want a formula that's safe if ingested," Schick says. She recommends looking for titanium dioxide and avoiding zinc oxide, salicylates, and octinoxates. If ingested, Schick says salicylates can cause gastrointestinal upset, and octinoxate may interfere with a dog's hormones. If zinc oxide is ingested, Dr. Heather Edginton, a veterinary dermatologist and assistant professor of clinical sciences (dermatology) at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, says it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. In very high amounts, it can also reduce red blood cell counts and affect other internal organs.

Broad-spectrum UV protection: Schick says the best dog sunscreen will protect against UVA and UVB rays to prevent both sunburn and cancer. Titanium dioxide provides UVB and short-wave UVA protection. It is less effective at protecting against long-wave UVA rays.

Easy to apply: Since you may need to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, and some dogs may be uncooperative during the process, sunscreens should be easy to dispense and work into the skin. "If it's hard to use, it's less likely to be used," Schick says.

Water-resistant: This ensures the sunscreen continues to work for active dogs or those who like to swim. Look for labels that designate the sunscreen as water-resistant, or look for water-resistant ingredients, like beeswax.

Free of fragrances and unnecessary additives: Schick says added fragrances and unnecessary additives, like dyes, can irritate the skin. Remember, dogs have a strong sense of smell, so even mild scents can be bothersome.

Veterinary backing or regulatory status: Currently, Epi-Pet is the only FDA-compliant dog sunscreen. This approval signifies that Epi-Pet has passed extensive testing for safety, efficacy, and consistency in clinical trials. This is meaningful, but I chose not to feature this product due to several ingredients my sources advise against, including salicylates, octinoxate, alcohol, and added fragrance. Hopefully, more products will seek FDA compliance in the future. For peace of mind, try seeking brands that work with veterinarians or professionals with scientific training, like pharmacists or formulation chemists, to develop their products.

SPF: Falk recommends looking for sunscreens with an SPF of at least 15, with the ideal range between 15 and 30. This range blocks 93% to 97% of UVB rays.

Soothing and moisturizing ingredients: Falk also recommends looking for formulas with moisturizers that help restore the skin barrier, such as jojoba oil, aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, and glycerin.

Skin tolerance: Schick says this is especially important for allergic dogs or those with sensitive skin. Before applying a new formula all over your dog's body, she recommends applying a small amount to the groin or inner thigh to make sure it doesn't cause irritation.

How we chose the best dog sunscreens

While I am unable to test these formulas in a laboratory to assess their effectiveness, I landed on my picks for the best dog sunscreen through exhaustive research and interviews with several board-certified veterinary dermatologists. Based on their input, I selected five sunscreens for hands-on testing. While there are plenty more dog sunscreens available, I limited my selection to products free of octinoxate and zinc oxide, focusing instead on those containing titanium dioxide. The only exception was Epi-Pet, which I chose to test based on its FDA-compliant status.

I evaluated each product on several fronts, including ease of application, smell, and water resistance. Here's a breakdown of my process:

Ingredient check: I analyzed labels closely and inquired directly with brands when the amounts of active ingredients were unclear. I skipped products with zinc oxide and octinoxate. Products with titanium dioxide were awarded higher scores; products with salicylates were penalized.

Ease of application: I applied each sunscreen to my dog Olive's skin — balms and sticks to her nose, and lotions and sprays to her belly. I observed how easy each product was to dispense and how easy or difficult it was to work the sunscreen into the skin. I also checked my own experience against other consumer reviews.

Water resistance test: For this purely observational (not scientific) assessment, I rubbed the sunscreen onto my palm. Then, I ran water over the area. I wanted to see the water droplets form small, clear beads and slide off my hand, indicating that the formula was water-resistant. I also looked for water-resistant ingredients, like beeswax.

Smell test: First, I checked labels for any added fragrances. Then I gave each formula a whiff. The highest scores went to products with no added fragrances and no detectable smell. Products with subtle smells received midlevel scores. The lowest scores went to products with added fragrances or strong smells.

Veterinary oversight: I checked each company's website for information about its product development process. Of the three products featured in this guide, Petkin is the only one that explicitly states it works with veterinarians and scientists. I reached out to Lucky Pup, which informed me its products are not developed with veterinary input. I did not receive a response from Divine Canine about this.

SPF: I checked that SPF levels were at least 15. If the SPF level was not listed on the label, I emailed brands to ask.

Soothing ingredients: Finally, I checked labels for moisturizing ingredients, prioritizing sunscreens that included them.

Meet the expert behind this guide

Liz Coleman, pets reporter: My pet coverage is informed by extensive research, hands-on testing, and a force-free approach to pet care that fosters trust and confidence. As a pet guardian myself, the stakes here are deeply personal: I pride myself on discovering the safest, most effective products that elevate the pet parent experience.

For this guide, I consulted three board-certified veterinary dermatologists and reached out to brands directly to learn about their development process and ingredients. Based on my experts' feedback, I created a systematic grading system and selected five products to test at home with my miniature pinscher mix, Olive. While your mileage may vary, you can trust that the sunscreens featured here have been thoroughly vetted according to the criteria I've described and are products I would feel good about using with my own dog.

Dog sunscreen FAQs

Should a dog wear sunscreen?

Yes, certain dogs should wear sunscreen. "Dogs can develop sunburn and even skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and hemangiosarcoma from ultraviolet exposure," Schick says. Sunscreen is especially important for hairless dogs, dogs with thin coats or light skin, dogs who live in sunny climates, and dogs who spend a lot of time outdoors during times of high UV exposure. Dogs with dense fur generally don't need sunscreen because their coats provide good protection against UV radiation. However, Schick says dark-coated dogs can absorb significant heat from the sun, which can lead to a rare but serious condition called dorsal thermal necrosis, a deep thermal burn caused by radiant heat rather than UV light. For these dogs, Schick recommends using an evaporative cooling vest or reflective cooling garment for protection.

What sunscreen should I put on my dog?

First, Schick says to make sure you're using a sunscreen that's specifically labeled for dogs. From there, the best dog sunscreen for your pup will depend on how you intend to use it. Balms and sticks are ideal for targeted spots like the nose and ear tips. For broader yet controlled coverage, consider a lotion or cream. Spray sunscreens can cover a larger surface more quickly, but Schick warns that they must be used carefully to avoid inhalation, and coverage can be inconsistent.

How do I apply sunscreen to my dog?

For dogs with sparse hair or light skin, Schick recommends applying sunscreen directly to exposed areas, just as you'd apply it to your own skin. "The most vulnerable areas include the bridge of the nose, ear tips and inner ears, temples, belly, groin, inner thighs, inner legs, and any shaved areas or scars exposed to the sun," she says. Schick says to apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside and to reapply every two hours, especially with active dogs or dogs who swim.

What are other effective ways to protect dogs from the sun?

Schick recommends a combination of sun avoidance, protective clothing like SPF sun suits, and pet-safe sunscreen. "Regardless of coat type, limiting outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day, typically between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., is one of the best ways to reduce heat-related skin injuries," she says.

How can I treat my sunburned dog?

Treatment depends on the severity of the sunburn, Schick says. Mild sunburn can be managed by keeping the dog out of the sun, providing plenty of water, and letting the skin heal naturally. Schick generally advises against home remedies like aloe vera gels because many human products contain alcohol or other irritating ingredients. If the sunburn is more severe or you notice blistering, peeling, or pain, the dog should be seen by your veterinarian. "More severe burns may require pain medication, anti-inflammatory treatment, wound care, or treatment for secondary infection," Schick says.

Spin Master is the company behind PAW Patrol and many other popular toy brands. Ronnen Harary cofounded the company less than a year after he graduated from college. He says his youth and lack of experience were the source of his success — not a barrier. He explains why in his new book, "No Experience Necessary." In a live Q&A with Business Insider's Sarah E. Needleman, Harary shares how he grew Spin Master into a toy powerhouse, and how other young entrepreneurs can follow his example.

Anyone who wears glasses knows that buying a new pair can be a pain, but online retailers like Zenni aim to streamline the process so you can shop without ever having to leave your house. Zenni carries a substantial line-up of well-priced, fashionable frames for prescription lenses, readers, sunglasses, and more. The brand is already a budget-friendly alternative to many vendors, but one of the top ways to score even more savings is by using one of the best Zenni promo codes at checkout.

Our editors have tested out all the leading online eyewear retailers, and Zenni consistently makes the cut as one of the top options thanks to its affordable yet stylish glasses. The brand's in-house frames deliver impressive quality for the price, while designer options from labels like Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs prove you don't need to spend luxury-level prices to get a polished look. Zenni offers a variety of frames and lenses, including options for all ages and face types. There are even niche products, like VR Lenses for Meta Quest and FL-41 lenses for light sensitivity. For a closer look at why we recommend the retailer, you can check out our full Zenni review.

Zenni is already a pretty affordable option, but it's never a bad idea to seek out more savings. Savvy shoppers can cut costs by using a promo code at checkout. We've combed the internet for coupon codes and tested them out ourselves to ensure they're still active at the time of writing. Below, you can explore some of the best options, including a special buy-one-get-one 20% off code.

Today's best Zenni discount codes

Previous Zenni promo codes

Are there any other Zenni sales running at the moment?

You can check out Zenni's sale page anytime for a full list of current markdowns on their frames. At the time of writing, Zenni is also running the following promotions.

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

How to use Zenni promo codes

Start by adding eligible items to your cart. From the "Shopping Cart" page, scroll down to the bottom where it says, "Have a promo code?" You can paste a discount code into the text box and click "Apply." Then, continue to checkout as a guest or with an existing account.

Can you stack Zenni discount codes?

Zenni doesn't allow customers to stack multiple promo codes, which means that only one code can be used per purchase. If it's your first purchase in the Zenni mobile app, we recommend using the 15% off FIRSTAPP code rather than one of the many 10% off codes, which you can use on future orders.

Zenni promo code frequently asked questions

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

Zenni offers eligible college students, teachers, military members (active, reserve, and veterans), and military spouses a 10% discount on all purchases. First responders and medical personnel can also receive a 10% discount on orders.

People eligible for these discounts must verify their status to take advantage of the offer. These discounts can't be combined with other promo codes or offers.

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

Does Zenni take insurance?

Zenni doesn't take insurance directly. However, they will provide a detailed receipt with your order that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

Zenni does allow you to spend FSA and HSA dollars directly on the site. Simply enter your FSA/HSA card at checkout like you would a credit or debit card. Learn more about using FSA and HSA dollars on Zenni's website.

Does Zenni offer free shipping?

Shoppers can receive free standard shipping on orders of $89 or more. Free shipping will automatically be applied once you have enough items in your cart, so you don't need to enter a promo code. Free shipping is also combinable with other offers and promotions.

How do I choose the best glasses for my face shape?

Zenni lets you shop frames by face shape on their website, so you can choose from frame shapes that typically complement your features. For example, they suggest choosing round frames if you have a square face shape or square and aviator frames for a heart-shaped face.

If you're unsure of your face shape or what would look best on you, Zenni also has a virtual try-on feature that allows you to see what any of their frames look like on your face.

Do I need a prescription to use Zenni?

Zenni offers plenty of non-prescription eyewear, so you don't need a prescription to use the site. You can shop for non-prescription readers, sunglasses, sports goggles, and blue-light-blocking glasses with Zenni.

What is Zenni's return policy?

Zenni allows shoppers to return items within 30 days of the original purchase in exchange for site credit and reimbursement of any shipping fees. For returns made within 14 days of your original purchase, you'll have the option to receive a full refund to your original payment method instead of site credit. Learn more about making returns on Zenni's website.

Can I reuse a Zenni promo code?

Zenni does not explicitly prohibit using promo codes multiple times. However, certain codes may only be applied to one order per person, so be sure to check the specific terms and conditions for the code you want to use.

How do I know which size frames to get?

If you don't know which size to get for your frames, Zenni can help. Visit the size guide on the Zenni website for information on how to measure your face and sample frames you can print out to test your size.

Looking for more eyewear? Check out our roundups of the best GlassesUSA promo codes.

• In a live Q&A with Business Insider, Ronnen Harary said he suggests starting a business in your 20s.
• People don't view founders in their 20s as competition, and others are more likely to root for them, he said.
• He also said that people in their 20s also tend to have high drive and energy.

If you're thinking of starting a business, there's no reason to wait.

When Business Insider asked LinkedIn users which decade of life is the best time to start a business, the 30s came out on top. Ronnen Harary says that tracks with the average age of entrepreneurs in the US — but his advice is to start sooner.

The Canadian entrepreneur who cofounded global children's entertainment company Spin Master recommends starting a business in your 20s, he said in a live Q&A with Business Insider's Sarah Needleman. The company generated over $2 billion in revenue last year. It owns brands including Paw Patrol, Rubik's Cube, and Melissa & Doug.

"I'm an advocate of starting a little bit earlier, and then letting all the energy and all the benefits of starting earlier compound," said Harary.

In your 20s, "everybody's rooting for you," Harary said.

"When you're 25, no one sees you as competition," he said. "When you're 35, potentially, people see you as competition."

Harary, who recently authored "No Experience Necessary: Why Betting on Yourself in Your Twenties Is the Best Decision You'll Ever Make," recalled calling Alan Hassenfeld, the former CEO of Hasbro, when he was 25 and asking for advice. Hassenfeld was generous with his time and excited to have the founders enter the industry, Harary said.

"He gave us a lot of help from a business perspective," he said.

Harary, who founded Spin Master with his business partners at 23, when he was less than a year out of college and living with his mother, said he couldn't have started the company in his 50s. Harary dedicated a chapter in his book about how it's easier to take chances when you know less. He said when people are in their 20s, there's more willingness to make mistakes because there's more time to bounce back.

"As a result of being in your 20s, you have so much energy, you have so much drive, determination, and will to get things done," Harary said. "When you hit your middle age, it decreases."

While starting young can be an advantage, and plenty of entrepreneurs have dropped out of college, that doesn't mean aspiring founders should necessarily skip higher education altogether.

Harary was initially waitlisted by the University of Western Ontario, where he ultimately attended. At a young age, he was identified as having learning challenges, including dysgraphia, a learning disability that made writing by hand difficult.

However, going to college was ultimately one of the greatest things that happened to him, he said, because it allowed him to learn more and strengthen his relationship with his future business partner, Anton Rabie, whom he met at summer camp. Rabie met their third cofounder, Ben Varadi at the school as well.

"If I didn't make it to university, the business wouldn't have started," Harary said.

• Taylor Farms, a lettuce supplier for Taco Bell, has faced scrutiny amid the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
• The company recently recalled prepared foods containing jalapeños linked to a salmonella outbreak.
• Taylor Farms is one of North America's largest fresh-produce companies.

Taylor Farms products are being recalled again.

This time, the company is recalling prepared foods containing jalapeños over possible salmonella contamination amid a broader outbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states. Taylor Farms has said it is not aware of any illnesses linked specifically to its recalled products.

The voluntary recall, issued by the company on August 9, followed a Coast Citrus Distributors recall of jalapeños traced to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico. Prepared products such as pico de gallo, guacamole, dips, burritos, and other items sold across 26 states are affected. Chipotle and Qdoba also stopped using the affected jalapeños.

This newest recall comes just weeks after Taylor Farms de Mexico recalled iceberg lettuce amid an ongoing cyclospora outbreak that, as of August 5, had sickened more than 6,300 people. The FDA has said that a false-positive test involving a single lettuce sample did not alter the broader epidemiological and traceback evidence supporting the recall.

Taylor Farms, founded by Bruce Taylor and several partners in 1995, is a California-based fresh produce company that has grown into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise with more than 24,000 employees and 22 production locations across North America.

Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Here's what to know about Taylor Farms, its founder, its rise in the produce industry, and other major moments in its history.

Taylor Farms traces its origins to Salinas, California, in 1995.

The company was founded in 1995 in the Salinas Valley of California — often nicknamed the Salad Bowl of America for its fertile farmland — by Bruce Taylor, whose father and grandfather had also worked in the fresh produce industry.

More than 30 years later, Taylor remains the chairman and CEO of the company.

Before founding Taylor Farms with a group of partners, Taylor also served as CEO of Fresh Express, a fresh produce brand later acquired by Chiquita Brands International.

Taylor still serves as the chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms.

Taylor Farms is a multibillion-dollar company with more than 24,000 employees.

Taylor Farms is a $7 billion enterprise, according to UC Berkeley, that employs more than 24,000 people and operates 22 production locations across North America.

Its retail, prepared foods, and food service divisions produce bagged salads, meal kits, fresh-cut vegetables, and other ready-to-eat foods.

The company and its network of growers provide an estimated 265 million servings of fresh produce across North America each week, the company said.

The company helped popularize chopped salad kits and expanded by buying other major produce brands.

Taylor Farms introduced the first branded prepackaged chopped salads in 2012, per UC Berkeley.

The company later continued to expand through acquisitions, including the organic produce brand Earthbound Farm in 2019 and the packaged salad brand Eat Smart in 2021.

A massive fire damaged Taylor Farms' flagship Salinas facility in 2022.

In April 2022, a fire broke out at Taylor Farms' flagship facility in Salinas, California, destroying its 60,000-square-foot leafy-greens processing area.

The facility was rebuilt shortly after the fire and reopened a year later, with a new design designed to process over 15 million pounds of produce weekly.

Taylor Farms has previously been linked to major foodborne illness investigations.

In 2013, restaurant-associated cyclospora illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska were linked to salad mix produced by Taylor Farms' Mexico division. During the multistate outbreak, 631 illnesses were reported across 25 states, although the CDC determined that the number of cases likely represented multiple outbreaks linked to different food sources.

Taylor Farms was also linked to an E. coli outbreak in 2024 involving slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounders. The company voluntarily recalled yellow onions supplied to McDonald's and other food-service customers after 104 people were sickened across 14 states, 34 were hospitalized, and one died.

The FDA identified the recalled onions as the likely source of the illnesses.

By August 5, a cyclospora outbreak had grown to over 6,300 cases.

The CDC and FDA said shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia was linked with an ongoing cyclospora outbreak.

As of August 5, the 15-state outbreak included at least 6,358 confirmed illnesses, 278 hospitalizations, and two deaths. Not every Taco Bell restaurant in the affected states received the implicated lettuce.

The FDA said on July 17 that its traceback investigation identified a single supplier that provided the restaurants with iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico. The following day, the agency identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as that supplier. Taylor Farms said FDA traceback pointed to a specific independent farm as the potential source of the outbreak.

Taco Bell said it removed potentially affected lettuce from restaurants in select states and was indefinitely removing the supplier's lettuce from its nationwide supply chain.

On July 17, Taco Bell said in a public statement that it had completed the removal of all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants.

The FDA said an initial positive test of a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms was a false positive.

The Food and Drug Administration previously said that a sample of Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce had tested positive for cyclospora. On July 19, however, the agency said laboratory experts had reexamined the results and determined that the finding was a false positive. As of that date, the FDA said there were no confirmed positive product samples.

In a July 19 statement, Taylor Farms, a lettuce supplier for Taco Bell, said it welcomed the FDA's update.

"Today, FDA apologized to us. Yesterday, FDA informed Taylor Fresh Foods that one of its iceberg lettuce products from central Mexico tested positive for cyclospora. Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive," Taylor Farms said in a statement.

On July 20, the FDA reiterated that the false-positive test did not change the basis for its ongoing outbreak investigation.

"To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA's ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms," the FDA said in an X post on July 20.

The FDA and CDC are continuing to investigate the outbreak.

As of August 5, cases involving exposure to recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico iceberg lettuce had been reported in 15 states.

Recalled Taylor Fresh Foods iceberg lettuce products were distributed to food-service customers across 28 states, while recalled Marketside-brand products were sold at select Walmart stores in 15 states. The FDA said additional implicated brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels could still be identified as the investigation continues.

Taylor Farms de Mexico said it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market. The company said its Taylor Farms-branded salad kits do not contain iceberg lettuce.

The CDC is also investigating other nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreaks and illnesses that it says are from other sources and unrelated to this outbreak.

On August 9, Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of prepared products containing jalapeños that might be contaminated with salmonella.

The recall is tied to a broader salmonella outbreak that the FDA linked to jalapeños in early August. FDA traceback identified a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, whose jalapeños were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors as the likely source of the outbreak, which, as of August 10, had resulted in 345 illnesses in 27 states.

The products recalled include pico de gallo, guacamole, dips, burritos, and other prepared foods, all of which have a "Best If Used By" date of August 16 or earlier.

Taylor Farms has said it stopped sourcing from the Sinaloa grower and that it is not aware of any illnesses linked to its recalled products.

Editor's note: This story was originally published July 17 and updated on July 20 and August 10 to reflect the FDA's most recent statements.

• TikTok is requiring US employees to come back to the office five days a week starting in September.
• The five-day RTO rule mirrors similar requirements at competitors like Instagram and Amazon.
• TikTok's US business is partly run through a joint venture that includes its parent, ByteDance, and investors like Oracle.

TikTok is summoning its workers back to their desks full time.

TikTok said that, starting in September, it will require most US employees to return to the office five days a week, three staffers told Business Insider.

The in-office mandate will shake up schedules for some hybrid workers who are currently allowed to work from home at least one day a week. Other teams already have five-day RTO. For example, members of TikTok's e-commerce division, TikTok Shop, have been coming in every day for more than a year.

The company's US RTO plans have been in the works for months. In December, TikTok told employees across teams like product, marketing, and ad sales that they should prepare for a full office return in 2026.

TikTok joins a growing list of tech and media companies that have decided they want workers to badge into the office rather than dial in from the comfort of their couches.

TikTok rivals Instagram and Amazon both require many staffers to be in the office five days a week. Other companies like YouTube and Patreon are sticking to hybrid schedules and asking staff to come in three days a week.

Not all tech executives have leaned into RTO. Spotify has stuck to a flexible work schedule, and Dropbox's new co-CEO Ashraf Alkarmi told Business Insider he plans to keep the company "virtual-first" because "flexibility and autonomy are the ultimate currency in modern work."

TikTok operates offices across about a dozen US cities, including New York, Austin, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The company employs thousands of workers in the US and operates in the country partly through a joint venture that includes its parent, ByteDance, and a mix of investors like Oracle, the private equity firm Silver Lake, and the investment company MGX. Some functions like US e-commerce and marketing are overseen by TikTok's global team within ByteDance, while other divisions focused on data protection or content moderation are separate in the US under the joint venture.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at dwhateley@businessinsider.com or Signal at @danwhateley.94. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• US Army soldiers are testing a wave of new digital tools and weapons.
• Some troops still rely on analog backups in case digital systems lose connection.
• How much soldiers trust the new technology can come down to comfort level.

The US Army is embracing a massive digital transformation across systems and technologies, but that doesn't mean soldiers are ready to give up their physical, analog backups any time soon.

At a recent experimentation exercise at Fort Irwin in California, soldiers tested new digital maps and communications systems that Army leaders described as a major jump forward in streamlining decision-making. But troops said they still wanted physical counterparts for redundancy, ensuring they had fallback plans if network connections were lost.

The exercise, called Project Convergence Capstone, tested nearly 100 new technologies, including aerial and ground drones, electronic warfare capabilities, and the Army's prototype Next Generation Command and Control system, or NGC2, itself made up of a host of experimental pieces of hardware and software.

Some of the newest systems that Business Insider saw in action included NGC2's digital map application, which allows soldiers to see the locations of friendly forces and weapons in near real time. During an urban assault scenario, a soldier was seen using the map feature on his End User Device, a Samsung phone loaded with NGC2 software and worn in a carrier on the chest.

"Now I have good situational awareness of all of my elements around the battlefield in real time," Capt. Mohamed Elmaola with the 4th Infantry Division told Business Insider. "Digital enables me to get real-time, precise targeting feedback, which has been critical" to the fight.

That doesn't mean Elmaola is giving up his physical map, which he carried and updated while other soldiers flew a Black Widow quadcopter to assess enemy positions. The hard copy actually had some benefits that the digital version didn't.

"My analog copy is what I fight and live off because this gives me the totality of the story of what the enemy is doing, especially in a degraded environment," Elmaola said.

The degradation of the electromagnetic spectrum during the exercise, due to jamming and other electronic warfare effects, reinforced why Elmaola and others kept their physical maps close. If their EUDs or other digital assets went down, they'd need the analog versions to continue the fight.

The redundancy, Elmaola said, was crucial.

"This should never go away," he added, pointing to his physical map.

Other soldiers said physical maps were familiar from training. They would use the digital map to compare against and update their analog copies, while also using it to understand the overall battlefield situation.

Some Army leaders described the use of new technology, whether on its own or alongside analog copies, as coming down to individual preference.

"I find that the way we all interact with technology is a little bit different, and we all have different preferences," Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, said, adding that some use cases also likely came down to how comfortable soldiers were relying on technology.

Connectivity issues and the need for redundancy were major themes across the exercise, as the Army tested new digital technologies against electronic warfare and soldiers continued to fight when those systems weren't working. Some soldiers said systems like NGC2 could still work in limited capacities while under jamming, while others said connectivity problems had completely cut off their access.

Army leaders and soldiers said feedback from the exercise, particularly on how systems performed and what soldiers found most useful, was key to moving forward. The review process will focus on key questions around what systems were intended to do and whether they met those goals.

"It is probably the most critical thing that we're doing here, is taking observations and answering questions that we came in here to answer," Brig. Gen. Daniel Hibner, head of the Army Joint Modernization Command, said.

• The Arena Group is rebranding to Paradium.AI as part of its shift to become an AI company, Business Insider has learned.
• CEO Paul Edmondson told employees in a memo obtained by BI that it was "more than a name change."
• The company is "building a unified, AI-powered ecosystem," he wrote. Read the full memo below.

Goodbye, Arena Group. Hello, Paradium.AI.

The media company that owns publications including TheStreet, Parade, and Men's Journal informed employees in a Monday memo obtained by Business Insider that it was changing its name as part of its evolution into a "publicly traded AI company."

The memo, titled "Today we go 'All In': Introducing Paradium.AI," was sent ahead of a planned announcement during its Q2 earnings after market close on Monday, the CEO wrote.

"This is more than a name change; it is a commitment to our future as a tech-centric leader in media, data, and commerce," CEO Paul Edmondson wrote in the memo, adding that the company was building "a unified, AI-powered ecosystem that empowers us to perform at the speed and scale of artificial intelligence."

The switch comes as many digital publishers confront headwinds to their traditional business models. Referral traffic from search and social platforms has broadly declined.

The Arena Group said Monday that second-quarter revenue fell about 51% from a year earlier, to $22.2 million. Income from continuing operations swung from a $12.4 million profit a year earlier to a $200,000 loss.

The company's shares are down around 48% this year. (The stock popped about 7% following the rebrand news before paring gains toward the 4 p.m. closing bell.)

The new name, which is also a URL, re-routed to The Arena Group's website on Monday afternoon. The company did not immediately provide additional comment when reached by Business Insider.

Other media companies — including BuzzFeed — have turned to AI in search of new growth as their traditional formula of producing or aggregating stories for large audiences has faltered. Other information companies, such as Thomson Reuters and News Corp., have increasingly built AI and data analytics into businesses that extend well beyond publishing.

Read the CEO's full memo to employees

Team,

Today marks a pivotal moment in our company's history. Following the news shared by leaders with their teams this morning and as we prepare for our Q2 earnings call this afternoon, we are incredibly excited to share that The Arena Group is evolving into Paradium.AI.

This is more than a name change; it is a commitment to our future as a tech-centric leader in media, data, and commerce. By integrating the acquisition of Info Sentience and the launch of Cutter Studio, we are building a unified, AI-powered ecosystem that empowers us to perform at the speed and scale of artificial intelligence.

We are entering a rare and exciting moment — the opportunity to be part of a publicly traded AI company during one of the most transformative periods in technology. Together, we have the chance to shape what comes next and help build the future of AI-powered innovation.

The public announcement will be distributed shortly. Please remember that this information remains confidential until 4:05 PM ET today when we release our Q2 results.

Best,

Paul Edmondson
CEO

• SpaceX stock popped to close above $135 on Monday, reclaiming its IPO price.
• A lockup expiration last week didn't produce the selling pressures many expected, and the stock rose 15% on Friday
• Data shows retail investors trimmed positions as the stock rallied at the end of the week.

SpaceX stock rose on Monday to reclaim an important milestone: its $135 IPO price.

The stock jumped back above that threshold on Monday, rising to close 4% higher at $138.74 after struggling to mount a decisive gain early in the session. Shares are up more than 25% in August, and a 15% rally on Friday helped erase weeks of losses that hit the stock in July. Shares had dropped below the IPO price for the first time on July 15.

Traders had been fretting over a potentially bearish development last Thursday, with the expiration of the first lockup period allowing insiders and early investors to sell over 911 million shares.

The fear was short-lived, however, and hasn't produced massive selling yet. However, at least one group took advantage of the sharp rally on Friday to take some gains.

Data shows that while retail traders rushed to buy the stock at the IPO and in the weeks that followed, individual investors sold the rip on Friday, trimming their positions as the stock surged.

"Retail are usually contrarian in nature, so net selling is not unusual on days where stocks rally - even for retail favorites," said Jai Malhi, a senior equities strategist at Vanda Research, which tracks retail flows into single stocks and ETFs ." Friday's net selling of SpaceX could be a case of taking some chips off the table or a short-term rotation. One day of net selling is likely too early to call this a retail capitulation."

Malhi noted that while the SpaceX lockup period expiry likely created a larger pool of sellers, the selling pressure was nowhere near as strong as it could have been. Additionally, the fact that share prices remain low may be discouraging some holders from selling until prices recover.

SpaceX investors last week told Business Insider that they were conflicted over whether to sell as the first of several planned lockups expired. But for now, a wave of insider sales doesn't seem to be factoring into the stock move.

"It's less that the market suddenly no longer caring about insider or retail selling and more as the market realizing that the world's worst-kept-secret supply event was nowhere near as damaging as everyone had positioned for," stated Shay Baloor, chief market strategist at Futurum Equities.

Nicolas Owens, an equity analyst at Morningstar, noted that while may investors have been focused on the lockup period ending, that doesn't mean every share made available was instantly sold. He also pointed out there remain few shares of the stock available, pointing to its thin float.

"Those 900m shares that came out of lockup were not all necessarily sold yet, and many have anticipated the lockup expiry as a potential buying opportunity," he told Business Insider. "With the new float available some index funds were buyers last week because the free-float-adjust their weights."

The best tennis players in the world are heading to Canada for one of the sport's oldest active tournaments, with the men's strand of the 2026 Canadian (or National Bank) Open taking place in Montreal and the women's in Toronto. Wherever you are (and whatever you call it), we'll explain how you can watch Canadian Open live streams this August, including how to unlock a free option.

Being ATP and WTA 1000 events, the Tennis Channel has the rights to show all the action in the US. Cord cutters can also watch on the network's very own streaming platform, or via an OTT cable alternative (more information and options below). Sportsnet will show it in Canada, and it's on Sky Sports for tennis fans in the UK. The Philippines has free coverage of the tournament on BlastTV. You can unlock any of these viewing methods from anywhere with a VPN.

Canadian Victoria Mboko brought some national pride to proceedings last year, with only the third win for a homegrown player in the Open era. She won't be back to defend her title, alas, after withdrawing due to injury. Félix Auger-Aliassime, another Canadian hopeful, was also forced to withdraw due to injury.

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and two-time champ Jessica Pegula were among the female favorites, but both were eliminated in the Round of 16. New DC Open champion Alexandra Eala was also a contender, but she was bounced in that same round. Iga Świątek, Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina are some of the top women's players headed into the quarterfinals.

With Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev eliminated in the Round of 64 and a few other top players skipping the tournament, the men's field is slightly more open. Ben Shelton has emerged as a favorite, but he'll need to get through Jakub Menšík in the quarterfinals if he wants to advance. To watch every second of the action, keep reading this guide to watch the National Bank Open in 2026 — including advice on what to do if you're overseas when it's on.

How to watch Canadian Open for free

We can thank Alex Eala's rise to fame in the Philippines for today's free offering of the men's and women's Canadian Open. Blast TV is a streaming service in the Philippines with a mix of free and premium channels, and the Premier Sports and Premier Sports 2 channels are packed with matches from the tournament, with no payment required. Just create a free account and you're all set.

However, if you're outside the Philippines, you'll need to use a VPN to bypass geo-blockers. We have more details below if you're new to such workarounds.

How to watch Canadian Open from anywhere

Watching ATP and WTA tennis can be tricky when you're overseas. Try tapping into your usual streaming provider or free feeds from overseas, and you'll find coverage is blocked due to geographical restrictions. Thankfully, there's a straightforward way to get around this nuisance: by using a VPN (virtual private network). The technology works by making your laptop, smartphone, tablet, or other streaming device look as though it's in another location entirely. So you can choose a server located in your home country and watch your regular tennis stream.

NordVPN is the best VPN around. It provides lickity-split speeds, super-smooth usability across devices, market-leading security, and an impressive reputation for unblocking a range of streaming services. You can read more in our NordVPN review and, if it sounds like the right product for you, subscribe safely in the knowledge that there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Where to watch Canadian Open in the US

The Tennis Channel is the place to watch ATP Masters and WTA 1000 events like these in the US. The Tennis Channel is carried on several cable plans, or, if you want to watch online, you can subscribe directly on its website for $12 a month or $110 a year. Alternatively, it's well serviced by a variety of OTT streaming services.

YouTube TV is another option you can try, and it is a little more reasonably priced than Fubo (although it carries 100+ fewer channels than Fubo's pricier plans). To get the Tennis Channel, you'll need its standard plan for $83 a month — with $15 off for each of your first five months — together with the $11 a month Sports Plus Add-on that also includes the likes of NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer Plus, Fight Network, and Players TV. YouTube TV offers a free trial for new users.

Fubo includes the Tennis Channel on its Sports + News plan for $65 a month. Plus, it's one of 200+ channels featured in its comprehensive Pro and Elite plans, which are pitched as full cable-replacement services. New users can try before they buy thanks to Fubo's free trial.

Where to watch Canadian Open in Canada

Canada's home tennis Open will be shown on Sportsnet domestically (and TVA for French-language coverage) — so you can watch all the action if you already get access through cable. If not, you have the option to sign up for the online Sportsnet Plus streaming service to stream tennis alongside NHL, NBA, MLB, UFC, UK soccer, and loads more, with plans starting at $30 a month.

Where to watch Canadian Open in the UK

Sky Sports is the rights holder for these tournaments in the UK. It means subscribers can also watch the men's and women's tennis online on their mobiles, thanks to the Sky Go app. If you don't want to sign up for a full-blown Sky TV package, then you can opt for a more flexible Now Sports Membership, which starts from as little as £15 a day or currently £30 a month.

Where does the Canadian Open take place?

The Canadian Open takes place in two cities, with the men's and women's tournaments shared between venues in Montreal and Toronto and alternating between them each year. 2026 sees the men head to the IGA Stadium in Montreal, while it's the women's turn to play at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.

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 Port of New Orleans uses AI to streamline cargo logistics with digital twins and real-time data.
• AI adoption in US ports is slow due to risk aversion, with cybersecurity as a major concern.
• AI can quickly suggest solutions for cargo logistics and administrative tasks.

At the Port of New Orleans, a cargo ship docks. On board are power transformers, wind turbine components, and industrial generators used to construct data centers in the US.

Moving these unwieldy pieces of equipment inland from the port is a massive logistical undertaking: The cargo is often too heavy to travel by road, and dimensions must be considered to ensure the parts will fit through rail structures.

With these complex logistics in mind, the port kicked off a partnership in late May with the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad and a new logistics company, UTC Transoceanic, to deploy AI to help plan oversize moves.

Instead of workers pulling from static drawings and entering data manually in spreadsheets, the AI — which is in its deployment and implementation phase — will use digital twins and predictive modeling to determine whether cargo can safely travel its route. It will also pull in real-time data, because railroad tracks can shift slightly with temperature changes, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

"The primary benefit is speed and certainty," Kimberly Curth, Port NOLA's press secretary, told Business Insider.

Once the application goes live, an importer will be able to enter their cargo's dimensions and weight. The AI will compare those specs against the digital model of the rail network to determine if the cargo can move safely. If it spots any issues such as bridge clearance heights, maximum weights, or other physical restrictions, the AI can recommend an alternative route, Curth explained.

Beyond the Port of New Orleans, other seaports are also dabbling in AI. The Port of Corpus Christi in Texas deployed AI and digital twins to track vessels, while the Port of Los Angeles amped up its truck appointment system with AI. The Georgia Ports Authority, which oversees ports in Savannah and Brunswick, is rolling out opt-in AI-based facial recognition for truck drivers arriving at terminal gates. PortCity, a logistics provider up the road from Savannah, recently deployed EAIGLE's technology to automate truck gate check-ins and check-outs.

Still, it's early days for AI at ports, and real-world examples in the US are limited. Ports are "quietly testing" AI, but the technology hasn't "been rolled out to the level of everybody within the port community adopting it," said Lauren Beagen, the founder and CEO of The Maritime Professor and a former project manager at the Massachusetts Port Authority who also worked as an attorney with the Federal Maritime Commission.

Quiet testing in a risk-averse industry

One reason for slow AI adoption is that ports and terminals "have never been risk takers," said Rene Alvarenga, vice president of products, AI, and execution visibility at Kaleris, which provides terminal operating systems to 80% of the world's terminals.

Cybersecurity is a significant concern, and most terminals have on-premise networks to keep sensitive data local. But that also makes it slower to integrate cloud‑based or third‑party AI, Alvarenga said.

In addition, maritime transportation is a critical infrastructure sector, and if terminals go offline for software overhauls, goods moving through the supply chain may not reach their destinations. As a result, terminals tend to lag other industries on AI adoption by about five years, he added.

Many operators use systems from the late teens, long before generative AI existed. "If you go to any marine terminal today, you won't find any AI in the terminal operating system," Alvarenga said.

The handoff points between port stakeholders are also consistent sources of friction, said Amir Hoss, the founder and CEO of software company EAIGLE, which provides gate and yard AI automation for warehouses and marine terminals.

Different entities own and operate the cargo ships, marine terminals, railroads, trucking companies, and the chassis that secure containers onto trucks or railroads — each with its own tech systems and data practices, Hoss said.

"It's arguably a bigger barrier than the technology itself," Hoss said.

Still, there are many potential AI use cases at ports. Traditionally, coordinating a large industrial shipment like the ones arriving at the Port of New Orleans would require weeks or months of engineering studies, communication with multiple railroads, and the collection of fragmented data, said Curth. With AI that assesses cargo dimensions and a digital twin of the rail network, the Port of New Orleans can give customers an answer almost immediately and more accurately determine whether a route is feasible for a specific piece of freight, Curth said.

Some port and terminal employees are also using AI models like ChatGPT or Claude for day-to-day administrative work, such as sending emails, invoicing, or billing, Beagen said. Terminals have added chatbots to their websites for customer support, so a cargo owner can ask the status of their container and receive an AI-generated answer, Alvarenga said.

"The internal productivity boost from generative AI is real in marine terminals, just like in any other industry," Alvarenga said.

A future AI copilot?

When Alvarenga speaks to terminal operators, he said he often fields questions about how AI could act as a copilot to workers.

Someone working in a terminal's control room could ask problem-solving questions to an AI in natural language, like, "There's a long line at the gate. How do I reduce it?" Or if they're unsure how to do something technical, they can ask AI rather than flipping through hundreds of pages of manuals. The AI would respond in natural language with step-by-step solutions, Alvarenga said.

This application isn't yet in place at US terminals, but operators are expressing interest in AI as a copilot, said Alvarenga. He added that he predicts real use cases will materialize in about three years as ports begin to implement the technology.

The Port of New Orleans also views its AI project as a way to aid humans. Curth said the technology will quickly provide information, but railroad personnel, terminal operators, and logistics professionals will still use their judgment to plan how an oversize piece of cargo moves through the supply chain.

"The strongest applications combine advanced technology with human expertise," Curth said.

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would deliver AI models, "including open source," to billions.
• On Monday, Meta released Muse Glimmer, an open-weight AI model.
• Many in tech were thrilled that the social network is returning to open models.

Don't call it a comeback (yet).

On Monday, much of the tech world was thrilled that Meta returned to open models with the release of Muse Glimmer.

On top of that announcement, CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined his views on the future of AI in a more than 6,500-word essay. Zuckerberg made the case for open models and a broader belief in granting society access to powerful AI, rather than letting companies limit access by imposing their own safeguards.

The news marks a major moment for Meta, which is widely viewed as lagging behind OpenAI and Anthropic in the frontier race.

Here's what everyone from Yann LeCun to the White House is saying

Yann LeCun

Meta's former chief AI scientist Yann LeCun praised the release.

"Good move. Bravo," LeCun wrote on X alongside three clapping emojis in a reply to Zuckerberg's announcement.

LeCun hasn't always been quick to praise his former employer. In January, he called Alexandr Wang, Meta's chief AI officer, "inexperienced" and predicted Meta would lose more AI talent.

After leaving Meta, LeCun co-founded AMI Labs, which focuses on so-called "world models" rather than the large language models that form the foundation of chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Aaron Levie

Box CEO Aaron Levie said the news was much bigger than Meta.

"America now finally has its response to the open weights AI race," Levie wrote on X.

He said the release "is broadly net positive for AI - even frontier closed models - because it helps drive further diffusion of AI."

"This will continue to help drive down the cost of intelligence," he wrote, "it allows companies to run models as they see fit, as well as allows them to post train their own models for specific use-cases to get better performance gains in their domain."

Sriram Krishnan

Venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan praised Meta's release.

"great to see meta back launching open weight models. congratulations to @alexandr_wang and the msl team," Krishnan wrote on X.

Krishnan, who was a White House advisor until recently, also lauded Zuckerberg's essay.

"Great piece from @finkd - especially the theme of AI being something that is personally empowering," Krishnan wrote.

Luther Lowe

Y Combinator policy head Luther Lowe said Zuckerberg had the right message but was the wrong person to deliver it.

"The message is compelling; the messenger has a credibility problem," he wrote.

Lowe said that Meta's decision to ban rival chatbots from accessing WhatsApp Business API doesn't gel with Zuckerberg's broader message about making superintelligent AI widely available.

"If Meta believes in a balance of power that favors individuals, that principle should include the individual's right to choose an AI agent on Meta's own platforms," Lowe wrote.

In June, the European Commission ordered Meta to allow third-party AI assistants free access to WhatsApp. Meta said it disagreed with the decision and would appeal it.

Clément Delangue

Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue expressed excitement for the release.

"Meta is back! well done @finkd @alexandr_wang!" Delangue wrote on X.

Delangue, who has pushed for open models, previously said that Hugging Face had to turn to a Chinese open model to help it address OpenAI's models breach of its systems because proprietary AI models had safeguards in place that prevented the company from getting the help it needed.

Seth Lazar

Johns Hopkins University Professor Seth Lazar said Zuckerberg's "overall vision is cool" and expressed optimism if Meta's CEO's manifesto serves as a "North Star" for the company's SuperIntelligence Labs.

"If this constitutes a genuine North Star for MSL, then I am a bit more optimistic about the world we're likely to build with powerful AI (conditional on getting there without everything blowing up along the way)," Lazar, who studies the moral and political philosophy of AI, wrote on X.

Lazar said he was "psyched" that Meta is releasing a model.

"Sometimes protecting individual rights means giving people an agent who will push on their behalf against rules and restrictions that are over-applied and unfairly demanding," he said. "The frontier models are absolutely terrible at this, and our reliance on them portends an Internet that makes us much less free."

Lazar said others in the AI community would likely find Zuckerberg's vision for superintelligence disappointing. One area Lazar said is right to critique is that the Meta CEO sees compute as the main limitation to the use of AI models that exceed human intelligence. Lazar said it's more likely that other limitations will be needed.

"Pretty likely that it'll involve restrictions on some capabilities, and probably this means eg the personal health research scientist is not a plausible vision, or will need a lot more structure, anyway," Lazar wrote.

Ethan Mollick

Wharton professor and AI expert Ethan Mollick said Meta's announcement that it will release the weights for Muse Spark, its current most advanced closed model, was the biggest news of all.

"Spark is the big news and is a good model," Mollick wrote on X. "Not quite at the frontier of open models from China, and still well behind the closed frontier, but the best non-Chinese open weights model released in a year."

What matters next, Mollick said, is what Meta does going forward.

"Of course, a lot depends on continuing to release new open models to keep up."

The White House

The Trump White House was quick to praise Meta's launch of a "Future Is For Everyone Fund" that will support communities where it builds data centers and AI infrastructure.

"President Trump's vision for American AI dominance continues to drive results," the White House's rapid response account wrote on X, sharing CNBC's coverage of Meta's announcements.

Zuckerberg wrote that community investment led to greater support for projects such as data centers.

"We see that communities we invest in over the long term are more supportive of development than communities where speculators start building with minimal investment in the community," he wrote.

Nvidia

Nvidia, the world's largest company by market cap, offered its praise of Meta's announcement.

Meta has built much of its AI work on Nvidia's chips. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has also pushed the development of open models. Nvidia has its own family of open models called Nemotron.

"Great to see @AIatMet back publishing open models 🙌," Nvidia's AI account wrote on X.

• Mamdani is backing new regulations for NYC delivery workers, particularly Amazon subcontractors.
• Amazon said the bill could cause it to move warehouses outside the city, jeopardizing local jobs.
• The Mamdani administration has a pattern of taking action against major corporations.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing new safeguards for delivery workers in New York City — and the proposal would give City Hall more regulatory power over commerce giants like Amazon.

The Delivery Protection Act, sponsored by New York City Council Member Tiffany L. Cabán, would increase licensing requirements for companies that operate delivery-focused warehouse facilities, opening the door to expanded safety, training, and resources for delivery workers. Companies like Amazon frequently subcontract last-mile delivery to these types of facilities, leaving workers in a murky gray area without the traditional protections afforded to those who work directly for the retail giants.

"If Amazon is delivering your packages, they should follow the same rules as any other delivery company," Mamdani said in an endorsement announcement video Monday.

Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, told Business Insider that the legislation could jeopardize the company's ability to hire local workers. "As written, this legislation would directly undermine that commitment — threatening the small businesses that deliver to customers, putting the jobs of more than 5,000 of their employees at risk and forcing us to consider relocating delivery operations outside of the city," she said. Nantel said Amazon is inviting all members of City Council to visit their delivery station and meet contractors before casting their vote.

In testimony to NYC government, the company also said the bill "would prohibit our agreements with more than 40 local small businesses known as Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), who provide jobs to thousands of New Yorkers from the communities and neighborhoods they serve."

The New York Delivers Coalition, a group of 50 small businesses, also sent a letter to the council Monday opposing the bill, urging lawmakers to "consider the real world ramifications this legislation will have on the small, family-owned business community that powers New York's last-mile delivery ecosystem."

NYC wants more protections for workers; Amazon says the bill would drive up costs

It's standard practice for companies like Amazon to hire workers at third-party delivery firms as contractors rather than full-time employees, meaning the companies can set work requirements and sometimes details like a worker's schedule — but the workers are not guaranteed benefits, wages, or employment protections. These contractors are often responsible for providing their own work equipment, like bikes or delivery trucks.

The NYC Comptroller's Office reported that "last mile" package distribution facilities — the warehouses where subcontractors typically pick up packages before they are delivered to their recipients — have rapidly expanded across NYC. Eighteen of these facilities have opened in the five boroughs between 2017 and 2025

For corporations, these arrangements allow them to keep overhead costs low and ensure quick package delivery. For workers, it can mean they have limited opportunities for recourse if something goes wrong.

Mamdani's camp said they are cracking down on delivery subcontracting practices they say leave workers "vulnerable" to "reckless conditions on city streets." The Delivery Protection Act would require "last mile" warehouse operators to obtain a business license through the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, giving the city jurisdiction over fair work practices.

Cabán told Business Insider that she hopes it will "keep workers and our streets safe and end the charade of huge corporations hiding behind third-party contractors to evade accountability."

The mayor has also said he will continue to take on food delivery apps like Uber Eats and DoorDash for what City Hall calls "deceptive tipping practices." In late July, his administration said its crackdown has resulted in an additional $104 million in tips to delivery workers since January. John Horton, head of North America public policy at DoorDash, previously told Business Insider that the city's findings about its tipping practices were "flat out wrong."

The Delivery Protection Act is currently being evaluated by the City Council after a hearing on the bill was held last spring.

The news of Mamdani's announcement comes days after New Jersey's attorney general sued Amazon under federal antitrust law, accusing the company of abusing its market power to suppress pay for delivery companies and their drivers. A spokesperson for Amazon said, "this complaint is not grounded in fact," and delivery partners are independent businesses. Contracted workers "are free to choose their employer and associate with who they want, full stop."

• Top consumer VCs are betting on AI apps that make the internet more social.
• Vibe coding, AI dating, and IRL social platforms are attracting fresh capital.
• Investors said agents can reshape how consumers connect and create.

Investors are hunting for social media startups that can spark new connections and nurture existing ones.

"Social media companies started based on connection," Shawn Carolan, a partner at Menlo Ventures, said of the previous wave of giants like Facebook and Instagram.

Carolan said these companies "evolved into media companies" and abandoned that connection.

That leaves an opening in the market.

Venture capitalists at major firms like Menlo, Forerunner, and A16z have several investors dedicated to backing new and innovative internet startups. Other firms, like Verdict Capital and Premise, were founded by partners at firms like General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and NEA, who wanted to set out on their own with investment theses focused on backing consumer-facing startups building for the AI era.

Niko Bonatsos, cofounder and managing director of Verdict Capital, said that AI is allowing startup founders to "reimagine entire categories" and build "so much faster."

Business Insider recently highlighted 22 VC firms backing social startups in our third annual list. They've invested in startups in broader categories such as social media, AI assistants, and dating apps.

So, where exactly are these top investors placing bets?

Here are 5 categories investors are betting on:

1. Vibe coding — but make it social

Kids and teens are "vibe coding apps," Vanessa Larco, cofounder of Premise, told Business Insider.

She's one of several investors closely watching how vibe coding is being adopted by younger internet users.

Startups like Wabi and Sekai — which are building platforms where people can vibe code mini apps, then share and remix them — have raised millions of dollars from firms like Khosla, A16z, and Connect Ventures.

"People don't want to just watch anymore. They want to create," Connect Ventures' Nicole Quinn said, who invested in Sekai.

Gaming is another opportunity in this category, with tools like Lemonade (an AI agent for creating Roblox mini-games) and ForgeGUI (an AI-powered game design tool for developers) receiving investments from Menlo Ventures and Verdict Capital, respectively.

As Menlo's Amy Wu Martin put it: When the barriers to coding go down, consumers have the realization — "I can make stuff for myself."

It's shifting digital culture, too. Creators who make content about vibe coding or vibe code new apps themselves are emerging.

"Apps are going to be the new media," Patron's Amber Atherton said.

2. New ways to find love

For these VCs, there's love in the air.

A new class of dating apps is challenging the mainstays like Tinder and Bumble. The AI dating app Overtone comes from an icon of the old guard: Hinge founder Justin McLeod. FirstMark's Rick Heitzmann contributed to the company's $18 million raise.

"Probably a year ago, someone would've said 'dating,' I would've been like, 'Ugh, it's a horrible category,'" Heitzmann said. "But then you meet somebody who's thought about the world completely differently, more originally, and better than you have, and it changes your mind."

Many of these startups promise that AI will help ease the awkwardness of dating, either through custom matchmaking or wingman-style assistants. The AI app Sitch is backed by A16z Speedrun and Premise. Its cofounder, Chad DePue, is an investor for Uncommon Projects.

There's also Known, an AI dating service with audio matchmakers, backed by Forerunner Ventures.

Other apps promise users a better dating pool or matching strategy, like the Seven Seven Six-backed Left Field, which pairs based on shared interests and communities.

3. Social apps that get you outside instead of online

There is a bounty of new social startups with the sole purpose of getting people off their screens.

"People are kind of feeling exhausted and maybe a little bit nervous about AI," Precursor's Marina Girgis said. "They want to put their phones down and connect with people IRL."

Abstract Ventures, for instance, backed two social apps built around maps: Corner, for finding and sharing local spots, and Amo, a French app studio behind Bump, which lets you track friends.

Meanwhile, Posh, a platform for IRL events and ticketing, announced a $37 million Series B round led by FirstMark Capital in March.

There are more niche apps for activities, too, like Sweatpals for fitness and wellness, and Swsh for sharing content at live events like music festivals or sporting events.

"As we all lean into AI and we're more efficient with the productivity gains of AI, human beings will have more disposable time," Quinn said. "How do they like to spend disposable time? It's doing what they love."

4. AI companions and personal assistants to help you connect

What if AI agents could actually make our social lives a little bit easier? It's a big question — and it's still heavy on the if — but some investors are placing early bets on this space.

Town, an AI personal assistant for managing inboxes and calendars, announced a $55 million Series A in June. Both A16z and Forerunner participated in the round.

While Town is currently focused on professionals, there are assistant startups for families, too, like Ollie, which helps parents manage household tasks.

If people start to use these AI assistants and companions more and give these tools access to troves of personal data, there could be some unique social applications.

"Someone's going to build this kind of god-like companion that knows everyone and is omnipresent," Shine Capital's Ethan Daly said.

Menlo Ventures' Carolan said he's fascinated by AI-era startups reinventing "the contacts book" to help people connect.

Babylon's Hugo Amsellem sees potential in AI acting as an intermediary between people. He invested in Eigen, a startup that announced $15 million in seed funding this year for an AI "mutual friend."

The space is still quite nascent, however.

5. Entertainment with an AI twist

From music to gaming, entertainment platforms are getting supercharged by AI.

For example, Suno, a platform for making and sharing AI-generated music, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars and announced it was valued at $5.4 billion in June. Menlo Ventures led the company's Series C in 2025.

There's also Lore, a fandom platform powered by AI search, which provides people a new way to "rabbit hole" about their latest pop culture obsessions, "instead of just doing it in Google," said Precursor's Girgis.

Then there are new social gaming apps like Status, an AI mobile gaming startup that lets people role-play as characters, backed by Abstract Ventures and Creator Ventures.

Building a new social app? Have a tip? Contact Sydney Bradley by email (sbradley@businessinsider.com), encrypted messaging app Signal (@sydneykbradley.123), or encrypted email (sydneykbradley@proton.me).

• The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since 1983.
• Global crude inventories have been heavily depleted amid disruptions from the Iran war.
• Oil prices were climbing again on Monday after dropping last week on hopes for US-Iran talks.

America's stockpile of crude oil has dropped to the lowest level in more than four decades.

According to the US Department of Energy, the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve declined by 6 million barrels last week to 298.7 million. Data from the Energy Information Administration shows that's the first time the stockpile has dipped below 300 million barrels since 1983.

The US began the year with around 415 million barrels in the reserve, but that's come down as the Trump administration has released more crude into the market to offset disruptions from the Iran war.

Markets have been hopeful that the Strait of Hormuz could soon reopen after comments from Trump and other officials last week suggested a deal was close. However, over the weekend, Trump said that the US was content to let the economic toll of the war bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

As a result, oil jumped again on Monday as traders began to doubt the Strait will open in the near term. Brent was up 5% to trade at $87.82, while US oil rose 5% to $82.28.

"Markets are facing a delicate mix of geopolitical and monetary policy risks. Uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz keeps an upside risk in oil prices and inflation, while Wednesday's US CPI could reshape expectations for the Fed's September decision," Lukman Otunga, head of market research at FXTM, said.

The July CPI number will be closely watched as a gauge of pressures stemming from the war. June saw a cooler-than-expected inflation figure as energy prices dwindled amid hopes for a peace deal, but costs were up again in July as tensions re-escalated. The average price per gallon of gas in the US has climbed back above $4, up from $3.88 a month ago, according to AAA.

Researchers and energy commentators have warned that waning global oil inventories could spur a new chapter in the energy crisis. Independent market research firm HFI Research predicted earlier this summer that countries could start hoarding crude, leading to "real panic" in the market.

So far, though, oil has yet to reclaim its wartime highs around $120 a barrel, despite the ongoing disruption to global flows.

• Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote a letter to Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg.
• Sanders referenced a rogue OpenAI agent's hack of Hugging Face.
• "Pause AI development," Sanders wrote. "Stop building machines that humans cannot control."

Bernie Sanders has heard enough about rogue AI agents.

The Vermont senator wrote a letter to three leading AI development CEOs: Anthropic's Dario Amodei, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg. He called for the leaders to "stop building machines that humans cannot control."

In his letter, Sanders cited an agent that escaped OpenAI's sandbox and hacked Hugging Face in July. OpenAI called it an "unprecedented cyber incident" at the time.

Sanders demanded the CEOs "pause AI development." He wrote that, if the CEOs did not "take appropriate action," the Senate would step in.

While none have embraced Sanders' call for a full shutdown, the AI companies are taking some steps to slow down. OpenAI said on Friday that it has paused some work on its Astra model. Two top Anthropic leaders also considered a global AI pause in June.

In other ways, the labs have sped up. Anthropic dropped the safety pledge Sanders cites in February.

Sanders has long been critical of AI companies. In December, the senator began pushing for a national moratorium on AI data center development. While his mission hasn't gained traction in the Senate, the state of New York has enacted a similar policy.

Read Sanders' full letter here:

Dear Mr. Altman, Mr. Amodei and Mr. Zuckerberg:

Almost every day, there is a new story about how your companies are losing control of the AI technology you are developing, with potentially cataclysmic results.

This week we learned, frighteningly, that AI has been used for the first time ever to create new viruses. As you know this type of development, in the wrong hands, could lead to new bioweapons that result in the deaths of tens of millions of people.

Last month, the world found out OpenAI lost control of an AI model. The result? The model hacked into another company's computers—a clear violation of federal law. After conducting internal reviews, Anthropic and Meta reported their models similarly escaped their control.

One of the targeted companies called the AI hack "an unprecedented event" that deserves an "unprecedented response." Yoshua Bengio, the most cited living scientist in the world, said these incidents "should serve as a wake-up call."

I agree.

So do the top scientists at the companies you lead, the very people building this technology. As you know, these technology leaders recently called for the international community to create a safety mechanism—a pause button—to avoid catastrophe. They warned there is a "real risk that capability development rapidly accelerates beyond our ability to understand or control the resulting systems."

And yet, at a moment when we have seen human loss of control and the creation of potentially dangerous viruses, your companies are still racing ahead— investing tens of billions of dollars into a technology that nobody can fully understand, predict or control.

That is absurd, irresponsible and extremely dangerous. It is also a betrayal of your own stated commitments:

• In 2023, Anthropic said it would "commit to pause the scaling and/or delay the deployment of new models whenever our scaling ability outstrips our ability to comply with. . . safety procedures."

• In 2025, Meta said "if a frontier AI is assessed to have reached the critical risk threshold and cannot be mitigated, we will stop development."

• That same year, OpenAI said it would "halt further development" until strong safeguards were in place if AI capabilities ever reached a "critical" threshold.

That moment is here. AI capabilities HAVE reached a critical threshold. There is a reason why the head of the CIA says that AI models are "akin to digital nuclear weapons" and "almost like a doomsday device."

Mr. Altman, Mr. Amodei and Mr. Zuckerberg: In the interest of humanity, stand by your words. Pause AI development. It is not too late to avoid disaster. Stop building machines that humans cannot control.

Let me be very clear: If you do not take appropriate action now, my colleagues and I in the U.S. Senate will.

Sincerely,

BERNARD SANDERS

UNITED STATES SENATOR

• Cities around the world are facing growing housing demand, and rents are increasing globally.
• People live in micro apartments, cage homes, and shacks as a result.
• In the US, tiny-home villages are trying to address homelessness.

In 2026, the affordability crisis is touching every aspect of daily life.

At the grocery store, inflation has driven up the costs of household products and food, while people globally have been feeling the strain of the war in Iran at the gas pump.

Others are struggling with the cost of living when it comes to housing, too, as cities face housing shortages and rising rents.

Economic hardships like these are being felt around the world, leaving many people with no choice but to rent uncomfortably small living arrangements.

From Los Angeles to Seoul, see people's tiny living spaces in photos.

Small living spaces known as 'coffin homes' and 'mosquito units' are found around the world.

As the global population grows and the number of renters rises, some cities, such as Hong Kong and San Francisco, have seen a surge in the construction of tiny, more affordable homes and apartments.

Some units are smaller than 200 square feet, earning them nicknames such as "nano homes," "coffin homes," "mosquito units," and "gnat flats," the Associated Press reported.

Hong Kong has gained a reputation for having some of the smallest and most expensive apartments in the world.

Some apartments in Hong Kong are smaller than two parking spaces but cost almost half as much as an average home in the city, according to a 2021 Bloomberg report.

"Coffin homes" are named for their small size and little free space. Rent prices vary on these types of homes, but as of 2026, some residents still pay under $400 in US dollars, the South China Morning Post reported.

Despite the city's housing hardships, recent data indicate a housing boom is emerging in Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported.

Some city residents pay a third of their salaries for micro apartments.

This 193-square-foot flat in Hong Kong is considered a micro-sized upscale apartment, according to The Associated Press.

"Every time that I step back into this (apartment) I kind of feel like a cat squeezed into a box," Donny Chan, an art director at a medical equipment maker at the time, told The Associated Press in 2017, when he lived in the home.

At the time, Chan paid $1,300 a month, about a third of his monthly salary, for the apartment.

Critics of micro apartments say the small living spaces are widening inequality and promoting unfair living conditions.

Thousands of residents in Hong Kong live in shoebox-sized apartments that aren't even designed to house people.

Some residents can't even stretch out their legs while sleeping in the tiny apartments in Hong Kong, The Associated Press reported.

Landlords in Hong Kong have also created "cubicle flats" by carving out individual living spaces from a single apartment.

The homeowner of this "cubicle flat" managed to fit a shrine, fridge, and bed into his tiny space.

Some landlords partition 400-square-foot apartments into 20 double-decker, 15-square-foot "coffins," The Guardian reported.

Unique tiny-home concepts have emerged in Hong Kong, such as the OPod tube home.

The idea behind the OPod tube house is to create affordable housing inside giant concrete drainage pipes, which can be stacked, according to architect James Law.

Law designed the 100-square-foot tiny house around the pipe's circular design. Each home would cost $15,000, but Law said he hoped the rent would be no more than $400 a month.

The OPod homes have yet to be rolled out on a large-scale.

In Tokyo, some young adults have chosen to live in affordable tiny apartments so they can spend their money in other ways.

Like Hong Kong, Tokyo has micro-apartments that can be rented for under $400 a month, The Guardian reported in 2023.

Tiny apartments in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, are tucked between alleys, food stalls, shops, and houses.

Often, tourists and civilians completely miss these spaces because they are so small.

Other homes in Ho Chi Minh City are even smaller, such as this 22-square-foot plot.

The city's rapid development pushed some people into these micro-homes, which are scattered throughout Vietnam's southern hub.

Some students in Shanghai live in cheap, cramped apartments while studying for their graduate entrance exams.

The cramped conditions are best viewed as temporary until the residents enter graduate school.

Unable to afford the city's housing costs, Beijing resident Dai Haifei designed and built an egg-shaped house on the sidewalk.

Reuters reported that Dai Haifei built the home from bamboo strips, steel bars, and waterproof materials in 2010. For months, he lived in the structure near his office in Beijing.

The 6.5-foot-tall pod cost him $964 to build at the time, per China Daily. Local authorities ultimately deemed the structure illegal, and he was ordered to remove it.

Residents of Brazil's favelas live in small, cramped conditions.

The BBC reported in 2023 that residents in the Paraisópolis favela — an impoverished neighborhood — lived with mold growing on the walls in spaces barely large enough to fit a double bed.

At the time, one resident paid $73 a month for such a space.

In São Paulo, micro-homes are helping address homelessness.

Brazil's first village of micro-houses was built in 2022 in the neighborhood of Canindé, featuring houses under 200 square feet, the BBC reported.

A lack of affordable housing has pushed some people out of their homes and into their cars.

Jeff Slocum, who lives in the US, lived out of his 2005 Chrysler Town and Country van for years. 

After a neighborly dispute forced him out of his living situation, he moved into his van in Upstate New York. Slocum told Business Insider in 2021 that, while he had faced many challenges since his car lacked a bathroom, kitchen, or heater, he still persevered.

"If you take a deep breath, slow down, think creatively, and [do one] task at a time, you can survive," Slocum said.

Some people have converted shipping containers into houses for a fraction of the cost of building a more traditional home.

Both individuals and companies are turning recycled, steel shipping containers into tiny homes.

Amid a housing shortage, students at a university in Kiel, Germany, and a local welfare organization converted shipping containers into homes.

In 2021, two containers were converted into tiny homes for students and people experiencing homelessness in Kiel, Germany.

According to Kiel University's International Center, affordable housing is difficult to find in the northern German city.

At the time, the two container houses were rented for about $320 a month.

A tiny home designed by architecture students in Berlin utilizes every inch of space, with built-in shelving and storage units.

Van Bo Le-Mentzel, who founded Tinyhouse University to identify ways to tackle housing issues, told Bild he wants everyone to have affordable housing.

The students designed the home themselves in response to the area's limited living space, leaning into a minimalist style where everything is meant to be easily hidden, including the bathroom.

In the US, some tiny-home villages in California are trying to address homelessness.

In 2024, homelessness in California hit record highs, accounting for nearly 25% of homeless individuals in the US, per the Public Policy Institute of California. Some people are looking to tiny homes as a potential solution.

In October 2021, one of the country's largest tiny home villages opened in Los Angeles. Arroyo Seco Tiny Home Village is operated by the nonprofit organization Hope the Mission and is designed for people experiencing homelessness. It has 117 units and 224 non-congregate beds for people, with each unit being 64 square feet.

Since 2021, Hope the Mission has opened several more tiny-home villages.

Hope the Mission's tiny homes are intended to be transitional —residents can live there for free as long as they are on a pathway to permanent housing.

The villages have a range of facilities.

The tiny-home villages have laundry facilities, pet relief areas, restrooms, showers, and provide three meals a day.

Hope the Mission also said it provides services for case management, housing navigation, mental health, and job training.

One organization is attempting to showcase how micro-homes could help solve the affordable housing crisis.

The Healthy Housing Foundation, a nonprofit organization that attempts to combat homelessness and the high cost of living, installed a 352-square-foot model micro home in Downtown Los Angeles in 2018.

As of 2024, the organization has purchased and renovated 15 properties in the city. A single home can cost $89,000 per unit. 

The Miracle Terrace Building in Anaheim, California, houses low-income elderly residents in tiny studio apartments.

The roughly 450-square-foot apartments house low-income older residents, the majority of whom are Korean, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2014.

In Los Angeles, where space is at a premium, contractors attempt to make compact spaces feel more open.

Todd Segal, a contractor, completely refitted the family's 625-square-foot home in Highland Park, California, The Los Angeles Times reported. Barely bigger than a one-bedroom apartment, it has a bedroom, a bathroom, an open living-dining-kitchen area, and a tiny loft for his 14-year-old daughter.

In Seattle, compact apartments appeal to a few key demographics.

Many units in Seattle were designed to appeal to students, retirees looking to downsize, and other groups. Some apartments in the city's First Hill neighborhood are about the same size as a large parking spot, The Associated Press reported.

Micro apartments in Seattle usually come with a private bathroom and built-in furniture.

The resident of this 200-square-foot apartment said this was an affordable way to live in the city center for under $1,200, Reuters reported in 2013.

In 2026, many apartments are still offered in the neighborhood at a similar price range.

A ski resort in one of the US's most expensive ski towns built tiny homes for its seasonal workers.

In Aspen, Colorado, the ski resort Aspen Snowmass faced a housing shortage for its seasonal workers, who run the town's ski slopes and restaurants, prompting the company to build a tiny-house village in 2016.

The company bought six 500-square-foot homes that year for $100,000 each, and added 34 more in 2017.

There's also been a rising tiny-house movement in Silivri, Turkey, as people look for affordable vacation housing away from bustling city centers.

In Silivri, Turkey, tiny homes saw a resurgence in popularity as people and families searched for affordable vacation rentals in nature during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gulf Today reported in 2021.

The homes are typically between 160 and 430 square feet.

A couple sold their home and moved into a yurt in Riel, Netherlands, to save money.

Chris Heijmans and her husband, Rick de Vries, sold their house in 2020 and moved into a tiny yurt — a small, round dwelling — on farmlands in the south of the Netherlands to reduce costs and live more freely.

New York City is another notoriously expensive city with micro-apartments.

In February 2026, the median rent in Manhattan was $5,000 a month, according to a 2026 rental market report from the Corcoran Group.

The high rent incentivizes many residents to look to shoebox apartments as a solution.

Many New Yorkers are willing to sacrifice space for solitude.

Alaina Randazzo spent $650 a month in 2022 for this micro-apartment without a bathroom, she told Business Insider. Located in Midtown Manhattan, it clocks in at just 80 square feet.

In Brooklyn, a couple turned their 460-square-foot studio apartment into a modular live-work loft.

The apartment makes use of the tiny space, utilizing functional storage compartments and an innovative lofted bed, Apartment Therapy reported.

Guryong Village is a shanty town located in the affluent Gangnam district.

Housing prices in Seoul have risen higher than wages, and demand is outstripping supply.

Guryong was formed when Seoul's low-income residents were displaced during redevelopment programs for the 1988 Olympics.

The South Korean government has been asking Guryong's residents to leave the 71-acre settlement, The New York Times reported.

As the shacks lack air conditioning, the 2026 heat wave has been brutal for residents.

"It's so hot it's hard to breathe," one Guryong resident told AFP amid South Korea's severe heat wave.

Another resident, who is 87 years old, told AFP that he has tried using discarded handheld battery-powered fans to cool himself down, to little avail.

Local authorities have offered heat-relief shelters for residents.

Some buildings with air conditioning are too far for older residents to access.

Winter in Guryong isn't much easier, with temperatures in Seoul often dropping below freezing.

Fires are a risk in Guryong because shacks are built from highly flammable materials and are cramped together, Reuters reported, citing a fire assessment by local authorities.

In January 2026, a major fire broke out, forcing residents to flee.

Editor's note: A version of this story was first published in October 2019. It was most recently updated in August 2026.

• As a longtime Costco employee, I always look forward to seeing the new items that hit shelves.
• This month, I found everything from back-to-school essentials to Halloween decor.
• Customers at my store have been loving the Dash family-size skillet.

This month, I'm celebrating 21 years as a Costco employee. Over the years, I've really enjoyed seeing the new products that hit the shelves, from seasonal decor to yummy meals.

Here are seven items that caught my eye this month.

Customers at my store have been loving the Dash family-size skillet.

At my Costco store, the 14-inch Dash family-size skillet has been a popular item. This large, versatile skillet is perfect for making one-pot meals, pasta dishes, soups, and more.

Plus, the ceramic nonstick design makes for easy cleanup.

Get a head start on Halloween decor with the Brentwood Originals pillows.

Halloween may still be a few months away, but Costco is always ahead of the game with its decor.

I fell in love with the Brentwood Originals decorative pillows, which come in a variety of Halloween-inspired designs like a haunted house, black cat, fuzzy pumpkin, and skeletons.

The Rapid-Off fire blanket is a great item to keep in your home or car.

In my opinion, you can never be too prepared when it comes to fire safety. That's why the Rapid-Off fire blankets caught my eye.

These heavy-duty blankets, made from flame-retardant fiberglass, are great to have on hand for putting out small household fires. Each box comes with two blankets, which are great for keeping at home or bringing to outdoor barbecues and camping trips.

Indoor cats will love the Kitty City catio kit.

If you have an indoor cat that loves spending time in the sun, it may be worth checking out the Kitty City catio kit, which is designed to provide cats a safe space for outdoor play.

I love that it has lots of spots for them to play and hide, and it even comes with a few balls and a three-month supply of catnip.

The Soules Kitchen street-taco steak caught my eye.

The Soules Kitchen street-taco steak seems like a quick and convenient lunch or dinner option. The fully cooked steak comes with a smoky salsa roja sauce packet, which adds an instant burst of flavor to the meat.

It can be ready within minutes on the stovetop or in the microwave, and each package contains enough meat to make 16 tacos.

Get ready for school with these chic Adidas backpacks.

Depending on where you live, back-to-school season is either here or just around the corner. And luckily, Costco has stylish Adidas backpacks in five colorways — black, dark gray, pink, purple, and blue.

Each bag has three zippered pockets, a spot for a laptop, and side pockets that can fit a water bottle.

The Eat-in spinach, feta, and sundried tomato wraps remind me of a similar offering from Starbucks.

I'm always looking for quick and easy meals, which is why I was drawn to the Eat-In spinach, feta, and sundried-tomato wraps.

Each wheat lavash is packed with cage-free egg whites, spinach, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and cream cheese. They're easy to heat up in the air fryer or microwave.

Costco was not involved in the sourcing or writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author's personal views.

Update: We've scoured the internet for REI coupons and promo codes, but we haven't found any active discount codes at the time of writing. We'll continue hunting for offer codes and updating this page as we find them, so keep checking back. In the meantime, if you're still interested in shopping at REI today, you can explore the retailer's ongoing deals below or head back to your cart.

REI is the go-to destination for all things outdoor adventure, whether you're looking to outfit yourself or get some new gear. The retailer is a one-stop shop, offering products from several popular brands, often at a discounted price. The REI Co-op frequently features savings opportunities via sales and other discounts, but the best way to save even more at checkout is with one of the best REI coupon codes we've tested.

While the retailer carries basics like backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags, REI's inventory extends far beyond that. The brand carries gear for all seasons, ranging from snowboards to paddleboards, along with a massive selection of durable, performance-driven apparel and footwear. Another great option is the REI Outlet, where past-season favorites are often marked down significantly. There, savvy shoppers will find lots to love from top brands like Patagonia, The North Face, and Arc'teryx, among others.

We've highlighted the top REI deals below so you can get the most savings on your next purchase. The offers include general sales, coupon codes, and volume discounts, so there's a decent chance that something in your order might be available at a discounted price. We also sometimes spot exclusive offers for REI Co-op members.

Today's best REI coupons and promo codes

Previous REI coupons

Are there any other REI sales running at the moment?

REI usually has some form of sale running on the website at any given time, often across a variety of items. Sometimes this is a general offer on several products, and other times it's a special promo if you buy a certain number of products or bundle purchases together. You can check the "Deals" page of REI's website at any moment to see a full list of their current deals and markdowns. At the time of writing, REI is running the following promotions:

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

How to use REI discount codes

Start by adding coupon-eligible items to your cart. From the "Shopping Cart" page, continue to checkout by logging into your co-op account or continuing as a guest. Once you've entered your contact and shipping information, you can apply a discount code by clicking the "Apply a coupon" dropdown, pasting a code into the "Enter code" text box, and clicking "Apply." From there, enter your payment information and submit your order.

Can you stack REI promo codes?

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

REI coupon frequently asked questions

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

At the time of writing, REI doesn't offer any special discounts for teachers, students, or members of the military. This means that your best way to save is to take advantage of promo codes and other ongoing deals.

However, select other retailers offer discounts for these groups. If you're a student or educator, check out our roundups of the best student discounts and teacher discounts to see more savings offers from your favorite brands.

Do I have to be a co-op member to shop at REI?

You don't have to be a member of the co-op to shop at REI. However, co-op members enjoy a lot of perks, like free shipping on all orders, special discounts, and more, so joining may be worth it if you're a frequent shopper. Co-op membership requires a one-off fee of $30 for lifetime access, with no annual renewal costs. Learn more about the co-op on REI's website.

Does REI offer free shipping?

REI offers free standard shipping on all orders for co-op members, with no minimum spending required. Non-members can get free standard shipping on orders over $60. Learn more about shipping terms and exclusions on REI's website.

What is REI's return policy?

REI has generous return policies for both co-op members and non-members, but the return period differs depending on whether you're a member. In most cases, co-op members have a full 365-day period after the original purchase to return all eligible items. Non-members have a 90-day return window for all eligible items. Outdoor electronic returns must be done within 90 days for both co-op members and non-members. Certain items have different return windows, so be sure to check the terms and conditions on REI's website.

Can I use an REI promo code in-store?

For the most part, REI coupon and promo codes are only valid for online orders. That said, there would be exceptions, so it's worth reading the terms and conditions on any code you're planning to use.

Looking for more deals? Check out our roundup of the best Athleta coupons.

• JPMorgan lifted its 2026 target for the S&P 500 on Monday.
• The bank pointed to signs that AI capex is paying off for Big Tech companies.
• Strategists say they expect AI related capex to swell to $1.2 trillion by the end of 2027.

Returns on AI capex have been a looming question for Wall Street investors, but JPMorgan says that elusive AI monetization is a big reason it's boosting its S&P 500 price target for the year.

The bank's strategists hiked their target for the benchmark index on Monday, as they eye an "increasingly visible" payoff from the huge sums of money being poured into the AI buildout.

In a note to clients, a team led by the bank's Dubravko Lakos-Bujas raised their year-end forecast for the benchmark index to 8,000, a slight increase from the bank's prior year-end target of 7,800 and about 3% higher than Monday's levels.

Strategists cited higher earnings as investors finally begin to see the ROI from the billions spent in AI capex — a key concern that has weighed on hyperscaler stocks all year.

It's been a rough few months for the tech trade, with investors intermittently punishing large AI spenders as concerns build over valuations and whether all that capex will be worth it. The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF, for instance, is down 2% from its peak in May. Meta, one of the biggest spenders of the Mag Seven group, is down 7% year-to-date.

But the outlook for many of these firms has already started to improve during the second quarter, JPMorgan said. Strategists pointed to expanding backlogs, improved cash flow visibility, and stronger growth in cloud businesses, which have allowed firms like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft to clear "a high investor expectation bar," they wrote in a note.

"This suggests that monetization may start ramping faster than spending, which should support stronger future revenue growth and further alleviate concerns about ROIC," the bank said.

AI capex is expected to keep rising. The bank said consensus estimates now forecast total capex to reach around $900 billion by the end of the year, up about 85% from last year. The figure could rise to $1.2 trillion by the end of 2027, JPMorgan estimated.

Corporate earnings growth, meanwhile, shows no sign of slowing down. Of the S&P 500 firms that have already reported their results for the second quarter, 86% have beaten on earnings, and 76% have beaten on revenue estimates, according to the latest update from FactSet.

The index is also on track for the highest blended earnings growth rate in five years, the analytics firm said on Friday.

Despite the bullish outlook, strategists pointed to several risks that still hang over the market. Free cash flow at most of the hyperscalers will likely continue to be negative through 2027, JPM said. The US economy also remains K-shaped from a consumer perspective, the bank added, referring to the growing bifurcation between top earnings and lower- to middle-income Americans, who remain pressured by the cumulative impact of inflation.

• 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday that he was using Tesla's Autopilot before a crash.
• His Model S veered into oncoming traffic and hit another SUV.
• Shanahan said he wasn't sure if he accidentally turned off Autopilot while looking for his phone.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he had been using Tesla's Autopilot before a head-on collision with another vehicle.

On Saturday, during his first press conference since the crash, Shanahan said he took his eyes off the road before his Tesla Model S crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Mercedes-Benz SUV.

He took responsibility for the crash — and said the experience changed how he thinks about using driver-assistance technology.

"When you're going at 20 miles an hour, and you're on autopilot, I honestly have zero worries," he said. "That was a good lesson that you can't ever have zero worries. I think it definitely could be an example for a lot of people."

Drivers using Tesla's Autopilot are not supposed to take their eyes off the road. It's the EV-maker's more basic driver-assistance system, unlike the automaker's Full Self-Driving (Supervised), which the company claims can handle more complex driving tasks, including turns and lane changes.

Both systems still require an attentive driver.

Shanahan, who has been driving Tesla for several years, said his phone fell from his lap and that he took his eyes off the road while trying to retrieve it. He said he wasn't sure whether he had inadvertently disengaged Autopilot while searching for the phone.

The July 14 crash in Palo Alto left Shanahan with a concussion, three broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken left hand, and a facial cut that required more than 40 stitches.

"Dropping a phone, it falling all the way to my back seat to where I have to fully take my eyes off the road, it's something that I normally wouldn't do," he said.

"I've had autopilot for nine years, so I'm pretty comfortable with it. Who knows what happened when I turned around, whether it malfunctioned, or whether I turned it off. That's something I don't know yet. But, regardless, it is always your fault."

Shanahan said Saturday that he plans to be on the field for the 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, August 13.

He also said he was angry with himself over a crash that he believes could have been avoided.

"Any time you cause an accident that could have been avoided, you feel pretty stupid, especially when you have a chance to hurt someone else," Shanahan said.

Tesla and a representative for the 49ers didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Shopping for glasses can be expensive and time-consuming, but online retailers like GlassesUSA can help you cut costs from the comfort of your own home. GlassesUSA is one of the best online glasses retailers, and the site offers a variety of styles for every budget. But if you're looking to save even more on your next order, you can try one of the best GlassesUSA coupons and promo codes when you check out.

Over the years, our team has evaluated several of the best online glasses retailers, and GlassesUSA continues to stand out for its combination of affordability, variety, and convenience. Whether you need new prescription glasses, contact lenses, stylish sunglasses, or a backup pair of readers, there are options for every budget and taste. You can also check out our full GlassesUSA review for a closer look at why we recommend the retailer.

GlassesUSA offers sales and other discounts throughout the year, but one of the top ways to routinely save on lenses, contacts, frames, and more is by trying a discount code. Below, we've rounded up the best GlassesUSA deals, coupons, and promo codes currently available to help you save on your next purchase.

Today's best GlassesUSA coupons

Previous GlassesUSA promo codes

Are there any other GlassesUSA sales running at the moment?

You can find a full list of current markdowns at any time on the sale pages of GlassesUSA's site. At the time of writing, GlassesUSA is running the following promotions.

• Follow us on Instagram and WhatsApp for the latest content from the Reviews team.

How to use GlassesUSA promo codes

It's easy to use GlassesUSA promo codes. You can start the process by adding coupon-eligible items to your cart. From there, you can click the "Secure Checkout" pop-up or the shopping cart icon to navigate to the "Shopping Cart" checkout page, where you'll be able to apply a coupon by pasting the code into the "Coupon/Store Credit" text box and clicking "Apply." Some codes may be automatically applied when you go to your cart. Once you add the coupon, you can continue the checkout process by inputting your shipping and payment information.

Can you stack GlassesUSA discount codes?

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

GlassesUSA coupons: Frequently asked questions

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

GlassesUSA offers students a 40% sitewide discount. The retailer also offers a $20 service discount to first responders, military members, teachers, nurses, medical providers, hospital workers, government employees, and senior citizens. Eligible customers must verify their status to receive the discount.

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

Does GlassesUSA take insurance?

GlassesUSA accepts insurance from several major providers, which are listed on the website here. If your provider isn't listed, GlassesUSA can provide a detailed receipt with your order that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

GlassesUSA also allows you to use HSA and FSA dollars directly on the site. Simply enter your FSA/HSA card at checkout like you would a credit or debit card. Learn more about using FSA or HSA dollars on GlassesUSA's website.

Does GlassesUSA offer free shipping?

GlassesUSA offers free standard shipping on all orders in the United States. For faster shipping or next-day delivery, you may need to pay an extra fee.

What is GlassesUSA's return policy?

GlassesUSA allows items to be returned for a full refund within 45 days of the original purchase. Learn more about how to make a return on GlassesUSA's website. You'll need your order ID and email address to get started.

Does GlassesUSA have a virtual try-on feature?

GlassesUSA's virtual try-on feature can help you see what certain frames look like on your face before you buy them. When you're on the product page of the frames you're interested in, simply click "Live Try On" on the product photo to use the feature. If you prefer to test out your frames in person, GlassesUSA also offers a 45-day home try-on feature.

If you need more help deciding which frames are right for you, GlassesUSA offers a Pairfect Match AI quiz on its website that can help you find the best pair for your needs.

Can I reuse a GlassesUSA coupon?

The majority of GlassesUSA coupons can only be used once per customer. However, there may be exceptions, so be sure to check the terms and conditions for the specific code you're interested in using.

For more eyewear deals, check out our roundups of the best Zenni promo codes.

Most TVs suffer from poor audio quality, with small integrated speakers that just don't sound very good. But if weak bass and muddy dialogue are ruining your movie nights, you're not out of luck. A soundbar is an easy solution, and even budget models can be a big upgrade. The best soundbars deliver clearer voices, punchier low frequencies, and a more immersive experience.

My team of reviewers and I have spent more than a decade testing audio gear, and I've used that experience to pick the four best soundbars for a range of budgets and needs. My top recommendation is the Samsung HW-Q990F, a powerful Dolby Atmos system that includes rear speakers and a subwoofer for true surround sound. If you prefer a simpler setup, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the best stand-alone soundbar we've tested, delivering excellent performance without any extra components.

Below, you'll find all my picks for the best soundbars you can buy, from affordable upgrades to massive 11.1.4-channel systems that bring serious cinematic impact to your home theater.

Our top picks for the best soundbars

Best overall: Samsung HW-Q990F - See at Amazon

Best on a budget: Vizio 2.0 SV200M-08 - See at Walmart

Best midrange: Yamaha YAS-209 - See at Amazon

Best all-in-one: Sonos Arc Ultra - See at Amazon

Best overall

The Samsung Q990F is the best soundbar for anyone who wants to elevate their home theater with cinematic audio. This powerhouse 11.1.4-channel system isn't the most compact option, but it fills your room with rich, multidirectional sound that pulls you right into the action.

One of the Q990F's standout features is its Dolby Atmos support, which creates a dome of sound, including effects that seem to come from above. To achieve this, the system utilizes four up-firing drivers that bounce sound off the ceiling, four side-firing drivers, dedicated rear speakers, a compact yet powerful subwoofer, and an array of front drivers for seamless coverage.

Together, these components provide an immersive soundfield that enhances everything from blockbuster movies and gaming sessions to music playback. Beyond sheer volume, the Q990F impresses with its balance and smooth channel transitions, providing a natural, lifelike quality to everything from sitcoms to jazz.

Compared to previous Q990 soundbars, this model introduces a revised subwoofer with a smaller build and a sealed rather than ported design. This makes it easier to place and reduces rattling. Despite its more compact footprint, the sub still packs a punch, delivering deep, controlled bass even at its default settings.

The Q990F also features a suite of modern conveniences, including hands-free Alexa voice control, support for high-res audio formats, and full compatibility with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Connection options include an HDMI eARC port, an optical input, and two HDMI inputs with 4K HDR passthrough. Notably, those HDMI ports now handle 120Hz gaming signals, which weren't supported on the older Q990C.

Owners of certain Samsung TVs also get an added bonus: Q-Symphony. This feature is compatible with some of the best Samsung TVs, such as the S90F/S90H and S95H, enabling the Q990F to sync with a display's built-in speakers for an even broader soundstage. The soundbar still shines on its own, but this is an interesting feature to use if you have a compatible TV.

Read our Samsung HW-Q990F soundbar review.

Visit our guide to all the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Best on a budget

The Vizio SV200M is a basic 2.0-channel soundbar that's available for just under $100. It doesn't include a separate subwoofer, upfiring audio drivers, dedicated rear speakers, or voice control. Instead, it's a simple stand-alone bar with stereo audio separation. Though there are limitations to keep in mind, this budget-friendly soundbar still offers a solid upgrade over most built-in TV speakers.

The SV200M replaces my previous pick in this spot, the older Vizio V-Series V21d-J8. That soundbar was also a great budget option, and I liked that it had a built-in woofer; however, it's no longer sold at most stores. As it stands, this newer 2.0-channel bar is the best value in Vizio's current lineup.

At around 30 inches wide, the soundbar isn't as compact as some other budget options, but it's still easy to place on most consoles. It also utilizes Vizio's QuickFit design, which allows it to mount to the bottom of certain Vizio TV models without tools.

An HDMI eARC connection is included for simple setup with modern TVs, but there are no video passthrough ports (as expected for a budget bar) or an optical port. That latter omission only matters if you have an especially old TV that doesn't support HDMI. The bar doesn't have a dedicated remote, but it can sync control with your TV's remote via HDMI. Bluetooth is also supported for wireless music streaming from mobile devices or computers.

The SV200M delivers left- and right-channel audio and offers solid performance for its class. But while it's technically capable of processing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X audio tracks, its lack of upfiring audio drivers and 2.0-channel design means it can't actually showcase those formats' benefits. That said, the bar does support DTS Virtual:X simulated surround sound. The tech employed here is nowhere near as convincing as what you'd get on a high-end soundbar like the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it still expands the device's soundstage.

Check out our guide to all the best budget soundbars.

Best midrange

The YAS-209 isn't as immersive as pricier soundbar models, but it delivers good audio quality for the money and includes a wireless subwoofer for dedicated bass. This is the type of classic, 2.1-channel audio setup many think of when shopping for a soundbar, and it makes for a nice, no-fuss upgrade to built-in TV speakers.

The system delivers native stereo playback with left-right separation. It also features DTS Virtual:X processing to create a simulated surround-sound effect. It's not as convincing as more expensive systems that feature side-firing audio drivers or actual rear speakers, but it does a decent job. With or without virtual surround, the system delivers clear, balanced audio across a wide range of content.

The YAS-209 connects to your TV via its HDMI ARC port, and the soundbar features a handy HDMI-in port that supports passing video from a connected device, such as a gaming console or Blu-ray player, at up to 4K resolution at 60Hz with HDR (but not Dolby Vision).

An optical audio port is also featured for older TVs without HDMI ARC, and you can wirelessly stream music via Bluetooth or WiFi. Thanks to its built-in microphones, the YAS-209 supports Amazon Alexa, enabling voice control for functions such as volume.

This model has been around for several years and lacks some advanced features, such as Dolby Atmos support, that newer options offer. However, it still offers excellent overall value. The audio quality here is great for the price, making this one of the best soundbars available for under $500.

Best all-in-one

In many ways, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the quintessential all-in-one soundbar. It offers a slick design, immersive Dolby Atmos audio, and a simplified setup that gets you up and running in minutes — all from a single bar that sits in front of your TV.

The Arc Ultra doesn't come with a separate subwoofer or rear speakers, but it still delivers impressive sound without them. This model is the successor to the standard Sonos Arc, and the Ultra offers a nice upgrade in bass and overall clarity.

To achieve its beefier performance, the Ultra uses Sonos' Sound Motion driver, which fits powerful woofers in a compact space while freeing up room for additional tweeters elsewhere in the bar. With 14 drivers total, including both side- and up-firing ones, the Arc Ultra provides a 9.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos experience that surrounds you in a dome of sound. You can even stream Atmos music from supported services, such as Amazon, via the Sonos app.

The app also allows you to adjust the sound, connect to other Sonos speakers, and activate the brand's TV Swap feature. TV Swap lets you transition to private listening when paired with Sonos Ace headphones. Although many users encountered issues with a Sonos software update in 2024, most of those problems have been resolved. The app still isn't perfect, but our reviewer didn't encounter any major hiccups.

The Arc Ultra's minimalist design is appealing, but it does have some downsides. Like its predecessor, it has limited inputs. There's no spare HDMI connection or optical port, though you can buy an optical adapter. And though the Arc Ultra supports standard DTS 5.1 audio, it does not support DTS:X.

On the plus side, the Arc Ultra adds one notable feature missing from the original Arc: Bluetooth support. It also has a new Advanced Speech Enhancement mode that can emphasize dialogue without affecting the quality of other sound effects.

The Arc Ultra's asking price is a bit high, but its performance justifies its cost. With excellent sound and numerous modern features, it's one of the best soundbars we've reviewed, offering a convenient way to upgrade your audio setup.

Read our Sonos Arc Ultra review.

Check out our guide to the best Sonos soundbars.

How we test soundbars

To find the best soundbars, our reviewers use a combination of hands-on testing and research, guided by more than a decade of experience covering home theater gear.

We focus first on audio quality, evaluating bass, mid, and treble performance across a wide range of movies and TV shows. Clear dialogue is especially important, so we test multiple sound modes and volume levels to ensure voices remain easy to hear without distortion, even at high volumes.

Music performance matters, too. We listen to carefully chosen tracks across genres like rock, pop, acoustic, and hip-hop to assess balance, detail, and clarity, and to determine whether a soundbar sounds thin, muddy, or compressed.

Beyond sound, we evaluate format support, connectivity, smart features, build quality, design, and overall value. Since convenience is a big reason people choose a soundbar, we also pay close attention to setup, ease of use, and how well each bar fits into a typical TV setup. Finally, we use every soundbar in day-to-day TV watching to get a feel for how it performs outside test scenes.

For more information about our testing process, check out our breakdown on how we review tech products.

Meet the expert behind this guide:

Steven Cohen, senior tech editor: My team and I have been reviewing audio gear for more than a decade, and we've used that experience to find the best soundbars across budgets. I also studied film production, so I know just how essential proper sound is to get the full impact of a movie or TV show. With that in mind, I've ensured all the picks in this guide deliver strong audio performance for their price tier. If nothing else, a soundbar should offer a better experience than a typical TV's built-in speakers — so I've used that as the starting point for all our recommendations. Clear dialogue is also a must, as is overall value and ease of use. Ultimately, I want to help you find a soundbar that genuinely improves your listening experience while still coming in at a reasonable cost.

Learn more about the Reviews team at Business Insider.

What to look for in a soundbar

When shopping for a soundbar, take a close look at the specs, especially the size and the number of audio channels. Entry-level models are typically compact and feature basic two-channel stereo, while pricier soundbars tend to be larger and support more channels for a better surround-sound effect. Some systems feature a single bar, while others incorporate a separate subwoofer, and some go all in with rear speakers. Generally, larger multi-speaker setups deliver better performance but require more space.

At a minimum, all of the best soundbars handle standard stereo PCM and Dolby Digital. If you're after a more immersive experience, look for models that support DTS Virtual:X or spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

HDMI ARC or eARC is the preferred way to connect a soundbar to your TV, but it's also handy when a model includes extra wired inputs (such as optical or 3.5mm) for older TVs or additional audio gear. Some soundbars even have extra HDMI ports for video passthrough from devices like Blu-ray players or game consoles, though that's more common with higher-end options.

Bluetooth streaming comes standard on many soundbars, but WiFi audio typically delivers higher quality. If you want your soundbar to also serve as a smart speaker, look for one with built-in microphones and support for Alexa or Google Assistant.

How do I connect a soundbar?

Most soundbars sold today connect to your TV via an HDMI cable, using an HDMI ARC or eARC port. It's the simplest setup and the only connection that supports high-quality audio formats, such as Dolby Atmos. In many cases, using HDMI ARC also lets you control your soundbar's volume and power with your regular TV remote — always a win for cutting down on clutter.

Even if your TV is a few years old, there's a good chance it supports HDMI ARC. Just check the input panel for a port labeled "HDMI ARC" or "HDMI eARC." And if you need a reliable cable, check out our guide to the best HDMI cables for soundbars and TVs.

If your TV doesn't offer HDMI ARC or eARC, you'll have to connect your soundbar using an optical digital port instead. This will still give you solid audio quality, but it won't support 3D formats like Dolby Atmos. In that situation, it might be worth considering a TV upgrade to get the most out of a modern soundbar.

Entry-level 4K TVs with HDMI ARC can now be purchased for about $500 or less, depending on size. Check out our best TVs buying guide for top recommendations across different price ranges,

Soundbar FAQs

Are soundbars worth it?

Even cheap soundbars deliver better audio quality than the speakers you'll find built into most displays. To keep costs down and ensure that the speakers fit within a flat-screen design, TVs often include small drivers and poor placement, which can result in thin, muddy sound. The best soundbars enhance your TV-watching experience by adding more dimension and bass.

Top soundbars can also improve dialogue clarity and other effects. That's especially true for soundbars with a dedicated center channel, where most dialogue and other important movie and TV sound effects are directed.

Can I use a soundbar for music, too?

Yes, many of the best soundbars double as solid music speakers. Most soundbars include Bluetooth support at a minimum, while many midrange and high-end options also support WiFi streaming, AirPlay, Chromecast, or Spotify Connect. That said, some bars are tuned more for TV and movies, so music performance can vary.

What size soundbar should I get?

Size is an important factor to consider when shopping for a new soundbar. Many single-unit soundbars are built with a width of around 25 inches or larger, while some ultra-compact models can be as small as 14 inches wide. On the other end of the spectrum, high-end soundbar models can be as wide as 50 inches.

Generally speaking, larger soundbar models deliver better sound quality because they can incorporate more speaker drivers with larger dimensions. However, smaller bars are often more affordable, convenient, and easier to set up.

If you plan to place your soundbar on an entertainment console alongside your TV, measure the area before making a purchase. This way, you can ensure that the soundbar you choose won't be too wide to rest on your TV stand and that its height won't block your display.

Can soundbars support surround sound?

Many of the best soundbars support surround sound with multiple audio channels that can be beamed in different directions. Entry-level models usually stick to two channels for basic left- and right-channel stereo, while midrange and high-end soundbars often add five or more channels — typically including a center channel for dedicated dialogue and rear channels created with extra drivers, satellite speakers, or virtual processing.

Channel specs are written as up to three numbers separated by decimals. The first number indicates the number of ear-level channels (left, right, center, and surrounds). The second indicates whether there's a dedicated low-frequency channel or subwoofer for deeper bass. The third shows how many height channels are included for Dolby Atmos.

If you just want a simple upgrade from your TV's built-in speakers, a compact 2.0 or 2.1 system will do the trick. But for a true home-theater feel, look for a 5.1 setup or something even more advanced.

For more recommendations, check out our complete guide to the best surround sound systems.

What is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is an immersive surround sound format that uses object-based audio mixing. In practice, this means that sounds can be more precisely positioned around your room, with effects placed in all directions, including overhead. For instance, when rain falls from the sky, or a helicopter flies overhead, you can actually hear the sound coming from above.

Dolby Atmos soundbars can use one of two methods to create overhead sound effects. The first involves audio processing to create a simulated sense of height from regular ear-level speakers. The second method uses upfiring drivers angled upward rather than forward to bounce sound effects off your ceiling. Good up-firing drivers provide a much more convincing sense of overhead sound than audio processing alone can.

For more details, see our "What is Dolby Atmos?" explainer.

Do I need a subwoofer?

A subwoofer can be an integral part of your cinematic and musical experience. Due to basic physics, soundbars alone can't offer the deep bass frequencies you'd get from a subwoofer. If you're looking for room-rattling thunder, a hefty boom from explosions, and powerful bass beats, consider a soundbar that either includes a subwoofer or, at the very least, allows you to add one later.

For our top recommendations, check out our guide to the best soundbars with subwoofers. 

What are the top soundbar brands?

Many audio brands produce excellent soundbars, but some excel in specific price ranges. If you're shopping on a budget, Vizio, Roku, TCL, and Hisense are all strong picks. They consistently deliver solid entry-level options without inflating the price.

Moving up a tier, Yamaha, Sonos, and Bose offer some of the best midrange and upper-midrange soundbars that balance performance, features, and design. Samsung and Sony cover just about every budget, but they especially stand out with high-end models that offer advanced surround sound and Dolby Atmos support. And if you want premium performance, Sennheiser is a brand to keep on your radar.

• A map shows the 26 states where Taylor Farms has recalled products containing fresh jalapeños.
• The ready-made items, including salsa and guacamole, were potentially contaminated with salmonella.
• The products were distributed to major grocery store chains, including Walmart and Target.

Weeks after Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce over a major cyclosporiasis outbreak, it has pulled products containing jalapeños that could salmonella — a bug that can also cause watery diarrhea.

The map below shows the 26 states where Taylor Fresh Foods, which operates as Taylor Farms, recalled ready-made items containing fresh jalapeños, including pico de gallo salsa, spicy guacamole, and rice and bean burritos.

Hover over each state on the map to see the respective number of individual products recalled and their retailers, per Taylor Farms.

Taylor Farms said in a statement on Sunday that the products were sent to retail distribution centers in: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

Taylor Farms jalapeño products were recalled from retailers including Walmart

Taylor Farms' products are sold directly to consumers but also used in pre-made food items sold in grocery stores and restaurants.

A range of salsa and guacamoles, as well as chopped jalapeños, burritos, and a roast beef sandwich, were recalled from:

• Hannaford
• Kroger
• Target
• Trader Joe's
• Walmart
• Whole Foods
• Stop and Shop (It said in a statement Monday that two products were affected: the Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Wrap and Fresh Pico de Gallo Salsa. They have both been removed from sale. Customers should discard these products, and can contact Stop and Shop of a full refund.)

Business Insider has contacted the retailers for comment.

Chipotle and QDOBA have been linked to a salmonella outbreak

Taylor Farms sourced its jalapeños from a grower tied to a salmonella outbreak, but its products haven't been linked to any cases. Taylor Farms company said it is no longer sourcing products from the farm and will use alternative suppliers.

On August 5, the CDC and the FDA said they were investigating salmonella cases tied to jalapeños distributed by the produce wholesaler Coast Citrus Distributors. The peppers were grown at a farm in Sinaloa, Mexico, the same one previously used by Taylor Farms.

The CDC reported a total of 345 infections, 36 hospitalizations, and zero deaths in the salmonella outbreak across 27 states, as of August 5. The CDC interviewed 191 of the people who caught the infection, and 93% reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before they became sick, including Chipotle Mexican Grill or QDOBA, between June 14 and July 14.

In a statement on Wednesday, Chipotle it stopped serving the potentially affected jalapeños and switched suppliers. That day, QDOBA also said it had temporarily removed all jalapeño products from its restaurants.

The FDA said in a statement that given Chipotle and QDOBA's actions, it "does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak."

The symptoms of a salmonella infection include watery diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that makes us sick if we ingest it. Most people experience symptoms, including watery diarrhea that might contain blood or mucus, and stomach cramps that can be severe. Headache, nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite are also common.

Unlike cyclosporiasis symptoms, which can show between two days and two weeks after a person is infected, salmonella symptoms usually start six hours to six days after infection and typically last four to seven days.

Salmonella infections are more common in warmer weather, which is the ideal condition for it to grow on unrefrigerated foods, according to the CDC.

• The stock market's gains have been predicated on AI turning out to be a game changer for businesses and the economy.
• Moody's says even if that turns out to be the case, it's possible that stock gains are muted.
• Valuations are already high, and there's a possibility the market is in a bubble that's at risk of bursting.

AI hype is often divided into two main schools of thought: AI will be a game changer for businesses, the economy, and investors, or AI will disappoint on some or all of those fronts.

According to Moody's, there's chance for a middle-of-the-road scenario that combines elements of the two. Unfortunately for investors, the base case it sees is for the technology to ultimately reshape businesses but be relatively underwhelming for markets, especially given how the endless hype has already produced enormous returns and sky-high valuations.

"The internet was a game-changing technology that resulted in enormous productivity gains and ultimately generated significant profits," Zandi wrote. "However, investors discounted all this and much more. Stock market valuations—stock prices relative to corporate earnings—surged."

Yet, in the firm's baseline scenario for the AI boom, AI is powerful force in the economy but "stock prices do not rise much, if at all, through the remainder of this year and next," and it sees the coming years for S&P 500 returns as more muted than the boom that helped lift the benchmark index in the earlier era of the AI buildout.

A chart shared by Moody's shows that its base case is for average annual returns to slowly dwindle, predicting 6.2% average annual growth from 2035 to 2030 and 3.8% annual growth from 2030 to 2035.

On a 10-year basis, the comparison is even more stark. The S&P 500 returned 11.7% annually from 2015 to 2025. Moody's predicts the 10-year average gain from 2025 to 2035 will be 5%.

As the economists noted, stock valuations have only reached their current levels a few times, including in the months leading up to the stock market crash of 1929 and leading up to the collapse of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s.

While today's AI market isn't quite at the same levels the internet mania, it's not far off. By some metrics, the AI frenzy is more pronounced. As Zandi previously highlighted, AI-linked corporate borrowing has eclipsed debt levels of the dot-com era.

If the AI bubble that Zandi and his team are eyeing bursts, it would likely cause consumer spending to plunge, given the wealth effect of high stock prices has led US households to keep spending. This could tip the economy into a recession, Zandi said.

"If the current market trend persists, a stock market bubble seems more likely than not," Zandi wrote. "The final ingredient for a bubble is that nearly all the naysayers capitulate. They have called out the bubble for so long that they are no longer considered credible. Any skepticism is thrown to the side, and the bubble inflates more."

While the economists don't directly say that they see an AI bubble on the verge of bursting, they also note they see some things that could bring the party to an end.

"There are many potential catalysts for the bursting of the AI stock market bubble. Investors might grow impatient and sell their holdings as long-awaited returns from firms' AI bets get pushed further into the future.

Moody's said that history suggests there's reason to be optimistic that AI will be a game changing force for the economy. It compared it to previous technological explosions like the internal combustion engine and the personal computer as examples of major disruptions that still generated substantial gains in income and wealth, while creating new jobs for workers whose roles were made obsolete.

Even if that plays out for AI, though, the economists still see the distinct possibility that many tech stocks are priced too high, leading to a strong likelihood that AI will fail to generate enough of a return for companies to justify high valuations, and even if they meet expectations, it still might not be enough to please Wall Street.

• Warren Buffett stacked huge amounts of cash in his final years as Berkshire Hathaway's CEO.
• Greg Abel has reduced the cash pile by ramping up stock purchases and buybacks, and striking deals.
• Michael Burry says he's worried Abel isn't as patient as Buffett and wants to send a message.

Is the wait finally over at Berkshire Hathaway?

Warren Buffett spent much of his last decade as CEO hoarding phenomenal amounts of cash, as he waited for stocks, acquisitions, and even buybacks to become cheap enough to satisfy his hunger for bargains.

Greg Abel, who succeeded the legendary investor at the turn of the year, might not have quite so much patience, based on Berkshire's second-quarter earnings report on Saturday.

Michael Burry, the value investor of "The Big Short" fame and a longtime Buffett disciple, said in a Substack note on Sunday that his "biggest fear" for Berkshire was that Buffett's successor couldn't resist swinging before the "fat pitch" arrives.

"I believe this fear has come true," Burry wrote, adding that while only a little of Berkshire's cash hoard has been spent, "these first steps look to be more framing moves than investment moves."

Burry's worry appears to be that Abel is deploying Berkshire's cash not based on fundamentals, but because he wants to reassure shareholders that he's the right man for the job and Berkshire is on the right track.

Abel and Burry didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Cash is flowing out

Berkshire's earnings revealed that its cash pile shrank from a record $380 billion to $365 billion in the three months ended June 30.

A key driver was Berkshire spending a net $20 billion on stocks, investing $23.5 billion while selling only $3.7 billion. It had been a net seller of stocks for 14 consecutive quarters, and the last time it spent this much on stocks was in the first quarter of 2022.

Abel also repurchased $4.6 billion of Berkshire stock, marking the company's largest quarterly buyback since 2021. Buffett refrained from any repurchases during his last six quarters as CEO.

Moreover, Berkshire spent another $3.4 billion or so on buybacks between July 1 and July 29, based on its average stock price and how much its share count declined during that period. That puts it on track for another busy quarter for buybacks, despite Berkshire stock marching to all-time highs in recent days.

Abel has also been active on the deal front this year. Berkshire closed its takeover of OxyChem for roughly $9.4 billion in cash on January 2 and its acquisition of Taylor Morrison for $6.8 billion in cash on July 24.

Berkshire once again being a net buyer of stocks, ramping up its buybacks to multi-year highs, and closing a couple of sizable acquisitions is notable. But it doesn't necessarily mean Abel has kicked the company into high gear.

Buffett kept busy

For one, Buffett told CNBC in July that he "initiated" the purchase of Alphabet stock last year. That could mean he's also responsible for Berkshire purchasing another $10 billion of Alphabet stock in a private placement in June, at around a 6% discount to the market price.

Following the purchase, Berkshire holds a roughly $29 billion stake in the Big Tech titan and key player in the AI boom, assuming it hasn't altered its position. It listed Alphabet as one of the top five holdings in its stock portfolio at the end of June.

Buffett was also CEO when the OxyChem deal was struck last year, and he's made other acquisitions in recent years, including Alleghany and Pilot.

Meanwhile, Abel has pledged to follow Buffett's strategy of disciplined capital allocation, and indicated that he consults with Buffett — who remains Berkshire's chairman — on every major decision.

It's safe to assume that Buffett, who turns 96 on August 30, will continue to have a strong influence on Berkshire while he's still alive.

After all, he transformed it from a failing textile mill into a $1 trillion conglomerate over six decades. He did so by acquiring businesses such as Geico and BNSF Railway, and building huge stakes in companies such as Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express.

Berkshire still had a larger cash pile at the end of June than it did a year earlier, showing that Abel only made a small dent in the money mountain.

Without the $10 billion Alphabet deal, Berkshire's stock purchases would have been less than in the first quarter, suggesting that Abel wasn't scooping up stocks left and right last quarter.

On the other hand, Berkshire sold an unusually large $24 billion of stocks in the first quarter as it was offloading Todd Combs' positions after he departed his role as one of Buffett's two investment managers.

It might have been a net buyer of stocks that quarter in the absence of those disposals, which would have made last quarter seem like less of a sea change.

Abel is starting to make his mark, but he'll have to deploy a whole lot more cash to move the needle at Berkshire.

It remains an open question whether he's forging a different path than Buffett, and whether Burry is right that he's less patient and more pandering than his predecessor.

• When I worked as a professional cleaner for 10 years, I often looked for cost-effective supplies.
• Dollar Tree was my go-to store for affordable, quality brushes, sponges, and other items.
• I still return to buy essentials like soap-dispensing brushes and LA's Totally Awesome cleaner.

Back in college, a friend of mine was working as a cleaner. One day, her partner couldn't help out with a client, so she asked if I'd be willing to step in.

I enjoyed the work so much that I later started my own small cleaning-and-organizing business, which I ran for 10 years.

During this time, I was always looking to cut business costs wherever I could, without sacrificing quality.

So, I ended up relying on budget retailer Dollar Tree for a lot of my high-wear-and-tear cleaning supplies. When you can get the same (or better) product for a lower price, it's just good business.

I'm no longer cleaning professionally, but I still use my favorite Dollar Tree essentials and hidden gems to clean and organize my own home.

Here are seven items I recommend to all of my friends and family.

I stock up on Scrub Buddies heavy-duty scrub sponges.

I've always used heavy-duty sponges to scrub sinks and tubs. Since I cleaned a lot of kitchens and bathrooms, I would go through them fast.

Luckily, at my nearest Dollar Tree, I could buy a 2-pack for just $1.50 — an amazing deal since, in my experience, comparable packs often cost $3 or more at other stores. To this day, I'll stock up on these on every trip.

The Scrub Buddies soap-dispensing brush is a lifesaver.

This brush, which can be filled and refilled with dish soap, is one of my favorite cleaning gadgets.

At just $1.50, this little brush helps me clean dirty grout around sinks and in bathrooms fast, cutting my scrubbing time in half.

Instead of buying paper towels, I opt for Home Collection cotton washcloths.

When I was running my business, I always preferred cleaning with reusable cloths over buying and using paper towels. Not only was it environmentally friendly, but it was cost-effective, too.

Even now, I'll buy these cotton washcloths, which I use to clean windows, counters, and basically anything that needs disinfecting. A pack of two costs only $1.50.

I love the Standard Essentials duster kit, and always stock up on refills.

This kit is only $1.50 for a handle and two dusters, which I consider a steal compared to the Swiffer version.

At my local Target, a similar Swiffer duster kit with five disposable dusters costs $5.99. Not only is this Dollar Tree starter kit less expensive, but its dusters are double-sided, allowing for more versatility and usage each time.

Plus, I've been able to get a pack of 10 duster refills at Dollar Tree for $4, whereas Swiffer's 10-pack costs more than twice that at my nearest Target.

I swear by the Scrub Buddies pot-and-pan brush.

The worst thing about cleaning a toilet is getting splashed while scrubbing. So, I was excited when I discovered this brush, which is technically meant to clean pots and pans.

At only $1.50, I've found it actually does a better job than the traditional round toilet brushes. The smaller size gives me much better access to the harder-to-get-to spots.

LA's Totally Awesome all-purpose cleaner is great for deep cleans.

I used to buy Method's all-purpose cleaner — which typically costs between $4 and $5 for a 28-ounce bottle — until I discovered this one at Dollar Tree for only $1.50 for 32 ounces.

I prefer to make my own cleaning products whenever possible, so I only use this one for heavy-duty jobs. It works wonders on stovetops that need a deep clean, and I love the cherry-blossom scent.

I also like to buy LA's Totally Awesome cleaning vinegar.

I like these 64-ounce bottles of vinegar because they're easier to tote around. At $1.50, they're also much more affordable than similarly-sized bottles I've seen at other stores.

I get a lot of use out of this vinegar. For my homemade cleaning spray, I mix ¼ cup of it with 4 cups of water, then put it into a plastic spray bottle. (Perhaps needless to say, I also stock up on these at Dollar Tree, too.)

I also use this for mopping — usually, I'll add just a splash of this vinegar to a bucket of hot water.

• Recently, my husband and I went on an Alaskan cruise with my retired parents.
• Throughout, I felt like I was their parent — reminding them of plans and telling them what to pack.
• Still, they added a sense of childlike wonder to the trip. I'm grateful we got to go together.

There was a chill in the air, and we had just made it through the winding queue for the shuttle in Sitka, Alaska, when my dad announced, "I need to use the bathroom."

We were finally at the front of the line. The shuttle into town was only supposed to take about 10 minutes. I looked at him, looked at the line behind us, and gently tried to convince him he could make it.

Halfway through a weeklong cruise through Alaska with my retired parents, that was the moment it hit me: I had become the parent.

I still call my parents for advice on everything from car repairs to home maintenance to which doctor I should see. But on this trip, I was managing schedules, water bottles, bathroom breaks, and whether everyone understood that, yes, we were seeing Mendenhall Glacier that day.

Alaska had always been on my mom's bucket list

Growing up, I remember my mom saying she wanted to see Alaska one day. I'm not sure what sparked that dream, since traveling makes her anxious. But I know Alaska has at least one thing our home in Miami does not: cold.

When we asked her what she was most looking forward to on this trip, her answer was simple: seeing glaciers and feeling the cold. The "feels like" temperature back home was in the 90s Fahrenheit, so I don't blame her.

My husband and I had brought up planning a family trip to Alaska before to no avail, but when we came across an Alaskan cruise that lined up with my mom's 68th birthday, it felt like serendipity. Once I told her about it, she got the hint: It was now or never.

I started planning family trips on Expedia when I was 10 (probably an early sign I'd become a travel writer), but I hadn't taken a big, week-plus trip with my own parents since college. After graduation, I met my now-husband and started traveling with him instead.

We both love a good plan and preparing for every possible inconvenience. My parents reminded me that not every traveler thinks that way.

I quickly realized I was in charge

One of my travel rules is simple: Always bring a water bottle. I encouraged my parents to pack refillable bottles too, but they shrugged it off and said they could buy one at the onboard gift shop.

During one of the port talks before our day in Juneau, the speaker encouraged everyone to visit Mendenhall Glacier, one of the area's top attractions.

My mom glanced over at me — the person clearly in charge of the itinerary — with a silent question on her face: Are we doing that?

I nodded yes and reminded her to pack water.

We had a full 48 hours on board before reaching our first port. Naturally, my dad waited until the ship docked in Juneau to visit the gift shop. But any experienced cruiser knows what that means: The ship's shops were closed. My husband and I sighed knowingly.

My parents may be less experienced travelers, but they brought something I might have missed out on: childlike wonder.

After an unusually sunny trek to Juneau's Nugget Falls with heavier-than-necessary backpacks, my parents were tired and thirsty. But when I look back at videos from that day, what stands out is the joy on my mom's face — wide grin, hands in the air, as the cool spray from the waterfall mists her face.

As for my dad? Clearly, he was made for cruising.

At home, he spends afternoons in his hot tub and eats an ice-cream bar for dessert every night while watching TV on the couch. On the ship, my dad embraced a similar routine, though at sea he was elated to discover he could pair the unlimited soft serve with his coffee at breakfast.

When my husband and I return from trips and recount our stories, my mom often tells us we have the best "travel luck." I like to think some of that comes from research, planning, and knowing how to avoid problems before they happen.

On this trip, though, it felt especially true. We had unheard-of sunny weather in Juneau. We saw humpback whales up close during an excursion from Icy Strait Point — the kind of sighting that makes you realize just how massive these marine animals really are.

And on our first day on the ship, a spout appeared in the water right on cue as my husband pointed out to sea and reminded us to keep an eye out for wildlife.

It felt magical in a way that even the best itinerary can't manufacture.

A cruise was the right choice for my retired parents

Traveling with my parents felt like a total role reversal. I learned to give them decoy times so we could actually make it to excursions on schedule. But I also learned to be a little more flexible and let the unexpected surprise me.

This cruise made the trip far easier than a land itinerary would have been. We could spend time together, split up when we needed downtime, and regroup for dinner or shore excursions.

I'd be more hesitant to take my parents on a complicated international land trip that required a lot of walking, tight train schedules, and constant hotel changes.

On the last night of our sailing, after a birthday dinner for my mom at the ship's steakhouse, we were preparing to disembark in Victoria, British Columbia.

My mom leaned back in her chair, full and happy, and remarked on how impressive our meals had been throughout the cruise (especially the Alaskan seafood).

Then she had one last question before our final port stop. "So," she asked, "should I bring my water bottle?" By then, I could only laugh.

Taking my retired parents to Alaska forced me to confront the strange reality of adulthood: You can still need your parents, even as they start needing you too.

It was a gift to bring my mom on a trip she had dreamed about for years, and to watch both of my parents experience Alaska with awe.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat — though next time, I'd make sure everyone had a water bottle before we left home.

• Iran's economy is showing signs of serious fatigue as the war heads for the six month mark.
• Inflation and unemployment have soared, while oil revenue has cratered amid the US blockade.
• Iran's Misery Index hit a record high in the first quarter, and the economy is shrinking.

After almost six months of war, Iran's economy is struggling.

President Donald Trump told Axios over the weekend that he's shifting his approach in the war, with the US ready to let the economic pressure quietly mount until Iran is forced to return to the negotiating table.

The tactical shift comes at a critical time for the Iranian economy. The nation has already withstood amounts of economic pain in the war, but the losses are starting to pose serious risks, particularly as the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz remains in effect.

A report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies estimated that the blockade was likely costing the nation $435 million a day, given that oil is a key source of revenue for Iran.

"Iran's financial lifeline has been cut by the US blockade, and the economy will remain in a very depressed state unless it can secure concessions," William Jackson, a chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, wrote on Monday. "But whether this happens ultimately comes down to the degree of economic pain that the Iranian regime is willing to bear to achieve its military and geopolitical objectives."

Here are five stats that illustrate the economic stress that's piling up for Iran.

1. Oil exports have plummeted

Oil exports, the backbone of Iran's economy, are plummeting, indicating that the nation could be cash-strapped as the war drags on.

The American Coalition Against Nuclear Iran estimates that Iran's oil exports dropped to a low of about 65,000 barrels a day in May — down 69% from the 2.12 million barrels a day it exported before the war.

Estimates for June and July vary. The ACNL estimates that oil exports rebounded to 1.7 million barrels a day in June and hit 967,000 barrels a day in July, primarily due to increased demand from China.

Researchers from Capital Economics said that Iran's oil exports likely fell to "close to nothing" in July, after the blockade was reinstated. The firm pointed to reports that Iran hasn't loaded any oil tankers at Kharg Island, its main export terminal for crude, for at least a week.

The nation is also "less well placed" to cope with the naval blockade now than it was in April, Capital Economics' Jackson said, pointing to how usable foreign exchange reserves had likely dwindled since the start of the war.

The blockade could cut off as much as 70% of Iran's export income, according to an estimate from Oxford Economics.

2. Economy on track for sharpest contraction in 38 years

Iran's real GDP is expected to contract 5.4% year-over-year in 2026, according to a July estimate from the International Monetary Fund.

A decline of that magnitude would mark Iran's worst economic contraction since 1988, the year oil prices plummeted and delivered a devastating blow to the nation's oil revenue.

Given that oil exports accounted for around 11% of Iran's pre-war GDP, Iran's imports need to fall by around 75% to to make up for the loss of export income, Capital Economics' Jackson estimated.

"It's certainly the case that Iran's economy is struggling," he added.

Iran's economy was already "unravelling" at the end of last year, researchers at the FDD wrote in a note, adding that the total economic damage of the war had likely mounted to around $144 billion — or 40% of Iran's pre-war GDP.

"The US naval blockade has proven to be the most economically precise instrument deployed," the think tank said.

3. Currency is trading near record lows

Iran's currency plummeted to a record low against the US dollar this summer. The greenback was worth around 190,000 rials at the start of August — representing the lowest-ever value of Iran's currency.

The rial has since recovered slightly, with the dollar being worth around 185,000 rials on Monday, according to data from Bonbast, an Iranian foreign exchange data collector.

4. Inflation is soaring

Prices in Iran are still soaring, a consequence of the rial being severely devalued, Capital Economics said.

Inflation in Iran increased 62% on an annual basis in June, according to data from the nation's statistical center. The IMF expects inflation to increase to an average annualized rate of 68.9% by the end of the year, per its latest July outlook.

5. The Misery Index has reached a new record

Economic sentiment in Iran is at a low point. The Misery Index, a sentiment gauge that's calculated by adding Iran's point-to-point inflation rate and the unemployment rate, hit 91.1 this spring, the highest level ever recorded, according to data from Iran's statistics center.

Iran's unemployment rate rose to around 7% in the first quarter, according to the Iranian Labour News Agency.

The nation lost around 630,000 manufacturing jobs in the first quarter, Iran's statistics center said. The war has produced around 1 million direct job losses, Gholamhossein Mohammadi, Iran's deputy labor minister, said.

"Industrial damage produced an employment catastrophe," the FDD said, pointing to factories that have been destroyed by military strikes.

• Mark Zuckerberg laid out his vision for an AI future built around personal superintelligence.
• The Meta CEO said personal AI agents could make it easier to start and run smaller companies.
• "Many ideas that would have been too hard or expensive to try before will now be possible," he wrote.

Mark Zuckerberg says the future should come with a personal AI agent that knows you, works for you, and never clocks out.

In a 6,500-word blog post published Monday, the Meta CEO laid out his case for "personal superintelligence," which centers on advanced AI distributed to individuals, rather than controlled by a small group of companies, governments, or institutions.

The post, titled "The Future is for Everyone," is Zuckerberg's latest effort to make the positive case for AI amid fears about job displacement, safety, and concentrated power. The CEO has been on a media blitz recently, including a July Wall Street Journal op-ed also titled "The AI Future Is for Everyone."

Separately on Monday, Meta launched Muse Glimmer, an AI model that can be downloaded and run on a consumer laptop. Meta shares were up about 2% in morning trading.

Here are three things to know about Zuckerberg's vision for an AI future.

1. Personal AI agents working 24/7

Zuckerberg imagines everyone having "an exceptionally capable personal agent" that understands their goals, interests, and personal information.

The agent could help manage relationships, health, career choices, finances, household tasks, and hobbies, he wrote. It would free up time and help users accomplish more, and be accessible through devices such as smart glasses (which Meta sells).

Zuckerberg said his own agent flags useful information, helps him prototype ideas, tracks his sleep and training, and plans baking projects with his daughter, including ordering ingredients.

He made a similar pitch for "personal superintelligence" around this time last year.

2. There may be fewer traditional jobs, but more small businesses

Zuckerberg did not dismiss concerns that AI could disrupt the labor market.

He expects company sizes to "shrink" as small teams equipped with powerful AI agents can run businesses at a significant scale. While that could mean smaller companies, it could create more of them, he said.

Still, he predicted AI won't necessarily lead to fewer jobs, as people use the technology to create new businesses and services.

"Many ideas that would have been too hard or expensive to try before will now be possible," he wrote.

He said that a less rosy outcome is possible if automation moves faster than people can develop new skills. His proposed solution: give people personal AI agents that can help them learn and adapt.

Zuckerberg pointed to the jobs that have emerged in recent decades, from app developers to EV technicians, and predicted new roles, including one-person product studios and "world builders" who create games and experiences.

3. Becoming an entrepreneur could get much easier

Zuckerberg's clearest economic prediction is that AI will lower the barriers to entrepreneurship.

He said people are starting to turn ideas into products without raising money or building large teams.

AI could take on tasks that would otherwise require specialized staff or outside contractors, making more ideas viable businesses.

That, he said, would produce a more entrepreneurial economy, where small businesses can have a much larger impact.

His vision depends on access. Meta says it will offer free versions of its AI tools to billions of people, while offering paid access to greater computing power. Zuckerberg also said Meta plans to release more open models soon.

"For everyone to be part of the future, everyone must have the ability to use superintelligence to improve their lives and shape the world," he wrote.

• Jermaine Ee started talking with his parents after helping them with taxes last year.
• He learned more about his mom's financial worries, her relationships, and her wishes.
• When she died six months later, those conversations guided the family.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jermaine Ee, founder of HeirLight. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Even when I was living in New York, I frequently flew home to visit my parents and three younger siblings in LA. When the pandemic made travel harder, I realized that if my family really is the most important thing in my life, I should design my life around it.

That's how I ended up back in LA, running a company with my mom, MC. My mom was smart and had worked her way up to a vice-president role at a logistics company. Still, as an Asian immigrant who was a stay-at-home mom for many years, she had a lot of imposter syndrome. She was hugely underpaid.

When I moved home, I started a logistics company, in partnership with my mom. Working together not only meant she had the title and pay she deserved for her hard work — it also meant we were spending more time together, working side by side.

Asking my parents about taxes opened up a bigger conversation

In February 2025, I was having lunch with my parents. I was asking the typical question an oldest son asks ahead of tax season, like whether they had maxed out their Roth IRAs. That opened up a bigger conversation, and I realized that my mom was afraid of running out of money before she died.

I realized that my mom didn't know what she had. I used ChatGPT to create a bot that asked her about her assets, everything from accounts to belongings she cared about. I helped her use that information to create a will.

From there, the conversations expanded. I began asking more about the people my mom cared about and the things that kept her up at night.

We traveled together and talked about her life

My mom and I have always been close, but I got to know her even more through these conversations. In May 2025, we traveled with my brother and dad to Oklahoma City, where my parents first came when they immigrated from Malaysia 40 years ago.

We went to Burger King, where my mom ate her first sandwich in the US — she ate only half because it was so expensive to her. I could see her pride in how far she had come when we returned.

Our next trip was bigger: to Salzburg, Austria. My mom has always adored "The Sound of Music." At the Von Trapp family home, my mom said she could never have imagined standing before it when she was a little girl watching the movie in Malaysia.

My mom died 3 weeks later

Just two weeks after that, my mom had a stroke that would kill her. She and my dad continued traveling to Malaysia to visit family. My mom was in a coma there for eight days before she died at 61.

Losing her so unexpectedly was incredibly difficult. But it was just slightly easier because of the conversations we'd been having. My dad, siblings, and I didn't need to guess at what she wanted because we had talked about it. We knew she didn't like pain and wouldn't want to be kept alive by machines. Lots of other families don't have the luxury of knowing that.

There was so much beauty in my mom's last months. I had no idea she would die young. Yet, because of the conversations we had, I was able to understand her interests more and have experiences like Oklahoma and Salzburg that I'll treasure forever.

I launched a planning company on my mom's birthday

Even before my mom died, I was working to help other families have conversations like the ones we had benefited from. I had realized that clarity is love in practical form.

These conversations are serious, but they don't have to be heavy. I even joke with my dad, who is 63. He has a plot to be buried with my mom, so I tease him by asking what will happen if he gets a new girlfriend.

I launched my company, Heirlight, on what would have been my mom's 62nd birthday last October. I'm lucky to have had casual, open conversations about the end of life with my parents. Now, I want to help other families do the same.

• Many Americans distrust data centers and the Big Tech companies behind them.
• The Big Tech guys have tried telling Americans that they're wrong. That doesn't seem to be working.
• Now Meta is trying a new tactic: Handing out $1 billion to towns where it is building data centers.

Last month, Meta launched an "AI is good, really" PR campaign. My response: Words are fine, but why not cut people checks?

On Monday, Meta announced it's taking my (free) advice: It says it will create a $1 billion fund to boost communities where it is building AI data centers.

There's very little public detail about the fund. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg mentions it briefly in a long memo explaining (again) why "The Future is for Everyone" (the memo literally recycles lines from a WSJ op-ed Zuckerberg published last month called "The AI Future is for Everyone").

There's no mention of how many communities or people this is meant to help, or over what period the money is meant to be spent. But a person familiar with the plan tells me the idea is to spend the money in addition to the investments Meta is making directly in its data centers.

That would be different from what happened in rural Richland Parish, Louisiana, where teachers are getting a one-time bonus of up to $50,000 because of a Meta data center: That money is coming from a tax bill Meta paid in conjunction with its construction costs. Writing a check directly to communities and the people who live there, over and above what Meta spends on data center construction, staffing, and taxes, seems like money well spent.

And it's definitely money Meta can afford. Last year, the company reported profits of $60 billion.

None of which means this will work. There is deep-seated anger, mistrust, and fear about data centers (I highly recommend the recent reporting about communities responding to data centers in Michigan and Wisconsin by journalist Jasmine Sun). There are also deep-seated bad vibes about Zuckerberg and Meta in particular, and about Big Tech in general.

And there's also the fact that social networks — the products that give Zuckerberg and Meta the money to invest billions in data centers — are the same products that make it easier for people to organize against the data centers. And which can also be blamed for people being dubious of… everything.

As technology columnist Max Read puts it: "The low-trust environment cultivated over the past couple decades by the tech industry's flagship companies has now created real obstacles to its ambitions. Now that tech giants are the institutions—and effectively in charge of US industrial policy—they are getting a first-hand lesson in how corrosive to long-term planning institutional mistrust can be."

But again: While AI can be legitimately scary for lots of reasons, almost all of them have to do with what might happen, one day. Putting cash in people's pockets today may be the best tool the tech guys have. And they have plenty of cash to spare.

• Sixty-four movies released by US studios have grossed $1 billion or more at the box office.
• Using data from Box Office Mojo, we compiled a list of the highest-grossing movies worldwide.
• "The Odyssey" is the latest film to join the elite club.

Don't let anyone tell you differently: Hollywood is powered by the box office.

For over a century, the movie business has entertained people around the globe by creating powerful stories that astound us and make us want to come back for more.

It has led to a collection of titles reaching the rarified $1 billion box-office mark during their theatrical runs.

This is where Marvel movies, Disney animation, and James Cameron reign supreme.

Here are the movies that have crossed the prized $1 billion mark at the box office, without adjusting for inflation.

Kirsten Acuna and Kim Renfro contributed to previous versions of this story.

64. "Jurassic World Dominion" (2022)

Worldwide gross: $1,001,978,080

Poor reviews didn't stop people from seeing the third "Jurassic World" outing.

It took over three months, but "Jurassic World Dominion" crossed $1 billion worldwide. The sequel likely crossed the number thanks in part to the original "Jurassic Park" cast returning to the big screen and teaming up with the newer "Jurassic World" cast in this entry.

63. "The Dark Knight" (2008)

Worldwide gross: $1,008,287,756

Back in July of 2008, people began speculating that Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" sequel starring Heath Ledger as the Joker might have the box-office power to set a world record.  "There are even whispers starting whether 'Dark Knight' can beat the incredible worldwide numbers posted by the all-time $1.8 billion benchmark of 'Titanic,'" Deadline reported.

At the time, the film broke several box-office records, including highest-grossing opening weekend, highest Friday midnight showings, and highest-opening day record. "TDK" went on to become the highest-grossing movie of 2008.

The film's successful viral marketing campaign and box-office performance really set the bar for what a superhero movie could be. Many consider it a blueprint for the success of superhero movies that came afterwards. Unfortunately, instead of DC catapulting into the stratosphere from here on out, Marvel took the lead, appearing on this list 10 times compared to DC's four.

62. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,011,157,101

"Galaxy" marks the first $1 billion-plus earner of 2026.

Following the hit original, 2023's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," which you'll find further down this list, Nintendo and Universal teamed up for a sequel that expands the Mario Bros. universe.

Now that both "Mario" movies have crossed the $1 billion mark, the franchise is on its way to becoming one of the most lucrative animated series in Hollywood.

61. "Michael" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,016,068,388

"Michael," which stars Michael Jackson's nephew Jaafar as the King of Pop, is now the highest-grossing biopic of all time.

60. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012)

Worldwide gross: $1,017,453,991

When Peter Jackson's first "Hobbit" movie crossed the $1 billion mark, it looked like a good indication that the subsequent two sequels would perform equally well, if not better, at the box office.

But neither of the second two "Hobbit" films wound up crossing that box-office landmark. Both "The Desolation of Smaug" and "Battle of the Five Armies" grossed around $960,000,000 each.

59. "Alice In Wonderland" (2010)

Worldwide gross: $1,025,468,216

When Tim Burton's take on the original Disney classic hit $1 billion at the box office in 2010, it was only the sixth ever film to do so. In the years since, more than 20 other films have joined the club — but the sequel to this live-action "Alice In Wonderland" was not among them. 2016's "Alice Through the Looking Glass" grossed over $299 million worldwide. 

58. "Zootopia" (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,025,521,689

"Zootopia" became a surprise hit for Walt Disney Animation. At the time, it set a record for the biggest animated March opening weekend of all time.

57. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)

Worldwide gross: $1,028,496,499

Nineteen years after its initial 2001 release, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" managed to cross the $1 billion mark only after it was given a theatrical re-release in China.

Deadline reported that the movie had grossed $13.6 million over the course of three-days after it was released in theaters with a "remastered 4K 3D" version. It's the second movie in the "Harry Potter" franchise to gross more than $1 billion. 

56. "Finding Dory" (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,029,266,989

Moviegoers flocked back to theaters in the summer of 2016 for Disney Pixar's "Finding Nemo" sequel. It was the second animated feature of 2016 to pass the $1 billion mark ("Zootopia" is the other).

At the time, the box-office numbers also made "Finding Dory" the fifth highest-grossing animated movie of all time. 

55. "Despicable Me 3" (2017)

Worldwide gross: $1,034,800,131

"Despicable Me 3" was a sleeper hit of 2017. With the return of Gru, Lucy, and of course the Minions, this is the second movie in the franchise to gross over one billion dollars. The introduction of "South Park" co-creator Trey Parker as a new villain was a smart move.

54. "Lilo & Stitch" (2025)

Worldwide gross: $1,038,027,526

Disney's live-action remake genre followed the dud of "Snow White" with this major success.

Along with hitting the billion mark, the movie also broke the Memorial Day opening weekend box office record with $341.7 million worldwide.

53. "Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace" (1999)

Worldwide gross: $1,046,515,409

"The Phantom Menace" was the first "Star Wars" movie to earn $1 billion, thanks to its 3D re-release in theaters 13 years after the original debut. Without that second surge of ticket purchases, the film would have stayed under $1 billion along with the original three movies.

52. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (2011)

Worldwide gross: $1,046,721,266

There are five total "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies in the franchise — and two of them have joined the billion-dollar club. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" sits behind the "Dead Man's Chest" installment of this Disney franchise.

51. "Aladdin" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,054,304,000

Like many of the Disney live-action versions of animated classics, "Aladdin" did very well at the box office. "Aladdin" became one of Disney's record-breaking seven movies to hit $1 billion in 2019.

50. "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,058,684,742

"Rogue One" cemented its place in the "Star Wars" franchise by raking in $1 billion just 39 days after its global release. The spinoff became the fourth and final movie of 2016 to make $1 billion at the box office. All four billion-dollar movies of 2016 were Disney releases.

49. "Moana 2" (2024)

Worldwide gross: $1,059,242,164

In the sequel, Moana and Maui reunite to reconnect the people of the ocean by seeking out a lost island.

48. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (2006)

Worldwide gross: $1,066,179,747

Back in 2006, when the sequel to Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" hit theaters, it took just three months for the movie to make $1 billion at the box office. At that time, it was the third ever film to do so.

47. "Toy Story 3" (2010)

Worldwide gross: $1,067,316,101

The third movie in the "Toy Story" franchise crossed the $1 billion mark in 2010 and made Disney history as Pixar's highest-grossing film of all time. The success of "Toy Story 3" helped push a fourth movie into Disney's animated movie plan.

46. "Toy Story 4" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,073,841,394

With "Toy Story 4" also crossing this milestone, Disney became the first movie studio to create seven billion-dollar movies in a single year. The movie joined its Disney comrades "Captain Marvel," "Aladdin," "Avengers: Endgame," "The Lion King," "Frozen II," and "The Rise of Skywalker."

45. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,077,022,372

The ninth episode in the "Star Wars" Skywalker saga, "The Rise of Skywalker," crossed the $1 billion mark on Tuesday, January 14.

As reported by Variety, it took this film 28 days to hit this milestone, while "The Force Awakens" did it in 12 days and "The Last Jedi" managed it in 19 days.

44. "Joker" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,078,958,629

This DC comic movie is the first R-rated movie to ever make $1 billion at the box office. Deadline announced the milestone, which came about six weeks after the movie premiered worldwide.

Marvel's "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds snarkily congratulated "Joker" on becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.

43. "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)

Worldwide gross: $1,085,199,115

Christopher Nolan's follow-up to "The Dark Knight" had became the 13th film in history to reach $1 billion in 2012. This achievement was remarkable, especially given concerns that the movie's success would be dampened after the Aurora theater shooting took place during a midnight screening of the film.

42. "Toy Story 5" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,093,981,614

Pixar does it again!

The beloved animation studio released another memorable tale from the "Toy Story" franchise in the summer of 2026. This time, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and the rest of the gang have to face their biggest competition yet: The tablet.

41. "Jurassic Park" (1993)

Worldwide gross: 1,103,096,466

Similar to "The Phantom Menace," a 3D re-release is responsible for putting "Jurassic Park" over the edge and into the $1 billion club. "Jurassic Park" wasn't originally released in China in 1993, according to a report from The Wrap. But the 20th anniversary international re-release included China — and the difference in ticket sales showed.

A few more pandemic re-releases in 2020 and 2022 helped send it up the chart even more.

40. "The Odyssey" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,104,804,890

2026 at the movies remains a thing.

Christopher Nolan's latest epic, an adaptation of Homer's poem, has become the highest-earning movie of his career.

It's also the fifth movie in 2026 to cross the $1 billion mark.

39. "Transformers: Age of Extinction" (2014)

Worldwide gross: $1,105,261,713

Ah, yes, the unstoppable box-office power of the "Transformers" franchise. According to The Wrap, "Age of Extinction" (the fourth movie) was made specifically with international audiences in mind — and it paid off. Almost a third of the total box-office revenue came from China alone.

38. "Skyfall" (2012)

Worldwide gross: $1,108,594,137

At the time of its release, "Skyfall" was Sony's highest-grossing movie worldwide and the first Bond movie to surpass $1 billion at the box office. It became the second highest-grossing film of 2012 (behind "Avengers").

It also helped that Adele recorded a banger of a theme song for the film, which won the Academy Award for best original song.

37. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (2011)

Worldwide gross: $1,123,794,079

The third "Transformers" movie was Paramount's first film to reach $1 billion at the box office. Similar to "Age of Extinction," the boost in ticket sales came largely from international movie audiences. This was the last "Transformers" movie which starred Shia LaBeouf. 

36. "Captain Marvel" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,131,416,446

And here we begin with the seemingly unstoppable success of Marvel universe movies. Just over three weeks after its release date and record-breaking opening weekend, "Captain Marvel" crossed the billion-dollar mark for global box office sales.

35. "Spider-Man: Far From Home" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,132,723,226

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of this new milestone for the Spider-Man franchise as "Spider-Man: Far From Home" crossed the one-billion mark less than a month after its US premiere on July 2.

34. "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)

Worldwide gross: $1,139,431,705

People came out in droves for the final installment of Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. After only 10 weeks in theaters, "Return of the King" became the second movie ever in history to make $1 billion ("Titanic" was the first in 1997). The film went on to break an Academy Award record by sweeping all 11 categories for which it was nominated. 

The film's 2021 re-release in theaters during the pandemic in nine markets, including China, helped move it a few spots up this list.

33. "Aquaman" (2018)

Worldwide gross: $1,152,028,393

"Aquaman" became the first DC superhero movie to make $1 billion dollars at the box office. The movie was already breaking records in China before it had opened in the US in early December, and clearly it was all up from there.

32. "Captain America: Civil War" (2016)

Worldwide gross: $1,155,046,416

"Captain America: Civil War" was a blockbuster hit in 2016, and the first movie of that year to rake in $1 billion. The wild success of Cap's third outing came from it playing more like an Avengers film thanks to a large superhero roster, including Iron Man, and the introduction of Tom Holland's Spider-Man.

31. "Minions" (2015)

Worldwide gross: $1,159,457,503

The 2015 prequel to "Despicable Me" focused only on the overall-wearing Minions the world had come to love.

30. "Iron Man 3" (2013)

Worldwide gross: $1,215,577,205

Tony Stark swept away comic fans with the third movie of his trilogy, "Iron Man 3." It only took 23 days in the box office for the film to hit $1 billion. If anyone doubted the power of Robert Downey Jr.'s  success as Iron Man, this movie, which grossed nearly double of the actor's second solo outing as the character, was the final confirmation of his vital role in Marvel's franchise.

29. "The Fate of the Furious" (2017)

Worldwide gross: $1,236,009,236

In April 2017, the eighth movie in "The Fast and the Furious" franchise joined the billion-dollar club.  Clearly Vin Diesel's creative control of these action-packed movies is paying off along with its diverse cast. This is the second movie from the franchise to make more than $1 billion.

28. "Incredibles 2" (2018)

Worldwide gross: $1,243,225,667

Despite the 14-year gap between the first Pixar original movie "The Incredibles" and its sequel, the critically acclaimed "Incredibles 2" created a new record as fastest animated film to gross $1 billion at the box office.

27. "Beauty and the Beast" (2017)

Worldwide gross: $1,266,115,964

Also in April 2017, Walt Disney Studios announced that its live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast" had officially passed the $1 billion mark for global box-office sales. Its total revenue makes "Beauty and the Beast" the highest-grossing film of 2017.

26. "Frozen" (2013)

Worldwide gross: $1,285,319,131

"Frozen" maintained the top spot for the highest-grossing animated feature of all time until the release of its sequel in 2019. The film joined the billion dollar club in the same week it nabbed two Oscars. 

After its initial release, it became Walt Disney Pictures' third highest-grossing film of all time. According to Deadline, the film earned a profit of over $400 million for Disney.

25. "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" (2018)

Worldwide gross: $1,310,469,037

The second installment in Universal's rebooted "Jurassic Park" trilogy had an impressive opening weekend and then quickly grossed $1 billion after two weeks. 

24. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017)

Worldwide gross: $1,334,407,706

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" crossed the $1 billion mark just three weeks after its release. This second installment in the new franchise made $500 million in its first weekend alone — though "The Force Awakens" still holds the record for biggest "Star Wars" opening weekend of all time with $529 million.

23. "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024)

Worldwide gross: $1,338,073,645

The team-up no one thought was possible turned out to be a cash cow.

Along with breaking opening weekend records with its over $440 million take, its worldwide total gross makes it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time.

22. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two" (2011)

Worldwide gross: $1,342,505,340

Following the trend of some other franchises in our top list, the final "Harry Potter" film was the only one of the bunch that raked in $1 billion or more until "Sorcerer's Stone" was given a theatrical release in China.

21. "Black Panther" (2018)

Worldwide gross: $1,349,926,083

"Black Panther" crossed this milestone in just 26 days after breaking the record for best February opening weekend of all time. This movie was the 16th Disney film to gross over one billion dollars. 

20. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023)

Worldwide gross: $1,360,879,735

Universal Pictures' adaptation of the Nintendo game crossed $1 billion in just 26 days, making it the first film of 2023 to cross the threshold and the studio's seventh-largest film.

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" is the fifth film released during the pandemic to hit $1 billion theatrically and the first animated movie to do so.

19. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015)

Worldwide gross: $1,405,018,048

"Transformers," "The Dark Knight," and "Pirates of the Caribbean" are three franchises which each have two movies in the billion dollar club — and you can add "The Avengers" to that list.

The 2015 follow-up ensemble movie added James Spader as the terrifying new villain, and (surprising no one) "Age of Ultron" opened in the number one spot around the world.

18. "Barbie" (2023)

Worldwide gross: $1,447,138,421

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" has been unstoppable in theaters since its release. Not only did the film earn 2023's highest-grossing domestic opening weekend, but it also contributed to the fourth-largest box-office weekend of all time.

When it crossed the billion-dollar mark in 17 days, Gerwig became the first solo female director to have a movie cross that threshold. Every other $1 billion movie directed by a woman has a male codirector.

"Barbie" is now the highest-grossing movie of 2023.

17. "Frozen II" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,453,683,476

The highly-anticipated sequel to the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, 2013's "Frozen," easily surpassed the box-office gross of its predecessor. "Frozen II" became Disney's sixth (out of seven total) movies to cross $1 billion in 2019 after 24 days.

A third "Frozen" movie is currently in the works.

16. "Avatar: Fire & Ash" (2025)

Worldwide gross: $1,485,999,890

Like the two films before it, James Cameron's third movie in his "Avatar" franchise has hit the billion-dollar milestone.

Movies directed by Cameron show up three more times on this list. No director has had as many billion-dollar-grossing movies as Cameron.

15. "Top Gun: Maverick" (2022)

Worldwide gross: $1,495,696,292

The highest-grossing movie of Tom Cruise's career, the sequel to the 1986 film crossed $1 billion in just 31 days.

14. "Furious 7" (2015)

Worldwide gross: $1,515,342,457

"Furious 7" broke records when it raced past the $1 billion box-office mark in just 17 days. As Entertainment Weekly reported "that makes 'Furious' 7 the fastest live-action film to reach that number." But two other 2015 movies (coming later on our list) eventually bumped it to third place.

This was the last "Fast and Furious" movie to include Paul Walker, which some believe helped boost box-office numbers.

13. "Marvel's The Avengers" (2012)

Worldwide gross: $1,520,538,536

The first "Avengers" movie brought together an all-star cast of comic book heroes — and Marvel's efforts were rewarded at the box office. The film passed $1 billion in ticket sales in just 19 days — which means it's tied for third place in the list of fastest grossing movies alongside "Avatar" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two."

12. "The Lion King" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $1,662,020,819

This live-action retelling of the 1994 beloved Disney animated movie was a hit at the box office.

The movie hit the $1 billion mark in theaters in less than a month. It is currently Disney's highest-grossing live-action remake of one of its classic animated movies.

11. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" (2026)

Worldwide gross: $1,665,088,528

2026 is on a roll.

"Brand New Day" marks the fourth movie released in 2026 to cross the $1 billion mark.

Following the events of "No Way Home," which took in over $1.9 billion, Tom Holland returns as Spidey, who this time around must deal with his own inner turmoil as he faces off with New York's toughest villains.

10. "Jurassic World" (2015)

Worldwide gross: $1,671,537,444

"Jurassic World" broke all sorts of records. It bumped "Furious 7" out of the number one spot for fastest movie to make $1 billion when it broke the record in only 13 days. At the time it also stunned box-office analysts with the highest-grossing opening weekend of all time, besting "Marvel's The Avengers," with $208.8 million. Worldwide, it opened to over $500 million, making it the first movie to ever crack that number opening weekend. 

That record didn't last long, however.

9. "Inside Out 2" (2024)

Worldwide gross: $1,698,863,816

After relegating titles like "Luca" and "Turning Red" to direct-to-streaming releases during the pandemic, which led to frustration and low morale within the company, Pixar is back on top.

"Inside Out 2" hit the $1 billion global mark in 19 days, the fastest ever for an animated movie. It was the first movie released in 2024 to cross $1 billion.

We wouldn't be shocked if Pixar is already crafting another sequel for Joy, Anxiety, and all of Riley's other feelings.

8. "Zootopia 2" (2025)

Worldwide gross: $1,866,647,950

Some sequels can get hurt at the box office for coming out so long after the original. Not this Disney title.

Released almost a decade after the first "Zootopia" movie, audiences rushed back to watch Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps go on another case.

After opening with a huge $559.5 million global take, making it the biggest global opening for an animated movie ever, it hit the $1 billion mark in just 17 days, becoming the second 2025 release to hit the billion milestone (the other being Disney's "Lilo & Stitch").

7. "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021)

Worldwide gross: $1,921,426,073

Spider-Man broke the pandemic curse. "No Way Home" became the first film since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker" to cross $1 billion at the box office. The Tom Holland-starring film crossed $1 billion in just 12 days and become the highest-grossing movie of 2021.

According to Forbes, it's only the fifth film to cross $1 billion without a China release. If it ever does open there, it will likely cross $2 billion. 

6. "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018)

Worldwide gross: $2,052,415,039

The third "Avengers" film broke the all-time world record with a $630 million opening weekend, proving the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise is stronger than ever. By mid-June, "Avengers: Infinity War" became only the fourth movie to ever crack the two-billion dollar ceiling as well.

5. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015)

Worldwide gross: $2,071,310,218

The seventh movie in the "Star Wars" franchise broke the "Jurassic World" records when box-office numbers tallied $1 billion after only 12 days. And it didn't stop there — "The Force Awakens" went on rake in more than $2 billion, solidifying its number four spot on our list and becoming the highest-grossing "Star Wars" movie of all time.

4. "Titanic" (1997)

Worldwide gross: $2,264,812,968

More than two decades since its release, James Cameron's "Titanic" is holding steady as one of the biggest box-office hits of all time. The movie made around $1.8 billion during its initial 1997 release and then topped $2 billion after it was rereleased in 3D in honor of the 100-year anniversary of the iconic ship's sinking.

3. "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022)

Worldwide gross: $2,343,477,301

Two weeks after its premiere in movie theaters, Cameron's first "Avatar" sequel had already grossed more than $1 billion at the box office, a rare feat during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It then became the second-fastest movie to cross $2 billion in just 39 days.

While discussing the digital release of "Avatar: The Way of Water," out March 28, producer Jon Landau told Insider he and Cameron wondered if the sequel to the 2009 film would reach the number "Titanic" crossed at the box office.

"I was never nervous that people would lose interest because I didn't think they needed to have interest. I thought we were making a new movie," Landau said when asked if he was nervous that audiences may lose interest in an "Avatar" sequel after waiting more than a decade for it.

"I looked at this almost like an original piece of content that happened to be with known characters in a known world, but we were showing them in a new way. So I was nervous about how the movie would do because when you stop being nervous, you stop caring. But I was never worried," Landau added of the movie's strong box-office performance.

2. "Avengers: Endgame" (2019)

Worldwide gross: $2,799,439,100

Marvel's major endcap to its run of 22 comic-book-based films broke the record for the fastest movie to reach $1 billion dollars in international box-office totals.

On the Sunday of its opening weekend, Disney estimated "Avengers: Endgame" had made $1.2 billion within the first five days of its global debut. 

It became the highest-grossing movie of all time until Disney rereleased "Avatar" in China in 2021.

1. "Avatar" (2009)

Worldwide gross: $2,923,710,708

With close to $3 billion in box-office revenue, Cameron's "Avatar" was miles ahead of other films on the list.

Disney's epic Marvel adventure "Avengers: Endgame" knocked it out of the top spot in the summer of 2019.

However, "Avatar" retook the top spot when Disney (which now owns the rights after the Fox acquisition) rereleased the film in China in spring 2021.

• Chili's is taking on McDonald's in the fast-food burger wars.
• Last year, the chain released its Big QP burger, a riff on the iconic McDonald's Quarter Pounder.
• I tried both burgers to determine which was the better value.

Chili's has spent the past two years challenging fast-food chains like McDonald's with look-alike chicken sandwiches and burgers.

In 2024, Chili's introduced the Big Smasher, a burger inspired by McDonald's Big Mac, claiming it offered twice the meat, and added it to the chain's 3-For-Me menu, which starts at $10.99.

Then, in 2025, Chili's released the Big QP, a burger modeled after McDonald's Quarter Pounder that features similar toppings but a significantly larger beef patty.

Finally, earlier this year, it updated its lineup of chicken sandwiches in a direct hit on McDonald's McCrispy sandwich.

The strategy seems to be paying off. In April, Chili's parent company, Brinker International, reported that Chili's had posted its 20th consecutive quarter of same-store sales growth, with comparable sales up 4% year over year. The chain attributed much of that success to menu innovation and a focus on "everyday value," including the 3-For-Me menu.

This week, we'll see if that momentum has continued. Brinker International, Chili's parent company, will report its fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter earnings on August 12.

I tried Chili's Big QP burger to see how it measured up against a fast-food reliable like the McDonald's Quarter Pounder. Here's how the two burgers compared.

McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese is one of the chain's most popular burgers.

The signature burger was first introduced in 1971 by franchise owner Al Bernadin in Fremont, California, to satisfy customers seeking a larger burger than the original hamburger or cheeseburger.

The Quarter Pounder lineup now includes the classic Quarter Pounder with cheese, the Double Quarter Pounder, and the Bacon Quarter Pounder.

I ordered a Quarter Pounder with cheese at my local McDonald's in Brooklyn, New York. It cost $7.69, excluding tax, but also comes as a medium-sized meal with fries and a drink for $14.09.

The Quarter Pounder came with a quarter-pound beef patty, two slices of American cheese, onions, dill pickles, ketchup, and mustard.

The toppings were placed in the center of the burger rather than evenly spread out, although preparation likely depends on factors such as the individual employee and the location.

The burger lived up to its reputation, but I think it could have been slightly improved.

Although the Quarter Pounder is marketed as a heartier burger, the patty felt relatively thin, especially compared to other cheeseburgers on the market, and it was cooked just past the point where it would retain its juiciness.

The toppings, including the onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, were concentrated in the middle, creating an uneven eating experience, with some bites flavorful and tangy while others lacked the balance of meat, cheese, and condiments.

Overall, this was an enjoyable burger but not a consistent one.

Chili's launched its Big QP burger last year as its take on the McDonald's Quarter Pounder.

The Big QP closely resembles McDonald's Quarter Pounder, from its name to its ingredient list.

Both burgers feature a single beef patty topped with two slices of American cheese, diced onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. The biggest distinction is size: Chili's says the Big QP contains 85% more beef than the Quarter Pounder, making it a noticeably heartier burger.

The burger is available as part of the 3-For-Me deal for $10.99, or on its own for $14.99. The 3-For-Me meal also comes with an appetizer like bottomless chips and salsa, fries, and a bottomless drink.

The burger also featured classic toppings, although the execution was different.

Right away, I noticed a few key differences between the two burgers.

The Chili's burger came with two slices of American cheese, with the burger patty placed between them, three pickle slices instead of two, and diced red onion instead of slivered white onions.

The flavor profiles were similar, but I preferred Chili's bigger, juicier burger.

The Big QP immediately felt like a more substantial version of McDonald's Quarter Pounder.

While the two burgers share a nearly identical combination of American cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, Chili's larger patty made a noticeable difference.

It was thick, juicy, and well-seasoned, giving the burger a richer, beefier flavor than the Quarter Pounder. The familiar toppings delivered the same tangy, savory profile, but the sharper red onions and softer brioche bun elevated the overall experience.

As someone who regularly orders a Quarter Pounder at McDonald's, I was struck by just how familiar the Big QP was to the fast-food classic.

I normally wouldn't expect a sit-down chain to edge out a fast-food rival, especially for one of its best-known items. However, while the Big QP costs significantly more than a Quarter Pounder if you order each burger separately, Chili's $10.99 3-For-Me deal — which includes an appetizer, fries, and a drink — makes it the stronger value overall and the burger I would choose in a heartbeat.

Greece produces more authentic feta cheese than any other country. The cheese is so valuable, it's nicknamed "white gold."

But two forces are threatening Greece's historical grip on feta. A pair of diseases has led to the death of hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats. Meanwhile, other countries, including the US, are challenging Greece's legal claim to the name "feta" on the global stage.

So what does all this mean for generations-old producers? And what does this mean for the global supply of authentic feta?

• When my youngest was 6, she was invited to a sleepover. We declined.
• Now that she's older, she still doesn't attend sleepovers and neither do her older siblings.
• My kids have plenty of time to hang out with their friends during the day.

When my youngest child was 6, a new neighbor and her daughter came over to play. The mom enthusiastically offered to "return the favor" by hosting my daughter at her home for a sleepover. I knew this child had multiple older siblings, some of whom spent weeks going back and forth between their divorced parents' homes.

When the pair left, my daughter looked at me and exclaimed excitedly that she was going to attend her first sleepover, just like she'd seen on some of her favorite shows and read about in some graphic novels.

I felt a tinge of hesitation before letting her down gently. My heart was screaming, "Absolutely not!" However, my words were empathetic:"That sounds like so much fun." I followed with, "We don't allow sleepovers."

Years later, I still have the same stance for my daughter, who is now 9 years old, and her older siblings.

I'm holding strong to this rule

Over the years, my kids have been invited to a handful of sleepovers, and every time, we have declined the invitations.

Some of my kids have protested, frustrated by our rule, claiming we are too strict. They say nothing bad will happen and that it'll be fine for them to be away for one night. Other kids in our family have sighed with relief, not enjoying being away from home and the comfort of their own beds.

I follow multiple psychologists, pediatricians, and therapists on social media, and the consensus I've observed among many of them is that sleepovers are far too risky and that the potential cons outweigh the pros. I've learned that when a child is harmed in some way, it is almost always by someone they know, someone in their inner circle, not a stranger or mere acquaintance. If they're in my house, under my roof, I feel more confident that they're safe.

We are intentional with our reasoning

For me, sleepovers simply aren't necessary. Our children have plenty of opportunities to hang out with their friends. They go to the movies and attend school events, such as Friday night football games. Of course, I know something bad can happen during the day, but there seems to be less risk for these gatherings when it's not dark, unsupervised, and for a long stretch of time.

My two older teens have stayed with peers in a hotel room while traveling for sports competitions, with plenty of stipulations and supervision. They have also had a handful of stayovers with our most trusted family friends and have stayed overnight a few times at grandparents' homes. These are special circumstances, though.

Our family also has the additional layer of being multiracial, and we are extremely cautious of allowing our Black children to be in spaces where they are the only person or two of color. We're doing what we think is best for our family.

I'm being smart, not paranoid

Of course, we want our kids to develop the skills and confidence to sleep away from home. In our view, though, the best approach is to consider the specific situation, who they'll be with, the child's maturity, and the skills they've already built and practiced. Rather than treating a certain age as the automatic starting point — or giving in to pressure from other parents — we believe the decision should be based on whether the individual child is truly ready.

I know some parents feel that not allowing sleepovers is being paranoid and instilling unnecessary fear in children. I take a different approach. When experts in the medical and mental health fields openly share on social media that they don't allow their own children to attend sleepovers, sharing harrowing statistics and admitting these only show reported cases of harm, to which we know there are likely many more cases, why would we? I don't feel that's at all paranoid. Rather, it's about being informed and protective of my children's childhoods.

I certainly don't look down upon any other parent who makes a different choice. We're all doing the best we can with our own perspectives, experiences, and education.

Do I feel my kids are missing out because they aren't sleeping over in someone else's bedroom, basement, or living room? No. There are many ways to have fun. For us, that can come with less risk and just as much reward.

• US News & World Report ranks the best universities across the US every year.
• While many of the top schools are private, every state in the union has its own public system.
• We used US News' ranking to compile a list of the 25 best public schools.

This back-to-school season, the cost and value of higher education are top of mind.

In a time when going to college can put you in hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and as more tech moguls share that they skipped university altogether, it could be worth considering a public school.

Every state has some sort of public school system, though they're not all created equal. Just as private schools have the Ivy League, some state schools stand above the rest — Forbes now releases its own list of "Public Ivies" each year.

Public schools are also generally cheaper than private schools, especially if you stay in-state. But even paying out-of-state tuition at some public schools can cost half as much as the most expensive colleges charge.

We used US News & World Report's ranking of best national universities to identify the top 25 public schools in the country. The list does not include liberal arts colleges focused on undergraduate education or regional universities with limited doctoral programs, although those are typically private schools.

Its ranking evaluated 434 US colleges across multiple metrics, including graduation rates, debt loads, average salaries, and admissions rates, among others, using data reported by schools and third-party sources.

College rankings have faced scrutiny over the years, with critics of US News & World Report's lists arguing that they can pressure schools to perform well on certain metrics to boost their standing. Skeptics have also questioned the ranking methodology, saying it may fail to capture key, less quantifiable factors that add to a school's quality.

US News has defended the rankings as a helpful resource, while admitting comparing colleges "can be challenging," and the lists "don't capture every nuance."

"But we reject our critics' paternalistic view that students are somehow incapable of discerning for themselves from this information which school is the best fit," US News & World Report executive chairman and CEO Eric Gertler wrote in 2023 for the Wall Street Journal.

Here are the 25 best public universities across the US.

25. University of California, Merced

National rank: #57 (tie)

UC Merced, which opened in 2005, is the newest school in the UC system. It's around 80 miles west of Yosemite National Park and has an enrollment of around 9,000 students, including undergraduates and graduates.

It's a top performer in US News' social mobility ranking, which means the university admits a large number of economically disadvantaged students and distributes Pell Grants to help them afford higher education.

21 (tie). Florida State University

National rank: #51 (tie)

Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city, was founded in 1851. It has an enrollment of about 33,000 undergraduate students.

FSU is known as the home of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the only magnet-powered lab in the country and one of just 12 in the world.

21 (tie). Texas A&M University

National rank: #51 (tie)

Texas A&M is located in College Station, about 90 miles northwest of Houston, and was founded in 1876, 150 years ago this year. It has an enrollment of 61,000 undergraduate students.

Aside from its academics, Texas A&M is also known for its close ties to President George H. W. Bush. His presidential library is located on campus, and the school of government and public service is named after him. His gravesite is also on campus, near his library.

21 (tie). Virginia Tech

National rank: #51 (tie)

The town of Blacksburg is home to Virginia Tech, or the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, founded in 1872.

Virginia Tech has about 31,000 undergraduate students enrolled. It ranks No. 6 for the best industrial/manufacturing engineering program.

21 (tie). College of William & Mary

National rank: #51 (tie)

The second school on this list (but not the last) located in Virginia is the College of William & Mary, which is in Williamsburg. It's named for King William III and Queen Mary II, who ruled England from 1689 to 1702.

The college itself was founded in 1693, making it the second-oldest college in the US. About 7,000 undergraduates are enrolled.

It ranked highly for its commitment to teaching undergrads rather than focusing on graduate-level research.

19 (tie). Purdue University

National ranking: #46 (tie)

Purdue is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, about 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis, with about 45,000 undergraduates calling this campus home. It was founded in 1869.

Purdue is famously called the "Cradle of Astronauts," as 30 astronauts across NASA history have been Purdue alums, including Neil Armstrong.

19 (tie). University of Georgia

National ranking: #46 (tie)

UGA, located in Athens, was chartered by the state in 1785, making it the oldest state-chartered university in the US.

It has an enrollment of about 32,000 undergraduate students.

Per US News, UGA has the No. 1 insurance program in the country, which was founded in 1965.

16 (tie). Rutgers University — New Brunswick

National ranking: #42 (tie)

Rutgers has three campuses across New Jersey, but the biggest, located in New Brunswick, was ruled its best. It was founded in 1766 as Queen's College, before getting renamed Rutgers in 1825.

Approximately 38,000 undergraduates are enrolled at the New Brunswick campus.

16 (tie). University of Washington

National ranking: #42 (tie)

Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is located in the middle of Seattle and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 41,000 students.

UW has strong nursing and computer science programs, both cracking US News' top 10 lists.

16 (tie). University of Maryland, College Park

National ranking: #42 (tie)

The College Park campus is the largest in the UMD system, with about 31,000 undergraduate students. It was founded in 1856.

College Park is just over 8 miles from downtown Washington, DC, and 30 miles from Baltimore, making it a relatively easy commute to either city.

UMD's cybersecurity program ranks at No. 9.

15. The Ohio State University

National ranking: #41

The Ohio State University, or OSU, has an undergraduate enrollment of about 47,000 students. Founded in 1870, it's located in northern Columbus, the Buckeye State's capital.

OSU has a well-regarded nursing program (No. 4), accounting program (No. 12), and supply chain/logistics program (No. 5).

14. University of California, Santa Barbara

National ranking: #40

Nearly 24,000 undergraduates call UCSB, founded in 1909, home.

Much can be said about UCSB's strong academics, but it's probably most famous for its proximity to the beach, making it a dream school for aspiring surfers everywhere.

12 (tie). University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

National ranking: #36 (tie)

About 140 miles southwest of Chicago, you'll find the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the flagship school of the UI system. It was founded in 1867 and has an undergrad population of 37,000.

UIUC — or, according to a recent branding shift, Illinois — was ranked fifth overall in the nation for its school of engineering, which was founded in 1868, making it one of the oldest schools at the university.

12 (tie). University of Wisconsin — Madison

National ranking: #36 (tie)

UW-Madison's 939-acre campus, located in the heart of Madison, is home to 39,000 undergraduate students.

Founded in 1848, it's ranked in the top 10 for nursing, insurance, marketing, real estate, and computer systems.

9 (tie). Georgia Institute of Technology

National ranking: #32 (tie)

The second Georgia university on the list is located a mile from downtown Atlanta. Georgia Tech was founded in 1885 and has an undergraduate population of about 20,000.

It was ranked the third-most innovative school, behind MIT and Arizona State.

9 (tie). University of California, Davis

National ranking: #32 (tie)

Fun fact: UC Davis is the northernmost undergraduate campus in the University of California system, above both San Francisco and Berkeley.

It was founded in 1905 and has roughly 32,000 undergraduates.

UC Davis is tied for No. 2 among universities with the best biological/agricultural engineering programs.

9 (tie). University of California, Irvine

National ranking: #32 (tie)

UC Davis is tied with another California school: UC Irvine, located in Orange County, with an undergraduate population of 30,000.

The school was founded in 1965 and is best-known for its STEM programs. That, and its mascot, the anteater.

7 (tie). University of Florida

National ranking: #30 (tie)

Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, founded in 1853. It's in northern Florida, roughly 110 miles northwest of Orlando.

There are about 36,000 undergraduate Gators running around the 2,000-acre grounds — and they're (probably) all powered by Gatorade, the famed sports drink that was created right there on campus by researchers looking to help athletes replenish their electrolytes and stay hydrated.

7 (tie). University of Texas at Austin

National ranking: #30 (tie)

UT Austin, founded in 1883, takes up a big chunk of Texas' capital city — in fact, it's just a 15-minute walk from campus to see the Lone Star State's statehouse. It has 43,000 undergraduates.

Many UT programs are world-renowned, but the Moody College of Communication is among its most famous.

6. University of California, San Diego

National ranking: #29

From the northernmost UC school to the southernmost — UC San Diego, established in 1960, is approximately 30 minutes from the California/Mexico border.

The university, which has 35,000 undergraduate students, is known for its strong engineering and biotechnology programs.

4 (tie). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

National ranking: #26 (tie)

UNC-Chapel Hill, located less than 30 miles west of Raleigh, was founded in 1789 and has an undergraduate population of 21,000.

Besides its famed NCAA basketball team, Chapel Hill has a top 10 business school and a top five nursing school.

4 (tie). University of Virginia

National ranking: #26 (tie)

The University of Virginia, or UVA, was founded in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1819. It has about 18,000 undergraduate students.

In addition to its strong undergraduate programs, the UVA School of Law is the No. 4 law school in the nation, according to US US News.

3. University of Michigan

National ranking: #20 (tie)

The University of Michigan, known colloquially as "Michigan," was founded in Ann Arbor in 1817, which is about 40 miles west of Detroit.

Michigan has an undergraduate population of 34,000 students. It's best known for the Ross School of Business, which ranks No. 13 among full-time MBA programs in the US.

2. University of California, Los Angeles

National ranking: #17 (tie)

UCLA, founded in 1919 and located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, is one of the biggest universities in the UC system, with 33,000 undergraduates and a well-regarded medical school, law school, and public health master's program.

It also has just a 9% acceptance rate, making it a highly sought-after acceptance letter.

1. University of California, Berkeley

National ranking: #15 (tie)

UC Berkeley (or simply Cal) was named by US News & World Report as the best public school in the US. Founded in 1868, it is the oldest university in the University of California system.

Its 33,000 undergraduate students call the Bay Area home, and the university has top-five biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, electrical, environmental, industrial/manufacturing, materials, and mechanical engineering programs.

• Mark Zuckerberg shared a video of himself sparring with a UFC champion on a floating barge.
• He previously posted a similar clip back in 2023.
• The Meta CEO started training jiu-jitsu during the pandemic, and once tore his ACL.

Mark Zuckerberg has brought back a familiar pastime: fighting UFC stars on a barge floating in the middle of a lake.

In a Sunday Instagram post, he shared a video of himself sparring with Merab Dvalishvili, a Georgian fighter who won the 2024 UFC Bantamweight title.

An array of camera angles, including drone shots, show the pair punching, kicking, and practicing takedowns — set to the instrumental of "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.

At one point, Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, rides past on a canoe. "Merab made me take my shirt off because it looks more 'fighter,'" he tells her.

The Meta CEO last shared a video fighting on the floating barge almost three years ago, when he sparred with two other UFC champions: Alexander Volkanovski and Israel Adesanya.

Zuckerberg began training in jiu-jitsu during the COVID-19 pandemic and said in 2023 he practices three to four times a week. Over the years, he's struck up friendships with a number of professional fighters.

Zuckerberg was pictured in Volkanovski's corner during a UFC bout in 2024, but it became a meme as he awkwardly nodded, offering a hand while other cornermen passed items.

Jon Jones, the former UFC light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion, commented on Sunday's post: "Wow, you look great Zucky. Can definitely tell you've been grinding."

The top comment, with over 33,000 likes, joked: "Elon been real quiet lately," referring to Zuckerberg's feud with Musk. In 2023, Zuckerberg agreed to Musk's challenge for a fight, and Rome's Colosseum was touted as a venue, but the fight never came to fruition.

However, combat sports can be a dangerous hobby, especially for the boss of a $1.5 trillion company.

Zuckerberg tore his ACL while sparring in 2023, and Meta's financial filings warn as a risk factor that, "Mr. Zuckerberg and certain other members of management participate in various high-risk activities, such as combat sports, extreme sports, and recreational aviation, which carry the risk of serious injury and death."

• This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Consider this your job-hunting cheat sheet.

Last week's brutal jobs report was more evidence of how difficult the labor market is. The low hiring and firing rate is giving a stuck-in-place vibe.

That's why people looking to switch jobs these days need to be extra careful. The next company you land at could be your last for a while, so you want to make it count.

Burning Glass Institute and the Schultz Family Foundation analyzed the career histories of 12 million workers across 1,750 companies. For BI's Aki Ito, they shared the details for six prominent tech occupations: software engineers, data scientists, software quality assurance analysts and testers, computer systems and security engineers, IT project managers, and IT systems analysts.

Searching for a role will show you the percentiles a company falls into for three categories: promotion, retention, and salary.

You can check out the database here. Happy hunting.

For some out-of-work job seekers, not being yourself might be the key to finding work.

Reinvention is proving to be a powerful tool for people looking for work.

Whether it's learning new skills or an outright career pivot, some are realizing their best bet is to stay agile and be open to change.

Six people spoke to BI's Madison Hoff and Jacob Zinkula about how their quest for new employment meant forging a new path.

This isn't like the pandemic-era rage quits when burned-out workers left their jobs to take on very different roles. This time, people are being forced to rethink things after losing their jobs and getting thrown into a sluggish job market.

That's how Douglas Craig, a longtime media executive, found himself guiding people through zipline courses at an aerial adventure park.

Not that he's complaining. Craig said it's less like "starting over" and more "like I was shifting to something that just brought more happiness and joy."

• As a physician studying longevity, I'm mindful when filling up my cart at Trader Joe's.
• I buy a lot of fresh and frozen produce, plus fiber-packed legumes and lentils.
• Premade frozen entrées have too much sodium for me, and I prefer local produce over salad kits.

I'm a board-certified internal medicine physician who studies longevity, so I'm used to people asking me how to live longer.

Often, they expect a prescription, a supplement stack, or some expensive scan. However, the most honest answer I can give them is in a grocery cart.

Mine gets filled at Trader Joe's most weeks, and I'm not chasing superfoods or miracle ingredients. Rather, I'm looking for foods that deliver fiber, healthy fats, and protein without the sodium and added sugar that can easily accumulate in a modern diet.

Here are a few things that always go in my cart, plus what I intentionally leave out.

Spoiler alert: One of my must-buy items isn't even food.

Beans and lentils are the backbone of my week.

Legumes show up in the daily diet of nearly every long-lived population I've studied. They are fiber-packed and protein-dense — two longevity heavy hitters.

Fiber is the most under-consumed nutrient in the American diet, and legumes deliver it alongside plant protein. Fiber can help feed the gut microbiome and support steadier blood sugar after meals.

I regularly buy legumes like beans and lentils on my trips to Trader Joe's. Typically, I cook a pot of lentils on Sunday and spend the week folding them into eggs, salads, and grain bowls.

Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh avocados cover my "healthy fats."

Olive oil is considered a "healthy fat" for a lot of reasons. For one, it has polyphenols, which contain antioxidant properties that can help protect against the development and progression of a range of health conditions.

Avocados are also considered a "healthy fat" and a great source of potassium, which can help counterbalance dietary sodium and support healthy blood pressure. They contain more fiber than you might expect, too, at around 10 grams for a medium avocado.

I like using olive oil for cooking and as a finishing drizzle after plating my meals. The avocado goes on eggs or gets cubed into bean-based bowls.

Frozen Alaskan wild-sockeye fillets are my protein workhorse.

My go-to frozen wild sockeye salmon fillets have one ingredient on the label: fish. Because this salmon is not smoked, marinated, or cured, they're also much lower in sodium.

The plain fillet has a fraction of the sodium as the smoked salmon in the next case over, along with EPA and DHA omega-3s, which can help support cardiovascular and brain health.

For an easy dinner, I roast this salmon at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes and serve it over sautéed greens.

Raw, unsalted nuts are always in my pantry.

Walnuts and almonds pack a protein punch, and the unsalted part is non-negotiable.

Eating salted nuts as a frequent snack can quickly raise one's sodium intake. Over time, chronic excess sodium intake can contribute to hypertension (high blood pressure) — the leading modifiable risk factor for stroke.

When I shop at Trader Joe's, I grab unsalted walnuts, almonds, or whatever I'm craving, then pair a serving of nuts with fruit as my standing afternoon snack.

Also, chopped walnuts are delicious sprinkled over roasted vegetables.

Plain Greek yogurt is a staple.

Fermented dairy products, like Trader Joe's Greek yogurt, contain live active cultures (which can help support gut health) and provide decent amounts of protein.

Each ¾ -cup serving of Trader Joe's plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt contains 17 grams of protein.

Whenever I purchase Greek yogurt, I go for plain varieties. This is important because many flavored yogurts contain way more added sugar.

For comparison, Trader Joe's 5.3-ounce plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt contains 5 grams of added sugar. With 9 grams of added sugar, the apricot-mango variety contains almost twice as much.

Luckily, it's easy to sweeten up plain yogurt with berries. I also like to add nuts for a crunch. When it comes to cooking, plain Greek yogurt is a great swap for sour cream in almost any dish.

I keep fruit around in almost every form.

I often buy fresh fruit, but Trader Joe's frozen strawberries and wild blueberries are anchors in my household.

I like that frozen fruit is typically picked and preserved at peak ripeness, costs less than fresh, and is immune to the slow tragedy that overtakes whatever is decomposing in the back of the produce drawer.

Berries go on yogurt and oatmeal, and whatever is in season gets paired with nuts.

Chia seeds go into almost everything.

A single ounce of chia seeds contains about 10 grams of fiber, a bit of protein, and plant-based ALA omega-3s (which can promote heart health).

The seeds absorb liquid and turn gelatinous, which can help slow digestion and keep meals satisfying longer.

Blend them into smoothies, add to salad, or soak them overnight for a pudding. A bag from Trader Joe's costs a few dollars and lasts months in my pantry.

Greeting cards might be the most important thing in my cart.

Longevity isn't only about what you eat.

Social connection has been widely linked to longevity, and it can be as powerful as diet and other lifestyle factors people obsess over — and I believe a handwritten card is connection you can hold.

Fortunately, Trader Joe's has a great selection of blank greeting cards for just 99 cents each.

These cards make it even easier to stay in touch with people. I buy a stack, keep them in a drawer, and send one the moment someone crosses my mind.

Whether saying congratulations, expressing gratitude, or letting someone know I'm thinking of them, putting pen to paper is meaningful to me, and to the recipient.

On the other hand, I don't buy frozen entrées here or at any grocery store.

I'm sure many frozen premade meals are convenient and taste just fine — there's a reason they're so popular, especially at Trader Joe's— but my issue with most of them is the sodium content.

Many of these premade dishes contain several hundred milligrams of sodium per serving. I've seen some that contain close to 1,000 milligrams of sodium per serving — that's almost half the recommended daily limit for an average adult in a single meal.

And, as I've mentioned, chronic excess sodium intake can raise blood pressure, increasing cardiovascular risk.

Instead, when I need a quick meal, I cook up frozen vegetables, frozen grains, and a can of beans or a sockeye fillet. Either option only takes me about 10 minutes to prep.

I don't purchase bagged leafy greens and salad kits, either.

As convenient as bagged salad kits and pre-washed greens seem, they're not worth it for me.

Tender greens start losing water-soluble vitamins like folate and vitamin C the moment they're cut and stored. And by the time bagged greens reach my cart, they may already be several days — or more — from harvest.

Instead, I get my greens from my local CSA produce box or farmers market, where they're often harvested much closer to when I buy them.

They keep more of their nutrients and taste fresher, which means I'm more likely to actually eat them.

Sweetened dried fruit doesn't make it into my basket.

In my opinion, sweetened dried fruit sounds healthy but is actually more like candy.

Whole fruit delivers its sugar packaged with fiber and water, which changes how the body handles it compared to juice or dried versions.

Drying concentrates sugar while stripping out the water that makes whole fruit filling. Plus, a lot of dried fruits are coated in sweeteners, which pushes this snack further up the glycemic index.

I'm choosing frozen or fresh fruit over the sweetened, dried versions every time.

For me, cured and processed meats stay on the shelf.

The World Health Organization classifies processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, a category it uses when there is "convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer."

To each their own, but that alone is enough for me to just stay away from this section of the grocery store altogether.

Curious what's in other shoppers' carts? Keep reading our Trader Joe's diaries.

• Famed investor Michael Burry said "complete idiots" made fortunes during the dot-com boom.
• Burry's critique prompted Mark Cuban, who became a billionaire during the boom, to jokily reply.
• Both Burry and Cuban have raised concerns about the speed and scale of AI investments.

Michael Burry took a swipe at some of the dot-com boom's biggest winners, prompting a cheeky response from Mark Cuban.

The investor of "The Big Short" fame argued on X that stock prices became detached from fundamentals between the 1998 collapse of Long-Term Capital Management and the dot-com crash in March 2000.

"Complete idiots made permanent fortunes during that span," Burry wrote on Saturday. "We still hear from one of them regularly."

He did not name anyone, but Cuban — one of the best-known billionaires minted during the dot-com boom — appeared happy to play along.

"Complete idiots," Cuban replied, adding a crying laughter emoji. He also quoted one of his own posts from 2025, listing 13 patent applications that lawyers for Broadcast.com had considered filing before Yahoo acquired the internet radio company.

Cuban sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in stock in 1999, making him one of the dot-com era's most prominent winners.

The potential patents covered ideas including geographic identification of internet-connected devices, hybrid networks, reverse auctions, audio advertising, streaming authentication, and automated content promotion.

Burry's broader message was one he has frequently shared in recent months — that investors are ignoring inflated valuations in favor of AI hype and could be caught out in the future.

In a separate exchange the day before, Burry asked: "Am I the last bear?"

"Everyone is a genius in a bull market," Cuban responded, repeating one of his favorite sayings about how soaring asset prices can make almost every investor look shrewd.

The exchanges come after both men raised concerns about the artificial-intelligence buildout.

Burry has warned that Big Tech is overspending on microchips and data centers that could quickly become obsolete.

Cuban has similarly argued that efficiency gains could leave some AI infrastructure redundant, joking that many data centers might eventually be converted into pickleball courts.

• Meta is launching a new agentic AI model, Muse Glimmer, which it says can run locally on a laptop.
• The model is open-weight, which means users can download and modify it.
• Meta also plans to release an open-weight version of Muse Spark, its most powerful AI model.

Mark Zuckerberg is launching a new AI model and a vision for a more open form of superintelligence.

The social media giant unveiled Muse Glimmer on Monday and said it is an open-weight, agentic model small enough to run on a Mac or PC. Open-weight means users can download and customize the model to run it locally instead of in the cloud.

Meta also plans to release an open-weight version of Muse Spark, its most powerful AI model, soon, Zuckerberg added.

Meta said it trained Glimmer on Muse Spark using a process known as distillation, where a smaller model learns from a larger "teacher" model.

Meta said that Glimmer, the latest model rolled out by the company's Superintelligence division led by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, can perform complex reasoning and handle a broad range of agentic tasks while running on a consumer device with a single graphics card.

Glimmer can break a task, such as coding or admin work, into steps. Meta said it "performs strongly for its size class" on several benchmarks for large language models.

'Filled with doom'

The Meta CEO also published a 6,500-word essay making a positive case for superintelligent AI.

In the essay, titled "The Future Is for Everyone," Zuckerberg wrote that it was "surprising" that the discourse from so many of the people developing AI was so "filled with doom."

Zuckerberg said it would be wrong to restrict access to superintelligent AI to a handful of individuals or companies on safety grounds.

"Some argue that superintelligence itself or a small set of experts who control it should decide what is best for humanity. We disagree," Zuckerberg wrote.

Open vs closed

Meta's model launch comes as the tech industry is embroiled in a debate over open-weight AI.

Last month, nearly every major AI lab — including Meta — signed a public letter advocating for open-weight models, after the US government suggested it could sanction Chinese open models that were found to have distilled AI models built by their US rivals.

"Foreign labs currently hold several advantages here since American labs have to comply with many additional restrictions on training data," Zuckerberg wrote in his Monday essay. "US policy must reduce this additional friction if we want American open source models to lead over time."

While Meta has traditionally championed open-sourcing models, not all of the Llama series of open-weight models it first launched in 2023 impressed developers.

Meta took a different approach with Muse Spark, released earlier this year, which was developed under Wang and launched as a closed model. Although the latest version still trails the strongest models from Anthropic and OpenAI overall, it is competitive on several benchmarks.

The decision to launch Glimmer as an open-weight model under a permissive license echoes the strategy of China AI labs, such as Moonshot and DeepSeek, which are launching open models that offer developers a cheaper alternative to their US counterparts.

"Now that Meta Superintelligence Labs are up and running, we will resume releasing some open source models soon," Zuckerberg wrote in Monday's blog.

• A version of this story originally appeared in the BI Tech Memo newsletter.
• Sign up for the weekly BI Tech Memo newsletter here.

The build-versus-buy debate around business software has a new calculator.

Last year, I wrote about how AI coding tools were making it easier for companies to create their own internal apps instead of paying an outside software provider.

That shift raised a tempting question: Why keep buying expensive software when employees can now vibe code a custom version themselves?

The enterprising analysts at RBC Capital Markets recently built an interactive tool to test that idea. Companies and investors can plug in the cost of a software subscription, then compare it with the full cost of building and running an in-house alternative.

The tool goes beyond the initial coding bill. It also includes maintenance, security risks, repairs, and the cost of employees using a tool that may be less reliable or capable.

RBC's conclusion is sobering: Building your own version of business software is usually more expensive than buying it. The math can work for simpler, less important tools, but rarely for core systems such as payroll, customer records, or office software.

The biggest hidden cost may be talent. Even when a custom app is possible, companies must ask whether their best AI workers should rebuild existing software or create something genuinely new.

Sign up for BI's Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com.

• July's inflation data will be front and center this week after a poor July jobs report.
• If inflation is cool enough, the Fed may be less inclined to raise interest rates this year.
• Sign up for First Trade, Business Insider's daily markets newsletter.

The stakes just got higher for this week's inflation report.

The US economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, perhaps signaling that the labor market could be trending in an unhealthy direction.

The update may change the calculus for the Federal Reserve, which will next decide on interest rate policy at its September 16 meeting. The Fed has a so-called dual mandate: on one side, it aims to maintain stability in consumer prices by keeping inflation in check; on the other hand, it needs to support demand enough to keep the labor market humming.

So far, freshly minted Fed chair Kevin Warsh has emphasized in stern tones his goal of fighting inflation, which has remained above the central bank's 2% target. But the ugly July jobs report may force Warsh to pull back on his hawkish rhetoric and look more closely at the labor market part of the Fed's mandate.

That means all eyes will be on July's CPI report on Wednesday morning, as investors look for clues on what the Fed will do next. Ordinarily, a softening labor market would mean cooling inflation data, but elevated energy prices are complicating things.

Economists expect July's CPI to come in at 3.4% year-over-year, down from 3.5% in June and 4.2% in May. As of Friday afternoon, market odds have the Fed keeping rates unchanged in September, but are still pricing in one to two hikes before the end of the year despite the ice-cold jobs report.

Here are two scenarios that could play out this week after we see updated inflation numbers on Wednesday:

• Inflation is hot, stocks drop

This is maybe the market's worst-case scenario: a stagflationary outcome. Investors are hoping the weak July jobs report has given the Fed the ammo it needs to cut rates. That's why stocks soared on Friday — bad news is good news right now when it comes to payrolls.

But given Warsh's outspokenness about fighting inflation, a hot report may prompt him to hike rates despite the weak jobs outlook. Either way, it's hard to imagine a scenario where stocks rise if inflation comes in higher than expectations. Unlike with the jobs report, bad news is bad news for CPI.

• Inflation is cool enough, stocks soar

It's unlikely that inflation drops below the Fed's goal of 2%, but investors may cheer on anything in the low 3s or below as a signal that consumer price growth is coming down and the Fed can cut rates comfortably, or at least stay put.

Even the latter scenario could reverse expectations for hikes later this year that are already priced in, allowing investors to relax a bit.

• Dropbox has been "virtual-first" since 2021, and its new co-CEO says he plans to keep that model.
• The company has a mostly remote structure, and hosts a handful of off-site gatherings.
• "Flexibility and autonomy are the ultimate currency in modern work," said co-CEO Ashraf Alkarmi.

Dropbox is "virtual-first" and that's not changing anytime soon, according to its new co-CEO.

While many companies continue to enforce return-to-office mandates, Ashraf Alkarmi said that when he takes over as Dropbox's sole CEO, he plans to maintain the company's remote-first structure.

Alkarmi previously held leadership roles at Vimeo and Meta and joined Dropbox as senior vice president and general manager of its core products in 2024. He became co-CEO in May, alongside Dropbox founder Drew Houston.

Alkarmi said the cloud storage company's virtual-first structure is an "incredible model" and he continues to believe in it. Dropbox officially implemented the policy in 2021 and said it redesigned its workforce to focus on flexibility.

"Flexibility and autonomy are the ultimate currency in modern work," Alkarmi told Business Insider.

The company said that average applications per job were nearly sevenfold higher in 2025 than they were before virtual-first.

It also said it has seen the highest offer acceptance rates and the lowest attrition rates since enacting the model. The company added that 74% of new hires in 2026 cite the ability to work in a virtual-first environment as one of the reasons they joined Dropbox.

Alkarmi made the distinction that virtual-first doesn't mean remote-only.

The company still has in-person gatherings, such as for its annual hack week, where workers fly in to San Francisco, Seattle, and Dublin studios to participate in a hackathon.

Employees develop and build their hack week projects from Monday to Thursday, and winning projects are chosen on Friday. Throughout the week, Dropboxers are encouraged to participate in additional programming, like customer coffee chats, AI learning sessions, and networking.

The company also holds leadership off-sites where senior staff meet to focus on company planning, strategy, and team building. Individual teams also have their own off-sites.

The combination of in-person interaction with virtual work is critical, the co-CEO said.

"In these moments, connection matters," Alkarmi said.

Alkarmi added that those gatherings help the company's workforce build connections so that when they return to virtual work, they're on the same page and have a foundation of trust and respect.

His co-CEO, Houston, has previously criticized return-to-office mandates.

"We can be a lot less dumb than forcing people back into a car three days a week or whatever, to literally be back on the same Zoom meeting they would have been at home," Houston said on the "Leadership Next" podcast in 2025.