Business

Zuckerberg’s AI hires disrupt Meta with swift exits and threats to leave. There is no doubt a lot of talent in the AI Super Team that Facebook is building, but too many chefs in a kitchen often lead to disagreement, tension and unrealized potential. But, one of Zuck’s strengths is to quickly pivot and adapt. If this mega push into building superintelligence fails and it looks a real possibility, Zuck will pivot. His track record is so impressive that I won’t bet against him in the long run.

Your Boss Doesn’t Have Time to Talk to You. Corporate America is changing and flattening, to be more exact. Some use AI as an excuse, but the truth is that they’d increase the manager-to-employee ratio regardless of how much AI can bring to the table. This trend has major cascading ramifications. Experienced professionals who aspire to be managers find it more difficult to land a managerial post. Many managers find themselves surplus to requirements. Those who are lucky enough to maintain a high-level job will have more work from managing more people. Staff will struggle to find sufficient support. Only companies can benefit from a leaner organization and a light payroll.

How This A.I. Company Collapsed Amid Silicon Valley’s Biggest Boom. There are always drifters and the AI Gold Rush is no exception. Be careful out there. Don’t rely too much on the fancy tools. Practice critical thinking. Be mindful of the AI enthusiasts who keep using big words and make AI their whole personality.

The Ice Cream That Beat Costco’s Hot Dog as the Best Money Loser in Business. A Chinese fast food chain replicated the hugely successful strategy that Costco is famous for with its $1.5 hotdog combo.

JPMorgan Chase’s ‘small bites’ approach to growth pays off. “With branch openings, that means the biggest U.S. bank won’t open 50 locations in a state all at once, but rather two or three at a time, to ensure it’s keeping customers top of mind and making tweaks if needed, he said. The lender is intent on shortening drive times to branches and being easily accessible to clients, chasing a goal of being within an hour’s drive of 75% of its U.S. customers, Botsakos said. Today, that figure is 68%. To assess where else the bank needs to be, JPMorgan Chase reviews data that reveals client migration patterns and relies on input from locally hired staff, who know the areas, Botsakos said.”

Other Stuff I Find Interesting

Chicago has the most lead pipes in the nation. We mapped them all. When I first came to the US, I was surprised that tap water was not safe to drink. I am still shocked now. The fact that a major city such as Chicago has the most lead pipes in a developed country that can’t produce safe tap water for drink is damning.

How a Top Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission Into North Korea Fell Apart. We don’t normally get this kind of reporting on such a classified mission. I applaud the Times’ sources who are willing to risk their reputation and even freedom to share such sensitive information for what they believe is the good of the public.

The struggle for one meal in Gaza. It is crazy that the people in Gaza have to pay $44 for a kilo of sugar.

Korean Companies Pay Employees Huge Sums to Have More Kids. Because of the poor fertility rate, the government and the private sector in Korea are dangling money and offering benefits to encourage adults to have more children. So far, there have been positive signs that the efforts are bearing fruits.

Fiber-Packed Foods Are Hitting Store Shelves. Be Careful, Doctors Say. “One of the main fibers used in packaged foods and drinks is inulin, which is usually derived from chicory root. Research by scientists at Georgia State University, primarily in animals, has found that inulin can alter the immune system in a way that may increase the risk of liver cancer. Other research on inulin in people, by scientists at Stanford University, has found that the substance alters liver enzymes.”

Stats

More than 1.1 million F-1 students were enrolled in bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in 2024

About 1,500 .ai addresses were created every day in the summer of 2025

JPMorgan has a little over 11% of U.S. consumer deposits. 

South Korea’s fertility rate is just 0.75 births per woman