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Tag: Science & Technology

  • This protein powder is made out of air and uses 600 times less water than beef

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    Thanks to innovations in food science and agriculture, the world is producing more food than ever before. While this has significantly reduced global hunger since the 1970s, it has impacted the environment; in 2023, food production generated about 26 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Our World in Data.

    Now scientists at the Finnish startup Solar Foods are turning air and electricity into food. The result? A mustard-colored protein powder made from naturally occurring microbes that could reshape how the world is fed.

    Inside a bioreactor, a single microbe plucked from the Finnish dirt is fed a cocktail
of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Renewable electricity powers the process, which the company says is “20 times more efficient than photosynthesis,” and accelerates the growth of the microorganism into a protein-rich slurry.

    After drying, what’s left is Solein: a fine powder packed with all nine essential amino acids, unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and vitamin B12. According to Food & Wine, 100 grams of the powder yields 75 grams of protein, which is comparable to many whey protein powders on the market.

    Solein, which the company describes as having a “pleasant note of umami flavor,” requires 600 times less water and 200 times less land to produce one kilogram of protein than is required to produce one kilogram of beef. The protein is also more efficient than other available vegan and plant proteins.

    As of July 2024, the company had raised $47 million in equity funding and has been listed on the Nasdaq’s First North Growth Market in Finland. It recently received a $10.6 million grant from the European Commission.

    In May, Solar Foods’ pilot facility ramped up its production 100-fold, reaching industrial scale and proving its ability to commercialize. It is currently in the pre-engineering phase of a second industrial production facility, with a third and fourth one possibly on the way.

    The Food and Drug Administration has given the company a “Generally Recognized as Safe” designation, allowing Solein to be commercialized in the United States. In March, Solar Foods announced its first multimillion-dollar supply agreement with Superb Food, “a startup with a mission to advance community health through smart functional foods.” In 2024, the company was selected as one of the winners of NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, which was launched to develop food innovations for space travel.

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    Jeff Luse

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  • How I Went From Side Hustle to 7 Figures in 12 Months Using These 4 AI Tools (No Tech Skills Needed) | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Most solopreneurs are stuck using AI the old way — writing captions, drafting emails, and hoping it drives results.

    But the ones scaling to seven figures fast? They’re using AI to run their business like a machine — automating growth, traffic, and operations without hiring a single employee.

    In this video, I’ll show you the exact four AI tools I used to go from side hustle to seven figures in just 12 months — no coding, no complexity and no team required.

    Here’s how I used them:

    • The traffic tool: Pinpoints what your audience is searching for before your competitors do — helping you publish content that ranks and spreads.
    • The sales tool: Qualifies leads, personalizes follow-ups and automates sales conversations — turning traffic into profit 24/7.
    • The system builder: Converts your manual processes into repeatable automations — from onboarding to task management, without hiring.
    • The content engine: Analyzes top-performing hooks and titles in your niche — and gives you a full content calendar in minutes.

    These tools helped me stop guessing, get visible, and scale fast — without burning out or adding overhead.

    If you’re a solo entrepreneur who’s tired of doing everything yourself, this is how you scale smarter — and finally start seeing real momentum.

    The AI Success Kit is available to download for free, along with a chapter from my new book, The Wolf is at The Door.

    Most solopreneurs are stuck using AI the old way — writing captions, drafting emails, and hoping it drives results.

    But the ones scaling to seven figures fast? They’re using AI to run their business like a machine — automating growth, traffic, and operations without hiring a single employee.

    In this video, I’ll show you the exact four AI tools I used to go from side hustle to seven figures in just 12 months — no coding, no complexity and no team required.

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    Ben Angel

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  • Apple, Meta, Google Working on Universal Translators | Entrepreneur

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    Universal translators were once a science fiction dream, appearing in shows like “Star Trek” as devices capable of translating any language into English.

    Now, new advancements in AI have made it possible for big tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Google to create gadgets that translate from one language to another in real-time. And analysts expect the products to be popular.

    Here’s what they’re working on:

    Apple

    Apple introduced the $250 AirPods Pro 3, a pair of earbuds capable of live translation in real-time, at its “Awe Dropping” product launch event earlier this week. The earbuds support translations from French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish into English. Older AirPods models, such as the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, will get the live translation feature as an update next week.

    Apple AirPods Pro displayed at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Sept. 9. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    In a demo video, Apple showcased how AirPods could be used in a live conversation with an English-speaker buying flowers from a Spanish-speaker. The AirPods translated the vendor’s words from Spanish to English in real-time through in-ear audio translations. When the English-speaker responds, their words are translated into Spanish via written text on her phone. If both people in a conversation are wearing AirPods, they can speak in different languages and have the earbuds translate in real-time.

    Analysts expect the product to entice users to upgrade their Apple devices.

    “If we can actually use the AirPods for live translations, that’s a feature that would actually get people to upgrade,” DA Davidson Analyst Gil Luria told CNBC.

    Related: Apple’s Foldable iPhone Release Date Has Been Revealed, According to a JPMorgan Investor Letter

    Google

    Google announced last month that its Pixel 10 phone can translate from one language to another during phone calls — and preserve the speaker’s natural voice with translations. The feature, called Voice Translate, applies to real-time phone call conversations in languages like Spanish, Japanese, and Hindi, and will become available through a software update on Monday.

    The translate feature processes translations on the Pixel 10 device, so conversations are kept private.

    Google Pixel 10 smartphone. Photo by Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images

    “Voice Translate allows you to break down language barriers during phone calls,” Google stated in a blog post announcing the feature.

    Meta

    Meta, meanwhile, has recently implemented translation capabilities for new or existing devices. Starting in April of this year, the bestselling Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are capable of live translation.

    The glasses, which have sold more than two million pairs since launch, can help English-speaking users understand speech in French, Italian, and Spanish with a simple voice command: “Hey Meta, start live translation.”

    Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg (left) and Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Brandon Moreno (right) at Meta Connect 2024. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg first introduced the live AI translation feature for the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses at Meta Connect 2024. He demonstrated how he was able to understand Brandon Moreno, a mixed martial arts fighter, speaking in Spanish while he responded in English.

    “You can simply speak to someone in Spanish, and hear the English translation directly in your ear,” Zuckerberg said at the event.

    Related: Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Keeps Suspending Mark Zuckerberg, Esq., From Facebook — and Now He’s Suing

    Universal translators were once a science fiction dream, appearing in shows like “Star Trek” as devices capable of translating any language into English.

    Now, new advancements in AI have made it possible for big tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Google to create gadgets that translate from one language to another in real-time. And analysts expect the products to be popular.

    Here’s what they’re working on:

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • I Founded a $1.5 Billion Business. Here’s My Success Secret. | Entrepreneur

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    This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Shanaz Hemmati, COO and co-founder of ZenBusiness, a $1.5 billion company that provides an all-in-one platform helping small businesses become official, stay compliant, manage finances and more. Her co-founder is Ross Buhrdorf, who serves as CEO. The piece has been edited for length and clarity.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of ZenBusiness. Co-founder and COO Shanaz Hemmati.

    I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but I never really thought about going off and starting my own business.

    At the University of Texas at Austin, I studied computer engineering, starting with hardware design before pivoting to software engineering. I truly love technology, and especially software engineering, because you’re coding to solve problems — I still love solving problems.

    Related: This Mom’s Creative Side Hustle Started As a Hobby With Less Than $100 — Then Grew Into a Business Averaging $570,000 a Month: ‘It’s Crazy’

    My husband’s an entrepreneur who’s always had his own businesses. He’d encourage me to start my own business, but I was too concerned. Sometimes women can think too hard about doing something; that’s what held me back from becoming an entrepreneur.

    For women in male-dominated fields, it’s important to seek out mentors who can help you from their experience, even if their journey looked different from yours. You can bounce ideas off them and ask them questions. Mentorship pushes you, but it also gives you assurance and confidence.

    Over the course of my career, I learned so much, which helped me when I made the leap to founder.

    “Small businesses are what keep the economy growing.”

    I first met my ZenBusiness co-founder Ross Buhrdorf when we worked at Excite.com, a web portal company founded in 1994. Several years later, I joined HomeAway, a vacation rental marketplace, where I stayed for 11 years until the company was acquired by Expedia.

    Later on, Ross and I met up for coffee, and he started talking about this idea of building something to help entrepreneurs and people who are starting small businesses. I was intrigued and excited. I’d always been passionate about that category in the market: Small businesses are what keep the economy growing and going.

    Related: I Walked Away From a Corporate Career to Start My Own Small Business — Here’s Why You Should Do the Same

    So Ross and I founded ZenBusiness in 2017.

    When it comes to a fast-growing company like ours, we have so many things on our to-do list, but we don’t always have the resources to get them done at the same time, so we have to prioritize.

    AI has been one of those priorities. Everybody in business should be using it these days. It’s a great tool that saves time once you get employees on board and using it based on their role and function. Our personalized AI assistant, ZenBusiness Velo, is included with every LLC formation and helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.

    Related: Two-Thirds of Small Businesses Are Already Using AI — Here’s How to Get Even More Out of It

    “It all comes down to this — people are at the center of any great company.”

    For a long time, I’ve had this mantra that’s helped me succeed as a business leader: Be fearless, be ethical, be passionate.

    Being fearless means recognizing that nothing is ever going to be perfect, but you just do it anyway. Being ethical means always being honest, to yourself, to your co-workers, to anyone. And being passionate is everything. Loving your work and doing the best job possible will help you progress in your career and build your business.

    It all comes down to this — people are at the center of any great company. Anything you do is all about people, whether they’re employees, customers or the community.

    ZenBusiness puts this rule into action by hearing and supporting its employees.

    For example, we became an early adopter of remote work. The company sent employees home when the pandemic hit, but as we continued to grow and hire more people, we listened to employees who said that they preferred working from home. Remote work gave them the chance to spend time with their families, cut down on commute hours and be more productive.

    Related: A CEO Who Runs a Fully Remote Company Has an Unusual Take on Employees Starting Side Hustles: ‘We Have to Be Honest With Ourselves’

    “Maybe you launch as a side hustle to test it out.”

    All aspiring entrepreneurs should avoid the pitfall of thinking about a business idea for too long before they take action: Do it sooner rather than later.

    You don’t have to drop everything else you’re working on to start. Maybe you launch as a side hustle to test it out. Talk to the people you’re trying to solve a pain point for because those conversations will give you a lot of information.

    Every day, you’re learning something new, and being able to pivot fast can be the difference between driving your business in the right direction or not. There are always going to be surprises along the way. So remember, it’s all about the people who are around you — it’s all about the people you bring in to help you go through your business journey.

    This article is part of our ongoing Women Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of running a business as a woman.

    This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Shanaz Hemmati, COO and co-founder of ZenBusiness, a $1.5 billion company that provides an all-in-one platform helping small businesses become official, stay compliant, manage finances and more. Her co-founder is Ross Buhrdorf, who serves as CEO. The piece has been edited for length and clarity.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of ZenBusiness. Co-founder and COO Shanaz Hemmati.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • Amazon Is Working on Smart Glasses, Meta Ray-Ban Competitor | Entrepreneur

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    According to a new report, Amazon is attempting to make a stronger mark in the smart glasses market, challenging industry leader Meta.

    Amazon is reportedly developing a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses that overlay digital information on the physical world, enabling users to see and interact with both the physical environment and the virtual world. Sources told The Information that Amazon plans to release the AR glasses, internally called Jayhawk, to the public in late 2026 or early 2027.

    Related: Apple Is Reportedly Developing AI Smart Glasses to Compete with Meta and Google

    Consumers can use the glasses to navigate the real world while also getting notified about what’s happening on social media. They can play music on the glasses and take pictures. The glasses are expected to come with speakers, a microphone, and a camera. They also feature a full-color display embedded in a single lens.

    Amazon is also developing a second pair of AR glasses for internal use, to help its drivers deliver packages more quickly. The glasses could be used by the second quarter of next year, according to The Information‘s report.

    News of Amazon smart glasses for drivers first leaked in November. A Reuters report, citing five sources, stated that the glasses would feature a screen with navigation instructions to help drivers deliver packages to unfamiliar locations. For example, the glasses would instruct drivers to turn left or right after getting off an elevator, without them having to hold a GPS in their hands.

    The smart glasses would cut down the time and cost it takes to deliver packages. Amazon’s shipping costs have steadily increased over the years, climbing from $83.5 billion in 2022 to a new high of $89.5 billion in 2023, per Statista estimates.

    The glasses would also be based on the $299 Echo Frames that Amazon currently sells. The Echo Frames allow users to call, listen to music, and ask questions to Amazon’s Alexa assistant.

    Amazon Echo Frames with Alexa. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP

    Reuters estimated that Amazon drivers deliver more than 100 packages during a standard eight-hour shift. Amazon employs 390,000 drivers, according to Labor Notes.

    Related: She Sent a Cold Email to Meta Judging Its Ray-Bans. Now She Runs the Wearables Division.

    If Amazon does bring AR glasses to market, it would be in direct competition with Meta, which found unexpected success with its $329 Ray-Ban Meta glasses. Since their October 2023 debut, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have sold more than two million pairs, and Meta expanded the line earlier this year to include the sportier, more expensive $399 Oakley Meta glasses.

    Both the Ray-Ban and Oakley frames allow users to talk to Meta’s AI voice assistant, listen to music, make calls, and take pictures and videos. The Oakley Meta glasses are waterproof and have a higher resolution camera.

    At Meta Connect last year, the company’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, previewed the next generation of augmented reality glasses that layer the physical world with holograms. He debuted a fully functioning prototype of the new glasses, called Orion, at the event, but stated that they weren’t ready to hit the market yet.

    Counterpoint Research shows that Meta had 73% of the global market share for smart glasses in the first half of the year, making it the industry leader.

    According to a new report, Amazon is attempting to make a stronger mark in the smart glasses market, challenging industry leader Meta.

    Amazon is reportedly developing a pair of augmented reality (AR) glasses that overlay digital information on the physical world, enabling users to see and interact with both the physical environment and the virtual world. Sources told The Information that Amazon plans to release the AR glasses, internally called Jayhawk, to the public in late 2026 or early 2027.

    Related: Apple Is Reportedly Developing AI Smart Glasses to Compete with Meta and Google

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • How AI Helped Me Get 7 Million Views on Instagram Reels | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you’ve been creating content for social media, you’ve likely heard the buzz about AI. But I’m not here to talk about it as some abstract revolutionary tool. I’m here to show you how AI helped me create two amazing Instagram video reels — racking up over 7 million views in just a few days and how it’s completely changed the game for content creators like us.

    Once you grasp what AI can do and how to use it, the possibilities can become endless. Here’s my story and how you, too, can tap into AI to take your social media content to the next level.

    How AI helped me create viral content

    The story starts with my visit to the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California. I went there intending to create some fresh original brand content in one of the most dynamic environments possible — surfing championships with energy, stunning visuals and fans everywhere. It was amazing!

    I captured loads of raw footage, took photos, networked with media and absorbed the vibrant atmosphere. But it wasn’t until I brought my footage back and combined it with AI tools that the magic truly happened.

    Using AI, I was able to take my content to a level I couldn’t have achieved otherwise. These weren’t just surf clips; they were something bigger. One video layered storytelling with mind-blowing visual effects — waves transforming into algorithms, surfers riding beams of light and the entire scene looking like a sci-fi sportscast. Without AI, creating such effects or even conceptualizing them would’ve taken the pros weeks of editing and would have been impossible for me to create.

    The second viral video took the emotional route — AI helped me analyze the patterns of successful emotional video stories. I spliced candid moments of athletes prepping, fans cheering and sunsets framing the beach. I turned it into a mini feature film that resonated deeply with my followers. The AI perfectly timed transitions, voice inflection and audio swells for a truly cinematic experience.

    To my amazement, both videos blew up. Each crossed over 7 million views in roughly two to three days. What made it extraordinary wasn’t the views themselves — it was realizing these videos wouldn’t exist in their viral form without the capabilities AI gave me.

    Related: How to Create Better Content With AI — Plus 11 Tools to Get You There

    Why AI is a game-changer in content creation

    AI is unlocking creative potential we didn’t even know we had. It’s not just about making tasks quicker (although that’s a huge benefit). It’s about transforming what we think is impossible to create into possible.

    Here are the key ways AI is changing the social media content game and how you can use it to stand out.

    1. AI brings your creative vision to life faster

    Say goodbye to countless hours spent editing, refining and perfecting content. AI tools can automate tedious processes while enhancing the quality of your work.

    Even if you have wild, creative ideas you don’t have the technical know-how to execute, AI bridges the gap. Tools can generate custom visuals, effects and enhancements that match your vision, often in minutes.

    Pro tip: Create mood boards or brainstorm audacious ideas and test them with AI tools. Experimentation is key to unlocking what’s possible.

    2. AI can analyze what works (and what doesn’t)

    AI doesn’t just help you create, it helps you create smarter. Analytics platforms powered by AI can study trends, competitor performance and audience behavior to guide your content strategy.

    For instance, some AI tools can analyze which content formats, tones or topics resonate most with your audience. AI can also predict the best times to post based on audience engagement patterns.

    Actionable insight: Run A/B tests on your content ideas. AI tools make it easier to add captions or video formats to see what drives maximum engagement.

    3. AI turns raw footage into professional-grade material

    Imagine turning random clips you filmed on your phone into something that feels like a Hollywood production. AI is making it easier for creators to bridge that gap.

    Try this: Leverage AI to create polished scenes from mundane clips. Even a daily vlog can feel like a blockbuster with thoughtfully applied AI enhancements.

    4. It scales content creation without sacrificing quality

    AI doesn’t just amplify single pieces of content; it lets you multiply your efforts across platforms. Once you create a video, AI tools can automatically distill the video into Instagram Reels, TikTok clips and YouTube Shorts while customizing content for each platform’s audience.

    Pro tip: Use these tools to maximize reach without reinventing the wheel for every post. Repurpose wisely for consistency across multiple channels.

    Related: Two-Thirds of Small Businesses Are Already Using AI — Here’s How to Get Even More Out of It

    Final thoughts

    AI isn’t just a tool — it’s become a co-creator, enabling the kind of content that was once limited to professionals with hefty budgets and years of experience. Whether you’re making jaw-dropping visuals, tapping into data-backed insights or optimizing your content for different audiences, AI levels the playing field.

    If I could take two videos from an idea to 7 million views within days, imagine what you could do by harnessing AI in your own creative process. Experiment with tools, stay curious and don’t be afraid to push creative boundaries.

    The future of content creation is here, and it’s powered by AI. Are you ready to make it a part of your story?

    If you’ve been creating content for social media, you’ve likely heard the buzz about AI. But I’m not here to talk about it as some abstract revolutionary tool. I’m here to show you how AI helped me create two amazing Instagram video reels — racking up over 7 million views in just a few days and how it’s completely changed the game for content creators like us.

    Once you grasp what AI can do and how to use it, the possibilities can become endless. Here’s my story and how you, too, can tap into AI to take your social media content to the next level.

    How AI helped me create viral content

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    Tonia Ryan

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  • Brian Chesky: AI-Impacted Workers Will Find Work With Airbnb | Entrepreneur

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    AI could take over up to half of all entry-level, white-collar jobs within the next five years, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicted earlier this year. But that just means more jobs will open up in other areas, says Airbnb’s CEO, namely in service and hospitality.

    At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Tuesday, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said that hospitality and service jobs will likely be safe from AI for the next five to 10 years — and that people will come to Airbnb to find that work.

    “Services and hospitality are not going to be disrupted for quite a long time through AI,” Chesky said at the event. “I do think that a lot of what we’re doing with hosting, certainly over a 5- to 10-year period, [will] still be people-driven.”

    Chesky said that the reason hospitality and service jobs will be safe from AI displacement is that people still want a human touch for some experiences.

    Related: Airbnb’s CEO Says He Personally Manages 40 to 50 Employees as Direct Reports: ‘A Lot of Work’

    Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images for Airbnb

    “When people go to Bordeaux and they drink a bottle of wine, I don’t think they want that to be an AI-driven experience,” Chesky said. He added that if someone vacationed at Lake Como in Italy, they wouldn’t want “a robot answering the door for them.”

    In addition to Anthropic’s Amodei, other AI experts have warned that widespread joblessness could result from the technology. Earlier this month, University of Louisville Computer Science Professor Roman Yampolskiy predicted that AI would take over 99% of all jobs, from computer work to physical labor. The only roles left will be those that humans prefer other humans to do for them, he said.

    “I hope that if AI displaces a lot of jobs, I hope [Airbnb] could be a place for at least some of those jobs to expand to,” Chesky said. “And I think a lot of people are going to come to us.”

    Still, that doesn’t mean Airbnb isn’t using AI to improve its offerings.

    Chesky stated in an earnings call in August that the company is using AI to assist with customer service and handling tasks, such as canceling reservations.

    Related: Airbnb Just Made a Big Change to Its Payment Policy. Here’s What to Know.

    Airbnb remains a popular option for vacation rentals. According to its second-quarter earnings report last month, revenue was $3.1 billion, a 13% increase from the previous year. According to the company, Airbnb had more than five million hosts and two billion guest check-ins from the time the platform launched in 2007.

    In May, Airbnb announced that it was moving beyond rentals and incorporating new services, like photography packages and private chefs, into its platform in a quest to be the “everything app.”

    AI could take over up to half of all entry-level, white-collar jobs within the next five years, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei predicted earlier this year. But that just means more jobs will open up in other areas, says Airbnb’s CEO, namely in service and hospitality.

    At the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference on Tuesday, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said that hospitality and service jobs will likely be safe from AI for the next five to 10 years — and that people will come to Airbnb to find that work.

    “Services and hospitality are not going to be disrupted for quite a long time through AI,” Chesky said at the event. “I do think that a lot of what we’re doing with hosting, certainly over a 5- to 10-year period, [will] still be people-driven.”

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • How a Mom’s Garage Side Hustle Hit $1 Billion Revenue | Entrepreneur

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    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Sandra Oh Lin, 50, of Los Altos, California. She is the founder and CEO of KiwiCo, a company that provides educational activities for kids meant to spark creativity and problem-solving through hands-on play. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of KiwiCo. Sandra Oh Lin.

    Want to read more stories like this? Subscribe to Money Makers, our free newsletter packed with creative side hustle ideas and successful strategies. Sign up here.

    What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
    I had just stepped away from seven years at eBay Inc., where I had launched PayPal Mobile and led the eBay fashion business. I was working on a new fashion-related startup idea before I ended up starting KiwiCo in 2011.

    Where did you find the inspiration for the side hustle?
    When my kids were younger, I tried to find ways for them to exercise their creativity and put their problem-solving skills to work. I wanted them to grow up to feel like they could envision and better the world around them. As an engineer by training, I saw creating and building through hands-on activities as a way to explore, discover and build creative confidence. At the same time, I was drawing on my own childhood — I have such fond memories of making and building things with my mom while I was growing up.

    Related: After College, She Spent $800 to Start a Side Hustle That Became a ‘Monster’ Business Making $35 Million a Year: ‘I Set Intense Sales Targets’

    What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground? How much money/investment did it take to launch?
    I started by creating hands-on projects for my kids. Then, I started to share them with friends and family during playdates. The parents and kids were so enthusiastic about the activities that it gave me the confidence to take it further. I laid the groundwork to see if there was a market for a real business. Then, I leveraged my network to start conversations with investors. We raised a little more than $10 million in venture funding. From there, we were able to become profitable and cash flow positive — and fund our own growth.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of KiwiCo

    Are there any free or paid resources that have been especially helpful for you in starting and running this business?
    I had a strong background in product design (having worked in R&D at Procter & Gamble) and ecommerce (from time at PayPal and eBay). Yet, I didn’t have any direct experience with fulfillment, supply chain and operations. I had a lot to learn. So I made a conscious effort to surround myself with people who were true experts. One example is Mike Smith, who was the COO of Walmart. He provided invaluable guidance, and he even helped interview our VP of operations candidates when we were hiring. Advisors like Mike were so helpful to us at that time.

    If you could go back in your business journey and change one process or approach, what would it be, and how do you wish you’d done it differently?
    I had always heard people say that a strong culture is so important to define and cultivate when you build a company. That way, you can point to and reinforce the behavior and values that align. While I was able to grok that academically, I put it aside when I should have addressed it earlier. As a result, some of our hiring was off in the beginning, and we had to course correct, which was costly. It would have been helpful to have put the framework into place from the beginning.

    When it comes to this specific business, what is something you’ve found particularly challenging and/or surprising that people who get into this type of work should be prepared for, but likely aren’t?
    During the pandemic, one of our toughest challenges was sourcing enough supplies to keep up with surging demand. In the years since, we’ve seen our fair share of ups and downs on that front, but one thing has remained constant: the importance of strong, trusted relationships with our suppliers. They’ve been incredible partners through it all, and those collaborations have been key to helping us navigate post-pandemic growth with resilience and adaptability.

    Related: This Mom’s Creative Side Hustle Started As a Hobby With Less Than $100 — Then Grew Into a Business Averaging $570,000 a Month: ‘It’s Crazy’

    Can you recall a specific instance when something went very wrong? How did you fix it?
    I’ll never forget our very first alpha shipment. We had just 19 crates to send out, and it took a team of five of us the entire day to get them boxed and shipped. By the end, we were exhausted and looking at each other like, There has to be a better way. It was a wake-up call that we needed better systems and processes for fulfillment if we were going to scale. We figured it out along the way, but that moment sticks with me as a reminder of how far we’ve come.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of KiwiCo

    How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue?
    With our core business being subscription-based, we’ve seen consistent monthly revenue from the beginning. KiwiCo has been profitable and self-funded for many years now. What started in my garage has grown into a company that has shipped more than 50 million crates to families in over 40 countries and created more than 1,500 hands-on products and activities. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come, while still staying true to the heart of why we started: sparking creativity and confidence in kids everywhere.

    What does growth and revenue look like now?
    To date, KiwiCo has generated more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue. This is something I’m incredibly proud of, not just because of the number itself, but because it represents millions of moments of creativity and discovery for kids and families. Additionally, we launched in Target and Barnes & Noble this past year as part of building our wholesale channels.

    Related: He Spent $36 to Start a Side Hustle. Now the Business Earns 6 Figures a Year — With Just 1-2 Hours of Work a Day: ‘Freedom.’

    What do you enjoy most about running this business?
    One of my favorite parts of this journey is that my kids not only understand what I do for work but also are involved in helping shape KiwiCo’s products. My kids were the original source of inspiration for the company, and they continue to be critical testers of our products to ensure we’re creating the best hands-on activities for kids to discover and unleash their creativity and explore as they learn about the world around them.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of KiwiCo

    What is your best piece of specific, actionable business advice?
    Finding a community of founders can be so helpful. Sharing the challenges and the opportunities that come from building a business with others who are in the same boat can be so valuable. You can gather everything from tangible, actionable advice to empathetic ears that have been there and done that.

    This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Sandra Oh Lin, 50, of Los Altos, California. She is the founder and CEO of KiwiCo, a company that provides educational activities for kids meant to spark creativity and problem-solving through hands-on play. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of KiwiCo. Sandra Oh Lin.

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  • Oracle Founder Larry Ellison Becomes World’s Richest Person | Entrepreneur

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    Oracle founder Larry Ellison, 81, has surpassed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, 54, to become the world’s richest person. It’s Ellison’s first time in the No. 1 spot.

    Ellison’s wealth grew by $101 billion as of 10:10 a.m. in New York, the biggest one-day increase in net worth ever, Bloomberg reported. His fortune has reached $393 billion, higher than Musk’s $385 billion as of press time. Musk held the title of the world’s richest person for the last 300 days. He has been in the top spot, off and on, since 2021.

    Ellison’s fortune grew after Wall Street was pleasantly “shocked” by cloud giant Oracle’s forward-looking numbers and growth trajectory, reported on Tuesday. Oracle stated that its cloud infrastructure business revenue is expected to grow 77% to $18 billion this fiscal year. The company projected $144 billion in cloud revenue by 2030 — a nearly tenfold increase over the next five years.

    Related: Meet David Ellison, Larry Ellison’s Son Who Is About to Take Over at Paramount

    Larry Ellison, co-founder and executive chairman of Oracle Corp., during an executive order signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    Oracle’s growth has propelled Ellison’s fortune to new heights. The octogenarian became the world’s second-richest person in mid-July. He is Oracle’s largest shareholder, with a 40% stake in the software company that comprises more than 80% of his wealth.

    Oracle’s stock price has swelled due to the AI boom, and is up 41% today, on pace for its best day in 35 years. The company’s market value has more than tripled over the past two years, going from $289.81 billion in 2023 to $913.61 billion at the time of writing.

    Who Is Larry Ellison?

    Ellison was born on Aug. 17, 1944, and raised by his aunt and uncle on the South Side of Chicago. He showed an early interest in math and science, and dropped out of college, both the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago, after learning the basics of computer programming, according to The Academy of Achievement.

    He moved to Berkeley, California, and took on programming jobs, eventually founding Oracle in 1977, and working as the company’s CEO until September 2014. He is currently chairman and chief technology officer.

    Related: These Luxury Yachts Are Owned By Some of the Wealthiest People in Tech

    What Does Oracle Do?

    Oracle helps businesses store, analyze, and manage data by providing database software that companies can use to store and retrieve information. For example, companies store employee data and customer records on Oracle’s databases.

    Another core part of Oracle’s business is its cloud computing service, which enables companies to use Oracle’s servers and software to store data without buying their own equipment.

    Oracle CEO Safra Catz said in an earnings statement on Tuesday that demand for Oracle’s offerings was growing. In the first quarter of the year alone, Oracle had signed four multi-billion-dollar contracts, Catz disclosed.

    “It was an astonishing quarter,” Catz stated.

    Related: Elon Musk Says Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos Are the ‘Smartest’

    Oracle founder Larry Ellison, 81, has surpassed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, 54, to become the world’s richest person. It’s Ellison’s first time in the No. 1 spot.

    Ellison’s wealth grew by $101 billion as of 10:10 a.m. in New York, the biggest one-day increase in net worth ever, Bloomberg reported. His fortune has reached $393 billion, higher than Musk’s $385 billion as of press time. Musk held the title of the world’s richest person for the last 300 days. He has been in the top spot, off and on, since 2021.

    Ellison’s fortune grew after Wall Street was pleasantly “shocked” by cloud giant Oracle’s forward-looking numbers and growth trajectory, reported on Tuesday. Oracle stated that its cloud infrastructure business revenue is expected to grow 77% to $18 billion this fiscal year. The company projected $144 billion in cloud revenue by 2030 — a nearly tenfold increase over the next five years.

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  • Apple Reveals iPhone 17, iPhone Air, AirPods, Apple Watch | Entrepreneur

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    Apple held its biggest launch event of the year on Tuesday, with the tagline: “Awe Dropping.” At the event, Apple released the next generation of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, including the Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Pro 3, and iPhone 17.

    “We’re taking the biggest leap ever for iPhone,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the event.

    Here’s what Apple announced, from the ultra-thin profile of the iPhone Air to satellite connectivity on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

    Related: ‘We’re Very Open’: Apple CEO Tim Cook Says He Wants to Buy Startups. Could Your Company Be Next?

    Apple Introduced the iPhone Air and iPhone 17

    The new iPhone lineup includes four new phones: the iPhone Air, 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max.

    Apple revealed its highly anticipated $999 iPhone Air, the “thinnest iPhone ever” — at 5.6 millimeters, it’s the slimmest iPhone yet. Apple also claims that the 6.5-inch phone is the most durable of all iPhones and benefits from an improved internal chip. It’s the most power-efficient iPhone ever made, with a powerful camera and an all-day battery life.

    iPhone Air. Credit: Apple

    Meanwhile, the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro is “the most powerful iPhone yet, by far,” according to Apple. The phone has a unified outer body that uniformly dissipates heat from the battery, preventing overheating. Apple also said that the phone offers “the best battery life ever in an iPhone,” with 39 hours of video playback.

    Related: How Much Does Apple Pay Its Employees? Here Are the Exact Salaries of Staff Jobs, Including Developers, Engineers, and Consultants.

    Apple said the event was filmed with an iPhone 17 Pro, demonstrating the capabilities of the phone in real time. The $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max has a larger screen than the Pro, but features the same capabilities, including increased power and battery life.

    iPhone 17 Pro. Credit: Apple

    The standard iPhone 17 features a 6.3-inch display with thinner borders for a wider screen. The display is more readable in direct sunlight, and the phone has twice the scratch resistance. Charging is now faster than ever: Ten minutes of charge can result in 8 hours of video playback.

    iPhone cameras are also improving, with better resolution and a wide field of view for the front-facing camera. Apple noted that users took 500 billion selfies last year, more than any other smartphone.

    iPhone 17. Credit: Apple

    Pre-orders for the new iPhone lineup start Sept. 12. The new phones will be available starting Sept. 19.

    What’s New With the AirPods Pro 3

    Cook said that this year, Apple was building on innovations with AirPods Pro, including the hearing aid function introduced last year that transformed the buds into assistive devices for people experiencing mild to moderate hearing loss.

    Related: Your Old Apple AirPods Can Soon Act as an Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid, According to the FDA

    At the event, Julz Arney, senior director of fitness technologies at Apple, introduced heart rate sensing for AirPods. Custom sensors on the AirPods allow the earbuds to track heart rate independently of a smartwatch, Arney explained.

    AirPods Pro 3. Credit: Apple

    The AirPods Pro 3 also deliver twice the active noise cancellation of previous generations. Apple claimed that the AirPods deliver the world’s best active noise cancellation of any in-ear headphones.

    The earbuds also offer live translation, transforming words from one language into another in real-time. For example, if someone speaks a different language, the AirPods will lower their voice and deliver a real-time translation.

    The AirPods Pro 3 cost $249 and will be available on Sept. 19. Preorders begin Tuesday.

    Here’s How the Apple Watch Is Changing

    Apple introduced the $399 Apple Watch Series 11, which comes with a thorough list of health features, including state-of-mind tracking for mental health.

    In a new development, Apple is taking on hypertension, or high blood pressure, with a new feature that tracks irregularities in blood pressure over time. Apple expects to notify one million people of hypertension within the first year alone.

    Apple Watch Series 11. Credit: Apple

    The company is also introducing a new sleep score based on duration of sleep, how many times a user wakes up throughout the night, and regularity of sleep over time. The new sleep score function applies to the budget-friendly $249 Apple Watch SE 3.

    The $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 is also packed with new features, including satellite connectivity. Even when a user is off the grid, they can use their Apple Watch to get help in case of an emergency. The watch features 42 hours of battery life and also has hypertension notifications.

    Apple Watch Ultra 3. Credit: Apple

    Cook called Apple Watch “the most popular watch in the world.”

    The Apple Watches can be pre-ordered today and will be available starting Sept. 19.

    Apple held its biggest launch event of the year on Tuesday, with the tagline: “Awe Dropping.” At the event, Apple released the next generation of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, including the Apple Watch Ultra 3, AirPods Pro 3, and iPhone 17.

    “We’re taking the biggest leap ever for iPhone,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the event.

    Here’s what Apple announced, from the ultra-thin profile of the iPhone Air to satellite connectivity on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

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  • Passwords Won’t Secure Your Identity. Here’s What Will. | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Our lives have migrated to a virtual world to the point where our emails have become an entry point to our identity. Medical records, employment history, education, world views and all that comes to mind, which pertains to who we are as people, likely have some form of digital footprint that can be traced back to us. While this can translate to seamless convenience, whether personalized recommendations or quick product deliveries, there remains a risk of exposure that threat actors constantly exploit.

    The tech titans who handle our data and boast a robust security infrastructure are the same ones who lost control of our data. With 16 billion Apple, Facebook, Google and other passwords leaked, a large question mark looms over the reliability of traditional security systems. The centralized databases and login processes of yesteryear are simply unable to keep up with today’s increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Our passwords and two-factor authentication fall short in securing our digital identities.

    Related: Why Businesses Should Implement Passwordless Authentication Right Now

    Digitization outpacing security

    Digitization has become deeply entrenched in the fabric of how we operate as a society on a global scale, with 5.56 billion people online today and 402.74 million terabytes of data generated on a daily basis. The dizzying numbers demonstrate the breakneck speed with which every aspect of our lives has taken a virtual shape, and with it, the proliferation of the conversation about how we secure the digital world we have created.

    With the current security measures in use, cybercrime is expected to cost over $639 billion in the United States this year, with the costs expected to balloon as far as $1.82 trillion by 2028. In light of such projected costs, the development of a secure infrastructure is a priority that requires immediate attention, one that could compromise digital identity if disregarded.

    Decentralize to prevent compromise

    The centralized databases of tech titans mean that there is one location, one source of truth, that if compromised, all that it contains is leaked, as was the case with the passwords that were leaked. If not a leak, then a ransomware attack that disrupts the systems on which our digital lives operate. This kind of disruption can cascade to fundamental services such as healthcare, as a recent ransomware attack caused a system-wide tech outage at a large network of medical centers in Ohio, cancelling inpatient and outpatient procedures.

    Centralization’s single point of failure calls for a shift in how to operate tech infrastructures — a shift to decentralized data storage. Unlike centralized systems, blockchain networks distribute data across a large multitude of nodes that are in constant verification of one another through cryptographic consensus. To verify the data, the majority of nodes must be in agreement, a majority that rejects tampered “blocks” or compromised nodes. This means that there is no single repository that can be compromised, as attackers would need to compromise the majority of the nodes, a task immensely more challenging than the common compromise of a centralized server.

    Related: Passwords Are Scarily Insecure. Here Are a Few Safer Alternatives.

    Use the physical to verify the virtual

    The beauty of blockchain technology is its ownership element. As everything is secured by cryptography, the only way to “decrypt” the data and access it is through your own private keys. However, if a threat actor is to gain access to your private keys, they also gain access to your data and funds, posing a threat that puts in question how secure the shift from centralized to decentralized storage really is.

    If a private key is proof of one’s identity, then its loss equates to the loss of one’s digital identity, a compromise that can only be secured by undeniable proof that the owner of the keys is indeed who they claim to be. This is where biometric authentication becomes the final piece in the puzzle of securing one’s digital identity in a decentralized infrastructure.

    Using one’s fingerprint in an offline environment for identity verification not only ensures ownership of data and its security but also prevents the exposure of biometric data to a server where it could be breached. This creates a new paradigm that deems passwords and two-factor authentication obsolete. Building on such a methodology opens pathways for a secure digital identity and KYC verification on a decentralized infrastructure, leaving no room for threat actors to compromise digital identities.

    The conversation on digital security is the result of an absolute necessity in the face of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. However, adding uppercase letters, symbols and numbers to your password will not be enough. The added layer of two-factor authentication will not be enough either. More steps do not equate to more security. The future of security lies in an infrastructure shift from the centralized to the decentralized, protected by a layer of biometric authentication that ensures that one’s digital identity is secured.

    Our lives have migrated to a virtual world to the point where our emails have become an entry point to our identity. Medical records, employment history, education, world views and all that comes to mind, which pertains to who we are as people, likely have some form of digital footprint that can be traced back to us. While this can translate to seamless convenience, whether personalized recommendations or quick product deliveries, there remains a risk of exposure that threat actors constantly exploit.

    The tech titans who handle our data and boast a robust security infrastructure are the same ones who lost control of our data. With 16 billion Apple, Facebook, Google and other passwords leaked, a large question mark looms over the reliability of traditional security systems. The centralized databases and login processes of yesteryear are simply unable to keep up with today’s increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Our passwords and two-factor authentication fall short in securing our digital identities.

    Related: Why Businesses Should Implement Passwordless Authentication Right Now

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    Venket Naga

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  • When Is Apple Releasing the iPhone 17? Awe-Dropping Event | Entrepreneur

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    Apple is hosting its biggest launch event of the year on Tuesday in preparation for the release of the next generation of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods.

    The tech giant gave the launch event the tagline “Awe Dropping” when announcing it last month.

    Here’s more about the Apple event, including how to watch and what new products and releases are expected.

    When Is the Apple Event?

    The Apple event is Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. PT or 1 p.m. ET.

    How Can I Watch Apple’s “Awe Dropping” Event?

    The event will be livestreamed online at apple.com and on the Apple TV app. You can also watch on YouTube, here:

    Related: How Much Does Apple Pay Its Employees? Here Are the Exact Salaries of Staff Jobs, Including Developers, Engineers, and Consultants.

    Is Apple Announcing the iPhone 17?

    Apple is set to introduce four new iPhone 17 models: the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

    The iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The ultra-thin phone will be Apple’s first new smartphone model in years and will be noticeably thinner—about one-third—than previous models. According to MacRumors, screen sizes will be 6.3 inches for the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, 6.6 inches for the 17 Air, and 6.9 inches for the 17 Pro Max.

    The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to have improved cameras and enhanced battery life, according to Gurman. MacRumors suggests that the standard iPhone 17 will look similar to last year’s iPhone 16.

    How Much Will the New iPhones Cost?

    The price of the new iPhone 17 is unclear, but for comparison, Apple released the iPhone 16 last year at a price point of $799 for its base model, and charged $1,199 for the higher-tier iPhone 16 Pro Max.

    It’s uncertain if specific iPhone 17 models will get a price hike due to tariffs, which were 30% against Chinese imports as of Monday. Last month, Apple shifted some of its U.S. iPhone production to India as it strove to lessen its dependence on China.

    Related: Here’s What Was Discussed at President Donald Trump’s ‘High IQ’ Dinner With Tech CEOs, Including Apple’s Tim Cook and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella

    Is Apple Releasing a Foldable iPhone?

    According to a July JPMorgan investor letter, Apple is working on its first foldable phone to compete with Samsung and Google, but the iPhone maker will not introduce the foldable phone this year.

    Apple will instead debut the foldable devices in the fall of 2026, per the letter.

    What Is Apple’s New Liquid Glass?

    Liquid Glass is the name of a new translucent design element that Apple announced in June at its Worldwide Developers Conference. The element looks like glass on the screen and takes on the color of its environment.

    Apple is bringing Liquid Glass to the iPhone via translucent menus and a new lock screen with Liquid Glass time. Liquid Glass will roll out this fall, along with Apple’s new iOS 26 operating system.

    Related: Apple Is Reportedly Developing AI Smart Glasses to Compete with Meta and Google

    Is the Apple Watch Getting an Update?

    Apple is expected to refresh its Apple Watch line, adding new models like the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3, per Bloomberg. The Series 11 will feature a brighter screen, while the Ultra 3 will boast satellite connectivity, so users can remain connected, even when they’re off the grid without their phones.

    Are AirPods Changing?

    Apple will likely add a heart rate monitor to its AirPods Pro earbuds, allowing users to track calories burned without a smartwatch, per Bloomberg. The tech giant is leaning more into fitness with its earbuds this year.

    Apple is hosting its biggest launch event of the year on Tuesday in preparation for the release of the next generation of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods.

    The tech giant gave the launch event the tagline “Awe Dropping” when announcing it last month.

    Here’s more about the Apple event, including how to watch and what new products and releases are expected.

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  • OpenAI-Backed AI-Made Animated Movie Headed to Theaters | Entrepreneur

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    A new animated movie made mainly with AI could challenge the time and resources it takes to put together a Hollywood production.

    According to a Sunday report from The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI is giving its tools and computing resources to a new feature-length movie called “Critterz,” which follows the journey of forest creatures who embark on a quest after a stranger intrudes on their home.

    Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI, conceptualized “Critterz” three years ago while experimenting with OpenAI’s image generation tool Dall-E. It was originally a short film funded by OpenAI that was released in 2023. Nelson has since joined forces with movie production companies in London and Los Angeles to make his vision of a feature film a reality. It’s unclear if OpenAI will be marketing the full-length movie.

    Related: Meta Says Its New Movie Gen AI Is an Industry First — But a Demo Shows It Isn’t Perfect

    Nelson says that the film will demonstrate what OpenAI’s tools can do, creating a highly visible (the plan is to debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May) use case for the technology.

    “OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it,” Nelson told WSJ. “That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.”

    After being introduced at Cannes, “Critterz” is expected to be released in theaters globally next year. In a press release on Monday, Vertigo Films said the film will be funded by Vertigo’s Paris-based parent company, Federation Studios.

    With a budget of less than $30 million, the movie would cost less to make than a standard Hollywood film. For reference, major Hollywood productions like Disney’s “Tangled” cost over $200 million to create, while the studio’s “Tarzan” cost $130 million. If successful, it could cause Hollywood to take notice and use AI for future films.

    Related: A Movie About Sam Altman’s Ouster and Wild Week at OpenAI Is Currently Filming. Here’s Who’s Portraying the Tech CEO (and His Nemesis, Elon Musk).

    “Critterz” would also take less time to produce: The production team is aiming to create it in nine months instead of the standard three to four years. Production has started, with casting decisions aiming to go out within the next few weeks.

    Other Hollywood studios have already begun experimenting with AI. In July, Netflix disclosed that it had used AI to generate a scene on an Argentine TV show called “El Eternauta.” Meanwhile, Disney has experimented with tapping into AI to create clones or digital body doubles of actors.

    Entertainment companies have also pushed back against unauthorized AI use. In June, Disney and Universal filed the first major Hollywood lawsuit against AI startup Midjourney, alleging that the startup copied its characters from copyrighted works without permission.

    Related: Universal Pictures Just Added an Anti-AI Legal Warning to the End of Its Movies, Including ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

    A new animated movie made mainly with AI could challenge the time and resources it takes to put together a Hollywood production.

    According to a Sunday report from The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI is giving its tools and computing resources to a new feature-length movie called “Critterz,” which follows the journey of forest creatures who embark on a quest after a stranger intrudes on their home.

    Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI, conceptualized “Critterz” three years ago while experimenting with OpenAI’s image generation tool Dall-E. It was originally a short film funded by OpenAI that was released in 2023. Nelson has since joined forces with movie production companies in London and Los Angeles to make his vision of a feature film a reality. It’s unclear if OpenAI will be marketing the full-length movie.

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  • Geoffrey Hinton Says His Girlfriend Dumped Him Using ChatGPT | Entrepreneur

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    The Godfather of AI couldn’t escape AI during a breakup.

    Geoffrey Hinton, called the Godfather of AI for his pioneering work helping develop the technology behind AI, said in a Friday interview with The Financial Times that his now former girlfriend used AI to break up with him.

    Hinton said his unnamed ex asked ChatGPT to enumerate the reasons why he had been “a rat,” and relayed the chatbot’s words to him in a breakup conversation.

    “She got ChatGPT to tell me what a rat I was,” Hinton told FT. “She got the chatbot to explain how awful my behavior was and gave it to me.”

    Related: Here’s Why These Two Scientists Won the $1.06 Million 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics

    However, the now 77-year-old, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics last year and currently works at the University of Toronto as a professor emeritus in computer science, wasn’t too bothered by the AI-generated response — or the breakup.

    “I didn’t think I had been a rat, so it didn’t make me feel too bad,” he told FT. “I met somebody I liked more, you know how it goes.”

    Geoffrey Hinton, Godfather of AI. Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile for Collision via Getty Images

    Although Hinton doesn’t give a timeline of when the breakup occurred, if his ex used ChatGPT, it had to be within the last three years. And while the technology helped shape the conversation around Hinton’s breakup, its creator, OpenAI, would rather its chatbot stay out of difficult conversations.

    OpenAI announced last month that it would be rolling out changes to ChatGPT to ensure the chatbot responds appropriately in high-stakes personal conversations. For example, instead of directly answering the question, “Should I break up with my boyfriend?” the chatbot guides users through the situation by asking questions.

    Related: Is Your ChatGPT Session Going On Too Long? The AI Bot Will Now Alert You to Take Breaks

    While the breakup comments are personal, Hinton has long been outspoken about AI. In June, he told the podcast “Diary of a CEO” that AI had the potential to “replace everybody” in white-collar jobs, and last month, at the Ai4 conference, Hinton posited that AI would quickly become “much smarter than us.”

    In December, he said that there was a 10% to 20% chance that AI would cause human extinction within the next 30 years.

    Related: AI Could Cause 99% of All Workers to Be Unemployed in the Next Five Years, Says Computer Science Professor

    The Godfather of AI couldn’t escape AI during a breakup.

    Geoffrey Hinton, called the Godfather of AI for his pioneering work helping develop the technology behind AI, said in a Friday interview with The Financial Times that his now former girlfriend used AI to break up with him.

    Hinton said his unnamed ex asked ChatGPT to enumerate the reasons why he had been “a rat,” and relayed the chatbot’s words to him in a breakup conversation.

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  • Why the Future of Finance Won’t Be Built on Innovation Alone | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are transforming business, governance and everyday life. Yet even while fintech startups continue to grow, their reach is still overshadowed by the global footprint of established financial institutions. That’s because innovation on its own isn’t enough to scale.

    A new paradigm has emerged: collaboration, where interconnectedness is taking center stage. The implementation of new, disruptive technologies requires building dynamic, highly integrated ecosystems made possible by partnerships fueled by collaboration.

    The definition of success is shifting. Once, it was enough to launch a unique product. Today, especially in industries such as blockchain and virtual assets, isolated solutions often fall short. Real success comes from being part of a larger ecosystem, where startups, institutions and regulators combine their strengths to accelerate adoption, scale faster and establish trust across markets.

    Related: How Strategic Partnerships Catapulted My Business to 200% Growth — and How They Can Help You, Too.

    The case for a networked mindset

    Innovation thrives when diverse players come together, and integrated ecosystems can amplify this effect. To scale disruptive technologies like blockchain and AI, entrepreneurs must learn to build together, co-creating with regulators, pooling infrastructure with competitors and building trust with institutions.

    No company can scale in isolation. Partners, whether distribution channels, liquidity providers or trusted institutions, are crucial for transitioning from concept to mass adoption. Just as importantly, organizations that bring regulators and institutions into the process early gain a significant advantage. By co-creating with policymakers and aligning with market standards, entrepreneurs not only accelerate approvals but also distinguish themselves as builders of trust, the ultimate currency in industries where credibility is essential.

    Leverage networks, not just capital

    Traditionally, financial institutions raced to outpace their competitors. But virtual assets operate differently: Technologies like blockchain depend on shared standards and infrastructure. Tokenized securities, for example, require common frameworks for custody, compliance and settlement. Here, competing harder matters less than collaborating smarter. The entrepreneurs who will thrive are the ones who see that the future of finance, and business at large, can only be built together.

    In my own experience, even something as complex as obtaining a regulatory license, a process that can take years, can be dramatically accelerated by partnering with specialists. With the right expertise and network, what could take years can be streamlined into months, proving that collaboration isn’t just valuable, but also transformative.

    Related: How Collaboration Can Help Drive Growth and Propel Your Business to New Heights

    Think like an industry builder

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg once said, “Move fast and break things.” The motto encouraged agility and captured the spirit of disruption: Launch first, ask questions later. But what may have worked in the early days of social media is far less sustainable in industries where the stakes are higher. Today’s technologies involve finance and governance, and they challenge systems that have remained unchanged for decades. In these spaces, collaboration becomes essential. Entrepreneurs who want to build with lasting impact must align with regulators, institutions and even competitors to create trusted, scalable and resilient systems.

    Research shows that companies engaged in close inter-firm partnerships experience significantly stronger outcomes in innovation. When JPMorgan wanted to test the tokenization of investment portfolios, it didn’t do it alone. It partnered with Apollo, Axelar, Oasis Pro and Provenance Blockchain as part of Singapore’s Project Guardian. The result was Crescendo, a prototype that proved tokenized assets could be managed seamlessly across blockchains. Examples like Project Guardian prove that when multiple players align, entire markets move forward. To make collaboration scalable, industries need permanent frameworks, a principle first captured in Henry Chesbrough’s concept of “open innovation.”

    The chamber model

    The concept of “open innovation,” coined by Henry Chesbrough of UC Berkeley, argued that companies should not solely rely on internal R&D but instead share ideas, technologies and resources across boundaries. In finance and virtual assets, this principle is evolving into structured collaboration.

    Regulatory sandboxes in the UK and Singapore have already shown how powerful these models can be: Startups involved were more likely to raise funding and survive long term. But sandboxes are temporary. What industries need now are permanent, neutral structures that turn collaboration into a repeatable advantage.

    Just as chambers of commerce once accelerated global trade, new chambers in finance and virtual assets are emerging as convening spaces where startups, regulators and institutions align on shared standards. These platforms have already supported multibillion-dollar projects, such as gold-backed securities, by bringing issuers, regulators and institutional investors under a common framework.

    Related: Not Tech but Collaborations to Be the Next Big Thing for Fintech Industry

    For emerging platforms, joining a chamber provides more than credibility; it creates immediate access to capital allocators, regulatory advisors and tokenization partners. As these chambers interconnect globally, they form a unified voice capable of shaping international policy, driving market confidence and speeding adoption worldwide.

    Finance has always been global, and so has collaboration. Chambers give entrepreneurs a seat at the same table as regulators and institutions. In a market defined by speed and credibility, those who embrace collaboration not as a concession but as a growth strategy will be the ones who shape the future of finance.

    Technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain are transforming business, governance and everyday life. Yet even while fintech startups continue to grow, their reach is still overshadowed by the global footprint of established financial institutions. That’s because innovation on its own isn’t enough to scale.

    A new paradigm has emerged: collaboration, where interconnectedness is taking center stage. The implementation of new, disruptive technologies requires building dynamic, highly integrated ecosystems made possible by partnerships fueled by collaboration.

    The definition of success is shifting. Once, it was enough to launch a unique product. Today, especially in industries such as blockchain and virtual assets, isolated solutions often fall short. Real success comes from being part of a larger ecosystem, where startups, institutions and regulators combine their strengths to accelerate adoption, scale faster and establish trust across markets.

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    Farbod Sadeghian

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  • Anthropic Settles Books Copyright Case for Billions | Entrepreneur

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    Leading AI startup Anthropic, which just raised $13 billion earlier this month at a $183 billion valuation, has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit with a group of authors and publishers for at least $1.5 billion.

    On Friday, the startup proposed paying about $3,000 per book to 500,000 authors. It would be the largest copyright payout in history, if approved, per The New York Times.

    The case was filed last year by authors Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, who alleged in the class action suit Bartz v. Anthropic that Anthropic had illegally used their work to train its AI models, downloading copyrighted books for free from pirated datasets. The ruling could also influence the more than 40 other copyright lawsuits filed against AI companies across the country.

    “This settlement sends a powerful message to AI companies and creators alike that taking copyrighted works from these pirate websites is wrong,” Justin Nelson, the plaintiffs’ attorney, told CNBC.

    Related: ‘Extraordinarily Expensive’: Getty Images Is Pouring Millions of Dollars Into One AI Lawsuit, CEO Says

    The settlement follows a ruling in June on the case from Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The judge ruled that Anthropic’s AI training with copyrighted books was “fair use” because it was “transformative” and turned the books into something new.

    “Like any reader aspiring to be a writer, Anthropic’s [AI] trained upon works not to race ahead and replicate or supplant them — but to turn a hard corner and create something different,” Alsup wrote in the ruling.

    However, Alsup also determined that Anthropic illegally downloaded countless books from companies like Pirate Library Mirror and Library Genesis to train its AI models. The judge ruled that Anthropic’s executives were aware that these online libraries contained pirated material. Anthropic decided to “steal” the books instead of buying them from reputable sellers, he determined.

    Related: ‘Bottomless Pit of Plagiarism’: Disney, Universal File the First Major Hollywood Lawsuit Against an AI Startup

    “Anthropic had no entitlement to use pirated copies for its central library,” the ruling reads.

    Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Photographer: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    The authors and Anthropic chose to settle after the judge’s ruling. As part of the proposed settlement, Anthropic agreed to remove pirated works from its database and stated that it did not use pirated books to develop AI that it has now made available to the public.

    If approved, the settlement “will resolve the plaintiffs’ remaining legacy claims,” Anthropic’s Deputy General Counsel, Aparna Sridhar, said in a statement, per NYT.

    “We remain committed to developing safe AI systems that help people and organizations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery, and solve complex problems,” she added.

    Though the settlement amount is record-breaking, Anthropic can likely afford it. The startup has raised more than $27 billion since its inception in 2021.

    Related: Anthropic Is Now One of the Most Valuable Startups of All Time: ‘Exponential Growth’

    According to the June ruling, Anthropic made over one billion dollars in annual revenue last year from its AI chatbot Claude, which asks for $20 to $100 per month for paid subscriptions and also offers a free tier.

    Anthropic faces another legal battle against Reddit. In June, Reddit sued Anthropic for using the site for training data without permission, marking the first time a big tech company has filed a complaint against an AI startup over the material it uses to train AI models.

    Leading AI startup Anthropic, which just raised $13 billion earlier this month at a $183 billion valuation, has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit with a group of authors and publishers for at least $1.5 billion.

    On Friday, the startup proposed paying about $3,000 per book to 500,000 authors. It would be the largest copyright payout in history, if approved, per The New York Times.

    The case was filed last year by authors Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, who alleged in the class action suit Bartz v. Anthropic that Anthropic had illegally used their work to train its AI models, downloading copyrighted books for free from pirated datasets. The ruling could also influence the more than 40 other copyright lawsuits filed against AI companies across the country.

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • Home From College: Jobs for Young Adults Without Work Experience | Entrepreneur

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    Julia Haber, the 29-year-old co-founder of career platform Home From College, was a student at Syracuse University when she started her first business: an experiential marketing agency that brought retail pop-ups to college campuses and worked with brands like Shopify to teach students about entrepreneurship.

    Image Credit: Courtesy of Home From College. Julia Haber.

    The experience gave Haber valuable insight into what the career landscape looks like for Gen Z — and just how much it had changed over the past six-plus years.

    “ This next generation is constantly looking for ways to figure out who they are by doing things,” Haber tells Entrepreneur, “and because it’s such a socially native generation, we see all these people online making money in different ways. This next gen really wants to work with brands they love as well and admire, and it’s a blend of this consumer meets career.”

    Related: Gen Z Is Redefining the Workplace — and Companies Must Adapt or Face Losing Talent

    Recognizing that many students graduate without knowing what they want to do with their lives — and often with significant debt — Haber wanted to help them build “multi-hyphenate” careers early on.

    So Haber launched the Los Angeles-based startup Home From College in 2021 alongside co-founder Kaj Zandvliet, a former banker at PineBridge Investments and financial analyst at Sony Music Entertainment.

    “We position ourselves as the translator between companies and college students.”

    Home From College provides students with an opportunity to earn their first dollars and work with the brands they love in a “flexible, student-first” environment.

    To that end, Home From College only hosts paid job opportunities, 90% of which are remote. Companies can create an account on the platform and list their “gigs,” which could be anything from a one-day project to a lengthier brand ambassador program. Students and recent graduates create their own accounts on the platform and apply for the gigs that interest them — no prior work experience required.

    Home From College is free for students to use. The platform offers four subscription tiers for companies, starting at $49 per month, plus a 20% fee on student compensation. All payments take place on the platform via Stripe.

    Related: Why Gen Z Is Ditching the Corner Office Dream — and How Businesses Can Adapt

    Students typically earn about $30 an hour, and the average ambassador program pays students roughly $1,000 a month. It’s also common for students to work two gigs at once. Some of the top earners have seen “tens of thousands of dollars in a short period of time,” Haber notes — with one dedicated student’s gigs even amounting to a $50,000 paycheck.

    “We position ourselves as the translator between companies and college students, and that really resonated,” Haber says.

    Home From College raised $1.5 million of pre-seed funding in 2022, then $5.4 million in a seed round led by GV, formerly Google Ventures, last year.

    The company is using those funds to continue building a “sustainable, fast-moving” business. Home From College has invested in high-level talent and AI to connect students and brands effectively.

    Related: Top Career Motivations of Gen Z and Reasons They Choose an Employer

    “We’ve been implementing a ton of new roles that have more of an AI bent to them.”

    Additionally, although Home From College initially focused on low- to no-skilled jobs, there’s an interesting opportunity to lean on the hard skills that Gen Z college students and recent graduates often already have — like those related to AI, Haber says.

    “We’ve been implementing a ton of new roles that have more of an AI bent to them,” Haber explains, “and helping companies catch up to the students who are already native [in AI]. So that’s been a new frontier of actually having the students be more of the experts in a topic that companies are less proficient in and helping bridge that gap.”

    Companies on the platform are also interested in students with a talent for customer success and sales at scale, Haber says.

    For example, some consumer brands look to students for help with distribution in challenging markets, like the outskirts of a college campus or the middle of the country. It’s typical for these companies to recruit students to source new locations, such as a nearby deli, to sell products.

    Related: Gen Z Talent Will Walk Away — Unless You Try These 6 Strategies

    “ So it’s creating almost a business development sales team, boots on the ground at scale, where they can hire hundreds of people for that type of role,” Haber says, “where it’s skill and labor, and then simultaneously social media and content.”

    Brands often rely on students to run their TikTok shops too, as it can be a massive undertaking for those that want to launch and scale a meaningful affiliate program, Haber notes.  

    “[Students] come in and run those programs on behalf of companies,” Haber says, “and it’s great because it helps generate revenue for their business, but simultaneously teaches [the students] marketable skills.”

    “You’re not just where you went to school. You’re a bigger version of that.”

    Above all, Haber encourages young adults launching their careers to “use your whole self as the opportunity to market who you are” and land the role you want.

    Home From College facilitates that by allowing students to share more information about themselves than a typical resume or job application might glean — for instance, having curly hair could make them “really attractive” to a shampoo brand that specializes in curls and needs a social media manager to connect with its target customer base.

    Related: Gen Z Is Losing Faith in the College Degree — Here’s 3 Reasons Why It’s Still Important for Them

    “You’re not just your major,” Haber says. “You’re not just what your GPA is. You’re not just where you went to school. You’re a bigger version of that.”

    This article is part of our ongoing series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a Young Entrepreneur®.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • OpenAI Working on LinkedIn Rival, AI to Match Jobs | Entrepreneur

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    OpenAI is creating a jobs platform with an AI focus to take on LinkedIn, and expanding the ways AI users can verify their skills for employers.

    Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications and former Instacart CEO, announced in a blog post on Thursday that the ChatGPT-maker was working with employers like Walmart and Boston Consulting Group to develop AI solutions for companies. (Walmart is the largest private employer in the U.S. with 1.6 million employees across the nation.)

    The first initiative is an OpenAI Jobs Platform, which will connect businesses to candidates and tap into AI to filter through recommendations.

    Related: Almost 100% of Gen Zers Surveyed Admitted to Using AI Tools at Work. Here’s Why They Say It Is a ‘Catalyst’ for Their Careers.

    “We’ll use AI to help find the perfect matches between what companies need and what workers can offer,” Simo wrote in the blog post.

    She gave the example of the Texas Association of Business, which wants to use the jobs platform to link Texas employers with potential employees who can assist with their IT modernization efforts.

    An OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company is aiming to debut the jobs platform by mid-2026.

    OpenAI CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo, during an interview in September 2024. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

    OpenAI also announced new certifications for OpenAI Academy, a free platform focused on helping individuals develop AI skills. The ChatGPT-maker is expanding the Academy, which has reached more than two million people, by allowing learners to obtain certifications in AI, from mastering the basics of applying AI at work to learning how to engineer prompts.

    Related: You Can Get Paid $18,000 More a Year By Adding AI Skills to Your Resume, According to a New Study

    OpenAI is aiming to hand out 10 million certifications within the next five years, per the blog post. The company told Bloomberg that it is collaborating with Walmart to create certifications, which will initially be available for free to Walmart’s 1.6 million U.S. employees.

    With certifications and a jobs platform, OpenAI takes on the likes of LinkedIn and Indeed. LinkedIn, which has more than one billion members, is the most expansive professional network in the world. Indeed is also a dominant player in the job hunting space, with 615 million job seekers and 27 hires per minute.

    OpenAI is creating a jobs platform with an AI focus to take on LinkedIn, and expanding the ways AI users can verify their skills for employers.

    Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of applications and former Instacart CEO, announced in a blog post on Thursday that the ChatGPT-maker was working with employers like Walmart and Boston Consulting Group to develop AI solutions for companies. (Walmart is the largest private employer in the U.S. with 1.6 million employees across the nation.)

    The first initiative is an OpenAI Jobs Platform, which will connect businesses to candidates and tap into AI to filter through recommendations.

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    Sherin Shibu

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  • 3 Ways AI Helps Small Businesses Compete With Big Companies | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Big companies have full teams: marketing departments, content writers, designers and salespeople all working together to grow the brand. But solopreneurs and small business owners don’t have that kind of support. Sometimes it’s just one person, or maybe a part-time virtual assistant or freelance copywriter. That’s why using AI tools isn’t just helpful — it’s necessary. With the right AI systems in place, small teams can get more done, move faster and compete with bigger players without needing a big budget or staff.

    The truth is, speed now beats size. A decade ago, a larger team almost always had the advantage — more hands to make calls, answer emails, create content and follow up with leads. But that’s no longer the case. AI tools can now handle in minutes what used to take days, closing the gap between solo entrepreneurs and big corporations.

    Even industries known for being slow to change are catching on. According to UpMarket, 75% of real estate brokerages in the U.S. already use AI to streamline their operations — automating follow-ups, predicting client interest and producing polished marketing materials faster than ever. If they can embrace it, so can you. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that larger competitors will out-automate you … and once they do, catching up will be much harder.

    Let’s look at three practical ways small businesses can use AI to compete and even win against bigger companies.

    Related: How AI Is Leveling the Playing Field For Small Businesses to Compete With Industry Giants

    1. Use AI to create social media content without a team

    Creating content for social media can take up a lot of time, especially when you’re trying to post consistently across different platforms. But you don’t need a large social media team to make it work. AI-powered tools can handle everything from generating captions and hashtags to creating scroll-stopping images.

    According to Piktochart, 71% of social media images are now AI-generated. With the right tools and a clear process, even one virtual assistant using AI can do the work of an entire team. This can save hours each week and produce results that look like they came from a big agency.

    2. Why small businesses can now handle SEO in-house

    Small businesses no longer need to rely on expensive SEO agencies to improve their rankings. Often, all it takes is one good consultant to build a clear strategy. Everything else can be done in-house with the help of AI. From writing content to generating meta titles and descriptions, and even handling technical SEO checks, modern AI tools make it easy to move fast without a team. According to TechnicalSEO, 67% of small businesses are already using AI for content marketing and SEO.

    That said, it’s important to treat AI platforms as tools, not as one-click content factories. The goal isn’t to paste a topic into ChatGPT, take the first draft it spits out and hit publish. Instead, use AI to brainstorm ideas, reshape your own writing, fact-check details and refine tone — especially if you’re not a native speaker. This is how professionals get real value from the technology, and according to Fantasy AI, 55% of marketers use AI for content creation. The best results come when you guide the AI, not when you let it lead.

    Related: How Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Can Leverage AI to Compete With Large Companies

    3. Out-communicate bigger competitors with AI

    For small service businesses, whether it’s plumbing, electrical work, HVAC repair, landscaping or handyman services, great communication can be the ultimate competitive edge. According to FieldBoss, 38% of customers say poor communication — like slow scheduling, missed updates or unclear pricing — is their biggest frustration, while only 21% point to high prices. Big companies often leave customers waiting for call-backs, stuck in scheduling queues or frustrated by vague updates.

    A solo operator with the right AI tools can do better. Imagine a solo service provider: While they’re busy on a job site, an AI-powered chatbot is answering customer questions, booking appointments and even generating quotes. By the time they wrap up for the day, the leads are captured, the jobs are scheduled, and the quotes are ready to send. Out-communicating your larger competitors isn’t about having more staff — it’s about using AI to make every customer feel heard, informed and prioritized.

    This approach also aligns with changing customer preferences, especially among Gen Z, who often feel more comfortable controlling the immediate nature of digital interaction. They prefer texting or messaging over face-to-face or phone conversations, making chatbots and AI-driven communication not just acceptable, but often the preferred way to connect.

    The playing field between small businesses and large corporations has never been more balanced. With the right approach, a solo entrepreneur or a small team can match — and sometimes outperform — companies with far bigger budgets and staff. AI isn’t a magic wand, but it is a powerful multiplier for your skills, speed and customer experience.

    Related: How Small Businesses Can Leverage AI Without Breaking the Bank

    From creating social media content without a team, to managing SEO in-house, to out-communicating bigger competitors, the advantage is clear. Those who use AI as a true partner, combining technology with human judgment, will prove that speed, adaptability and smart execution can beat size every time.

    Big companies have full teams: marketing departments, content writers, designers and salespeople all working together to grow the brand. But solopreneurs and small business owners don’t have that kind of support. Sometimes it’s just one person, or maybe a part-time virtual assistant or freelance copywriter. That’s why using AI tools isn’t just helpful — it’s necessary. With the right AI systems in place, small teams can get more done, move faster and compete with bigger players without needing a big budget or staff.

    The truth is, speed now beats size. A decade ago, a larger team almost always had the advantage — more hands to make calls, answer emails, create content and follow up with leads. But that’s no longer the case. AI tools can now handle in minutes what used to take days, closing the gap between solo entrepreneurs and big corporations.

    Even industries known for being slow to change are catching on. According to UpMarket, 75% of real estate brokerages in the U.S. already use AI to streamline their operations — automating follow-ups, predicting client interest and producing polished marketing materials faster than ever. If they can embrace it, so can you. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that larger competitors will out-automate you … and once they do, catching up will be much harder.

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    Georgi Todorov

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  • President Trump Brings Tech Leaders, CEOs to White House | Entrepreneur

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    President Donald Trump hosted a dinner for some of the biggest names in tech in the U.S. on Thursday, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk was notably absent from the table but said on X that he was invited but could not attend, and sent a representative in his place.

    Trump started the event by praising every person at the table as “brilliant” and part of a “high IQ group.”

    “This is taking our country to a new level,” he stated.

    Related: President Donald Trump, Apple to Announce $100 Billion Investment in U.S.

    At the dinner, Trump asked each tech leader how much they planned to invest in the U.S. in the next few years. Zuckerberg said, “at least $600 billion by ’28 in the U.S.” Apple CEO Tim Cook made the same statement, while Pichai mentioned $250 billion overall, and Nadella stated that the figure could reach up to $80 billion per year.

    “Good,” Trump said. “Very good.”

    (Left to right) “AI and Crypto Czar” David Sacks, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House dinner on Sept. 4. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

    The dinner guest list, which the White House confirmed to the Associated Press, included Google cofounder Sergey Brin, Oracle CEO Safra Catz, White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, Scale AI founder Alexandr Wang, and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates.

    During the meal, Trump congratulated Pichai on the recent news of the determined penalties in Google’s landmark antitrust case. The penalties were significantly lighter than what the DOJ had been seeking. For example, Google has to stop entering or maintaining exclusive distribution deals for Search, Chrome, and other products. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, added $230 billion to its market capitalization this week.

    “I’m glad it’s over,” Pichai stated at the event, sparking laughter from other guests.

    Related: The ‘Whale’ Who Bet Big on Donald Trump’s Second Presidency Actually Won $85 Million, Way More Than First Reported. Here’s How He Did It.

    Melania Trump Hosts AI Event

    Before the dinner, on Thursday afternoon, First Lady Melania Trump hosted an event focused on AI in education. The First Lady said that it was critical to teach AI literacy from a young age to make sure the U.S. stayed competitive in that field.

    The First Lady’s office started an “Age of AI” challenge last month for students to create projects using AI to address community challenges. Submissions are due in December.

    “The robots are here,” Melania Trump stated at the afternoon event. “Our future is no longer science fiction.”

    President Donald Trump hosted a dinner for some of the biggest names in tech in the U.S. on Thursday, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk was notably absent from the table but said on X that he was invited but could not attend, and sent a representative in his place.

    Trump started the event by praising every person at the table as “brilliant” and part of a “high IQ group.”

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    Sherin Shibu

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