The torrent of corporate spending on artificial intelligence in the U.S. is driving up consumer prices, working against efforts to cool inflation. AI requires enormous computing power, driving demand for the semiconductors that enable it. Rising chip costs are also prompting electronics manufacturers to raise prices on smartphones, computers, software and other tech accessories. Consumers are…
Last year, Hershey prevailed in a lawsuit that claimed Reese’s featureless Halloween pumpkins were a consumer letdown. Starting this month, the spooky treats will return to store shelves, though without any changes to their smooth, oval shapes. “We know what consumers love,” said Katie DeCapria, senior brand manager for Halloween at Hershey, in a press…
With U.S. inflation easing for two consecutive months, older Americans and other Social Security recipients may see a smaller cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 than was forecast earlier this year, according to two new estimates published Wednesday. The 2027 COLA is now projected at 3.6%, based on the July Consumer Price Index figures released on Wednesday,…
The New York City Council said Wednesday that it is investigating four prediction markets over allegations that the companies engage in deceptive marketing. The probe will examine the advertising practices of Gemini Titan, Kalshi and Polymarket, all of which are based in New York, as well as Texas-based Coinbase. “Prediction markets aggressively entice consumers to…
Trump Media & Technology Group is aiming to energize growth by selling faster access to President Trump’s Truth Social posts for up to $100,000 a month. CEO Kevin McGurn told investors on Monday that the company has signed up “more than 10” customers for its Truth API, or Application Programming Interface, data feed, which he…
Video gamers are in demand to help patrol the nation’s skies. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a recent social media post that the federal agency’s recruitment campaign to recruit gamers as air traffic controllers has been a “game changer” for the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA hired more than 2,000 video…
The Social Security Administration said on Tuesday that it is adding 14 conditions to its fast-track disability list, which can help people with these conditions speed up the process of receiving benefits. The program, known as the Compassionate Allowances list, was created in 2008 to accelerate disability claims for people with rare, life-threatening or other…
Burned-out employees are often easy to spot. But what about people who some workplace experts describe as “rusting out” on the job? A survey by scheduling software provider Deputy of hourly workers across the hospitality, retail, healthcare and other sectors found that many people are languishing in their jobs and are functionally less productive than their…
Sick of cleaning your home? One company wants to let you offload the task to a humanoid robot. For $30 an hour, some San Francisco residents can now hire a robot to clean their home. Tau Robotics, an engineering company that builds AI technology to power robots, announced the service last month as part of…
Thousands of lawsuits alleging that social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok encourage addictive usage can proceed after a U.S. federal appeals court on Monday denied their parent companies’ appeal. The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit came in response to efforts by Alphabet’s Google; Meta, the parent company…
