Author: arthursheikin@gmail.com

[ad_1] Clayton Jacobs, the CEO of influencer marketing company CreatorDB, thinks there can be a “healthy middle class” of content creators.Jacobs told Business Insider that he usually recommends CreatorDB’s clients go with a “pool of medium-sized creators” that “often will perform better than a single large creator if they’re the same price.”Using data analytics and AI, CreatorDB wants to prove that to brands.The company, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, raised its first venture capital investment since launching in 2019 to help do so. Its $4.67 million Series A, led by Acorn Pacific Ventures, will be used to further develop AI tools,…

[ad_1] While many robotics companies are building human-sized robots, or working to automate entire factories, MicroFactory is instead trying to think big by building small.   San Francisco-based MicroFactory built a general-purpose, tabletop manufacturing kit that’s about the size of my Siberian Husky’s dog crate. This compact factory includes two robotic arms and can be trained by human demonstration, as well as through AI.   “General purpose robots are good, but it’s not necessary [to] be humanoid,” said Igor Kulakov, the co-founder and CEO of MicroFactory, in an interview with TechCrunch. “We decided to design robots from scratch that will still be…

[ad_1] On Tuesday, Google announced a new open protocol for purchases initiated by AI agents — automated software programs that can shop and make decisions on behalf of users — with backing from more than 60 merchants and financial institutions. Called the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), the system is meant to be interoperable between AI platforms, payment systems and vendors, providing a traceable paper trail for each transaction. In a post announcing the protocol, Google executives emphasized their commitment to openness. “We are committed to evolving this protocol in an open, collaborative process, including through standards bodies, and  invite the…

[ad_1] Here are Tuesday’s biggest calls on Wall Street: Bernstein initiates Apple as outperform Bernstein said in its initiation of the tech giant that its bullish on the stock. “We are positive on Apple to continue to drive strong EPS growth from its expansion of its user base and share buybacks but note significant risks ahead, notably in AI and in new devices. That said, one of the key risks – the Google DOJ remedies – has reached a resolution favorable to Apple, eliminating an overhang and potentially clearing a path for partnerships in AI.” Wolfe initiates Allstate as outperform…

[ad_1] Y Combinator-alum Rulebase is betting that the next wave of automation in financial services won’t be about flashy AI interfaces but rather the unglamorous back-office tasks like compliance. The startup, founded in 2024 by Gideon Ebose and Chidi Williams, two Nigerian engineers who met in London, just raised a $2.1 million pre-seed round led by Bowery Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Commerce Ventures, Transpose Platform VC, and several angels. Financial services firms spend enormous amounts of effort on support tickets, resolving disputes, ensuring quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Rulebase’s software, which it calls an agent co-worker, replaces much…

[ad_1] Y Combinator-alum Rulebase is betting that the next wave of automation in financial services won’t be about flashy AI interfaces, but the unglamorous back-office tasks like compliance. The startup, founded by Gideon Ebose and Chidi Williams, two Nigerian engineers who met in London, just raised a $2.1 million pre-seed round led by Bowery Capital, with participation from Y Combinator, Commerce Ventures, Transpose Platform VC, alongside several angels. Financial services firms spend enormous amounts of effort on support tickets, resolving disputes, ensuring quality assurance, and regulatory compliance. Rulebase’s software, which it calls an agent coworker, replaces much of the manual…

[ad_1] The latest rally in shares of Warner Bros. Discovery may not hold if a takeover bid from Paramount Skydance doesn’t come to fruition, TD Cowen said this week. The firm downgraded shares to hold from buy after its recent boost in shares led its stock price to surge beyond its $14 price target, which implies 28% downside from Monday’s closing price. Warner Bros. Discovery shares have soared more than 67% this month after CNBC learned that Paramount Skydance is working with an investment bank to prepare an offer for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount Skydance shares are also up more…

[ad_1] When I had my first child, I struggled with whether I wanted to go back to work.I had always expected to return to work soon after having children. However, after my oldest daughter was born with complex medical needs, I knew that a traditional nine-to-five office job wouldn’t work for my family. Then I had three more children, which made returning to a typical full-time job even more difficult.Still, I always thought that I would return to work once my kids were older. I spent many years in school, and went into a lot of debt, to become an…

[ad_1] Hershey could be poised for strong gains ahead, according to Goldman Sachs. The bank double upgraded shares of the chocolate and cocoa products company to buy from sell and hiked its price target to $222 from $170, which implies more than 19% upside from Monday’s closing price. “After multiple guidance reductions over the past year, we now see a compelling risk/reward set-up for the stock, with cost pressures (e.g., cocoa, tariffs) largely known and reflected in expectations, plus the company’s market share trends have improved with incremental tailwinds expected in 2H,” analyst Leah Jordan wrote in a Tuesday note.…

[ad_1] This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amy Ma, who is in her 30s and from New Jersey. The following has been edited for length and clarity.Getting laid off broke my heart.In May 2023, I got called into a meeting with a HR representative who told me I was losing my data scientist job at the company where I’d worked since February 2022. I couldn’t stop myself from crying.I was five months pregnant, so felt I couldn’t immediately get back into the job market.When I started looking for jobs again a month after giving birth, joining a…