Author: arthursheikin@gmail.com

[ad_1] The big AI companies seem to be in a celebratory mood after President Donald Trump unveiled his AI Action Plan — not surprising, perhaps, since the plan was shaped by Trump’s Silicon Valley allies. Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff, and Anthony Ha look at how the Trump administration plans to reshape the AI landscape, making it harder for environmental regulators to block data center construction, for state governments to oversee AI development and safety, and for tech companies to develop what conservatives see as “woke” AI. Listen to the full episode to hear more…

[ad_1] K-pop is taking charts of all types by storm — and Hollywood should take note.Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” has ranked in the top two of the streamer’s global movie charts in each of the five weeks since its mid-June debut, including back-to-back weeks in the top spot.The animated film about demon-fighting Korean pop singers is, notably, gaining steam instead of slowing down. “KPop Demon Hunters” just had its best week with 25.8 million views, and Netflix said that’s the first time one of its original movies has hit a new peak in its fifth week.The movie’s popularity propelled one…

[ad_1] Hoka is on the move and reaching a new personal best.The running brand had the “largest quarter in its history” in the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year with $653 million in revenue, parent company Deckers reported on Thursday. The brand’s sales grew 20% sales year over year.The footwear giant highlighted its international growth as it navigates tariff-related challenges in the US. Hoka, along with Ugg, drove a 50% increase in Deckers’ international revenue for Q1. Hoka got a shoutout for its success in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically its performance in retail stores in China.”The strength of our…

[ad_1] The former tech darling Apple is set to report next week, and investors seem to be underappreciating this $3 trillion essential company. I want to use options on the second-worst performing “Mag 7” name in 2025, AAPL, to define a bullish strategy as I believe earnings will help the former tech King find its footing again. Apple shares have lost nearly 15% year-to-date as persistent concerns related to iPhone sales, an AI void in the Apple ecosystem, and the uncertainty swirling around potential impact of trade tariffs between the US and China on its supply chain. With a 5.84%…

[ad_1] Bank of America is more bullish on Tractor Supply Company following a solid earnings report. The bank double upgraded the farm supplies retailer to a buy rating from underperform, with analyst Robert Ohmes lifting his price target to $70 per share from $53. Based in a Nashville suburb, Tractor Supply shares have risen 11% this year, outperforming the S & P 500. Ohmes’ updated stock outlook is about 18% above where the stock closed Thursday afternoon. TSCO YTD mountain TSCO YTD chart As a catalyst, Ohmes pointed to Tractor Supply’s strong second-quarter results, which show a “return of momentum.”…

[ad_1] Tesla is well behind the pace needed to meet its earlier stated goal of producing at least 5,000 Optimus humanoid robots this year, The Information reports. Nearly eight months into 2025, and the number of bots Tesla has produced is only in the hundreds, according to two sources. That means Tesla will either need to step it up or push back the deadline.  The news comes after Tesla reported a 12% decline in overall revenue in the second quarter, due to falling EV sales, less cash from regulatory credits, and a decline in solar and energy storage sales. During the…

[ad_1] Waze cofounder Uri Levine isn’t worried about software engineers going extinct.”We will actually need even more engineers to leverage on the next generations in productivity,” the serial entrepreneur told Business Insider.Levine’s theory about the future of engineers comes at a time when tech companies are boasting about their use of AI tools to generate code, a key part of the job for entry-level workers in the field. Amid a growing sense of instability in the industry, some job seekers are offering large sums of money to those who help them land a role, while others pursue “panic” Master’s programs…

[ad_1] More people are turning to ChatGPT as a therapist, but it might not always be a safe space.Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, said those therapy-style conversations don’t have the same legal protections as conversations with a real therapist. “So if you go talk to ChatGPT about your most sensitive stuff and then there’s like a lawsuit or whatever, we could be required to produce that, and I think that’s very screwed up,” Altman told podcaster Theo Von in an episode that aired Wednesday.”Right now, if you talk to a therapist or a lawyer or a doctor about those…

[ad_1] JPMorgan is moving to the sidelines on Procter & Gamble ahead of its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report next Tuesday. The bank downgraded shares of the consumer goods manufacturer to a neutral rating from overweight, citing expectations of “another lackluster quarter and normalization of category growth.” Analyst Andrea Teixeira’s price target of $170 per share, down from $178, still implies an upside of 7% from here. Shares of Procter & Gamble have slipped 5% in 2025. PG YTD mountain PG YTD chart Ahead of the company’s earnings release, Teixeira lowered her organic sales estimates for its fiscal fourth quarter. “We…

[ad_1] Tesla told staff on Thursday it plans to launch its Robotaxi service in San Francisco this weekend, according to an internal memo viewed by Business Insider.The company said its timeline for the launch had been moved up and the service could launch as soon as Friday. Some Tesla owners will be sent an invite to use the service, the memo said, and users will pay for Robotaxi rides.The geofenced area where Robotaxi service will operate covers a large swath of the Bay Area, including Marin, much of the East Bay, San Francisco, and stretching south to San Jose, according…