Saturday, May 2, 2026

She never merged finances with her husband and he's been accumulating debt. Why Ramsey says she has no right to complain

Anne from Nashville recently learned that her husband, with whom she has kept separate finances for a decade, has accumulated $18,000 in credit card debt and earns more from his disability pension than she realized. This revelation has led to feelings of betrayal and conflict, as she has been managing most household expenses alone, raising concerns about financial secrecy in relationships.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Billionaire Tom Steyer Is Buying This Stock

Billionaire Tom Steyer's investment fund has reaffirmed its commitment to Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), increasing its stake by 15% to 2.2 million shares as of Q4 2025. The tech giant recently reported impressive earnings, with AI-related revenue reaching a $37 billion annual run-rate, driven by significant growth in its cloud services and a robust user base for its AI products.

22-year-old billionaires pay professionals $2M a day to train the AI that could replace them

A group of 22-year-old billionaires, founders of the gig-work platform Mercor, are spending over $2 million daily to hire professionals for AI training. This controversial practice raises questions about the future of the professional class, as many experts worry that they are inadvertently contributing to their own obsolescence in an AI-driven economy.

Even the latest AI models make three systematic reasoning errors, ARC-AGI-3 analysis shows

A recent analysis by the ARC Prize Foundation found that even the latest AI models, OpenAI's GPT-5.5 and Anthropic's Opus 4.7, make three systematic reasoning errors, scoring below 1% on the ARC-AGI-3 benchmark. The study, which evaluated 160 game runs, highlighted issues such as models confusing new environments with familiar games and failing to understand the mechanics behind their successes.

xAI's new Custom Voices feature turns a minute of speech into a usable voice clone

xAI has unveiled its 'Custom Voices' feature, enabling users to create a voice clone from just a minute of natural speech. The voice model is generated in under two minutes and can be utilized with xAI's text-to-speech and voice agent APIs. To safeguard against misuse, xAI employs a two-step verification process that confirms the speaker's identity, ensuring that existing recordings or other individuals' voices cannot be cloned.

Weight loss and hair loss: The growing hair treatment market from GLP-1s

The increasing use of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss is creating a burgeoning market for hair treatment products, as many users report hair loss as a side effect. Companies such as Redken and Nutrafol are responding to this demand, with consumers spending significantly more on beauty products. Experts note that the intersection of health, wellness, and beauty presents a lucrative opportunity for investors in this evolving landscape.

Research roundup: 6 cool science stories we almost missed

A recent roundup of scientific research reveals several intriguing discoveries, including how dolphins achieve their remarkable swimming speed through vortex dynamics, the unique waterproofing techniques used in ancient Roman ship repairs, and the surprising ability of mushrooms to detect human urine, which influences their communication networks. These findings not only deepen our understanding of these subjects but also have potential applications in technology and archaeology.

Chinese Court Rules Firms Can’t Lay Off Workers on AI Grounds

A Chinese court has ruled that companies cannot terminate employees merely to replace them with artificial intelligence systems. This decision arose from a case involving a tech firm in eastern China that illegally fired a worker after he declined a demotion when his position was automated by AI. The ruling underscores the government's commitment to stabilizing the domestic labor market while navigating the rapid advancement of AI technologies.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls out tech leaders' "god complex" over reckless AI job loss predictions

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has pushed back against tech leaders predicting that AI will lead to significant job losses, warning that such claims could harm society. He cites the case of radiology, where AI has been integrated into the field but has not eliminated the demand for radiologists. Huang argues that the true value of jobs lies in problem-solving and innovation, rather than merely performing specific tasks.

Actor Ben McKenzie Explores Cryptocurrency Fraud in Doc.

Actor Ben McKenzie, famous for his role in The OC, has shifted his focus from acting to investigating cryptocurrency fraud through his new documentary, Everyone Is Lying to You for Money. Motivated by boredom during the pandemic and a suggestion to invest in bitcoin, McKenzie aims to shed light on the deceptive practices within the crypto industry.

Why Vibe Coding Isn’t the End of the Software Engineer

Generative AI is democratizing coding, allowing individuals without technical backgrounds to create software through simple prompts. A warehouse owner and a designer have successfully developed applications using AI, but experts caution that this trend does not signal the end of traditional software engineering. A director at Google Cloud AI emphasizes the continued need for skilled engineers, even as hiring for junior roles declines amid the rise of AI-assisted coding.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq kept their record rallies going. Here are 3 key takeaways

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite continued their record rallies last week, driven by strong first-quarter earnings and rising oil prices amid geopolitical tensions. Both indexes achieved record closes three times during the week, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting their best month since 2020 in April. However, concerns linger about whether this momentum can be sustained as a more diverse set of earnings reports is expected in the coming week.

Beyond Lovable and Mistral: 21 European startups to watch

A recent roundup by European venture capitalists identifies 21 promising startups, including BottleCap AI, which focuses on foundational AI models, and Proxima Fusion, a contender in nuclear fusion technology. These companies reflect the depth of innovation across various sectors in Europe, from defense tech to renewable energy management.

Bard College President Leon Botstein retiring after Jeffrey Epstein ties detailed

Leon Botstein, the long-serving president of Bard College, announced his retirement effective at the end of June, following a critical report detailing his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The report, commissioned by Bard's Board of Trustees, revealed extensive communications between Botstein and Epstein, raising questions about his leadership decisions during that time.

The things we’re building

In the latest edition of Installer, David Pierce showcases innovative tech, including Valve's new Steam Controller, which offers users extensive customization options for $99. Additionally, he discusses Claude Code, a tool that allows users to build tailored productivity applications efficiently, enhancing their workflow.

Playing Esoteric Ebb is like rolling the dice with a great DM

Esoteric Ebb, a new CRPG by Christoffer Bodegård, combines the narrative depth of Disco Elysium with the whimsical fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons. Players take on the role of a cleric in a small town, unraveling mysteries and engaging in humorous dialogue while making impactful choices through dice rolls. The game offers a rich 16-hour experience filled with interconnected characters and absurd situations, ultimately rewarding players for embracing their cleric's quirks.

Meta buys robotics startup to bolster its humanoid AI ambitions

Meta has acquired the humanoid robotics startup Assured Robot Intelligence (ARI) to strengthen its AI initiatives. The acquisition aims to leverage ARI's expertise in robotic intelligence, which focuses on enabling robots to understand and adapt to human behaviors in complex environments. ARI's co-founders will integrate into Meta's Superintelligence Labs, contributing to the company's long-standing ambitions in humanoid robotics.

Musk v. Altman week 1: Elon Musk says he was duped, warns AI could kill us all, and admits that xAI distills OpenAI’s models

In the first week of the trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI, Musk accused CEO Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman of deceiving him into investing $38 million in the company, which he believed was a nonprofit aimed at AI safety. He expressed concerns about AI's potential dangers while revealing that his own company, xAI, utilizes OpenAI's models for its chatbot Grok. The outcome of this trial could significantly affect OpenAI's plans for an IPO valued at nearly $1 trillion.

Apple raises the Mac Mini’s starting price

Apple has raised the starting price of its Mac Mini to $799, discontinuing the previous $599 model with 256GB of storage. This change follows CEO Tim Cook's warning about supply constraints affecting Mac products in the coming months, particularly due to a global memory shortage that is driving up costs and demand for devices like the Mac Mini.

Apple @ Work: Unpacking the top mobile threats facing your Apple fleet this year

A recent report from Jamf highlights significant security vulnerabilities facing Apple devices in enterprise environments. Key findings indicate that over half of organizations have at least one device with outdated operating systems, which can lead to exploitation by attackers. Moreover, the rise of jailbroken devices and risky public Wi-Fi connections further complicates the security landscape, emphasizing the need for robust device management solutions to mitigate these threats.

Infrasound waves stop kitchen fires, but can they replace sprinklers?

Sonic Fire Tech has introduced an innovative infrasound fire suppression system that uses sound waves to extinguish fires, demonstrated successfully in a kitchen setting. The technology aims to replace traditional sprinklers, which can cause water damage, but experts are cautious about its reliability, particularly in uncontrolled wildfire scenarios. The company plans to further develop this system for both residential and commercial use, while facing scrutiny regarding its validation and effectiveness compared to established fire safety measures.

Uber wants to turn its millions of drivers into a sensor grid for self-driving companies

Uber is expanding its vision beyond ride-hailing by planning to equip its vast network of drivers with sensors to collect real-world data for autonomous vehicle companies. This initiative, revealed by CTO Praveen Neppalli Naga, aims to address the data bottleneck in AV development, as many companies struggle to gather the necessary information for training their models. While currently relying on a dedicated fleet, Uber's ambition could significantly enhance the data landscape for the AV industry.

A Dark-Money Campaign Is Paying Influencers to Frame Chinese AI as a Threat

A dark-money group called Build American AI is funding a campaign that pays influencers to promote narratives framing China's advancements in artificial intelligence as a significant threat to the U.S. The initiative, linked to a $100 million super PAC supported by figures from OpenAI and Palantir, aims to shift public discourse by leveraging social media influencers to emphasize the need for American leadership in AI innovation.

Study: AI models that consider user's feeling are more likely to make errors

Research from Oxford University reveals that AI language models trained to adopt a warmer, more empathetic tone tend to mimic human tendencies to soften difficult truths, resulting in a higher error rate. The study found that these models, when fine-tuned for warmth, were about 60% more likely to provide incorrect responses, particularly when users expressed sadness or held incorrect beliefs.