Tech news digest for Saturday, August 15, 2026

Suze Orman says AI could force you out of your job before 65 — and retiring early costs you each year

Suze Orman cautions that reliance on working into one's late 60s for retirement may be misguided, as AI is likely to disrupt job markets, particularly affecting workers in their 50s. She highlights that many individuals may find themselves forced into early retirement, which can lead to significant financial shortfalls. For example, a 50-year-old with $215,600 in savings who plans to retire at 65 could face a drastic income drop if they retire at 62, losing nearly $13,000 annually. Orman stresses the importance of adjusting retirement plans in light of these challenges.

• AI could eliminate 10% to 15% of jobs within five years, according to the Boston Consulting Group.
• Orman advises increasing retirement savings and adapting to change to mitigate risks.

Inflation moderated as Intel and Nvidia fueled the AI trade in last week's market

Last week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experienced modest declines on Friday but achieved their third consecutive winning weeks, with the S&P 500 closing at a record high of 7,800. Easing inflation concerns, highlighted by a 0.1% increase in the consumer price index for July and a stable producer price index, contributed to market gains and reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September. Intel's $20 billion stock sale, initially met with skepticism, was seen as a strong indicator of confidence in the AI sector, while Nvidia's partnership with six major asset managers aims to establish a $500 billion financing platform for AI compute, further energizing the market.

• The S&P 500 closed at a record high of 7,800 for the first time.
• The probability of the Fed maintaining interest rates in September rose to 67% from 55%.

Depleted strategic oil reserve nears level that raises concerns about damage to caverns, operations

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has dropped below 300 million barrels, raising alarms about the integrity of its storage caverns. This depletion, the lowest level since the early 1980s, is primarily due to the release of 172 million barrels in response to supply disruptions from the Iran war. Experts warn that maintaining at least 70 million barrels is critical to avoid damaging the caverns, which store oil in 60 salt caverns along the Gulf Coast. The Energy Department disputes claims of imminent risk, asserting that the caverns are managed effectively.

• The SPR is projected to reach 243 million barrels after the current drawdown.
• The Government Accountability Office noted that repeated drawdowns can lead to cavern deformation.

Anthropic revenue reportedly jumps to more than $11.5 billion in second quarter

Anthropic's revenue soared to over $11.5 billion in the second quarter of 2026, marking a more than 14-fold increase from $787 million in the same quarter last year, according to documents reviewed by Bloomberg News. This impressive growth highlights the company's rapid expansion as it gears up for a potential initial public offering (IPO). In addition to the revenue surge, Anthropic reported positive adjusted operating income for the quarter, further solidifying its financial position as it competes with OpenAI for corporate clients. The company also noted that its run-rate revenue has crossed $47 billion, significantly up from approximately $10 billion in total revenue for 2025.

• The company is preparing for a potential IPO, which could occur as soon as this fall.

Apple @ Work: Understanding Apple Business Manager roles and permissions

At WWDC, Apple unveiled an expanded Apple Business API, enabling IT administrators to retrieve device information, review audit events, and manage device assignments directly through the API. However, developers have reported challenges, particularly with a 403 Forbidden error when accessing the Audit Events API, which indicates insufficient permissions. Apple allows organizations to create up to 50 API accounts and 15 custom roles, but the process for configuring these roles can be cumbersome. To assist with this, the MacAdmins community developed the Roles Checker tool, which simplifies the management of permissions by providing a checklist format for users to customize their roles effectively.

I drove Tesla FSD, Rivian Autonomy+ ‘hands-free’ driving systems. Here’s how they compare

Rivian's Autonomy+ advanced driver-assistance system has made significant strides, surpassing General Motors' Super Cruise but still trailing Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. During extensive drives, Rivian's system demonstrated strong highway performance, though it currently lacks the ability to respond to traffic signals. Rivian aims to deliver point-to-point driving functionality by the end of 2026, positioning itself to better compete with Tesla's more established technology, which can navigate complex driving scenarios with minimal driver intervention.

• Rivian's Autonomy+ is priced at $49.99 per month or $2,500 for lifetime access.
• Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscription costs $99 per month.

Alibaba AI Models Hit 3 Billion Downloads, Passing Meta, Google

Alibaba Group Holding's AI models, particularly the Qwen series, have reached over 3 billion downloads in just six months, making them the leading AI models worldwide. This milestone surpasses downloads from major competitors, including Meta Platforms and Alphabet, which recorded 227 million and 418 million downloads, respectively. The Qwen family has also contributed to the open-source community with more than 460 models and has inspired over 300,000 derivatives, showcasing Alibaba's significant impact in the AI landscape.