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Frogs, sharks gather at Portland protest amid Operation Inflation

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Frogs, sharks gather at Portland protest amid Operation Inflation

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Lions, tigers, and bears! But this is a protest in Portland, not the Land of Oz.

A protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Portland, Oregon, is starting to look like a bizarre zoo, filled with colorful animal costumes. A new initiative called Operation Inflation may be the reason.

“We buy a bunch of costumes and we go deliver them,” Brooks Brown, an activist who helped found Operation Inflation, told USA TODAY. “And it worked from day one.”

Videos show people preparing for the protest, dancing and wearing inflatable costumes. But they may not have come to the protests hoping to look like the chickens, axolotls, or even reptars from the famous 1990s cartoon Rugrats.

Inspired by the Portland Frog, which began wearing inflatable frog costumes to protests, Operation Inflatable distributes costumes to people protesting against ICE to “help defuse tensions surrounding the protests (just kidding),” according to its website.

Dancing frog and naked biker: How Portland will resist President Trump’s National Guard troops

“The whole rhetoric has changed.”

When a video of a Portland frog being pepper-sprayed went viral, Brown saw how her perspective on the protests changed.

“We were watching the news about it and how the rhetoric around it was changing,” Brown said. “It wasn’t ‘violent Antifa protesters’ who got whipped, it was frogs.”

Operation Inflation then provided free costumes to demonstrators, prompting more people to wear costumes. Brown says this change has had an impact on how the demonstrations are perceived.

Dinosaurs, pandas, peacocks, etc.

Inflatable costumes range from Tyrannosaurus and unicorns to pandas and peacocks. Some wore inflatable clown costumes or Gritty, the mascot of the Philadelphia hockey team, while others showed up with bubble machines.

Inflation operations and the “No Kings” protests

Demonstrators across the United States are scheduled to gather on Saturday, October 18, to participate in “No King” rallies and marches celebrating the First Amendment, free speech, and the right to assembly, according to event organizers.

Events will be held in various cities and states, and Operation Inflation said it plans to attend demonstrations in Portland.

“We’re looking forward to an exciting weekend full of inflatable fun!” the organization wrote in an Instagram post. “I can’t wait to see everyone fall in love with Norkings!”

Operation Inflation has not publicly announced its plans for the protest, but said on TikTok that “a secret plan is being planned” and urged followers to look for it during the event.

Contributor: Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY

Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY, covering scientific research and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamaigz or email jgomez@hannett.com.

Hurricane center forecasters are developing a system in the Atlantic Ocean

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Hurricane center forecasters are developing a system in the Atlantic Ocean

The mid-Atlantic tropical wave is showing signs of organizing as it moves westward toward the Caribbean Sea.

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The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season may have at least one more trick up its sleeve.

A tropical wave in the mid-Atlantic region is showing signs of organizing as it moves westward toward the Caribbean Sea, forecasters announced Oct. 17.

“Concerned individuals in the Caribbean region, from Jamaica to Puerto Rico, should monitor this tropical wave in the coming days,” meteorologist Ryan Maue said in an Oct. 17 Substack post.

If it becomes a tropical storm, it will become the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. She’ll probably be named Melissa.

October hurricane forecast updates

According to a forecast released on the morning of October 17, the National Hurricane Center said, “A tropical wave located in the mid-tropical Atlantic Ocean more than 1,000 miles east of the Windward Islands continues to produce widespread showers and thunderstorms. The wave is likely to develop gradually over the next few days as it moves westward at approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour.”

“Regardless of its development, this system is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the Windward Islands late this weekend and move across the Caribbean Sea for much of next week,” the hurricane center said.

Caribbean braces for storm outbreak

Some computer models indicate a tropical cyclone or hurricane will form in the Caribbean next week. “Atmospheric conditions are poised for storms to form in the Caribbean,” AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said in an email to USA TODAY.

“The Caribbean has not been affected by any tropical cyclones or hurricanes so far this season, so the waters are very warm,” DaSilva said. “No major destructive wind shear is expected in the region early next week. This tropical wave could quickly develop into a tropical storm or hurricane next week.”

He added: “Climatologically speaking, there is about 12% of the Atlantic hurricane season remaining, but no one should let their guard down. The return of La Niña conditions could create an atmospheric pattern that is conducive to late-season storms.”

Forecasters say a La Niña phenomenon has arrived. What does this mean for our weather?

How unusual is it for hurricanes to strike in the United States late in the season?

It is unusual for a hurricane to hit the United States at this time of year.

“In 175 years of hurricane history, only about 12 hurricanes have struck the continental United States since October 22nd, or about once every 15 years,” WPLG-TV hurricane expert Michael Rowley wrote in a Substack post. “So it’s not that it’s never going to happen, but when it does happen, it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon event.”

But unfortunately for Florida, Lowry said late-season hurricanes that target the United States typically target the Sunshine State.

“Of the more than a dozen hurricanes that have struck the continental United States since October 22, approximately two in three have made landfall in Florida,” he wrote.

Subtropical storm in the North Atlantic?

The hurricane center said a non-tropical storm is located off the coast of the northeastern United States, but “there is a slight chance it will develop subtropical characteristics over the weekend before turning northeastward through colder waters by early next week.”

Lowry said it is currently unlikely to move into the subtropics and is expected to move east over the open ocean and pose no threat to land.

more: NHC is tracking two waves in the Atlantic Ocean. Will either affect the US?

South Korea scraps AI textbook plan

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South Korea scraps AI textbook plan

The South Korean government spent 1.2 trillion won ($850 million) to develop AI textbooks for schools, but the national plan was halted after just four months due to allegations of text inaccuracies, privacy concerns, and increased workload for teachers and students.

Writing in progress the rest of the worldJournalist Kwon Jun-hyeop quoted one student as saying, “All classes were delayed due to technical problems with the textbook. (…) I found it difficult to maintain concentration and achieve my goals. The textbook did not provide lessons tailored to my level.”

Kim Jeong-hee, chief digital officer at Dong-A Publishing, one of the textbook developers, said of the benefits of AI books: “By using digital devices that (students) are familiar with, they are more focused, more alert, and more engaged. Textbooks provide more personalized support for students who are struggling with class.”

The South Korean government initially commissioned publishers to produce AI textbooks, and publishers spent approximately $567 million to develop the online digital texts. In the country, the use of AI textbooks was made compulsory at the start of the academic year in March, but became “optional” just one semester later. During this period, the number of schools using AI textbooks was halved.

In January of this year, Rep. Kang Kyung-sook asked the Minister of Education in the National Assembly, “Traditional print textbooks took 18 months to develop, nine months to review, and six months to prepare, but AI textbooks took only 12 months to develop, three months to review, and three months to prepare (…). Why the rush? Since the target audience is children, careful verification and careful procedures are necessary.”

The failure of the AI ​​textbook project is also blamed on the politicization of the issue and a change of government during the plan’s rollout.

Since the advent of the Internet, technology programs in schools have been relatively common and have lasted much longer and at much lower cost to taxpayers, even though they ultimately fail or undergo major restructuring. In the early 2000s, an online school project was planned in South Africa’s Guaten province to equip schools with computer labs and internet connectivity, but it was scrapped in 2013 at a cost of R1 billion ($57 million), according to some reports.

In 2019, Malaysia’s 1BestariNet, a cloud-based VLE (virtual learning environment), was shut down after eight years amid an investigation into alleged discrepancies between internet speed claims and the reality experienced by many schools. The total cost of this project amounted to billions of ringgit (one billion ringgit is approximately $235 million).

However, the speed with which South Korea’s AI textbook project failed and its high cost suggest that the introduction of digitally delivered AI textbooks into education is facing difficulties. An academic study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published earlier this year suggests that the use of AI in education can reduce brain activity over the long term, suggesting that the technology may not be suitable for developing intelligence.

(Image Source: “Adorable Students Sleeping in the Undergraduate Library” by Ventilada is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.)

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI ​​& Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

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5 surprising cities to retire to in 2025 that aren’t on most lists

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5 surprising cities to retire to in 2025 that aren’t on most lists

Living in a big city has a lot to offer if you can afford it. Or consider a small city surrounded by nature.

Serena Maranjian
|The Motley Fool

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So, you’re thinking about moving after you retire. You’ve probably done some research, checking out lists of the best and worst states to retire, or the most affordable states.

However, you’ll need to dig deeper to determine which city or town seems best for you. Popular destinations include Naples, Florida and Tucson, Arizona.

Here are five other cities that I think are the best.

1. New York, New York

This is the most unconventional idea, and one that relatively few people may think about. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, owning a car can be a pain. But it’s a very walkable city, where you probably don’t need a car (and you’ll save money!) and have easy access to great restaurants, shops, museums, and more.

2. Washington DC

Washington’s argument is similar to New York’s, only Washington is more affordable and perhaps easier to own a car. There are also many great museums and eateries nearby, as well as many recreational activities.

3. Wheeling, West Virginia

This small city is surrounded by much natural beauty, has a cost of living approximately 23% lower than the national average, and offers numerous recreational opportunities such as hiking, biking, and fishing.

4. Eugene, Oregon

The city offers many attractions for retirees, including natural beauty, a warm climate, a vibrant arts and culture scene, and, these days, a cost of living that’s about 7% higher than average.

5. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Winters in Minneapolis can be very cold, but the city is also close to many natural beauties and has top-notch medical facilities. The cost of living is also close to average.

Which one is right for you?

Naturally, there are thousands of cities to consider, and much of it depends on what you value most: access to adequate medical care, recreational opportunities, low crime, low cost of living, and being close to family and friends. We recommend living there for a few months or a year to try out the candidates to see if they are a good fit for you.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Social Security COLA increases remain uncertain post-closure. The reason is as follows

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Social Security COLA increases remain uncertain post-closure. The reason is as follows

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  • Had there been no government shutdown, Social Security recipients would have learned the extent of their COLA increase in 2026 when new inflation data was released on October 15th.
  • In 2025, more than 72.5 million people saw their Social Security and Supplemental Security income benefits increase by 2.5%.
  • COLA increases in 2026 may be slightly larger than in 2025.

Seniors looking to learn about new cost-of-living adjustments for their Social Security benefits may have to wait a little longer than expected.

Under normal circumstances, Social Security recipients would have learned their COLA increases in 2026 after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released new inflation data on Oct. 15.

Shortly after, the Social Security Administration’s press office would typically release the long-awaited COLA numbers when the September inflation numbers were released.

Everything was thrown into flux when the federal government shut down on October 1st after a budget battle in Congress. Inflation statistics for October 15, as originally expected, were not released.

It was not known when the data would be made public. However, on October 10, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the September consumer price index will be released at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, October 24.

No other releases will be rescheduled or made until normal government services resume, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

“This release allows the Social Security Administration to meet statutory deadlines necessary to ensure accurate and timely payment of benefits,” the BLS said.

Still, we won’t know how much of a COLA shock retirees and others receiving Social Security benefits will experience in 2026 until official numbers are released.

Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst, said the Social Security Administration needs to issue COLAs by Nov. 1 to meet statutory deadlines.

In case you missed it: Will the federal government shutdown last long enough to hurt the U.S. economy?

Social Security typically mails next year’s COLA notices throughout December.

The highest COLA increase for Social Security during the most recent period of inflation was an 8.7% increase in 2023. But analysts expect the potential change in 2026 to be around 2.7% or 2.8%.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he expected the inflation-adjusted rate for Social Security recipients to be 2.8%, based on expectations for September’s inflation figures.

The Alliance on Older Americans, a nonpartisan advocacy group, projects COLA growth to be 2.7% in 2026. The final COLA numbers depend on the release of September inflation statistics, which have been delayed due to the federal government shutdown.

Seniors understandably want to know as soon as possible an estimate of how much their benefits will increase.

“It is deeply concerning that political gridlock is withholding critical information needed for financial planning,” said Shannon Benton, executive director of the Seniors Alliance, which was founded in 1992.

“This is not a routine administrative delay; it is a disturbing disruption where real people are struggling to budget for necessities like rent, groceries, medicine, and health care without knowing what their income will be in 2026.”

The 2.7% COLA increase would represent an average increase of about $50 per month, or about $600 per year, for all beneficiaries starting in 2026.

Based on August statistics, the average monthly payment for all Social Security recipients was $1,864.64.

Some retirees may be considering an additional $54.22 per month starting in 2026. Retired workers receive an average monthly benefit of $2,008.31 and the COLA increase is 2.7%.

In 2025, more than 72.5 million people saw their Social Security and Supplemental Security income benefits increase by 2.5%.

Annual cost-of-living adjustments to Social Security benefits are based on third-quarter inflation conditions. This formula reflects monthly changes in the consumer price index for urban salaried and office workers in July, August, and September.

Unfortunately, some other important costs may increase in 2026.

Johnson warns that retirees are likely to run into surprises if Medicare Part B premiums are expected to rise.

Johnson said this could be the biggest jump in seniors in the program’s history, based on dollars rather than percentages.

The Medicare Administrative Board report projects that Medicare Part B premiums in 2026 will increase from $185 per month in 2025 to $206.50 per month in 2026. This is an increase of $21.50.

If the actual increase announced later this year is higher, it could exceed the $21.60 per month increase achieved in 2022.

Benton, of the Seniors Alliance, said the Hold Harmless Clause would protect Social Security checks from being reduced as a result of the Medicare hike. He said any increase in Medicare Part B premiums would be limited to the beneficiary’s COLA amount.

“So while your benefits won’t be reduced due to rising medical costs, in some cases the increase could reduce your COLA increase to zero,” she said.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompol: stompor@freepress.com. follow himr X @tompor.

President Zelensky requests President Trump to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles

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President Zelensky requests President Trump to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles

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WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to return to the White House on October 17, as President Donald Trump considers whether to equip Kiev with Tomahawk missiles capable of hitting targets deep inside Russian territory.

President Trump had expressed openness to providing long-range missiles to Ukraine earlier this week, but suddenly reversed course on October 16, expressing hesitation about President Zelensky’s request.

“We need Tomahawks for America,” President Trump said on October 16. “We have a lot of Tomahawks, and we need them. We can’t run them out for our country.”

President Trump’s remarks came hours after he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump said that during the phone call, President Putin made it clear that he did not want the United States to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

In response to a reporter’s question, President Trump said sarcastically, “What do you think I’ll say, ‘Sell me my tomahawk?'” “I actually said, ‘Would you be willing to give your opponent a few thousand dollars?’ That’s what I told him, and that’s exactly what I said. He didn’t like the idea. He really didn’t like the idea.”

President Trump said he made “significant progress” in a phone conversation with President Putin on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump said Putin had agreed to meet face-to-face in Budapest after further professional meetings between officials in Washington and Moscow.

President Trump warns Russia: US may provide Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine

“Conflict that could escalate.” Why world war no longer feels like a distant prospect

President Trump said he expected the talks in Budapest to be held “within two weeks.”

President Zelenskiy has been asking the White House for months for the Tomahawk, which has a range of 1,500 miles and poses a threat to Russia’s war command and control. President Putin’s advisers also acknowledged this.

This will be Zelensky’s third visit to the White House during Trump’s second term. Mr. Zelensky’s visit in February ended in a controversial televised exchange between him and Mr. Trump about how to handle Putin and the war.

Trillion Parameter AI Model: Ant Group’s Ling-1T Announcement

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Trillion Parameter AI Model: Ant Group’s Ling-1T Announcement

Ant Group has entered the multi-trillion parameter AI modeling space with Ling-1T, a newly open-sourced language model that the Chinese fintech giant positions as a breakthrough in balancing computational efficiency with advanced inference capabilities.

The October 9 announcement is a significant milestone for Alipay operators, which are rapidly building out their artificial intelligence infrastructure across multiple model architectures.

The trillion-parameter AI model demonstrated competitive performance on complex mathematical reasoning tasks, achieving 70.42% accuracy on the 2025 American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) benchmark, a standard used to evaluate the problem-solving ability of AI systems.

According to Ant Group’s technical specifications, Ling-1T maintains this performance level while consuming an average of more than 4,000 output tokens per problem, putting it on par with what the company calls “best-in-class AI models” in terms of quality of results.

A two-pronged approach to AI advancements

The release of the trillion-parameter AI model coincides with the release of Ant Group’s dInfer, a specialized inference framework designed for diffuse language models. This parallel release strategy reflects the company’s bet on multiple technological approaches rather than a single architectural paradigm.

Pervasive language models represent a departure from the autoregressive systems that underpin widely used chatbots like ChatGPT. Unlike sequential text generation, diffusion models generate output in parallel. This approach is already popular in image and video generation tools, but less common in language processing.

Ant Group’s dInfer performance metrics suggest significant efficiency gains. Testing with the company’s LLaDA-MoE diffusion model generated 1,011 tokens per second on the HumanEval coding benchmark. Meanwhile, Nvidia’s Fast-dLLM framework delivered 91 tokens per second, and Alibaba’s Qwen-2.5-3B model running on vLLM infrastructure delivered 294 tokens per second.

“We believe that dInfer provides both a practical toolkit and a standardized platform to accelerate research and development in the rapidly growing field of dLLM,” Ant Group researchers said in an accompanying technical document.

Expanding the ecosystem beyond language models

The Ling-1T trillion parameter AI model is part of a broader family of AI systems that Ant Group has built over the past few months.

The company’s portfolio currently spans three major series: Ling non-thinking models for standard language tasks, Ring thinking models designed for complex reasoning (including the previously released Ring-1T preview), and Ming multimodal models that can process images, text, audio, and video.

This diverse approach has been extended to an experimental model called LLaDA-MoE, which employs a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture. This is a technique that activates only the relevant parts of a large model for a specific task, theoretically increasing efficiency.

He Zhengyu, Chief Technology Officer of Ant Group, clearly stated the company’s position regarding these releases. “At Ant Group, we believe that artificial general intelligence (AGI) should be a public good, a common milestone toward humanity’s intellectual future,” he said, adding that the open source releases of both the trillion-parameter AI model and the Ring-1T preview represent a step toward “open and collaborative progress.”

Competitive dynamics in a constrained environment

The timing and nature of Ant Group’s release reveals China’s strategic calculations in the AI ​​space. With export controls restricting access to cutting-edge semiconductor technology, Chinese technology companies are increasingly focusing on algorithmic innovation and software optimization as competitive differentiators.

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance similarly introduced a diffusion language model called Seed Diffusion Preview in July, which it claims is 5x faster than comparable autoregressive architectures. These parallel efforts suggest industry-wide interest in alternative model paradigms that may offer efficiency benefits.

However, the trajectory of actual adoption of pervasive language models remains uncertain. Autoregressive systems continue to dominate commercial deployments due to their proven performance in natural language understanding and generation, a core requirement for customer-facing applications.

Open source strategy as market positioning

By making its trillion-parameter AI model publicly available with the dInfer framework, Ant Group is pursuing a collaborative development model that contrasts with the closed approach of some competitors.

This strategy has the potential to accelerate innovation while positioning Ant’s technology as foundational infrastructure for the broader AI community.

The company is also developing AWorld, a framework aimed at supporting continuous learning for autonomous AI agents. It is a system designed to independently complete tasks on your behalf.

Whether these efforts combine to establish Ant Group as a significant force in global AI development will depend partly on whether performance claims are actually verified and partly on adoption rates among developers seeking alternatives to established platforms.

The open-source nature of the trillion-parameter AI model could facilitate this validation process while building a community of users invested in the technology’s success.

For now, these releases indicate that China’s leading technology companies view the current AI landscape as fluid enough to accommodate new entrants willing to innovate on multiple dimensions simultaneously.

SEE ALSO: Ant Group uses domestic chips to train AI models and reduce costs

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John Bolton surrenders to authorities, scheduled to appear in court Friday

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John Bolton surrenders to authorities, scheduled to appear in court Friday

President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton has turned himself in to authorities and is scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday.

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WASHINGTON – John Bolton, who served as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, surrendered to authorities and appeared in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, on October 17 after being charged with mishandling classified documents.

Bolton, a former senior Trump official who turned into an avowed opponent of the president, is the latest in a line of people considered to be Trump’s enemies to be indicted by the Justice Department following the indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Mr. Bolton appeared in Maryland state court on Friday morning, according to a person familiar with his activities.

In an 18-count indictment, Bolton is accused of sharing “diary-like” accounts with two family members in 2018 and 2019 detailing his activities as national security adviser, including classified information.

more: First Comey, then James, and now John Bolton. Here’s who’s next on President Trump’s list of legal targets.

Mr. Bolton denied the charges in a statement, calling him “the latest target of President Trump to weaponize the Department of Justice to prosecute those he considers his enemies.”

“These charges are not just about his focus on me and my diary, but his focused efforts to intimidate his opponents,” he said.

Mr. Bolton’s lawyer, Abby Rowell, said the underlying facts of the case had been investigated and resolved “years before” Mr. Trump returned to the Oval Office. “These charges stem from portions of Col. Bolton’s personal diary spanning his 45-year career, records that are unclassified and shared only with his immediate family, and are known to the FBI dating back to 2021.”

X Contact Joey Garrison at @joeygarrison.

What if AI is the next dot-com bubble?

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What if AI is the next dot-com bubble?

The surge in billion-dollar investments in AI has sparked growing debate about whether the industry is headed for a bubble similar to the dot-com boom.

Investors are watching closely for signs that enthusiasm may wane or that heavy spending on infrastructure and chips may not yield the returns they hoped for. A recent survey by BofA Global Research found that 54% of fund managers think AI stocks are already in bubble territory, while 38% disagree.

Echoes of the dot-com era

Despite the optimism surrounding AI, skeptics remain unconvinced about its real-world impact. Some even call this a bluff or a bubble waiting to burst.

Speaking at Cisco’s recent virtual media roundtable, “AI Readiness Index 2025: Readiness Leads to Value,” Ben Dawson, senior vice president and president of Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China (APJC), compared the current wave of AI hype to the early days of the Internet. He said technology changes of this magnitude often follow a familiar pattern of early excitement, large investments, and an eventual market correction before long-term value takes hold.

Dawson noted that while some AI projects and business models may not last, the overall transformation is real and lasting. He added that like the internet revolution, AI will permanently reshape business and society, and organizations that ignore AI will do so at their own peril.

Role of government and global policy

Public policy will also shape how the AI ​​cycle unfolds and how governments mitigate the risk of a potential AI bubble. as harvard business review He noted that in the United States, government involvement has helped define past technology eras, often through incentives and initial investments that encourage private innovation. The same pattern can now be seen with AI. The Trump and Biden administrations have positioned AI as an issue of economic power and national security, sending a clear message that speed is of the essence.

China is taking a state-led approach and directing capital to local AI companies to reduce dependence on US technology. In Europe, where efforts are focused on regulation, concerns about overregulation have led to the launch of new programs to boost adoption and competitiveness, such as the AI ​​Continental Action Plan and the €1 billion AI Applications Fund.

On the other hand, venture capital and government funds have been making large investments even before demand for AI spreads. These early bets assume that adoption will eventually justify ramp-up. But if that demand slows, some investors could be left with stranded assets, like fiber-optic networks that fell into disuse after the dot-com bubble.

For business, the challenges are different. Instead of funding the next wave of infrastructure, they are faced with the question of how to use AI to enhance their operations. Companies that survived the dot-com bust, such as Amazon, succeeded by aligning technology with real business value, rather than market hype.

Market warns of potential AI bubble

The Bank of England recently warned that markets could see a sharp correction if confidence in AI is shaken, saying the potential impact on the UK financial system was “significant”. The warning reflects growing alarm among policymakers about how quickly AI-related valuations are rising.

This concern is shared by some investors and economists who believe the rapid pace of spending on AI could outweigh the short-term benefits. But some argue that building AI infrastructure now is an essential foundation for future innovation.

Building long-term AI infrastructure amid bubble fears

When asked if businesses are concerned about the cost and energy demands of AI infrastructure, Cisco’s APJC managing director of cloud and AI infrastructure, Simon Miceli, said they look at the issue from the opposite angle.

Rather than fearing overcapacity, he said what is happening now is a massive ramp-up to support the industrialization of AI. The question, he says, is not whether the demand for AI exists now, but whether the world is preparing fast enough for what’s coming.

Miceli acknowledges that the AI ​​market is likely to undergo some correction, but believes the long-term need for AI computing power justifies the current level of investment. “There is a race to develop AI and build the capabilities behind it,” he said, adding that demand will eventually match supply as applications mature.

different shades of vigilance

Opinions are divided across the industry as to whether the AI ​​momentum is hype or healthy growth.

According to ReutersSpeaking at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2025, Brian Yeo, chief investment officer of Singapore’s GIC, said valuations for early-stage AI ventures appear to be inflated, with many startups boasting “huge multiples” despite modest revenues. He suggested that while some companies may be able to justify their valuations, others are unlikely to provide returns that meet investors’ expectations.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said that during times of excitement like this, investors often have a hard time distinguishing good ideas from bad, but he also noted that when markets calm down, innovation-driven bubbles often leave real progress behind.

Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs argued that the current surge in AI infrastructure spending remains economically sustainable. He said the long-term case for AI investment is strong, but the ultimate winner remains unclear given the speed at which technology changes and how easily companies can switch providers.

Meanwhile, ABB CEO Morten Willod said: Reuters Although he doesn’t believe there will be an AI bubble, he said supply chain and construction restrictions could slow the rollout of new data centers. Pierre-Olivier Grinchat, the IMF’s chief economist, added that even if there is a recession, investments in AI are unlikely to trigger a systemic financial crisis because they are not debt-based.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the market’s overexcitement, predicting that some investors would incur huge losses while others would make huge profits, an outcome that mirrors past tech bubbles.

Despite the growing buzz about the AI ​​bubble, many investors remain enthusiastic about the space. UBS equity strategists said about 90% of investors who think the market is overheated still hold AI-related assets, suggesting most believe the industry has not yet peaked.

Cycles, not collapses

While concerns about an AI bubble are valid, most experts agree that the long-term impact of this technology is undeniable. As Cisco’s Ben Dawson has noted, major technology transitions go through cycles of hype, fixes, and consolidation, but what’s left behind reshapes the industry for decades.

For now, the question isn’t whether AI will survive, but rather how well companies and investors can weather the growing pains that come with every market bubble.

(Photo provided by Groutica)

See also: NVIDIA GPUs power Oracle’s next-generation enterprise AI services

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI ​​& Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

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Why Gen Z dates for free food

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Why Gen Z dates for free food

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Call it callous or cost-effective, but for some Gen Z singles, a free dinner date beats ramen noodles or a freezer meal.

With rent rising, student loans looming, and job security feeling out of reach, Gen Zers are bringing their financial worries into their dating lives. Nearly one in three Gen Z singles go on a date just for the free food, according to a new study from financial technology company Intuit. The report, titled “The Cuffing Economy,” is another data point on how economic insecurity is changing young people’s dating habits, or decisions.

“If you want to go on a date because you’re interested and excited about the person, and you’ve both talked about who will pay for the date, that’s great,” says Aja Evans, a licensed mental health counselor and financial therapist. “But don’t go on dates or potentially lead people on.”

more: Gen Z isn’t cheating, they’re “monkey barring.” It’s not what you think.

Are “gourmet calls” indifferent or cost-effective?

There are plenty of tongue-in-cheek TikTok videos of single people getting ready for a date because they can’t be bothered to prepare a meal, or bragging about how they won a free date for a meal.

In one video, British singer-songwriter Kiara King shared with her 4.2 million followers: “When you agree to a date but he’s bored and just wants to come over for a free dinner.” In a since-deleted video that has been viewed more than 1 million times, another woman shared on TikTok how she used dating apps to go on 16 consecutive dinner dates after she ran out of money for food in college.

This is a dynamic that also affects LGBTQ+ daters. Brandon Edelman, a gay content creator known as @Bran_Flakezz, wrote on TikTok, “POV: I date a guy just to have dinner.”

Evans said the tone of the video may be playful, but there’s truth behind it.

“Clients who talk about going on a date for a free meal are already financially insecure, so the experience of going out for dinner, coffee, or drinks is fun and makes them feel good, even if they don’t know if the person they’re going with will be interested,” Evans says.

Dates for dinner may be more popular, but it’s nothing new.

In 2019, researchers dubbed the phenomenon “hoodie call,” a playful twist on the well-known term “booty call.” Add in the fact that, according to Pew Research, more than half of adults under 30 report having used dating apps like Tinder, Match, Bumble, and Hinge. Amy Chang, a dating coach and author of Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Mind, previously told USA TODAY that these apps create a “shopping cart mentality” in which daters evaluate users as if they were a product. Evans said these apps help speed up access and scheduling.

more: “Ellie for the Girls” follows a group of attractive men in New York. It made her a viral sensation.

Anxiety is shaping Gen Z’s dating habits

But just because someone is dating doesn’t mean they have extra money to spend, according to Evans. Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are more financially insecure than older generations, and they carry that mentality into their dating lives. In addition to the date itself, single people are also concerned about incidental expenses such as transportation costs.

“People don’t realize that someone might be really struggling financially. Especially given these times, going out is part of socializing, it’s part of culture. And even when you don’t have the funds, some people still want to go out for coffee, have a good conversation, and enjoy those aspects of life.”

More than half of Gen Z daters say they’ve cut back on dating due to financial pressures, the highest rate of any generation, according to the Cuffing Economy report. One in five people avoid dating altogether to save money.

Evans said Gen Z is more comfortable than older generations with transparency about their money, including paychecks, budgets and debt.

“Gen Z is actually the generation that can say, ‘Oh, I’m nervous about this,’ or they’re budgeting and they’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t have the money for this,'” Evans said. “It’s very helpful, but it also puts it out in the open. It can be very scary and difficult for people, especially because it’s a level of vulnerability that not everyone feels.”

How to overcome financial worries before your first date

Evans doesn’t recommend the dinner date strategy. Instead, I encourage my clients to discuss their budget before the first date, regardless of who brings it up. That means suggesting restaurants and bars at different price points, and making it clear whether you’re both comfortable splitting up or whether you expect one of you to pay.

“Someone might say, ‘Hey, let’s go here,’ but it might be beyond their budget and they’ll say, ‘Oh, there are some other options,'” Evans said. “So you don’t even have to say that, but you can offer other options that are a little more cost-effective.”

As gender roles change, so do expectations about who pays for the date. Evans says daters should try to get on the same page before the date.

“It’s a taboo topic that people are nervous about talking about, and I understand that, but I would like to avoid the awkwardness that can happen when the check comes and don’t look at each other or look at change or wallets or purses or anything like that,” Evans says.

Rachel Hale’s role covering youth mental health for USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal Ventures and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Contact her at rhale@usatoday.com. @rachleighhale At X.

With the closure in its 17th day, concerns about pay and benefits are growing. live updates

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With the closure in its 17th day, concerns about pay and benefits are growing. live updates

The next Senate vote to reopen the government is scheduled for Oct. 20, when the funding lapse will be the third longest in history.

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WASHINGTON – The government shutdown has entered its 17th day with no end in sight as federal workers, including military personnel, are left without paychecks and benefits such as food assistance dry up.

The Pentagon has moved the funds to meet the Oct. 15 payday for active-duty soldiers, but the Oct. 31 payments are unclear, raising concerns about how they will make ends meet. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which 42 million people nationwide rely on, will not be able to pay out full benefits in November if the shutdown continues.

No relief is visible on the horizon. The next Senate vote is scheduled for October 20th. At that point, the shutdown would be the third-longest in history, surpassing the 19-day defunding period in 1978 under President Jimmy Carter. The longest shutdown was 35 days in 2018 and 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first term.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that if the government shutdown does not end, there will not be enough money to pay all SNAP benefits for November. “If current spending shortfalls continue, approximately 42 million Americans will not have the funds to fully pay their November SNAP benefits,” the letter to state officials, dated Oct. 10, said.

State health officials across the country, including North Carolina, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have begun warning recipients that they may run out of money for November.

Melissa Schott, a case manager at Fair Tide, a housing nonprofit and thrift store, told Foster’s Daily Democrat in New York that rising property taxes and the approach of winter have heightened concerns about rising costs. “People are very afraid that their basic needs won’t be met,” she said. “I get calls every day about rent, food and utilities.

After 10 o’clockth An Oct. 16 vote on reopening the government failed, but the Senate is scheduled to vote again on Oct. 20 on the House-passed bill.

So far, three senators who caucus with Democrats have joined Republicans in voting in favor of reopening the government. But Republicans need five more Democrats to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to advance the bill.

Voting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Not only did the Senate fail to reopen the government, it also failed to muster enough votes to advance a bill to fund the Pentagon.

If approved, the bill could also resolve questions about how military members are paid, which active-duty military members say is “nervous.” The Pentagon transferred the funds in time for the Oct. 15 payday, but the Oct. 31 paycheck remains uncertain if the shutdown lasts that long.

New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor of bringing forward the defense spending bill. She joins Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. They regularly vote with Republicans and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine to reopen the government.

But most Democrats continued to oppose it even during the health care spending stalemate. The vote was 50-44 (six absentees), falling short of the 60 votes needed to move forward.

President Trump continues to prosecute his political opponents. Who might be next?

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President Trump continues to prosecute his political opponents. Who might be next?

President Trump and his appointees have said more charges against political opponents are planned. Here are some of the targets he has already suggested.

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton became the third prominent Trump critic to face criminal charges on Oct. 16 after the president repeatedly attacked him in public. All three have maintained their innocence and plan to fight the charges.

The day before, President Trump spoke at a press conference at the White House, where Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel stood next to him smiling and recited the names of other people being “investigated.”

“I hope you’re looking at all of them,” Trump said of former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, former Justice Department senior prosecutor Andrew Wiseman and California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff. “And I’m allowed to know that. I’m allowed, you know, I’m technically the chief law enforcement officer.”

The president’s intervention represents a major breach of the once-strong firewall between the White House and the Justice Department.

Former President Bill Clinton sparked a scandal in 2016 by simply having a mundane conversation with Loretta Lynch, President Barack Obama’s attorney general, at a Phoenix airport. At the time, the Justice Department was investigating Clinton’s wife, Hillary, for using a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Its recent history seems strange today. President Trump’s appointees have indicated that more indictments against the president’s personal and political opponents are coming.

“The indictments we’ve seen so far and the indictments we’ll see in the near future are just the beginning,” Patel said in an interview with conservative site Real America’s Voice hours after Trump’s news conference.

Trump himself told reporters on September 26 that he expected more charges against people who investigated or criticized him.

more: Politicization of the Department of Justice? President Trump’s threats take to new level over Comey charges

Asked who else he would target for “retaliation,” Trump said, “I’m sure there will be others.” Here’s a partial summary of who else President Trump has on his list of political targets and why.

has already been indicted

john bolton – Former National Security Adviser to President Trump

Bolton’s Oct. 16 indictment came after federal law enforcement said in a court filing that it obtained documents labeled “confidential,” “confidential,” and “confidential” during a raid on Bolton’s office in August.

For years before that, Trump had repeatedly called for investigations and prosecutions.

After the FBI raided Bolton’s home in August, Trump said of Bolton: “He’s had a really bad life.”

Bolton’s lawyer previously told USA TODAY that many of the references in a review of Bolton’s 2020 book, “The Secret Room: A White House Memoir,” were “pre-approved,” and that the criticisms of Bolton infuriated President Trump.

James Comey – former FBI director

Comey was indicted on Sept. 25 on charges of lying to Congress and obstruction of Congress, days after President Trump told Bondi the statute of limitations was running out.

The charges come after months of pressure from President Trump and after he replaced the U.S. attorney who reportedly refused to pursue the case with a political ally from the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr. Comey maintains his innocence and plans to seek dismissal of the case, citing vindictive and selective prosecution and other issues.

Letitia James — New York State Attorney General

James was indicted on Oct. 9 on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, just weeks after President Trump publicly called for charges.

James’ office filed a civil lawsuit against Trump in 2022, accusing him of fraudulently inflating the value of assets over a period of years to obtain better loan deals. Since then, Trump has begun accusing her of wrongdoing.

more: Former National Security Adviser John Bolton indicted, reports say

Next on President Trump’s hit list:

jack smith, Former Special Prosecutor of the Department of Justice

Smith has long been a target of Trump after leading two criminal investigations against him for his alleged mishandling of classified government records and his alleged role in inciting violence during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“In my opinion, deranged Jack Smith is a criminal,” Trump told reporters at a White House event on Oct. 15, with Bondi, Branch and Patel standing next to him.

Andrew Wiseman, former senior prosecutor at the Department of Justice

Wiseman was the lead prosecutor in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. He interviewed Mr. Smith at an event in London on October 8, and Mr. Smith said his investigation into Mr. Trump was code-based and not political.

President Trump said Wednesday: “The interviewer was Wiseman. I hope they investigate Wiseman as well, but Wiseman is a bad guy.” “And he had a person named Lisa who was his puppet and was really at the top working in the office. I think she should be seen as very strong.”

Mr. Trump was likely referring to Lisa Monaco, President Joe Biden’s deputy attorney general, who he previously accused of misconduct along with Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Smith.

“Deranged Jack Smith, Andrew Wiseman, Lisa Monaco…and the rest of the radical leftist fanatics and thugs who have worked illegally for years to ‘bring me down’ will all be in psychiatric hospitals before the end of my term as President-elect because they are suffering from a horrible disease called Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS!),” Trump wrote in a Nov. 13 article. His Truth Social social media posting platform in 2023.

Lisa Monaco, former Deputy Attorney General

As deputy attorney general, Monaco traditionally runs the large Justice Department and oversees the operations of federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. President Trump has also criticized her for her involvement in the Justice Department investigation and recently called on Microsoft to fire her as president of international affairs.

Senator Adam Schiff, Democratic Party california

After leading the initial impeachment effort during Schiff’s first term as a member of the House of Representatives, President Trump criticized Schiff, calling him a “weirdo” and a “fraud” who should be arrested for treason.

“I’m keeping an eye on Pam because I hope something is done about this,” Trump said of the attorney general in August. “This was a hoax created by the Democratic Party, especially Schiff, crooked Hillary, and the whole group.”

Trump has also repeatedly accused Schiff, who has denied any wrongdoing, of fabricating lies about him and Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The Justice Department is investigating Mr. Schiff on suspicion of mortgage fraud, which Mr. Schiff denies. To that end, Mr. Schiff established a legal defense fund in August.

Christopher Wray, former Trump FBI director

Trump was famously dissatisfied with the FBI director he appointed after his election last November, before urging Wray to resign from the post he held for 10 years.

Since then, President Trump has hinted that Wray could be subject to scrutiny and prosecution, including his baseless claim that the FBI incited the attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, to stop the certification of Biden’s victory. “Many great American patriots were forced to pay a very high price just for the love of their country,” President Trump wrote in a Sept. 27 post on Truth Social. “Then-FBI Director Christopher Wray has important clarification to make.”

Last month, on September 28, President Trump told NBC News that he could “certainly imagine” the Justice Department investigating Wray for his “inappropriate” actions as director.

george soros, Billionaire philanthropist and donor to liberal causes

The Justice Department is reportedly investigating billionaire philanthropist George Soros and his son Alex following repeated attacks by President Trump and his supporters.

Just weeks after President Trump posted on social media that Soros and his son should face criminal charges, a senior Justice Department official reportedly directed several federal prosecutors’ offices to investigate the liberal donor and his Open Society Foundations network.

The New York Times and ABC News reported on September 25 that senior Justice Department official Aakash Singh issued the order in letters to at least a small number of U.S. attorney’s offices, including offices in New York and California. The New York Times said it had obtained a copy of the letter, and ABC News cited anonymous sources who confirmed the contents of the letter.

Open Society, which advocates for equality and justice, denies wrongdoing and says the Trump administration’s accusations of inciting left-wing violence are unfounded. The directive, cited by the Times, reportedly includes material support for arson and terrorism charges.

US intelligence leader

President Trump has also frequently criticized Obama administration intelligence officials who led the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Trump’s calls for political retribution intensified after Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s own director of national intelligence, declassified documents showing that Obama’s CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper tried to falsely accuse Trump of colluding with Russia.

President Trump has been particularly fixated on Brennan, putting him at the top of the list of officials he believes should be charged with “treason.”

Both Mr. Clapper and Mr. Brennan deny wrongdoing.

Who is to blame for the government shutdown? Americans give us their opinion

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Who is to blame for the government shutdown? Americans give us their opinion

The funding crisis is now in its third week, and its effects are becoming more serious. Americans are starting to notice, too.

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  • The federal government shutdown is entering its third week as lawmakers continue to remain in a political stalemate.
  • The government shutdown has caused airlines to ground, museums and parks to close, and federal employees to be furloughed.
  • Americans across the country are feeling the effects and are holding both political parties, Congress as a whole, and the president accountable.

Lawmakers in Congress remain at odds over when and how to reopen the federal government, and Americans in both red and blue states are starting to take notice.

“There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on in both parties,” Scott Wickham said as he walked through the famous Spanish moss-covered trees in Savannah, Georgia. “In the past, we were able to avoid government shutdowns because both parties were working together, but we’re not doing that now. So that’s the problem.”

The funding crisis is now in its third week, and its effects are becoming more serious. Airlines are experiencing turmoil. Many landmarks are closed, including famous museums and zoos. Staff numbers in national parks have been significantly reduced. Massive furloughs and layoffs are causing disruption across the federal workforce. And funding for critical safety net programs like food stamps is running dry.

Still, lawmakers remain in their respective political corners. Democrats are demanding that Republicans strike a deal that improves health care for Americans in exchange for a minority vote to reopen the government. Republicans say they won’t negotiate until the lights are turned on again. There is outrage at the Capitol.

These dynamics can change at any time. But so far, no one in Washington with the authority to end the government shutdown has taken any noticeable action, leaving Americans feeling the pain of a prolonged crisis.

So how is the government shutdown impacting Americans, and who is to blame? We asked Americans in key states, including presidential battleground states and states that will hold crucial midterm elections in 2026, for their views on the impasse.

Melissa Thomas, 30, of Lansing, Michigan, said she tried calling about her Medicaid health insurance but couldn’t get anyone on the phone. She said this is unusual and troubling because there are important questions that need to be answered.

Thomas said he doesn’t know who is responsible for the government shutdown, but that lawmakers in Washington need to resolve the issue.

“I just hope they can figure out what’s going on and get back to what the American people know,” she said.

During a visit to Wilmington, North Carolina, Tim Prehal of Litchfield, Minnesota, said he expected the shutdown to get even worse, especially when it comes to travel.

“I condemn the entire political system,” he said. “There is no one in Congress, no one is doing their job. They are not working for the people. They are working for themselves and the party.”

Samantha Worrell of Burgaw, North Carolina, said Republicans are to blame, “because they control the House, the Senate, and the presidency, and they know that Democrats won’t vote for anything that hurts people, especially around health care.”

Julia Hamilton, who lives in Mebane, North Carolina, was more blunt. She pinned the blame on one person: Trump.

“He’s all talkative, I feel like he doesn’t really know what he’s doing, and he doesn’t really do much for us,” she said.

Tommy Grimm, a Pensacola veteran with deep ties to U.S. Naval Aviation, said he hasn’t been directly hit by the shutdown yet, but he knows others who have been affected. Many people are suffering without getting paid.

When it comes to responsibility, Grimm said it goes both ways.

“If Hamas and Israel can reach a peace agreement, why can’t our members of Congress reach a peace agreement?” he said. “It’s ridiculous, it’s really ridiculous. Their job is to take care of the American people, not fight them day and night. They should stop.”

Contributor: Miles Blumhardt of The Coloradoan in Fort Collins, Colorado. Tallahassee Democrats James Cole and William Hatfield; Brittany Misencik of the Pensacola News Journal. Valentina Palm of the Palm Beach Post. Ansley Franco of the Savannah Morning News. Paul Egan, Arpan Lobo, Clara Hendrickson and Emily Lawler of the Detroit Free Press. Ian Lenahan of the Portsmouth Herald. Bob Liepa of the Wilmington (N.C.) Star-News. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Appleton Post-Crescent, Green Bay Press-Gazette.

There have only been four periods like this in the stock market in 100 years.

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There have only been four periods like this in the stock market in 100 years.

The S&P 500 is on track for another double-digit gain this year.

adam spatacco
|The Motley Fool

^SPX Chart

The stock market spent much of 2025 defying both gravity and logic. Despite persistent geopolitical tensions in Europe and the Middle East, new tariffs, and uncertainty over the timing of Federal Reserve policy decisions, the S&P 500 is up about 13% year-to-date at press time (October 13). But these headline numbers don’t capture all the drama beneath the surface.

The year started on an optimistic note, driven by accelerated investment in artificial intelligence (AI). But the rally was marred by chaos in April when President Trump announced “Emancipation Day” tariffs, a move that briefly shook confidence on Wall Street and spooked retail investors. But since bottoming in mid-April, the S&P 500 index has risen more than 20%, a strong rebound that reignited the bull market.

^SPX data by YCharts

If current momentum is maintained through the end of the year, 2025 will be the third consecutive year of double-digit growth. Such sequences are extremely rare. Over the past century, the index has experienced consecutive annual increases of more than 20% in just four different eras: the 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, and 1990s. While each of these periods produced vast amounts of wealth, they also produced painful lessons, reminding investors that history’s verdict on a sustained bull market is never clear.

Echoes of history: 40 years, 4 results

The 1920s marked America’s first great consumer boom, fueled by rapid industrialization, easy credit, and cultural acceptance of modernity. With this confidence in endless prosperity, the market soared. But as euphoria turned to speculation, valuations drifted away from reality, and the crash of 1929 quickly eroded a decade’s worth of optimism and ushered in the Great Depression.

The 1930s told a very different story. From 1935 to 1936, the S&P 500 index soared a cumulative 69%, only to plummet 38% the following year and rebound 25% in 1938. These notable fluctuations reflected an era defined by economic despair, where bouts of optimism were often replaced by renewed fear. Investors regularly bet on economic recovery, but these gains were fragile and temporary. Essentially, this decade was marked by instability rather than triumph.

In contrast, the 1950s brought real and sustained prosperity. In 1954 and 1955, the S&P 500 rose 45% and 26%, respectively. Unlike previous economic booms, this post-World War II expansion was not driven by speculation but by the rise of a middle-class economy and peacetime stability.

Then the 1990s arrived. This era is very similar to today’s AI-driven market. The Internet has revolutionized commerce, communication, and culture, and propelled stocks into a new stratosphere. But this excitement eventually gave rise to the dot-com bubble, and its collapse in 2000 wiped out trillions of dollars of paper wealth overnight.

Are we in the middle of a bubble or a generational breakthrough?

The current market rally is at the intersection of history’s well-known patterns. Meanwhile, the AI ​​revolution has become the defining investment theme of this generation. Semiconductor, data center, cloud computing, and even nuclear stocks led the charge, changing balance sheets and investor expectations in the process.

Skeptics warn that the AI ​​hype is doomed to repeat the hype of 1999, as valuations become frothy. But calling today’s market a bubble ignores an important nuance. In other words, AI is not a temporary trend. Rather, it could be the beginning of a structural change with lasting economic consequences. It’s more like the advent of electricity and the internet than a momentary story-driven craze.

This reality makes it virtually impossible to predict the path forward. There’s a good chance the market will cool as earnings growth catches up with investors’ high expectations. Or it could kick into gear if AI productivity improvements begin to significantly increase global output.

Either way, this cycle embodies the familiar combination of genuine innovation sprinkled with speculative excitement, a combination that has characterized every great era of progress in market history.

Investment lessons that history always confirms

Trying to predict when the market will soar or when it will fall is an exercise in false precision. A more reliable approach is to own high-quality businesses led by capable management teams, weather periods of volatility, and steadily add winners while cutting out laggards.

History does not provide precise strategies, but one lesson is surprisingly clear. That said, the S&P 500 rewards patience. Markets have endured wars, recessions, bubbles, and crashes. But over the long term, the S&P 500 Index has compounded gains of about 7% per year, after adjusting for inflation.

^SPX Chart

^SPX data by YCharts

Stock markets can lose direction for years at a time, but always find direction again. Through a century of panic, policy shifts, and economic turmoil, one truth remains the same. That is, a characteristic of markets is resilience.

Adam Spatako has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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‘No Kings’ protest organizers concerned but hopeful for rally

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‘No Kings’ protest organizers concerned but hopeful for rally

More than 2,500 people are expected to protest against the regime on October 18, with organizers predicting it will be the largest day of protests in U.S. history.

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Ahead of nationwide “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration, several civil rights and protest groups say they are keen to express widespread opposition to the president’s policies and fear possible retaliation.

Organizers predict the Oct. 18 rally could be “the largest peaceful protest in modern American history,” said Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible.

Indivisible is one of the organizations supporting more than 2,500 congregations across the country. Others include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Religious Freedom Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, and Planned Parenthood.

“This is the American people standing up and saying no. We’re going to live in a democracy,” said Deirdre Schiffering, political and advocacy director at the ACLU. “We don’t have a king, and we don’t want one. We will use our First Amendment right to free speech to protest.”

The reasons for protesting now are:

More than 5 million people attended “No Kings” rallies in June, according to the ACLU.

Since then, however, there have been numerous developments regarding free speech and administrative action.

Organizers cited President Trump’s efforts to deploy the National Guard to a handful of Democratic-led cities.

The assassination of Charlie Kirk also sparked a national debate over the limits of free speech after scores of experts were fired or punished for their social media posts about Kirk.

Hundreds of organizations signed an open letter criticizing the government’s alleged retaliation after Kirk’s death, saying “the government’s vast powers should not be abused to threaten free speech and other constitutionally protected rights.”

In a national ACLU survey conducted at the end of September, only 7% of respondents said they felt free speech was “completely safe” in the United States.

Republicans objected in advance

Republican leaders are pushing back.

In an Oct. 4 X post, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller condemned what he called “a massive movement of left-wing terrorism that is growing in this country.”

“The only remedy is to use legitimate state power to dismantle terrorism and terrorist networks,” he wrote.

Members of the Trump administration and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson have also blamed “No Kings” for the ongoing government shutdown.

White House press secretary Abigail Jackson told USA TODAY that the administration is “focused on stopping the scourge of left-wing violence plaguing American society.”

“Left-wing protesters can pretend to be legitimately protesting the alternate reality they live in, but violence and lawbreaking will not be tolerated,” Jackson said.

Organizers are anxious and excited ahead of the protest

Organizers insist the rally will be peaceful. The ACLU has trained “thousands” of people in de-escalation tactics and vetted thousands of event organizers.

Still, some people are anxious about the protests.

Hunter Dunn, a spokesperson for 50501 SoCal, one of the organizers, said there were “mixed emotions” between protest organizers and participants in the days leading up to “No Kings.”

There is hope and fear, excitement and tension. But “there’s also a lot of joy,” he added, pointing to a recent trend of protesters wearing inflatable animal costumes.

Robert Wiseman, co-chair of Public Citizen, said that organizations “unfortunately need to be mindful of the threat of investigation and persecution for our opinions, not our actions.”

However, he added: “We do not intend to be intimidated.”

The ACLU’s Schiffering said the safety of the protests was “the biggest concern.”

“It’s not because we think these protests are going to be dangerous,” she said. “Quite the opposite. We think they will be peaceful and beautiful.”

At the same time, there may be “tense” moments, especially in cities with National Guard and federal law enforcement presence, said Franklin Rosenblatt, a professor at the University of Mississippi School of Law.

But if all parties understand and abide by their rights and their limits, he said, protesters were simply fulfilling their “ultimate patriotic duty to share their views and agitate for needed change.”

NAACP spokesperson Dominic Whitehead said the organization’s 116 years of history and experience have “prepared it for this moment.”

“We will not stop fighting despite these concerns,” Mr Whitehead said. “We are going to rise to the occasion.”

“Courage is contagious”

Among the goals of “No Kings” organizers are to voice mass opposition, challenge President Trump’s claims that his actions have a “mandate” from the American people, and build community among opponents.

A big part of that, they say, is media coverage.

Seeing millions of people protesting “might teach a lot to people who aren’t part of society,” Dunn said.

Rosenblatt said this was “very uncomfortable” for the administration.

Organizers say the rally will also provide an opportunity for participants to connect with local organizations to continue their actions beyond Oct. 18. Moreover, they said that despite concerns about how the government would react to the movement, large-scale action would make people feel more secure and confident in opposing the regime.

“My experience is that courage is contagious,” Schiffering said.

Breanna Frank is USA TODAY’s First Amendment reporter. Please contact bjfrank@usatoday.com..

USA TODAY’s coverage of First Amendment issues is funded by the Freedom Forum in collaboration with our journalism funding partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Snapple glass bottles are back, but only in one market. Look where.

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Snapple glass bottles are back, but only in one market. Look where.

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New Yorkers know it, love it, and miss it. Snapple in a glass bottle is making a limited return to New York in honor of its birthplace in Brooklyn.

“There’s nothing more nostalgic than the beloved Snapple glass bottle. From the famous Snapple Lady to regular guest appearances on episodes of Next Door, Snapple has remained a household staple for decades,” the company said in a statement.

According to Snapple, the promotion is “all about the return of hometown heroes.” Snapple’s limited edition glass bottles will be available at select retailers and local bodegas in the New York area from October through December, or while supplies last.

The company, now known as Keurig Dr. Pepper, switched from glass to plastic for its bottles after a 2018 deal.

Here’s what you need to know, including where you can get your hands on an OG Snapple bottle or two.

How to get Snapple glass bottles

Limited edition glass bottles are available at CVS, Shoprite, Stop & Shop, and local bodegas in the New York area.

From “Kiwi Strawberry” to “Snapple Apple,” here’s a lineup of five fan-favorite flavors.

  • snapple apple
  • kiwi strawberry
  • peach tea
  • unsweetened peach tea
  • lemon tea

Why was Snapple Phase’s glass bottle discontinued?

In a desire to be more sustainable, Snapple has begun phasing out the glass bottles and metal caps best known for creating its signature “pop.”

“We started by evaluating the bottle design and looking for areas where we could reduce weight and the amount of material used,” Snapple said.

Snapple began phasing out glass bottles in 2017, and will be “completely eliminating” them in 2021. As of October 31, 2020, all Snapple products are made from 100% recycled PET (rPET).

World War III is no longer unthinkable. Here’s why:

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World War III is no longer unthinkable. Here’s why:

For many Europeans and Americans, world war no longer feels like a distant future.

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Earlier this fall, German leader Friedrich Merz assured reporters in Düsseldorf that his country was “not at war.”

Merz was talking about Russia’s repeated attempts to undermine European unity over Russia’s handling of the war in Ukraine. “But we are no longer at peace either,” he added.

The German Chancellor did not mention World War III or even hint that it was about to begin. But he took advantage of a growing sense of unease among some Europeans and Americans. According to the survey, many of them no longer think world war is a distant prospect, but believe it could happen within the next five to 10 years.

Robert Muga, founder of SecDev, a security and intelligence think tank based in Ottawa, Canada, said there is no shortage of signals and confluence of crises that suggest to some extent that “a global war is being waged in multiple areas without being formally announced.”

Putin, Ukraine, and long-range missiles: Why is there talk of World War III?

Airports in Denmark and Poland have been crippled by drones, cyberattacks and other sabotage. Russian military “Little Green Men” wearing the same unmarked uniforms that overran Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014 were recently spotted near the Estonian-Russian border. Military exercises have intensified around Taiwan, which Beijing has vowed to eventually unify with mainland China.

The United States has attacked a suspected illegal drug vessel in waters off the coast of Venezuela, overstepping the bounds of legality. President Donald Trump is also considering a ground attack on Venezuela to stem the flow of drugs. North Korea is sending troops to Ukraine, and Iran is supplying drones. A few months ago, the United States bombed a nuclear facility in Tehran as part of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. The White House has developed the first stages of a Gaza ceasefire plan. Will it last? Relations between India and Pakistan rarely take a dangerous turn amid the ripples between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

“From the Baltics to the Taiwan Strait, governments are actively rearming, refurbishing bunkers and quietly preparing their populations for the worst,” Muga said, adding that his predictive models show that global conflict, including “unthinkable types of nuclear weapons,” is increasing the risk and that “the word crisis is now mainstream.”

Visual description: Poland shoots down Russian drone, triggers NATO Article 4

What are the chances of another world war?

President Trump has responded to and contributed to these escalating threats in a variety of ways.

He campaigned on a promise to end the conflict and avoid new “endless” wars. Since his second term in office, Trump has claimed to have ended at least six wars from Armenia to Rwanda, but many outside experts, analysts and fact-checkers question the true scope and impact of his interventions, even as he has made concrete progress in the Middle East by helping to broker a cease-fire in Gaza and hostage exchanges.

President Trump also wants to change the name of the Pentagon to the Department of the Army, pending approval from Congress. This name was used from 1789 to 1947, a period during which the U.S. military fought in seven wars and conflicts. President Trump has said the rebranding reflects America’s “incredible history of victory” in past world wars, but the name change carries symbolic weight, and Trump’s biggest warrior, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, sees it somewhat differently.

“We’re going to go on offense, not just defense. Not lukewarm legality, but maximum lethality. It’s a violent effect, and it’s not politically correct,” Hegseth said in the Oval Office on September 5, when he announced his intention to change the name. “We’re going to raise warriors, not just defenders. So, Mr. President, this war branch is back, just like America.”

Could nuclear weapons be used in the next war?

But it’s not just the language. Concrete actions and data also increase feelings of anxiety.

President Trump has ordered two nuclear-powered submarines to be placed in “appropriate areas” in response to Russia’s nuclear saber uprising related to the Ukraine war. Three U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers (call signs BUNNY01, BUNNY02, and BUNNY03) have been spotted by flight tracking devices flying near Venezuelan airspace in recent days. These bombers can carry nuclear or conventional weapons.

President Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to seize Greenland from Denmark, by force if necessary.

more: Hegseth wants a leader like General Patton – warts and all.

In 2024, the most recent year for which data is available, the number of state-based armed conflicts worldwide rose from 59 to 61, according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program, based at Uppsala University in Sweden.

These numbers are the second year in a row that UCDP has recorded the highest number of conflicts in its history. The number of wars, defined as armed state-based conflicts resulting in at least 1,000 direct combat deaths in a calendar year, increased from nine to 11, the highest since 2016. In 2025, 10 disputes will already exceed the 1,000 threshold. There may be more by the end of the year.

Therese Pettersson is a senior analyst at UCDP. He said that while the number of state-based armed conflicts and wars has effectively doubled over the past 15 years, one reason people feel, rightly or wrongly, that the world is moving steadily toward global war is because “the rules-based order is no longer really working.” For example, she said, “border disputes that were once handled diplomatically or resolved through negotiations are now rapidly escalating into fighting.”

But Pettersson said there were no “real signs that the conflict is becoming increasingly global.”

“In any case”: 5 ways President Trump’s Greenland saga could play out

Why is Ukraine a big risk?

Still, the Canadian think tank’s Mugar said Russia’s war in Ukraine is perhaps the most obvious flashpoint in a broader escalation of conflict involving other countries. He said that the battlefield in Ukraine was “in a stalemate of attrition,” but that is a lie. Russia is stepping up cross-border attacks, targeting energy networks, and testing NATO airspace across Europe with each such action “risking a conflict that could spread horizontally.”

Prediction markets such as Polymarket seem to agree.

Polymarket predicts that the probability of Russia invading a NATO member state is 5%, rising to 11% by June 2026, and estimates the risk of direct military conflict between Russian and NATO forces to be 18% by the end of 2025.

Russia also has a view on this.

Moscow’s top diplomat has accused NATO and the European Union of using Ukraine to wage war against his country. In a speech on the sidelines of a United Nations conference in late September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said both the military alliance and the political bloc had “declared a real war” against Russia.

President Trump has done the opposite, declaring that there will be no new world wars on his watch.

President Trump signed the Gaza ceasefire plan with world leaders in Egypt on October 13, saying, “This is a rocket ship that took off, and it has been that way from the beginning. And we’ve been hearing for years, long before I ran for president, that this is the greatest deal. This is the largest and most complex deal for the Middle East.”

“Also, this is a place that could cause tremendous problems like World War III. They always talk about World War III starting in the Middle East, but that’s not going to happen. We actually don’t want it to start anywhere.”

Joe Flacco vindicates Mike Tomlin’s concerns as Browns redirect to AFC North

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Joe Flacco vindicates Mike Tomlin’s concerns as Browns redirect to AFC North

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  • Joe Flacco won his first home start for the Bengals. Will it be the first of many this season?
  • Cincinnati embarked on a three-game homestand, but will soon face the Steelers again.
  • What about the Browns? Their decisions are expected to continue to influence the department’s results in 2025.

Week 18. January 4, 2026. “Sunday Night Football”. The match between Joe Flacco and Shedur Sanders entered primetime at Cincinnati’s Peyco Stadium with the AFC North title on the line.

OK, maybe this crystal ball is as accurate as Flacco was with his previous team. But after watching the Bengals’ new, interim, galvanized, gray-haired QB1 beat the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers 33-31 on Thursday night, ending the club’s most recent four-game losing streak, it’s already worth wondering: Will the lowly Cleveland Browns end up crowning the division champion?

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has already given credence to the idea, and you could see it coming from a mile away during a rare lashing out Monday.

“Andrew Berry should be a lot smarter than me and us, because it just doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think is good enough to be an Opening Day starter to a division opponent that’s struggling in that area,” Tomlin said of Cleveland’s GM, who traded Flacco to the Joe Burrow-less Bengals last week.

“But that’s my personal feeling.”

And it was perhaps a little… personal?

Tomlin, who was hired by Pittsburgh in 2007 and is the longest-tenured coach in the NFL, has battled the 40-year-old Flacco for most of the past 18 seasons with mixed results. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has faced the Steelers 26 times in his career, including playoffs, and has won 13 times against Tomlin. The Steelers coach became more cautious Thursday night amid the new Flacco controversy.

“They did what they needed to do to win. They made more plays than us,” Tomlin said of the Bengals.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t give them credit. They fought off their tails.”

But do you think he and the Steelers wouldn’t have liked the chance to work Jake Browning, who is currently working his way back after Burrow suffered a toe injury in Week 2 after a near-disastrous three-game start?

Flacco is clearly enjoying this latest chapter with Pittsburgh and said Thursday night that many of his football war stories involve the loss to the Steelers.

“I have a lot of respect for Mike and our fight,” Flacco said with a smile on his face at the podium after the game. “I always find a way to play them. I love playing them.

“Playing against those guys, just the physicality and the energy was different than any other fight in my career.

“I have nothing but respect for (Tomlin).”

The problem here is that you irrevocably and possibly even disrespect the Browns! − Did you change the AFC North stripes in 2025? Consider:

▶ The Bengals appear to have some new life after starting a three-game homestand with Thursday’s win. Now they can enjoy a 10-day interlude before hosting the winless New York Jets at home, followed by the Chicago Bears. After a Week 10 bye, the Flacco-filled, Browning-less Bengals head to Pittsburgh, where they usually give the Steelers more problems than they do in Cincinnati.

▶ The Bengals’ schedule will feature games against Flacco’s former team, the Baltimore Ravens, in Week 13 (Thanksgiving) and Week 15, but Burrow could be close to returning by then… unless Flacco is a better option. Either way, there is renewed hope for both teams that they could be a relevant matchup.

▶ And to extrapolate this a little further, Cleveland will once again face every division foe this season, including the Steelers in Week 17 and the Bengals in the regular season finale. And while the Browns are rolling off the couch with a shot at making the playoffs in 2023, it’s clear Flacco won’t be at the helm after struggling mightily last month trying to run a limited offense. Moving forward, Cleveland will probably still evaluate rookie QB Dillon Gabriel and Sanders, who are probably the most high-profile players to not play in the regular season. still. However, owner Jimmy Haslam has expressed a desire to see Sanders play someday.

Did you understand everything?

Meanwhile, the Steelers will have to hope that 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers can stay upright and continue leading Pittsburgh to wins with dick-dunks. The Ravens are hoping that a roster with an incredible talent in two-time MVP Lamar Jackson can stay healthy enough to bounce back from an incredible 1-5 start to the season due to injuries. The Bengals, who finally finished 2-0 for the first time in the Burrow era, will have to hope he comes back — right? – to spark the high-powered offense he advocated before Cincy’s historically stingy front office bet most of its cap space on Burrow and wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins being able to ultimately lead this 57-year-old franchise out of the jungle and into Lombardi Land.

Chase and Flacco already seem to have an almost instantaneous rapport, hooking up 26 times for 255 yards and two TDs, most of which came after Flacco’s first-half mulligan in Sunday’s Bengals debut at Green Bay. He’s still trying to make out some of the play calls while scrutinizing head coach Zac Taylor’s Oklahoma accent. But generally speaking? So far, so good.

“I hope we can come out here and play well,” Flacco said after beating the Steelers. “I think it gives us a lot of confidence to go out there now and do it the way we have the last six quarters, and hopefully we can take that over and use it to our advantage.”

He targeted Chase 23 times against Pittsburgh, more than the rest of Cincinnati’s players combined, hitting him 16 times for 161 yards and one score. Flacco gained 342 yards and three TDs through the air, but Cincinnati’s offense was unusually balanced as well, producing a season-high 142 rushing yards (so far).

“Honestly, it was amazing,” Chase said on Prime Video’s post-match set.

What about the Browns? Like their Week 1 starters, they don’t have a quarterback of their past. Their current quarterback hasn’t won a game yet. Their quarterback of the future could be acquired through one of two first-round picks in 2026. And Cleveland is clearly more motivated to trade a veteran like Flacco at the cost of upgrading next year’s sixth-round draft pick to a fifth-round pick than trying to win as many games as possible right now.

It’s an approach that’s already costing the Steelers money, and it could have further repercussions.

And Bengals fans know that, appropriately shouting “Thank you, Cleveland” after Thursday’s potentially season-saving win.

All your NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th Monday Newsletter.

Introducing glow-in-the-dark specialty cups from Raising Cane’s. How to get it.

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Introducing glow-in-the-dark specialty cups from Raising Cane’s. How to get it.

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Rising Cane’s, like its fast-food competitors, is going all-in on Halloween.

The Louisiana-based restaurant chain is currently offering customers a different Halloween-themed menu this fall that’s “bold, bright, and glows at night.”

“For the first time,[Raising Cane’s]is offering limited-edition glow-in-the-dark specialty cups and an original ghostly virtual reality experience, launching in restaurants nationwide and online this October,” the brand said in a new release.

Designed to complement its special glow-in-the-dark Halloween cups, the brand offers customers access to a “virtual reality experience” with the purchase of a limited edition beverage container. Specialty cups will be available until Halloween on Friday, October 31st, while supplies last.

According to Raising Cane’s, “Customers can also enjoy pumpkin fun all season long with in-restaurant signage, events at select markets, and digital support across Raising Cane’s website and social media channels.”

Here’s how to get it:

When will Raising Cane’s Halloween-themed specialty cups be available?

Raising Cane customers can purchase Halloween-themed specialty cups launched this week until Friday, October 31st.

How to access Raising Cane’s “virtual reality experience”

Accessible through a QR code printed on the cup and signage inside the restaurant, entry to the VR experience is guaranteed upon purchase of the cup or while dining inside the restaurant.

“The digital activation invites fans to a haunted version of Cane’s Restaurant, complete with cheerful ghosts, light-up games, a festive merchandise shop and plenty of surprises,” the brand said.

Customers who complete the “Capture the Bat” game through the VR experience may be eligible to receive a variety of fun treats, including free fries, toast, sauce, and even free shipping on items.

How to get Raising Cane’s special Halloween-themed cup

Get a special glow-in-the-dark Halloween cup for $1.39 when you purchase a Raising Cane combo or 32-ounce beverage.

Raising Cane’s says its signature cups are “made to glow long after the meal is over, serving as a seasonal keepsake and a fun way to bring the Halloween spirit with every sip.”

“Featuring a Halloween-inspired design of bats, ghosts, and a festive rendition of Cane III, the brand’s iconic yellow lab, this collectible cup is the perfect way to celebrate the spooky season in style while sipping on freshly brewed iced tea or lemonade with Cane’s signature crushed ice,” the chain said.

News organizations and brands gather in New York for the first “NewsFronts” event

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News organizations and brands gather in New York for the first “NewsFronts” event

NEW YORK — From new opportunities presented by AI to a growing focus on video storytelling, news remains an important way for brands to connect with consumers, despite concerns that some people will turn away from controversial or sensitive content.

That was the main message at NewsFronts, the inaugural event hosted by marketing services firm Stagwell Global on Oct. 16 to connect news organizations with potential advertisers.

The daylong gathering in New York City featured panels and presentations from representatives from Gannett | The USA TODAY Network, the New York Times and nearly two dozen other news organizations are hoping to drum up interest from brands whose ad dollars can boost the industry’s bottom line as they navigate the rapidly changing way people consume news. Gannett | USA TODAY Network is a Stagwell partner, as are many hosting organizations.

Mark Penn, chief executive officer and chairman of Stagwell Global, said the company launched its “Future of News” initiative last year to allay the concerns of advertisers worried about brand safety and customer churn when ads appear alongside stories that offend some readers or viewers.

“We launched an initiative to help advertisers provide unbiased coverage of the news,” he said in an interview with USA TODAY. “We surveyed 50,000 people and[showed them]ads for different articles: Biden articles, Trump articles, Middle East articles, sports articles. And it really made no difference. So this whole… idea that people would attribute the news next to that news to your brand was never true.”

AI is the “conversation starter”

The New York event was a type of so-called “upfront,” in which TV networks traditionally introduce upcoming shows to marketers. Instead of new sitcoms and talent contests, the focus was on news, with executives talking about their company’s unique services and initiatives.

Kristin Roberts, president of Gannett Media, highlighted the popular Ad Meter, which allows the public to rate their favorite Super Bowl ads. First launched in 1989, more than 173,000 panelists voted for commercials to air during this year’s Big Game.

“We’ve been delivering since 1876”: Budweiser commercial starring beloved Clydesdale wins USA TODAY Ad Meter

Roberts said Ad Meter provides “first-hand knowledge of what resonates, what surprises, and what hits home,” adding that the company is considering extending Ad Meter to the World Cup, and this year launched Movie Meter, a movie-focused site where readers can watch trailers of Oscar-nominated films and choose their favorites.

“Whether it’s honoring trailblazing women through our Women of the Year event or amplifying the voices of emerging music artists through USA TODAY’s Acoustic, we create moments that move people and influence purchasing power,” she said.

Panelists also addressed how AI is being used to enhance journalism and improve the reader experience.

Renn Turiano, Chief Consumer and Product Officer at Gannett | USA TODAY Network. “But we also leverage newsroom tools to free journalists from the grunt work and allow them to focus on what they do best, the work that is most valuable to consumers.”

Readers may visit a chatbot to ask basic questions, but those questions “start a conversation, but they’re not an actual conversation,” Tulliano said. “As readers dig deeper into the results, it creates a conversation between journalists and readers.”

Many say such innovations offer new ways to cater to an already important and loyal audience. Guy Griggs, CNN’s senior vice president of ad sales and client partnerships, noted that 80.4 million U.S. adults are characterized as “news junkies.”

“If we can’t reach them, we’re hurting the company and, most importantly, the bottom line,” he said, touting new initiatives that include more direct engagement with CNN viewers and the cable network’s anchors.

“Now is the time to advertise in the news”: Brand advertising on news sites is not dangerous, it is absolutely necessary | Opinion

Advertising in the news can lead to big profits

Penn emphasized how news can be a useful showcase for brands. Mr. Stagwell found that ad campaigns on news platforms had an average return on ad spend of three times the previous year.

But Penn said that to ensure the public is well-informed, it’s important to go beyond profits to ensure news organizations have the financial means to do their jobs.

“The news industry is not dead. It’s undervalued,” Penn told conference attendees. “A thriving free press is not a luxury; it is an informed public, a functioning democracy, and an infrastructure for effective marketing.”

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