Business News

Artificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot

NEW YORK (AP) — The generative artificial intelligence boom has led to the emergence of more companion chatbots. Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions, companion bots use vast amounts of training data to mimic human language. But they also come with features — such as voice calls, picture exchanges and more emotional exchanges — that allow them to form deeper connections with the humans on the other side of the screen. On online messaging forums devoted to such apps, many users say they’ve developed emotional attachments to these bots and are using them to cope with loneliness, play out sexual fantasies or receive the type of comfort and support they see lacking in their real-life relationships.

Stock market today: Wall Street looks to rebound after inflation data clipped markets this week

Wall Street was poised to bounce back after surprisingly high U.S. inflation data sent stocks sliding on Tuesday. Futures for the S&P 500 rose 0.5% before the bell Wednesday and futures for the Dow gained 0.3%. With little in the way of market-moving economic data coming Wednesday, markets turned their attention to corporate earnings. Lyft shares jumped 62% after the bell Tuesday thanks to a typo in the the ride-hailing company’s earnings release that sent investors’ algorithms — also known as “bots” — into a buying frenzy. After the company corrected the typo, shares came back down, but are still up more than 20%.

Airplane bumps into fence in third mishap in 2 weeks at Norway’s main airport

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Scandinavian Airlines says one of its planes has struck a fence at the Oslo airport, causing minor damage to the aircraft and no injuries. The plane was grounded. It was the third mishap in two weeks reported at Norway’s main airport. The airport says two of the three recent incidents occurred at the same gate, which now has been closed. On Tuesday, a Norwegian plane headed for Kristiansand hit another airplane, clipping its wing. An airport spokeswoman says all incidents will be reviewed.

US inflation slows but remains elevated in sign that price pressures are easing only gradually

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer inflation in the United States cooled last month yet remained elevated in the latest sign that the pandemic-fueled price surge is only gradually and fitfully coming under control. The consumer price index rose 0.3% from December to January, up from a 0.2% increase the previous month. Compared with a year ago, prices are up 3.1%. That is less than the 3.4% figure in December and far below the 9.1% inflation peak in mid-2022. But the latest reading is still well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target level at a time when public frustration with inflation has become a pivotal issue in President Joe Biden’s bid for re-election.

Chocolates, flowers and procrastination. For many Americans, Valentine’s Day is a last-minute affair

Valentine’s Day is meant to celebrate romance and the depths of feeling we have for loved ones. So it may be surprising how much Valentine’s shopping is done at the last minute. Nearly half of U.S. spending on Valentine’s Day flowers, candy and cards occurred between Feb. 11 and Feb. 14 in 2022 and 2023, according to Numerator, a market research company. Walmart says around 75% of its Valentine’s Day sales happen on Feb. 13 and 14. OpenTable says last year, 30% of Valentine’s Day dinner reservations were made the day before and 18% were made on the holiday itself.

Lab-grown diamonds come with sparkling price tags, but many have cloudy sustainability claims

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lab-created diamonds come with sparkling claims: that they are ethically made by machines running on renewable energy. But many don’t live up to these claims or don’t respond to questions about their electricity sources, and lab diamonds require a lot of electricity. They are chemically the same as diamonds found in the ground, but cost a fraction of the price, which appeals to younger people facing high costs of living. Proponents of mined diamonds counter the marketing campaigns, saying natural diamonds hold their value better for longer and are more rare, thus more special.

Plush wars? Squishmallows toy maker and Build-A-Bear sue each other over ‘copycat’ accusations

NEW YORK (AP) — It turns out there are actually a lot of sharp elbows in the plush toy business. Build-A-Bear and Squishmallows maker Kelly Toys are now facing off in federal court. In a lawsuit filed Monday, Kelly Toys and parent company Jazwares accused Build-A-Bear’s new “Skoosherz” products of copying the look and feel of their mega-popular Squishmallow toys. Build-A-Bear soon clapped back with its own lawsuit — saying that its “Skoosherz” toys were based on its own original stuffed animals that have been around for years. Jazwares’ is owned by Alleghany Corp., an insurance giant controlled by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

ESPN, College Football Playoff agree on 6-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually, AP sources say

Two people with knowledge of the agreement say ESPN and the College Football Playoff have agreed to a six-year deal worth $1.3 billion annually that will allow the network to keep exclusive rights to the 12-team playoff through the 2031 season. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because a deal cannot be finalized until the CFP works through other outstanding issues regarding the format and revenue distribution. The Athletic first reported an agreement had been reached on those terms. ESPN declined to comment and CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock says negotiations are continuing.

Jared Kushner, former Trump adviser, defends business dealings with Saudi Arabia

NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s former White House adviser and his son-in-law, is defending his business dealings with the Saudi crown prince after leaving the U.S. government. Kushner, speaking at a summit in Miami on Tuesday sponsored by media company Axios, said he followed every law and ethics rule. He dismissed the idea of there being any concerns about the appearance of a conflict of interest in his business deal and said all of his work in the Trump administration was in America’s best interest. He also defended Prince Mohammed, who was implicated in the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, when asked if he believed U.S. intelligence reports that the prince approved the 2018 killing, saying “I know the person who I dealt with.”

JetBlue shares soar as activist investor Carl Icahn takes a stake in the airline

Shares of JetBlue are up more than 18% in Tuesday afternoon trading as activist investor Carl Icahn took an almost 10% stake in the airline. Icahn, who purchased shares in January and February, said in a regulatory filing that he believe JetBlue’s stock is undervalued and represents an attractive investment opportunity. He has had talks, and plans to continue talking with JetBlue in regards to possible representation on its board of directors.