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Today โ€” 6 June 2025News

I took my first cruise on one of the largest ships of its kind. Booking the wrong room was my biggest regret.

6 June 2025 at 09:52
A composite image of the author standing on an outdoor cruise ship deck with plants and water slides in the background, and inside a cruise stateroom with a white bed in front of a rectangular window showing the front of the ship.
Business Insider's reporter regretted booking a room at the front of Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

  • Booking a room at the front of the ship was my biggest regret on my first cruise.
  • On Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, I learned that rooms at the front are bumpier than others.
  • I booked the front room of deck eight and felt seasick for most of my voyage.

The first night of my first cruise was terrifying. The floor trembled beneath me as I was startled by booming noises that sounded like the crashing of heavy items on decks above and below mine.

Determined to stay awake and prepared for disaster, I sat stiffly on the couch. I read the emergency instructions over and over for what felt like hours until I accidentally fell asleep.

When I woke up, I rushed out the door to ensure everything was all right. As seemingly unfazed cruisers filled the buffet and lined up for the water slides, I realized I'd experienced a normal night at sea.

This was back in April 2022 when I booked a room on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Royal Caribbean's 18-deck Wonder of the Seas.

For $2,000, I spent seven nights in a 179-square-foot ocean-view stateroom at the very front of deck eight. It was a mid-tier room โ€” a step above the windowless interior staterooms, a step below staterooms with a balcony, and two steps below a suite.

The author, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and a sun hat, sits on an unmade bed with white sheets in a stateroom.
The reporter sits on the bed in her stateroom.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I unknowingly booked a room where movement on the ship felt the strongest

After my first rocky night aboard the ship, I wondered whether everyone had the same experience. So, I talked to some fellow passengers who were seasoned cruisers. They told me that the front of the ship is one of the worst places to be if you're often seasick. They said that higher decks in the middle of the ship feel calmer and more stable.

Since my room on the 18-deck ship was situated at the front of the eighth floor, I felt constant motion in my room. As someone who gets motion sickness from the slightest movement of bathwater, this spoiled many aspects of my first cruise.ย 

two images of a window on cruise ship
The reporter's stateroom window shows the front of the ship.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Some nights were rockier than others. On the roughest nights, I heard and felt a similar sensation to thunder beneath me every few minutes. Loud thumps and heavy vibrations in my room sounded like large pieces of furniture falling.

During the days at sea, it was especially challenging for me to eat and participate in activities. And I didn't feel rested for my excursions at port stops, which included hikes in the sun.

Some cabins can be rockier than others, like those situated at the front of the cruise ship

The back of Wonder of the seas cruise ship docked
The reporter's room was at the front of the ship.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Cruise passengers prone to motion sickness should book a room in the middle of the ship to feel the least amount of rocking.

I wish I'd researched how the location of a cabin can affect the amount of motion you feel while the ship is moving before booking my cruise. Next time, I'd choose a room in the middle of the ship.

Read the original article on Business Insider

The most daring outfits Dakota Johnson has ever worn, from see-through dresses to mismatched shoes

6 June 2025 at 09:49
Dakota Johnson attends the "Madame Web" premiere in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 2024.
Dakota Johnson at the "Madame Web" premiere in Los Angeles on February 12, 2024.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  • When it comes to fashion, Dakota Johnson has a chic and seemingly effortless style.
  • However, the "Fifty Shades of Grey" star also regularly experiments with daring looks.
  • She's worn sheer dresses, plunging necklines, mismatched shoes, and more.

If you somehow haven't noticed, Dakota Johnson has been everywhere lately.

She made multiple appearances at the Cannes Film Festival in May, has since been photographed all over New York City, and has appeared on multiple late-night talk shows this month.

The 35-year-old actor has, of course, been promoting her film "Materialists," which she stars in alongside Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans.

All the while, she's stood out in her signature style: chic, effortless outfits that are also quite bold. Here's a look at the most daring looks she's worn lately, and ones she's donned in the past.

Dakota Johnson's bold red-carpet style can be traced back to her 2012 appearance at a GQ party.
Dakota Johnson at a GQ party in 2012.
Dakota Johnson at a GQ party in 2012.

John Shearer/Invision/AP

For the event, she wore a long-sleeved lace top over a black bra and tucked the former into high-waisted leather pants.

By 2013, she was already elevating her daring fashion.
Dakota Johnson at the LACMA 2013 Art + Film Gala.
Dakota Johnson at the 2013 LACMA Art + Film Gala.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

At the LACMA Art + Film Gala that year, she wore a black Gucci dress with multiple daring elements. It had netted sleeves up top, golden feathers across her chest, and green fringe on her skirt.

The actor showed the playful side of her style in 2015.
Dakota Johnson in New York City on February 7, 2015.
Dakota Johnson in New York City in February 2015.

Raymond Hall/Getty Images

While in New York City, she wore a fuzzy green vest over a tan jumpsuit. And she didn't stop there.

Johnson also wore strappy heels and sunglasses that made the casual outfit look dramatic and glam.

For the UK premiere of "Fifty Shades of Grey," Johnson wore a striking Saint Laurent gown.
Dakota Johnson at the UK premiere of "Fifty Shades of Grey" in 2015.
Dakota Johnson at the 2015 premiere of "Fifty Shades of Grey" in London.

Jonathan Short/Invision/AP

The white dress had thin straps and a plunging neckline embellished with crystals.

She then attended the 2015 Venice Film Festival in a backless, blush-colored gown.
Dakota Johnson at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.

Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

The Prada design hugged her body in the front and revealed her tattoos on her back.

Johnson embraced sheer fashion again for the 2015 "Trumbo" premiere.
Dakota Johnson at the "Trumbo" premiere in September 2015.
Dakota Johnson at the "Trumbo" premiere in September 2015.

Michael Tran/Getty Images

She walked the red carpet that night in a black velvet gown with sheer sleeves and matching mesh panels across her waist and legs.

Plunging necklines remained a staple of the actor's wardrobe in 2017.
Dakota Johnson at the "Fifty Shades Darker" premiere in 2017.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 "Fifty Shades Darker" premiere in Los Angeles.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

At the "Fifty Shades Darker" premiere that year, Johnson arrived in a shapeless Valentino gown with a V-neckline that plunged below her chest.

A few weeks later, she went full metallic for the Oscars.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 Oscars.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 Oscars in Los Angeles.

Kevork Djansezian/Stringer/Getty Images

Her gold Gucci gown was made from satin. It had a high pleated neckline, long sleeves, and an oversize bow at the waist.

She then stood out at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in a semi-sheer Gucci gown.
Dakota Johnson in Italy on September 24, 2017.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Milan.

David M. Benett/Getty Images

The skin-revealing design was made from black tulle, Swarovski crystals, and recycled brass.

Johnson embraced the "no-shirt" trend at the 2017 Hollywood Film Awards.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 Hollywood Film Awards.
Dakota Johnson at the 2017 Hollywood Film Awards in Beverly Hills.

Danny Moloshok/Reuters

She wore a vibrant red suit jacket with no shirt underneath, matching trousers, and a diamond choker. Equally daring were her mismatched heels, which had giant crystals on one shoe but not the other.

In 2018, the actor put a glamorous twist on the sheer trend at the Venice Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson at the 2018 Venice Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson at the 2018 Venice Film Festival.

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images

She wore a strapless Dior gown made from lace with a corset-style bodice and sheer skirt.

She later opted for a dramatic gown at the Marrakech Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson at the 2018 Marrakech Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson at the 2018 Marrakech Film Festival.

Dominique Charriau/Getty Images

Johnson wore a Givenchy look with brown fabric surrounding its asymmetrical metallic bodice and a matching silver belt.

Johnson swapped her usual gowns for a bold minidress in 2019.
Dakota Johnson at a 2019 film screening.
Dakota Johnson at a 2019 film screening in Hollywood.

Jon Kopaloff/Stringer/Getty Images

She walked the red carpet at "The Peanut Butter Falcon" screening in a Saint Laurent design. It featured a large bow as a top, a triangle cutout at the chest, and all-over crystal designs.

Johnson wore one of her most daring and stunning looks at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.
Dakota Johnson attended the premiere of the movie "The Lost Daughter."
Dakota Johnson at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.

Daniele Venturelli/WireImage/Getty Images

Her silver Gucci gown had a plunging neckline, a see-through bodice and skirt, and crystal fringe.

The see-through corset she wore to "The Lost Daughter" premiere was also bold.
Dakota Johnson at "The Lost Daughter" premiere.
Dakota Johnson at "The Lost Daughter" premiere in New York City.

Monica Schipper/Stringer/Getty Images

Johnson paired it with leather pants, pointed pumps, and a diamond necklace.

However, she took her daring fashion to another level the next day.
Dakota Johnson wears a daring dress in New York City on September 30, 2021.
Dakota Johnson greets fans in New York City in September 2021.

MEGA/Getty Images

While meeting fans in New York City, Johnson was photographed wearing a cream-colored dress with a high slit in its skirt that almost reached her hips.

In November 2021, Johnson attended a fashion show in a fringe minidress.
Dakota Johnson at Gucci's Love Parade fashion show on November 2, 2021.
Dakota Johnson at a 2021 Gucci fashion show in Los Angeles.

Donato Sardella/Getty Images

Her Gucci frock was held together by sparkling belts strapped across her chest, and matched her Gucci-logo tights.

She wore Gucci again in December 2021. The look was even more eye-catching than her last.
Dakota Johnson at the LACMA Art + Film Gala on November 6, 2021.
Dakota Johnson at the 2021 LACMA Art + Film Gala in California.

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

She wore pink satin pants โ€” they were so wide they resembled a skirt โ€” and a cropped, crystal-covered top that was sleeveless with a deep V-neckline.

At the 2022 Met Gala, Johnson wore a see-through catsuit made from black lace.
Dakota Johnson at the 2022 Met Gala.
Dakota Johnson at the 2022 Met Gala.

Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty Images

The "naked" design from Gucci was covered with long silver fringe and delicate sparkles.

To kick off 2023, Johnson wore her own version of a Canadian tuxedo.
Dakota Johnson attends a Sundance event in Park City, Utah, on January 19, 2023.
Dakota Johnson at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

The Magda Butrym look included a denim bustier, a matching trench coat, and baggy jeans.

She went the opposite direction in May that year.
Dakota Johnson attends a Gucci runway show in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16, 2023.
Dakota Johnson at a 2023 Gucci runway show in Seoul, South Korea.

The Chosunilbo JNS/Getty Images

For a Gucci runway show, Johnson wore black lingerie underneath a see-through slip dress and monogrammed coat.

In 2024, Johnson wore the most sheer gown of her career.
Dakota Johnson attends the "Madame Web" premiere in Los Angeles, California, on February 12, 2024.
Dakota Johnson attends the "Madame Web" premiere in Los Angeles on February 12, 2024.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

At the "Madame Web" premiere, Johnson sported a custom chainmail gown from Gucci that sparkled in the light. It was sleeveless, plunged at the neckline, and see-through.

Though the gown did appear to have a small lining, it matched the actor's skin tone perfectly and created the illusion that she was only wearing the crystal links.

Johnson is still staying loyal to sheer clothes in 2025.
Dakota Johnson walks around New York City on June 5, 2025.
Dakota Johnson in New York City at the start of June.

Aeon/GC Images/Getty Images

In early June, she was photographed walking around New York City in a maroon bodysuit beneath a black tulle dress.

The latter had long sleeves, a wrapped neckline, and a flared skirt, making for a classic silhouette. However, it was entirely see-through.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Amazon freezes hiring budget for its big retail business this year

6 June 2025 at 09:42
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

Brendan McDermid/REUTERS

  • Amazon's retail business won't grow its hiring budget this year.
  • An Amazon spokesperson said the company is still hiring.
  • CEO Andy Jassy's cost-cutting measures aim to boost profit margins and operational efficiency.

Amazon's retail business is locking down its hiring budget.

According to an internal email, this major part of the company will keep a "flat headcount opex," or operating expenses, this year compared to 2024. Headcount operating expense refers to employee salaries plus their stock-based compensation, the email noted.

The update was shared earlier this year by a finance leader in Amazon's retail unit. This executive explained that any increase in the hiring budget will be "scrutinized" and require "strong supporting reasons." Business Insider obtained copy of the email.

The retail business is also shifting from managing "opex targets versus headcount targets," according to the email. That likely means managers now have a strict predefined budget allocated to their teams, instead of specific headcount targets when hiring.

These changes only apply to corporate employees in Amazon's retail business. They do not apply to staff working in Amazon warehouses and in the company's cloud division, Amazon Web Services.

The retail organization includes everything from Amazon's online marketplace to its logistics arm and Fresh grocery business.

In an email to BI, Amazon spokesperson Zoe Hoffman said this is the "responsible way" to grow a company of its size, and stressed that not growing the hiring budget in a given year is not the same as not hiring. Amazon continues to hire across the company, she added.

"Each of Amazon's many businesses has its own approach to hiring based on its individual needs," Hoffman added in a statement. "However, across the company, we've historically considered both the number of people we need to hire and the associated costs โ€” that is, Operating Expenses or OpEx โ€” of those hiring decisions."

The move underscores CEO Andy Jassy's relentless push for increased efficiency and higher profit margins.

Since taking over in 2021, he's slashed jobs, revamped pay, trimmed management layers, and even reconsidered Amazon's product listing approach, all in the name of saving money and driving efficiency. Amazon reported record profit of $59 billion in 2024, nearly double its 2023 result.

Holding the hiring budget steady could encourage Amazon retail managers to get smarter and more flexible with compensation expenses. HR professionals say budget-based planning offers tighter financial control than headcount targets. That can be useful in uncertain business environments.

Staying within limits

The email said Amazon retail CEO Doug Herrington inspected operating expenses "very closely throughout the last two years." The retail organization also recently launched new financial reporting and analysis tools for tracking headcount and operating expenses. Some of the new features include the ability to plan headcount mix by job level, technical skills, and tenure, according to the email.

Amazon has been on a yearslong cost-cutting spree. After booming during the pandemic, the online retail and cloud giant's growth slowed, triggering cutbacks in warehouse growth and the closure of some experimental ventures.

Headcount has also leveled off. The company doubled its workforce to 1.6 million from 2019 to 2021, but that number dipped to 1.55 million last year. Amazon has cut at least 27,000 employees since late 2022.

Managing headcount instead of a hiring budget lets managers bring on high-cost talent without worrying much about salary, David Kryscynski, a human resources professor at Rutgers, told BI. But with a fixed labor budget, he said, managers are more likely to stay within financial limits, either by hiring less or opting for lower-cost candidates.

This model also gives managers more staffing flexibility, said Shaun Pichler, a management professor at California State University, Fullerton. Without headcount targets, they can bring on cheaper contractors or temporary workers. And they're not pressured to spend the full budget, often resulting in leaner teams.

"Tech firms have more widely adopted OpEx targets post-pandemic for largely the same reasons โ€” high labor costs, reduced revenues, and to give managers more flexibility," Pichler said.

Amazon's retail arm remains laser-focused on cutting costs. At an internal all-hands meeting earlier this year, retail chief Doug Herrington told employees that belt-tightening would likely extend into 2025, even as the company pours money into major investments elsewhere, BI previously reported.

"We have to keep reducing costs so that we can afford the big investments in big new businesses," Herrington said.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 650-942-3061. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

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Trump's Pentagon keeps sending destroyers that fought in the Red Sea to the US southern border — a fourth one is on its way

6 June 2025 at 09:37
Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG-67) moors off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, April 15, 2025.
USS Cole becomes the latest destroyer to be deployed to the southern border mission.

US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Emily Farnsworth

  • The Defense Department is sending another destroyer, USS Cole, to the southern border mission.
  • Cole is the latest destroyer to go from the Red Sea conflict to America's backyard.
  • The warship is one of the many military assets the White House has sent to the US-Mexico border.

A fourth US Navy destroyer that participated in the Red Sea conflict is on its way to support President Donald Trump's southern border mission, bringing a range of advanced naval combat capabilities to a very different operating environment.

The Navy announced Friday that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Cole had left its homeport in Florida to support US Northern Command's "border security objectives."

The Trump administration has made cracking down on maritime-related criminal activity, including weapons smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration, a top priority, and the Defense Department has sent military assets to the US-Mexico border. Among these assets are five destroyers and a littoral combat ship on staggered deployments.

Cole, like the other warships, is set to be accompanied by a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment. They specialize in military operations at sea, such as counterterrorism, counterpiracy, and anti-immigration missions.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers like the Cole are advanced naval surface ships with robust communications and sensor suites and are suited for long-endurance missions. These vessels can be armed with surface-to-air and land-attack missiles. Other armaments include the ship's five-inch deck gun, machine guns, and a Phalanx Close-In Weapons System.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) arrives in port for Fleet Week Fort Lauderdale, Apr. 22, 2025.
USS Cole left its homeport in Florida on Thursday.

US Navy photo by Jacob Sippel/released

The Navy said that the Cole's deployment to the southern border "aims to enhance maritime security and support interagency collaboration in the region through presence operations" and the support of the Coast Guard operators, who can perform vessel boardings, searches, and seizures to target drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and maritime criminal activity.

Cole's new assignment makes it the latest destroyer to go from the Red Sea conflict, where it defended international shipping lanes from attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, to patrolling the waters near the US-Mexico border.

It follows in the footsteps of USS Gravely, USS Stockdale, and USS Spruance, which all had extensive Middle East deployments last year.

When the Cole arrives in the Gulf of Mexico, which the Trump administration has renamed the Gulf of America, it will be one of two destroyers actively participating in the mission. The other warship, USS Sampson, departed its homeport in San Diego a few days ago and will be operating in the Pacific Ocean.

Read the original article on Business Insider

I was running out of cash and needed to make ends meet. My home equity agreement saved me.

6 June 2025 at 09:32
A hand opening a door with a key that has a house keychain.
Many homeowners, like Eileen Perry, tap into their home equity during financial hardship.

baona/Getty Images

  • Eileen Perry, 57, was unemployed and struggling to buy groceries and pay her bills.
  • She turned to a company that gives homeowners cash in exchange for a share of the home's future sale price.
  • Perry will owe thousands when she sells her home, but says the relief she has now makes it worth it.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eileen Perry, a 57-year-old from North Carolina. Perry entered a home equity agreement with the financial services company Unlock to access her home equity. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm originally from New Jersey, where I lived with my husband and my son. In 2023, my husband passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer. He left me well-off enough that I was able to buy a home in North Carolina for $260,000 outright, in cash.

Unfortunately, timing is everything. I had an on-the-job injury; I broke my back, and I'm still suffering from back issues. I'm currently waiting for my permanent disability Social Security, so I have no income. My son, who lives with me โ€” he's 27 โ€” is also disabled and unable to work right now. So the two of us have no income.

We've been in North Carolina for almost two years, and my sister has supported us. But I didn't want to keep relying on her. I knew I owned 100% of my home's equity and thought, "Maybe there's something I can do with this."

I tried to get a home equity loan, or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). But because I have no income, and had fallen behind on all my credit cards and bills, my credit score took a major dive. I couldn't qualify. I even tried to get a loan with a cosigner, but my application was denied.

It felt like everyone was closing a door in my face, but I still thought, "There has to be someone out there who can help me."

An HEA was the right solution for me

I was scouring the internet when a home equity company, Unlock, popped up. I started researching home equity agreements and thought it could be a perfect fit for me.

Unlock's home equity agreement (HEA) is different from a loan, HELOC, or reverse mortgage, which typically has an age requirement. Instead of owning the deed or title to a home, they place a lien on the property.

Homeowners access their equity by receiving an investment payment from Unlock. In exchange, the company receives a percentage of the home's value.

There are no monthly payments, and homeowners can buy out their agreement at any point within 10 years, either with partial payments or all at once. For many homeowners, the equity buy-back happens when they sell their home.

To qualify for an agreement, I needed a valid ID, proof of ownership of my home, and a credit score of at least 500, which was great for me. I also needed current and up-to-date homeowner's insurance.

My $45,000 home equity agreement became effective in September 2024. After paying $2,205 to Unlock for an origination fee, $340 for the home's appraisal, and $720 for settlement costs, I received $41,735 in October for my first HEA.

Eileen Perry (right) and her friend (left).
Eileen Perry (right) and her friend (left).

Courtesy of Eileen Perry

In May 2025, I needed more funds for day-to-day expenses, so I canceled the original HEA balance and replaced it with a new HEA agreement totaling $93,500.

My funds have paid off outstanding property taxes and other bills I wouldn't have been able to cover. They also helped us afford everyday expenses like groceries and gas. I finally have peace of mind and can sleep at night.

An HEA has changed my life for the better

It's been almost two years since my husband passed away. There were days when I didn't know how my son and I were going to eat, whether we would be sitting in the dark, or where we were going to live.

Having a home equity agreement has truly been a gift โ€” call it divine intervention.

I'm now selling my house to move back to New Jersey. Of course, certain things are required to put your home on the market or pass inspection, like having an air conditioning system and bathrooms with good plumbing.

In February, the plumbing in my house went out completely. I had no shower or toilet for almost two months. The bathrooms had to be completely remodeled because of severe water damage. The influx of money helped me pay for a new line when my homeowner's insurance wouldn't cover it. That line alone cost nearly $6,000, just for the plumbing.

Without the money from the home equity agreement, I doubt I'd be able to sell my home.

In May, my home was appraised at $290,000. Since I received a $93,500 investment โ€” about 32.24% of the home's value โ€” if I sell this month, I'd owe about $94,000 of my home's equity.

Initially, my friends and family were hesitant about me taking on a home equity agreement because they feared I might get a much higher interest rate, or they were concerned about how I was going to pay the money back.

But I knew I wasn't going to be staying in North Carolina forever, and putting my house on the market was going to be the next option. I didn't think getting an HEA agreement would be a problem because I would have a profit left over after I sold my home.

This experience has been life-changing.

Unlock was not involved in the writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author's personal views.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Big Tech is vibe coding with these winning AI startups

6 June 2025 at 09:31
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.
Amazon is making an AI coding tool from startup Anysphere available to its employees.

Noah Berger/Getty Images for Amazon Web Services

It's getting clearer who the winners will be in key parts of the generative AI race, according to Elad Gil, a top startup investor.

"In coding, it seems like it's consolidated into 2 or 3 players," he said recently on my favorite AI podcast, "No Priors."

He highlighted Cursor, Codium (now called Qodo), Cognition AI (the startup behind Devin), and Microsoft's GitHub Copilot.

A clear sign of progress in the tech industry is when a giant platform decides to use an outside service rather than its own product. Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and others have thousands of engineers who can whip up new tech pretty well. So it's a major signal when these companies decide that, no, their home-grown stuff may not be enough.

This is happening with Cursor, an AI coding tool from startup Anysphere. Amazon is working on making this available to its employees, according to a scoop this week from Business Insider's Eugene Kim.

Amazon already has its own AI coding assistant, Q, and is developing a more advanced tool codenamed "Kiro." So this is a notable move for a company that had warned employees about using third-party AI tools.

Google has its own internal AI coding tools, too. And yet, CEO Sundar Pichai said this week he's been messing around with Cursor and a similar service called Replit, building a custom webpage for himself.

Software engineering is evolving from a specialized skill into something that non-technical folks can try. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang likes to say that everyone is a programmer now. Instead of learning complex coding languages, we can create digital things using plain English.

Still, some AI coding tools require more expertise than others. Cursor is an IDE, or integrated developer environment, a common setup for pro software engineers. Replit and another coding tool called Bolt.new work in a browser and are considered more user-friendly for novices.

Pichai made the distinction this week, saying he uses Cursor, and has "vibe coded with Replit." Vibe coding is a hot new phrase for some of these easier-to-use tools. A good rule of thumb: If you didn't know what IDE stands for, you probably aren't ready for Cursor! Here are more tips.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Granola is yummy. This AI version is pretty good, too.

6 June 2025 at 09:14
Granola close-up
Granola. (The stuff you can eat).

Sunghorn/Shutterstock

  • This is a portion of Business Insider's Tech Memo newsletter.
  • To read the full newsletter, sign up here.

Each week in Business Insider's Tech Memo newsletter, I try an AI tool. What do you think of this one? What should I do, or use, next week? Let me know.

This week, I tested Granola, an AI notetaking assistant. I fired it up for an interview with Raj Sharma, a bigwig at consulting giant EY. Coincidentally, he said his wife uses Granola to transcribe her interactions with patients.

Installing it on my MacBook was easy. It synced with my Google work calendar, launched a Microsoft Teams video call, and prompted me to start recording โ€” all smooth and fast. My prepared questions were saved in the app, but I couldn't easily access them during the call. I defaulted to a Google Doc, wishing the notes had appeared more intuitively as the interview began.

Granola's post-interview features impressed me. It provided a thematic summary with expandable sections and action items, based partly on my prepared questions and any notes I jotted down while Raj was speaking. I asked it to find a quote from Raj about AI being a "welcome relief," and it delivered. I made sure to go back and check the exact phrasing. For that, I needed the full transcript. This was pretty good, although Raj's comments and my questions were sometimes misattributed to the wrong speaker.

What shocked me: Granola doesn't record audio of meetings. This is a dealbreaker for journalists who need to verify quotes precisely. I used Apple's Voice Memos app alongside Granola for the essential raw audio backup.

Granola is sleek, smart, and promising. But for now, it's missing one essential thing for me: the truth in someone's own voice.

Postscript

After sending out the Tech Memo newsletter this morning, I tracked down emails from Vicky Firth, who leads customer experience at Granola. She kindly answered my annoying questions!

Here's what she said on the lack of I asked why Granola doesn't provide audio recordings.

"We never store the audio recordings and that's a deliberate decision for a few reasons. Firstly, we're aware that whatever platform you're on for your call already does this, and we don't feel the need to duplicate this functionality โ€” we've optimised Granola to be able to make great summaries of meetings, so that's what we're laser-focused on, and the transcripts are enough to allow it to do that well. We want to make sure Granola can stay simple and great at what it does best."

"Another set of reasons is around data security: we want to make sure we're only capturing what's necessary to make those great notes, such that we're not holding on to more sensitive information than is necessary. We hear feedback on both sides โ€” some users would love us to store the recordings, but others email us wanting to make sure we don't! The transcripts again feel like enough here."

I suggested that this is kind of a dealkiller for those who need to verify exactly what people say. I also asked why Granola doesn't just offer this as a default feature but add a clear button to switch audio recording off when users want that?

Firth's reply makes good sense, and it's a real window into how startups operate and the hard product decisions they must make while building efficiently.

"It's probably not the best solution if you're someone who needs very specific quotes on a regular basis, and another product is probably more suited if that's what you're after as your primary output. We do get requests for it, but at the moment (especially while we're such a small team and have to be ruthless with prioritising!) we're trying to focus on functionality that helps make great summarised notes, helps you share those notes with your team, and help you all get insights to do your work better on a higher level. It means we sadly have a long, long list of things that we have to park for now!"

Read the original article on Business Insider

GOP Rep. Mary Miller deletes post saying Sikh should not be allowed to deliver House prayer

6 June 2025 at 09:16

Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) posted โ€” then quickly deleted โ€” that a Sikh should have "never been allowed" to lead the House of Representatives' daily prayer on Friday after initially incorrectly calling the man a Muslim.

Why it matters: This is not the first time Miller has fallen into hot water for inflammatory remarks. Shortly before she took office in 2021, she made headlines for saying "Hitler was right about one thing."


  • After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Miller called the decision a "historic victory for white life," which her office later said was based on a misreading of her prepared remarks.
  • A Miller spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What happened: Giani Singh, a Sikh Granthi from Southern New Jersey, delivered the House's morning prayer on Friday.

  • Miller responded later in the morning by incorrectly identifying Singh as a Muslim, saying it was "deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning."
  • "This should have never been allowed to happen. America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth, not drift further from it. May God have mercy," she added.
  • Miller quickly edited her post to change "Muslim" to "Sikh," before deleting it altogether minutes later.

What they're saying: "I often say that I serve in Congress with some of the greatest minds of the 18th century. With Rep. Miller I may need to take it back a few more centuries," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said in a post on X.

  • Said Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) in a post on X: "What's deeply disturbing is the blatant ignorance and anti-Sikh, anti-Muslim xenophobia coming from my colleague across the aisle."
  • "There is no place in our country, and especially the Halls of Congress, for this hate and intolerance," she added. "The tweet may have been deleted, but we still have the receipts."

Most Republicans side with Trump over Musk: Poll

6 June 2025 at 09:07
Data: YouGov; Chart: Axios Visuals

Republicans overwhelmingly said they'd side with President Trump over Elon Musk in the duo's explosive feud, according to Thursday polling.

Why it matters: Republicans' loyalty to Trump remains strong, and the acrimony only adds to Americans' existing dissatisfaction with the former head of DOGE.


By the numbers: More than half of Americans said they wouldn't side with either the president or the wealthiest man in the world, per a YouGov survey of U.S. adults.

  • 28% said they would side with Trump, and only 8% said they would side with Musk.

Zoom in: Among Republicans, 71% said they would side with Trump over Musk, while 12% said they would side with neither.

  • 80% of Democrats said they would side with neither.

Context: Trump and Musk had a public falling out on Thursday following months of collaboration.

  • Musk left the White House in late May after months of influence over the Trump administration and federal spending.
  • He initially said he'd continue to be an adviser to the president, but then started bashing the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
  • Trump on Thursday said he didn't know if they'd have a "great relationship," prompting bitter backlash from Musk on X.

What we are watching: Musk and Trump have scheduled a phone call on Friday to defuse the tension, according to Politico.

  • Musk also appeared to walk back on an earlier threat he made on X to decommission the Dragon spacecraft, which is essential to NASA's operation.

Go deeper: How Trump and Musk went from bromance to bitter dispute

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