• Ayo Edebiri called Elon Musk an "idiot" on her Instagram story for spreading a fake casting rumor.
• The rumor claimed Edebiri was being eyed for a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.
• Musk shared the fake info on X, writing, "Disney sucks." Edebiri said it triggered online attacks.

"The Bear" star Ayo Edebiri has some choice words for DOGE overseer Elon Musk after he helped spread a fake casting rumor last year that she said triggered a slew of attacks against her.

"Just remembering when I got some of the most insane death threats and racial slurs of my life (idk if it's the #1 moment, but for sure top 3) for a fake reboot of a movie I had never even heard of because of this man LMAO," Edebiri wrote on her Instagram story Tuesday night.

"So not only is he double s**g h**l-ing fascist, he's an idiot," she added, alluding to gestures that Musk performed at President Donald Trump's inauguration rally that many interpreted as Nazi salutes; "seig heil," meaning "hail victory" in German, was a rallying cry adopted and popularized by the Nazi party. (After his gesture sparked backlash, Musk told Joe Rogan he is "not a Nazi.")

Edebiri also shared a screenshot of the rumor in question, which was circulated last February by the X account @unlimited_ls, which is dedicated to sharing political news and "social injustice" from a conservative angle.

The rumor claimed that Edebiri was being eyed as a "replacement" for Johnny Depp in a new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie.

Depp last starred as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fifth installment of the franchise, "Dead Men Tell No Tales," released in 2017. He was set to appear in a sixth film, but according to court testimony, plans for "Pirates of the Caribbean 6" were scrapped after Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard, wrote an op-ed about domestic abuse.

Musk reshared the rumor on his own X account, writing, "Disney sucks." The original post has since been deleted, but Musk's is still live.

The person who runs @unlimited_ls shared a reaction to Edebiri's criticism on Wednesday morning, calling the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor "unhinged."

"Ayo Edebiri waited over a year to address rumors and credible reports circulating in Hollywood from trustworthy sources. And, of course, she attacks Elon Musk," the post reads.

The @unlimited_ls user also clarified that their original post with the unverified rumor was deleted by mistake.

"I never made any claims; I clearly stated 'reportedly' because it was the latest information coming from credible Hollywood sources," they wrote in a follow-up post. "And yes, I am a HUGE fan and supporter of Mr. Musk. He has my loyalty for LIFE, and I don't say that lightly."

The casting rumor about Edebiri was not reported by any reputable trade publications; it seems to have originated with Daniel Richtman, a self-styled Hollywood insider who shared unverified details on his Patreon.

Richtman's blog post was picked up by Comic Book Resources, but the rumor gained more traction in the wake of Musk's repost, finding its way onto film blogs like JoBlo and ComingSoon.net.

After the post by @unlimited_ls went viral, Richtman chimed in to say its framing was disingenuous. "There's no 'Replacing Depp' or anything like that. She's only the 'Type' they're looking at for the lead in one of the planned spinoffs," he wrote.

Outrage over the claim that Edebiri, a Black woman, would be "replacing" Depp, a white man, seemed fueled by the ongoing right-wing backlash to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, also known as "DEI," which are designed to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexuality, or other protected classes.

Many opponents of DEI have conflated antidiscrimination efforts in the workplace and government with Hollywood's recent push for more inclusive casting. Female actors who've joined major movie franchises in the last decade, including Kelly Marie Tran ("The Last Jedi") and Brie Larson ("Captain Marvel"), have recounted similar experiences with sexist and often racist abuse on social media.

Musk has long been a vocal opponent of diversity initiatives in the corporate world, even before the second Trump administration officially launched its anti-DEI campaign.

As Business Insider reported, Musk's DOGE office has recently been working to pause and, in some cases, entirely cut government programs by flagging keywords like "equity," "gender," and "gay."

Representatives for Edebiri and Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• Billionaire Leon Black gave more money to Jeffrey Epstein than known, Senate committee says.
• According to the US Senate Finance Committee, he transferred $170 million to Epstein's accounts.
• Black has said he paid the accused sex trafficker for tax advice. Sen. Ron Wyden is skeptical.

Billionaire Leon Black was more responsible for Jeffrey Epstein's vast fortune than previously known, according to a Senate committee investigation.

Black, the billionaire financier and former CEO of Apollo Global Management, transferred $170 million to the Epstien's coffers over the course of five years, US Sen. Ron Wyden said in a letter to the US Justice and Treasury departments this week — not $158 million, as previously reported.

An investigation commissioned by Apollo's board appears to have missed $12 million in transfers, which were discovered by investigators working on the US Senate Finance Committee.

The Apollo investigation, conducted by the law firm Dechert LLP, led to Black's resignation in 2021 from the investment firm he cofounded.

It also wasn't clear why the bank handling the $170 million in transfers didn't raise any flags until months after Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking charges in 2019, Wyden wrote.

"The Bank did not make filings related to the Black and Epstein transactions until seven years after the transactions began in 2013," Wyden wrote. "In fact, the Bank first reported the payments from Black to Epstein more than eight months after Epstein was arrested on charges of sex trafficking involving underage girls."

Wyden, a Democratic lawmaker representing Oregon, asked US Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to hand over documents related to the transfers by March 27, including from the trove of "Epstein documents" that Bondi promised to make public.

Black's relationship with Epstein came under scrutiny amid the accused sex trafficker's 2019 arrest and jail suicide. Epstein left an estate worth around $630 million around the time of his death, some of which has since been paid to compensate his victims.

According to the investigation commissioned by Apollo, Black paid Epstein for financial advice, including strategies that saved him around $600 million in estate and family trust tax payments. Epstein also helped manage issues related to Black's vast artwork collection, his yacht, and private jet, according to the Dechert report. The report also said Epstein and Black had a falling out in 2016 when Epstein believed he deserved more money.

In his letter, Wyden expressed skepticism that the advice from Epstein — who dropped out from college — would be worth anything close to $170 million Black paid over five years.

"For his services Epstein was paid amounts that far exceeded what Black paid other professional advisors involved in his tax and estate planning, which includes some of the most high-priced legal counsel in the nation," Wyden wrote. "At an annualized rate of $23 to $26 million per year, Epstein's compensation was higher than the median CEO pay for Fortune 500 companies."

One of Epstein's accounts that received money from Black, Financial Trust Company Inc., was previously used for Epstein's sex-trafficking operation, according to evidence filed in Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking trial.

Bank records made public in the trial of Maxwell — who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking girls to Epstein for sex — show that Epstein used the business to pay Maxwell. He transferred $30.7 million to Maxwell in the years they were together. Over $7 million of those funds were spent on a helicopter that accusers said Maxwell used to ferry girls to Epstein's private residence in the US Virgin Islands.

In 2023, Black later paid $62.5 million to settle claims from the US Virgin Islands Attorney General's office related to "how Jeffrey Epstein used the money Black paid him to partially fund his operations in the US Virgin Islands," according to a copy of the settlement Wyden made public.

Representatives for Black, Apollo Global Management, and Dechert LLP didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Wyden's scrutiny of Black could complicate the Senate confirmation process of the Trump administration's nominees.

President Donald Trump, who was friends with Epstein, selected Black's son, Benjamin Black, to lead the US International Development Finance Corp, also known as the DFC.

According to Reuters, Trump has considered converting the DFC into a sovereign wealth fund, which he said could buy TikTok.

The younger Black has also proposed repurposing funds from USAID, which was gutted by Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, to fund the DFC. Under Black's plan, the DFC would invest in developing nations to advance foreign policy goals rather than spend the money on aid.

• The FCC is seeking advice from the public on what rules it should axe.
• The agency in charge of communications law says it wants to remove "unnecessary regulatory burdens."
• FCC Chair Brendan Carr has previously promised to go after big media companies.

President Donald Trump's FCC chair wants you to weigh in on what rules the agency should "delete, delete, delete."

FCC Chair Brendan Carr on Wednesday announced a notice titled "In re: Delete, Delete, Delete," which asks the public to submit recommendations for what "unnecessary" regulations the agency should eliminate to fulfill Trump's agenda.

The notice references one of Trump's recent executive orders, called "Unleashing prosperity through deregulation," which directs federal agencies to identify 10 regulations that should be phased out for every one new regulation it proposes.

The FCC notice asks for comments on regulations that, for example, have greater costs than benefits, create barriers to entry, impose unequal costs on large and small businesses, are outdated, or "unfairly disadvantage" American businesses.

"We also invite more general comment on rules that should be considered for elimination on other grounds," the notice reads. "Submissions should identify with as much detail and specificity as possible the rule or rules that the commenting party believes should be repealed (or modified) and the rationale for their recommended action."

Though the independent agency — which is in charge of regulating and enforcing communications law — is supposed to be overseen by Congress and protected from direct White House control, Trump signed an executive order in February seeking to expand his power over it and other independent agencies.

"Under President Trump's leadership, the Administration is unleashing a new wave of economic opportunity by ending the regulatory onslaught from Washington," Carr said in a statement shared on X. "For too long, administrative agencies have added new regulatory requirements in excess of their authority or kept lawful regulations in place long after their shelf life had expired."

Carr, who previously served as an FCC commissioner before Trump appointed him as chairman in January, recently said he's investigating Comcast over its embrace of DEI, after promising last fall to go after big media companies.

Carr has also been a vocal defender of SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his companies.

• People all over the United States are receiving text messages from fake toll collectors.
• The FBI has warned about the phishing texts repeatedly over the last year.
• E-ZPass and most other toll agencies do not send texts to non-account holders.

If you are among the few who have so far been spared texts from a fake toll collection agency, just wait — they are almost certainly coming.

The FBI first warned about them in April last year. At the time, the agency said it had received thousands of complaints across at least three states about phishing texts claiming to be from toll road services.

Since then, the texts have only proliferated. Law enforcement agencies across the country have posted repeated warnings about the scam.

It's a relatively easy one to spot, however, because most toll agencies do not send text messages to collect fees. The Toll Roads, a payment service for toll fees in California, said in a December warning that it does not send text messages to non-account holders.

"The Toll Roads is advising drivers to disregard phishing texts being sent to their phones that detail a specific outstanding toll amount or Notice of Toll Evasion," the warning said.

One scam text sent on March 8 and reviewed by Business Insider claimed to be from the toll payment service E-ZPass, which is used in several states.

E-ZPass also does not send text messages to non-account holders, and would never send text messages asking for personal information, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a January consumer warning.

Other toll scam texts reviewed by BI showed phone numbers that originated in countries outside the United States — a telltale sign of fraud. Some of these text messages ask the recipient to respond with a "Y" to activate the link in the message.

In January, the FTC said that the best ways to avoid a fake toll collection text are to not click on any links in the message, check with the agency to ensure any received texts are real, or simply delete the message.

You can report suspected scam messages to the FTC's consumer fraud complaints division at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

• Google Cloud restructured its strategy team to "respond faster" to the market.
• One of the biggest changes has been made to boost sales productivity, per an internal memo.
• Cloud has become a crucial part of Google's business in the AI race.

Google has shaken up its Cloud group yet again, this time consolidating teams in its strategy unit.

Staff in Google Cloud's strategy and operations team were told in February that the reorganization would help the company "respond faster to market demands," according to a memo sent by Google Cloud's Go-To-Market COO Greta Krupetsky and seen by Business Insider. She described the new structure as a "network model" in the memo, which will better support Cloud's various sales teams.

Google has been streamlining many of its internal teams across the company over the past two years in an effort to move faster. Krupetsky said the latest reorg included consolidating its core Business Services into one team led by Google Cloud managing director Abhi Sharma to "help increase sales productivity." A new central "Deal Management" team has also been created under Google Cloud COO Francis deSouza, who joined the company earlier this year.

The unit will include a new "Business Functions - Customer Experience Organization" led by Erez Wohl, managing director at Google Cloud. Wohl's previous strategy and operations functions will now report to Krupetsky.

"We continue to evolve our business to meet our customers' needs and the significant opportunity ahead. We will continue to invest in areas that are critical to our business and ensure our long-term success," a spokesperson told BI in a statement.

The memo mentions a "small number" of roles being cut as part of the reorganization. Those cuts, which BI reported on last month, included some roles being moved to other regions including India and Mexico City, according to an internal employee-crowdsourced document. BI also reviewed several internal job postings for roles within Google Cloud's Go-To-Market Strategy and Operations team based in Mexico City.

Google's Cloud group has become a crucial part of the company's efforts to compete in artificial intelligence. Google Cloud sales hit $11.96 billion in the fourth quarter, up 30% from the previous year, though falling short of analyst expectations. Investors are closely watching Google's Cloud business, which is still smaller than those of rivals Amazon and Microsoft.

Google previously said it plans to spend $75 billion in capital expenditure this year.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at 628-228-1836. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Former mobster Anthony Ruggiano Jr. rates Mafia scenes in movies and TV shows.

He discusses the portrayal of bust-out schemes in "Goodfellas," starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Lorraine Bracco, and relates to his own time in witness protection. He explains how wars broke out between New York's Five Families in "The Godfather," starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan. He separates fact from fiction about truck hijackings in "Donnie Brasco," starring Johnny Depp. He talks about the infamous murder of "Crazy" Joe Gallo in "The Irishman," starring Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. He breaks down how underworld gambling worked in "Killing Them Softly," starring Brad Pitt, Ben Mendelsohn, and Scoot McNairy. He lays out the structure and roles of a Mafia family in "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," starring Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, and Kaitlin Olson. He looks at how mob boss John Gotti is portrayed in "Gotti," starring John Travolta. He details how gangsters turned into informants in "The Sopranos," starring James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, and Michael Imperioli. Finally, he analyzes how the Mafia once controlled New York City's construction business in "The Simpsons."

Anthony Ruggiano Jr. is a former proposed member of the Gambino crime family. He is now a counselor at a drug treatment center in Florida and host of the "Reformed Gangsters" podcast. You can find his podcast on YouTube.

• Repurpose is an eco-friendly brand that offers alternatives to plastics.
• The small business is using AI across the company, including for accounting and marketing.
• This article is part of "How AI Is Changing Everything: Small Business," a series exploring how small businesses are using AI for success.

Known for its plant-based, compostable home and kitchen products, Repurpose has spent the past 15 years building an eco-friendly brand that gives consumers a viable alternative to plastics.

Repurpose says it owns one-third of the compostable-tableware category and its products are sold at 20,000 retailers nationwide. Products include plates, cups, cutlery, and kitchen bags.

To better compete in the crowded consumer-goods market, Repurpose has turned to AI to automate its financial processes, optimize its marketing campaigns, and streamline its employee review process.

A sustainability-minded brand using an energy-intensive technology like artificial intelligence might seem counterintuitive, but in today's business environment, it's virtually unavoidable. AI is now embedded into most of the tools businesses use every day, so for a 21-person company like Repurpose, it's vital to embrace the technology.

"We're a small but mighty company, so we do rely on external partners, and we need to utilize tools and technology to be able to compete in the marketplace with these much larger conventional players," Lauren Gropper, Repurpose's CEO, said, adding that AI has "been really helpful for us to help scale where we don't necessarily have the same financial resources" and that "it's leveled the playing field."

Developing an AI-powered organization

Gropper said Repurpose began using AI last year. The company started experimenting with ChatGPT for marketing and copywriting support. It then incorporated a third-party financial platform to improve its billing processes and streamline external payments to vendors and contractors.

The tool prepopulates vendor information into different fields and autofills invoice data, so Repurpose's four-person finance team doesn't have to input this information manually. Before using AI, Repurpose largely relied on spreadsheets and paper-based processes for financial management. Automating its accounting has eliminated the need for physical signatures and paper checks and documents, which saves time, is better suited for Repurpose's entirely remote-work environment, and better aligns with the company's sustainability mission.

Overall, Repurpose estimates that AI saves its finance team two days a week on accounts payable tasks.

"It's been able to streamline their productivity and give them some time back to do other tasks," Gropper said.

Repurpose also leans on AI for employee reviews. The company uses an AI-enabled review platform with an AI assistant feature, which provides suggestions to help employees expand on the comments they've written in their reviews.

The small business has incorporated several embedded AI tools, but as its use of the technology has grown, so has its awareness of the downsides.

Balancing innovation and impact

"Being a company that is focused on sustainability, we are very conscious of the fact that AI is very resource-heavy, and it's something that we take very seriously," Gropper said.

AI drives automation, but it also requires lots of computing power. Data centers, which underpin AI operations, consume tons of electricity. The International Energy Agency estimates electricity consumption in data centers will double by 2026 from 2022 levels — which would be on par with Japan's current total consumption.

Gropper said Repurpose needs AI tools to function and scale its operations, but the company is educating itself on AI and carefully evaluating external tools to become better stewards of the technology.

"It's threading the needle between wanting to be as innovative as possible and utilizing these amazing tools, but at the same time being conscious of what is the impact and what are we contributing?" she said.

Small businesses that want to leverage AI likely will have to buy, rather than build, their tools. Gropper said her best advice for other small-business owners is to work with technology providers and experiment with generative-AI platforms like ChatGPT to accelerate their artificial intelligence implementation.

"There's just so much available online and so many resources to get started and test prompts," she said. "It's all there for the taking."

• Since the 2016 US presidential election, celebrities have been saying they'd move out of the country.
• More stars made similar comments after Donald Trump won the 2024 election.
• Rosie O'Donnell recently confirmed that she moved to Ireland for political reasons.

The lifestyles of the rich and famous often include mansions in California, penthouses in the big city, and maybe a small pied-à-terre in a foreign country. But as politics becomes an increasingly divisive topic in the United States, some more celebrities are moving out of the country — or saying that they will.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi moved to England from California in response to the 2024 election results. Rosie O'Donnell — thanks to her Irish grandparents — is in the process of becoming an Irish citizen, citing the current US political climate as her reason for moving in a TikTok video. Other celebrities like Laverne Cox and Cher have vowed to leave the States but haven't yet.

This isn't exactly a new trend. During the 2016 US presidential election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, many stars vocally opposed Trump and threatened to leave America if he won. Now, with Trump's second term underway, celebrities are again considering relocating — not that the Trump administration is too upset.

"Good riddance!" White House assistant press secretary Taylor Rogers told BI when asked for the administration's response.

Celebrities aren't the only ones exploring a new place to live. Search interest for "move abroad" shows that peak interest occurred in November 2024. Though interest has since cooled off, it's still higher than in previous years.

Bureaucracy.es, an immigration services site that helps Americans moving to Spain with the visa application process, told CNN in December 2024 that it's seen over 300% more clients book consultations since the November election.

Here are 8 celebrities who have moved abroad, or say they will for political reasons.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi

In late November 2024, TheWrap reported that comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, left their Montecito home for the Cotswolds, England. The publication said their move to the countryside was triggered by Trump's election and a source said they're "never coming back."

Reps for DeGeneres and de Rossi didn't respond to requests for comment.

Rosie O'Donnell

In a video recently posted on TikTok, Rosie O'Donnell confirmed that she moved from the US to Ireland with her youngest daughter, Dakota. The actor relocated on January 15, days before Trump's inauguration.

"Although I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that's what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child," O'Donnell said in the video.

The talk show host, who has Irish grandparents, said her experience so far has been "pretty wonderful" and she's in the process of getting Irish citizenship.

O'Donnell said that she misses her four other kids and her friends, but will remain in Ireland for the time being.

"I miss many things about life there at home, and I'm trying to find a home here in this beautiful country," she said. "And when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there, in America, that's when we will consider coming back."

Sophie Turner

UK-born actor Sophie Turner moved to America after marrying singer Joe Jonas. The couple first lived together in Los Angeles and later in Miami with their two daughters Willa and Delphine. Turner and Jonas sold their Miami home in August 2023 and news of their plans to divorce broke weeks later.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar published in October 2024, Turner said that she was homesick while living in the US and struggled with the country's politics. Turner has since moved to West London.

"The gun violence, Roe v Wade being overturned... Everything just kind of piled on," Turner said. "After the Uvalde shooting, I knew it was time to get the fuck out of there."

Barbra Streisand

It was no secret that Barbra Streisand wanted Hillary Clinton to beat Trump in the 2016 election.

"He has no facts," Streisand told Australian "60 Minutes" host Michael Usher in a 2016 interview prior to the election. "I don't know, I can't believe it. I'm either coming to your country, if you'll let me in, or Canada."

Streisand didn't move out of the US, but she did criticize Trump in her 2018 studio album "Walls."

In a 2023 interview with Stephen Colbert, Streisand said that she liked Joe Biden and thought he did a "good job." When asked about the possibility of a second Trump administration, Streisand again said she'd move.

"I can't live in this country if he became president," she said, adding that she'd probably move to England.

Per an Instagram post shared in early January amid the Los Angeles wildfires, it appears that Streisand still lives in Northern California. Reps for Streisand did not reply to a request for comment.

Cher

In November 2016, Page Six reported that Cher threatened to move if Trump was elected.

"I'm gonna have to leave the planet," she reportedly said at a fundraiser for Clinton.

She had a similar stance before Trump officially ran for reelection.

"I almost got an ulcer the last time," she told The Guardian in October 2023. "If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave [the country]."

However, as of publication, it doesn't appear that Cher has relocated. Reps for Cher did not reply to a request for comment.

Laverne Cox

Days after the 2024 presidential election, "Orange Is the New Black" star Laverne Cox appeared on the podcast "Just for Variety" and spoke about the impact the results would have on the transgender community.

Cox said that she and some friends were considering moving, but no plans have been solidified yet.

"We're doing research on different cities in Europe and in the Caribbean," Cox said.

"I don't want to be in too much fear, but I'm scared," the actor added. "As a public figure, with all my privilege, I'm scared, and I'm particularly scared because I'm a public figure. I feel like I could be targeted."

Lena Dunham

At the 2016 Matrix Awards, "Girls" actor Lena Dunham said that she was serious about moving if Trump won the election.

"I know a lot of people have been threatening to do this, but I really will," Dunham said. "I know a lovely place in Vancouver and I can get my work done from there."

But after the election results, Dunham changed her mind.

"I can survive staying in this country, MY country, to fight and live and use my embarrassment of blessings to do what's right," she wrote in part in a note shared on Instagram.

"It's easy to joke about moving to Canada," she added. "It's harder to see, and to love, the people who fill your mailbox with hate. It's harder to see what needs to be done and do it. It's harder to live, fully and painfully aware of the injustice surrounding us, to cherish and fear your country all at once. But I'm willing to try. Will you try with me?"

Dunham did eventually leave her home in New York and moved to London. However, in an interview with the New Yorker published in July 2024, the actor said the move was prompted by work opportunities.

• AI is streamlining onboarding processes for companies of various sizes.
• At Hitachi and Texans Credit Union, AI saves time and boosts engagement in the new-hire experience.
• This article is part of "AI in Action," a series exploring how companies are implementing AI innovations.

When your organization has nearly 300,000 global employees across the US, Japan, and Europe, many of whom work remotely, how do you manage onboarding new hires?

That scenario presented Hitachi with challenges to keep new employees engaged, but also an opportunity to overhaul its onboarding with an AI digital assistant this past fall.

Hitachi — along with smaller companies like Texans Credit Union — is incorporating AI into onboarding to save time and reduce delays. AI-assisted onboarding is common in tech companies, but it's also important in high-growth firms that are rapidly adding many employees, said Edie Goldberg, the president and founder of the human resources consulting firm E. L. Goldberg & Associates.

On the back end with human resources, artificial intelligence can help arrange paperwork for new hires to sign and trigger notifications to various departments. For employees, AI could take the form of a chatbot available 24/7 to answer new-hire questions in natural language.

"Employees work all over the place in different time zones," Goldberg said. "Something that's going to answer your question when you need it is really helpful."

As HR and tech leaders apply AI to onboarding, the key is to have a clear plan of what problems the technology can solve, metrics for success, and a test-and-learn mentality that spans departments.

Useful AI implementation starts with honest conversations about pain points

Business leaders looking to integrate AI into employee onboarding processes should first identify pain points, Bala Krishnapillai, the vice president and head of the IT group for the Americas at Hitachi, told Business Insider.

While AI applications can certainly improve productivity, the technology is "like a shiny object," Krishnapillai said, adding: "Everyone wants to get into AI." Determining problems can inform research and conversations that lead to selecting or building a way to fulfill a company's specific needs.

At Texans Credit Union, leaders identified a major operational problem: Its logins and system access weren't ready for employees when they started, Jenni Short, the financial institution's chief people officer, said.

"We spent a lot of time making sure that their desk looked nice," Short said. "But, oh, you can't actually log in to the computer."

In September, the firm added robotic process automation to its onboarding, which ensured new hires had access to systems. The process took about six months and started with HR collaborating closely with IT.

"The HR department had five people in it, and no one had the skill set to build or necessarily understand all of the things that we could do," Short said. IT came up with the idea to apply robotic process automation to new hires' logins.

Texans Credit Union's main performance metric for the automation project was the amount of time saved. Before automation, setting up access took 15 to 20 minutes per new hire. Now it takes less than a minute. Managers can also spend less time on administrative work and more time welcoming their hires, and those employees can get acclimated right away.

"Everything is ready for them," Short said, adding that hires could "focus on learning as opposed to trying to figure out how to log in."

Hitachi identified its pain point as process delays. Onboarding employees took 10 to 15 days and involved many manual forms, such as a notice to IT to get the new employee's laptop set up or to facilities to ensure the person had an ID badge and a desk if they worked on-site. New hires' questions weren't answered in real time, which risked the company losing their engagement.

Hitachi uses time reduction as a key performance indicator, Krishnapillai said. The IT department conducted market research and built a private AI system with a custom large language model. Workers fed the model with data from corporate sites, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, and employment books so that it could accurately answer new hires' questions.

IT then worked with HR to beta test the AI onboarding agents with various departments. Once KPIs and service-level agreements were met, teams scaled the AI for onboarding in October after the roughly six-month process.

The results: saving four days in onboarding and reducing HR staff involvement from 20 hours per new hire to 12 hours, said Krishnapillai.

Customizing AI to match companies' needs

What excites many leaders about AI in onboarding is the ability to customize the technology to their unique needs, Goldberg of E. L. Goldberg & Associates said.

"AI has various flavors," Krishnapillai said, adding that companies could look at their technological maturity to determine where and how to start with AI. One "flavor" is generative AI, such as ChatGPT, which is a relatively simple application to adopt. Agentic AI, which acts autonomously and makes decisions, may be more advanced.

Goldberg said many companies start with automating rudimentary processes, like setting up email or assigning equipment. Automated nudges can notify a new hire or HR if a person hasn't signed a document or completed an assigned training.

"All these little tasks are very routine, and they're just perfect for AI," Goldberg told BI.

Texans Credit Union plans to eventually automate more HR functions, such as assigning a desk or parking space, Short said. Right now, these processes require multiple email interactions to be completed.

Ultimately, Goldberg said, any AI application a company deploys needs to meet predetermined metrics and enhance the new employee's onboarding experience.

"It's not just that it's administratively easier for HR," Goldberg said, adding that the hires should see the benefits of autofilling multiple forms or gaining quick access to FAQs: "It's really in service of creating a better experience for that new employee."

• After spending six months traveling around Europe, I'd be most likely to move to Prague.
• The city's architecture, beauty, history, and walkability made it easy to fall in love with.
• I also loved that there was always something to do in Prague.

Last year, I traveled around Europe for six months, spending quality time in some of the continent's most popular cities, such as London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Zurich.

During this period, I often thought about which European city I'd most like to call home. While I loved my time in many of the cities I visited, my top choice would be Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

Prague's architecture, natural beauty, history, and walkability made it easy to fall in love with. Here's why I'd move there if given the chance.

Prague is incredibly walkable and has great public transportation.

As an American who lives in Colorado, I'm used to hopping in my car to do almost everything. But in Prague, I didn't need a car once. Most of the time, I just walked wherever I needed to go.

Although I'd likely balk at a 45-minute walk in the US, I found myself eagerly putting on my shoes for the same thing in Prague. Why? Because each walk felt like an experience.

The city is home to jaw-dropping architecture, art installations, and green spaces. During every stroll, I'd notice a new statue or hidden detail, like how the city's coat of arms is engraved into every manhole cover.

Though the cobblestone sidewalks did give my feet a workout, they were so picturesque that I didn't mind.

When I needed to venture a little farther, Prague's public transportation was second to none. The iconic trams came frequently, were reliable, and were incredibly charming.

There's so much history to explore.

Another thing I like about Prague is how much history there is to explore. For example, I visited Prague Castle, the world's largest ancient castle.

Visitors can view ancient suits of armor and beautiful artwork and learn about a 1618 historical event when three Catholic officials were thrown from a window of the castle by a mob of angry Protestants.

The event even inspired a new word: defenestration — the act of throwing someone out of a window.

Perhaps the city's most recognizable landmark, however, is the Astronomical Clock. The clock's face not only shows the sun's and moon's relative positions in the sky but also reveals a mechanical procession of the 12 Apostles at the top of every hour.

The city is in a prime location for day trips.

Prague's location in Central Europe makes it an ideal starting point for day trips or weekend getaways. One day, I headed north to visit a few national parks, filming locations for "The Chronicles of Narnia," and the Bastei Bridge rock formation.

Another morning, I took a train to the small city of Pilsen and toured the original Pilsner Urquell brewery (where pilsner beer was invented).

And in September, a five-hour train ride was all that stood between me and Oktoberfest in Munich.

There are always festivals, concerts, or events going on.

While I appreciated the museums and tourist attractions, sometimes I wanted to get more of a local experience. On those days, there were plenty of options to choose from.

From wine tastings and live music to a harvest festival with traditional Czech dancers, I was blown away by the variety of events around the city. One night, I even stumbled upon a Spanish-themed festival along the river, complete with food trucks and dancing.

Every day in Prague offered a new, unexpected joy, and if I could move to a European city permanently, it'd be at the top of my list.

This story was originally published on October 24, 2024, and most recently updated on March 12, 2025.

• Target and Costco have responded in different ways to the changing politics around DEI.
• A recent survey indicated some customer foot traffic and market share shifted from Target to Costco.
• Meanwhile, Walmart — which hasn't made DEI a big part of its brand — has performed consistently.

The backlash to the backlash over DEI is starting to show up at Target and Costco.

While both retailers have long made so-called corporate social responsibility a big part of their brand identities, they responded in remarkably different ways regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in the face of the second Donald Trump presidency.

In January, Target said it was scrapping some of its DEI-related programs, while Costco's shareholders successfully defended the wholesaler's against an activist shareholder proposal.

Now, a survey from the consumer analytics firm Numerator has found customer foot traffic and market share have shifted from Target to Costco, particularly among shoppers who say DEI is important.

In terms of year-over-year visits, the firm said Target saw nearly 5 million fewer shopping trips during the four weeks ending on February 9. By contrast, Costco saw nearly 7.7 million more visits during the same period.

Neither company immediately responded to a request for comment from Business Insider.

While Numerator said the changes "may be linked" to the companies' respective DEI stances, a number of other factors, such as persistently high consumer prices and the availability of eggs, may have contributed to the shifting market share between the two retailers.

Still, the shifts were most pronounced among Black and Hispanic/Latino households — especially during the first week of February. Specifically, Numerator said that Hispanic or Latino households drove more than one-third of Costco's gains, nearly twice the rate that would be expected based on demographic representation alone.

Meanwhile, Walmart — which never made DEI a big part of its brand identity — saw relatively consistent performance during the same four-week window, even though it scaled back some of its DEI efforts late last year.

Additionally, Numerator found that frequent Walmart shoppers were generally less concerned with DEI and social justice issues than frequent Target shoppers.

The numbers suggest that being known for one position and then changing course could push some customers away.

"That kind of seesawing back and forth and saying one thing and doing another, that's what gets brands like Target in trouble," Collage Group's chief insights officer, David Albert, recently told BI.

"We've seen here, especially with Target, is that they've eroded that trust because they're not doing what they say, and they don't say what they do," Albert said.

Numerator also found that more than one-third of consumers in the survey were aware of the February 28 economic blackout, with younger and more diverse households more likely to participate.

• Tesla sales in Australia fell 71% in February compared with the same month last year.
• The drop comes as the country also experienced Tesla-related vandalism incidents.
• European countries and China reported declines in Tesla sales last month.

Tesla sales are sliding in another market.

Elon Musk's automaker sold 1,592 vehicles in Australia last month, down from 5,665 in February 2024 — a 71% decline, per figures from the Electric Vehicle Council.

Rival Polestar also suffered a decline of 11% last month, selling 125 vehicles.

The decline for Tesla comes amid vandalism aimed at Musk. A Tesla store in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, was vandalized with graffiti including "Down with DOGE," news.com.au reported this week.

Tesla and Musk protests have taken place in a number of US cities, with some of them leading to vandalism and arrests. Anti-Tesla boycott attempts have also taken place in Portugal and the UK.

Australia joins a number of European countries reporting declines in Tesla sales. Tesla's February total in Germany fell 76% year-on-year, despite overall EV sales rising about 31%. Tesla sales in the country also fell in January amid Musk's endorsement of the far-right AfD party.

Tesla sales declined more than 40% year-on-year in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden last month, with a 26% slide in France.

Sales of Teslas manufactured in China fell 49% year on year in February to their lowest number since August 2022. Tesla's Chinese rival BYD posted a 90% increase the same month.

Tesla stock has had a rollercoaster ride this year, plunging 15% on Monday before regaining some ground on Wednesday to be about 34% lower this year.

As Tesla grapples with a slumping stock price and declining sales, some investors have expressed concerns that Musk's increased political involvement may be contributing to its struggles. However, some analysts have told BI that stock volatility is normal for the company, and some of the headwinds were expected.

Tesla warned there would be lost production time as plants retool for the Model Y refresh.

The model lineup is aging and increasingly showing up in the used car market. Some potential buyers may also be waiting for Tesla's cheaper EV to arrive later this later.

• Sen. Mark Kelly says he's "looking into" offloading his Tesla.
• He wouldn't be the first big name to do so.
• Other prominent figures have sold their Teslas over Elon Musk's actions or his support of President Donald Trump.

Sen. Mark Kelly might become the latest big name to get rid of his Tesla over Elon Musk's politics.

The Arizona Democrat told reporters on Tuesday that he's "looking into" selling his Tesla, though he noted "there's things I like about it."

"It's kind of cheaply built on the inside, but I love the performance," he said.

His remarks come amid his recent dust-up with Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, who called the senator a "traitor" for visiting Ukraine.

If Kelly follows through with his sale, he wouldn't be the first prominent figure to part with his Tesla. Some other big names have offloaded their Teslas because of Musk.

Jason Bateman

The actor told vice presidential candidate Tim Walz in October that he had ditched his Tesla.

"I feel like I'm driving around [with] a Trump sticker with that car, so it's gone," he said on an episode of his hit podcast "Smartless."

"I'm so excited that every car brand now has an electric car," Bateman added.

Bateman appeared in a Hyundai ad for the carmaker's Ioniq 5 electric vehicle in 2022.

Sheryl Crow

The singer posted a video on Instagram in February showing her waving goodbye to her Tesla as it was towed away.

"My parents always said… you are who you hang out with," she wrote in the caption. "There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long Tesla."

Crow said she donated the money from the sale of her Tesla to NPR, which Musk has criticized and called to defund. NPR says it receives less than 1% of its funding directly from the federal government.

Joanne Wilson

Angel investor Joanne Wilson told Business Insider that she and her venture capitalist husband, Fred Wilson, sold their Tesla in protest of Musk's actions at DOGE.

She wrote a blog post about their decision this week.

"Was it Elon's complete disregard for human beings as he attempts to completely disrupt the federal government like a classic tech dude without a proper understanding of how government works, or was it that awful new cyber truck that looks like something out of Mad Max and looks angry?" she wrote. "It is a toss-up."

Trump, on the other hand, just bought two

"Tesla takedown" protests have sprung up in cities across the US in opposition to Musk's work at DOGE. Protesters are calling for Tesla owners to sell their stock and cars, and some Tesla owners have seen their vehicles get vandalized.

However, Tesla recently got at least one prominent buyer: Trump.

The President said Tuesday he'll label attacks against Tesla dealerships domestic terrorism and said he plans to buy a Tesla Model S and a Cybertruck to support Musk. In a Tuesday photo op outside the White House, he got inside a Model S and sounded impressed by its interior, saying, "Everything's computer!"

Tesla's stock has plummeted more than 50% from its December all-time high, but it rose following Trump saying he'd purchase a new Tesla.

• Airlines CEOs are adjusting their forecasts amid economic uncertainty and softened consumer demand.
• Natural disasters and air crashes in January and February haven't helped.
• Shares of American, Delta, Southwest, and United are all trading down this year.

At the start of the year, airline CEOs raved about what they thought would be a strong year of profits, thanks to booming travel demand and the popularity of premium seats to Europe.

But an unrelenting series of natural disasters, tragic crashes, and economic uncertainties have dampened their mood and sent stock prices careening.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian referred to the recent events as a "parade of horribles" at an investor conference hosted by JPMorgan on Tuesday. He said the airline will reduce its first-quarter revenue outlook by $500 million, or by about 4%.

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines have similarly slashed their earnings forecast for the first quarter, citing declining demand, safety concerns, and declining government travel.

"If [the wildfires and snow storms] were the only two issues, we probably wouldn't be talking about major guidance adjustments," American CEO Robert Isom said at the JPMorgan conference.

United didn't adjust its guidance, but CEO Scott Kirby said the airline expects to land at the lower end of its forecast. The airline already said it could lose millions due to declining government travel following the recent mass federal firings.

Delta shares are down about 23% year-to-date, while United is experiencing a nearly 24% slump. Year-to-date performances of Southwest and American are down about 10% and 35%, respectively.

Airlines took a hit from unusually powerful natural disasters

2025 kicked off with a series of deadly wildfires in Los Angeles. These unusual January fires took place outside the area's normal April to October fire season and temporarily paralyzed commercial air travel in Southern California.

That was followed by two major snow and ice storms that swept across the Southeast US — including Florida — in successive weeks, disrupting thousands of flights.

According to Bastian, January's bad weather and natural disasters did about "$100 million of damage" to Delta's finances. Jordan said Southwest was similarly impacted by the LA fires.

Isom said at the conference that the Sun Belt weather had an "inordinate impact on American," noting the operational disruptions caused by the January storm to the carrier's mega hubs in Dallas/Fort Worth and Charlotte.

Two crashes made fliers nervous and dampened flight bookings

After weather disruptions, the deadly midair collision between an American flight and a military Blackhawk helicopter in January set the downturn in motion.

"January actually looked pretty good," Bastian said at the conference. "The revenue environment was pretty strong. The booking trends were healthy. Then we had the tragic American Airlines incident."

Delta saw growth in corporate travel and bookings "immediately stall" following the crash, it said.

Southwest COO Andrew Watterson said the airline also experienced "suppressed bookings" in the days following the crash.

Before anything could recover, a Delta flight crash-landed in Toronto in February.

Even though the crash did not result in any fatalities, the compounding effect of the two back-to-back incidents — as well as a near-miss in Chicago and several other accidents involving smaller airplanes — negatively affected consumer confidence in air travel.

Despite softened bookings in the first quarter, Isom said he does not believe the DC crash will have a long-term impact on the US airline industry or American.

Recession fears have dampened demand

Waves of mass layoffs, a tumbling stock market, and a trade war have led some corporate and price-sensitive economy fliers to hold off on travel.

"We talked to all of our corporate customers, and everyone is ready to go," Bastian said. "But in the face of the amount of macro uncertainty, they're pulling back a little bit on travel, not in an organized manner, just kind of waiting to see what's going to transpire."

Delta and United said they plan to cut capacity through the summer to align with demand. United said it's retiring 21 aircraft ahead of schedule, saving the airline $100 million this year on engine overhauls.

Soft consumer demand has been exacerbated by waning travel bookings from the US government thanks to the mass layoffs and dramatic cost cutting measures implemented by the Trump Administration and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

"Government is 2% of our business," United CEO Scott Kirby said. "Government adjacent, all the consultants and contractors are probably another 2% to 3%; that's running down 50% right now."

Isom said American's historically profitable presence at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in DC has taken a particular hit, but added the airline's government-contracted business accounts for only 1.5% of its total revenue.

Airlines are still optimistic about the year

The first quarter of the year is generally the weakest financial period for airlines. So, it's common to see airlines report losses or lower-than-expected profits in Q1, even during banner years.

United, Delta, Southwest, and American all say they remain hopeful of a turnaround, especially going into the higher-demand spring and summer months.

"Good news is that international, long haul, Hawaii, premium all remain really strong," Kirby said at the conference.

Isom said American is "nimble" in its ability to adjust to economic and demand changes and will benefit from its renewed ticket distribution strategy that it expects will earn back high-paying corporate customers.

Jordan said Southwest is optimistic about its future profitability amid an operational shake-up that will now charge for things like bags and assigned seats.

Bastian said continued premium demand, lower fuel prices, profits from its credit card, and an expectation that much of the quarter-one hiccups are temporary have sewn optimism for the full year.

"Even though we just went through a little bit of a parade of horribles, we will still be just as profitable as we were in the prior year," Bastian said of Delta's first-quarter results. "We anticipate margins continuing to expand, even with the slower start to the year."

• A single mom was relieved for the pay increase and expected stability that came with a federal job.
• Now, she's grappling with an RTO order and job instability.
• She plans to nearly double the amount she's spending on day care when she returns to work full-time.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a federal worker who requested anonymity to speak freely. Her identity and employment were verified by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a single mom and I was recently hired as a remote-restricted federal employee, which means I'm within the 50-mile radius of an office.

I've always been remote. I like it because I don't have to cram everything into this very small window. I get to get my kids to their activities without making them feel stressed out or stressing myself out — but I would have taken this job if it wasn't fully remote, based on the salary bump. It's worth it.

I've always been a proponent of public service. Somehow I ended up working for the American people.

I saw it as the goal — and I was relieved. A federal job means a pension and really good benefits. If you're a high performer, there's an easy path to continue working your way up. It's not the highest salary that you can possibly get, but you work with really great people who want to do really good things for this country.

I worked so hard last year. In the last four months of the year, I got the house in my name, a new car to better afford the monthly car payments — and then this job, which was a huge raise for me.

Finally, I was going to have something stable for me and my children. In 2025, I just wanted to acclimate, rest, and enjoy what I finally got.

Then, my agency recently received our return-to-office guidelines.

We're expected to return in the next couple of months.

Since my position is covered by a collective bargaining unit, I'm waiting on my specific return date, but the expectation is I'll be returning full-time in person.

In addition to the RTO order, my agency lost thousands of workers between the deferred resignation program and the termination of probationary employees.

Most probationary employees on my team were terminated. I don't know why I wasn't. I have theories, but they're really just that.

I won't get a break for a long time

I have two children. My youngest goes to day care but will start school in the fall. My oldest is in school but usually stays home for the summer.

I have my kids five nights a week and they're in a lot of activities. One of them recently started competitive sports and it's essentially become their identity. Both of my children see their friends at their activities, they have their teachers — it's an outlet for them. It keeps their lives busy and they don't have to worry about the small stuff.

Keeping things as normal as possible is very important to me, and I felt like the activities helped the transition with the divorce.

Once day care was done at the end of the summer, I had a deal with their father that he would start splitting activities 50/50. Until then, I'm essentially footing the bill for their activities, which is thousands of dollars out of pocket.

I went into a lot of debt just from our first year of competitive sports. So, I was excited not to have to worry about that — but with how much it would cost to send them to before and after school care, it's essentially the same amount we're paying weekly now for my one child to go to day care. So we wouldn't get a break for a really long time.

The earliest I can bring my kids to day care is 6:30 a.m. So I would have to wake them up at 5:45 a.m., drop them off at 6:30 a.m., get to work by 7:15 a.m., leave work by 3:15 p.m., pick them up at 4:15 p.m., and get them to the earliest activity at 4:30 p.m. My commute is 45 minutes to an hour. I might struggle with getting them to their activities on time, especially because their activities may change to 4 p.m.

I'm also worried about them being able to perform academically or in their activities if they don't get enough sleep. With their activities, sometimes they don't get to bed until almost 9:00 p.m. and they're very young. They easily sleep 10-hour nights at least.

I emailed day care to figure out what the fees would be to send my oldest back to before and after school care. I also contacted a family friend to see if she would be open to taking care of the kids, and she offered a much cheaper rate. She's out of the school district though, so that's only an option during the summer.

Right now I pay $326 a week for my one child to go to day care. We were anticipating that going down to $0 once they started school in August. Day care during the school year for both kids would be $479 a week. If we had to do day care full time in the summer for both kids it would be $619 a week. Once both kids are in school in August it will be $323 a week.

The RTO mandate is hard, but at this point, the biggest challenge is job stability and making sure I can provide for my children after my ex-husband and I separated in 2023.

I worked so hard to find a way to keep my kids' lives normal. If I lost my job, it would be devastating to lose that income.

• Brianna Oyewo lost 100 pounds and kept it off by making simple changes to her diet and exercise routine.
• She started losing weight during the pandemic, but her habits became too restrictive.
• Now she has a more flexible diet and exercise routine to stay healthy and spend time with her kids.

The pandemic was a wake-up call for Brianna Oyewo.

In 2020, after giving birth to her first child, she was worried about her ongoing struggle with emotional eating and weight. Coupled with concerns about COVID and impending motherhood, Oyewo felt it was time for a change.

"I've been overweight my entire life," she told Business Insider. "I had to do something differently, I wanted to be a mom that was very active, running around on the playground."

Oyewo, based outside of Buffalo, New York, took advantage of the extra time at home to focus on working out and eating healthier food.

Within six months, she had lost 100 pounds and counting.

But as Oyewo continued to shed pounds, doubling down on workouts and her strict eating plan, friends and family started to voice concerns that she was losing too much weight.

By 2021, she realized her habits had become excessive, and after her second pregnancy, Oyewo worked on re-building a healthy relationship to food and exercise.

Now, Oyewo is 37 years old and a busy mom of two with a full-time office job in government and a side gig as a personal trainer. She's figured out a more balanced approach to nutrition and fitness that has allowed her to maintain the weight loss.

The key has been reframing her approach to focus on sustainable eating habits and exercise, while emphasizing wins that have nothing to do with the scale, like having more energy to spend with her kids.

"It's not about what I could lose, but what I'm gaining," Oyewo said.

She eats a flexible high-protein diet

Oyewo said she overhauled her diet as part of her weight loss effort.

"The moment I became pregnant, I started paying more attention to my health," she said.

Initially, she lost weight through cutting carbs and intermittent fasting, limiting her meals to an eight-hour window each day. But over time, Oyewo said she started to go longer and longer without eating, and her routine became too restrictive.

Now her diet is flexible, with a focus on eating more healthy foods and foods she enjoys as long as they fit into a broad calorie and protein goal. She aims to get at least 80 grams of protein daily, usually more, and no more than 25 grams of added sugar.

"I pay attention to those numbers because they matter, but I don't log every single thing I eat," she said.

A typical day of eating involves foods like:

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt with fruit, eggs, and a protein shake
• Lunch: a big salad with protein and plenty of produce
• Snacks: pretzels, granola, lots of fruit like berries and apples
• Dinner: chili, soup, or chickpea pasta.

She said if she could change anything about her initial weight loss diet, it would be less restriction from the start.

"I would focus on what I can add, eating more protein, more veggies, and more healthy fat," Oyewo said. "I'm going to listen to my body, if I want to have something, I'll have it in moderation."

She sticks to short, simple workouts

Oyewo started her fitness routine with Youtube, finding exercise videos that were easy to do at home, including Tabata and HIIT workouts.

Over time, she ramped up to longer and longer sessions, eventually realizing she was overdoing it by exercising as much as two hours every day, pushing through even when she was sick.

"I didn't believe in rest days," she said.

She scaled back to avoid overtraining, and now works out between three to five days a week, depending on her schedule, for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour per day.

Oyewo works a full-time desk job, so part of her routine is moving throughout the day, including taking time over her lunch break for a walk or run up and down some stairs for 10 to 15 minutes.

At home, she still sticks to YouTube videos, and aims for activities her kids can join in with their own set of toy dumbbells.

"Outside of work, I try to incorporate my children into my workout routine so I don't have to feel like I'm sacrificing time," she said.

Oyewo doesn't sweat it if she can't fit a whole hour of exercise, preferring to be consistent instead of strict.

"If all I can get in that day is 15 to 20 minutes, I'd rather do that than nothing," she said.

She has strong social support

Oyewo said one of the biggest lessons she learned is that making healthy, sustainable lifestyle change is a team effort.

She had support (and accountability) from friends and family, including her husband, a physical therapist.

She also consulted medical professionals such as her primary care doctor, a nutritionist, and a therapist, which were key to transitioning from unhealthy, extreme exercise and dieting to more sustainable habits.

"If I could back and give myself advice, I would say — you don't know everything, and it's important to get assistance you need right from the beginning," Oyewo said. "I wasn't trying to be superwoman. I asked for help."

• Bird flu has spread widely in poultry, causing egg shortages.
• Virus spillover has occurred in various mammal species, including humans.
• H5N1 does not currently have the ability to spread human to human.

It's not just higher egg prices. The ongoing bird flu outbreak has led to millions of wild bird deaths, slaughtered livestock, hazardous conditions for dairy industry workers, and spillover infections in humans and other mammals.

While there's no sign that H5N1 can be transmitted person to person at this point, some experts worry about the possibility of a pandemic if the virus continues to spread widely.

Here's what you need to know about bird flu.

What is bird flu?

The H5N1 bird flu virus has spread among a variety of bird species, including chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, and many migratory wild birds.

There have also been cases in humans and other mammals, including dairy cows, seals, bears, and cats. Dairy cows have seen the biggest impact among mammals, with 985 confirmed cases in 17 states since March 2024, according to USDA data.

In February, the virus affected a total of 15.83 million birds, with outbreaks reported in 79 commercial and 55 backyard flocks.

Where is the virus now?

The H5N1 virus has spread worldwide, hitting every continent except Australia.

In the US, the most affected states are California and Washington, with 38 and 11 confirmed human cases, respectively.

Who has the bird flu affected?

According to CDC data, there have been a total of 70 human cases since 2024 and one death related to the virus.

Of those cases, 41 were related to exposure to infected dairy cattle, 24 to exposure to infected poultry farm operations, and two to infected backyard flocks, wild birds, or other mammals. The exposure source for three of the cases was undetermined.

Andrew Pekosz, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, recommends avoiding feeding household animals raw, unpasteurized milk products because of the potential for the milk to carry bird flu.

How is bird flu spreading?

Bird flu can spread through direct contact with contaminated animals, water sources, or surfaces.

So far, human exposure to the virus has mainly come from unprotected exposure to infected animals. The virus has not shown the ability to transmit human-to-human. Mild cases may look similar to regular flu infections, with patients showing signs of fever, cough, runny nose, headache, diarrhea, chills, and teary eyes, according to the CDC.

In the poultry industry, when a bird flock becomes infected, "you have to actually put the whole flock to death," Pekosz said.

For dairy cattle, the detection of just one infection in a herd means that the whole herd is taken out of production to prevent contaminated products from leaving the farm.

What is the bird flu infection threat to humans?

The CDC currently considers the risk of H5N1 infection to the public to be low.

"The risk to the general population is essentially zero," said Dr. William Schaffner, former medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

People should exercise caution in their interactions with wild birds and products that could spread infection, such as unpasteurized dairy.

What is the government doing about H5N1 outbreaks?

Under USDA guidelines, farmers must immediately contact authorities and test animals suspected of being infected. Once an infection is detected, the flock is put in quarantine and the infected birds are killed.

On Feb. 26, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a $1 billion strategy to curb the bird flu, including expansions to the agency's biosecurity measures and funding for vaccine research.

The CDC is monitoring human infections and has released guidelines for contact with possibly infected animals at the commercial and hobbyist levels.

How is bird flu affecting the economy?

The biggest hit to the poultry economy has been the massive loss in chicken populations, which has resulted in a decrease in egg production in the U.S.

The egg shortage has led to rising prices and dwindling grocery store supplies.

"When this virus enters a poultry farm, it starts to kill chickens almost immediately," Pekosz said. "The eggs or the chickens never really get a chance to even leave the farm before the farmers know that there's an infection going on."

How can people stay safe from bird flu?

The CDC suggests minimizing or avoiding exposure to dead and sick animals unless wearing adequate protective equipment.

While there is no real risk of infection from food products like eggs or chicken, Pekosz said people who are concerned can err on the side of caution and follow USDA cooking guidelines.

"If you follow those recommendations, the bird flu virus will be killed," he said. "So even if in the very, very low possibility that you would get something that's contaminated with H5N1, if you just cook the eggs properly, that virus will be killed and won't pose any harm to you."

"Raw milk is probably the biggest thing that is a concern for people who are not working on cows or at dairy or poultry farms in terms of a risk factor," Pekosz added.

For those with backyard bird feeders or bird baths, Schaffner suggested using surgical gloves when touching water or surfaces where the birds flock and carefully disposing the gloves once done.

How should we expect the virus to evolve?

The virus is beginning to mutate in ways that could make it more equipped to infect humans, but we have some tools to combat it.

"With H5N1, we know we have drugs that will prevent the virus from replicating. We know how to make vaccines that work against influenza viruses. We have a lot of tests that we know work really well in terms of detecting the virus," Pekosz said. "We've had 40 years of research on this virus that allowed us to show that we have a bunch of tools that can be used to minimize the effects of this virus should it become a human pathogen."

That said, an H5N1 pandemic could be devastating.

The risk of the virus mutating to become better at infecting beef cattle appears to be low, according to Pekosz and Schaffner.

Of the dairy cows affected by the virus, most infections have been caused by improper cleaning of milking equipment, and the infection has stayed localized in the cow's milk-producing organs, removing the risk of infection for cattle not involved in milking procedures.

In May 2024, the USDA started randomly testing beef cattle for the virus.

What do people need to keep in mind now?

The influenza vaccine doesn't protect humans against bird flu infection, but the ongoing flu season, which is the worst in 15 years, is a bigger threat right now.

"Bird flu is a theoretical risk. Seasonal flu is a real risk," Schaffner said.

• I spent a night at the Zawadi Hotel, a five-star, 12-villa property on Zanzibar Island.
• The all-inclusive stay featured gourmet dining and snorkeling on a private beach.
• However, the resort's staff and service were the most memorable part.

The tan gates to the Zawadi Hotel opened, and I was consumed by the striking blue in the distance.

My mind didn't have enough time to process the brown thatched roof in front of me or the cream-colored open-air lobby. Instead, all focus was on the glistening blue ocean.

That seems to be the trend at Zawadi. Rooms are filled with whites, grays, and tans. Woven baskets cover the walls, and ratan chandeliers fill the hotel's restaurant and bar.

You might not find much color in the resort's interiors, but that's because the nature outside takes center stage.

In the bedroom, sliding glass doors offer a view of lush green gardens filled with pink bougainvilleas. A window at the foot of your porcelain bathtub leads to an ocean of blues. Resort employees seat guests at tables facing the infinity pool, seemingly blending into the sea below.

Those views are just one draw of Zawadi, a 12-villa resort on Tanzania's Zanzibar Island — private beach access, gourmet food, and intimate settings also make it a resort worth visiting.

The all-inclusive resort offers a luxury stay

Zawadi is tucked on the southeast coast of Zanzibar. I arrived after spending two days on the island's popular north coast.

Gone were the touristy beaches and bustling fishermen wharves.

Instead, I was met with silence. Assistant hotel manager Noa checked me in and escorted me to my private villa.

Once again, my focus was on the nature surrounding me. A paved path to my villa was sandwiched between pristine gardens filled with palm trees, deep green bushes, and colorful vines. Staff members were trimming plants, watering grass, and tending to flowers. As I looked around, there were more garden staff than guests.

Each of the 1,100-square-foot villas sits on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean. At the front of the villa is a private terrace with a small plunge pool in one corner and a covered hammock and lounge chairs in the other.

There was another villa just next door, but large privacy bushes made it feel like I had stepped into my own world. Inside, I found a neutral space divided into two areas.

A four-poster, king-sized bed sits at the center of the room, facing the floor-to-ceiling glass doors. In front of the bed is a living area with a couch and desk.

Behind the bed is the villa's bathroom. A two-sink vanity stretches across one wall, a rainfall shower sits in a corner, and an area is dedicated to a bathtub. There's also a toilet and a large open closet.

Back outside the villa are amenities shared by guests. The property's restaurant and bar sit between the open-air lobby. There's also a gym and spa room.

The focal point is a long infinity pool. Next door is a casual beach restaurant and bar, and stairs lead down to lounge chairs.

Below the loungers is the property's secluded beach. Its size varies depending on the tide, and each day, a boat takes snorkelers to a nearby reef. Guests can also book diving trips and other water sports during their stay. I had missed the snorkeling trip, so I grabbed some of the hotel's complimentary gear and explored the clear waters in solitude.

When I returned, it was time to get ready for dinner. Zawadi is all-inclusive, so its five-course, Swahili-inspired rotating menu, along with breakfast, lunch, house spirits, and wines, is included in the resort price.

A night at Zawadi varies depending on the month, but prices typically cost between $900 and $1,400 for two guests. Business Insider received a media rate for the one-night stay.

Beyond views, Zawadi's five-star service stood out

I arrived at the property's Mswakini Beach Bar past lunchtime hours. Frazzled over my tardiness, I asked my waiter if I could sit down for lunch.

He assured me I was welcome.

"You are wanted," he said.

That was the experience for my entire stay. Staff quickly learned my name and greeted me each time we passed. Waiters took the time to present wines and offer menu suggestions. When I left early one morning, I saw a staff member running to my room to triple-check that I didn't leave anything behind.

While Zawadi's pristine beaches and gourmet food were impressive, the staff left a lasting impression.

A honeymoon destination with activities next door

Zawadi oozes an indulgent honeymoon or anniversary vibe. Between elegant decor, fine dining service, intimate villas, and an adults-only policy, it's a place where privacy and luxury meet.

But Zawadi's hidden perk is that you can find an array of settings next door. The hotel is part of The Zanzibar Collection, with three other properties nearby.

Depending on your mood, you can hop over to play tennis or indulge at the much larger spa at the Baraza Resort. The Breezes Beach Club and Spa is home to the Rising Sun Dive Center, and Baraza has a water club where guests can take out paddleboards and snorkeling gear. If your stay is long enough, you can hop between restaurants for an array of options and atmospheres.

With only one night, I spent most of my time at Zawadi, rotating between a personal plunge pool, infinity pool, bathtub, and ocean.

And my takeaway from the night was simple — one day just isn't enough.

• Recession fears are back, but there are steps small business owners can take to prepare.
• Experts recommend businesses get paperwork in order in case they need a quick loan or merger.
• They also recommend checking contracts with landlords, contractors, and employees.

Markets are flashing warning signs of a possible recession. It's a good time to batten down the hatches.

For business owners, there's no "magic bullet that would completely protect you or make you recession-proof," said Noel Roycroft, the deputy director of the Harvard Law School Transactional Law Clinics, which advises entrepreneurs and small businesses.

But there are steps in the legal realm that businesses can take to prepare.

Business Insider spoke with lawyers who advise small businesses and startups about what advice they'd give to prepare for an economic recession.

Here's what they said.

1. Get your paperwork in order

In the event of an economic downturn, business owners might want to consider getting a loan to help them through choppy waters, merging with another company, or selling their business to a larger one.

In any of those circumstances, small businesses want to have all their ducks in a row for the due diligence process, said Roycroft, a former attorney at Ropes & Gray.

Have you paid all your taxes yet? Are your filings up-to-date with all the relevant state and federal agencies? Do you have all your corporate records organized? Do you have copies of the executed versions of all your contracts? Have you read your company's bylaws recently, and are you actually following them?

Roycroft said it's better to prepare before the storm starts rather than wait until something goes wrong before realizing the business is in bad shape from a legal perspective.

"You're playing cleanup at that point, and that's no fun for anybody," Roycroft said. "So the more you can kind of pay attention to those things now, the better."

Some states — like Massachusetts — automatically dissolve corporate entities if their paperwork isn't up-to-date.

"If you haven't done that for three years, you might be administratively dissolved and they don't even realize that's happened," she said. "And then they go to enter into a contract with somebody and there's no actual legal entity in place anymore."

2. Put up the firewall between you and your business

Proper corporate hygiene isn't just important for loans and mergers — it's also important for liability.

For small businesses, a hazy line between corporate and the owner's personal finances could cause trouble. Without a firewall, owners could become liable for debts in potential litigation or bankruptcy.

"If people are worried about litigation risks from creditors or counterparties, making sure that you're following these sorts of maintenance obligations shows that the business is separate from the owners and can help maintain that liability shield," Roycroft said.

3. Get your personal finances in order

If a small business needs a loan and has few assets, the owner will often be asked for a personal guarantee, Roycroft said.

For that reason, they should have their own financial life organized for lenders to analyze, she said.

Roycroft warned that such an arrangement could be risky, especially during an economic downturn, because the owner could be required to pay back the loan.

"If you were a corporation or an LLC and you enter into one of these loans, they can now seek to be paid back against your personal assets and not just the businesses," she said.

4. Consider trading debt for equity

Aside from loans, small business owners could consider lightening their debt load by giving up equity to existing lenders.

That arrangement could give the lender "skin in the game" and invigorate the business, said Jonathan Askin, a professor at Brooklyn Law School who oversees the Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship.

"You don't have debts coming due, but you've got potential equity partners who want to see you succeed as much as possible," Askin said of the arrangement.

Some lenders — or even contractors who are owed money — might also accept deferred compensation during a recession, Askin said.

"If we see light at the end of the recession tunnel, then anything you need to get over that hump through renegotiating and getting people to see your long-term vision, I think is helpful," Askin said.

5. Make sure you own your own intellectual property

Small businesses often overlook the fine print of their agreements with independent contractors, Roycroft said.

One common issue, she said, is that independent contractors or employees don't transfer over the IP rights for whatever they created for the business.

That could be a headache if the business is looking to merge with another. The contractor might have leverage of their own because they still have ownership of important IP for the business, Roycroft said.

6. Check your lease

For companies with brick-and-mortar businesses, rent is often the biggest expense.

Roycroft suggested checking that small business owners check their lease agreement and make sure they understand their obligations and rights.

"Making sure that you understand, 'If I miss one rent payment, what can happen and what are the notice requirements in it? How do I notice the landlord? How does the landlord send notice to me?'" she said.

There may be opportunities to renegotiate. While big corporate landlords tend to have more power than small businesses, no one wants to see a vacant storefront, she said.

Askin also suggested negotiating rules about sub-tenants, which can ease rent liabilities.

Landlords might also consider lowering rent for some equity, Askin said.

"There may be landlords who see the long-term future of your venture and might want to have skin in the game, too," Askin said. "Maybe they'd be interested in giving you a reduced rate for a piece of the business."

7. Use legal advisors who will save you money by using AI

The age of artificial intelligence has introduced enormous efficiencies in the legal industry. Askin recommended using AI-driven tools and law firms that pass some of those decreased costs along to their clients.

"As a business person, I would take advantage of as many free or pro-bono legal resources as possible," Askin said. "I don't think it's safe to abandon human legal counsel, but there are ways to automate legal processes so you could use more efficient legal support services."

He also recommended business owners take a look at their processes and see if AI tools could automate certain functions.

"If you're not digging deep into AI, you're behind the eight ball already," Askin said.

8. Understand your obligations to employees

Recessions usually mean that businesses need to tighten their belts. Roycroft recommended brushing up on state and federal laws that govern how employees are treated. Are they at-will employees? Do they have a union contract? Do they require a certain amount of severance or notice for a layoff? Are furloughs an option?

"God forbid you have to start letting people go, but that can happen in a recession," Roycroft said.

• Americans don't like President Donald Trump's economic policies.
• For the first time, a CNN poll found a majority of respondents disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy.
• Trump has signaled that he will press ahead with tariffs no matter how markets respond.

Americans are souring on President Donald Trump's handling of the economy.

In a CNN/SSRS poll released on Wednesday, a majority of respondents (56%) disapproved of the president's handling of the economy for the first time since they began polling the topic in his first term.

His previous worst rating in this survey fell in December 2017, with a 49% disapproval and 44% approval rating on the economy.

In a separate question, respondents overwhelmingly expressed displeasure with Trump's tariffs. More than 60% of respondents disapprove of the tariffs, the highest of any category pollsters asked about. Trump's highest marks were in his handling of immigration, with 51% of respondents approving his actions.

In response to the polling, the White House said that business leaders have responded to Trump's policies by making major investments in the US.

"Since President Trump was elected, industry leaders have responded to President Trump's America First economic agenda of tariffs, deregulation, and the unleashing of American energy with trillions in investment commitments that will create thousands of new jobs," White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement to Business Insider. "President Trump delivered historic job, wage, and investment growth in his first term, and is set to do so again in his second term."

Trump has doubled down on his shifting tariff policy, arguing that the nation should ignore the stock market slump in favor of potential long-term economic gains. On Wednesday, the White House followed through with Trump's promise to impose a 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum.

Business leaders have complained about the uncertainty of the situation as various tariffs are rolled out and then curtailed sometimes within the same day.

"You'll have a lot, but we may go up with some tariffs, it depends, we may go up, I don't we'll go down, but we may go up," Trump told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo in an interview that aired on Sunday when she asked if businesses had enough clarity on tariff plans.

"They have plenty of clarity, they just use that, it's almost like a sound bite, 'We want clarity.'"

The White House has also refused to rule out the possibility of a recession. Trump and his top economic advisors have also warned that tariffs may lead to "an adjustment period" with possible price increases.

Other polling has shown similar struggles.

A recent Emerson College poll found that 48% of registered voters disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy. A February Gallup poll of US adults found that 54% disapproved of his handling of the economy.

In comparison, President Joe Biden had far worse numbers. Biden's economic approval never exceeded 40% from the start of 2022 until he left office. In CNN's final poll before he left office, 67% of respondents disapproved of Biden's handling of the economy.

The good news for Trump is that he's run his last campaign. If the current trend continues, congressional Republicans may be stuck with the bill. The president's party typically loses seats in the midterm elections, and Democrats would need to net only a handful of seats to flip the House.

Trump's overall approval is slipping, too. He began his second term with relatively meager numbers, and in recent days those have started to dip as well. According to Nate Silver's Silver Bulletin weighted average, Trump has a net negative approval.