• In 2020, I learned how to coupon through TikTok videos.
• My CVS app says I've saved over $2,000 in the last five years by couponing.
• I can save money with relatively low effort.

When I was furloughed and pregnant in 2020, I, like many others, was addicted to TikTok. However, I wasn't on the app watching teenagers dance. I was learning how to coupon. Because I could really only go to the grocery store or drug store during this time, couponing became a way to save money and entertain myself.

Five years later, I'm proud to say that my frugal ways have helped my family save a ton of money in grocery and household costs. According to my CVS app, I've saved $2,322 in the last five years — and that's just at one store. I haven't paid for toothpaste in years and had a good couple of yearslong streak where I never paid more than $1 a gallon for oat milk.

It's social for me, too; my neighborhood group text is always buzzing with advice on what deals were good this week. With steep prices these days, couponing is an essential and easy way for me to keep costs down and have a little fun gaming the system. Here's how I do it.

Most coupons are digital

Some people have an image in their heads of a mom in the 90s with a big coupon binder. Times have evolved; all my couponing is done in-store apps and a few external aggregate apps. I have two small children, so while I'd love to get organized and go through each store app and plan my trip out, most of the time, I'm shuffling through the deals and adding them quickly to my queue as I walk into the grocery store with my girls in tow. I've only reached for a handful of paper coupons in the last five years.

Many apps now have a scan function, which allows you to scan a barcode on an item and see if a coupon is attached to it. Coupons either come off during the transaction, such as in a store app like Kroger or Publix or after you scan a receipt, such as with Fetch and Ibotta. For these, funds can be withdrawn at any time directly to your bank account.

To make it even easier, coupon influencers can guide you through coupons for stores such as Target, Dollar General, and even Sam's Club. They regularly highlight deals for name brands such as Bounty, Pampers, Arm & Hammer, and Rubbermaid.

Coupons exist for lots of categories of products, including premium groceries

Coupons can get you great deals on everyday items like canned goods, yogurt, and cheese, but premium brands give out way more coupons than people might think.

Merryfield, for example, is a couponing app with coupons for expensive brands like Applegate Farms, Vital Farms and Lesser Evil. I regularly see coupons for Siete and Dave's Killer Bread on Ibotta; I've gotten free Wow Bao buns from the app Aisle that retail for $8.79 at Kroger. I've even used coupons from some of these apps at Costco and Trader Joe's. If you love Sumo mandarin oranges, you'll know they can cost up to $6 a pound. There's a current coupon for them.

These cost savings add up in a major way with relatively little effort

Every time I tell someone I'm a couponer, they scoff that it's too much work to keep up with, but to me, spending a few minutes each shop doing the work is absolutely worth it. I'm saving money and getting a huge dopamine hit. I squeal with glee when I work a good deal, begging my husband to ask how much I paid for something. (The answer is often that I was paid to take the item from the store, a regular occurrence at my local CVS where I go so often they greet me by name.)

While free stuff is amazing, the real value is in the little coupons that accumulate over time. If you combine this strategy with shopping your store's weekly sales, the savings can be enormous. In today's economy, every cent counts, and coupons are a proven way to make your money go even further.

• Virtual influencer Mori Calliope performed a sold-out show at the Hollywood Palladium in February.
• These influencers, also known as VTubers, appear as digital avatars and are gaining popularity.
• I went to the concert. It was unlike anything I've seen before.

Inside Los Angeles' Hollywood Palladium, red and purple penlights glowed. Fans waved the electronic instruments popular in the anime community, danced, and cheered on a digital avatar while its creator performed from behind the stage.

The virtual influencer who sold out the 4,000-person theater isn't a household name. But she's part of a growing trend of creators who use technology to appear as digital avatars in their content and in live performances.

The VTuber, short for virtual YouTuber, goes by the name Mori Calliope. The creator conceals her true identity to fans. Mori Calliope has 2.5 million subscribers on her main YouTube channel, where she posts music videos in both English and Japanese, chats with fans on livestreams, and streams herself playing games like Minecraft. Some of her livestreams in the last three months were almost eight hours long.

On Wednesday, I went to Mori Calliope's second solo concert. Tickets ranged from $95 for general admission floor tickets to $400 for four balcony table seats, according to the show's official website. I was invited to check out the event for free with a press pass.

If you're still wondering what a VTuber is. Don't worry, you're not alone. The niche creator category, which originated in Japan, reflects an anime style. Although small in terms of the overall creator economy, the genre has a surprisingly dedicated fan base — one unlike I've seen before.

I've witnessed crowds of superfans for gaming creators like DreamSMP at creator conferences, including VidCon, as well as at pop-ups for YouTube superstar MrBeast. Last year, I attended a YouTuber event in a North Hollywood theater that was packed with children for a viewing of the animated YouTube show "Battle for Dream Island."

Unlike those events, most of the fans at Mori Calliope's show appeared to be in their late teens and 20s compared to some of YouTube's younger fanbases. I felt more like I was at an anime convention than a concert. Fans wore apparel like T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and even cosplay of the VTuber.

Mori Calliope shows the growing popularity of VTubers

Mori Calliope is one of dozens of VTubers taking over YouTube.

The creator is signed to Universal Music Japan and Cover Corporation's Hololive, a virtual influencer agency based in Japan. Hololive manages Mori Calliope's business ventures and YouTube channel, similar to the way talent agencies do for other creators and stars.

Globally, Cover is a big deal. The company's market capitalization is about $160 billion yen, or around $1 billion. It recently opened an office in Los Angeles as part of a US expansion, Cover CEO Motoaki Tanigo told Business Insider.

Hololive's English-speaking audiences are still a fraction of those in Japan, but they're growing. Combined, Hololive's VTubers had 5.9 billion subscribers in Japan and 3.2 billion subscribers overseas as of December 31, with about two-thirds of those in English-speaking regions, according to the company's February financial presentation.

Tanigo said music like Mori Calliope's is one of the top ways its talent reaches new audiences.

"The popularity of these events proves that North American audiences have a tremendous appetite for VTuber content," Tanigo said in a January interview conducted through translators. "Our goal is to elevate VTubers alongside popular Japanese exports like manga, anime, and games."

One concertgoer told me fans lined up as early as 3 p.m. on the day of the show. When I arrived about an hour before the start time, a line to get into the venue wrapped around the block. Fans held plushies of Mori Calliope and other characters from her videos. They dressed in merch and other apparel that matched her character's logo and signature pink. I also saw several fans ahead of me dressed in cosplay.

Inside, people stood in line for Mori Calliope merchandise, including T-shirts, glowsticks, a jersey, and a keychain. Hololive also sold the event merch online and at a Los Angeles pop-up earlier in the month.

Part of the show was livestreamed for free on YouTube for Mori Calliope's global audience. At one point, 28,000 fans were watching.

About a quarter of the way into the show, the VTuber directed those viewers to a link where they could buy tickets to watch the rest of the performance online. The tickets ranged from $43 to $51 on platforms like SPWN and Streaming+.

After the concert, I overheard groups of fans outside the venue exchanging information including social media handles and Discord groups. They cheered as a pink car wrapped in images of Mori Calliope drove swiftly past them.

• The CEO of Denmark's largest retailer said it will start labeling goods made by European companies.
• A spokesperson told BI that customers had asked for greater clarity, but weren't rejecting US goods.
• However, the move comes amid souring relations over Trump's comments about taking over Greenland.

The CEO of Denmark's largest retailer said that his company will start marking its goods to indicate which ones are made by European companies, in what he described as a response to customer demand.

Anders Hagh, CEO at Salling Group, wrote in a LinkedIn post on Thursday about the move, saying they'd received inquiries from a number of customers who wanted to buy groceries from European brands.

"Our stores will continue to have brands on the shelves from all over the world, and it will always be up to customers to choose," he added.

Hagh shared a sample image showing a black star on a pricing label to show the product's European origin.

The move comes amid strained transatlantic relations and widespread public outrage at President Donald Trump's repeated comments about how the US should take control of Greenland, which is part of Denmark.

Salling Group, which commands about 36% of the Danish market, operates more than 1,700 stores across countries including Denmark, Poland, and Germany, including the Netto supermarket chain, the føtex department store, as well as hypermarket Bilka. They reported a combined revenue of more than $9.8 billion in 2023.

In his post, Hagh made no reference to the tensions with the US but said that the Salling Group had recently received inquiries from customers who wanted to buy goods from European brands.

Christoffer Green Sørensen, a company spokesperson, told Business Insider that the group's customers had "not made inquiries regarding a boycott of the USA," adding: "They have solely requested more explicit information about European ownership."

He added that the change is set to come into its Danish stores "within two to three weeks," with the possibility of rolling it out across German and Polish stores later.

Public sentiment in Denmark has soured since President Donald Trump's Greenland comments.

Mette Heerulff Christiansen, the owner of a delicatessen store, told Danish TV earlier this month that "Trump has only been president for a month, and we have already felt that our customers have an opinion."

She added: "I actually think it's the start of something that could almost become a movement here in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe."

Trump's sharp criticisms of European and NATO policies have also set alarm bells ringing for the status of the transatlantic relationship.

A Danish group titled "Boycott goods from the USA," created in response to what it described as a trade war by Trump, has more than 36,000 members on Facebook.

Meanwhile, an English-language subreddit named r/buyfromEU, set up less than two weeks ago, has 57,000 members and counting.

• Some famous actors began their Hollywood journeys before they were born.
• Many appeared in their parents' projects or alongside them on red carpets.
• Old photos reveal the Hollywood pasts of stars like Jennifer Aniston, Dan Levy, and Lily Collins.

From attending events like the Oscars at a young age to being formally introduced to the press as newborns, these celebrities have been in front of the cameras their whole lives.

The term "nepo babies," which is short for nepotism babies, surfaced on social media before New York Magazine published a 2022 cover story listing dozens of celebrities continuing their parents' legacies in the entertainment industry.

While many of these celebrities have resisted the label, saying it undermines their efforts and work, others have embraced it.

These 25 pictures show today's stars when they were just kids of famous Hollywood actors, directors, and producers.

Jane Fonda

Academy Award winner Jane Fonda is the daughter of Hollywood and Broadway legend Henry Fonda and the Canadian-American socialite Frances Ford Seymour.

In the above photograph, Jane Fonda is pictured second from right, between her father and her brother, Peter. Left, Henry Fonda's third wife, Susan Blanchard, holds their daughter Amy.

Angelina Jolie

Actor, director, producer, and humanitarian Angelina Jolie is the youngest child of Hollywood actor Jon Voight and his second wife, TV actor Marcheline Bertrand.

Jolie is pictured at the 1986 Academy Awards with her brother, grandmother, and father.

Benedict Cumberbatch

The "Doctor Strange" and "Sherlock" actor was born in 1976 to British TV actors Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton, who also had a career in theatre.

Mariska Hargitay

Hargitay, best-known for playing detective Olivia Benson in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," was one of the five children of Playboy Playmate and 1950s sex symbol Jayne Mansfield. Her father, Mickey Hargitay, was an actor and bodybuilder famous for winning the 1955 Mr. Universe. A 1-year-old Hargitay is pictured second from right.

Charlie Sheen

Born Carlos Irwin Estévez, the "Two and a Half Men" actor (center) is the child of actors Janet Sheen and Emmy-winning Martin Sheen. Martin Sheen (second from right) has had a lengthy career in Hollywood, appearing in movies like "Apocalypse Now" and "Badlands" and shows like "West Wing" and "Grace and Frankie."

In fact, all four of Janet and Martin Sheen's kids have enjoyed careers in Hollywood: Emilio Estévez (pictured second from left) was part of the Brat Pack, Renée Estevez (left) appeared in movies including "Heathers," and Ramón Estévez acts, produces, and directs.

Jennifer Aniston

The "Friends" actor was born in 1969 to Greek "Days of Our Lives" actor John Aniston and TV actor Nancy Dow.

Gwyneth Paltrow

The Goop founder and actor was born in 1972 to Emmy- and Tony-winning actor Blythe Danner and producer Bruce Paltrow. Her godfather is Steven Spielberg.

She had her acting debut in "High," a 1989 film her father directed.

Nicolas Cage

Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, the "National Treasure" actor is part of the Coppola family, which includes his uncle, filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. He's also related to Sofia Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, both cousins.

Kate Hudson

The "Almost Famous" and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" actor is the daughter of Oscar winner Goldie Hawn and musician Bill Hudson, and she is close with her mother's longterm partner, actor Kurt Russell.

"The nepotism thing, I mean … I don't really care," Kate Hudson told The Independent in 2022. "I remember ['Almost Famous' director] Cameron Crowe saying that it wasn't as if Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell showed up to his door with, like, trench coats on, holding a gun to his head and making him put me in the movie. That's not how any of this works."

Lily Collins

The daughter of musician Phil Collins, the "Emily in Paris" actor began her acting career at the age of 2. She had her breakout role in 2009, playing Sandra Bullock's daughter in "The Blind Side."

Zoey Deutch

Known for her roles in "The Politician" and the satirical "Not Okay," Deutch (second from left) is the daughter of "Back to the Future" actor Lea Thompson and "Pretty in Pink" director Howard Deutch.

Her older sister, Madelyn Deutch, is also an actor and musician.

Carrie Fisher

"Star Wars" actor Carrie Fisher was the daughter of "Singin' in the Rain" star and Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds and musician Eddie Fisher, who married Elizabeth Taylor after divorcing Reynolds.

Carrie Fisher was the mother of a nepo baby herself — her daughter, Billie Lourd, has also made a name for herself in acting.

Dakota Johnson

The "Fifty Shades of Grey" star is the daughter of "Miami Vice" actor Don Johnson and second-generation Hollywood actor Melanie Griffith. Her maternal grandmother, Tippi Hedren, starred in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" in 1963.

Dakota Johnson made her film debut at age 10 in "Crazy in Alabama," directed by her then-stepfather Antonio Banderas.

Johnson has called the "nepo baby" discourse "incredibly annoying and boring," People reported in 2024.

Margaret Qualley

Qualley, who is known for her recent role in "The Substance" alongside Demi Moore, is the daughter of Andie MacDowell, with whom she starred in the Netflix show "Maid" in 2021.

She made her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week in 2011, at age 16, and the following year walked for Valentino and Chanel in Paris Fashion Week. She made her acting debut in 2013, appearing in Gia Coppola's "Palo Alto."

Maya Rudolph

The SNL comedian and actor is the daughter of musicians Minnie Riperton and Richard Rudolph.

Her mother's biggest hit, the 1974 "Lovin' You," was written for Maya by her parents as a nighttime lullaby.

Dan Levy

The "Schitt's Creek" star, writer, and producer is the son of Canadian actor and comedian Eugene Levy, who co-starred and executive-produced the show alongside his son.

Zooey and Emily Deschanel

The sisters are the daughters of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, who worked on "National Treasure" and "The Passion of the Christ," and TV actor Mary Jo Deschanel.

Mia Farrow

The "Rosemary's Baby" actor is the child of Academy Award-winning film director John Farrow and Irish actor Maureen O'Sullivan, who played Jane Parker in the "Tarzan" films.

Michael Douglas

The Academy Award-winning "Wall Street" actor is the son of actor and filmmaker Kirk Douglas, who appeared in over 90 films throughout his career, and actor Diana Douglas.

Tracee Ellis Ross

Daughter to the legendary singer Diana Ross and her then-husband, music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein, Tracee Ellis Ross grew up in an artistic sphere — she was even photographed by Andy Warhol during her childhood.

Drew Barrymore

When Drew Barrymore shot to fame, aged 7, for "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," she was the youngest of a long line of performers — the Barrymore family has its acting roots in mid-19th-century London. Her father, John Drew Barrymore, starred in many films in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

But growing up in the spotlight was not easy, and Drew Barrymore has spoken of the challenges of stardom at a young age.

Jack Quaid

Better known for his role in "The Boys," Jack Quaid is the son of "When Harry Met Sally" star Meg Ryan and "The Parent Trap" actor Dennis Quaid.

"Jack is really talented," Meg Ryan told Glamour in 2023. "He's more of a natural than I'll ever be … That nepo stuff is so dismissive of his work ethic, his gifts, and how sensitive he is to the idea of his privilege."

Following her comments, Quaid told The Daily Beast of the "nepo baby" label, "I don't think it undermines my talent. I know that I work hard, and I know I've heard 'no' way more than I've heard 'yes.' But I also know that this industry is insanely hard to break into, and I had an easier time doing that than most. Both things can be true."

Bryce Dallas Howard

The "Jurassic World" actor is the eldest child of legendary Hollywood director and Oscar winner Ron Howard and writer Cheryl Howard.

Jamie Lee Curtis

The scream queen is the daughter of "Psycho" star Janet Leigh and actor Tony Curtis, who appeared in more than 100 films.

In a 2022 Instagram post, Jamie Lee Curtis criticized the nepo baby discourse.

"The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt," Curtis wrote. "There's not a day in my professional life that goes by without my being reminded that I am the daughter of movie stars."

Ben Stiller

The "Zoolander" star and comedian was born in 1965 to actor Anne Meara and comedian Jerry Stiller, who made up the comedy duo Stiller and Meara in the 1960s and 1970s.

• Prime Video's "The Boys" will end with its upcoming fifth season.
• "Supernatural" stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins will have roles in the final season.
• There's no release date yet, but filming is underway and expected to continue through mid-2025.

All good things must come to an end, including Prime Video's popular superhero satire series "The Boys."

The show was officially renewed for a fifth season in May 2024. Two days before the season four premiere, creator and showrunner Eric Kripke revealed via X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram that the upcoming fifth season would be the show's last.

"#TheBoys Season 4 Premiere Week is the perfect time to announce: Season 5 will be the Final Season! Which was always my plan, I just had to be cagey about it until I got final permission from @voughtintl,'" Kripke wrote on Instagram.

"But I'm thrilled to bring this story to a gory, epic, emotional climax. So check out Season 4, premiering THIS THURSDAY, because the end has begun! Hop in for the ride. Which will be bumpy. And probably a little moist. @theboystv @primevideo."

Here's everything we know about season five of "The Boys," so far.

Season 4 is designed to be a darker, more introspective season ahead of the all-out action of season 5

Season four explores the characters' biggest fears and unresolved traumas. Kripke compared the show to a three-act film and said that season four serves as act two.

"It's like the darkest point, the most introspective point," he told Deadline. "It's the one where the characters have to emotionally face their existential trauma. So then they're able to jump onto the roller coaster ride that is the climax of the movie."

In an interview with LADbible, Kripke said that the season four finale makes the five-season plan even clearer.

"There's no way a show goes one more season after the events of that finale," the showrunner said.

"As far as we're concerned, it's our show's version of the apocalypse," he said of season five.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan hopes to return as Joe Kessler

Morgan joined season four of "The Boys" as one of Butcher's old buddies who reenters his life. It's not until episode six that fans learn that the real Joe is actually dead, and Butcher has been hallucinating the whole time — a side effect of his brain tumor.

In season four, the hallucination version of Joe serves as the manifestation of Butcher's bloodthirsty side, the part of him that wants to wipe out all supes. During the last moments of the finale, Butcher is seen driving off with the last dose of the supe-killing virus, with Joe smiling with satisfaction in the rearview mirror.

"I don't know how you do season five without an appearance, at least," Morgan told Variety when asked if he'll return for the final season. "That's my feeling. I've never had any official talks about it, but I think it'd be really hard to carry on without some sort of resolution — and hopefully that'll be a whole season!"

Jensen Ackles will return as Soldier Boy, and he'll be joined by his 'Supernatural' costars Jared Padalecki and Mischa Collins

Jensen Ackles joined "The Boys" during season three as Soldier Boy, an obnoxious supe and the biological father of Homelander (Antony Starr). Ackles was absent from season four but had a cameo at the very end of the season.

Ackles made a surprise appearance at a panel for "The Boys" at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, where it was announced that he would be a series regular for season five.

"You know, what we realized was we really hadn't explored the father-son relationship much between Homelander and Soldier Boy," Kripke told video game blog Gamesradar+ at SDCC. "There's a lot of material there, how Soldier Boy feels about Homelander, how Homelander feels about his dad, and so we really wanted to dig into that relationship."

There's also going to be another "Supernatural" reunion.

In February 2025, the social media accounts for "The Boys" posted a video revealing that Ackles' "Supernatural" costars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins will also appear in season five.

Additional new cast members for season 5 include "Hamilton" star Daveed Diggs and "Stranger Things" actor Mason Dye.

Variety reported that Diggs will be a series regular. Dye will play a supe named Bombsight, who's already been referenced in "The Boys" as one of the oldest known supes in history.

Kripke already has ideas for the series finale ending

Kripke told Deadline that the writers' room spent weeks discussing the show's mythology and broad ideas for season five, and he has a good idea of how the series will conclude.

"I know that moment where the title card comes up, and it says six months later, and you see where everybody is," he said. "I know that. I can really write the last 10 pages of this story right now."

He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that everything hasn't been mapped out in detail yet because he wants to allow the writers to suggest ideas and twists.

"I don't totally know how we're going to get there, but I know the destination," he said.

Season 5 of 'The Boys' will definitively wrap up the show's story

"The Boys" juggles many characters and storylines, but the heart of the show is the dynamic between sworn enemies Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr).

Homelander already teased a "scorched" earth" destiny for him and Butcher in the season three premiere. It looks like fans will likely see that play out in season five.

"The show is a serialized story that is about Butcher and Homelander slowly crashing into each other, and the show doesn't work without either of those," Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter. "So, you just can't keep that going on forever, you have to let them smash into each other."

"What I would say is, this particular story is ending, the Butcher-Homelander is ending," he told Variety. "But there can be other stories and other corners of the universe."

There are already various "Boys" offshoots in different stages; the college-set "Gen V" was renewed for a second season in October 2023, and a Mexico spin-off is in the works. There's also the prequel spin-off series "Vought Rising," which will star Ackles and Aya Cash, reprising her role as Stormfront. Entertainment Weekly reported that Dye will return as Bombsight in "Vought Rising."

But the upcoming fifth season of "The Boys" will be the end of the road for the show.

"This story of 'The Boys' will not continue on," Kripke told Entertainment Weekly, adding that some other potential spin-offs in development have yet to be announced.

There's no release date yet for season 5

In July 2024, Kripke told Variety that season five would begin filming around mid-November.

"And I don't know when it'll premiere yet, but we'll be shooting well into middle of '25," he said.

The showrunner added that, like past seasons, the final installment will be comprised of eight episodes.

Since season five is anticipated to film through 2025, that means it likely won't premiere until 2026.

• US Gen Alpha shoppers represent around $28 billion in spending power, according to shopper analytics firm Numerator.
• The younger consumers often have an average weekly allowance of $22, mostly spent on toys and snacks.
• When it comes to brands, their choices tend to be influenced by social trends and digital marketing.

Kids these days are growing up in a remarkably different consumer landscape than prior generations.

The estimated 46 million Generation Alpha shoppers in the US represent around $28 billion in spending power and their influence is already being felt by brands, according to shopper analytics firm Numerator.

Born in 2010 or after, these under-15-year-olds typically have an average weekly allowance of $22, which they largely spend on toys and snacks, Numerator found.

As the new year gets underway, Gen Alpha's brand preferences tend to be influenced by social trends and digital marketing, leading some products to breakout success.

In particular, Samyang — makers of the Buldak "fire chicken" ramen packs — topped Numerator's chart of brands to watch, followed by Owala — the makers of the multicolored flip-top insulated steel water bottles.

Cirkul's hydration system also placed in the top 10 at number seven.

And as kids grow and change, personal care appears to feature more prominently in their discretionary purchases, with three brands in the top 10: Squatch Soap Co., Kitsch, and Hero Cosmetics.

Among kids 6 and older, the top source of product discovery is from their friends, followed by TV commercials and social media influencers.

That stands in contrast to those 5 and under, who often respond to what they see while walking in the store with their parents as well as what they learn about from family members. Interestingly, Numerator found that more than half of six-year-olds have asked for something they saw in an advertisement.

As for categories (rather than brands), about half of kids 10 and under spend their allowance on toys, though Numerator found that share falls off dramatically after they turn 11. Kids of all ages are still spending their money on snacks, however.

Perhaps the least surprising finding was which retailer stands out most among Gen Alpha shoppers: Five Below.

Numerator found that roughly a third of Gen Alpha households shop at the discount chain — a rate that is twice that of the overall US population.

• This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Happy Friday! What do Lauren Sánchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King have in common? They are part of the first all-women space crew since 1963. Sánchez is leading the six-person crew on an 11-minute journey on one of her fiancé Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rockets.

In today's big story, Amazon's love affair with AI doesn't extend to job candidates using it during interviews.

What's on deck

Markets: Goldman Sachs pulls back on DEI language in its annual report. It says it's just following the law.

Tech: Internal xAI documents show how workers are instructed to suss out "woke ideology" and "cancel culture" in Elon Musk's chatbot.

Business: Netflix isn't losing sleep over your canceled subscription. In fact, you'll probably be back.

But first, AI for me, but not for interviewees.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

Interviewing on AI

Tech companies love AI. Just don't try to use it to get a job at one.

Amazon created guidelines for its internal recruiters to sniff out job candidates who might be using AI during the hiring process, writes Business Insider's Eugene Kim.

The tech giant's stance is that AI tools give candidates an "unfair advantage" that doesn't allow Amazon to evaluate their "authentic" skills, according to guidelines Eugene obtained.

As a reminder, this is the same Amazon pouring billions of dollars into AI development in the hopes that AI tools become a key part of people's personal and professional lives. The same Amazon encouraging employees to use its AI chatbot at work. The same Amazon that would love to have its AI-powered Alexa+ in homes across America.

With all that AI encouragement, it's not surprising candidates would turn to these tools to give themselves the best chance possible, especially when the market for tech jobs is so tough.

Dealing with AI-powered interviewees isn't just an Amazon problem.

For about as long as AI chatbots have been around, people have been figuring out how to use them to cheat get an advantage.

BI's Rob Price has covered the topic extensively, writing about the "magic teleprompter" apps that feed candidates answers.

Sometimes, using AI is just about passing a technical test to get a raise or to land a job. Other times, the tools are shadow stand-ins for people, doing some, if not all, of their actual work.

While the latter might sound egregious, using AI tools to get a job that'll require you to use AI tools doesn't seem that out of line. Imagine if you had to try out for a track team but weren't allowed to wear running shoes. Why ban someone from using something they'll eventually need to succeed?

I put that question to a tech recruiter. They said the problem is candidates solely relying on AI tools instead of having their own logic and general knowledge. It's a big issue, particularly with younger candidates fresh out of college, they added.

Still, it's not like candidates haven't been trying to get an edge on interviews for years. The recruiter mentioned the 2008 book "Cracking the Coding Interview," which includes programming questions commonly asked during interviews.

Sometimes, the recruiter has to stay a step ahead, like asking follow-up questions the chatbots might have trouble managing.

And if all else fails, maybe AI can help with the AI problem.

News brief

• What to know about the economic blackout that boycotters are planning today to protest corporate corruption.
• The cofounder of Airbnb is joining DOGE.
• Sam Altman says OpenAI's new ChatGPT-4.5 is a more emotionally intelligent model but warns that it's 'expensive' to train and run.
• These are the job responsibilities of DOGE staff embedded in federal agencies, according to Trump.
• North Korea was behind the $1.5B Bybit crypto hack, FBI says.
• I'm a pediatrician working in the middle of Texas's measles outbreak. Here's what I want parents to know.
• Woman charged in Tesla dealership vandalism incident involving Molotov cocktails and graffiti, police say.
• Talen CEO says Amazon is investing 'sweat equity' at its data center next door to the Susquehanna nuclear plant.

3 things in markets

1. Meet the fund manager who beats the S&P 500 again and again. Michael Cuggino's Permanent Portfolio Aggressive Growth Portfolio has outperformed the S&P 500, returning 28% versus the index's 17% on a trailing 12-month basis. Cuggino's fund also had a higher average annual gain than the S&P 500 over the past decade. The secret? The fund doesn't invest along themes or focus too much on specific indexes, instead prioritizing quality growth firms.

2. Nvidia still has something to prove. Despite strong earnings, one subject came up a bunch during Nvidia's Wednesday call: gross margins. CFO Colette Kress said expectations are in the "low 70s" for the current quarter as the company ramps up Blackwell chip production. Still, she thinks the gross margins will bounce back after. Even once Nvidia isn't as stressed over speeding up Blackwell, one analyst doesn't think the chip titan will be out of the woods.

3. Goldman wants to play by the rules as it drops DEI references. The bank toned down DEI language in its annual report, mentioning diversity much less than in previous years. The bank also said its "aspirational hiring goals" will expire this year without clarifying if new ones will be implemented. Goldman CEO David Solomon said the bank made the adjustments "to reflect developments in the law in the US."

3 things in tech

1. xAI is training Grok in anti-wokeness. BI reviewed internal xAI documents outlining how AI tutors should "spot bias" and look out for "woke ideology" and "cancel culture" in its chatbot Grok's responses. Tutors are told to consider the company's "guiding principles," which include "do not moralize, preach, or judge." Some workers said they felt the training methods prioritize right-wing beliefs, while a researcher said he believes Grok's approach can differentiate it from other chatbots. Check out some of the sample prompts and responses tutors were shown.

2. Googlers are using a Google Doc to track Google's layoffs. The tech giant cut jobs across its Cloud, ads, and Trust & Safety teams this week. It follows smaller, surgical cuts across the company over the past few months, employees said. In an effort to track the layoffs, current employees have circulated a crowdsourced Google Doc reviewed by BI.

3. An origin story for Amazon's robots revolutionalizing e-commerce. In 2015, Amazon hosted a competition challenging researchers to build robots that could identify and pick up specific warehouse items. A decade later, those ideas have helped launch a flock of advanced robots that could help the e-commerce giant save as much as $10 billion a year.

3 things in business

1. Rise of the Gen Z realtors. The share of realtors under 30 quadrupled in 2024, data shows, as the profession attracts more young people. Three Gen Z brokers told BI the profession helped them experience financial freedom and avoid slogging away at a typical desk job — even if their baby faces made it hard to get off the ground initially.

2. I just can't quit you, Netflix. The streaming giant isn't worried if you cancel your subscription — data from the analytics company Antenna suggests it'll probably win you back quickly. In 2023, 61% of subscribers who canceled were back on the platform within a year. That win-back rate far surpasses Netflix's streaming rivals' average of 45%.

3. These healthcare startups are ready for acquisitions this year. It's been a slow few years for company combinations in the healthcare startup industry. Nearly a dozen investors and bankers told BI few large companies seem willing to make big deals. The right buyers might be their peers — and seven healthcare startups appear ready to move.

In other news

• Judge says mass firings of probationary employees by the Trump administration were invalid.
• North Koreans are back to fighting alongside Russia, South Korean intelligence says.
• Vistra's stock had surged amid the AI boom. Now Wall Street is getting antsy waiting for a data center deal.
• The major companies that have relocated to Texas, from Tesla to Chevron.
• One map shows where Americans are paying the highest electricity bills.
• The Oscars gift bags are worth over $216,000. Here's what's inside.
• Real estate investors explain why they're all in on the 'steady' Louisville market and how they picked it.
• Betting markets are skeptical DOGE will accomplish some of its big goals.

What's happening today

• Ramadan begins.
• Apple's iPhone 16e hits stores.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

• Arizona's Supreme Court has granted KPMG a license to practice law.
• The decision marks the entry of a Big Four firm into the US legal framework.
• The move is likely to create more competition for top talent and clients, one commentator said.

KPMG will become the first of the Big Four to set up a legal division in the US after the Arizona Supreme Court granted it a special license to practice law.

KPMG was approved to operate as an alternative business structure, or ABS, in Arizona — a license that enables it to establish KPMG Law US as an independent law firm.

The new entity will bring together technology and legal advice at scale, reshaping the market for legal services, KPMG said in a statement.

Its offerings will include legal managed services, legal operations consulting, and legal technology innovation.

"KPMG Law US is uniquely positioned to transform the delivery of legal services," said Rema Serafi, KPMG's vice chair of tax. "By combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence and advanced technology solutions with legal services, we are proud to be a first mover with this capability and to offer the most holistic range of tech-enabled services in the marketplace for our clients' evolving needs."

The US is the world's largest market for legal services. It is mostly closed off to nonlegal professionals by an American Bar Association rule that only permits licensed lawyers to own or invest in law firms.

While the Big Four have set up legal divisions in other key markets, they have only operated advisory, audit, and tax divisions in the US until now.

Arizona's ABS program sidesteps the rule and grants nonlegal professionals a license to provide legal services. More than 100 firms have been approved to practice law in the state since the ABS program began in 2021.

Arizona is not alone in offering market access to non-legal professionals. Washington has allowed limited nonlawyer ownership since 1991, and Utah is running a similar trial to the ABS program.

'Market-based reforms'

Lucy Ricca, executive director at Stanford Law School's Deborah L. Rhode Center on the Legal Profession, told Business Insider that Arizona's ABS reforms were intended to widen the public's access to legal services.

"The Arizona ABS reforms are market-based reforms, intended to open the power of capital, diversification, and competition in a sector, legal services, that has been stunted by the professional monopoly of lawyers," she said.

Critics of the program argue that nonlawyer ownership in law firms creates a conflict of interest and undermines the professional independence of lawyers.

KPMG Law US will operate within each state's ethics rules in line with every other law firm, the firm said.

As a condition of its ABS license, KPMG will not be allowed to provide legal services to clients for which it also performs financial audits, the Arizona Supreme Court said in a statement.

More competition

The Arizona court's decision signals further expansion for KPMG's tax and legal division, which was the fastest-growing arm of its business in its last financial year — up 10% globally.

KPMG Law US will not be limited to Arizona. It will also serve clients across the US by partnering, offering co-counsel, or referring to separate staffing firms and other law firms, subject to state rules.

Kirsten Keegan Vasquez, vice president of the legal recruiter Major, Lindsey & Africa, told BI that she doesn't expect KPMG to swiftly disrupt the market.

"Legal services are hired based on long-term proven track record. Any new entry into the market is going to have to overcome that competitive energy," she said.

However, Vasquez expected KPMG's move to create more competition for top talent and clients among big law firms.

Stanford's Lucy Ricca added: "There certainly will be winners and losers as the market grows and changes, but those pressures already exist in many ways.

"Every new entrant represents a growing and more dynamic market for legal services and a growing diversity in the supply of legal services. It means more competition, yes, but this is a market that has been stunted by a lack of real competition for decades."

• Last year, my son had his first science fair project, and it felt like my responsibility, too.
• When he had to do another one this year, I wasn't thrilled.
• Our project wasn't going well, but rather than quit, I decided we'd start over and finish strong.

In the state of Florida where my son and I live, students in grades fourth through sixth are required to complete a science fair project. My son is in fifth grade this year, so he just finished his second project. After last year, I wasn't a fan of the task. In fact, I was truly dreading it this year.

Given the amount of work involved, I think it's unrealistic to expect that any 9- to 11-year-old could handle the science fair project independently. After our experience last year, I walked away thinking it was as much, if not more, my responsibility than my son's.

Throughout the entire process, I felt conflicted. I wonder if any of the other students are actually completing the steps without a lot of involvement from parents — and if the teachers are aware that's likely what's happening.

Our project didn't start off on a great foot

I suggested several experiments for my son to choose from this year because he couldn't decide what to do. He has a growing interest in music, so we settled on seeing whether plants grew better when they listened to certain kinds of music. All of his plants died before we could finish the project, and I was stressed out, to say the least.

When my husband saw how upset I was, he suggested lying about the test results. For about a week, I seriously considered it. I had already spent so much money on the plants, and to say I was over the project entirely would be an understatement. Nagging my son to play music for his plants every night after a long day of school and work was not relaxing. I didn't want to have to buy new plants and start the whole process over again.

But as I thought about fabricating the results to my son's science experiment, I wondered what I'd be teaching him. Quitting when things go wrong, skirting around actually doing the work, and outright lying were not the lessons I wanted him to learn. I began to see that the attitude I had taken toward the whole project from the beginning had been wrong.

Instead of taking the easy way out, I took the opportunity to bond with him

While I still think the science fair projects create more work for the parents than the students, I decided to change my attitude. I also began to wonder if the true point of the assignment was to get the parents more involved. Even if that isn't the case, I chose to take the task as an opportunity to bond with my son while I still can.

I realized that I could set an example for him in how to manage one's time and turn in work that is honorable. Instead of helping him lie about results to work around failure, I helped my son start over again. In the end, we both had a project to be proud of and one that was clearly a team effort. He was able to draw the conclusion that plants do, in fact, grow better with music, based on actual evidence we gathered from a properly completed experiment.

I'm still glad that next year will be the last time we have to complete a science fair project. But from having completed two together so far, I know that the best thing I can do is model a positive attitude. There are going to be lots of unpleasant tasks in life that he will have to tackle, but doing his best not to hate every moment of his to-do's and even find the silver lining in them are two lessons I'm hoping he will learn from the experience.

• A couple said they had to share a row with a dead body after a passenger died on their flight.
• One former flight attendant told BI how crew are trained to deal with medical emergencies.
• An airline trade organization has guidelines for dealing with deaths in the air.

Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were heading to Venice when another passenger died on their flight from Melbourne to Doha.

Ring told Australia's Nine News he spent the last four hours of the 14-hour Qatar Airways flight sharing a row with the woman's dead body.

After the passenger collapsed in the aisle near their row, Ring said, "They did everything they could, but unfortunately the lady couldn't be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch."

"They tried to wheel her up toward business class, but she was quite a large lady and they couldn't get her through the aisle."

He added that the flight attendants saw there were two vacant seats in Ring and Colin's row of four. They then asked Ring to move over and placed the body in the seat where he had been sitting.

Ring said that the cabin crew didn't offer the couple different seats to move to.

While another passenger in the row behind offered one to his wife, Ring told Nine News he spent the rest of the flight in the same row as the dead body.

He added that he was told to stay seated after the plane landed, as medical crews boarded the plane and removed blankets covering the body.

"Our thoughts are with the family members of the passenger who sadly passed away on board a recent Qatar Airways flight from Melbourne, Australia," the airline said in a statement.

"The safety and comfort of all our passengers is of paramount importance to us."

Qatar said it had contacted the affected passengers to address their concerns.

Deaths on airplanes are not unheard of, though they are comparatively rare. A 2013 study found that medical emergencies happen once in every 604 flights. Deaths are even rarer, resulting from 0.3% of such incidents.

How crew are trained to deal with dead passengers

What actually happens when someone dies on a plane? Airlines have protocols in place, and staff are trained to deal with medical emergencies. The International Air Transport Association, an airline trade group, has guidelines for dealing with a death on board.

"We were told to be as compassionate and understanding as possible, especially if the passenger was traveling with people," Pierre-Yves Monnerville, who spent 17 years as a flight attendant at carriers including British Airways, told Business Insider.

Ideally, he said, there would be an empty row to place the body. In the Qatar Airways case, Monnerville said he suspected that the flight would've been very busy.

He said that he was trained to "find a way to make them as inconspicuous as possible." For example, not putting a blanket over their head and keeping them upright as much as possible.

While Monnerville didn't deal with a passenger's death during his time as a flight attendant, he said he used to do first aid with the French Red Cross — where he experienced how difficult it can be to move a body.

"Somebody unconscious already is quite hard to deal with in a regular house, but you can imagine in such a confined space [as a plane]," he told BI.

Monnerville added that it would be an extra challenge on newer planes as the aisles are narrower to fit in more seats.

Qatar Airways said in a Friday statement shared with BBC News that the crew's handling of the woman's death was "in line with training and industry standard practice."

In 2021, a flight attendant went viral on TikTok as she explained procedures if a passenger dies on a plane.

"If they have a heart attack and die, and there is nothing we can do about it, and we can't start CPR, we are just going to wait until we get to our final destination," Sheena Marie said.

She also said that, despite a myth of bodies being put in airplane bathrooms, this isn't possible as a body can't be safely strapped in.

In the past, some planes even had specific compartments reserved for bodies.

In 2004, Singapore Airlines began operating Airbus A340-500s with a locker that could store a body, which became known as a "corpse cupboard." The airline retired its A340-500s in 2013.

Under the IATA's more formal guidelines, the first thing flight crews should do is notify the captain, who should then inform authorities at the destination airport. The deceased should then be moved to a seat with few passengers around.

If the flight is full, the body should be put in its original seat or one that doesn't obstruct an aisle or exit. "Be aware of the difficulty of the situation for companions and onlookers," the guidelines say.

The IATA also recommends using a body bag, if available, and zipping it up to the neck or using a blanket. Close the eyes, and secure the body with a seatbelt, it adds.

Other passengers should be disembarked first, while any family members should stay with the body.

• Starbucks is retiring 13 of its less popular and more complicated drinks.
• This includes several of its famous Frappuccinos.
• Good riddance, I say!

First, let me say: If the Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino was your favorite drink, I'm sorry. Accept my condolences that it's among the 13 beverages to be deaccessioned from Starbucks' menu —  never to crumble or frapp again.

I know the retirement of your favorite obscure-flavored, mass-market food or beverages can be painful. I still mourn Diet Vanilla Coke in a 20-ounce bottle. (2002-2005, RIP.)

But with a clear head, anyone can see that the list of drinks that Starbucks' new CEO is axing makes sense. Quite simply, things had gotten out of hand.

Here are the drinks headed off to sweet treat Valhalla:

1. Iced Matcha Lemonade
2. Espresso Frappuccino
3. Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino
4. White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
5. Java Chip Frappuccino
6. Chai Crème Frappuccino
7. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino
8. Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino
9. Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino
10. White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
11. White Hot Chocolate
12. Royal English Breakfast Latte
13. Honey Almondmilk Flat White

Look, I'm sure the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino hits a certain sweet tooth. By no means am I yucking anyone's yum — but goodness gravy, these drinks are ridiculous.

Most of these drinks are probably higher in sugar and calories than people expect. (A 16-ounce Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino has 420 calories and 22 grams of fat — or nearly 30% of your daily fat guideline.) I'm not proposing Starbucks shouldn't offer dessert-ish drinks, but I can understand why Starbucks doesn't want its drinks to be synonymous with unhealthy indulgences.

To be clear: No one, certainly not my primary-care physician, would ever accuse me of being a healthy eater — and I love a novelty sweet treat. I am not joking or saying this for effect, but I literally was ambiently snacking on a few of the new Post Malone novelty Oreos while writing this.

Starbucks menu cuts are supposed to improve service

A representative for Starbucks told Business Insider that the move to cut these whimsical sugar bombs will help make the rest of the service at Starbucks better. In an email to my colleague, Starbucks said it will "make way for innovation, help reduce wait times, improve quality and consistency, and align with our core identity as a coffee company."

I worked at Starbucks in the late 1990s, at the dawn of the Frappuccino era, and I can tell you from experience that making these drinks was slow, labor-intensive, and unpleasant. I'm sure that the methods have gotten more efficient in the last 20 years, but I'd wager that these are still some of the most annoying drinks to make — they take extra time and require the baristas to learn obscure ingredients and ratios, which can lead to more errors in drinks.

Starbucks' new CEO, Brian Niccol, has said that he wants the chain to get back to its origins as a place people want to hang out — and shift away from the mobile app ordering that exploded during the pandemic. Part of the rise of mobile ordering is that it allowed — even encouraged — people to add extra syrup pumps and toppings for increasingly elaborate customized drinks that would go viral on TikTok.

The drinks got wackier and wackier, and it's time to rein it back in.

A Frappuccino is a wonderful invention, and the addition of the Mocha Frappuccino was inspired and brilliant. But when we're getting down to the difference between the Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino and a Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino? Get real.

These nonsense drinks have been mercifully taken out behind the dumpster and murdered. And it's the right call. Bravo, Starbucks.

• I had no practical reason to move from San Francisco to Athens, Greece, just an undeniable feeling.
• Turns out, moving to Athens for no reason was exactly the right choice for my career.
• I quit my job in finance, published two books, and transformed my career where I now help others.

When I boarded my Lufthansa flight for the 16-hour journey from San Francisco to Greece, I didn't know a single person in the country I was about to call my new home.

I had no practical reason for making the move. In San Francisco, where I had been living for the last 15 years, I had stable employment, a circle of long-term friends, and an apartment I loved.

Moving to Greece was stepping into the unknown. There was no new job waiting, no friends, no apartment — I didn't even speak the language. Yet, I had this undeniable feeling that Athens was where I should be.

Moving to Athens was the right choice for my career

As I settled into my seat, I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and excitement. What should have been a moment of anxiety was the opposite. At the age of 41, I felt like my life was about to begin.

I became a Certified Public Accountant at the age of 24, not because I loved accounting and finance, but because it was a solid, practical career choice. In some ways, it was a good calculation, my job in finance offered me a stable income and a comfortable lifestyle. On a deeper level, though, my days of reporting financial results felt stagnant and uninspiring.

I had no way of knowing at the time, but moving to Athens for no reason besides following my intuition was exactly the right choice for my career.

Since moving, I've traded my career in finance to become an author and business trainer

At first, I continued working remotely as the CFO of an interactive agency in California, but concurrently, I pursued a certification in the Enneagram, a personality system that deepens self-awareness and enhances understanding of others.

The Enneagram is a system I'd been passionate about for years, but I'd never imagined turning it into a career.

After living in Greece for three years, the finance work had begun to feel less and less congruent with my Greek life. So, I quit and turned my attention more fully towards the Enneagram.

I didn't know exactly what I would do next, but with more free time, I began to write. I published my first book in 2016, called "Headstart for Happiness," which combines the Enneagram personality system with yoga exercises. Then I wrote a second one, "The Nine Keys," focused on the Enneagram in romantic relationships.

While promoting "The Nine Keys" at a conference in Portugal, an audience member approached me to ask if I would be interested in helping him in his corporate training business. Before long, I was training business teams in Europe and the United States, helping them unlock their full potential.

I also began offering business and personal retreats in Greece, letting me share the love of my adopted country with others.

This redesigned life has transformed the way I view everything

Before moving, I imagined I would retire at some point in my 60s.

Now, I don't think about retirement at all because there's nothing I want to retire from — this is exactly how I want to spend my time for the rest of my days by helping people improve their lives.

Back home, my friends and family have all been supportive of my decision to move, and with technology and frequent visits, it wasn't hard to stay in touch.

Admittedly, starting my social life over wasn't easy. I rented an apartment in the Acropolis neighborhood and, before long, formed a friendship with the family who owned the souvenir shop next door.

Their 25-year-old daughter welcomed me into her social circle, inviting me everywhere from urban bike rides with a group called "Free Day" to bouzoukia — traditional Greek live music shows where I was advised that arriving before midnight would be far too early.

The bond grew so strong she even asked me to be the godmother of her first child, which led to yet another adventure when I was baptized Greek Orthodox in order to fulfill my role as "nona."

Aside from this connection, platforms like MeetUp and expat groups became the foundation of my early social life in Greece.

The main difference between my new and old life is how alive I feel

I feel energized and excited when I wake up in the morning because I feel like I am doing my life's work.

I focus a lot on my health because I want to be able to keep sharing my work with others for years to come.

If you want to change your life, my message is simple: you can. I did. Your path doesn't have to be as dramatic as mine. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "You don't need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

• I was the 'fun aunt' who cared for my seven nieces and nephews for many years.
• I thought my extensive experience with kids had prepared me for motherhood, but I was wrong.
• Babysitting let me love and nurture these children without the weight of long-term responsibility.

I have three nephews and four nieces, and I babysat them from the time they were newborns until they started school. My sisters dropped them off at our home every morning, and my mother and I cared for them until their mothers returned from work. It may have looked like we were running a daycare, but to me, it was pure joy. I was in my late teens at the time and I adored those kids, had endless fun with them, and still think of them as my own, even though they're all in their late teens now.

But being a fun auntie is quite different from the 24/7 demands of motherhood. Something that surprised me as my own family grew.

The shock of constant responsibility

Fast forward a few years, and everything looked very, very different. Whether it was the chaos of first-time motherhood or the haze of postpartum exhaustion, I found myself wondering, "Wait, did I ever handle babies this small?"

I couldn't understand why it had felt so much easier to be the favorite aunt of multiple kids than to care for just one. For months, I convinced myself that my son was simply more demanding than all of them combined. But eventually, I realized he was just like any other baby, except I was his mother. And to him, that made all the difference.

I thought I understood tantrums. I had witnessed a few epic meltdowns while babysitting, so I assumed I was prepared. Turns out, those were just trailers. What my child has offered up in the subsequent years is the full feature presentation!

What I've since realized, is babysitting is like test-driving a car. You get to enjoy the shiny new features, maybe push the limits a little, and then hand the keys back. Parenting is owning the car. You're responsible for the maintenance, the insurance, and figuring out why there's a half-eaten granola bar stuck to the upholstery. I knew how to change a diaper. But nothing prepared me for the sheer volume of diapers a tiny human can produce in just one day.

The myth of control I had as an aunt busted when I became a mother

I used to laugh when people said sleep deprivation was torture. Now, I understand. I've negotiated with a 2-year-old over pajama colors at 3 a.m., and I've lost arguments with a 4-year-old about whether only ketchup on toast qualifies as breakfast. I've learned that "mommy brain" is real, my tolerance for noise is superhuman, and I can function on minimal sleep. None of which, I'll now admit, I ever had to endure as an aunt.

When I babysat my nieces and nephews, all I cared about was being the fun aunt. There was no pressure to parent the right way. I made their favorite snacks, curated their YouTube playlists, dressed them up in adorable outfits, and styled their hair. The stakes were low, and the joy was abundant.

So why, after babysitting for years, was I still unprepared for motherhood?

Babysitting let me love and nurture these children without the weight of long-term responsibility. I fed them, bathed them, and even had a hand in helping them learn to walk and talk. But I never had to worry about their education, doctor's appointments, or health concerns. I didn't have to make the big decisions. That, I've learned, is the difference between being a fun aunt and being a mother.

Sometimes, I feel guilty that I don't fulfill my kids' every little wish like I did for my nieces and nephews. But I've realized that motherhood isn't about always saying yes. It's about showing up in ways that matter. I may not have the time to make French toast every morning, but I am fighting battles for them that I never had to as an aunt. And in the beautiful balance of life, my kids now get their share of extra love from their grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and even their older cousins—the very ones I once babysat.

The other day, my niece was making pancakes for my kids, and I was hit with nostalgia, remembering the times I stood in that kitchen, just as she was.

Life comes full circle

Now I know that no amount of aunthood can ever truly prepare you for motherhood. I started this journey thinking I knew what it meant to care for a child. I was wrong. Being a mother isn't about being ready — it's about showing up day after day for your children. And that, I realize now, is the most important lesson of all.

• Business Insider asked successful men across industries what shoes they love to wear.
• Many shared that they prefer sneakers, typically from classic brands like Nike and New Balance.
• Others mentioned authentic cowboy boots and luxury loafers.

We'd all like to step into the shoes of the world's most successful people.

So, while speaking with businessmen across industries, Business Insider asked them to name their favorite fragrances, clothing brands, luxury home items, and, of course, footwear.

Sneakers reigned supreme, but you'll also find cowboy boots and designer loafers in their closets.

One real-estate agent likes to wear trendy sneakers with his professional ensembles.

"Man, I love shoes," Bryce Grandison, 28, told BI.

The Georgia-based real-estate agent, who formerly worked as a real-estate analyst and was named a BI rising star, rotates between various pairs of classic sneakers.

He wears Nike Air Max 1s ($140 - $180), Stan Smith tennis shoes from Adidas ($100 - $350), and kicks from Roger Federer's collaboration with On ($140 - $200).

"I love to keep it business casual always, anytime, anywhere I go," Grandison said. "Ideally, no matter what I have on, I want to come across as a business professional."

"Whether I have a sweatsuit on with my Nikes, or if I have Lululemon slacks on, a half-zip top, and my Roger Federer On running shoes, you can see that it's a multifaceted look that's put together very well," he added.

A venture capitalist is loyal to sneakers made from eucalyptus tree fiber.

Rob Beiderman, 38, founded Asymmetric Capital Partners in 2021 and is now the fund's managing partner.

Whether at work or on the go, the former BI rising star says he wears sneakers from Allbirds "almost every day."

He specifically loves the brand's Tree Runners, which are made from eucalyptus tree fiber and designed for walking. They retail between $98 and $120 a pair.

"I love traveling with them because you can exercise and wear them for meetings," Beiderman said.

Occasionally, however, he swaps them for canvas slides from Toms.

While working in the art world, cowboy boots are one professional's go-to shoe.

Paul Hill, 25, is the founder of the art-tech company Strada. He told BI that he wears brown cowboy boots from the Texas-based brand Justin most days in his office.

He described the boots, which retail between $134 and over $1,000 each, as extremely versatile.

"I bike to work every single day, and I love how, with cowboy boots, it's kind of like stirrups. They just lock into the bike pedals super easily," he said. "And they're so comfortable."

Hill said he became interested in the style in high school and bought his first pair during college. He's worn them ever since.

"I went to boarding school for high school in Asheville, North Carolina, and that's where I first got introduced to cowboy boots," he said. "So, for me, they're just a little piece I can carry with me from the time I've spent outside New York City."

A clothing entrepreneur pairs items from his own brand with classic kicks.

Robert Felder, 30, is the founder and CEO of the clothing company Bearbottom.

He told BI that he exclusively wears the brand's designs because he loves them and is always testing new products.

Shoes, however, are another story.

"I typically wear sneakers," he said. "I have some New Balances that I really like wearing, and Reebok. Those are the two sneaker brands that I've been wearing a lot."

Felder alternates between the $90 Club C 85 Vintage kicks from Reebok and the $110 BB550 shoes from New Balance.

He said he also occasionally wears classic $150 Birkenstock clogs but never to work.

A finance professional said Vince makes his favorite sneakers.

Reed Switzer, 24, founded the fintech company Hopscotch, which helps small businesses pay bills more easily.

He said he likes keeping his footwear "a little more basic" and subtle.

"I have plain white shoes from Vince that go with everything," he said. "You can't go wrong."

The Fulton sneakers he's talking about are made from leather and retail for $198.

A dermatologist and CEO sticks with dress shoes for workdays.

Reid Waldman, 30, spends his days working as a dermatologist and the CEO of his biopharmaceutical company, Veradermics.

He told BI that the shoes he wears largely depend on how dressy his outfit is.

"If I'm wearing a blazer and slacks, then I'll wear loafers, like a pair from Ferragamo," he said. "If it's suit, I wear Oxfords."

He also buys most of his designer wardrobe secondhand.

"I don't think I've bought any brand-new clothes in several years," he told BI. "I am an avid shopper of The RealReal."

• Tim Jordan, M.D., a counselor who supports young girls, also provides CEOs with parenting support.
• He said successful parents make the mistake of overscheduling their kids in extracurriculars.
• They also overindulge their child's requests for new things, feeling that they can't say no.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Tim Jordan, M.D., 70, a counselor for teenage girls from St. Louis. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I've been a counselor for around 30 years. For the past 15 or so years, my practice has been exclusively for middle school, high school, and college-aged girls.

I've been married to my wife for 43 years. We both started out in medical careers but then developed our own business focusing on parenting classes, talks, and weekend retreats.

For many years, we've worked with YPO, a membership community for chief executives, creating family events to support members with parenting and giving talks in their various chapters around the world.

I've noticed executives are very hungry for information about parenting. Although their business lives are set, and they're pretty successful, they're still open to learning more about raising their kids.

Across my experience meeting chief executives and helping families through my counseling practice, I've spotted some key mistakes successful parents make when raising their kids.

1. Overscheduling kids in extracurricular activities

Successful parents want their kids to be successful. They want them to be at the top of their class or on the best soccer team.

Everything is about their children's future, as opposed to what their kids like to do.

I once saw a high schooler in my counseling practice who was so burned out. She was on the cheer team, so had to go to practices and games, but she also did competitive dance, which was what she really loved. She wanted to quit cheerleading but said her parents wouldn't let her because they were concerned about how dropping out would impact her college prospects.

Parents are coming from a place of fear that their kids will get left behind. They want their kid to have a leg up. It's a rampant fear in our culture.

I think it's important for kids to pick their activities but also have some free time.

I recently spoke to another family with a daughter in sixth grade. She does volleyball and gymnastics, among other things. I told her dad there was something missing in her list of activities: play and downtime. Time to do things she enjoys, like reading or doing artwork — not because it's going to be in her portfolio, but because she likes to draw.

Unsupervised play is a great way for kids to learn, but they have little time for it these days.

2. Trying to be the driving force behind your child's motivation

When parents push their kids, they'll ask me, "How do I motivate my daughter?"

I tell them they're asking the wrong question. It's not your job to motivate your kids. A better question would be, "How do I support my child's intrinsic motivation?"

A good way to support a child's motivation is to ask them questions to make them think about why they want A's at school or why they like soccer.

Once, my wife and I were speaking to a girl who was a gymnast. We asked what she liked about gymnastics. She started talking, but her dad interjected and told her to show us her trophies.

We could tell her awards weren't what drove her, so we repeated the question. She said her favorite thing was the floor routine. She liked it when all eyes were on her, and she entertained people. That was her intrinsic motivation for loving gymnastics. We derive more satisfaction from things if we're doing them for our reasons instead of to please others.

Listen to why your kid enjoys something and use that understanding to encourage them. You're not always going to be there to push and micromanage your kids. They need to learn to push themselves by focusing on why they want to do things and how it's meaningful to them.

3. Overindulging your child's requests for new things

I've found that the executives I work with are very worried about whether their kids will be spoiled or if they'll have ambition. Many of these parents worked hard but are conscious that their kids don't have to do that because they're born into affluence.

Some have even said they're worried flying first class could spoil their child.

My wife and I tell them it's amazing their child can receive education through wonderful trips. That won't spoil them, but what will is if you immediately comply every time your child asks for something new.

Affluent parents sometimes think they should grant requests because they can afford it, but I encourage the attitude that the money parents have created is theirs, not their children's. Kids aren't entitled to one cent of it unless the parents gift it to them.

Get your kids to earn things and put some sweat equity into it. It will allow them to develop a work ethic.

Once when we were out with my son, he wanted a new Lego pirate ship. We told him we weren't willing to buy it and he could use his allowance money. However, it was around $75, which shocked him. We encouraged him to rake some leaves and do jobs in the neighborhood if he really wanted it.

4. Not sharing your stories

Kids look up to their moms and dads and see the finished product. They see a successful business or happy marriage, but they haven't seen the parent as an awkward 12-year-old struggling with self-doubt or when a parent didn't make the basketball team.

Every entrepreneur I've talked to has had at least one business failure, if not many. Successful parents can show their children that things aren't always smooth by sharing stories of failure.

I think parents don't tend to think about sharing their stories with their children. But when a child makes a mistake and is really bummed out, sharing a relatable story shows you know how they feel. Kids love hearing stories and it connects them on a deeper level with their parents. It makes them feel safe to share things in return.

Do you have a story to share about parenting as a chief executive? Contact this reporter at [email protected]

• One of Biden's top DEI chiefs said she wants to dispel "myths" amid Trump's rollback of the practice.
• Alaysia Black Hackett told Business Insider that corporations should hold firm to DEI practices.
• She said that companies are now reaching out to her for advice.

A former DEI chief who served in the Biden administration wants to "dispel a lot of the myths" swirling around diversity initiatives.

These include the idea that DEI hires aren't recruited on merit, or that diversity initiatives are only aimed at benefiting Black People, said Alaysia Black Hackett, who served as the Department of Labor's chief diversity and equity officer before resigning last month.

"It is not: 'You have to make sure you have a woman in a leadership position," Black Hackett said in an interview with Business Insider. "It is looking at the data to say: 'What groups of people are we missing and how can this be a detriment to the service?'"

The sentiment toward DEI has been shifting in recent months. According to the Pew Research Center, the percentage of people who see DEI as a positive fell from 56% to 52% between February 2023 and October 2024. At the same time, those who saw it as a bad thing grew from 16% to 21%.

But Black Hackett says the field is misunderstood, in part thanks to a tough media environment, and the Biden administration not being good at touting its own achievements. She said she believes people don't want to understand what diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility really stand for.

"People want to hate it because it seemed to benefit one race of people more than it fits another," she said.

What does DEI do?

During her two and a half years in the Biden administration, Black Hackett said federal hiring initiatives were merit-based and designed to "ensure that our internal federal workforce mirrored the communities that we serve."

If federal bodies lacked diversity of thought, "we're going to miss something," she said.

Black Hackett described much of her work as being aimed at making sure that federal funding filtered through to people who are either under-resourced, or are in historically underrepresented groups.

Much of her work focused on determining how federal funding could effectively reach marginalized communities. This included identifying rural communities that needed better internet access — a fixture in Biden's infrastructure law in 2021.

"When you look at data about rural communities, you will see that it's not typically inundated with people of color," she said, adding that "most Americans fit under at least one of the categories under DEIA."

Impact on corporate DEI

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month ending DEI programs in the federal government. The Trump administration has said DEI "divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination."

Trump has directed federal agencies to compile lists of private companies' DEI efforts, and many, including Meta and Walmart, have decided to roll back or end their DEI programs. Others, like JP Morgan and Costco, have not altered course on their diversity policies.

Black Hackett said that companies are reaching out to her for advice.

"I have small business owners who are asking me: 'Alaysia, what do I do? What direction is this going to impact me?'" she said.

She said that companies feeling cowed should "bunker down, stand up for what's right, and look at your data" to see the benefits.

"Productivity goes up," she said. "Statistics show that. People are more productive if they feel like they're welcome in their environment, their thoughts, their opinions."

A 2022 report by the International Labor Organization said that DEI can add value to businesses through increased employee productivity, stronger collaboration with colleagues, and improved well-being.

The recent DEI rollback could make people become "afraid to even show up as their authentic selves," Black Hackett said.

Even so, she feels positive about the future of DEI initiatives.

"What I will say, and I will say it quite candidly, is DEIA is resilient," she said. "The work doesn't stop."

The White House didn't reply to a request for comment.

• Jerry Cascio-Hitchcock, 92, continues teaching, driven by a passion for education.
• Cascio-Hitchcock's career began unexpectedly, leading to a lifelong love for teaching.
• She emphasizes the importance of pursuing passions and acknowledges her privileged background.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with (Marjory) Jerry Cascio-Hitchcock, a 92-year-old teacher based in New York City. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Two things have made my 60-year teaching career possible: first, I truly fell in love with teaching.

I was an early childhood teacher for many years, and when I felt at the top of my game, I found that I was most interested in the kids with learning difficulties. Other teachers would explain that a student had been awful, and I'd say, "That's fascinating."

Second, I could change my focus, so I didn't get bored. There are always new challenges at school.

I'm still not bored — at age 92, I haven't retired yet.

I didn't plan to become a teacher

I went to Oberlin, took office jobs, and thought about being a librarian. When my son was in nursery school, I was invited to help. I fell in love with teaching.

To my surprise, I decided to become a teacher. I graduated with a degree in English literature and a minor in history.

When I started, I loved it so much. I remember walking home one day and thinking, "Wow, I can't believe I'm paid to do this."

I taught at Churchill, a school for children with learning disabilities, for two years before entering private tutoring. I next joined LREI, a school in Manhattan, almost 20 years ago.

I work five days a week. My commute usually takes 30 minutes, although I allow for 45 to get to work. I used to do summer tutoring, but now I rest during the summer.

I tell my students to find something they love

When my students ask, "What should I do?" I always say, "Find something you love." If you're privileged enough to follow what you love and make some sacrifices to do so, do it. Those who can are so lucky, and I count myself among them.

My husband worked in off-Broadway theater, and I didn't bring in much money. At one point, we lived below the poverty level with our two kids, but my family was well-to-do. They seldom helped us financially, but we were fortunate to know they could help if necessary. That's what generational wealth can do.

I'm very aware of that, and I always mention it to my students because I work at a private school. Many come from families like mine, and they aren't always aware.

Today, I share a learning center with two other teachers

We have regular classes with students with learning disabilities. Our open plan keeps the learning center open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any kid can come anytime.

We see some of the smartest kids in the class come in needing help with math. It reduces the stigma for other kids with more profound learning issues because they know that anyone can come in at any time.

Almost half of our students have some sort of learning disability

These are fascinating kids, and I am fascinated with them. The human brain is so specific — you think you know the patterns, but then you get a kid who is good at some things and not others. It's my job to figure out how best to teach them.

When I started teaching, dyslexia had been recently quantified, with good research showing what parts of the brain good readers use and how parts of the brain kids with trouble use — and they're different.

We teachers have been saying this for years: it isn't that this kid isn't trying; they're just doing it differently.

A lot of kids have crippling anxiety, too

I remember when I was in high school, we weren't as anxious for many reasons. Today, kids are so anxious about tests. Some even avoid school. There are often bigger reasons, such as two kids I've been working with, who have both recently lost their fathers.

Social media is such a big part of anxiety. We're only just realizing how destructive social media can be for adolescents. One thing we've done at my school this year is have kids check their phones when they come in, and they don't get them back until they leave.

I'm lucky that I've never had that problem. I love reading books. I use the internet for email and some research, which is wonderful, but that's it.

The reason for my long career is that I love it

I come to work daily so happy and wonder how many people do the same.

One day, a girl who took the Regents Examination called me when she got her results. It was before cellphones. She went to the nearest phone and said, "Jerry, we got an 85!" I told her that 'we' didn't — it was all her.

I've been offered good money to go into school administration, but it's not for me. Desk work is everything I hate. I'm lucky to have been able to turn these offers down; many good teachers can't for financial reasons. I'm very privileged.

There will be a point with my health when I have to retire

Thank goodness my mind is fine, but my infrastructure is wearing out. Teaching is getting physically tougher every day. I've noticed I'm more tired by the weekend, and walking the subway stairway is getting harder.

Hopefully, it's not next year. I would like to see this one math student who I helped through her junior year graduate.

The head of the school and I talked about retiring a while ago. She said, "Jerry, you're never going to retire." We imagined students coming to my office and realizing I was still at my desk but was cold and blue and wouldn't talk to them.

When I retire, I won't do much travelling, but I would like to write about my experiences. I'd love to write about my mother, who I was very close to and who I think was interesting. This is mostly just for me, but I'd also like to share it with friends and my children.

• Business partners Mike Gorius and Kevin Hart invest in real estate in Louisville.
• Gorius, who started investing remotely, was looking for a growing but affordable market.
• Louisville has proven to be steady, avoiding extreme market fluctuations seen in other areas.

Home flippers Mike Gorius and Kevin Hart have found their sweet spot: Ranch-style houses — ideally three-bed, one-bath — in Louisville, Kentucky.

"That's probably our favorite house to do. They're just super easy to renovate, most of them are 1950 or newer, and usually there's nothing too crazy about them," Hart told Business Insider. "Once you start getting into houses that were built in the 1900s or earlier, which you see a lot of closer to downtown in West Louisville, who knows what's happened to that house over the past 100 years? You just encounter a lot of issues."

The business partners also wholesale real estate and buy and hold long-term rentals. In 2024, they did 50 transactions between wholesales, wholetails, and flips, and they own more than 20 rental properties throughout the Lousiville area. BI verified their property ownership and deal history by looking at settlement statements and closing documents.

They like their market for a few different reasons. Hart, who was born and raised in Louisville, knows the city intimately. But Gorius, who is from Massachusetts and spent years living in Phoenix, chose to invest in Kentucky's largest city from afar. He's relocating to Louisville now that their real estate company has taken off and they have three employees to manage.

Gorius, whose first deal was a duplex that he turned into a long-term rental, looked at a few key factors when considering markets to invest in.

1. Affordability. Ultimately, the reason he didn't invest in the market he was living in, Phoenix, was because of the cost.

According to the National Association of Realtors, the median sales price of existing single-family homes in the Phoenix metro area in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $476,400. In Louisville, it was $279,200.

2. Presence of major companies. "It's a hub for UPS. Ford also has a plant there — a couple of years ago, when I was looking, they had just announced that they were going to add a second plant there and that's still in the process of being built," he said. "If these massive, massive companies are willing to invest in this city then it's definitely good enough for little old me."

3. Vibe of the city. Visiting the area sealed the deal for Gorius, who enjoyed the mild weather and general vibe: "Everyone was super, super nice, just kind and saying hello and everyone was willing to help out. That's what drew me to the market."

Hart weighed in on what he likes specifically about his native city.

"We have four seasons but, at the same time, we don't have natural disasters like other places. We don't have hurricanes, we don't have wildfires, we have the occasional tornado, but that's super rare in the actual city," he said. "At the same time, we've been super insulated from all these crazy highs and lows that a lot of big cities have seen, especially over the past five, six years."

For example, "San Francisco, or really any California town, saw 40%, 50% appreciation — these crazy jumps on these properties — so that when interest rates went up two years ago, they also saw 40%, 50% drops in prices," Hart explained. Louisville, which he said saw appreciation between 10% and 14% in that same timeframe, didn't have that issue. "It's just been super steady so no one's having to jump all around for crazy deals."

That could change, he said, pointing to other markets in the south that are booming: "Austin's insane, Nashville's insane. Louisville has stayed pretty steady, but it might turn into that one day. We got a Topgolf a couple of years ago, we've had a lot of other infrastructure changes, so maybe we'll get super popular like that.

"But, at this point, it's just a good place to live, and you can still buy a house for under $250,000."

• Amazon invests billions of dollars in robots to boost e-commerce efficiency and profitability.
• Back in 2015, the Amazon Picking Challenge tried to spur more research into warehouse automation.
• The competition inspired some of the company's most advanced robots, including Sparrow and Robin.

Amazon is investing billions of dollars in robots to make its e-commerce business more efficient and profitable. This huge initiative started out a lot smaller.

A decade ago, the company launched a competition for university engineering teams called the Amazon Picking Challenge. It called on researchers to design robots for a common warehouse task: Grabbing products from a shelf and putting them in a box.

As a tech reporter, this quirky project intrigued me. At the time in early 2015, Google was testing self-driving cars, a technology that emerged from a similar academic competition known as the DARPA Grand Challenge. What if Amazon was trying to replicate this magic, but with robots rather than automobiles?

Then, a funny thing happened. The Amazon Picking Challenge faded away. It was renamed and only lasted a few years. I chalked this up to another bad call and moved on.

I only thought about this challenge again late last year. That's when Amazon unveiled a next-generation warehouse in Louisiana that has 10 times more robots moving products around and, yes, picking them up with dexterity. The facility processes orders 25% faster and 25% more efficiently, and it will likely be the future of the company's e-commerce operation.

Ten years after the Amazon Picking Challenge, the fruits of this nerdy competition have finally emerged. It follows an uncannily similar timeline to the DARPA Grand Challenge, which started in 2004 and resulted in Google's driverless cars hitting the road roughly a decade later.

So, with the help of Business Insider reporter Eugene Kim, I investigated how Amazon's huge new fleet of picking robots came to be, and how this competition laid the foundation for a new wave of automation that's about to crash over the warehouse and logistics industry.

From pallets to picking

It started with an acquisition. In 2012, Amazon paid $775 million for Kiva Systems, which designed flat robots that zip around warehouse floors. 

This helped move pallets of goods around, but humans still needed to pick items. Getting a robot to spot the correct product in a box, then grab it just hard enough to pick it up, but not damage it — that's incredibly difficult.

This is where the Amazon Picking Challenge came in. Instead of hacking away at this problem itself, the company wanted to focus the broader academic community on the task.

The risk was that any valuable inventions would be out in the public sphere, and Amazon might not directly benefit from them. But the potential gains were much bigger, according to executives and roboticists.

"Amazon doesn't compete with robotics companies," said former Amazon Robotics chief Brad Porter, who runs robotics startup Cobot now. "When facing an unsolved research problem in robotics AI like bin picking, Amazon benefits if anyone solves that problem as long as Amazon can get access to the technology to improve their operations."

"The challenge Amazon was trying to solve was how to motivate researchers to focus on this problem," Porter added. "The Picking Challenge very much succeeded in doing that."

Oreos, Sharpies, and dog toys

The first competition took place over two days in late May 2015 in Seattle, with more than 25 teams from colleges including MIT, Duke, Rutgers, and Georgia Tech.

The contestants had to design a robot that could pick products from a typical shelf found on a Kiva Systems warehouse pod, and then put those items into containers. The picker had to be fully autonomous, and each robot was given 20 minutes to pick 12 target items from the shelves. Contestants had to open-source their creations.

Companies, including ABB, Fanuc, and Rethink Robotics, founded by industry pioneer Rodney Brooks, provided hardware for contestants to repurpose and tinker with.

The products were a preselected set of 25 items commonly sold on Amazon.com, including packs of Oreo cookies, boxes of Sharpie pens, and dog toys.

Some were easier to pick. There were simple cuboids, like a box of coffee stirrers or a whiteboard eraser. Others were trickier. For instance, a box of Cheez-Its could not be removed from the bin without first tilting it, adding another complex step for the robots. Smaller items, such as an individual spark plug, were more difficult to detect and properly grasp.

Vacuum arms and 'catastrophic failure'

Among all 26 teams, a total of 36 correct items were picked, versus seven incorrect items. Another four products were dropped by robots in the competition.

About half of the teams scored zero points, and two teams couldn't get their robots working well enough to even attempt the challenge, according to a research paper analyzing the results.

Problems ranged from the highly technical to the mundane. Some of the same items came packed differently, which made them even more difficult to pick. One team's machine had a vacuum hose that got accidentally wound around the robotic arm.

With each system having hundreds of components, the failure of any one of these could lead to "catastrophic failure of the overall system — as witnessed during the competition," the researchers wrote. 

The main finding from this first Amazon Picking Challenge was that human warehouse workers were a lot better than machines at picking products.

"A human is capable of performing a more complex version of the same task at a rate of ∼400 sorts/hour with minimal errors," the researchers wrote. "While the best robot in the APC achieved a rate of ∼30 sorts/hour with a 16% failure rate."

But the conclusion was hopeful, too: The contest showed that robotics could substantially increase warehouse automation and order fulfillment in the near future.

The competition was renamed the following year as the Amazon Robotics Challenge, and the tasks evolved to be more complex.

Suction and other benefits

Tye Brady, chief technologist at Amazon Robotics, was involved in those later Amazon Robotics Challenges. 

In a recent interview with Business Insider, he said research on robotic manipulation exploded from 2016 through 2018, with many institutions publishing their results and insights. This helped spread valuable knowledge across the industry, speeding up progress. 

At least two professors started graduate-level classes related to Amazon's challenge, and these programs are still churning out experts with valuable practical applied knowledge in robotics, Brady explained. 

"When you get a whole bunch of smart people together in a room and think about focused problems, some great things are going to happen, and that's really what happened," he said. "It inspired a lot of the work that we have today that we see in, for example, our Sparrow and Robin manipulation systems that are real-world products delivering packages inside of our fulfillment centers."

In that first competition in 2015, some robotics teams used grippers that mimicked the way a human hand picks things up. Other teams tried suction instead, with some researchers even strapping off-the-shelf vacuum cleaners to their robots.

Gripping proved more problematic because the robots didn't receive enough information to know when to release or add pressure at the right times. This could result in squashed or crushed products or dropped items.

Sucking the items up so they stuck to the end of robot arms was a more successful approach.

"The idea of high flow suction was novel. Bring your favorite vacuum cleaner and start picking up objects. That was kind of clever," Brady said. "This idea, we used suction inside of our Robin and our Sparrow arms. It's very good."

The boss has noticed

Amazon unveiled Robin, its first robotic arm, in 2021. This machine picks up packages from conveyor belts and places them on other mobile robots called Pegasus.

Sparrow followed in 2023. This was Amazon's first robotic arm to handle individual items rather than packages. It uses computer vision and AI to pick more than 200 million different items from containers and place them into totes.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has taken notice. At the AWS re:Invent conference in December, he should have been talking about cloud computing. But he took time away from that subject to wax lyrical about Sparrow. 

"It has to discern which item is which. It has to know how to grasp that item, given the size of it and the materials and the flexibility of that material. And then it has to know where in the receiving bin it can put it," Jassy said. "These are all inventions that are critical to us changing the processing time and the cost to serve our customers."

Wall Street has noticed, too. Morgan Stanley recently estimated that Amazon's warehouse robots could save the company as much as $10 billion a year.

"The big story is we're just getting started," said Brady.

• The Trump administration already faces more than 85 lawsuits.
• Some lawsuits challenge President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's moves to shrink the federal government.
• Below are some lawsuits corporate America, as well as consumers, may want to keep tabs on.

President Donald Trump's executive orders and actions by his administration have already spurred more than 85 lawsuits since he was sworn into office for a second term.

A chunk of those legal challenges has emerged in response to Trump and Elon Musk's push to shrink the federal government through the work of DOGE.

Here are some high-stakes lawsuits related to the moves of the Trump administration and DOGE that corporate America, as well as consumers, may want to keep tabs on.

Lawsuit over the dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

It did not take long before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — a federal watchdog agency designed to oversee financial institutions and protect people from scams — became a target of the Trump administration.

On February 1, Trump fired Rohit Chopra, the CFPB director under former President Joe Biden, and on February 7, Musk wrote on X, "CFPB RIP."

Shortly after, Russell Vought, the bureau's acting director, sent an email to employees ordering them to "not perform any work tasks this week." The agency's Washington, DC, headquarters was also ordered closed.

The National Treasury Employees Union and other workers' unions quickly filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in Washington, DC, federal court, alleging that the move to "dismantle" the CFPB is unlawful since the agency was created by Congress.

US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is overseeing the case, said in a ruling on February 14 that the Trump administration could not terminate any CFPB employee without cause. She also ordered that the defendants not "delete, destroy, remove, or impair any data or other CFPB records covered by the Federal Records Act."

In a February 24 court filing, Justice Department attorneys argued against the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction and said that the Trump administration plans to streamline the CFPB.

Jay Kesten, a law professor at Florida State University who researches securities regulation and corporate law, called the CFPB "one of the few governmental watchdogs for our financial markets."

"In the short-term, while litigation is pending, this is very likely to disrupt the ability of consumers to hold bad-actors in the banking and credit markets to account," Kesten told BI.

Lawsuit challenging Trump's termination of DEI programs

A lawsuit brought earlier this month against the Trump administration by the city of Baltimore, Maryland, higher education groups and a restaurant workers' organization challenged Trump's executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the federal government.

One executive order calls for federal agencies to terminate all "equity-related" grants or contracts, while another requires federal contractors and grant recipients to "certify" that they do not operate any illegal DEI programs.

The plaintiffs — which include the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors, and the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United —argued in their lawsuit that the orders are "unconstitutionally vague."

US District Judge Adam Abelson issued a preliminary injunction on February 21 temporarily blocking the Trump administration from enforcing parts of the orders.

In his written opinion, the judge added that the plaintiffs "have shown they are unable to know which of their DEI programs (if any) violate federal anti-discrimination laws, and are highly likely to chill their own speech."

The Trump administration has moved to appeal the ruling.

Peter Woo, a California lawyer specializing in corporate diversity practices at the firm Jackson Lewis, told BI that though the case does provide some temporary reprieve at least to federal contractors and private entities that receive federal grants, the court's ruling does not prevent the Department of Justice or other federal agencies from launching a probe over DEI initiatives.

"The only thing that it blocks the AG from doing is to use the term 'illegal DEI' as the basis to conduct those investigations," Woo said.

One of Trump's executive orders encourages the private sector to end "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences." As part of that plan, the order tasks each federal agency to "identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations" of enterprises including publicly traded corporations and large nonprofits.

The Head of the Office of Special Counsel sued the Trump administration over his termination

Hampton Dellinger, the head of an independent government watchdog agency that protects federal whistleblowers, sued the Trump administration, including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, after he was fired through a one-sentence email this month.

In his lawsuit filed in Washington, DC, federal court, Dellinger argued that his termination from the Office of Special Counsel was unlawful and the president may only cut his five-year term short "for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."

US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson granted a temporary restraining order on February 12, reinstating Dellinger to his post for 14 days. The case reached the Supreme Court after the Trump administration filed an emergency petition, and the court left Jackson's order in place for now.

Jackson, on February 26, extended the temporary restraining order reinstating Dellinger by three days before she rules on the motion for a preliminary injunction.

Also on February 26, Trump administration's acting solicitor general urged the Supreme Court to take up the case, arguing in part that a "fired Special Counsel" shouldn't be allowed to continue "wielding executive power."

Roderick Hills, a New York University School of Law professor, told BI that the case could be consequential for the business world. That's because, he said, it appears the Trump administration wants to use the case as a vehicle to try to get the nation's high court to overrule a 1935 legal precedent called Humphrey's Executor, which says Congress can insulate agency chiefs from presidential removal.

If that precedent — which is cited in Dellinger's lawsuit — gets overruled for all independent agencies, that means that even the Federal Reserve Board could be placed under presidential control, said Hills, who researches administrative and constitutional law.

"If the Federal Reserve Board served at the pleasure of the president, you can just imagine the chaos that Trump could reap," Hills said.

Lawsuit over DOGE's access to sensitive taxpayer data at the IRS

Following reports that DOGE was seeking broad access to sensitive taxpayer data at the Internal Revenue Service, a group of watchdog organizations and workers unions filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. In it, they allege that DOGE's efforts to gain access to the confidential information is illegal.

The data in question includes individuals' social security numbers, income and net worth, bank account information, tax liability, deductions and charitable donations as well as confidential business information like profit and loss statements and payroll lists, the lawsuit says.

The plaintiffs — which include the advocacy groups Center for Taxpayer Rights and Main Street Alliance, along with workers' unions National Federation of Federal Employees and Communications Workers of America — argue that Congress has not granted DOGE the authority to view the data and that such sweeping access violates the Tax Reform Act, the Privacy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

The White House and the Treasury Department later agreed to block DOGE's full access to the IRS's payment systems, instead granting read-only access to anonymous taxpayer data.

Kesten, the law professor at Florida State University, told BI that lawsuits involving alleged privacy violations like this one could fuel greater cybersecurity concerns within the business community.

"This may be a very novel kind of problem that they face where privacy information, data leaks, come not from hackers or other folks trying to obtain access, but coming from leaks through governmental sources," Kesten said.

Lawsuit over the Trump administration's firing of Inspectors General

In Trump's first few days in office, the Trump administration fired more than a dozen inspectors general, telling them in a two-sentence email they were being terminated because of "changing priorities."

After their termination, eight inspectors general from the departments of defense, veterans affairs, health and human services, state, education, agriculture, labor, and the Small Business Administration sued the Trump administration, arguing that their firings "violated unambiguous federal statutes" designed to protect them from "interference" in their nonpartisan oversight duties.

Inspectors general — who conduct audits, investigate reports of misconduct, and look for waste and fraud in federal agencies and government contractors — are expected to be independent of the president.

The plaintiffs also argue that the Trump administration violated the Inspector General Act of 1978 by not notifying Congress of their terminations 30 days in advance, and not giving a reason for their removal.

On February 14, US District Judge Ana Reyes, who is overseeing the case, denied the inspectors' general request to be immediately reinstated in their roles, saying that their emergency request was not necessary. The judge, however, allowed for the case to proceed, just on a slower timeline.

Joseph Slater, a law professor at the University of Toledo and an expert in labor and employment law, told BI that while this case directly involves rules specific to the federal sector, it could have downstream effects on the business world.

"The question will be how much an agency without traditional checks and with a decidedly partisan slant can abuse its authority in terms of regulating/not regulating and rewarding/punishing private sector businesses for what previously would have been seen as improper reasons," Slater said in an email.

Federal workers' unions sue over Trump administration's buyout offer

Trump and Musk's plan to root out federal employees with buyout offers was allowed to move forward.

In late January, the Trump administration gave just over 2 million government workers the chance to resign and maintain full pay and benefits until September 30. Employees originally had until February 6 to accept the buyout.

Federal workers' unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Association of Government Employees, then sued the Trump administration, arguing that the country "will suffer a dangerous one-two punch" if the federal employees "leave or are forced out en masse."

The lawsuit said that the "fork in the road" deferred resignation offer was "arbitrary," "capricious," and unlawful.

US District Judge George O'Toole Jr. of Massachusetts initially issued a temporary restraining order to extend the deadline on the offer, but ultimately ruled on February 12 that the program could proceed. The judge wrote in his order that the labor unions who sued did not have standing to bring the lawsuit because they were not "directly impacted by the directive."

In a statement to Business Insider after the judge issued his order, Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees called the ruling "a setback in the fight for dignity and fairness for public servants," but said, "it's not the end of that fight."

About 75,000 federal employees have accepted the buyout offer, the Trump administration has said.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.