Illustration showing AI task automation software helping a small business team work faster

Prentis Raises $100M Bet on AI Task Automation

A new AI lab called Prentis is reportedly in talks to raise $100 million, and its founders think the next big wave of artificial intelligence will not be about writing code. Instead, the startup, co-founded by Reid Hoffman and Mark Pincus, is wagering that AI task automation, handling the repetitive computer work that fills most […]

Customer using an AI shopping assistant on a retail website to find products

Michaels’ AI Shopping Assistant Signals Retail Shift

Michaels has rolled out an AI shopping assistant called Ask Mike, designed to help shoppers move past basic keyword searches and toward recommendations tailored to what they actually want. Instead of typing rigid search terms and sorting through filters, customers can describe a project or a need in plain language and get suggestions back. It […]

Warehouse shelves representing supply chain resilience investment in food manufacturing

Conagra Bets $125M on Supply Chain Resilience

Conagra Brands is putting real money behind the idea that supply chain resilience is no longer optional for large manufacturers. The company plans to invest $125 million with the goal of keeping service levels high while trimming excess inventory and rethinking which products it prioritizes. For an industry that has spent years wrestling with unpredictable […]

Discount retail storefront representing brick-and-mortar expansion in 2024

Ross Accelerates Brick-and-Mortar Expansion in 2024

While much of the retail conversation over the past few years has centered on ecommerce and online marketplaces, one discount retailer is doubling down on a different strategy. Ross Stores is pushing forward with an aggressive brick-and-mortar expansion, adding nearly 50 new locations as part of a broader plan to open around 110 stores this […]

Chart showing rapid Corgi insurance funding rounds reaching a $4B valuation

Corgi Insurance Funding Soars to $4B in 8 Weeks

The pace of the current AI funding boom keeps producing headlines that would have seemed absurd a few years ago, but Corgi’s latest raise still manages to stand out. The insurance startup reportedly closed its third funding round in roughly eight weeks, pushing its valuation to $4 billion. For an industry as traditionally slow moving […]

Semiconductor supply chain factory representing TSMC's new $100B US investment

استثمار TSMC بقيمة 100 مليار دولار يعزز سلسلة التوريد في صناعة أشباه الموصلات الأمريكية

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has announced another major commitment to the United States, pledging roughly $100 billion toward four new advanced chip facilities. This move brings the company’s total US footprint to twelve plants and marks one of the largest single investments in the semiconductor supply chain to date. For operators across manufacturing, freight, and […]

Tractor Supply storefront illustrating marketplace competition pressure from online rivals

Tractor Supply Q2 Slump Signals Rising Marketplace Competition

Tractor Supply just posted a rough second quarter, and the numbers tell a story that goes well beyond one retailer’s bad season. Softer pet product sales, customers squeezed by high fuel costs, and growing marketplace competition from Amazon combined to push the company into lowering its full year outlook. For small business owners watching the […]