May 29, 2024

The Appetizer

“I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference.”

• Scarlett Johansson in a statement after OpenAI’s Sky Voice sounded like her.

Now, on to the numbers. Drum roll, please …

• 1 day: The settlement time for trades on the U.S. stock market starting on May 28, the fastest time in almost 100 years.
• 12.6: The average age of U.S. cars and light trucks in 2024, up by two months from 2023, setting a new record.
• 706: The number of people named Kyle that gathered recently in a city in Texas named Kyle.
• 50%: The percentage of the world’s current projected supply of lithium that will meet global demand by 2035, according to the IEA.
• 30: The number of times Sherpa Kami Rita has climbed Mount Everest.
• 650%: The growth in the number of outdoor public park pickleball courts in major cities over the past seven years.

Dig In
Summer Travel

Summer is here! Well, almost. The official start of summer is June 20, but let’s be real, we’re already daydreaming about vacation. Whether you’re jet-setting or enjoying a staycation, you deserve it! Let’s take a sneak peek into what our fellow Americans are up to this summer.

The Federal Reserve recently let us know that the pent-up pandemic savings are officially gone … but that’s not the only thing catching our attention. CEOs are chatting about consumers being price conscious, so are we going to have another travel boom like last year? Only time will tell.

Deloitte’s 2024 Summer Travel Survey gives us a little glimpse of what to expect. While we have seen two solid years of travel growth, this year, fewer folks are planning to take leisure trips (48% this year versus 50% in 2023). The biggest deterrent? Cost, plain and simple. It’s gotten pricier lately, with 42% saying it’s just not in the budget right now, up from 37% last year. Another survey shows us that one-fifth of summer travelers are actually willing to dip into debt for their vacation adventures. The fun never stops.

Now, if you are looking for the ultimate getaway, guess where everyone is eyeing? The New York Times tells us it’s Paris! Thanks to the Paris Olympics of course, it’s the top pick. Or how about a scenic 17-day train journey through New Zealand? Regardless, as summer unfolds, don’t forget to enjoy it!

Weekly Specials

Meet Flippy, the automated kitchen robot that’s taking the fast-food world by storm. With over two million fry baskets under its belt, this little guy can add a whopping $20,000 in profit per restaurant in which it’s deployed. Nvidia calls it a “power solution” – and who are we to argue with that?

If you’ve used ChatGPT’s AI voice, you might have thought, “Hey, this sounds familiar.” And you wouldn’t be the only one. It’s “eerily similar” to Scarlett Johansson’s voice from the movie “Her.” The voice has since been removed – but the drama lives on.

You might find it odd to see people taking photos in front of a convenience store, but not when Mount Fuji is in the background. Due to a tourist frenzy, Japanese authorities have set up a large mesh net to block the view and ease traffic. So, no more convenience store photo ops.

The Cannes Film Festival, set in Cannes, France, is the world’s most prestigious film gathering. This year, the festival has banned beef and increased vegetarian options to be more environmentally friendly. Celebrities are still allowed to arrive in private jets and helicopters though.

Corporate Lunch

Target is slashing prices on 5,000 items to lure shoppers. Nerf blaster prices are at an all-time low, so you can be the fun uncle for just $4.99.

Frontier Airlines is streamlining its costs by bundling add-on options like early boarding and seat selection. No more playing musical chairs so you can sit next to your significant other.

Amazon “fully transitioned” outstanding orders for Nvidia’s Grace Hopper chips to the latest and greatest Blackwell GPUs as it doubles down on cutting-edge tech.

Demand for these AI chips doesn’t seem to be slowing down, as Nvidia’s data center segment revenue grew 427% year over year.

Neuralink has gotten the green light to implant a brain chip into a second patient after it proposed a fix to an issue that occurred with the first patient.

Oaktree – the distressed debt investors – scooped up Inter Milan after the last owner failed to repay their loan.

Boeing’s Starliner space taxi launch was delayed due to a helium leak. This is what I imagine owning a boat feels like, just constant repairs.

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