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Save 15% on Shed Rain Umbrellas With This Exclusive Coupon Code

## Porsche Closes Three Subsidiaries in Major Corporate Restructuring

German luxury automaker Porsche has announced the closure of three of its subsidiary companies as part of a sweeping corporate restructuring effort driven by falling sales and shrinking profits. The move will affect more than 500 employees across the affected divisions.

"We must refocus on our core business," said Porsche CEO and Executive Chair Michael Leiters. "This is the indispensable foundation for a successful strategic realignment. This forces us to make painful cuts — including our subsidiaries."

## Which Subsidiaries Are Being Shut Down?

### Cellforce Group — Battery Research Division

The most prominent of the three closures is Cellforce Group, Porsche's battery subsidiary. The division had already undergone a significant restructuring back in August, when Porsche abandoned its ambitions to manufacture its own proprietary batteries and repositioned Cellforce as a pure research and development unit. Now, even that scaled-back version of the business is being wound down entirely.

In its place, Porsche is adopting what it calls a "technology-open powertrain strategy" — a phrase that signals the company will increasingly depend on external suppliers for its battery technology rather than developing it in-house.

The shift marks a dramatic reversal from the company's earlier vision. Back in 2022, then-executive board chair Oliver Blume declared that "the battery cell is the combustion chamber of the future," underscoring just how central in-house battery development once was to Porsche's electric vehicle ambitions.

### Porsche eBike Performance

Also on the chopping block is Porsche eBike Performance, the subsidiary responsible for developing drive systems for electric bicycles. The division's closure reflects Porsche's decision to narrow its focus strictly to its core automotive business.

### Cetitec — Networking Software

Rounding out the closures is Cetitec, a software subsidiary specializing in networking solutions that served both Porsche and the broader Volkswagen Group. Its shutdown signals a further retreat from technology ventures that sit outside Porsche's primary automotive operations.

## A Company in Retreat From Ambitious Ventures

This latest round of closures fits into a broader pattern of retrenchment that has defined Porsche's strategy since Leiters took the helm earlier this year. In March, he outlined plans to make the company "leaner, faster," and to make its products "even more desirable."

Since then, Porsche has systematically divested itself of peripheral interests. In April, the company reached an agreement to sell its equity stakes in both Bugatti Rimac and the Rimac Group to a consortium led by New York-based investment firm HOF Capital.

## Declining Sales Add Pressure Across Key Markets

The restructuring comes against a backdrop of deteriorating sales performance across several of Porsche's most important markets. In North America, sales declined by 11% during the first quarter of the year, while deliveries in China dropped a steep 21%. European sales were also down 18%, with only Germany posting a modest uptick.

Porsche has pointed to sluggish EV adoption as a contributing factor to its struggles. However, the company's especially poor showing in China — a market where electric vehicles now account for more than half of all car sales — suggests the real challenges may run deeper than consumer reluctance to go electric.

## Porsche's EV Journey: Promise Followed by Setbacks

Porsche's foray into electrification began on a high note with the launch of the Taycan in 2019, which was widely praised as a compelling luxury EV. However, the company's efforts to build on that momentum quickly ran into trouble.

The electric version of the Macan was delayed by nearly two years, largely due to software development bottlenecks within Volkswagen's Cariad division. Those delays damaged confidence and disrupted the brand's EV expansion timeline.

In response, Porsche has shifted considerable attention back toward reviving internal combustion engine platforms — a move that contradicts the company's earlier projection that EVs would represent the majority of its sales by 2030.

## What Comes Next for Porsche's EV Lineup?

Despite the setbacks, Porsche has not abandoned electric vehicles altogether. The gas-powered version of the Macan is expected to be phased out in the near future, and the company is preparing to launch an all-electric Cayenne along with several variants. These upcoming releases will be critical tests of whether Porsche can regain momentum in the EV space while simultaneously tightening its operational focus.

With over 500 jobs lost and three subsidiaries shuttered, the scale of this restructuring makes clear that Porsche is willing to make difficult decisions in pursuit of long-term stability — even if it means walking back some of its most ambitious technological bets.

Porsche shuts down three subsidiaries including Cellforce, eBike Performance, and Cetitec, cutting 500+ jobs amid falling sales and a major strategic overhaul.

Porsche Closes Battery, E-Bike & Software Subsidiaries

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Porsche Shuts Down Three Subsidiaries Amid Sales Slump and Strategic Overhaul

## Could the Music Industry Ever Produce Another Billie Eilish?

Billie Eilish's journey to global superstardom reads like the ultimate underdog story — a teenage girl uploading music to SoundCloud before anyone knew the platform could birth pop icons. But now, at 24, even Eilish herself isn't convinced that story could be written again. When asked where the next breakout talent might emerge from, her answer is disarmingly honest: "Oh my god! I have no idea."

## A Different Era of Discovery

When Eilish first began sharing her music online, SoundCloud was still finding its footing as a platform. Artists were only beginning to understand the power of livestreams, Instagram, and social media videos as tools for building devoted fanbases organically. That era of relatively unfiltered discovery now feels like a distant memory.

"I'm very curious to see what the future holds," Eilish says. "I don't know where the next whoever is gonna come from. I can't wait to see them and I can't wait to cheerleader them, whoever it may be."

By 2026, the digital music landscape has shifted dramatically. Everyone seems to have cracked the code — or claims to — on gaming algorithms for maximum streams and views. Yet the authenticity that once made online discovery feel exciting has largely evaporated, drowned out by artificial intelligence-generated content and hollow engagement tactics.

## Authenticity in the Age of AI Noise

Despite her reservations about the modern internet, Eilish remains a firm believer in the power of genuine human creativity. She insists that art should be "attainable for everyone" and that the internet, for all its chaos, still provides that opportunity.

"There's all sorts of technologies now where it seems like we're all doomed, but we're not," she told WIRED. "If we keep making real stuff, real art made by humans — live music, live audiences — I don't see that ever dying."

It's a sentiment that feels particularly relevant given her latest project. Her new concert film, *Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)*, released May 8, serves as a compelling argument for the irreplaceable value of real-world, in-person connection. Co-directed with none other than James Cameron, the film uses immersive 3D technology to transport viewers into the heart of her live shows. Interspersed with concert footage are candid interviews with fans about what her music means to them — a love letter to collective experience from one of the internet's most iconic figures.

## How the Internet Shaped Billie Eilish's Identity

Paula Harper, a musicologist at the University of Chicago who specializes in internet fandoms, notes that Eilish became more than just a pop star during her rise — she became a cultural symbol. Her success made her a "really useful rhetorical figure for music journalists to articulate industry shifts in the digital age."

The relationship between artists and their online audiences has grown increasingly complex. As technology promises greater access to musicians' personal lives, fans begin to expect it as a standard part of their experience. This creates a self-reinforcing loop where every social media post is scrutinized like an Easter egg, assumed to be a hidden window into the artist's inner world.

Eilish, who signed with Interscope's imprint The Darkroom in 2016, was keenly aware of this dynamic from the beginning. While preparing her debut album *When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?*, she was shadowed by a documentary crew — footage that would later become *The World's a Little Blurry*. In it, her brother and longtime collaborator Finneas reveals that she was "so woke about her own persona on the internet" that she feared any misstep could invite a backlash.

Those fears proved unfounded. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 2019, and Eilish walked away with five Grammy Awards at just 18 years old.

## The "Industry Plant" Debate and the Question of Meritocracy

Massive success, however, invites scrutiny. Harper points out that when an artist becomes the poster child for a supposedly more democratic, gatekeeping-free music ecosystem, they also become a lightning rod for criticism — particularly when people begin questioning whether their rise was truly organic.

As early as 2019, outlets were raising doubts about whether Eilish's ascent was entirely self-made, pointing to her family's entertainment industry connections and institutional backing from platforms like Spotify. "Eilish is one of the first artists I heard associated with the term 'industry plant,'" Harper notes.

This conversation has only grown louder in the years since. The band Geese faced similar accusations after WIRED reported that they had partnered with a marketing company called Chaotic Good Projects to engineer online buzz. Meanwhile, artists like Addison Rae have leveraged TikTok to launch legitimate careers, but with bots and artificial engagement flooding every platform, identifying a truly grassroots breakthrough has become nearly impossible.

## Can the Algorithm Be Beaten?

According to media analyst Ryan Broderick of *Garbage Day*, the answer is largely no — at least not in the way most people assume. Despite fake streams and other manipulation tactics, the vast majority of marketing firms simply cannot fool major platform algorithms over the long term. More often than not, the relationship works in reverse: a well-known artist drops an album, Spotify places it in curated playlists, and that visibility then drives growth on Instagram and TikTok — not the other way around.

Yet people keep scrolling, keep clicking, and keep searching for the next big thing. Artists like Eilish made audiences believe that their new favorite musician is always just one swipe away. Even she admits she hasn't been able to fully step back from the platforms that made her.

"I'm still on more than I'd like to be, but I can't help myself," she says with characteristic candor. "There's just so much good shit on there. But also it's horrible. I have to click the comments no matter what, which is not good for me."

Whether the next Billie Eilish is out there — uploading songs from a bedroom, waiting to be found — remains an open question. But if she does exist, Eilish will be among the first to cheer her on.

Billie Eilish questions whether her path to stardom could be repeated in 2026's algorithm-driven, AI-saturated music landscape. Here's what she thinks.

Billie Eilish Doubts Anyone Could Replicate Her Rise

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Billie Eilish Questions Whether Her Rise to Stardom Could Ever Be Repeated

## Unlikely Sources Are Fueling the Next Antibiotic Revolution

As antimicrobial resistance continues to threaten global public health, researchers are looking far beyond conventional medicine for solutions. Two separate teams from Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM) Biotechnology Institute have made significant breakthroughs — one drawing from scorpion venom, the other from the fiery habanero pepper — producing novel compounds that show real promise against some of the most stubborn and dangerous bacterial strains known to science.

---

## From Scorpion Toxin to Targeted Antibiotic

### Isolating the Key Molecules

A research team led by scientist Lourival Domingos Possani Postay at the Institute of Biotechnology's Morelos campus successfully developed two experimental drugs with demonstrated effectiveness against *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* — the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis — and *Staphylococcus aureus*, a hospital-acquired pathogen capable of triggering life-threatening conditions including pneumonia, meningitis, septicemia, and endocarditis.

The source of these compounds was the venom of *Diplocentrus melici*, a scorpion species native to the Mexican state of Veracruz. Within its toxin, researchers identified two colorless molecules known as benzoquinones — heterocyclic compounds that contain no amino acids. What makes these molecules particularly fascinating is their behavior upon exposure to air: they oxidize and transform in color, with one turning a distinct blue and the other a vivid red.

This color-changing property proved scientifically invaluable. It allowed the team to determine the precise chemical structure of each compound, replicate them synthetically in a laboratory setting, and rigorously assess their biological activity.

### What Each Molecule Can Do

Testing revealed a clear division of labor between the two benzoquinones. The blue compound demonstrated strong activity against the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis, while the red compound proved effective at combating *Staphylococcus aureus*. Richard Zare, a distinguished physical chemistry expert and professor at Stanford University, contributed to the research process, lending additional credibility and scientific rigor to the findings.

Collaborator Rogelio Hernández Pando, from the Salvador Zubirán National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, conducted trials using a mouse model with induced tuberculosis. His results confirmed that the blue benzoquinone functions as a highly effective antibiotic against the disease.

### Broader Antibacterial Potential

The research didn't stop there. Further investigation revealed that the blue benzoquinone also shows efficacy against *Acinetobacter baumannii*, a highly drug-resistant opportunistic pathogen commonly linked to bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, lung infections, and wound complications — particularly within hospital settings.

Both molecules derived from scorpion venom have now been patented in Mexico and South Africa. Researchers are currently developing nanoparticle-based delivery systems designed to stabilize and protect the compounds, enabling safe administration within the human body.

Possani Postay noted that the next critical step involves clinical trials, though he acknowledged the substantial financial investment such trials require. He expressed keen interest in partnering with a national pharmaceutical company to scale production of the compounds.

---

## A Spicy Discovery: Antibiotic Properties Found in Habanero Peppers

### The Peptide Hidden in a Chili

In a parallel line of research, a separate UNAM Biotechnology Institute team made a striking discovery: a peptide found in the habanero chili pepper (*Capsicum chinense*) carries the ability to combat opportunistic bacteria that pose serious risks, particularly to immunocompromised patients.

The project, led by Gerardo Corzo Burguete in collaboration with Georgina Estrada Tapia of the Yucatan Scientific Research Center, zeroed in on *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* — a pathogen the World Health Organization classifies as high priority due to its alarming resistance to standard antibiotics.

### Developing XisHar J1-1

The team identified a specific peptide called defensin J1-1 within the habanero pepper and used it as the foundation for a biotechnological drug development process. The resulting compound, named XisHar J1-1, demonstrated effectiveness against *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and also shows potential in treating fungal infections.

Production involved genetically modifying a bacterium to generate defensin J1-1, then culturing it through submerged fermentation — an industrial-scale technique widely used for producing biological compounds. The peptide was subsequently extracted and purified for antibiotic application.

### Promising Results, With Caveats

While experimental outcomes were encouraging, Estrada Tapia acknowledged a key limitation: the study relied on a laboratory strain rather than a resistant strain sourced directly from patients. Despite this, both the natural defensin and its synthetic variations showed measurable efficacy, and the compound has been granted a patent in Mexico.

The team is pressing forward, with the next phase of research set to include testing against resistant patient-derived strains to more fully validate the therapeutic potential. Researchers also noted that further work is needed to address the molecule's susceptibility to degradation within different biological systems.

---

## A Broader Battle Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Team member Iván Arenas Sosa underscored the larger significance of both research lines, emphasizing that while there is still considerable ground to cover, these advances represent a meaningful step forward in addressing one of the most pressing medical challenges of our era.

"The problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has increased in recent years and will continue in the future," he stated. "It is essential to promote projects aimed at the discovery of new molecules and the development of innovative treatments to address antimicrobial resistance."

From scorpion venom to chili peppers, nature continues to offer unexpected blueprints for medical breakthroughs — and these findings suggest that the next generation of life-saving antibiotics may already be hiding in plain sight.

Researchers have developed powerful new antibiotics from scorpion venom and habanero peppers, targeting deadly drug-resistant bacteria like tuberculosis and MRS

Scorpion Venom and Chili Peppers Fight Drug-Resistant Bacter

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Scorpion Venom and Habanero Peppers Are Unlocking New Weapons Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria

## Gusto Reaches a Rare Revenue Milestone in the Startup World

In an era where many tech companies prefer to report optimistic forward-looking metrics, small-business payroll provider Gusto is doing something refreshingly different — sharing real numbers. The 14-year-old company recently confirmed it crossed $1 billion in revenue earlier this year, and crucially, this figure reflects money actually earned over the past 12 months, not an annualized projection of future contracts.

For context, many startups rely on Annualized Recurring Revenue, or ARR, which estimates the value of active contracts over the next year. Gusto's announcement sidesteps that approach entirely, offering a more grounded picture of its financial standing.

## Strong Fundamentals Back Up the Big Number

Gusto CEO and co-founder Josh Reeves told TechCrunch that the company has maintained positive cash flow for several years running. Even more telling, revenue growth has accelerated in each of the last five consecutive quarters — a trajectory that speaks to sustained momentum rather than a one-time surge.

The company was most recently valued at $9.3 billion following a $200 million employee tender offer launched in June 2025. While that figure may seem modest compared to some rivals, it actually positions Gusto favorably when measured against its actual revenue performance.

## How Gusto Stacks Up Against the Competition

The HR tech space is home to some well-funded heavyweights, and Gusto's milestone puts it squarely in their league — at least on the revenue front.

### Deel and Rippling: Bigger Valuations, Different Metrics

Deel, which focuses on international workforce management for larger enterprises, crossed $1 billion in ARR last year. The company carries a valuation of $17.3 billion after closing a $300 million funding round co-led by Ribbit Capital and Andreessen Horowitz in October.

Rippling, Deel's closest competitor, recently announced it also hit $1 billion in ARR and was last valued at $16.8 billion following a $450 million raise in May 2025.

Both rivals are reporting ARR figures, while Gusto is reporting actual earned revenue — a distinction that gives Gusto's announcement additional weight.

## Strategic Moves Fueling Gusto's Growth

Beyond the headline revenue number, Gusto has been actively expanding its footprint through strategic acquisitions and technology investment.

Last year, the company completed its acquisition of Guideline, a retirement plan provider focused on small and medium-sized businesses, in a deal worth approximately $600 million. The move broadened Gusto's product suite and deepened its value proposition for its core customer base.

On the technology side, Gusto is seeing significant efficiency gains from artificial intelligence. Following the December 2024 board appointment of Anthropic CTO Rahul Patil, the company reports that AI now powers 50% of all new code generation and handles an equivalent share of customer support interactions — a meaningful operational shift for a company of its scale.

## A Clean Reputation in a Messy Competitive Landscape

Another quiet advantage working in Gusto's favor: it has stayed entirely clear of the legal drama plaguing its two largest rivals. Deel and Rippling are currently locked in a high-profile corporate espionage lawsuit that has drawn considerable attention across the industry. Gusto, by contrast, has kept its focus squarely on product development and customer growth.

That kind of reputational stability can matter enormously when a company begins exploring paths to public markets.

## Is an IPO on the Horizon?

Gusto has long been mentioned as a prime IPO candidate, and its latest financial milestone only adds fuel to that conversation. With a valuation that appears modest relative to its revenue performance, the company would likely command a higher price tag in any future fundraising round or public offering.

That said, Reeves remains publicly non-committal on the subject. In a December interview, he emphasized his preference for concentrating on customers and scaling operations rather than mapping out a stock market debut. When pressed for an update following the revenue announcement, a company spokesperson offered little clarity: "Nothing to share on the IPO timeline front."

The broader IPO market also remains sluggish heading into 2026, which may push any public debut further down the road regardless of Gusto's readiness.

## Bottom Line

Gusto's $1 billion revenue milestone is a meaningful signal — not just of the company's own health, but of the broader resilience of HR tech in a period of significant software industry disruption. With accelerating growth, positive cash flow, smart acquisitions, and a clean competitive profile, Gusto appears well-equipped for whatever comes next, whether that's another private fundraise or an eventual entry into public markets.

Gusto surpasses $1 billion in real earned revenue with accelerating growth and positive cash flow, positioning the HR tech firm for a potential IPO.

Gusto Hits $1 Billion Revenue Milestone Eyeing IPO

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Gusto Crosses $1 Billion in Real Revenue, Putting IPO Speculation Back on the Table

## OpenAI Rolls Out New Safety Feature Aimed at Protecting Vulnerable Users

OpenAI is taking a significant step forward in user safety with the introduction of a new feature called **Trusted Contact** — a tool designed to notify a designated individual when a ChatGPT conversation raises concerns about self-harm.

### How the Trusted Contact Feature Works

The new feature allows adult ChatGPT users to assign a trusted person — such as a close friend or family member — directly within their account settings. If a conversation takes a turn toward self-harm, OpenAI's system will prompt the user to reach out to that designated contact. Simultaneously, an automated alert is dispatched to the trusted contact, encouraging them to check in on the user's well-being.

The alert is intentionally kept brief and does not reveal the specifics of what was discussed, a deliberate decision by OpenAI to balance user safety with personal privacy.

## A Response to Growing Legal Pressure

This development comes amid mounting legal challenges facing the company. OpenAI has been named in multiple lawsuits filed by families of individuals who died by suicide following interactions with ChatGPT. In several of these cases, families allege that the chatbot either encouraged self-destructive behavior or actively assisted in planning it.

The new feature signals OpenAI's attempt to address these serious concerns while continuing to refine how its AI systems handle emotionally sensitive conversations.

## OpenAI's Existing Safety Infrastructure

Prior to the Trusted Contact rollout, OpenAI already employed a layered approach to safety monitoring. The system uses a combination of automated detection and human review. When conversational triggers related to suicidal ideation are detected, alerts are escalated to a dedicated human safety team.

"We strive to review these safety notifications in under one hour," the company states. If the internal team determines that a genuine safety risk exists, the trusted contact receives a notification via email, text message, or an in-app alert.

### Building on Earlier Parental Safeguards

The Trusted Contact feature is not OpenAI's first foray into protective tools. Last September, the company introduced parental oversight controls, giving parents the ability to monitor teen accounts and receive safety alerts when OpenAI's system identifies a potential serious risk. ChatGPT has also long included automated prompts directing users toward professional mental health services when self-harm topics arise.

## Important Limitations to Consider

Despite its potential benefits, the Trusted Contact feature has notable constraints. Most critically, participation is entirely voluntary. Users are not required to activate it, and even those who do can maintain multiple separate ChatGPT accounts without the protection applied across all of them. The same limitation applies to OpenAI's parental controls.

This raises important questions about the real-world effectiveness of such safeguards when they remain opt-in rather than default.

## OpenAI's Broader Commitment to AI Safety

"Trusted Contact is part of OpenAI's broader effort to build AI systems that help people during difficult moments," the company wrote in its official announcement. "We will continue to work with clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to improve how AI systems respond when people may be experiencing distress."

As AI platforms become increasingly embedded in daily life, the introduction of features like Trusted Contact reflects a growing recognition that technology companies bear a responsibility for the emotional and psychological well-being of their users — not just their digital security.

OpenAI launches Trusted Contact, a new ChatGPT safety feature that alerts a designated person when self-harm concerns arise in a conversation.

OpenAI's Trusted Contact Feature Targets Self-Harm Safety

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OpenAI Launches 'Trusted Contact' Feature to Protect Users at Risk of Self-Harm

## Tesla Model Y Sets the Bar for Advanced Driver Assistance Safety

The United States federal government has officially recognized the 2026 Tesla Model Y as the first automobile to successfully meet its newly introduced safety benchmark for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced this milestone on Tuesday, marking a significant step forward in how the agency evaluates modern vehicle safety technology.

## What the New Safety Tests Involve

As part of an update to its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the NHTSA introduced four pass-fail evaluations designed to measure the real-world performance of increasingly common driver assistance features. The tests assess the following capabilities:

- **Automatic Emergency Braking for Pedestrians** – How effectively the vehicle detects and responds to pedestrians in its path
- **Blind-Spot Warning** – Whether the system reliably alerts the driver to vehicles in hard-to-see areas
- **Blind-Spot Intervention** – The vehicle's ability to actively prevent lane changes into occupied blind spots
- **Lane Assist** – The system's effectiveness in keeping the car centered within its lane

These criteria were formally incorporated into the NCAP framework in 2024, reflecting the growing prevalence of driver assistance technologies in consumer vehicles.

## Why These Standards Matter

For years, automakers have marketed driver assistance features under proprietary brand names that frequently obscure what those systems actually do. Without a standardized government benchmark, consumers have had little reliable guidance for comparing performance across different makes and models.

The updated NCAP criteria aim to close that gap by holding manufacturers to a measurable, transparent standard. This move gives buyers clearer insight into how well a vehicle's assistance technology actually performs — not just how it's marketed.

NHTSA's NCAP program is best known for running the government's 5-Star safety rating system, which also evaluates how vehicles respond to frontal and side-impact collisions, rollover resistance, and general crash avoidance capabilities.

## Which Tesla Model Y Qualifies

It is worth noting that not every 2026 Tesla Model Y automatically carries this distinction. The new benchmark rating applies specifically to 2026 Model Y vehicles that were assembled on or after **November 12, 2025**. Buyers should verify the assembly date when considering whether a particular vehicle meets this standard.

## What Comes Next

With Tesla's Model Y now setting the precedent, attention turns to which other vehicles may be working toward meeting the same criteria. Automakers across the industry are continuously refining their driver assistance platforms, and it is expected that more models will pursue this benchmark as ADAS technology continues to advance.

The NHTSA has not yet disclosed which additional vehicles are currently being evaluated under the new criteria. As more cars are tested, the list of qualifying models is expected to grow, giving consumers an expanding range of options that meet the government's evolving safety expectations.

The 2026 Tesla Model Y is the first vehicle to meet NHTSA's new driver assistance safety benchmark, covering blind-spot, lane assist, and emergency braking test

Tesla Model Y First Car to Meet NHTSA Driver Assistance Benc

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Tesla Model Y Becomes First Vehicle to Clear New Federal Driver Assistance Safety Standards

## Google Takes Fitness Tracking in a Bold New Direction

Three years after releasing the Charge 6 and five years since acquiring Fitbit, Google is making a significant pivot in wearable technology. The newly unveiled **Fitbit Air** strips away the screen entirely, embracing a minimalist form factor that puts data collection and AI-driven coaching front and center. It's the most ambitious shift in Fitbit's product history — and possibly the first real challenge to Whoop's dominance in the screenless fitness tracker market.

---

## What Makes the Fitbit Air Different

### A Truly Screenless Experience

The Fitbit Air represents a complete departure from everything the brand has built over the past decade. Gone is the AMOLED display, the haptic side button, and the on-wrist visual feedback that users have come to expect from Fitbit devices. In their place is a sleek, oval-shaped tracker that slots into a variety of interchangeable bands and sits quietly on the wrist — more Whoop than traditional fitness tracker.

Google claims the Air weighs 20 percent less than the now-discontinued Fitbit Luxe. The idea is simple: design a device that disappears into your daily routine rather than competing for your attention. As a result, features like Google Wallet payments and YouTube Music controls are absent — this is a purely functional health device.

### Band Options and Colorways

To complement the Air's minimalist aesthetic, Google is launching an expanded accessories lineup:

- **Performance Loop** – Made from recycled materials with a micro-adjustable fit, available in Obsidian, Fog, Lavender, and Berry
- **Active Band** – A sweat- and waterproof silicone strap designed for intense workouts, also in four colors
- **Elevated Modern Band** – A fashion-forward option for everyday wear, available in Porcelain, Moonstone, and Obsidian

For launch, Google has collaborated with NBA champion **Stephen Curry** on a limited-edition band. Curry has been serving as a performance adviser for the platform's Health Coach feature and was spotted wearing a prototype version during Golden State Warriors games.

---

## Pricing and Positioning

At **$100**, the Fitbit Air matches the price of the Inspire 3 — Google Fitbit's entry-level model — making it a direct competitor to its own budget lineup. However, in terms of capability, it punches well above that price point. The Air includes a temperature sensor, gyroscope, and optical heart rate monitor, bringing it closer to Google's premium wearables in terms of raw sensor technology.

---

## Health Tracking Features

### Comprehensive Metrics Without the Screen

Despite its bare-bones exterior, the Fitbit Air doesn't cut corners on health tracking. It delivers the same breadth of features found in the Charge 6, including:

- Step counting, distance, and calorie tracking
- Weekly **Cardio Load** and **Daily Readiness Score**
- 24/7 heart rate monitoring
- Irregular heart rhythm notifications with **AFib detection**
- High and low heart rate alerts
- **Heart Rate Variability (HRV)** insights
- Blood oxygen (SpO2) monitoring

### Upgraded Sleep Tracking

Sleep tracking receives a meaningful improvement with the Air. Google's **Gemini AI** now powers the sleep analysis engine, delivering a claimed **15 percent improvement** in accuracy over previous models when detecting interruptions, naps, and transitions between sleep stages. The personalized Sleep Score remains, and a new **Smart Wake** alarm feature wakes users at the most natural point in their sleep cycle for a smoother morning.

---

## Google Health and the AI Coaching Ecosystem

### Meet Health Coach

The Fitbit Air is designed to function as a data-gathering hub within Google's growing health software ecosystem. The companion **Fitbit app has been rebranded as Google Health**, and at the center of the experience is **Health Coach** — an AI-powered guidance system built on Google's Gemini model.

Rather than simply displaying your metrics, Health Coach interprets them and turns them into practical recommendations. It can build personalized workout plans, flag optimal recovery windows based on strain and readiness scores, and provide detailed analysis of sleep disruptions. The goal is ongoing, adaptive coaching that evolves alongside your lifestyle.

### What's Free vs. What Costs Extra

It's worth understanding the subscription structure before committing. The **Google Health app is free** and accessible to anyone with a compatible Fitbit or Pixel Watch device. However, **Health Coach and adaptive fitness planning** are locked behind **Google Health Premium**, priced at **$10 per month** or **$100 per year**.

Purchasers of the Fitbit Air receive **three free months** of Premium. The subscription is also bundled with Google One's AI Pro and AI Ultra plans.

### Seamless Integration With Pixel Watch

For users already invested in the Google wearables ecosystem, the Air slots in without friction. It pairs with the same Google Health app as the Pixel Watch, meaning both devices can be worn simultaneously or swapped out depending on the situation. Health data syncs automatically, and the app allows users to filter metrics by device — a clear signal of Google's intent to build a unified, interchangeable health platform.

---

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| **Price** | $100 |
| **Compatibility** | Android 11.0+ / iOS 16.4+ |
| **Battery Life** | Up to 7 days |
| **Water Resistance** | 5 ATM |
| **Sensors** | Optical heart rate, 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, SpO2, temperature |
| **Dimensions** | 1.4 x 0.7 x 0.3 inches |
| **Weight** | 0.01 lb (without band) / 0.03 lb (with band) |
| **Materials** | Recycled polycarbonate and PBT plastic housing; textile band with stainless steel buckle |
| **Colors** | Obsidian, Fog, Lavender, Berry |

---

## Availability

The **Google Health app** rolls out on **May 19** for both Android and iOS. The **Fitbit Air is available for preorder now** and officially launches on **May 26**.

For those who want serious fitness data without a glowing screen demanding their attention, the Fitbit Air makes a compelling case — especially at this price point. Whether it can genuinely dethrone Whoop will depend on how well Google's software delivers on its ambitious AI coaching promises.

Google's Fitbit Air ditches the display for a Whoop-like design, AI health coaching, and full fitness tracking at just $100. Here's everything you need to know.

Fitbit Air 2026 Review: Google Goes Screenless

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Fitbit Air (2026): Google Goes Screen-Free to Challenge Whoop's Dominance

## Former DOGE Engineer Pivots to Defense Technology Venture

Ethan Shaotran, who rose to prominence as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce, has quietly transitioned out of federal service and into the private sector — this time with a defense-focused startup that analysts say could be positioned to pursue lucrative government contracts.

### Shaotran's Time Inside the Federal Government

During his tenure at DOGE, Shaotran was among the group that established an impromptu operations base within the General Services Administration (GSA) before spreading across multiple federal agencies. Despite leaving Harvard University before completing his senior year, Shaotran quickly became a visible presence in agencies ranging from the GSA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the US Postal Service, the US African Development Foundation, and the Inter-American Foundation.

His time at the SSA coincided with a controversial DOGE initiative that transferred the records of thousands of immigrants into the agency's "Master Death File" — a move that effectively deactivated their Social Security numbers and stripped them of the ability to work legally or access government benefits.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Shaotran departed from federal service in January and has since relocated to Los Angeles. His current bio identifies him as a "Harvard engineer, 4x patent inventor, and published researcher on autonomous systems," and includes a note that he is "Rapidly hiring!"

## Blitz Industries: A New Company With Government Ambitions

A registration on the System for Award Management (SAM) — the official US government procurement portal where contractors and grant recipients must enroll — lists a company named **Blitz Industries, Inc.** under the category of "Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences." A former SAM official, speaking anonymously to WIRED due to concerns about retaliation, confirmed that appearing on the platform typically signals a company's intent to pursue federal contracts.

The registered address for Blitz Industries places it in Hawthorne, California, directly across the street from SpaceX's main campus. Delaware incorporation records show the company was formally established on February 12, 2026 — roughly one month after Shaotran left government. Those same records reflect an annual tax assessment of $176,986 and 25 million authorized shares. Notably, no corresponding California business entity registration appears to exist, despite the company's physical presence in the state.

Shaotran did not respond to media requests for comment regarding the company, and it remains unclear whether Blitz Industries has already secured any government contracts.

## A Booming Defense Tech Landscape

Shaotran's venture arrives at a moment when the defense technology sector is experiencing unprecedented capital inflows. Venture investors deployed more than **$49.1 billion** into defense-related startups in 2025 alone. The Pentagon has simultaneously signaled its willingness to broaden its contractor base, opening doors for smaller and newer firms to compete for a share of the defense budget — which runs into the hundreds of billions annually.

Powerful investment firms are capitalizing on the trend. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), through its American Dynamism initiative, has made significant bets on defense startups and published a guide in March 2025 advising companies on how to navigate Pentagon contracting. Meanwhile, fellow DOGE alumnus Gavin Kliger has taken on the role of Chief Data Officer at the Department of Defense, where he will shape the agency's artificial intelligence strategy.

## Critics Sound the Alarm on Conflicts of Interest

Not everyone views this trajectory favorably. Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, drew a pointed comparison to Silicon Valley culture.

"It sort of feels like they're turning the government into a hacker house, where people come in, spend a little time, then go back out and build the startup that they can then monetize based on their experience in government," Moynihan said. "I think that's probably going to be profitable for some people. It's not necessarily good for the US government, or for the public as a whole."

Margaret Mullins, who served as a senior adviser to the deputy secretary of defense during the Biden administration, acknowledged that private-sector interest in Pentagon spending is nothing new. However, she emphasized that "what is most important is the government maintains the ability and the desire to set its own priorities and requirements, rather than conflating national security needs with what the private sector wants the national security needs to be."

## A Pattern Among DOGE Alumni

Shaotran is far from alone in making this transition. A growing number of former DOGE operatives have launched commercial ventures following their government stints:

- **Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox**, who led DOGE's controversial takeover of the US Institute of Peace, have co-founded a startup called **Special**. Fox described the company in a legal deposition as focused on senior care technology. Its website has shifted its description multiple times — from a crypto investment platform to a "holding company, building an AI operating system to transform critical American industries."
- **Brooks Morgan and Adam Ramada** launched a Miami-based venture capital firm.
- **Bridget Youngs** founded a company dedicated to manufacturing large-scale power transformers after departing from government service.

The emerging pattern raises broader questions about whether DOGE functioned not only as a government reform effort, but also as an incubator — providing its young engineers with privileged access to federal systems, agency relationships, and institutional knowledge that could later be converted into commercial advantage.

Former DOGE engineer Ethan Shaotran has launched Blitz Industries near SpaceX HQ, raising concerns about the government-to-startup pipeline in defense tech.

DOGE's Ethan Shaotran Launches Defense Tech Startup

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From DOGE to Defense: How Ethan Shaotran Launched a Pentagon-Targeting Startup

## xAI's Surprising Shift: From AI Developer to Compute Provider

A blockbuster announcement from xAI and Anthropic earlier this week has sparked a fundamental question about where Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company is truly headed. Under the terms of the deal, Anthropic — the company behind the Claude family of AI models — has acquired the entire compute capacity of xAI's Colossus 1 data center, an infrastructure behemoth representing roughly 300 megawatts of processing power. The agreement allowed Anthropic to immediately lift its usage caps and is expected to be worth billions of dollars to xAI.

More than the money, however, the deal signals something far more consequential: xAI appears to be transforming from a consumer of computing resources into a seller of them.

## Why xAI Didn't Need Colossus 1 Anymore

Musk offered a straightforward explanation on his own platform, X, noting that xAI had already transitioned its model training operations to a newer facility called Colossus 2, leaving Colossus 1 sitting largely idle. Rather than letting that infrastructure go to waste, xAI opted to monetize it by leasing it out to a competitor — even as that competitor remains locked in legal battles with another Musk-affiliated enterprise.

Some observers have interpreted the Anthropic arrangement as a calculated jab at OpenAI, given the ongoing litigation between the two camps. But the operational rationale is difficult to dismiss. xAI's flagship consumer product, Grok, has experienced a sharp decline in user engagement following a series of image generation controversies earlier this year. If Grok's computational demands fall well short of what Colossus 1 can deliver, parking that capacity with a paying customer makes clear financial sense.

## A Neocloud in the Making?

The implications of this strategy become even more striking when viewed against the backdrop of how other major technology players handle compute scarcity.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently acknowledged in an earnings call that Google Cloud revenues were being held back by internal capacity constraints. When faced with the choice of renting out GPU power or reserving it for in-house AI development, Google consistently chooses the latter. Meta has taken an even more aggressive stance, constructing an entirely new cloud infrastructure — branded Meta Compute — to ensure Mark Zuckerberg's AI ambitions are never bottlenecked by hardware shortages. Zuckerberg himself framed this investment as a long-term "strategic advantage," recognizing that compute access will determine who wins the AI race of tomorrow.

xAI appears to be moving in the opposite direction. By offloading large volumes of compute to external customers, the company is beginning to look less like a frontier AI lab and more like a **neocloud provider** — a business that procures GPU hardware from suppliers like Nvidia and leases it out to model developers and other AI companies.

## The Economics Are Tougher Than They Look

The neocloud model carries its own set of challenges. These businesses operate in a compressed margin environment, squeezed from above by chip suppliers and from below by the unpredictable ebb and flow of demand cycles. A glance at market valuations tells the story: xAI was valued at approximately $230 billion during its January fundraising round. CoreWeave, a dedicated neocloud operator managing a comparable volume of computing power, is valued at less than one-third of that figure.

Musk's vision for xAI's infrastructure play is, unsurprisingly, more ambitious than a standard neocloud operation. The company has floated plans for orbital data centers — potentially operational by 2035 — and is developing its own semiconductors through a facility called Terafab, a move designed to reduce dependence on Nvidia's pricing power. These are bold initiatives, but they do not fundamentally alter the underlying economics of a business built on renting out compute.

## What Happens to xAI's Software Ambitions?

Perhaps the most pressing concern raised by this strategic pivot involves xAI's own long-term product roadmap. As recently as a company-wide all-hands meeting in February, xAI was showcasing serious ambitions beyond hardware. The presentation revealed meaningful investments in AI-assisted coding — further reinforced by a subsequent partnership with Cursor — and ambitious concepts such as leveraging computer use capabilities into full-scale digital twin environments, an initiative internally dubbed the "Macrohard" project.

These are precisely the kinds of forward-looking, compute-intensive projects that demand sustained and dedicated hardware resources. If xAI continues committing large portions of its data center capacity to external clients like Anthropic, it raises legitimate questions about whether the company retains sufficient runway to develop these next-generation products.

## The Bigger Picture

The xAI-Anthropic partnership may be strategically logical in the short term — particularly as xAI, now merged with SpaceX, accelerates toward a public offering. Having Anthropic as an anchor customer also lends credibility to SpaceX's orbital data center ambitions. But the long-term trajectory deserves scrutiny.

Building the infrastructure of AI is a worthy enterprise. But there is a meaningful difference between owning the infrastructure to power your own innovations and building infrastructure primarily to service your competitors. As xAI leans further into the neocloud model, the question of where Musk's AI ambitions truly lie becomes harder — not easier — to answer.

xAI's deal with Anthropic reveals a major strategic shift. Is Elon Musk's AI company becoming a neocloud provider rather than a frontier AI innovator?

Is xAI Becoming a Neocloud? The Anthropic Deal Explained

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Is xAI Becoming a Neocloud? What the Anthropic Deal Really Reveals

## Nuro Gets Green Light for Driverless Testing in California

Autonomous vehicle startup Nuro has received regulatory approval to conduct driverless testing of Lucid Gravity SUVs on California public roads — a critical milestone on the road to launching Uber's premium robotaxi service. Despite securing the permit, however, Nuro says it has yet to begin actual driverless operations.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles, which oversees autonomous vehicle testing and deployment throughout the state, confirmed to reporters that it has updated Nuro's existing driverless AV permit to cover the Lucid Gravity vehicles. The Silicon Valley-based startup, which counts both Nvidia and Uber among its key backers, is expected to commence driverless testing sometime before the end of the year, though no specific timeline has been disclosed.

## A Permit Six Years in the Making — With a New Direction

Nuro has held a driverless testing permit for six years. Previously, that authorization only covered a low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle — a program the company ultimately discontinued when it shifted its business strategy toward licensing its self-driving technology to third-party partners, most notably Uber.

This newly expanded permit now allows Nuro to operate Lucid Gravity vehicles on public roads without a human safety driver present behind the wheel. It represents a significant evolution in the company's regulatory standing and reflects its growing ambitions in the passenger robotaxi market.

## Multiple Regulatory Hurdles Still Ahead

While the updated permit is an important step forward, it is far from the last regulatory checkpoint Nuro must clear before Uber's robotaxi service can go live. The company will additionally need to secure a driverless ride-hailing permit from the California Public Utilities Commission, as well as a full deployment permit from the DMV.

In the meantime, Nuro and Uber continue to test Lucid Gravity vehicles in autonomous mode with a human safety operator present in the driver's seat. Recently, testing was expanded to allow Uber employees to summon an autonomous Lucid robotaxi through the Uber app — though a safety operator remains on board during all current rides.

## Uber Deepens Its Commitment to Lucid and Nuro

As Nuro advances its testing program, Uber has significantly increased its financial stake in the broader initiative. When the three-party partnership between Uber, Lucid, and Nuro was first announced in July 2025, Uber committed $300 million to Lucid and placed an order for 20,000 robotaxi-ready Gravity SUVs.

That deal has since been substantially upgraded. Uber's investment in Lucid now stands at $500 million, and the vehicle order has grown to a minimum of 35,000 units — comprising at least 10,000 Gravity SUVs and 25,000 electric vehicles built on Lucid's forthcoming mid-size platform. Uber has also made a separate multimillion-dollar investment directly into Nuro.

## The Technology Behind the Robotaxi

All of these EVs will be outfitted with Nuro's autonomous driving system, which runs on Nvidia's Drive AGX Thor computing platform. The Lucid Gravity robotaxi, publicly unveiled in January, features an array of high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radar systems that work in concert to help the self-driving system perceive and navigate real-world environments.

Lucid has already delivered 75 engineering vehicles to Nuro and Uber, with testing and mileage accumulation underway across multiple U.S. cities, according to disclosures made during the company's first-quarter earnings call.

## Commercial Robotaxi Operations Targeted for Late 2026

Lucid executives expressed confidence that commercial robotaxi operations remain on track to launch by late 2026. They noted during the earnings call that all development work and certification processes are progressing as anticipated. That said, it remains possible that initial commercial operations could be limited in scope — whether by geographic restrictions or the requirement of onboard safety operators — depending on the pace of regulatory approvals.

The collaboration between Nuro, Uber, and Lucid represents one of the most high-profile efforts to bring autonomous ride-hailing to mainstream consumers, and the coming months of driverless testing will be closely watched by the industry.

Nuro secures a California driverless testing permit for Lucid Gravity SUVs, advancing Uber's premium robotaxi service planned for late 2026 launch.

Nuro Gets Driverless Permit for Uber Lucid Robotaxi Service

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Nuro Secures Driverless Testing Permit for Lucid Gravity SUVs Ahead of Uber Robotaxi Launch

## Bumble Loses Paying Users While Preparing for a Major Platform Overhaul

Bumble is navigating one of the most challenging stretches in its history. The popular dating app reported a sharp decline in paying subscribers for Q1 2026, even as it prepares to roll out a sweeping technological transformation designed to recapture the attention of younger users who have grown increasingly skeptical of dating apps altogether.

Total paying users dropped 21.1% year-over-year, falling from 4 million to just 3.2 million. Revenue also slid 14.1% to $212.4 million, though that figure did manage to edge past analyst expectations. Revenue from the Bumble app specifically came in at $172.7 million.

## A Deliberate Reset — Or a Concerning Decline?

Despite the headline numbers, Bumble's leadership is pushing back against a purely negative interpretation. On a call with investors, founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd characterized the subscriber drop as an intentional strategic move rather than a symptom of a struggling product.

"We have executed a deliberate reset of our member base," Herd said. "We made a clear choice to prioritize quality over quantity, focusing on well-intentioned, engaged members. That decision reduced overall scale, but meaningfully improved the health of our ecosystem."

There is some financial evidence to support that framing. Average revenue per paying user climbed nearly 9%, and net earnings surged to $52.6 million — a significant jump compared to $19.8 million in the same quarter last year. A large portion of that profit improvement came from reductions in sales and marketing expenditure.

Still, a shrinking user base is difficult to dismiss, regardless of how it is positioned. Investors are understandably focused on when — and whether — the numbers will reverse course.

## The Big Bet: An AI-Powered Reimagining of Dating

Much of the investor call centered not on current performance but on what Bumble is building next. The company is in the process of replacing its legacy technology infrastructure with a cloud-native, AI-powered platform designed to improve match quality and allow for faster product updates. A limited rollout is already underway, with broader availability expected over the coming months.

The most significant changes, however, are still on the horizon. Bumble confirmed that its fully "reimagined" user experience is now slated for a Q4 launch, with a phased expansion continuing into late 2025 and early 2026. The timeline represents a slight delay from earlier projections, signaling that this will be a gradual transformation rather than a single high-profile relaunch.

"When do we start to see a rebound in the numbers you're all looking for?" Herd said on the call. "The answer is very simple. When our technology and our next-gen recommendation engine can actually help better connect people more compatibly and show people who they want to see and go out on great dates. That's where the magic happens."

### Rethinking the Swipe: From Matching to Actually Meeting

At the core of Bumble's reinvention is a fundamental challenge to the swipe-based model that has dominated dating apps for years. The company acknowledges that the vast majority of matches never evolve into real-world dates, and it is redesigning its product from the ground up to fix that.

Changes will include redesigned user profiles, new interaction mechanics, and a stronger emphasis on facilitating in-person meetings. The company is betting that making it easier to go from a match to an actual date will be the key to reigniting user growth.

### Meet "Bee": Bumble's Built-In AI Matchmaker

Artificial intelligence is central to this strategy. Earlier in the year, Bumble introduced a feature called "Bee," an integrated matchmaking assistant that learns a user's preferences, relationship goals, and communication patterns over time. Bee uses this information to suggest more compatible matches and, through a feature called "Dates," can even explain why two specific users might be a good fit before they ever exchange a message.

Profile formats are also evolving. Bumble has been testing richer, more narrative "chapter-style" profiles that move beyond the traditional photo-and-bio format, giving users more ways to express who they are and what they are looking for.

## Bumble BFF Finds Momentum With Gen Z

Beyond romantic connections, Bumble is seeing encouraging signs in its friendship-focused app, Bumble BFF. The platform added a Groups tab last year, enabling users to join themed chats, coordinate hangouts, and organize local events. Wolfe Herd noted that engagement on BFF is growing, particularly among Gen Z women. Between December and March alone, group joins nearly doubled — a metric the company is highlighting as evidence that its broader social platform vision has real traction.

## What Comes Next

For now, Bumble remains in a transitional phase. The company is asking investors and users alike to be patient while it rebuilds its core experience from the inside out. The hypothesis driving all of this work is straightforward: if Bumble can reliably turn matches into dates, users will return. But until the new platform is fully live and performing, that hypothesis remains unproven.

The coming quarters will be critical. A successful Q4 launch could mark a genuine turning point. A delayed or underwhelming rollout, on the other hand, would make the current user decline much harder to explain away.

Bumble's paying users dropped 21% in Q1 2026. Here's how the dating app plans to reverse the trend with AI, new profiles, and a reimagined experience.