Google updated its ethical AI guidelines in a blog post on Tuesday.The post omitted a 2018 statement that Google wouldn't use AI for weapons or surveillance.The announcement follows other Silicon Valley companies seeking to partner with the US on defense tech.Google updated its ethical guidelines for artificial intelligence in a blog post on Tuesday, removing the company's previous vows to not use its technology to build weapons or surveillance tools. In 2018, the company outlined AI "applications we will n ...

A former director at Meta filed a lawsuit against the company on Monday.The plaintiff, Kelly Stonelake, alleges sex discrimination and harassment.Stonelake also alleges Meta has a "toxic pattern of silencing women who identify problems."A former Meta employee filed a lawsuit Monday alleging the tech giant has a "toxic pattern of silencing women who identify problems." Kelly Stonelake, a former director of product marketing for Meta's Reality Labs org, filed the lawsuit Monday in Washington state. The suit a ...

Chipotle has found new sources of avocados for its guacamole over the last two years.But the chain could still take a hit if President Donald Trump adds tariffs to Mexican imports.About half of Chipotle's avocados come from Mexico, CEO Scott Boatwright said on an earnings call.Chipotle has spent years diversifying where it gets avocados for its guacamole. But it could still see a hit from tariffs on Mexican versions of the fruit. The California-based restaurant chain has found new sources of avocados in rec ...

Google's parent company, Alphabet, reported fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday.The tech giant beat on EPS, missed on revenue, and reported 12% growth across its business.Alphabet continues to bet heavily on AI despite industry disruption from China's DeepSeek.Alphabet reported fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday. Slowing growth in its Cloud Services business and a bigger-than-expected capex forecast for 2025 dragged shares down more than 7% in postmarket trading. Google's parent company grew its consolidated ...

Wall Street may have been caught off guard by DeepSeek's AI launch, but Meta's CTO says he wasn't.Andrew Bosworth said that it was "very predictable" and he wrote an email anticipating such a development 6 months ago.He told his Instagram followers that DeepSeek is "both a big deal and also not as big as it's made out to be."The whole DeepSeek kerfuffle that rattled Silicon Valley? Meta's CTO says he called such an AI development about 6 months ago. Asked by one of his Instagram followers on Monday about th ...

Amazon could face a significant impact from Donald Trump's new tariffs on Chinese imports.Morgan Stanley estimates Amazon to be the most-exposed among e-commerce companies the bank covers.A large chunk of Amazon's third-party sellers are also China-based.Amazon could be one of the hardest-hit e-commerce retailers by new tariffs on imports from China. Morgan Stanley wrote in a note on Monday that roughly 25% of the cost of products directly sold by Amazon come from China, exposing them to the new tariffs. Th ...

Donald Trump's most recent tariffs on China put Apple's profitability at risk, analysts say.Apple previously avoided similar tariffs in 2019 after discussions between Cook and Trump.Mexico, Canada, and China are planning retaliatory measures that could additionally hurt sales.Apple CEO Tim Cook is finding himself staring down China tariffs again, six years after narrowly avoiding them during Donald Trump's first term. President Trump is imposing tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China that he says are meant to ...

Meta's CTO said 2025 is crucial for Metaverse's success or failure in a leaked memo seen by BI.Andrew Bosworth said Meta needs to "drive sales, retention, and engagement" for mixed reality.He added Reality Labs plans to launch "half a dozen" more AI-powered wearable products.Meta's chief technology officer thinks 2025 could be a make-or-break year for its metaverse bets, Business Insider has learned. Andrew "Boz" Bosworth told staff this year is "most critical" to prove the metaverse is either a visionary f ...

Costco and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative deal to avoid a strike.Costco Teamsters represents 18,000 workers nationwide who were ready to walk off the job.The deal will now be presented to the union's membership for a vote, a Teamsters spokesperson told BI.Costco and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative agreement to avoid a strike, the union told Business Insider. The union said the deal would now go to its membership for a vote and that further details would follow.Costco Teamsters rep ...

Core Insights - Meta is entering 2025 with significant changes and a focus on intensity, following a successful 2024 [1][7] - CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasizes a sprint-like pace for the year, with expectations for clearer trajectories in AI and other long-term projects [2] Policy Changes - Meta announced a major overhaul of its content moderation policy, replacing third-party fact-checking with a community notes model [3][4] - The company has also relaxed its hate speech policies and will promote political discussions on its platforms [4][6] - These changes are perceived as a response to the political landscape, particularly with the return of Donald Trump to the presidency [8][10] Financial Implications - Despite the policy changes, analysts suggest that ad spending on Meta's platforms remains stable due to the company's size and importance to advertisers [5] - Meta's CFO indicated no noticeable change in ad spending following the announcements [5] Workforce and AI Focus - Meta plans to lay off 5% of its workforce, targeting lower performers, while also hiring in key areas related to AI and infrastructure [15][16] - The company is set to increase capital expenditures to $60 to $65 billion in 2025, up from $39.23 billion in 2024, to support its AI initiatives [16][17] - Zuckerberg anticipates that 2025 will see an AI assistant reach 1 billion users, with plans for new AI models and features [17][18] Leadership and Strategic Moves - Meta has made personnel changes, including appointing Joel Kaplan as the new chief global affairs officer, to better navigate the political landscape [12][11] - The company has also added new board members with connections to Trump, indicating a strategic alignment with the new administration [13][10] - Meta settled a lawsuit with Trump for $25 million, further indicating a shift in its relationship with the former president [14]