AP Business Writer

HALELUYA HADERO

The generative artificial intelligence boom has led to the emergence of more companion chatbots. Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions, companion bots use vast amounts of training data to mimic human language.

National News |
Artificial intelligence, real emotion. People are seeking a romantic connection with the perfect bot.

February 15, 2024 at 10:46 a.m.

The generative artificial intelligence boom has led to the emergence of more companion chatbots. Similar to general-purpose AI chatbots that answer typical questions, companion bots use vast amounts of training...

Social media companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published on Wednesday.

National News |
Social media companies made $11 billion in US ad revenue from minors, Harvard study finds

December 27, 2023 at 3:17 p.m.

Social media companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published...

The videos have made everyday tasks a core staple of our online diets on platforms like YouTube by drawing in viewers who find it either informative, communal, or both.

Entertainment |
‘Get Ready With Me’: Video genre that focuses on everyday life is everywhere — and not slowing down

November 27, 2023 at 9:36 a.m.

The videos have made everyday tasks a core staple of our online diets on platforms like YouTube by drawing in viewers who find it either informative, communal, or both.

Consumers are scouring the internet for online deals as they begin to cap off the five-day post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel of our everyday lives, Cyber Monday – a term coined back in 2005 by the National Retail Federation – continues to be the biggest online shopping day of the year. Adobe Analytics expects consumers to spend between $12 billion and $12.4 billion on Monday, making it the biggest online shopping day of all time. For several major retailers, the “Cyber Monday” sale is a days-long event that began over the weekend. Consumer spending for Cyber Week — the five days between Thanksgiving and Monday — provides a strong indication on how much shoppers are willing to spend during the holidays.

Business |
Cyber Monday marks the year’s biggest online shopping day, and one more chance to save on gifts

November 27, 2023 at 6:38 p.m.

Consumers are scouring the internet for online deals as they begin to cap off the five-day post-Thanksgiving shopping bonanza with Cyber Monday. Even though e-commerce is now part and parcel...

Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky when the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries.

Retail |
Amazon will start testing drones that will drop prescriptions on your doorstep, literally

October 21, 2023 at 12:34 p.m.

Amazon will soon make prescription drugs fall from the sky when the e-commerce giant becomes the latest company to test drone deliveries.

The Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. They allege the e-commerce behemoth uses its position in the marketplace to inflate prices on and off Amazon, overcharge sellers and stifle competition. The complaint is the result of a yearslong investigation into Amazon’s businesses and one of the most significant legal challenges brought against the company in its nearly 30-year history. The agency and states that joined the lawsuit are asking the court to issue a permanent injunction that they say would prohibit Amazon from engaging in its unlawful conduct and restore competition. Amazon says the FTC is “wrong on the facts and the law."

Business |
Amazon sued by FTC and 17 states over allegations it inflates online prices and overcharges sellers

September 26, 2023 at 7:28 p.m.

The Federal Trade Commission and 17 state attorneys general have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. They allege the e-commerce behemoth uses its position in the marketplace to inflate prices...

The union representing 340,000 UPS workers says its members voted to approve the tentative contract agreement reached last month. The vote results announced Tuesday put a final seal on contentious labor negotiations that threatened to disrupt package deliveries for millions of businesses and households nationwide. The Teamsters said that 86% of the votes casts were in favor of ratifying the national contract. Voting on the new five-year contract began Aug. 3 and concluded Tuesday. After negotiations broke down in early July, UPS reached a tentative contract agreement with the Teamsters just days before an Aug. 1 deadline.

National News |
UPS workers approve 5-year contract, capping contentious negotiations that threatened deliveries

August 22, 2023 at 8:42 p.m.

The union representing 340,000 UPS workers says its members voted to approve the tentative contract agreement reached last month. The vote results announced Tuesday put a final seal on contentious...

UPS has reached a contract with its 340,000-person union, averting a potential strike that would have disrupted deliveries for businesses and households nationwide. The Teamsters called the tentative agreement announced Tuesday “historic” and “overwhelmingly lucrative.” The agreement, which must still be ratified by union members, includes a provision to increase starting pay for part-time workers, which had been a sticking point in the negotiations. A tentative agreement had already been reached on safety issues, including equipping more trucks with air conditioning. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien says the deal “sets a new standard in the labor movement.”

Business |
UPS reaches tentative contract with 340,000 unionized workers, potentially dodging calamitous strike

July 25, 2023 at 8:23 p.m.

UPS has reached a contract with its 340,000-person union, averting a potential strike that would have disrupted deliveries for businesses and households nationwide. The Teamsters called the tentative agreement announced...

Unionized UPS workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike on Friday, setting the stage for a potential work stoppage if the package delivery company and the Teamsters can't come to an agreement on a new contract.

National News |
Unionized UPS workers could strike this summer, scrambling supply chains and home delivery

June 16, 2023 at 1:38 p.m.

Unionized UPS workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike on Friday, setting the stage for a potential work stoppage if the package delivery company and the Teamsters can't come to...

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