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October 21, 2026 The Appetizer “I would play one.”
Now, on to the numbers. Drum roll, please …
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Dig In A year ago, the artificial intelligence race looked straightforward: build the smartest model and win. Today, a different question is emerging: should AI be proprietary, or should anyone be able to build on it? Closed AI models, like many of today’s leading chatbots, keep their technology under wraps. Open-weight models take a different approach, allowing developers to download and customize them for their own needs. Why does that matter? Think about the internet. The companies that benefited most weren’t always the ones that invented the underlying technology. Many were the businesses that figured out how to use it. Open AI models could have a similar effect, potentially giving startups, researchers, and corporations a powerful foundation to build on rather than starting from scratch. For some investors, that could shift the conversation from who has the best model to who applies AI most effectively. And for everyone else, it could potentially mean AI becomes cheaper, more accessible, and shows up in more of the products and services we use every day. The biggest AI winner may not be the company building the brain. It could be the one finding the smartest way to use it. |
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Weekly Specials Elite training, budget membership. Marathoner Vinny Mauri does most of his training on a Planet Fitness treadmill, where his membership costs $24.99 a month. He just finished 10th in the Chicago Marathon at 2:06:46. Apparently, the treadmill isn’t a problem. Neither is the lack of an altitude camp or a fancy coach – Mauri coaches himself. There goes another excuse. Finally, a price drop worth raising a glass to. California wineries are selling surplus premium wine to retailers that put it under their own labels. One buyer says wine that would normally cost $45-$85 can sell for around $9.99. Bad news for the vineyard; considerably better news for the dinner party. Of all the things one would expect someone to hack, the frozen-food aisle was probably not on the list. Attackers raised temperatures in French supermarket refrigerators as high as 122°F, reportedly spoiling food and sparking fires. Now even the freezer needs a stronger password. Cool. Well, not anymore. |
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Corporate Lunch Disney+ is bringing the Big Game to its streaming platform. Between Disney princesses, Marvel superheroes, and now professional football, there’s officially something for everyone in the family. Netflix will stream the 2030 FIFA World Cup exclusively in Spain and Andorra. A major goal for Netflix as streaming platforms compete for live sports. Apple unveiled its HomeView, a smart home hub that recognizes family members, manages calendars and reminders, and even controls lights and door locks. Some might say Siri is becoming a parenting assistant, from reminding kids to do their chores to turning off the lights when they don’t. Sweetgreen is trying to shed its expensive salad reputation with new wraps under $15 – because nothing ruins a healthy lunch quite like an unhealthy receipt. Johnson & Johnson may spin off its hips-and-knees business. You could say the company is looking for a clean break, hopefully with a speedy recovery. Google and Unity are teaming up on AI game creation. Google’s experimental Playground platform lets users create games just by describing them, with Unity Spark planned for later this year. Remember when the most creative thing we could do was customize our character’s outfit? |
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