Can’t seem to get someone on the phone for help? For most companies, that is intentional. Here’s why.
Chinese pump and dump stocks: Scammers are sliding into DMs and WhatsApp chats, posing as financial advisers. They’ll hype up shares in small Chinese companies listed on the Nasdaq that look promising. The twist? Insiders are manipulating the price. Once you buy in, they cash out, and you lose thousands (paywall link).
9,000
That’s how many employees Microsoft just let go, to kick off the new fiscal year with vibes. Less than 4% of its workforce but still a pretty loud “happy Q3” to thousands from one of the S&P’s most profitable companies. Microsoft’s cuts span roles, regions and seniority as execs trim middle management and chase “agility.”
Cash in on your old cell phone: This tip will show you how to get the most money out of your old phone by selling it to reputable companies. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive smart money tips every day.
🧠 AI now mandatory: It’s come to this. Companies are tossing résumés for ChatGPT prompts. Two-thirds of execs say AI proficiency means more than job experience. 71% would pick the less experienced candidate if they’re AI-savvy. LinkedIn endorsements now include “Knows when to ask Claude for help.”
👾 Remote jobs, real spyware: A Minnesota woman ran a “laptop farm” letting North Korean IT workers pose as U.S. remote hires. Her setup funneled $17M to the DPRK before the FBI shut it down. Workers used stolen IDs, hacked into American companies and even got jobs at top tech firms. The woman says she didn’t know; the feds say, “lol, not ok.”
Big Tech are email snoops: Gmail, Yahoo and all those other Big Tech companies track your email activity. StartMail puts privacy first! No ads, no tracking, includes encrypted emails and disposable addresses. Get 60% off your first year, and try it free for seven days.
Feeling the sting of sky-high cloud costs: Here’s a smart move — switch to Oracle. Companies are saving up to 50% on their cloud bills without sacrificing performance. Want to see how much you could save? Check it out for yourself.
🩺 Hello, it’s a scam: The FBI says scammers are cold-calling folks with fake “discount health care” plans that’ll leave you with zero coverage and maxed-out bills. They’re impersonating real insurance companies and pushing fake policies with sketchy promises. If your “plan” sounds like a Groupon for gallbladder surgery, hang up.
Only 1 in 4
AI projects actually deliver a return on investment. Still, companies are FOMOing cash at them like it’s a sure thing — 64% of CEOs jumped in before even knowing if the tech would help. But hey, they’re playing the long game. Most don’t expect results for at least two years. Gotta spend it to (maybe) earn it.
This data could raise your insurance rate — May 10th, Hour 4
Your new car logs where you go, and how hard you brake. Who gets the info? Insurance companies. Then I cover a viral app that’s making Americans toss out food by the cartload. Plus, Apple Intelligence isn’t real yet, deepfakes are faking heartbeats and there’s a $299 AI-powered toilet camera.
Watch TV for $0: Clark Howard says, “The hottest thing in streaming right now is free streaming products.” You can stream content from a dozen or so companies that won’t charge you a dime. They don’t even ask for a credit card number. Here’s a list of the best free streaming services. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.
Feeling the sting of sky-high cloud costs: Here’s a smart move — switch to Oracle. Companies are saving up to 50% on their cloud bills without sacrificing performance. Want to see how much you could save? Check it out for yourself.
AGI, but then what? While most companies are figuring out how to responsibly build AI, Google’s DeepMind is already hiring for what comes after, AI being smarter than humans. The job description should include “Please stop Skynet.”
The National Weather Service at 169 years old
It gets $3.5 billion a year, but most of your forecasts come from private companies that do it better.
📦 Apple’s dodging tariffs: They’ve already flown in 600 tons of iPhones from India to the U.S. Why? To get as much inventory in before any new tariffs kick in, though they’re currently on pause for 90 days. You betcha other tech companies are doing the same. Maybe this is what AirDrop was really about. Or this.
🤖 Answer this: Does your work need to hire a human, or can AI handle the job? Shopify’s CEO, Tobi Lütke, just made it clear to his team to think about that before asking for more help. He sees AI as a basic skill and even added AI questions to performance reviews. More companies will do this soon. That’s why I always say to stay tech-ahead.
Why hire a real employee if AI can do the job?
Shopify’s CEO says no new hires unless a manager can prove AI can’t do it. Expect more companies to follow.