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Riverton business owner ‘shocked’ after woman steals hundreds in merchandise caught on camera
A Riverton small business owner said she is frustrated and shaken after a woman allegedly stole hundreds of dollars’ worth of merchandise right in front of her employee.
ICE ‘materially violated’ order on warrantless arrests, Colorado judge says
A federal judge ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday to immediately train its Colorado employees about how to lawfully perform warrantless arrests, after the evidence showed officers had little understanding of the requirements. U.S. District Court Senior Judge R. Brooke Jackson wrote that ICE had “materially violated” his prior order that directed immigration […]
Nvidia Is Spending Big On its Supply Chain | AI & Business for May 12
Plus, OpenAI’s employee payouts and tech’s growing unemployment
Regional business leaders share their perspectives on employee engagement
This month we asked: How does your organization keep employees engaged and part of the team?
Wake County Public Health to offer back-to-school vaccine clinics this summer
While the current school year is winding down, Wake County Public Health is already working to make it easy for families to check a critical task off their list for next year – getting their child's required vaccinations. The County is hosting monthly vaccine clinics to help students get the immunizations they need as they head back to class in the fall.
Balancing resident, business parking in 12 South
Some business owners said new resident only parking restrictions are hurting customers and employees, while neighbors argue the tourist parking is getting out of hand.
American Business Awards® Recognize SPS for Redefining the Modern Workplace
SPS North America Inc. has been named Most Innovative Company of the Year (2,500+ employees), receiving Gold-level recognition from the American Business Awards®, one of the nation's premier corporate recognition programs.
Lawrence school board to consider health plan change, hear needs assessment
Lawrence school board members on Monday will consider a change to save the district money on rising health insurance costs, though employees would have to pay to keep their current level of coverage.
Employee shot, killed at Seattle business, police hunt for suspects
A young man is dead after he was shot and killed at his workplace in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood on Saturday.
Seattle beer garden employee found fatally shot inside business
Seattle police are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead Saturday morning at a business in the city’s Lake City neighborhood, authorities said.
Bellaire business employee found dead in kitchen with blunt force injuries, HPD says
An investigation is underway after a man was found dead with blunt force injuries in the kitchen of the Bellaire business he worked at, according to HPD.
Employee finds coworker dead inside Alief business with blunt force trauma; police investigating as homicide
Houston police are trying to determine how and when a man was killed after an employee found a coworker dead inside a business.
Op/Ed: Small Businesses Deserve Better Health Coverage Choices in N.C.
For years, one of the most consistent concerns heard from North Carolina small businesses is the rising cost of health coverage. Small businesses want to do right by their employees and offer competitive benefits. But unlike large employers, they often lack the size and purchasing power needed to negotiate better rates and manage risk, leaving them more exposed to premium increases.
Upstate business to lay off over a hundred employees
A business in Spartanburg, South Carolina has announced the layoff of over a hundred employees this summer.
Primm business owners, travelers react to closures of casinos, gas stations
Multiple Primm casino-resorts, two I-15 gas stations, and the Lotto Store are set to permanently close July 4, impacting 344 employees, notice says.
State employees speak out against dropping Blue Cross from Kansas health plan
Retired and current state employees spoke out against Kansas dropping Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance from the state plan.
How 5 top Citi execs think about changing the culture
Top Citi executives were pressed on how they plan to transform the bank's culture for everyday employees, not just the top ranks.
Seattle mayor praises Amazon, big businesses for housing contributions
He added that the Brighton housing is intended for frontline workers, seniors and service providers, not Amazon corporate employees.
IPERS CEO Samorajski resigns
Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced she has accepted the resignation of Greg Samorajski, former chief executive officer of the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System. His resignation was received May 1 and was effective immediately. Samorajski was placed on administrative leave March 31 as a result of alleged misconduct allegations. IPERS Chief Benefits Officer Steven Herbert…
Microsoft internal document shows buyout offers to US employees
Microsoft offered buyouts to thousands of US employees to cut costs amid AI infrastructure spending plans. The offers include cash and insurance.
Ford and Carhartt announce new discounts for business owners
Ford will now offer employee pricing to business owners on commercial vehicles and, with Carhartt, a new tool bank opens.
Employees are building AI tools to help their bosses lay off coworkers
Employees are worried that they're becoming accidental job executioners: By developing AI tools, their bosses can ax their coworkers — or themselves.
Small business hiring grew in April
Small businesses with less than 50 employees continued to add jobs last month despite the growth in gas prices, according to a report from Paychex.
33-year-old makes $192,000 a month negotiating car deals for strangers—how he built a fully remote business
With car prices soaring, Tomi built a business negotiating car deals for clients. He now has 15 remote employees and brings in $2.6 million a year. He shares exactly how to turn a practical skill into a million-dollar business or side hustle.
CEA Retail + Hospitality Winner: Biggers blends produce, entertainment
Biggers Market’s roots run deep, tracing back to the 1940s when founder and partner Sven Wallin’s grandfather, alongside his brothers, opened Biggers Brothers, a family-run produce business in Charlotte. Decades later, the family’s reputation for farm-fresh fruits and vegetables lives on. In 2010, Wallin opened Biggers Market, building on a reputation that endured for the past 16 years. “I learned a lot about my grandfather, who passed away when my mother was young, through my uncle. The one thing that is ingrained in me is my grandfather’s willingness to go the extra mile for a better product, not settling for what’s easy, but finding what is better,” said Wallin. “He taught me the importance of name and reputation. If your name was on it, it had better be right. Word-of-mouth was always very important to gain a good reputation.” So was hard work. Entrepreneurialism has always been central to Biggers Market’s identity, Wallin said. In high school, Wallin worked at a produce stand in Charlotte, an experience that shaped how he thought about food. “I realized all produce was not created equal, and we could focus on freshness, seasonality and flavor. Grocery stores were convenient, but the produce often didn’t have the same taste or quality,” he said. As a college graduate without a paying job, Wallin took a leap and opened a 20-by-30-foot roadside stand with just three employees. “It was so small we had to put tables with umbrellas out in the yard to accommodate everything. We didn’t have pallet jacks or forklifts to unload the trucks. We would form a line and toss watermelons to get them to where they needed to go,” he recalled. In year two, Wallin opened a market on Carolina Beach Road, still in operation today but larger, and later on Market Street, setting up tents for extra space. In 2019, the sale of the land forced a hunt for a new property, and Wallin landed on his current location at 6250 Market St. “We had ambitions beyond produce,” he said. “We wanted this market to be a place that felt different from a typical grocery store.” In 2024, Wallin added his kitchen to the Biggers brand. “I’ve blurred the lines of a market and a grocery store,” Wallin said. “It’s a place where you can shop, eat, have a drink and listen to live music with friends and family. It’s a mix of retail and social experiences cultivated over time.” What hasn’t changed, however, is Wallin’s Southern hospitality, a strong sense of pride, purpose and responsibility and a commitment to seasonality. Spring brings the garden center to life with herbs, veggie plants and jumbo ferns. Summer leans heavily into produce. Fall brings the pumpkin patch, and winter hosts a Christmas market. “It means a lot to have what we’ve built recognized, especially in Wilmington. There’s a lot that goes into the business from our team. And that’s something we’re genuinely grateful for,” Wallin said. With plans underway for a new larger Carolina Beach Road location, Wallin continues to look ahead. “It’s an opportunity to build another market from the ground up and continue growing what we’ve been doing,” he said. “We’ve been through development before, so we understand what it takes.”
RELEASE: “Josh on the Job” — Gottheimer Visits Local Buffalo Wild Wings to Meet with Small Business Owners, Employees, and Customers
Above: Gottheimer working in the kitchen with staff. FAIR LAWN, NJ — Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) visited Buffalo Wild Wings GO in Fair Lawn to meet with local franchise owners and employees, helping prepare and serve food for Jersey customers as part of his “Josh on the Job” series highlighting small, locally owned businesses across North […]
Spirit Airlines shutdown leaves Houston flight attendants scrambling for jobs, health care
The sudden shutdown of Spirit Airlines has left thousands of employees without jobs, income or health insurance, forcing many to scramble for work and basic benefits.
Google is building an AI agent that could be its answer to OpenClaw
Employees are testing a new "24/7 personal agent" internally called "Remy" that can integrate across Google's other services.
Chisago County employees strike after months of negotiations, with health insurance top of mind
Celebrate Employee Health and Fitness this May
Here are eight ways to support your health and celebrate workplace well-being.
Seattle business lobby hires an ambassador to the left
With a mayor who has championed taxes on businesses and wealthy employees, the region's most prominent business advocacy organization hopes to show a path to moderation through a new CEO.
Seattle business lobby hires an ambassador to the left
With a mayor who has championed taxes on businesses and wealthy employees, the region's most prominent business advocacy organization hopes to show a path to moderation through a new CEO.
Exclusive: VA conducted internal investigations into employees who attended vigil for Alex Pretti
Becky Halioua, who was investigated after attending a vigil for Pretti shortly after his death, feels the VA probe is a “scare tactic” and an attempt to silence those “with the loudest voices.”
Castle Cleaners owner still answers to his mother, a 50-year employee
After a career in the corporate world, Scott Merrick had a chance to buy a longtime Elmira business where his mother has worked for 50 years.
U.S. Embassy Supports Tunisian Business Delegation at 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit - U.S. Embassy in Tunisia
U.S. EMBASSY SUPPORTS TUNISIAN BUSINESS DELEGATION AT 2026 SELECTUSA INVESTMENT SUMMIT The SelectUSA Investment Summit is the premier U.S. investment event, connecting thousands of investors, companies, economic development organizations, and industry experts to make deals happen. Media Note TUNIS, May 5, 2026 – U.S. Embassy Tunis is pleased to support a delegation of 11 Tunisian companies traveling to the United States to participate in the 2026 SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbor, Maryland, May 3-6, 2026. The Summit is an opportunity for these dynamic entrepreneurs to establish new connections and explore business and investment opportunities in the United States. This year, three Tunisian women entrepreneurs and members of the delegation representing Spiraw and Sotetel were accepted into the Select Global Women in Tech year-long mentoring program which will kick off at the summit. Since 2022, more than 50 Tunisian entrepreneurs in fields ranging from e-gaming, robotics, software engineering, coding, online fashion, and green tech have participated in SelectUSA Investment Summits, where they have taken their businesses to the next level. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the SelectUSA Investment Summit is a one-stop shop for companies considering expanding to the United States and provides economic development organizations (EDOs) with the opportunity to meet directly with international companies to facilitate investment deals. Since inception, the SelectUSA Investment Summit has attracted tens of thousands of companies and economic development representatives, generating over $250 billion in new investment projects that support more than 125,000 jobs across the United States and its territories. The previous SelectUSA Investment Summit saw record-breaking numbers with more than 5,500 participants, including EDOs from 54 U.S. states and territories and over 2,700 business investors from 100+ countries, including Tunisia. The following Tunisian businesses will take part in this year’s SelectUSA delegation: AquaDeep – Revolutionizes aquaculture with AI-powered monitoring solutions, including a real-time larva counting system and a SaaS platform for environmental monitoring. The company is expanding operations across Tunisia, Europe, Africa, and the United States. Bouraoui Group – Specializes in event venues, hospitality experiences, innovative real estate development, and technology driven customer solutions. The business develops experience- focused and tech enabled lifestyle destinations that combine entertainment, culture, retail, and smart services, and is seeking international partners to co-develop hospitality, PropTech, smart retail, and experiential digital projects. Digital Cook – Builds HR and recruitment software solutions, including HRMS, ATS, and custom tools that streamline hiring, employee management, and talent development. It provides custom software, system integration, and scalable HR platforms for SMEs, large enterprises, and recruitment agencies seeking efficient, user-friendly ways to manage their workforce and improve recruitment. El Kanaouet – Provides high-quality and low-cost hydraulic infrastructure for the supply and distribution of drinking water. The company manufactures prestressed concrete structures based on current technological developments in the field and trends in integrated and digitalized management. El Kanaouet aims to enter the U.S. market with its production of centrifugal prestressed concrete pipes and other technical products and services. Fluoink Nanotechnologies – A deep‑tech startup developing next‑generation antimicrobial additives for paints, coatings, and industrial materials, enabling everyday surfaces to act as long‑lasting barriers against harmful bacteria and pathogens without changing their appearance or performance. Mare Custos – A subsea robotics company specializing in ROV-based underwater inspection services for offshore energy, ports, and marine infrastructure, using high-precision imaging, PAUT, and NDT to inspect structures in challenging conditions. SmartMed SA – A fast-growing digital health company operating in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, offering an integrated ecosystem that helps patients book appointments (MedPro), enables clinics to digitize workflows and EMRs (MedLink), and supports targeted digital marketing for healthcare and pharma (MedAds). With millions of appointments and users, SmartMed has become a leading e-health platform in North Africa. Sototel – Builds telecommunications networks and services, including fixed, radio, and mobile networks. Sototel focuses on technological innovation and continuous improvement, providing high-value-added digital solutions. SOTUPRIN HGE – Specializes in manufacturing household electrical appliances under the brand HGE and OEM. Expanded from the local market to North Africa, Central Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Spiraw by Food4Future – Designs and manufactures smart, AI-powered cultivation systems allowing individuals and businesses to grow fresh, highly nutritious food – starting with spirulina – directly at the point of consumption. Combining patented hardware, controlled-environment agriculture, and a connected app with an AI assistant, Spiraw aims to decentralize food production and create a new category at the intersection of agri-tech, consumer health, and smart home ecosystems. WaterSec (Istidama) – A climate-tech startup that uses IoT, AI, and smart sensors to help high consumption facilities (such as industries, hotels, and commercial buildings) monitor water use in real time, detect leaks, and optimize consumption. The company’s digital platform turns raw water data into alerts and actionable insights, making water management more transparent, proactive, and sustainable. Learn more about the SelectUSA Investment Summit at https://www.selectusasummit.us/. Follow live developments from the summit on X at https://x.com/SelectUSA.
After pushback, Amazon rolls out Claude Code, Codex to all employees
Some Amazon staff had complained about a lack of access to top AI coding tools, arguing the company risked falling behind in developer productivity.
Mark Cuban says AI's 'biggest challenge' for businesses is consistency
The billionaire wrote on X that employees with a lot of domain expertise can capitalize on AI's "biggest problem."
Ex-marketing employee of Hollywood business arrested in $63K fraud scheme, cops say
A former marketing employee of a Hollywood business was arrested in a brazen fraud scheme that bilked the company out of more than $63,000, authorities said.
To avoid GTA 6 release date delay, Rockstar employee leaks unrealistic demands in review
A leak has provided rare insight into the atmosphere of a Rockstar studio ahead of the GTA 6 release date. A Glassdoor job review from a QA analyst highlights extended hours with claims of unpaid overtime. Conditions have worsened over the past month in order to sidestep a third delay.
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field
‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field ‘The reality, for better or worse’: Columbia comp sci students and faculty grapple with AI’s disruption of the field A field that once seemed like a direct path to stable, lucrative work is becoming less certain under AI, students and faculty told Spectator. By Ria Vasishtha and Arjun Menon May 3, 2026 Shanying Liu / Deputy Illustrations Editor Asia Genawi, SEAS ’29, first encountered artificial intelligence during her sophomore year at her high school in Indiana. Back in 2023, policies on AI varied widely—even within the same district—and some schools had no guidance at all. As Genawi began to see the effects of AI trickle into her classroom, she turned to guidance from her home state’s Department of Education, which she said she found “outdated and inaccessible.” Genawi spent the rest of her high school career dedicated to the issue, including writing a 15-page memo exploring varying AI policies across Indiana schools, which she sent to every Indiana state senator and representative whose contact information she was able to find. She later helped draft a bill that would have required public high schools to establish and share their own AI policies with students in an accessible format. But with so many other bills already awaiting referral, hers never made it to committee. When Genawi arrived at Columbia to study computer science, she found that the gaps she had spent years trying to address in Indiana had followed her there. Many students and professors were also grappling with what AI meant for the field. Across Columbia’s undergraduate schools, computer science has become the most popular major—accounting for around 11 percent of degrees awarded in Columbia College, 32 percent in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and 12 percent in the School of General Studies in 2024. While the number of computer science majors in SEAS grew from 166 to 173 during the 2024-25 academic year, the total number across the three schools fell around 4.5 percent from 393 to 375, driven by declines at Columbia College and General Studies. At Barnard, it has grown to become the second most popular major as of 2025, up from third the year prior. The number of degrees awarded have grown fivefold since 2016. Faculty members and students in the department told Spectator that the surge in the major’s popularity has been driven in large part by its apparent promise of a secure, well-paid career path. However, they noted that the recent rise of generative AI has compromised the sense of stability that once defined the field, even as interest in technical skills among students persists. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2024, out of 74 majors tracked, computer science had the fifth highest unemployment rate among majors at 7 percent, while computer engineering had the second highest at 7.8 percent. “Anecdotally, people are moving away from CS as a major,” Daniel Bauer, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, said. “They’re still taking some of our classes, right, because they think they need that, but they’re instead majoring in other things.” Bauer described a field that had shifted from what he called a “nerdy outlier discipline” to one that “everyone needs,” a sign that technical skills have become a baseline expectation across industries with the emergence of AI. “A lot of people thought, ‘Oh, it’s a guaranteed path to a stable income. You get a six-figure job right out of your undergrad,’” Bauer said. Now, companies may see AI as a way to reduce demand for entry-level programmers, especially in what he calls “code monkey jobs,” roles where a large number of employees are “just writing out code nine-to-five.” Chris Murphy, a senior lecturer in the computer science department, described the current moment as the convergence of two forces: the downturn of the job market and generative AI coming onto the scene. “Things kind of started to really pick up in 2014, 16,” he said, recalling the years after the weaker 2010 market. Murphy added that this was also a period where “students were getting more experience outside of class than they were inside of class” through internships, jobs, and side projects. Murphy suggested that the earlier momentum helped make computer science feel like both an academic program and a reliable pathway into work. That feeling is harder to sustain now as the industry reconfigures, which is a shift that students are seeing firsthand. Rebecca Yu, SEAS ’27, said that during a recent internship in Big Tech, she saw that “every single tech company was racing to integrate” large language models. She added that her manager said her intern class was the first to complete their assigned projects, which she attributed to the increased efficiency that comes with AI. Frank Liu, SEAS ’29, said that with AI lowering the barrier to coding, companies now expect everyone to write code. “A lot of companies outright say if you’re not using coding in your job, you might get fired for not being productive enough,” Liu said. Yu similarly expressed that students increasingly have to accept AI being a part of industry workflow, adding that many also “make use of it to maximize their productivity.” Richard Li, CC ’28, described a “franticness” among his peers as the pace of change accelerates. He explained how “some new tool” is released regularly, noting that tools rise and fall in prominence within weeks. He has come to believe that he doesn’t need to “match that speed all the time” and keep up with every development. Li has learned that AI tools allow him to “take a breath” and “get back into the loop much easier than before” when he needs to. While some companies specifically target Columbia when hiring, sending representatives to campus career fairs and recruiting large numbers from Columbia, a computer science degree cannot be treated as a static credential, Yu described. “You can’t just get your degree and stop learning after that. You have to always be learning,” Yu said. “That is something you basically have to expect for your job.” AI has not only affected students’ decisions to major in computer science, but also reshaped how the subject is taught. Across departments, faculty members no longer treat work done outside the classroom as a reliable measure of understanding, shifting instead toward in-person exams, quizzes, and attendance checks. While homework once made up as much as 60 to 70 percent of a student’s grade in computer science classes, Murphy said that breakdown has since flipped, with exams and quizzes now accounting for the majority. “The assumption—especially among pessimists—is that they’re using it to do their homework,” Murphy said. “They take the homework assignment. They put it into generative AI. Out comes the solution. Submit solution. The end.” Murphy said that faculty members ranged in their responses from fully prohibiting AI use to actively teaching students how to effectively work with AI. He said he shifted his approach this year after his teaching assistants called his belief that students weren’t using the technology “naïve,” and now permits students to use AI on assignments. His surveys of students in his introductory classes have told a more complicated story than the one so-called pessimists offer: Around 60 to 70 percent of students who reported using AI said they used it to have concepts explained to them, to clarify assignment instructions, to generate test cases, or to create practice questions. “Those are all ways that you might have had a tutor in the past to do that, and now you have this AI essentially as your tutor,” he said. Bauer has taken a different approach, teaching students how to use AI productively without sacrificing the core principles of the discipline. “People who are trained to actually use AI tools productively, while being in charge of designing the overall project, will be very much in demand in the next couple of years,” he said. Over the past year, a working group of computer science faculty has been redesigning the introductory and intermediate programming sequence to integrate generative AI as both a subject and a tool, representatives from SEAS wrote in a statement to Spectator. The effort is “coordinated” across the department, “not course-by-course,” with a systematic assessment of how AI integration is affecting student outcomes underway to shape the next round of changes. The goal, the department explained, is for students to be able to “read, verify, and reason about code, whether they or a model wrote it.” Tony Dear, senior lecturer in the computer science department, is piloting individualized AI feedback in a discrete mathematics course, while a machine learning course is also testing a Socratic AI dialogue system designed to “guide inquiry rather than supply answers,” the statement reads. Beyond individual courses, SEAS funded seven cross-departmental faculty projects in generative AI this past academic year, spanning biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science, according to the statement. This phenomenon extends beyond the computer science department. SEAS’ new AI minor, which it announced in November 2025, reflects the University’s attempt to adapt. The minor is specifically designed for noncomputer science majors and aims to provide “essential AI knowledge” while emphasizing practical and responsible use across disciplines, according to the SEAS website. At the center of the minor is AI in Context, a course taught by a team of faculty from the departments of computer science, applied mathematics, philosophy, music, literature, and the Writing Center, the representatives told Spectator. Bauer described it as targeted at students who want to bring AI into fields like economics or biology, rather than as a path into software engineering itself. At the graduate level, SEAS announced a new Master of Science in artificial intelligence in February, with the inaugural cohort starting in the fall. While recognizing how AI has helped them navigate coursework, students also described its rise as isolating, even among members of the Application Development Initiative, one of Columbia’s largest computer science clubs. “As people start to ask AI for questions that they would normally ask students and members, it starts to isolate people” Li said. Alexa Kafka, BC ’27, echoed Li’s sentiment, pointing out that computer science has always been a collaborative discipline with code reviews and pull requests, even as AI makes independent work easier. Despite this, Kafka noted that she hasn’t been to office hours “in at least a year.” Bauer added that faculty are exploring long-term solutions to the assessment problem. “One of the things that we’re trying to do at the department or school level is to maybe move towards computerized testing facilities,” Bauer said, referring to ideas in the department to revitalize computer labs as an alternative to pen-and-paper exams. “We have to accept that this is the reality, for better or worse.” But more exams, students say, does not mean better learning, nor does it reflect how computer science is actually done. “Code is so variable and can be approached in so many directions, there’s never just going to be one correct answer. There can be multiple optimal solutions,” Kafka said. Students also expressed concern that the shift toward exam-heavy grading pulls focus away from the applied, project-based work that better reflects both discipline and industry expectations. ADI has tried to respond more quickly than the curriculum can. Through a vibe coding workshop this past semester, club members said they wanted to help students understand not just that AI exists, but how to use it deliberately. “Vibe coding” refers to the practice of prompting AI to write code for a task or project, and has become widespread enough that ADI felt the gap in formal instruction was worth addressing, according to Sophia Huang, BC ’29. The workshop introduced students to the concept of context engineering, which Shaina Sahu, SEAS ’27, described as not just writing a prompt, but optimizing “the rest of the relevant information that you would feed into the model.” Without that, students said that AI-generated code can fail at scale or introduce difficult-to-detect bugs. Genawi said the shift toward AI has changed what it means to be good at computer science. “I think the shift has kind of gone towards what can you create and what can you do, instead of, what do you know,” she said. Indeed, during ADI DevFest, its annual hackathon, Li said more teams are trying to complete their projects than in years past. While sign-ups have historically outpaced submissions, Li said this is beginning to change because teams “have a tool that completes the vision for them.” While many students see AI as an equalizer that lowers the barrier to entry for coding and technical work, Murphy said it also creates new equity concerns inside the classroom around who can afford stronger tools and who already knows how to use them. “The equity issues I worry about are students who have access to paid versions of things versus free versions of things,” he said. Although popular AI models like ChatGPT and Claude have free versions available, both have paid models that can reach over $100 per month, which output different qualities of code. Murphy also pointed to differences in prior exposure to AI literacy itself. “Students who go to high schools or K-12 education, where they’re taught AI literacy, prompt engineering, context engineering, they understand how to do this, as opposed to students who go to schools who don’t teach that,” he said. “Then they come in, and then they’re somehow expected to know how to use these tools.” For Genawi, those disparities begin long before students arrive on campus. “It’s very interesting to consider how lucky you were geographically,” she said. “To be born where you were is influencing your ability to get access to these spaces.” Students like Yu, though broadly apprehensive about the future of computer science, are not without hope. “I’m optimistic, because I think if you’re truly passionate about CS, there will definitely be a place in the field to do something you want to do,” she said. Senior Staff Writer Ria Vasishtha can be contacted at ria.vasishtha@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Staff Writer Arjun Menon can be contacted at arjun.menon@columbiaspectator.com. Follow Spectator on X @ColumbiaSpec. Want to keep up with breaking news? Subscribe to our email newsletter and like Spectator on Facebook. Produced with Spectate by Emily Ta
Smokehouse employee threatens to ‘blow up’ business, Gage County Sheriff’s Office says
A man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly threatening to blow up the business where he worked, according to the Gage County Sheriff’s Office.
Kansas state employees could lose Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance in cost-saving move
State decision-makers are mulling whether to drop Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas from the state employee health insurance plan.
Cboe is Slashing 20% of its Staff in Bid to Focus on Core Businesses
The derivatives exchange will also tighten its work-from-home policies and offer voluntary-retirement packages to older employees.
Ford rolls out nationwide employee pricing to mark America’s 250th anniversary
Ford offers employee pricing to all U.S. customers on most new 2025 and 2026 Ford and Lincoln vehicles as part of its America 250th anniversary campaign.
PwC will drop cover for weight-loss drugs from employee health plans
Big Four accountancy balks at high cost of medication it says has become ‘cultural phenomenon’
Former restaurant worker files complaint, alleges business withheld more than $2,000
A dispute over tip money at a Las Vegas restaurant has led a former employee to accuse the owners of withholding part of a tip pool meant for back-of-house staf
Former employee sues Dartmouth Health for wrongful termination and retaliation
Former chief quality and value officer Carol Barsky alleged that the hospital retaliated against her after she reported medical equipment safety concerns.
Aurora Mental Health to lay off 111 employees, citing Medicaid funding cuts
Phillips-Henry said the organization is 'committed to ensuring that no client experiences a gap in care as a result of these closures'
Disney cuts some tech employees' stock-based compensation
Disney is cutting some employees' maximum stock awards to 25% of their base salaries, from 35%.
Baptist Health to lay off 150 at Fort Smith campus amid restructuring
Baptist Health is laying off 150 employees at its Fort Smith campus as they undergo a strategic restructuring to cope with financial loss.
Research commissioner pitches EU to US scientists and investors
Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva is just back from a two-day trip to San Francisco, where she pitched the EU as the place to be for US researchers looking to move and US venture capitalists looking to invest. A Commission spokesperson told Science|Business that Zaharieva used the trip to “promote Europe as a stable, rule-based and vibrant innovation destination.” She emphasised Europe’s excellent infrastructure and predictable funding, particularly through the European Research Council (ERC) and Europe Innovation Council.These are already proving tempting, with applications from US-based researchers to ERC and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) calls increasing substantially over the past few years. According to the Commission, the number of US-based applicants for the annual ERC Consolidator Grant call rose from 19 in 2025 to 64 in 2026, while US bids to the ERC Advanced Grant call rose from 23 in 2024 to 114 in 2025. Meanwhile, US applications to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships scheme rose from 352 in 2024 to 998 in 2025.Pressure on US scientists to seek alternative employment has increased since Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Jobs at federal science agencies have been slashed, funding cut in some research areas and international scientific partnerships turned upside down. He has also made unprecedented attempts to control university affairs.During her trip, Zaharieva made a point of highlighting the protection of academic freedom in Europe, “especially in areas like climate change, renewable energy, and health, where US funding has faced cuts,” the spokesperson said.She also underlined the EU’s “attractive long-term career opportunities and relocation support for top researchers from anywhere in the world,” especially through its new Choose Europe for Science initiative.“Transatlantic cooperation remains essential to tackle global challenges while safeguarding shared values such as academic freedom and openness,” Zaharieva wrote on social media ahead of her visit.Related articlesERC walks back stricter resubmission rules for 2027Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells EuropeHer itinerary took in Stanford University’s business school and school of medicine, where topics for discussion included entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. She also met with venture capital firms, including Playground Global, Forgepoint Capital and Akkadian Venture Capital, as well as the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the largest public pension fund in the US.Other meetings included Jensen Huang, the chief executive of AI chip manufacturer Nvidia, and local business associations such as the Bay Area Council and EuroCham. European delegations in the area also received visits, including Advantage Austria and France’s La French Tech, and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco.
Andy Jassy weighs in on the rapid growth of Amazon’s chips business
Amazon’s chips business saw nearly 40% quarter-over-quarter growth in Q1, and it has momentum.
Small Business Smarts: How to Track Time and Attendance
Accurate payroll starts with time tracking. For small business owners with hourly employees, it is crucial to know when employees clock in and out.
Rising premiums push younger workers to rethink employer health plans
Rising health insurance costs are prompting some younger, healthier workers to reconsider employer-sponsored coverage, creating new strains for workers and warning signs for employers, Bloomberg writes. As premiums climb and take-home pay tightens, some employees are opting for alternatives, such as medical cost-sharing plans, limited-benefit coverage or going uninsured altogether to save hundreds of dollars […]
How UTC’s Mocs Wellness Initiative is reshaping health on campus
On a weekday afternoon inside the Aquatic and Recreation Center, a group of UTC employees moves through a workout they didn’t design on their own. They’re not guessing at exercises. They’re not following a generic plan. And they’re not doing it alone. Instead, they’re working with a team.
'We've Been A Little Bit Too Romantic About The Idea That We Should Have Employees And Give People Long-term Job Security' Is An Extraordinary Thing For A Video Games CEO To Say On Record
'I've been in the industry for 20 years, and those of us who joined in the early 2000s, we had it very good'
Impending layoffs at Laurel Ridge Treatment Center spark concerns about mental health care
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center announced that 648 employees would be laid off, effective June 26. Some are worried about the impact it will have on the availability of mental health treatment in San Antonio.
Giants’ stunning sale to Joshua Kushner carries impact beyond politics
The Giants’ decision to sell a minority stake to a firm with a connection to the Trump family has set off alarm bells with some supporters and employees in deep blue San Francisco.
Major Studio Services Provider Quixote Pivots From Atlanta
Quixote, owned by soundstage operator Hudson Pacific, is offering pink slips to 70 employees and is also winding down multiple leases in Los Angeles.
Celebrating connection in action: OHACE event spotlights students, partnerships and impact
Employees and students from Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health gathered with community partners for OHACE’s year-end celebration.
Stellantis employees raise health concerns after 5-day office return
Michigan health and safety officials inspected the automaker's Auburn Hills headquarters after getting complaints from employees.
Google employees call on CEO to block classified military AI projects
About 600 Google employees urge CEO Sundar Pichai to block classified Pentagon AI deals, citing ethical concerns over military use of AI for weapons.
Introducing Expense Agent in Dynamics 365 Business Central
Discover an AI-powered experience simplifying expense capture, submission, and compliance for employees and finance teams.
Office purpose and workplace strategy in Chicago
New research reveals why most workplace strategies fail and how leading organizations are aligning office purpose with business outcomes, employee engagement and long-term growth.
Budget season begins with City of Memphis employee pay raise proposal
Also, a long time Tennessee State Representative died at the age of 71 after a brief illness.
Rapid City employees weigh in on the best sports movies of all time
A City staff survey asked employees to name their must-watch sports movie. Baseball films led, with The Sandlot, Happy Gilmore and Miracle topping the list.
John Ternus could borrow from Microsoft’s playbook to reinvigorate Apple
Microsoft recently announced something rather interesting – a voluntary employee buyout. In short, if your age and tenure at the...
Houston police fatally shoot suspect after business break-in and gunfire exchange
Houston police shot and killed a man late Saturday night after he allegedly broke into cars and opened fire on employees inside a business, authorities said.
Apple’s Cook Gives Ternus a Pipeline of 10 Major New Product Categories
Also: John Ternus talks AI and services with employees.
Food Truck Events Kick Off Finger Lakes Health Campaign
Support local healthcare! 🏥 The Finger Lakes Health employee giving campaign kicks off April 30 with delicious food truck events in Geneva and Penn Yan. Come...
‘Duck Dynasty’: Longtime Employee Retires After More Than 25 Years
Plus, Willie Robertson fulfills a lifelong dream.
Cape Fear Valley Health expands day care for employees
Cape Fear Valley Health expanded its Fayetteville day care, adding 12 classrooms and increasing capacity.
Colorado lawmakers propose sweeping security overhaul after rise in political attacks nationwide
Colorado legislators unveiled a 60‑page bill that would dramatically expand protections for elected officials, staff, and judicial employees, responding to a string of high‑profile attacks nationwide and growing safety concerns inside the state’s courthouses and Capitol. Introduced earlier this week, House Bill 1422 contains nearly 30 sections. Among those provisions is the establishment of an […]
Meta employees react to pending job cuts: '28 days of hell'
Inside Meta, employees are bracing for weeks of limbo as they wait to find out who's cut.
Connecting Kids to Nationwide’s Business on National Bring A Child to Work Day
On National Bring A Child to Work Day, Nationwide welcomed more than 1,600 children to its campuses across the country to give Nationwide employees’ children and grandchildren a glimpse into what working at Nationwide is like.This year’s event was hosted at six Nationwide locations and virtually, supported by more than 250 employee volunteer...
Big Business Fears Mamdani. Its Workers Gave Him Big Bucks.
Nearly 2,000 employees at member firms of the big business Partnership for New York City donated to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign — while CEOs spent millions opposing him.
Nike announces roughly 1,400 layoffs in latest round of cuts
Nike announces layoffs of roughly 1,400 employees in its Global Operations team, primarily affecting its technology division across three regions.
Microsoft offers buyouts to thousands of US employees
Microsoft is offering buyouts to employees whose years of service and age adds up to 70 or more.
Meta plans to layoff 10% of its entire staff in May
Meta told employees it plans to lay off 10% of staff in May, citing efficiency and rising costs. Staff will get severance and extended benefits.
PGA Tour lays off 4% of staff amid organizational right-sizing
The PGA Tour laid off 56 full-time employees, about 4% of its 1,300-plus staff, and froze hiring for 73 open roles as part of a right-sizing tied to its transition to a player-owned, for-profit structure.
Sheridan School District will stop health insurance coverage for staff as teachers strike hits 3 weeks
Some district staff were told they owe the district for insurance premiums, according to an email sent to employees
Business Briefs: April 24, 2026
Greenfield Cooperative Bank welcomes new employees GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank has announced the addition of two new employees. Abby LaValley has been named the assistant vice president and branch manager of the Amherst branch office located at 390 College St. in Amherst, and Jimmy Rosario has been named assistant branch manager of the South Hadley […]
Apple Maps was Tim Cook's biggest mistake
Speaking to employees, outgoing CEO Tim Cook talked about his time leading Apple, citing both the successes he is most proud of, and admitting to the one main failure.
Companies that monitor workers can use the data to train AI agents
More employers are monitoring what workers do on company devices, and firms such as Meta are using employee data to help train AI agents.
States are clamping down on prediction market insider trading
In the last few weeks, three governors have signed executive orders targeting potential insider trading by state employees on prediction markets.
Disney employees have an AI dashboard to track who's 'tokenmaxxing'
Disney staffers have an "AI Adoption Dashboard." One Claude user invoked the chatbot 460,000 times in nine days.
Crown Center businesses welcome new Royals stadium — ‘as long as we can stay’
Several managers and employees who work in businesses inside Crown Center feel optimistic about the new baseball stadium location.
Hochul order bars state workers from insider trading on prediction markets
The governor said the order forbids covered state officers and employees from using confidential information acquired in the course of their official duties to further their personal financial interests through these markets.
Meta's new AI tool tracks staff activity, sparks concern
Meta deploys keystroke-tracking software on US employees' computers, sparking privacy concerns and internal backlash.
Wisconsin political leaders mourn Daniel Bice's death
A veteran Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter, Bice broke national scoops and dug into local stories with same tenacity.
Southern Poverty Law Center says it faces a DOJ criminal probe over paid informants
The Alabama-based civil rights organization made the announcement Tuesday, saying President Donald Trump's administration appears to be preparing legal action against it or its employees.
Daniel Bice, veteran Wisconsin political reporter and columnist, dies at 62
Daniel Bice, who worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for 33 years, died from complications of esophageal cancer on April 21, his birthday.
Size of Starbucks workforce in Nashville announced
At 2,000 employees, it would be more than half the head count at its current headquarters in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood, where it has been since the early 1990s.
Union takes legal action against Build a Rocket Boy over alleged data privacy violations
IWGB union cites monitoring software installed onto employees' devices as violating "both data protection laws and the workforce's basic dignity"
Five tips for managing small business employee recruitment and hiring
Commentary: Small businesses are feeling the squeeze, as big corporations often have deeper pockets and endless resources to attract top talent. But competing isn't about money, it's about strategy.
When will Cincinnati host major sports events? Commission wants Queen City on the map
The Cincinnati Sports Commission started decades ago but was recently reconstructed to have more dedicated employees and a larger budget.
EPA Adds More Pesticide Industry Reps to Science Board
While most appointees are academic scientists, Administrator Lee Zeldin also named employees of a company that makes forever chemicals.