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SAP Shares Climb on Cloud Business Resilience
A strong first quarter has reassured investors it can weather potential disruption from AI and geopolitical tensions that could affect client spending.
Regions Bank + Dash Solutions Collaborate on New Treasury Management Solution to Modernize Client Payment Operations
Regions ReimbursePro delivers fast, flexible and convenient options to help clients initiate real-time money movement. Regions Bank on Thursday announced the launch of Regions ReimbursePro , the bank’s latest Treasury Management innovation designed to help business clients modernize their payment processes and expedite real-time money movement. Regions ReimbursePro is a new, forward-thinking Treasury Management solution designed to help business clients accelerate refunds, modernize their payment processes and fuel growth. Regions ReimbursePro is powered by Dash Solutions , a leading payments enablement company also headquartered in Birmingham. The solution provides Regions’ Treasury Management clients access to a modern, secure digital platform that helps transform refund operations away from older, manual, time-consuming processes that include paper documents and physical checks. Key upgrades include: Once a reimbursement is initiated through this new solution, recipients can choose
CBL Scholars Program Opens Pathways to Business Law Careers - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
First-year law students and 2026 CBL Scholars Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly gain mentorship connections with leading industry professionals as they prepare for careers in business law. Created by the UC Center for Business Law San Francisco (CBL), the CBL Scholars Program aims to develop the next generation of business law leaders, supported by contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors. The highly competitive program provides funding along with academic and professional mentorship to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholars gain exposure to the Bay Area’s technology and venture capital ecosystems and access to UC Law SF’s broad network of senior legal professionals. Now in its sixth year, the CBL Scholars Program provides a scholarship and academic and professional mentorship to students entering the business law community from disadvantaged educational, economic, social, or physical backgrounds. The program is generously sponsored by the law firms Gunderson Dettmer and Goodwin Procter. Meet this year’s CBL Scholars: Deniz Masjedi, Alvaro Flores, and Tavia Pappaly. All three have secured summer associate positions at prestigious law firms. Deniz Masjedi: A Passion for Helping Founders Grow Companies Deniz Masjedi, who was born in Iran and moved to Southern California as a teenager, traces her interest in law to her family’s immigration journey and her desire to advocate for herself and her family. She earned a bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied political science and sociology. At UC Law SF, she serves as a 1L representative for the Iranian Law Students Association and is active in the Business Law Society and Technology & Law Society. Next fall, she will serve as director of mentorship for the Technology & Law Society and director of professional development for the Business Law Society. She will join Sidley Austin this year as a 1L/2L summer associate. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Prior to law school, I worked in Cooley LLP’s Private Companies practice group as a corporate paralegal for three years, supporting over 100 venture-backed startups and venture capital funds. I found purpose in helping founders transform their vision into successful companies. It was incredibly rewarding being part of their journeys—from company formation and initial financing to major transactions such as M&A deals. What excites me most about this field is the potential for a small, innovative company to become the next Google or Zoom, shaping how people communicate and access information. I hope to continue supporting entrepreneurs and investors as a corporate attorney. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: As the first person in my family to attend law school in the United States, receiving this scholarship is a tremendous honor. My parents and I left everything behind so that I could enjoy the freedom to practice my religion without persecution and pursue a career in law as a woman. This award is an acknowledgment of my dedication to business law and motivates me to continue pursuing excellence in this field. It also recognizes years of hard work—learning a new language, navigating the college and law school application process, and ultimately building a career in the legal profession. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship will provide access to mentorship from leaders in the field, enabling me to develop the skills necessary to offer practical advice and effective representation to future clients. It also eases the financial burden of law school, letting me focus on my coursework and deepen my commitment to corporate law. As an immigrant, breaking into the legal profession has not always been easy, and the time that mentors have invested in me has been instrumental to my progress. This scholarship will allow me to continue building those relationships while positioning me to one day mentor others pursuing similar paths. Alvaro Flores: Inspired by Entrepreneurs The son of Mexican immigrants raised in San Antonio, Texas, Alvaro Flores says he has long been interested in how policy, markets, and culture shape society. He studied international relations and global economy at the University of Southern California, with minors in business finance and legal studies. His experiences span local political organizing, venture capital and startup work, and teaching entrepreneurship. At UC Law SF, he is involved in the Business Law Society, Technology & Law Society, and the Latinx Law Student Association. He will join Perkins Coie as a 1L/2L summer associate with the firm’s Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice. Q: What draws you to business law? A: I’m drawn to stories of entrepreneurs whose simple ideas become companies that shape the economy and society. Spending time in venture capital and working directly with founders has shown me that many important decisions in the scaling process are ultimately legal ones, particularly how companies are structured and how capital is raised. Business law sits at the intersection of innovation and equity. It offers a way to stay close to the pace of technological change while also helping expand who gets to participate in it. There is something special about being part of that process here in the Bay Area, where the American Dream feels like it is reimagined in real time. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: I am truly grateful for the support and belief this scholarship represents. I see it not just as recognition, but also as alignment. The CBL Scholars Program’s focus on developing individuals who engage deeply with the business and technology ecosystem reflects the path I have been intentionally building. More than anything, it feels like an investment in that journey. I have been thoughtful about each next step–whether teaching, working in venture capital, or building multidisciplinary experiences–and this scholarship reinforces that those efforts come together in a meaningful way. Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: It allows me to focus more on developing as a business lawyer, without the distraction of financial constraints. Beyond that, the mentorship and access to the Bay Area network are just as valuable. I’m especially interested in working with early-stage companies and investors, so the opportunity to learn directly from people operating at a high level in that space is huge. Tavia Pappaly: Working in the Wine Industry Sparked Interest in Business and Law Tavia Pappaly spent five years in the wine industry before deciding to pursue law school with a goal of becoming a corporate transactions attorney. Pappaly says she wants to use her legal skills to help business grow and thrive. A first-generation law student from Fairfield, California, she is a member of the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) and will serve as vice president of social planning for the UC Law SF Sports Law Society in her 2L year. She plans to work as a summer associate at Gibson Dunn in San Francisco after her 2L year. Q: What draws you to business law? A: Business law brings together many of my interests and personal experiences. As the daughter of immigrants who grew up around a family-owned small business, I saw firsthand both the opportunities and challenges of building something from the ground up. That perspective, combined with my experience in the wine industry, solidified my interest in helping businesses of all sizes tackle evolving legal challenges. I’m excited to grow within the corporate law space and develop the skills and experience to support businesses at every stage. I’m deeply motivated to give back to immigrant communities and small business owners, whose experiences often intersect. By building a strong foundation in corporate law, I hope to support those working to create generational stability and to contribute in a meaningful way to the communities that have shaped me. Q: What does it mean to you to have been awarded this scholarship? A: Receiving this scholarship is incredibly meaningful to me. I take great pride in my background as a first-generation student and a woman of color, so being recognized for my potential in a field that has historically underrepresented those communities is both affirming and empowering. This program will help connect me to the resources and committed mentors that will help me succeed. Beyond that, it is no secret that law school is a significant financial commitment. This scholarship helps ease both the financial burden and the stress that comes with it, allowing me to focus more on my education and long-term goals. I am incredibly grateful! Q: How will this scholarship help support your future goals? A: This scholarship has already connected me with an incredible network of faculty, business law professionals, and like-minded students. The community fostered by the Center for Business Law is deeply supportive, and I’m excited to grow alongside my cohort. I truly believe this network will play an important role in helping me thrive in law school and position me for success in business law. As I have seen firsthand how impactful both financial scholarship and mentorship are, I hope to give back in this same way later in my career.
He always cracked up his clients, and now he's a local comedy club star
Hugh Howser has gotten so good at telling jokes on stage that he made Nashville Lifestyles' 2026 'Inspiring People' list
Charlotte basket artist's work on display at Gaston museum
‘Woven with Purpose’ highlights Shakeeka Watts Brooks
Davidson Community Players stage contemporary plays
'The Lifespan of a Fact,' and 'Actually' at Armour Street Theatre
LIVE SCORE UPDATES & ANALYSIS: Arkansas baseball vs. Georgia Game 3
Follow along as the Razorbacks play the Bulldogs in the rubber game.
ENTERTAINMENT: ‘Chocolate’ in Argenta; ‘Mamma Mia!’ at WAC
Following a six-month revival run on Broadway, the 25th anniversary tour of “Mamma Mia!” is onstage this week for eight performances at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center.
Former Arkansas basketball guard D.J. Wagner commits to Maryland
Wagner, who announced he was entering the portal on April 6, averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 assists per game in his junior season.
San Antonio business celebrates 5,000 free haircuts
Game Changers Barber Academy celebrates 5,000 free haircuts to clients at Haven for Hope.
Mozilla Announces "Thunderbolt" As An Open-Source, Enterprise AI Client
Mozilla today announced 'Thunderbolt' as an open-source AI client built for control and independence
Spectrum Science hires MSL’s chief client officer to lead comms offering
Lisa Talbot started in the role last month.
ENTERTAINMENT: Concerts celebrate freedom; watercolors on display
The River City Men’s Chorus offers a concert it’s titling “FREEDOM!,” which a news release describes as “a choral celebration of the ways we dream of, achieve and exercise our many freedoms,” 3 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday and April 23 at St. James United Methodist Church.
Board: Two Iowa mental health professionals had sex with former clients
Two state-licensed mental health professionals are facing disciplinary actions tied to allegations of having sex with former clients.
LIVE SCORE UPDATES & ANALYSIS: Arkansas baseball vs. UAPB
Follow along as the Razorbacks play the Golden Lions at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock.
Grasp Hires Chevalier as New Chief Executive
Grasp Technologies has appointed Maria Chevalier as CEO, succeeding Chris Wilson. Chevalier, a former corporate travel buyer, has extensive experience in travel management and previously served on Grasp's board. Her goals include focusing on innovation and client-centric strategies.
Health aide ordered to pay back client's money instead spent thousands on trip, renovations
Fatumata Jaiteh took the stand for the first time in the case
Mid-America Science Museum opening interactive dinosaur exhibit April 25
Dinosaurs will return to Mid-America Science Museum starting April 25 with the exhibit "Expedition: Dinosaur."
Times Opinion: Let’s expel toxic right-wing politics from the Hamilton County Board of Education
Within national politics, we are living in a world dominated by a toxic political environment. While that is severely toned down at the local level, it does seep through into one realm: our schools.
Business People
Ann Bordelon is joining the planned STEM university backed by members of the Walton family as vice president of finance and administration.
Reconnecting with friends is more important than politics
The original text on the group thread read "Good morning fellas." The originator aspired to gather a number of us who were, and remain, good friends from high school for a ski trip. We'd be based out of his cabin on an alpine lake in Colorado.
Arkansas legislators seek input from health care professionals to help inform policy
FAYETTEVILLE -- Health care workers are the foot soldiers in the battle to improve care in Arkansas, and legislators need their input to make sure state policies and programs are having the most impact, according to state Rep. Aaron Pilkington.
ON THE JOB: “What is the Best Business Advice You’ve Ever Received?
Interviews by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Sound advice can contribute to your success. We recently asked area business leaders, what was their best advice they’d ever received. Here’s what they said: “The best advice I ever received was from my then –boss, Gerry Church, Fulton plant manager at Miller Brewing Co. He told me that whenever I wanted to discuss a business problem or issue with him, I should also be prepared to offer possible solutions. It’s the difference between being proactive or reactive. It’s also the difference between being a leader or follower. That has served me well in any business relationship I have had since then.” — Stephen Chirello, Owner, Steve Chirello Advertising, Fulton “Someone will always do it for less; they will also take the most effort to service or satisfy and leave you for the next lower price.” — John M. Henry, Owner, Speedway Press, Mitchell Printing, Phoenix Press, Oswego “I’m going to answer this question by turning it around and giving my own advice that is, ‘Always treat every customer as if they were your only customer!’ We are celebrating our 50th anniversary in business this year. We started our business on March 25, 1976. My advice works.”” — Nick Chervinsky, President, Brewerton Pharmacy, Brewerton “’You need to toot your own horn, my grandfather, Howard D. Dice, told me.” — Beth Ann Dice, Women’s active aging and cancer recovery coach, Mission Movement Wellness Studio & Breast Cancer Recovery Studio, Fulton “In the micro enterprise class, they taught, ‘Get a good lawyer, accountant and bank.’ That was over 30 years ago and I still have those three today. I chose good people I could grow with.” — Tony Pauldine, Owner, Anthony M. Pauldine General Contractors Inc., Oswego “From my grandfather; ‘Listen to everyone! You never know where you will get the solution you need.’” — Kevin Dean, Executive director, Oswego County Opportunities, Fulton “‘Preparation is the mother of success.’ My dad always drilled that into my head growing up, and it has helped me avoid a lot of snags in both my personal and professional life. Thanks, Dad!” — Bekkah Frisch, Owner and president, iHeart Holdings, Inc., Fulton “If you don’t take a risk and try, you will never know.” — Justin Taber, Owner, Torbitt’s Service Center, Oswego “Be ready to take a loss.” — Cody Seymour, Manager, Damiano’s Eatery, Mexico “I’ve received so much good business advice over the years. When people are giving you advice, always be curious rather than judgmental. Follow your gut. Doing the right thing is never the wrong thing.” — Dana Decker, Principal owner/broker, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Oswego ’Do it and figure it out later.’ It hasn’t failed me yet. Too many people take time to think about doing this and this and this and then the opportunity is over with. If it’s somewhat reasonable — if it’s not something outrageous — do it and figure it out later.” — Jeremy Allen, Licensed real estate salesperson, Acropolis Realty Group, Syracuse “’Try to meet the needs of the customer. Treat them like you’d like to be treated.’ It’s like the Golden Rule says.” — Douglas Dickson, Physician and associate at CNY Foot Surgery and Podiatry Care, East Syracuse “The best piece of business advice I’ve ever received applies to life in general: always be honest. Never overstate your capabilities and always be willing to ask questions. The more specific you can be in any given topic will always lead to a better outcome.” — Tom Fernandez, President, Woodbine Hospitality, Syracuse “As a business owner, the advice would be ‘Don’t overextend yourself. Especially in agriculture, expect issues to come up.’ If something is going right, it’s not true agriculture. This last season, we scaled very hard to field another crew. We got more drones, crew and generators based on projections. This last season hit the ag community hard with a very wet spring. We did 15,000 to 20,000 acres for fungicide and the same for cover crop seeding in 2024. We scaled to 25,000 to 30,000 for 2025. We ended up doing 2,000 for fungicide and 3,000 for cover crop seeding. That’s why that advice was good.” — Rick Jordan, Operations manager, CNY Drove Services, Clinton “’Keep your head down, mind your own business and do the best for your clients that you can do.’ It has a lot to do with my success in working for Galloway Century 21.” — Ed Fayette, New York state licensed real estate agent, Century 21 Galloway, Oswego “’Expand in all ways, always.’ It just keeps you going and keeps you growing.” — Stephen Baier, Licensed real estate person, The Real Estate Agency & Bouck Commercial, Auburn “The best advice is, ‘Your biggest asset you won’t see on the books because it comes from your employees.’” — David Flickinger, Owner, Edible Arrangements, Syracuse “Don’t take things personally when you’re working with the public.” — Leeann Desimone, Manager, Annie’s Hallmark Shop, Auburn “‘Follow up.’ The customer knows that you care about what you are doing and that their opinion counts. Sometimes they might be on the fence about whether they want to use your company. If they’re asking your opinion on things, they feel you are concerned about what you’re doing. They like to be kept in the loop if they’re spending money with you.” — Dorothy Casper, Saslesperson, SweetWoods Memorials, Phoenix “The best business advice I received is ‘Never be the smartest person in the room. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you.’ That’s how you learn.” — Debbie Bilello, Owner, Virtual Office Solutions, Central Square “’You need to grow your business but you can’t grow too big too fast.’ That’s what we’ve done at Pinnacle Maintenance. We’ve tried to grow but not too fast. Along those same lines, there’s another good piece of advice, ‘Don’t take on more than you can handle because it only leads to a bad name for your business and a bad experience for your customers.’ It goes along the same lines as growing your business slowly and carefully.” — David Wines, Owner, Pinnacle Maintenance, Central Square “Always be on time and do what you say you are going to do.’ I’ve done very well following that advice. Most of my work is referral and I don’t really do any advertising so I have a pretty good customer base. It’s mostly word-of-mouth from satisfied customers.” — Robert J. Fleming, Owner, Bob Fleming Windows & Doors, Brewerton “’Concentrate on your finances, always pay your taxes, and form a team you can depend on. Try to help the community you’re in as much as you can.’ We do all of these all the time here. We give and give and give to the community and the community gives back to us always.” — Susan Bonnet, Co-owner, Bonnet Sales and Service, Central Square “Keep smiling. It brings a positive attitude to the workplace.” — Karin Lindsley, Vice president, DTS Truck Service, Syracuse “‘Customer service above all.’ Following this advice has served us very well.’ — Guy Fox, Owner, Fox’s Discount Parts, West Monroe “The best thing to do is to make sure you’re taking in more money than you’re spending. I wish I could say I’m a good businessman but I have been in business since 1981. I’m not a bean counter but work well with my hands and its’s served me well all these years and I am still in business.” — Matt McGill, Owner, Matt McGill Collision, Brewerton
Seniors: Carol Watson, 72
Owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping in LaFayette enjoys her growing business — still puts in six-, seven-day weeks By Mary Beth Roach Carol Watson, the owner of Carol Watson Greenhouse and Landscaping, has been in gardens since she could walk. Literally. She said she learned to walk in her grandfather’s garden, which was next door to her current home and business in LaFayette. Today, at 72, she is running the business that her mother, Claire, opened in 1981 as Watson Greenhouse. Watson worked part-time for her mom until 1990, when she joined her full time. While she may not have had any formal horticultural experience, she said she learned so much about growing and raising plants from her mom, who had an abundance of energy and talent. Now, after 35 years in the business full time, Watson has no plans to retire, although she joked that she’d like a couple of days off a week. On her seven-acre site, complete with four greenhouses, Watson said her favorite parts of the job are working with and educating her customers; helping some of her young customers build terrariums; conducting occasional class field trips; and supporting local art by decorating the shop with an eclectic mix of pottery from at least four area craftspeople. A one-time employee of the former Dey Bros. department store in Syracuse, Watson said she loves merchandising and enjoys displaying unique pieces of art on shelves and even suspending from ceilings. “We’re creative. We also had top quality plants. We got a reputation of quality plants and unusual products,” she said. It’s tending to her customers and her plants, showcasing the unusual products, and hosting special events to benefit the community that keep her motivated to work six to seven days a week. “I just love it. I love taking care of the plants. I’m one of the few people that really enjoys watering,” she said. And while she has cultivated a solid customer base over the years, she remains savvy in her marketing efforts to draw in new customers. For example, she does a gardening segment on CNY Central television; her active Facebook page has thousands of followers; and she hosts a number of unique events and classes that not only introduce her shop to potential new clients, but some benefit nonprofits as well. About 13 years ago, when the local symphony orchestra was struggling, she said she wanted to help. So, partnering with the group, she began offering concerts, called Soirees, featuring the Syracuse Orchestra’s string quartet. Following up on a suggestion from a customer whose brother is a deejay in retirement, specializing in sock hops, she hosted the greenhouse’s first sock hop. Plants got moved back toward the walls to make room for dancing; a caterer was brought in, offering diner-like food; guests came in period outfits; and proceeds went to the Food Bank of CNY. She is excited about doing it again in October. Via her website, she promotes the greenhouse as an “oasis in the snow,” offering visitors the opportunity to pick up some decorating and gift ideas while taking in the floral and citrus scents. And she also caters to her four-legged friends. Over this past winter, she said, she came up with a “brilliant idea,” although at the time she didn’t appreciate just how brilliant it would become. Feeling it too cold outside to take her dog for a walk, she opted to bring it into the greenhouse. And before long, she was inviting people to bring their dogs into the big greenhouse as well. She looks forward to extending that invitation again this upcoming winter season. For Watson and her customers, the greenhouse is always in season.
ENTERTAINMENT: WAC hosts Australian Chamber Orchestra
The Australian Chamber Orchestra is premiering “Horizon,” a new work it commissioned from Pulitzer- and Grammy-winning composer John Luther Adams, on its current tour. It includes an 8 p.m. concert Saturday at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
San Antonio tax preparing business owner convicted of filing false returns, DOJ says
A federal grand jury on Friday found a San Antonio woman guilty on 11 counts of falsifying tax forms on behalf of her clients.
Personnel note: Eric Ludin tapped as Of Counsel for Shumaker's St. Pete office
Ludin is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator, making him a commodity among other lawyers to resolve client disputes.
Crime Scene Entertainment launches new interactive experience
Crime Scene Entertainment has launched a brand-new interactive experience, the Case File: Open Detective’s Office, offering a flexible, self-guided alternative to full-length immersive murder mystery events.
Eureka! Flathead Valley students have their moment at state science fair
Flathead Valley students displayed their fortitude for the scientific method at the Montana Science Fair with Kalispell Montessori School bringing home the first-place Division II trophy for its outstanding performance among small middle schools.
Take It from a New Business Owner: Your SMB Bankers Just Don't Get It
You're treating SMB onboarding as a set of tasks. Wrong: Your new small business client is looking to start a relationship.
Accenture acquires Spain-based Keepler to boost AI and data business
The IT service provider says it aims to expand its capabilities to help clients reinvent core business processes.
ENTERTAINMENT: Dogtown Throwdown in Argenta; UCA stages ‘Little Women’
Main Street between Fourth and Fifth streets in the Argenta Arts District in North Little Rock will shut down Friday and Saturday for Dogtown Throwdown, two days of outdoor dining, live music and “family-friendly activities” with a Cajun theme.
Steam client files point to "framerate estimator" feature in the works
JSON text strings suggests performance charts based on "framerates of other Steam users."
TikTok’s Khartoon Weiss to exit the platform as its head of global business
VP, GM of global business solutions Khartoon Weiss is leaving the company on Friday, according to a memo shared with clients.
FTI Consulting Adds Three Leading Mining and Resources Business Improvement Experts
SYDNEY, April 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) today announced the appointments of James Chapman, Steve Dyson and Franz Wentzel as Senior Managing Directors in its Australian Transformation practice, bringing their experience as former global heads of Big Four accounting firm mining practices to help clients realise their full value potential. The appointments of Mr. Chapman, Mr. Dyson and Mr. Wentzel continue the firm’s growth of its Transformation – Mining team, fo
Clozer Launches AI-Powered Lead Generation System to Help UAE Businesses Acquire More Clients
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clozer, a Dubai-based lead generation company founded by Thageeshan Theiventhira...
GenNx360 Capital Partners Announces Heartland Business Systems Acquisition of Applied Tech Solutions
NEW YORK, April 06, 2026--GenNx360 Capital Partners ("GenNx360"), a New York City-based private equity firm focused on investing in middle market services companies, today announced that its portfolio company, Heartland Business Systems ("HBS"), has acquired Applied Tech Solutions, LLC ("Applied Tech" or the "Company"), a provider of managed IT and cybersecurity services to clients in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions. The acquisition of Applied Tech represents the first acquisition by HBS
Software from tech startup Leto helps caseworkers connect clients with community resources
Leto Tech PBC has launched software developed by Purdue researchers that helps social service agencies and other organizations more efficiently connect their clients with community resources.
14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" Will Continue to be "Abundantly Available," Says Intel
Intel will continue to ensure production of its 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" desktop processors, 700-series motherboard chipset, and ensure continued availability of the Socket LGA1700 platform. In an interview with Club386, Intel's VP and GM of client segment technical marketing, Robert Hall...
NASA shoehorns in human science on Artemis II moon mission
While the primary goal of the Artemis II mission is the ensure the Orion spacecraft is safe for humans, NASA did find time to fit some science on board during the 10-day lunar fly-by.
ENTERTAINMENT: Inspiration Point hosts ‘Sacred Veil’
Dancers from the University of Oklahoma School of Dance and the Windsong Chamber Chorale perform “The Sacred Veil” 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. April 12 at Inspiration Point Center for the Arts.
Times Opinion: Big money in politics makes progress in Tennessee impossible
Take a look at governmental policy and the public's broad position on any given issue, and you'll see a glaring disconnect.
Arkansas baseball rallies to even series at Auburn
The Razorbacks got a great pitching performance from Hunter Dietz and Ethan McElvain, and two big swings from Ryder Helfrick.
What to know about Todd Blanche, Trump's pick for acting attorney general
Before picking Blanche to help lead and now run the Justice Department, President Donald Trump was his client.
How the Chattanooga INCubator became a powerhouse for small business growth and innovation
In 2025, the Chattanooga Chamber's INCubator program solidified its role as one of the Chattanooga region's most powerful engines for small business growth, innovation, and economic resilience. As a flagship program of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and manager of the 127,000-square-foot Hamilton County Business Development Center, the INCubator exists for one clear purpose: to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses, create jobs, and strengthen the economic heartbeat of the region. The programs progress in 2025 demonstrated that mission in action -- through expanded programming, deeper engagement, and measurable impact across the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Business Brief: Wellspire Financial earns Ameriprise Client Experience Award
Wellspire Financial Group, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. has earned the Ameriprise Client Experience Award for 2025.
Publicis is buying 160over90 in its biggest sports marketing bet yet
Publicis is acquiring160over90, a sports marketing agency with blue-chip clients such as Coke and Marriott.
KPMG trains tax professionals to build software in six-week pilot
In a six-week pilot program, KPMG US tax staffers used vibe coding to create software tools the firm said it now uses with clients.
Rams' Puka Nacua in rehab following alleged biting incident
Levi McCathern, an attorney representing Rams WR Puka Nacua, revealed his client is in rehab as he looks "to improve his overall behavior."
ENTERTAINMENT: Hot Springs festival celebrates cherry blossoms
Samurai sword demonstrations by Yoshi Amao, whose presentations combine history, discipline and storytelling; drumming by Dallas Kiyari Daiko; and performances and demonstrations highlighting martial arts, traditional music and cultural storytelling are part of the Hot Springs National Park Sister City Foundation’s Arkansas Cherry Blossom Festival.
Airbnb Externship Shows 3L Isabel Samayoa How Legal Strategy Drives Business Growth - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
An externship at Airbnb provided 3L Isabel Samayoa exposure to areas such as contracts, licensing, risk management, and growth strategy, helping her develop the skills and experience to thrive in her future career as a corporate transactions attorney. 3L student Isabel Samayoa reflects on her work with Airbnb’s in-house legal team through UC Law SF’s Corporate Counsel Externship Program. Supported Airbnb’s legal team on commercial contracts, open-source licensing, external partnerships, product counseling, and legal research. Observed how legal advice aligns with business strategy and risk management. Gained exposure to strategic decision-making while preparing for a career in corporate transactions. Q: What did you do in this corporate externship? A: I supported the Airbnb legal team across several functions, including commercial contracts, open-source licensing matters, strategic external partnerships, legal research, real estate matters, internal AI integration, and product counseling. I also gained exposure to corporate structure counseling, litigation, patent counseling, and the company’s broader business strategy. Q: What did you take away from this experience? A: One of the most valuable parts of this experience was learning how a business actually operates. I had never worked on such a large team in the private sector, so I had little exposure to how companies run internally. I learned how lawyers can provide valuable advice to support business goals, seeing how leadership evaluates risk and develops growth strategies. Understanding those priorities allows me to calibrate my legal advice to clients, balancing the client’s goals against the level of risk they are willing to take. Q: How does this experience support your career goals? A: Exploring the anatomy of a successful company was incredibly valuable because I plan to pursue a career as a corporate transactions lawyer. Being in the room with the teams discussing important decisions allowed me to see firsthand the factors that contribute to that success and how lawyers help guide those decisions. Q: Would you recommend UC Law SF and this externship? Why? A: I would absolutely recommend this opportunity. While the team worked on high-stakes matters at a highly successful company, they still created an environment where I felt welcomed. They trusted me with meaningful work and supported me every step of the way. This helped me build confidence in my analytical abilities. Q: What’s your favorite UC Law SF memory so far? A: Some of my favorite UC Law SF memories, aside from my time at Airbnb, involve mentorship. I have benefited from mentorship and have also had the chance to mentor other law students. Watching the students I mentored go on to mentor others has been particularly rewarding. I think mentorship is integral to the legal profession, and it has been inspiring to see that culture thrive at UC Law SF and continue beyond the classroom. The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the College’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.
JPMorgan’s ‘American Dream’ Aims for 10 Million Small Business Clients
JPMorgan Chase has launched a program aimed at boosting economic opportunity around the U.S. The “American Dream Initiative” will focus on six areas, with
Minnesota’s U.S. Bank partners with Amazon on small business credit cards
The Minneapolis-based lender hopes the partnership with the e-commerce giant will expand its small business banking clients.
Alera Group sues former producer for allegedly stealing client data
The filing alleges she emailed protected client lists before joining a direct competitor
Support beyond the classroom: Little Rock’s community schools offer health care, therapy, a student bank and more
At first glance, Chicot Elementary is just like any other school. But walk past the bright hallways plastered with crayon drawings and "I can count to 100" worksheets and through a gym lined with balance bikes, and you'll find clinics that provide vaccines, lab work, eye tests, counseling and language interpretation for Little Rock School District students and their siblings.
Coeur d'Alene Pediatrics readies for move to Heritage Health
Coeur d’Alene Pediatrics officially becomes part of Heritage Health this spring. “We've been talking about it for about a year,” Heritage Health CEO Mike Baker said. “We spent time trying to figure this out what makes sense for the community and really protect what Coeur d’Alene Pediatrics has been doing forever.”
Flathead Business Watercooler
Happenings related to business in the Flathead Valley
Business People Northwest Arkansas
Kevin Wilhelm has joined First Community Bank as its new vice president, merchant services manager. Based in the bank's Northwest Arkansas market, Wilhelm will support customers and team members across the bank's entire footprint.
Business People Northwest Arkansas
Kevin Wilhelm has joined First Community Bank as its new vice president, merchant services manager. Based in the bank's Northwest Arkansas market, Wilhelm will support customers and team members across the bank's entire footprint.
ENTERTAINMENT: Jazz at the Joint, TheatreSquared seasons scheduled
TheatreSquared opens its 2026-27 Main Stage season Sept. 9-27 with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play "Fences" by August Wilson.
ENTERTAINMENT: Jazz at the Joint, TheatreSquared seasons scheduled
TheatreSquared opens its 2026-27 Main Stage season Sept. 9-27 with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play "Fences" by August Wilson.
ENTERTAINMENT: Jazz at the Joint, TheatreSquared seasons scheduled
TheatreSquared opens its 2026-27 Main Stage season Sept. 9-27 with the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play "Fences" by August Wilson.
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga's only daily newspaper. Complete coverage of breaking news in Chattanooga, Other local, regional and national news. Classifieds and online marketplace.
New Chattanooga business specializes in gun safety
Ginger Chandler stood at a panel of windows overlooking a vast production floor, where a small team of workers meticulously soldered together electrical components and assembled handguns.
Canadian business stalls over US trade deal jitters
STORY: The Canadian manufacturing hub of Windsor is home to thousands of small and specialized part makers and caters primarily to car companies and equipment manufacturers. The city thrives on close integration with Detroit, America's automotive capital, just across the river.That means it's also on the frontline of tariff and trade uncertainty with Canada's largest trading partner. JACKIE RAYMOND: "Even if we don't directly work with the automotive industry, we indirectly do."Jackie Raymond is co-owner of FASTSIGNS, a Canadian company that designs and installs custom business signs and graphics.The company is coming off its toughest year since the pandemic. Orders from its core automotive clients dried up.And while a new project brought some relief, the company says customers are placing smaller orders, demanding longer payment terms, and bargaining harder on prices.:: FileIt all points to uncertainty tied to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is up for review this year. It's a deal U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he could scrap.:: Washington, D.C. / December 2, 2025TRUMP: "...and we'll either let it expire or we'll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada...":: FileThe agreement - known as CUSMA north of the border - exempts most Canadian goods from U.S. levies.While Mexico has started formal negotiations with the U.S. over the deal's renewal, Canada has so far only held informal talks.RAYMOND: "I think the CUSMA is very, very important because it trickles down to every little business right down to your barber shop and your nail shop, which will affect all of our customers."The situation in Windsor reflects a broader unease facing Canada's economy, which contracted 0.6% in the fourth quarter. About 90% of the city's exports cross the border, often multiple times during production.Manufacturing accounts for nearly a quarter of employment in the Windsor-Essex region.Its chamber of commerce, which represents about 750 businesses, says companies paused investments, delayed production, and cut jobs at the height of the tariff uncertainty last year. :: FileWindsor partly regained its footing as Trump exempted USMCA-compliant exports from Canada from tariffs in March last year.But uncertainty still drags on business confidence and Windsor's unemployment level remains one of the highest among major cities in Canada.Local shops complain of lower traffic and restaurants report thinner crowds.And builders say the housing market – often among the first sectors to show strain from the knock-on effects of tariff uncertainties – is near a standstill.Brent Klundert of BK Cornerstone, a local real estate builder, said he laid off 13 of his 21 staff as sales and prices slumped last year. "And you know, when people are going to make the biggest investment of their life, they really want confidence in their job, in the longevity of their job in the economy itself. And people lost that due to the tariffs.” // “If we can get through CUSMA, if we can get through our trade agreements with the US, I think that that will add a lot of confidence into the marketplace that we've been lacking.”Since January Klundert has rehired 10 of his employees, hoping homebuyers would start coming back.So far, only a few have.
Focus: On Canada's tariff frontline, business stalls over US trade deal jitters
Windsor-based FASTSIGNS, a Canadian company that designs and installs custom business signs and graphics, last year endured its toughest year since the pandemic as orders from its core automotive clients dried up.
On Canada's tariff frontline, business stalls over US trade deal jitters
WINDSOR, Ontario, March 28 (Reuters) - Windsor-based FASTSIGNS, a Canadian company that designs and installs custom business signs and graphics, last year endured its toughest year since the pandemic as orders from its core automotive clients dried up. A new project launch this year brought some relief, but the company says customers are demanding longer payment terms, placing smaller orders, and bargaining harder on prices due to uncertainty tied to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement,
Bank of America courts business clients in market-share push
To drive new client relationships in 50-some markets, BofA is hiring bankers and cultivating local connections, said Sharon Miller, the lender’s president of business banking.
Amusement Entertainment Management Client Wins 2026 FEC of the Year
Star Lanes Polaris of Columbus, Ohio proudly accepted The American Amusement Machine Association’s (AAMA) 2026 Family Entertainment Center Location of the Year Award during the AAMA President…
Arkansas baseball run-rules UCA for midweek win
After trailing midway through the fifth, the Razorbacks poured it on the Bears late.
Personnel note: Natalie Brown departs RSA, heads back to Senate as Danny Burgess Senior Aide
'During her time with us, she added significant value to our clients and brought a level of direction and strategy to our Session approach and appropriations process.'
Alliant Private Client Strengthens Entertainment Practice with Addition of Michelle Quintero
IRVINE, Calif., March 24, 2026--Michelle Quintero has joined Alliant Insurance Services as Executive Vice President with Alliant Private Client. Based on the West Coast and recognized by Risk & Insurance® as a 2026 Entertainment, Hospitality & Gaming Power Broker®, Quintero brings more than 25 years of technical acumen and delivers tailored solutions to high-profile and celebrated individuals in music, film, and live events.
Microsoft Exchange Online service change causes email access issues
Microsoft is working to address an ongoing service issue that has intermittently prevented some users from accessing their cloud-based Exchange Online mailboxes via Outlook mobile and Mac desktop clients since Thursday.
Health care advisory Chartis brings AI development engine in-house to build tools for clients
With the acquisition of artificial intelligence incubator Leap AI, Chicago-based Chartis’ health care advisers will move from making suggestions about AI to rolling up their sleeves and building custom AI solutions.
Coeur d'Alene's science guy
Ahead of his retirement in May from the teaching staff at Arizona State University, behavioral neuroscientist Brian Smith has put his focus into making science more accessible to more people. “There's a lot of misunderstanding what science is,” Smith said.
Letters: Newspapers hold a position in our democracy, unlike any other business
I read with interest Duke Truby's viewpoint about a newspaper print medium being a "business" in the strictest sense. As such, that business should cater to its customers and clients.
Thank God for Wyoming — the un-Colorado
Years ago, I interviewed a Canadian health-care broker whose job was helping his countrymen escape their own failing system. When their “free” health care turned into “free to wait until you die,” he’d save his clients by routing them to doctors in the U.S. who’d accept cash and rescue their lives. I asked him what […]
How “Feeling Over Facts” Reshaped American Politics—from Gingrich to Trump
There was a moment in the 2016 presidential campaign that, in retrospect, sounds less like campaign chatter than something a post-modern French philosopher might have slipped into American politics.
ENTERTAINMENT: Walton Arts Center’s lineup features 5 Broadway shows
Season subscribers will also “be the first in line to guarantee your seats for the Northwest Arkansas debut of ‘Wicked,’” already on the schedule for the 2027-’28 season.
More young people are filing for bankruptcy, lawyers say. Here's why.
Bankruptcy lawyers say more Gen Z and millennial clients are hitting a financial wall as costs rise and wages stagnate.
Roglieri's lawyer blames his $55 million theft on bad 'business model'
Loan broker Kris Roglieri argues before sentencing that bad “business model” led him to steal $55 million from clients.
xAI Sends Engineers to Client Sites to Win Business from OpenAI
Elon Musk’s xAI is sending engineers directly into the offices of prospective corporate clients in an attempt to claw business customers away from rivals OpenAI and Anthropic PBC.
New dispute emerges around Subnautica 2’s early access release
Lawyers for the ousted—and now partially reinstated—leadership team of Unknown Worlds, the studio behind Subnautica 2, are crying foul over news that the game will be released into early access in May. The release announcement earlier this week was made improperly, potentially “damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community,” the lawyers said in a letter sent on Tuesday to Vice Chancellor Lori Will of Delaware’s Court of Chancery. In their letter, the lawyers also floated the idea of asking Will to find Krafton in contempt of the court’s ruling. The letter was sent just one day after Will’s bombshell ruling that publisher Krafton had breached its contract with Unknown Worlds’ executive team, when it fired them last June. The new issue isn’t necessarily the May early access timeframe, but how the news was announced. The letter and Krafton’s response have not been previously reported. A quick recap of prior events: Subnautica 2 is an unreleased, underwater survival adventure and the most-wishlisted game on Steam. Last year, longtime Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, along with studio co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, were fired by Krafton. They swiftly sued, saying the publisher had terminated them to avoid paying out up to $250 million in potential performance-based bonuses. The studio leaders had hoped to earn that with an early access release of the game, which Krafton had blocked. The publisher argued in court that Subnautica 2 wasn’t ready, which the ousted execs disputed. On Monday, Will ruled that Krafton had violated its contract, firing the execs to avoid the performance payouts, and that it had to reinstate Gill and give him full authority over any early access release for Subnautica 2. On Tuesday, IGN reported on a new memo issued that day to Unknown Worlds staff by Steve Papoutsis, the executive Krafton had put in charge of Unknown Worlds after the 2025 firings. In the note, Papoutsis said that Subnautica 2 had passed a key development milestone “last week” and that he and Krafton had determined the game “is ready for Early Access release in May.” This news appeared to catch the lawyers for Gill, Cleveland and McGuire by surprise. On Tuesday night, they sent a letter to Will expressing “serious concerns” about whether it would be possible to forge an agreement with Krafton consistent with the judge’s order. Papoutsis’ memo was a problem, they wrote. He didn’t have the authority to declare anything about Subnautica 2’s release. As of 9am ET on Monday, March 16, the effective date of Will’s order, Papoutsis wasn’t CEO of Unknown Worlds. Gill was. And, per Will’s order, only Gill could make Subnautica 2 release decisions. They continued: Krafton self-servingly announced the launch without any regard to its impact on the game, the team, or the community—let alone this Court’s Opinion. Announcing the release of a game is momentous, and it is typically accompanied by significant marketing activity, fanfare, and community coordination. And most importantly, the announcement is carefully designed to maximize excitement for the game. That entire process was supposed to be driven by Mr. Gill. However, in defiance of the Court’s Opinion, Krafton has now taken that away, further damaging the game and sowing additional confusion among the Subnautica community. The lawyers speculated that Krafton had “intentionally leaked” Papoutsis’ memo and then issued an official statement to confirm the leak. Game File is a reader-supported publication. My reporting is only possible through support from readers like you. To support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe On Wednesday, lawyers for Krafton defended their client in their own letter to vice chancellor Will, saying nothing they did violated her order nor showed contempt: Papoutsis’s message was simply celebrating the UW employees’ efforts toward a past event: Krafton’s pre-Opinion determination that Subnautica 2 was ready for Early Access release. There was nothing improper about conveying the results of the milestone review or thanking the development team for their dedication and talent. They added that Gill could still make his own call about Subnautica 2’s release: In his role as CEO, Gill will be able to assess independently his views on the state of Subnautica 2 and the appropriate release schedule; nothing in Papoutsis’s message alters Gill’s authority or discretion. Vice chancellor Will has not responded to the letters and doesn’t necessarily have to. Both parties were previously ordered by Will to confer this week and submit a proposed judgment consistent with her ruling. The letter from Gill’s attorney’s this week doesn’t indicate whether he would or would not support a May release for Subnautica 2. But it could limit his options. And, if Gill’s lawyers are right, the lack of marketing fanfare around the leak of the May date could dull the launch of the game. Any harm to Subnautica 2’s launch is an extra sensitive issue given the context of the legal dispute: millions of dollars of payouts are on the line, tethered to the scale of the game’s initial performance. In her ruling on Monday, Will noted that there was obvious “bad blood” between Gill’s side and Krafton but that the two would need to work together: “They can—and must—act in good faith to navigate their remaining contractual relationship.” Item 2: A new kind of couch co-op game A highlight of GDC each year is the Alt.Ctrl showcase that features games played with extremely experimental controllers. Perusing this year’s offerings last Friday, I found a game controlled with giant scissors, another with big toothbrushes and one that amounted to dumpster diving. My favorite was Pivot, a co-op game about collectively maneuvering a couch. It was developed by students at the University of Utah’s masters of arts and engineering games program. Players lift and tilt the physical couch in order to control the position of a virtual one. That virtual one is moving through an obstacle course on-screen, while being pursued by a giant skull. Developer Nishant Verma told me at GDC that the couch is made of styrofoam (this became more evident as I watched!) and that the name was a riff on an episode of the sitcom Friends. Item 3: In brief… 🚫 Ubisoft is laying off more than 100 workers at its Red Storm studio, as the North Carolina location known for decades for its Tom Clancy games, ceases in-house game development, VGC reports. 👀 On Monday, Nvidia’s revealed its DLSS 5 AI-driven graphics technology that purports to improve game graphics… and it has been roasted about it by the media and the online gaming public for the remainder of the week. The tech changed the faces of characters in footage from Resident Evil Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy and EA Sports FC, drawing accusations of giving carefully art-directed games the generic look of AI “slop.” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had said on Monday that “DLSS 5 is the GPT moment for graphics—blending handcrafted rendering with generative AI to deliver a dramatic leap in visual realism while preserving the control artists need for creative expression.” By mid-week, Huang was telling Tom’s Hardware that the new tech’s critics were “completely wrong” because game-makers could still “fine-tune the generative AI” to suit their game’s aesthetics.
PR firm solo operators use AI to support their strategic services
Boutique PR agency solopreneurs use AI to streamline tasks, allowing focus on client strategy and creative work.
Analysis of Shaut v. Commissioner: Substantiation, Trade or Business Determinations, and Theft Loss Deductions in the Sixth Circuit — Current Federal Tax Developments
For tax professionals advising clients on the deductibility of losses stemming from defunct investments and complex litigation, the Sixth Circuit’s recent unpublished opinion in Michael H. Shaut v. Commissioner , No. 25-1568, CA6 (March 12, 20 26) serves as a critical reminder of the strict evid
Arkansas basketball will open NCAA Tournament against Hawaii
The Razorbacks will face the Big West Tournament champions in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Portland, Oregon.
Home for Families launches on-site mental health support for clients
Columbus nonprofit Home for Families has partnered with Hidden Roots Mental Health to bring on-site mental health services to clients.
Learning ignites at SHS science circuit
Inside Sandpoint High School’s gym, elementary school students inflated cow lungs, flinched at bowling balls and made bubble tea boba as a part of the annual Science Circuit.
Lobbyist tied to pardon from Trump charged with attempted extortion
Federal prosecutors charged a lobbyist with trying to extort a former client and his son to recover half a million dollars in debt, according to court filings.
Downtown Lancaster business owners complain drug recovery center clients driving away customers
When: Lancaster City Council meeting, March 10.
Incremental politics proof that more than one thing can be right at once
Democrat-Gazette online
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Meet Chad Olivier, one of the Capital Region 500
Chad Olivier has been working in the Capital Region financial services industry for more than 25 years. Originally a stockbroker, he pivoted to financial advising to focus more on building relationships with clients. Today, Olivier owns the wealth management firm The Olivier Group. His professional involvement extends beyond the office to his membership in the […]
3L Kevin Afiesh Learns to Translate Legal Risk Into Business Strategy as FinTech Extern - UC Law San Francisco (Formerly UC Hastings)
3L Kevin Afiesh strengthened his corporate and fintech skillset through an externship at Plaid, gaining real-world experience at the intersection of technology and financial services. 3L student Kevin Afiesh shares how UC Law San Francisco’s Corporate Counsel Externship provided immersive, practice-ready training inside Plaid’s in-house legal department. Reviewed and analyzed technology-focused agreements, including emerging AI provisions and liability terms Explored financial services regulation and data governance within a growth-stage company Learned how internal legal teams shape product, partnership, and compliance planning 3L student Kevin Afiesh: During my externship at Plaid, I worked with the in-house legal team supporting a rapidly growing company at the intersection of technology and financial services. My work focused primarily on corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters. I helped review and analyze vendor and partnership agreements, paying close attention to emerging artificial intelligence-related provisions and risk allocation terms. I also investigated regulatory and compliance issues involving financial services and data governance, and I researched intellectual property litigation relevant to fintech companies. This work supported legal risk assessment to guide strategic decision making. I learned firsthand how an in-house legal team operates in a highly regulated, innovation-driven environment, where legal analysis is closely integrated with business decision making. I saw how attorneys balance legal risk with commercial priorities and how their advice shapes contracting, compliance, and intellectual property strategy. It reinforced that effective in-house lawyers need to understand both the law and the operational realities of the business. The experience also strengthened my ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers and to provide advice that is precise, practical, and commercially aware. Throughout my academic and professional journey, I’ve worked with technology companies at different stages. Plaid added a distinct perspective within the tech ecosystem, showing me how a growth-stage fintech company approaches regulatory complexity, innovation, and risk tolerance. This sharpened my ability to adapt to clients with different structures, priorities, and compliance needs. As I prepare to practice corporate law in the technology industry, this exposure has strengthened my ability to align legal advice with a company’s stage of growth, strategic objectives, and internal dynamics. I would absolutely recommend the Corporate Counsel Externship Program. Working directly with an in-house legal team provided a meaningful sense of day-to-day practice inside a technology company, and the attorneys at Plaid were generous with their time and mentorship. The classroom component was equally valuable. Professors Nira Geevargis and Scott Darling created a thoughtful environment where we reflected on our experiences, discussed real-world challenges, and developed practical skills that complemented our fieldwork. More broadly, UC Law San Francisco’s location offers a clear advantage for students interested in technology, corporate practice, and public-interest work. Proximity to courts, law firms, and innovative companies — combined with programs like the Corporate Counsel Externship and an extensive Bay Area alumni network — make it a strong option for students who want to build their careers in the region. The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the college’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.
After tariffs and inflation, small businesses face another problem: higher gas prices
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