When I was Chief of Staff at CoinDesk, I was in charge of the publication’s approach to AI. One of the earliest debates our internal AI committee had was about whether we should allow AI to index our articles or not.
Most of the people on the committee thought we should block AI crawlers. While the fury of media copyright lawsuits had yet to begin, the issue had gotten some traction, and it was easy to make the case that we shouldn’t give our content away to AI companies to summarize unless we were compensated in some way.
But one person boldly made the case for the other side: He argued that, if AI becomes the new way people find information, shutting ourselves out of AI services would mean our storiesand more broadly, the ongoing narratives around themwould be cut out of the amalgamated answers that the people using AI would read. We would be conceding that ground to competitors to not just get referrals (which, we knew even then, would be few), but to establish consensus. We would no longer be the authority on the things we write about, at least for those who find information through AI portals.
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The cost of silence
Little did I know that largely academic debate at the time would become the centerpiece of the AI conversation nearly three years later. Today, information presence in AI summariesfor brands, for public relations, and for the mediais of great interest, and poorly understood. For publishers, the issues of copyright and compensation are ongoing. But regardless of how those conflicts are resolved, AI has become the primary interpreter of their content for a large and growing audience.
The committee didn’t have a name for it back then, but the idea of taking the opposite course of blocking, and actually encouraging AI to index your content, is now called generative engine optimization or GEO (sometimes the first word is substituted for “answer,” or AEO). When I’ve previously written about GEO, it was mostly in the context of why publishers would even want to do it. After all, if AI is taking your content and summarizing it without sending users to your site, what’s the benefit?
There are reasons, but I think it’s more informative to flip the question around: What’s the cost if you don’t? And that is relinquishing your influence on the consensus around the topics in your domain.
The risk isn’t the loss in trafficthat’s lost anyway. Audiences are turning to AI as their information guides no matter what publishers do. What a publisher risks losing is their role as the chief interpreter of events. By reporting facts and validating claims, journalists have historically set the baseline for others to react to. Without those inputs, AI will paint a poor picture of reality.
The thing is, even if a publisher opts out of AI summarization, there will always be someone else who republishes the information who doesn’t (an important foundational concept of copyright law is that, although works are copyrightable, the underlying facts and ideas aren’t). Except now that set of facts is put through their lens, and that will define the first draft that machines reuse. Will the answer be inadequate and incomplete? Probably. But as use of AI increases, it’ll be what most interpret as the truth.
That’s why I think framing AI blocking as an existential dilemma kind of misses the point. Blocking AI from indexing your content means blocking yourself from having a say in what a rapidly expanding portion of the world counts as truth. A publisher prioritizing GEO means finding the value in what can’t be captured by traditional metrics like traffic and time on site. Victory in the new battleground of the AI summary will be measured by a different set of criteria: citations in AI answers, influence on narratives, and long-tail impact on trust and authority.
Shaping truth at scale
None of this is to say publishers should just let the AI companies crawl as much as they want and settle for no compensation. If anything, measuring and showing that your content is the source of consensus is hard proof of how valuable the content is. Lawsuits naturally focus on consent, copyright, and compensation, but the rise of GEO reveals what’s really being contested: Who gets to shape meaning at scale.
Demonstrating how specific content influences AI answers is currently a challenge, but that’s about to change. Led by marketers, PR agencies, and brands, there’s a strong push to better understand GEO and how strategies around content, technical factors, and communication can help AI take notice of certain narratives over others. Like SEO, it will always be more art than science, but by this time next year I suspect the field of GEO won’t look nearly so nascent.
On top of that, AI will be an even bigger informational gatekeeper than it is today. Litigation over compensation is important and necessary, but it shouldn’t keep the media from competing to be included in the new crucible where truth is formed. Journalists may no longer control the interfaces where people get information, but they still control the facts. Asserting that role in an AI world doesn’t mean you stop fighting for a better one.
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A massive 243-kilogram (535-pound) bluefin tuna sold for a record 510 million yen ($3.2 million) at the first auction of 2026 at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market.The top bidder for the prized tuna at the predawn auction on Monday was Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura, who has won the annual action many times in the past, broke the previous record of 334 million yen ($2.1 million) he set in 2019.Kimura later told reporters he was hoping to pay a bit less for it, but “the price shot up before you knew it.”The auction started when the bell rang, and the floor was filled with torpedo-shaped fish with their tails cut off so bidders could examine meat details such as color, texture and fattiness while walking around the rows of tuna.The pricey fish was caught off the coast of Oma in northern Japan, a region widely regarded for producing some of the country’s finest tuna, and costs 2.1 million yen ($13,360) per kilogram ($6,060 per pound).“It’s in part for good luck,” Kimura said. “But when I see a good looking tuna, I cannot resist I haven’t sampled it yet, but it’s got to be delicious.”Hundreds of tuna are sold daily at the early morning auction, but prices are significantly higher than usual for the Oma tuna, especially at the celebratory New Year auction.Due to the popularity of tuna for sushi and sashimi, Pacific bluefin tuna was previously a threatened species due to climate change and overfishing, but its stock is recovering following conservation efforts.
Associated Press
With the start of the New Year squarely behind us, it’s once again time for the annual CES trade show to shine a spotlight on the latest tech that companies plan to offer in 2026.The multiday event, organized by the Consumer Technology Association, kicks off this week in Las Vegas, where advances across industries like robotics, healthcare, vehicles, wearables, gaming and more are set to be on display.Artificial intelligence will be anchored in nearly everything, again, as the tech industry explores offerings consumers will want to buy. AI industry heavyweight Jensen Huang will be taking the stage to showcase Nvidia’s latest productivity solutions, and AMD CEO Lisa Su will keynote to “share her vision for delivering future AI solutions.” Expect AI to come up in other keynotes, like from Lenovo’s CEO, Yuanqing Yang.The AI industry is tackling issues in healthcare, with a particular emphasis on changing individual health habits to treat conditions such as Beyond Medicine’s prescription app focused on a particular jaw disorder or addressing data shortages in subjects such as breast milk production.Expect more unveils around domestic robots too. Korean tech giant LG already has announced it will show off a helper bot named “CLOiD,” to handle a range of household tasks. Hyundai also is announcing a major push on robotics and manufacturing advancements. Extended reality, basically a virtual training ground for robots and other physical AI, is also in the buzz around CES.In 2025, more than 141,000 attendees from over 150 countries, regions, and territories attended CES. Organizers expect around the same numbers for this year’s show, with more than 3,500 exhibitors across the floor space this week.The AP spoke with CTA Executive Chair and CEO Gary Shapiro about what to expect for CES 2026. The conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
What are the main themes we can expect this week?
Well, we have a lot at this year’s show.Obviously, using AI in a way that makes sense for people. We’re seeing a lot in robotics. More robots and humanoid-looking robots than we’ve ever had before.We also see longevity in health, there’s a lot of focus on that. All sorts of wearable devices for almost every part of the body. Technology is answering healthcare’s gaps very quickly and that’s great for everyone.Mobility is big with not only self-driving vehicles but also with boats and drones and all sorts of other ways of getting around. That’s very important.And of course, content creation is always very big.Is 2026 the year we finally see humanoid robots in people’s homes?You are seeing humanoid robots right now. It sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t.But yes, there are more and more humanoid robots. And when we talk about CES five, 10, 15, 20 years now, we’re going to see an even larger range of humanoid robots.Obviously, last year we saw a great interest in them. The number one product of the show was a little robotic dog that seems so life-like and fun, and affectionate for people that need that type of affection.But of course, the humanoid robots are just one aspect of that industry. There’s a lot of specialization in robot creation, depending on what you want the robot to do. And robots can do many things that humans can’t.
Will we start seeing more innovative use of AI tools in entertainment?
AI is the future of creativity.Certainly AI itself may be arguably creative, but the human mind is so unique that you definitely get new ideas that way. So I think the future is more of a hybrid approach, where content creators are working with AI to craft variations on a theme or to better monetize what they have to a broader audience.
Any interesting AI-powered devices or services that consumers will want to buy?
We’re seeing all sorts of different devices that are implementing AI. But we have a special focus at this show, for the first time, on the disability community. Verizon set this whole stage up where we have all different ways of taking this technology and having it help people with disabilities and older people.
Are you concerned about a potential AI bubble?
Well, there’s definitely no bubble when it comes to what AI can do. And what AI can do is perform miracles and solve fundamental human problems in food production and clean air and clean water. Obviously in healthcare, it’s gonna be overwhelming.But this was like the internet itself. There was a lot of talk about a bubble, and there actually was a bubble. The difference is that in late 1990s there were basically were no revenue models. Companies were raising a lot of money with no plans for revenue.These AI companies have significant revenues today, and companies are investing in it.What I’m more concerned about, honestly, is not Wall Street and a bubble. Others can be concerned about that. I’m concerned about getting enough energy to process all that AI. And at this show, for the first time, we have a Korean company showing the first ever small-scale nuclear-powered energy creation device. We expect more and more of these people rushing to fill this gap because we need the energy, we need it clean and we need a kind of all-of-the-above slution.
Shawn Chen, AP Technology Editor
Is cable television truly dead? The markets are about to test the hypothesis.
Shares of Versant Media Group began trading on the Nasdaq Monday under the ticker symbol VSNT, effectively completing Versant’s spinoff from parent company Comcast Corporation.
Versant comprises a bundle of cable television networks and similar digital businesses, with notable properties including MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), CNBC, USA Network, Golf Channel, Oxygen, E!, and SYFY.
It also includes online platforms such as Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine.
Peacock, the popular streaming service owned by NBCUniversal, will remain under the Comcast umbrella, as will the NBC broadcast network and the cable channel Bravo.
How is Versant performing on its first trading day?
Before trading commenced on Monday, Versant shares were trading at $46.65. Shares had been offered as when-issued stocks on December 15 for $55 per share.
In early trading on Monday, Versant stock fell more than 12% shortly after the markets opened. The stock was trading at under $41 a share as of this writing.
Versant is going public at a time when cable television subscriptions are at a multi-year low, challenged by online streaming services. A report from S&P Global, published in December, found that traditional cable subscriptions peaked way back in 2012 at more than 101 million American households.
Last year, penetration levels were less than half of that.
There have been recent glimmers of hope, however: During the third quarter of 2025, pay TV operators actually added more than 300,000 subscribers, the first net gain in eight years, when 318,000 new net subscribers were added during the third quarter of 2017, according to a research report from MoffettNathanson.
“Scale, strategy, and leadership”
Mark Lazarus, Versants CEO, says he is optimistic about the new company’s future. “As a standalone company, we enter the market with the scale, strategy and leadership to grow and evolve our business model,” Lazarus said in a statement to Fast Company.
Versant’s stock will be closely watched by media investors who are awaiting the fate of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which last month agreed to be acquired by Netflix.
That deal does not include WBD’s cable networks, which include CNN, TNT, and many others, and which are expected to be spun off into their own company. However, rival Paramount Skydance has been aggressively pursuing the entire company with hostile takeover bids.
When the conservative TV network Newsmax went public last year, shares initially topped $265 at the beginning of April. But as of January 5, they are trading at less than $8.
Versants spinoff from Comcast was originally announced back in November 2024. A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) showed that during 2024, Versants assets generated more than $7 billion in revenue, which was a decline from the two previous years.
In his reflections on the 2025 Wall Street Journal CEO Council summit held in December, WSJ Leadership Institute president Alan Murray noted that CEOs are not actually preoccupied with AI, tariffs, or geopolitics. Instead, theyre focused on something far more fundamental: people and culture. How do you build an organization that can adapt, collaborate, and innovate amid persistent volatility?
That instinct is correct. Yet one of the most effective tools for strengthening culture and developing talent remains surprisingly underusedskills-based volunteering (SBV).
In a world shaped by geopolitical conflict, climate disruptions, pandemic aftershocks, and unpredictable supply chains, companies need employees who can navigate complexity with creativity and resilience. Skills-based volunteering is a proven, powerful way to build those capabilities while contributing meaningfully to communities and giving employees the purposeful work they crave. SBV is unlocking the next wave in talent potential and catalyzing the workforce of the future.
WHY SBV DESERVES MORE CORPORATE ATTENTION
SBV matches employees professional expertise with community-based organizations needs. Its impact goes well beyond traditional volunteering, to include:
1. Leadership development and creative problem solvingWorking with nonprofits and social enterprisesoften in resource-limited or rapidly changing environmentsexposes employees to new perspectives and teaches agility, systems thinking, and cooperation across differences. These are the exact qualities CEOs describe as essential, but are difficult to cultivate internally.
2. Strengthens culture and engagementEmployees increasingly seek meaningful work and a sense of purpose. SBV offers both. It reconnects teams to shared values, supports well-being, and fosters belonging at a time when engagement across industries remains low.
3. Produces multi-layered returnNonprofits and other host organizations benefit from much-needed skills and networks. Communities receive unprecedented support and critical insights. Employees grow professionally and personally. Companies advance ESG commitments while enhancing their cultures. Few corporate initiatives produce value across so many dimensions.
4. Builds cross-sector fluencyFrom climate resilience to healthcare access to food security to digital equity, the next decade of business challenges will require collaboration across government, civil society, and industry. SBV gives employees practical experience navigating those intersections, a form of strategic literacy that will soon be indispensable.
This is why companies across industriesfrom technology and finance to logistics and manufacturinghave integrated SBV into their leadership and culture strategies.
A GLOBAL CONTEXT
Two developments underscore the timeliness of SBV. The first is that the United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.
Although not a major campaign, the initiative still signals a broader recognition that volunteer-driven actionespecially skills-based engagementis essential for achieving the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. Companies that embrace SBV now will be better positioned to contribute meaningfully to that global effort.
Second, each January, the World Economic Forum in Davos convenes leaders to tackle the worlds most pressing challenges.
Davos is built around the search for solutions. SBV is a solution already available: a practical mechanism for aligning business capability with community needs, strengthening culture while improving outcomes for society. If even a portion of the companies gathering there committed to a coordinated SBV effort, the impact could be immediate and globally resonant. SBV is a practical, proven way to build the resilient, purpose-driven cultures companies say they want while contributing to the broader stability and well-being the world urgently needs.
A NOTEWORTHY SBV DEVELOPMENT
Against this global backdrop, two organizations known for advancing SBVPyxera Global (my organization) and Common Impactannounced that we are uniting our efforts. This alliance is designed to accelerate the work both have been doing for decades.
We will retain our brands and long-standing relationships, but integrate strategically to help companies deploy SBV more effectively at a time when the need is acute. Our alignment reflects a broader shift occurring across the social impact sector: moving from fragmented initiatives to more collaborative, systems-oriented approaches.
Our work also extends beyond SBV into partnerships focused on climate action, circular supply chains, economic opportunity and digital inclusionfurther evidence that cross-sector partnership is becoming an essential strategy for addressing complex global challenges.
THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
Alan Murray is right: The central challenge facing CEOs is not technological but human. Yet culture doesnt transform through messaging campaigns or structural reorganizations. It transforms through experiencesthrough opportunities that deepen empathy, expand perspective, and develop new skills.
Skills-based volunteering offers exactly that. The companies that embrace it now will be better equipped to navigate the challenges ahead, and to help solve them.
Deirdre White is CEO of Pyxera Global.
Hollywood kicked off 2026 with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” atop the box office for the third straight week and with hopes for a blockbuster-filled year after a disappointing 2025.In three weeks of release, “Fire and Ash” has cleared $1 billion worldwide. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday.“Fire and Ash” is doing its biggest business overseas; it’s grossed $777.1 million internationally thus far. The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday trumped the $1 billion milestone as “cementing another monumental achievement for James Cameron’s groundbreaking franchise.”But over the holidays, it wasn’t just about the weekend ticket sales. The whole week was a lucrative one for Hollywood, with most schools still out. What drove ticket sales, beyond “Avatar”? Sydney Sweeney, Timothée Chalamet and “Zootopia 2.”The most sustained success over the holiday collider in theaters belonged to a movie that opened all the way back in November. Yet Disney’s “Zootopia 2” has had remarkable staying power. It landed in second place with $19 million, dipping a mere 4% from the previous weekend.The animated sequel has amassed $1.59 billion in six weeks. That makes “Zootopia 2” Disney’s second highest grossing animated movie ever, trailing only 2019’s photorealistic “The Lion King” ($1.66 billion).“The Housemaid,” the twisty thriller starring Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, also emerged as a holiday-season hit for Lionsgate. It collected $14.9 million over the weekend, giving it $75.7 million domestically over three weeks. It dipped only 3% from last weekend. Internationally, “The Housemaid,” which cost a modest $35 million to make, has added $57.3 million.Just as Sweeney’s star power is propelling “The Housemaid,” so is Chalamet’s with “Marty Supreme.” The A24 release also held well in its third weekend, grossing an estimated $12.6 million. After two weeks of wide release, Josh Safdie’s frenetic table tennis tale has grossed $56 million in North America, passing the director’s previous film, “Uncut Gems” ($50 million worldwide).Just about everything playing in theaters saw small drops from the previous weekend. Sony’s action comedy “Anaconda,” starring Jack Black and Paul Rudd, dipped 31% to collect $10 million in second weekend. Focus Features’ “Song Sung Blue” dropped only 17% in its second weekend with $5.9 million. The Hugh Jackman-Kate Hudson Neil Diamond cover band movie has earned $25 million domestically.With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and a wide variety of smaller hits, Hollywood started 2026 strongly. Overall sales were up 26.5% from the same weekend in 2025, according to data firm Comscore.The movie industry is coming off a poor 2025, where domestic moviegoing continued to slide. U.S. and Canada ticket sales in 2025 amounted to $8.9 billion, a 2% increase from the year earlier, according to Comscore, but about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. That slight improvement was notably less than anticipated and was also boosted by higher ticket prices. Actual tickets sold declined from more than 800 million in 2024 to around 780 million in 2025.The industry is now awaiting a potentially seismic shift with Warner Bros., one of the most theatrical-friendly studios, agreeing to sell to Netflix. That $83 billion deal awaits regulatory approval.Yet studios are cautiously optimistic 2026 could be the best box-office year of the decade. A release slate filled with marquee franchises, including new “Toy Story,” “Avengers,” “Spider-Man,” “Super Mario Bros” and “Dune” movies, has raised hopes of a turnaround.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
“Avatar: Fire and Ash,” $40 million.
“Zootopia 2,” $19 million.
“The Housemaid,” $14.9 million.
“Marty Supreme,” $12.6 million.
“Anaconda,” $10 million.
“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” $8.2 million.
“David,” $8 million.
“Song Sung Blue,” $5.9 million.
“Wicked: For Good,” $3.3 million.
“Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” $2.7 million.
Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
J. Crew just revealed its apparel collection with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Its an ode to retro ski aesthetics that even the most amateur athlete (or viewer) can get behind.
The 26-piece collection, which includes everything from graphic sweatshirts and refined knitwear to ball caps, wool socks, and cozy leggings, is the first installment of J. Crews three-year-long partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, announced in March. Prices for the entire J.Crew U.S. Ski & Snowboard collection range from $49.50 to $498. It will be available online and in select J. Crew stores starting January 8.
Each product collection is inspired by vintage logos and archival Olympic patches, blending touches of sportiness with laid-back, aprs-ski leisure. To package that aesthetic with this first launch, J. Crew has created an advertising campaign called Alpine People, featuring members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team in a lighthearted spot that feels like Wes Anderson dropped onto the slopes in the ’70s.
[Photo: Courtesy of J. Crew]
Its a refreshing approach to Olympic-branded gear, which has been most closely associated with Ralph Laurens buttoned-up take on Americana aesthetics since that brand started designing Team USAs ceremony outfits in 2008. Where Ralph Laurens Team USA collection for the 2026 Games has a more polished, preppy vibe, J. Crews collection feels both effortlessly casual and aspirationala balance that can be tricky to achieve in a sport with a reputation for elitism.
Vintage references offer a new route into chalet core
In recent months, weve seen other brands put their own spin on ski apparel, including Nike x Jacquemuss futurism-meets-80s Aprs Ski collection, launched in late November, and North Face x Skims sporty, neutral-chic line, launched in early December. J. Crews interpretation, with its charmingly retro design and loungewear focus, feels like the best collection for hunkering down in a chalet with a hot beverage, even if youve never put on a set of skis in your life.
To conceptualize the new skiing collection, J. Crews team started by consulting archival imagery of both ski apparel brands and Olympic games past.
“We spent a lot of time immersed in the archives, both our own and U.S. Ski & Snowboards,” says Olympia Gayot, J. Crews creative director of womens and childrens design. “We traveled to their headquarters and poured through historic imagery of the team and past Olympic moments, everything from old uniforms and outerwear to pins, patches, and ephemera that captured the spirit of different eras of the sport.”
Details like the collections recurring red, white, and blue stripes and U.S. Skiing” shield patch have a clear tie to vintage Olympic patches, which often featured the same color scheme and motiftypically alongside imagery like a torch, the Olympic rings, and, for skiing events, an illustration of an athlete descending the slopes.
[Photo: Courtesy of J. Crew]
Dynamic athlete illustrations star in their own right across multiple items in this collection. One sleek line drawing shows a skier zooming down the slopes, which features on a comfy graphic tee and crew neck; as well as another of an athlete with their skis crossed mid-jump.
“While we always start with our archives and brand DNA, the real inspiration for this collection comes from the sport itself, the skiers, the Olympics, and the energy of elite athletes,” Gayot says.
Typographic call backs to American ski resorts of yesteryear
The whole J. Crew Olympic skiing collection, and its accompanying campaign, is tied together by an ultra-70s sans serif typeface, complete with blocky letterforms, bold curves, and a funky combination of caps and lowercase letters. Examples of this typeface appear in the apparel collection almost everywhere theres lettering, as well as in the bright yellow, Wes Anderson-style captions that appear on the Alpine People campaign video.
The typeface callsback to similar styles used in vintage ski apparel and destinations, including the Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, which once had a groovy wordmark with a near-identical look.
“Youll see the vintage references reinterpreted in a way that feels timeless but also unique for this moment,” Gayot says. “Those elements show up across the collection as embroidered patches, knit-in graphics, and printed details, creating a through line that connects the heritage of both brands to the pieces in a way that feels thoughtful, nostalgic, and distinctly our own.”
The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded when competition begins in less than a month.This will be the most spread-out Winter Games in history: The two primary competition sites are the city of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the winter resort in the Dolomites that is more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) away by road. Athletes also will compete in three other mountain clusters besides Cortina, while the closing ceremony will be in Verona, 160 km (100 miles) east of Milan.Get ready for all of the events with this guide of things to know!
Key dates to know
Competition runs Feb. 4-22. Here are some of the big days to mark on your calendar:Feb. 4: Competition begins (curling).Feb. 6: Opening ceremony.Feb. 7: First gold medal events.Feb. 8: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing downhill.Feb. 13: Gold medal, men’s figure skating.Feb. 18: Gold medal, women’s Alpine skiing slalom.Feb. 19: Gold medal, women’s figure skating. Gold medal game, women’s ice hockey. First gold medals in ski mountaineering, a new Olympic sport.Feb. 22: Gold medal game, men’s ice hockey. Closing ceremony.
How to watch
Dozens of countries will stream or air each day’s events, with some delaying broadcasts until primetime depending on the time zone. That will be the case in the U.S., where Eastern time is six hours behind Milan and Cortina. NBC will carry showcase events at night while streaming sports on Peacock.
Top storylines
Athletes to watch: Two of the most decorated Alpine skiers in history, 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, opened the World Cup season in dominant form, raising American hopes of a golden run in Cortina. Eileen Gu is back in freestyle skiing, as is Chloe Kim in snowboarding. NHL players are back on Olympic ice for the first time since 2014 so watch for the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid.Venues: All eyes are on the hockey arenas in Milan, which were still under construction in December; the main rink will be about 3 feet shorter than NHL and PWHL players are used to. And the athletes’ village in Cortina is a set of more than 350 mobile homes.Russian athletes: Some sports federations are deciding whether to let Russians compete as neutral athletes but only after they are cleared by an independent review to ensure that they have not publicly supported the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated with Russia’s military or other forces.What’s new: Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut while skeleton has added a mixed team event, luge has added women’s doubles and large hill ski jumping added women’s and men’s super team events.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Associated Press
If you’ve been noticing that cobalt-hued water bottles have started to pop up everywhere you’re not alone. The water has recently made an appearance on shelves at major retailers including Whole Foods and 7-Eleven, starred in viral social media videos created by fitness influencer Ashton Hall, adorned on tables at the Golden Globes, and beginning this week, will star in a fresh new advertising campaign featuring WNBA point guard Skylar Diggins.
All of these marketing efforts represent a more expansive pitch by Saratoga Spring Water that the brands premium-priced water isnt just for fine dining– which has been the brands core focus for the past several years — it’s for everyone.
From fine dining to cultural signal
We have an opportunity to speak to a lot more people than I think we thought we did, says Kheri Tillman, chief marketing officer of Saratogas parent company Primo Brands, in an interview with Fast Company. Consumers love the blue bottle and want to engage with it in many different places, as opposed to just fine dining. Its a bit of an affordable luxury.
Saratogas total points of distribution has swelled by 69% during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the prior-year period, the brand told Fast Company, citing data from market researcher Circana.
While partnerships with Michelin-starred chefs like Buddha Lo are still important, Saratoga felt it had room to stretch to a wider audience and has done so through a pop-up speakeasy at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles held in November, a brand partnership with BMX star Nigel Sylvester, and water-food pairings at fancy restaurants developed with water sommelier Martin Riese.
It creates, dare I use a water pun, fluidity between the partners, says Christi Lazar, head of The Lab, the in-house creative agency at Primo Brands that vets external partnerships. She says the throughline through each of these relationships is a connection to water that feels as authentic as possible.
A new face for a broader audience
The brands next big new moment is an ad campaign starring Diggins, which debuts on January 5 just days before the Golden Globes, an event that Saratoga sponsors as its official water. The ad spot will run across broadcast television; Instagram, TikTok and other paid social channels; and print titles including paid social channels including Instagram and TikTok, and print titles including Vogue and Travel + Leisure.
[Photo: Primo Brands]
Skylar was really interesting, because she was this great mashup of super high-end, with a great look that you would expect from Saratoga, but then also just this every day work, hard grit that you would need to be to be a professional athlete, as well as a mother, says Tillman.
Diggins tells Fast Company that the campaign is a good fit for her own brand because obviously, as an athlete, hydration is extremely important. But, she adds that the campaign, which ends with Diggins appearing in front of flashing paparazzi cameras on a bluenot redcarpet appearance, represented her life off the court thats more style, elegance, and how I like to dress.
Letting virality do the work
The viral moment with Hall skewed more male. Tillman says that Saratoga opted to allow that cultural moment to play out without any interference from the brand. You cant plan a viral moment, but what you can do is make your brand relevant enough, to certain people, to make them want to have it by their side, says Tillman. Primo Brands says it grew the companys audience on Instagram by 77% in 2025.
Primo Brands is a relatively new entity, formed late in 2024 through the combination of Primo Waters, whose brands included Mountain Valley and Crystal Springs, and BlueTriton, the water purveyor of Saratoga, Deer Park, and Poland Spring.
[Photo: Primo Brands]
The combined company now sells one out of every four plain water bottles in the U.S., according to beverage industry publication Beverage Digest, easily making Primo Brands the most dominant seller of branded plain bottled water. Private label plain bottle water accounts for 62% of the market, while soda giants Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Keurig Dr Pepper are all in the single-digits, Beverage Digests data shows.
Premium waters crowded next chapter
Duane Stanford, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, tells Fast Company that premium-priced water brands like Saratoga and Smartwater have reported growth thats outpaced the total plain bottled water industry, which in total reported a volume increase of 27% over the past decade through 2024.
Saratoga, he says, elevated the brands positioning through a focus on distribution to fine dining restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality channels. They made a conscious effort to do a lot more with that brand and premiumize it and take advantage of that blue bottle, adds Stanford.
Primo Brands says that the companys premium portfolio, which includes Saratoga and The Mountain Valley Spring Water, posted a 126% increase in retail sales for the first 11 months of 2025 versus the same period a year ago, citing retail scan data from Circana.
But the category is competitive and rival brands have also rolled out major ad campaigns in 2025. Coca-Colas Smartwater reunited with pitchwoman Jennifer Aniston for a new campaign as macroeconomic pressures have dampened some demand for pricy water. Around the same time, ival Sanpellegrino, which is owned by Nestle, debuted an ad spot with The Sopranos stars Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa.
Primo Brands has also leaned on celebrities for its advertising, including the Saratoga-Diggins spot and an advertising campaign starring Perfect Pitch actresses Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson to promote the Splash Refresher brand.
Tillman says it is key for Primo Brands to differentiate the marketing strategy for the glass adorned Saratoga and Mountain Valley from the regional water brands like Poland Spring and Deer Park, a portfolio of six names that focus on more hyperlocalized marketing and particularly leverage a sponsorship with Major League Baseball. Some of those brands are big sellersPoland Springs is a billion dollar brand thats only sold in six statesbut, the intention is to keep them regional, says Tillman.
Saratogas fine dining efforts are also continuing through the work the brand does with Riese, a German-born water expert who created his first menu to explain regional variations and flavor in his home country in 2005. When it comes to water, our most important beverage on this planet, were treating it as a commodity, Riese tells Fast Company.
He works with restaurants like Gwen, the Los Angeles Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Curtis Stone, to cultivate a water menu with selections from nine different countries, including Fiji from the Fiji Islands and Frances Evian. Saratogas sparking water has enough fizz that it can be enjoyed with appetizers as a champagne replacement, says Riese, who works with Primo Brands as a paid partner.
I dont see water as hydration, says Riese. And I think, especially here in America, a lot of people don’t understand and don’t know it yet, that there’s an epicurean side to water.
President Donald Trump’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and ask American companies to revitalize it after capturing President Nicolás Maduro in a raid isn’t likely to have a significant immediate impact on oil prices.Venezuela’s oil industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and international sanctions, so it could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts are optimistic that Venezuela could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million barrels of oil a day to return to historic levels fairly quickly.“While many are reporting Venezuela’s oil infrastructure was unharmed by U.S. military actions, it has been decaying for many many years and will take time to rebuild,” said Patrick De Haan, who is the lead petroleum analyst at gasoline price tracker GasBuddy.American oil companies will want a stable regime in the country before they are willing to invest heavily, and the political picture remained uncertain Saturday with Trump saying that the United States is in charge while the current Venezuelan vice president argued, before Venezuela’s high court ordered her to assume the role of interim president, that Maduro should be restored to power.“But if it seems like the U.S. is successful in running the country for the next 24 hours, I would say there would be a lot of optimism that U.S. energy companies could come in and revitalize the Venezuelan oil industry fairly quickly,” said Phil Flynn, a senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group.And if Venezuela can grow into an oil production powerhouse, Flynn said “that could cement lower prices for the longer term” and put more pressure on Russia.Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said oil companies are “going to go in and rebuild this system.”A major shift in oil prices wasn’t expected because Venezuela is a member of OPEC, so its production is already accounted for there. And there is currently a surplus of oil on the global market.The price of U.S. crude oil lost 23 cents early Monday to $57.09 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 18 cents to $60.57 per barrel.
Proven reserves
Venezuela is known to have the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves of approximately 303 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That accounts for roughly 17% of all global oil reserves.So international oil companies have reason to be interested in Venezuela. Exxon Mobil didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.ConocoPhillips spokesperson Dennis Nuss said by email that the company “is monitoring developments in Venezuela and their potential implications for global energy supply and stability. It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments.”Chevron is the only one with significant operations in Venezuela, where it produces about 250,000 barrels a day. Chevron, which first invested in Venezuela in the 1920s, does business in the country through joint ventures with the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA.“Chevron remains focused on the safety and wellbeing of our employees, as well as the integrity of our assets. We continue to operate in full compliance with all relevant laws and regulations,” Chevron spokesman Bill Turenne said.But even with those massive reserves, Venezuela has been producing less than 1% of the world’s crude oil supply. Corruption, mismanagement and U.S. economic sanctions saw production steadily decline from the 3.5 million barrels per day pumped in 1999 to today’s levels.The problem isn’t finding the oil. It’s a question of the political environment and whether companies can count on the government to live up to their contracts. Back in 2007, then President Hugo Chávez nationalized much of the oil production and forced major players like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips out.“The issue is not just that the infrastructure is in bad shape, but it’s mostly about how do you get foreign companies to start pouring money in before they have a clear perspective on the political stability, the contract situation and the like,” said Francisco Monaldi, who is the director of the Latin American energy program at Rice University.But the infrastructure does need significant investment.“The estimate is that in order for Venezuela to increase from one million barrels per day that is what it produces today to four million barrels, it will take about a decade and about a hundred billion dollars of investment,” Monaldi said.
Strong demand
Venezuela produces the kind of heavy crude oil that’s needed for diesel fuel, asphalt and other fuels for heavy equipment. Diesel is in short supply around the world because of the sanctions on oil from Venezuela and Russia and because America’s lighter crude oil can’t easily replace it.Years ago, American refineries on the Gulf Coast were optimized to handle that kind of heavy crude at a time when U.S. oil production was falling and Venezuelan and Mexican crude was plentiful. So refineries would love to have more access to Venezuela’s crude because it would help them operate more efficiently, and it tends to be a little cheaper.Boosting Venezuelan production could also make it easier to put pressure on Russia because Europe and the rest of the world could get more of the diesel and heavy oil they need from Venezuela and stop buying from Russia.“There’s been a big benefit for Russia to see Venezuela’s oil industry collapse. And the reason is because they were a competitor on the global stage for that oil market,” Flynn said.
Complicated legal picture
But Matthew Waxman, a Columbia University law professor who was a national security official in the George W. Bush administration, said seizing control of Venezuela’s resources opens up additional legal issues.“For example, a big issue will be who really owns Venezuela’s oil?” Waxman wrote in an email. “An occupying military power can’t enrich itself by taking another state’s resources, but the Trump administration will probably claim that the Venezuelan government never rightfully held them.”But Waxman, who served in the State and Defense departments and on the National Security Council under Bush, noted that “we’ve seen the administration talk very dismissively about international law when it comes to Venezuela.”
Associated Press writers Matt O’Brien, Ben Finley, Darlene Superville and Rio Yamat contributed to this report.
Josh Funk, AP Business Writer
