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President Donald Trump responded to this weekend’s massive No Kings protests with an AI-generated video of him in a fighter jet, dropping what appears to be sewage (or poop) on American protesters, and told reporters on Sunday that the nearly 7 million people who attended the nationwide rallies “are not representative of the people of our country.” “The regime can’t decide if this was a violent insurrection or if it was such a bust that it never happened, but regardless, Trump is clearly pissed,” Ezra Levin, co-executive director of the protest’s organizing group, Indivisible, said in a statement emailed to Fast Company. In that 19-second video, which Trump posted on Truth Social, the president of the United States is pictured riding in the cockpit of a fighter plane, wearing a crown, in what appears to be a nod to the movie Top Gun as its iconic “Danger Zone” song by Kenny Loggins plays in the background. Loggins requested his music be removed immediately, according to Rolling Stone. This is an unauthorized use of my performance of Danger Zone, Loggins said in a statement. Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied . . . I cant imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance took to Bluesky in what also appeared to be an attempt to mock the protests, posting a black-and-white AI-generated meme of Trump wearing a crown and pulling out a shiny sword, as former House Speaker and current U.S. representative Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats bend down on one knee to him. (Some critics have said Trump and Vance’s posts only prove the protesters point that he is, in fact, acting like a King.) It’s not the first time this administration has used generative AI to mock Democrats. Amid the government shutdown, Trump posted a deepfake video on Truth Social with doctored audio of Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer saying, nobody likes Democrats, we have no voters because of our woke, trans b-shit,” and standing next to House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had a fake mustache and was wearing a fake sombrero. And according to NBC News, Trump has posted dozens of such AI-generated videos to his Truth Social account since the beginning of his second term, half of which appeared in August and September. Those videos came from other accounts and were then promoted by Trump. Looking back even further, to his campaign, Trump also posted on Truth Social a fake AI-generated image of musician Taylor Swift endorsing him for president along with other such “Swifties for Trump” memes. The original image depicted Swift as Uncle Sam, and read, Taylor wants you to vote for Joe Biden. The singer said Trump’s meme inspired her to endorse Kamala Harris for president.
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E-Commerce
Apple stock just soared to an all-time high, and it might be thanks to the new iPhone 17. On October 20, Apple shares (NASDAQ: AAPL) surged to more than $264 apiece, topping out their last peak at $258.10 in December 2024. As of this writing, the company is trading up 8% since the start of the year and more than 11% year-over-year. The spike appears to be a reaction to a study published today by the technology market research firm Counterpoint. According to the report, the iPhone 17 series has outsold the iPhone 16 series by 14% in its first 10 days of availability in the U.S. and China. While the numbers are not yet official (Apple is expected to share more details in its fourth-quarter earnings report on October 30), investors appear to be optimistic about the companys current trajectory. Why is Apple stock soaring? The iPhone 17 series, which was unveiled on September 9 and debuted for purchase 10 days later, is one of the companys most significant product launches of the past several years. It includes the base model iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the new iPhone Air, Apples skinniest iPhone ever. Several key software and hardware updates have been made across the iPhone 17 suite. These include ProMotion, which offers smoother on-screen motion through a higher refresh rate; a 48-megapixel ultrawide camera; increased storage and charging speeds; an improved chip; and a sturdier glass called Ceramic Shield 2. Counterpoints report found that, so far, the iPhone 17 base model is driving the launchs success in the U.S. and China, with sell-out up nearly one-third compared to the iPhone 16 series launch in 2024. This model is performing particularly well in China. The base model iPhone 17 is very compelling to consumers, offering great value for money, Mengmeng Zhang, a senior analyst at Counterpoint, said in a press release. A better chip, improved display, higher base storage, selfie camera upgradeall for the same price as last years iPhone 16. In the U.S., the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the model thats seen the highest spike in demand, a trend that Counterpoints analysts attribute to deals offered by T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. Reached by Fast Company, Counterpoint declined to share specific sales numbers from the iPhone 17 series thus far. In a note to clients on October 20, Loop Capital senior analyst Ananda Baruah cautioned clients that todays share spike is baking in some degree of outperformance from AAPLs iPhone 17 family of products. Still, he added, we believe there remains material upside to Street expectations through CY2027.
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E-Commerce
In a stunt thats surely destined for Netflix adaptation, this weekend a group of thieves broke into the Louvre in broad daylight and stole nine pieces of priceless jewelry in less than seven minutes. Prediction markets are already betting on whether the robbers will be caught. Prediction markets, including popular sites like Polymarket and Kalshi, are platforms dedicated to betting on current events including elections, sports events, and even cultural moments. In the past, they’ve been used to gamble on the next pope, the incoming editor of Vogue, and even whether the Coldplaygate couple would each get a divorce. Now, as French police desperately search for the whereabouts of the missing jewelry, armchair experts on these sites are looking to turn their own profits by intensely speculating on whether the thieves are destined for justice. Most betters think it’s not a question of if the perpetrators get caught, but whenand they’re casting votes for the most likely date of their arrests. What was stolen from the Louvre? The heist took place at about 9:30 a.m. on October 19. According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez in an interview with the AP, the crew accessed the museums Apollo Gallery via a basket lift, cut its window panes with a glass cutter, grabbed the jewels, and fled on motorbikes. French media is currently reporting that two perpetrators were dressed in yellow safety vests on the lift, while another two were each waiting on a scooter (though authorities are still investigating and have not confirmed these details). The jewelry that was lifted included a diadem worn by Empress Eugénie featuring nearly 2,000 diamonds and more than 200 pearls; an emerald necklace and earrings gifted by Napoleon to his second wife Marie-Louise; and a diamond-and-sapphire jewelry set worn by multiple different queens. Despite successfully making off with some high-priced jewels, the robbers left one rather large breadcrumb in their wake: According to Frances culture ministry, Eugénies ornate gold crown was found lying outside the Louvre. Tobias Kormind, managing director of the jeweler 77 Diamonds, told the AP that its unlikely the stolen jewels will ever be seen again. Professional crews often break down and re-cut large, recognizable stones to evade detection, effectively erasing their provenance, he added. How prediction markets are responding On Kalshi, the question, Will the Louvre Crown Jewel thieves face charges this year? has amassed a nearly $11,000 bidding pool as of this writing. The most popular option among bidders so far is Before 2026, with 60% of the pool, followed by Before December with 37%, and, finally, Before November with 16%. Voters on Polymarket are betting within a much smaller time frame. The question, Will any Louvre heist robbers be arrested by…? has attracted more than $65,000 in betting volume, with the three top options being October 20, October 24, and October 31. Currently, betters have signaled a 2% chance of arrest by October 20, a 14% chance by October 24, and a 25% chance by October 31.
Category:
E-Commerce
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