G.R.W.M. (that’s “get ready with me”) for a major change in the social commerce landscape, because the pending TikTok ban in the United States could be make-or-break for all the brands that have built their following on the platform.…
The shift toward digital channels in financial services shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by the latest earnings results from incumbent banks and financial services providers. During the first quarter, Bank of America logged a…
In a lab in London, a new generation of avatars is learning to smile, frown and wink — not just as programmed, but in response to human emotions conveyed through text. Backed by Nvidia, Synthesia’s latest creation aims to mimic and deeply…
In a meeting that underscores the European Union’s ongoing scrutiny of the tech industry, Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust chief, held discussions with representatives from the French artificial intelligence (AI) firm Mistral AI on…
The global smart cities landscape is evolving, driven by the fusion of urbanization and technological advancements. This transformative shift is underscored by the recent release of the “2024 Smart City Index,” a collaborative effort…
Despite the moniker attached to their segment, small businesses loom large in the American economy. And with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrating National Small Business Week starting Sunday (April 28), the staying…
Consumers are using mobile wallets more, but it is taking a while for them to grow accustomed to utilizing the technology to pay in stores, PYMNTS Intelligence reveals. By the Numbers The PYMNTS Intelligence report last year, “The Mobile…
Walmart has been expanding its omnichannel capabilities across its three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam’s Club. The company’s people and technology are dedicated to giving customers the opportunity to shop in both…
Tired of proverbially picking their way through online resale marketplaces, consumers are looking for more streamlined secondhand shopping experiences that more closely resemble the ease and simplicity of buying new. In an interview with…
Card-linked offers — those special promotions designed to encourage consumers to use their credit and debit cards at specific locations or for specific items — are used by about 2 in 5 cardholders. As PYMNTS Intelligence found in…
Uber says it has made an investment exceeding $1 billion in benefits for its California drivers and couriers since 2020. This investment is aimed at enhancing the working conditions and overall well-being of its vast network of drivers and…
Meta announced a $35 billion investment in artificial intelligence (AI) for this year, signaling an aggressive push in the escalating tech arms race. This colossal investment raises pivotal questions about the future of AI development and…
Iris Software Group has launched an integration with Amazon Business that will help schools in the United Kingdom streamline and automate their purchasing process. This integration will enable 5,254 Iris customers to purchase supplies…
In today’s digital age, the combination of innovative financial products and a loyal, international fanbase holds the potential for significant market disruption. The recent collaboration between financial services company Ouro and renown…
ByteDance reportedly will not sell its U.S. TikTok business, even if it loses its legal battle in the United States. The company said late Thursday (April 25) in a post on another app that it owns, Toutiao, that reports it was considering…
This week in artificial intelligence (AI) news, as large language models (LLMs) near technical limits, the focus shifts to retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which combines information retrieval with natural language generation, and…
American companies are outpacing European ones on innovation and technology. That’s what the head of Norway’s $1.6 trillion oil fund told the Financial Times Wednesday (April 24), and his comments came as just a day later, on Thursday …
With consumer spending increasingly motivated by deals and seasonality, Amazon is gearing up for its tenth-ever Prime Day savings event, as Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, announced via LinkedIn Friday (April 26). “Last…
The latest data on personal consumption notes that spending is outpacing the growth in disposable income. And as a result, consumers are dipping into savings to keep their spending apace. The latest personal income expenditures (PCE) price…
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) startup xAI is reportedly close to raising $6 billion from investors. The funding round would value xAI at $18 billion, Bloomberg reported Friday (April 26). Silicon Valley venture capital (VC) firm…
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise to transform all manner of industries — helping banks, in particular, improve their anti-money laundering (AML) efforts. But as Chris Caruana, VP of Strategy at Hawk:AI, Ramon Ramirez,…
With Small Business Week coming up April 29, it’s a good time to focus on the restaurant sector, because according to industry data, 90% of restaurants meet the criteria. In fact, 70% of them are single-unit operations. And when you’re…
Companies can leverage customer data and use technology to prosper in uncertain times, i2c Global Head of Operations John Bresnahan writes in the new PYMNTS eBook, “The Implications of Uncertainty.” The direction of the United States and…
Lenders in key global markets offer an ever-increasing range of consumer credit products. Still, consumers express dissatisfaction with the current options. Just 50% of consumers across six major economies are highly satisfied, with rates…
For the companies populating the FinTech IPO Index, earnings have been part of the continuing avalanche of headlines this past week. Earnings Begin to Trickle In Oportun shares soared 32.5%. The company this week announced preliminary…
Capital One’s first quarter results showed consumers continue to spend on their cards — and management touted the benefits of the proposed $35 billion buyout of Discover Financial Services. Purchase volume on its cards was up 6% year over…
Snapchat parent company Snap believes that augmented reality (AR) will be “one of the most meaningful advancements in computing that the world has ever seen.” Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, said this Thursday (April 25) during the company’s…
As experts hint at the nearing technical limits of large language models (LLMs), the spotlight turns to retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) — a promising advancement that could redefine artificial intelligence (AI) by merging information…
In Walmart’s sprawling distribution centers, a quiet change is underway. The retail behemoth is preparing to deploy a fleet of 19 autonomous electric forklifts across four of its facilities, marking a significant step forward in…
TikTok owner ByteDance would reportedly rather shut down the social media platform than sell it. That’s what the firm plans to do if it is unsuccessful in its legal efforts to fight legislation that would ban TikTok from app stores in the…