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After experimenting with AI judges at the Winter X Games six months ago, Jeremy Bloom, CEO of the X Games, is launching an entirely new company based around the technology, and has pulled in some top-tier talent to lead it. Owl AI, an AI platform designed to judge and referee sporting events, is officially launching following an $11 million seed funding round, led by S32, with additional participation from Menlo Ventures and Susa Ventures. Josh Gwyther, the former Head of AI at Google Cloud, will be the new companys CEO, leaving Google after nearly a decade. Bloom, who is Owl AIs executive chairman and a former Olympic skier and NFL player, says that the companys creation was, in a word, accidental, as it was originally a sort of experiment between the X Games and Google cofounder Sergey Brin, who tasked Google AI engineers with developing AI judges for snowboarding competitions. That was enough to garner a whole lot of attention from athletes and sports leagues alike, and now that the technology has proven itself, the potential applications are far-reaching. When I initially reached out to Sergey, Bloom says, this idea had been on my mind since I was a competitor a couple of decades ago. Sergey was excited about it, too, and introduced me to Josh. They created the initial model in six weeks and deployed it at the Winter X Games in January. Now, with five more months to marinate, itll be used again at the Summer X Games in Salt Lake City this weekend. Ive been focused on generative AI for the last four and a half years, says Gwyther, and Owl AI blends two things that I love: sports and AI. So, making the move was a no-brainer. It was an easy decision to make. Owl AIs initial purpose was to judge athletes and assign them scores, removing the potential for bias or corruption that may exist with human judges. But theres more to it than that, as it can be used as a referee or judge, it can also score and coach individual athletes, and can also be used as a color commentator in nearly any language. Our macro goal is to make sure human error never decides the outcome of a game, competition, or sporting event ever again, says Bloom. These moments are hard for fans, devastating for athletes, and have monumental impacts for leagues. He notes some examples from the NFL, such as the notorious Fail Mary, or an instance in which a blown call cost the New Orleans Saints a potential berth in the Super Bowl. While Owl AI is not necessarily designed to replace human judges or referees, it can help them do their jobs, and hopefully, make better decisions on the field, the mountain, or on the baseball diamond. As such, other leagues are already talking to the company about potential partnerships. We have five or six ongoing conversations with pro leagues, says Bloom. While nothing is official, both Bloom and Gwyther are excited about the future of the company, especially given how far the technology has advanced in a short period of time. What we did in Aspen was only five months ago. What were doing in Salt Lake City couldnt have been done at that time, Bloom says, regarding how the AI tech has evolved with remarkable speed. Im excited.
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E-Commerce
If you missed the northern lights, or aurora borealis, earlier this month, you may have a second chance tonight, Wednesday, June 25, when they may be visible in some 15 U.S. states. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts the next possibility for viewing the northern lights is Wednesday night, with best viewing from Alaska to South Dakota. The agencys three-day forecast is predicting G1 to G2 geomagnetic storms (on a scale of G1 to G5), which are considered minor to moderate. A stream of solar wind from a coronal hole on the sun is likely to create auroras, or swaths of blue, green, and purple in the sky, when it reaches Earth. Where and when will the northern lights be visible? According to this map from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, a total of 15 states are in the line of view for the auroras, with Alaska and the northernmost states expected to have the best visibility on Wednesday, June 25. The states are: Alaska, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Michigan, Maine, New York, Vermont, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Wyoming, South Dakota, northern Idaho, Iowa, and Washington. However, since we just experienced the summer solstice, which brings the longest days of the year, and therefore, the shortest nights, viewing may be hampered with fewer hours of night sky in some areas. The aurora borealis is best observed just after sunset or just before sunrise. Dont worry if you arent able to see the northern lights this weekNOAA predicts activity will remain high through 2025 and 2026. This years increased solar activity is likely the result of an 11-year sun cycle peaking through October. You can track the aurora on NOAAs page, where the agency is providing updates.
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E-Commerce
The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding on Wednesday after a rocky start, giving rise to cautious hope that it could lead to a long-term peace agreement even as Tehran insists it will not give up its nuclear program.The ceasefire took hold on Tuesday, the 12th day of the war between Israel and Iran, with each side initially accusing the other of violating it until the missiles, drones and bombs finally stopped.On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped negotiate the ceasefire, told reporters at a NATO summit in the Netherlands that it was going “very well.”“They’re not going to have a bomb and they’re not going to enrich,” Trump said about Iran.Iran has insisted, however, that it will not give up its nuclear program and in a vote underscoring the tough path ahead, Iranian parliament agreed to fast-track a proposal that would effectively stop the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Vienna-based U.N. watchdog that has been monitoring the Iranian nuclear program for years.Ahead of the vote, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf criticized the IAEA for having “refused to even pretend to condemn the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities” that were carried out by the United States on Sunday.“For this reason, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend cooperation with the IAEA until security of nuclear facilities is ensured, and Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will move forward at a faster pace,” Qalibaf told lawmakers.In Vienna, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said he had already written to Iran to discuss resuming inspections of their nuclear facilities.Among other things, Iran claims to have moved its highly enriched uranium ahead of the American strikes and Grossi said his inspectors needed to re-assess the country’s stockpiles.“We need to return,” he said. “We need to engage.” Questions over effectiveness of the US strikes The American strikes hit three Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump said had “completely and fully obliterated” the country’s nuclear program.From Tehran, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, confirmed Sunday’s strikes by American B-2 bombers using bunker-buster bombs had caused significant damage.“Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure,” he told Al Jazeera on Wednesday, while refusing to go into detail.He seemed to suggest Iran might not shut out IAEA inspectors for good, however, noting the bill before parliament only talks of suspending work with the agency, not ending it. But he also insisted Iran has the right to pursue a nuclear energy program.“Iran is determined to preserve that right under any circumstances,” he said.Trump’s special envoy to the Mideast, Steve Witkoff, said on Fox News late on Tuesday that Israel and the U.S. had now achieved their objective of “the total destruction of the enrichment capacity” in Iran, and Iran’s prerequisite for talks that Israel end its campaign had also been fulfilled.“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “No one’s shooting at each other. It’s over.”At the NATO summit, when asked about a U.S. intelligence report that found Iran’s nuclear program has been set back only a few months, Trump scoffed and said it would at least take “years” to rebuild.Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Wednesday his country’s assessment was also that Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “significantly damaged” and its nuclear program “set it back by years.”Grossi said he could not speculate on how bad the damage was but that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were well known.“The technical knowledge is there, and the industrial capacity is there,” he said. “That no one can deny, so we need to work together with them.” Hopes for a long-term agreement An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the ceasefire agreement with Iran amounted to “quiet for quiet,” with no further understandings about Iran’s nuclear program going ahead.In the Fox News interview, Witkoff said Trump is now looking to land “a comprehensive peace agreement that goes beyond even the ceasefire.”“We’re already talking to each other, not just directly, but also through interlocutors,” Witkoff said, adding that the conversations were promising and “we’re hopeful that we can have a long-term peace agreement.”However, Baghaei, the Iranian spokesman, said Washington had “torpedoed diplomacy” with its attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, and that while Iran in principle was always open to talks, the country’s national security was the priority.“We have to make sure whether the other parties are really serious when they’re talking about diplomacy, or is it again part of their tactics to make more problems for the region and for my country,” he said.China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and close Iranian partner, also weighed in on Wednesday, saying it hoped a “lasting and effective ceasefire can be achieved so as to promote” peace and stability in the region.China is a major buyer of Iranian oil and has long supported its government politically, blaming Israel for starting the latest conflict and destabilizing the region.Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing that in the wake of the conflict, China is willing to “inject positive factors to safeguard peace and stability in the Middle East.”Grossi said Iran and the international community should seize the opportunity of the ceasefire for a long term diplomatic solution.“Out of the bad things that military conflict brings, there’s also now a possibility, an opening,” he said. “We shouldn’t miss that opportunity.” Iran executes 3 more prisoners on spying allegations During the war with Israel, Iran executed several prisoners accused of spying for Israel, sparking fears from activists that it could conduct a wave of executions after the conflict ends.It hanged three more prisoners on spying charges on Wednesday, bringing the total number of executions for espionage up to six since June 16.The hangings took place at Urmia Prison in West Azerbaijan, Iran’s most northwestern province. State-run IRNA cited Iran’s judiciary for the news, saying the men had been accused of bringing “assassination equipment” into the country.Iran identified the three as Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul. Amnesty International had previously raised concerns that the men cold be executed.During the 12-day war, at least 28 people were killed in Israel and more than 1,000 wounded, according to officials.Tehran on Tuesday put the death toll in Iran at 606, with 5,332 people wounded. The Washington-based Human Rights Activists group released figures Wednesday suggesting Israeli strikes on Iran had killed at least 1,054 people and wounded 4,476.The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, said 417 of those killed were civilians and 318 were security force personnel.During the war, Israeli airstrikes also targeted Iran’s top military leadership and other sites associated with its ruling theocracy.With the ceasefire in place, Iranians are trying to return to their normal lives.State media described heavy traffic around the Caspian Sea and other rural areas outside of the capital, Tehran, as people began returning to the city. Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. Jon Gambrell, David Rising and Farnoush Amiri, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Caribbean-inspired restaurant chain Bahama Breeze has an uncertain future. Its parent company, Darden Restaurants, closed 15 of its locations in May. Now, the organization has announced it wont be putting a lot of investment into the remaining 28 Bahama Breeze locations and aims to sell the brand. Here’s what to know: What has Darden said about Bahama Breeze? The news came during Dardens fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call on Friday, June 20. We have made the difficult decision that these remaining locations and the Bahama Breeze brand are not a strategic priority for us, Ricardo Cadenas, CEO and president of Darden Restaurants, said on the call. We also believe that this brand and these restaurants have the potential to benefit from a new owner. Consequently, we will be considering strategic alternatives for Bahama Breeze, including a potential sale of the brand or converting restaurants to other Darden brands. How is Darden doing as a company? Darden Restaurants also owns Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, both of which enjoyed growth in the most recent quarter. The Orlando-based company said same-store sales for Olive Garden and LongHorn rose 6.9% and 6.7% respectively. The company reported total sales growth of 10.6% to $3.3 billion for the quarter, driven in part by its acquisition of Chuy’s Tex Mex and the opening of new restaurants. Shares of Darden Restaurants Inc (NYSE:DRI) are up more than 18% year to date. The stock price was essentially flat in premarket trading on Wednesday. According to Darden, Bahama Breezes current lead will move to another of one the organizations entities, while the president of its specialty restaurant group will lead Bahama Breeze during the current changes. Which Bahama Breeze locations have already closed? A Bahama Breeze spokesperson confirmed to USA Today a list of all the Bahama Breeze locations that recently closed: 3989 Plaza Blvd, Gainesville, Florida 32608 2088 9th St N, Naples, Florida 34102 1786 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 2750 Sawgrass Mills Cir, Sunrise, Florida 33323 3339 N Federal Hwy, Oakland Park, Florida 33306 406 E Golf Rd, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173 413 Middlesex Rd, Tyngsborough, Massachusetts 01879 539 E Big Beaver Rd, Troy, Michigan 48083 375 Hughes Center Dr, Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 520 Woodbridge Center Dr, Woodbridge, New Jersey 07095 1201 Hooper Ave, Toms River, New Jersey 08753 101 NJ-23, Wayne, New Jersey 07470 1600 Bergen Town Center, Paramus, New Jersey 07652 612 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove, New York 11755 2830 N Germantown Pkwy, Memphis, Tennessee 38133 Fast Company reached out to Darden to confirm the above closings, many of which are already reflected on local Yelp pages.
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E-Commerce
Shake Shack just unveiled a new design concept in Atlanta that includes the companys first-ever restaurant with a full bar, encouraging diners to linger longer over boozy chocolate shakes. The new restaurant will be the second-largest Shake Shack ever by square footage and is located in the Battery, a mixed-use development space thats adjacent to Truist Park, where the Atlanta Braves baseball team plays. The fast-casual burger chain says it will open more restaurants with a full bar if the concept is well received, adding a new element to the chains accelerated store opening strategy. Shake Shack has been embracing a wider array of distinct restaurant formats, including drive-throughs in the suburbs, smaller formats that prioritize to-go orders, and locations in stadiums, train stations, and airports. In 2025, Shake Shack is projected to open 45 to 50 new company-owned locations, the most ever in a single year. The North Star goal is to operate at least 1,500 Shake Shack company-owned locations over time, well above the prior aspiration of 450 that was shared with investors when Shake Shack filed to go public in 2015. We know that one of the biggest barriers to entry for Shake Shack is that there’s just not a Shake Shack close enough to you, says Andrew McCaughan, Shake Shacks chief development officer, during an interview with Fast Company. So were certainly trying to solve that problem. [Photo: Shake Shack] The new Atlanta location features 115 total seats, including 23 at the bar, and the interior decor includes a mural, a wall of free arcade games, and 14 televisions to show sporting events. Theres also a walk-up pickup window for to-go purchases and a hot dog cart in front of the restaurant on game days. But the most unique element is the bar with a wide range of speciality cocktails priced between $12 and $14. Theres a lemon fizz mixed with Titos vodka and St-Germain Elderflower liqueur; a Patrón margarita; and a boozy espresso shake that blends chocolate frozen custard with Jameson Irish whiskey, Mr Black Coffee liqueur, and La Colombe cold brew, topped with whipped cream. Alcohol has been foundational and we offer it in many Shacks across the board, says McCaughan of the chains long history of selling wine and beer, including at the first-ever restaurant in Manhattans Madison Square Park in the earliest days of operation. Shake Shack says the inspiration behind the full bar came from the Shake Shacks licensing partners, who have already experimented with the format at the Denver airport and the Atlantis luxury resort in the Bahamas. The chains expansion plans come as sales continue to swing upward, with total revenue increasing 15% to $1.25 billion in fiscal 2024 from the prior year, bolstered by both new restaurant openings and a 3.6% increase in same-Shack spots open for 24 fiscal months or longer. Total revenue also leapt by nearly 11% in the most-recent fiscal first quarter results posted in May. With only 380 U.S. locations and another 210 internationally, Shake Shacks ambitious growth plans still have a long road ahead. The new growth target was set by a newer management team led by CEO Rob Lynch, who joined in 2024 after previously serving as president and CEO of pizza restaurant Papa Johns International. He succeeded Randy Garutti, who retired after working for Shake Shack for more than two decades. Shake Shack also lured COO Stephanie Sentell from Arbys owner Inspire Brands and has added more outside restaurant expertise to the companys board in an agreement that helped avoid a proxy battle with activist investor Engaged Capital. Some experts say that bringing in fresh perspectives have helped Shake Shack run more efficient and consistent operations. This approach similarly helped Chipotle Mexican Grill after founder Steve Ells stepped down and Brian Niccol became CEO in 2018. Niccol got mostly good marks for his work at Chipotle and has since been tapped by Starbucks to help the coffee giant enact a turnaround. Chipotle operates over 3,700 restaurants and is aiming to reach 7,000 locations in North America over the long term. Brian M. Vaccaro, managing director of restaurants at investment bank Raymond James, says hes long been impressed with the brands average unit volume, which Shake Shack is targeting in the range of $2.8 million to $4 million per location. That demonstrates to us that Shake Shack is a differentiated brand that can have success in a wider range across the country, says Vaccaro. With the optimized operations and improved margins, we think it can drive some pretty positive shareholder returns. [Photo: Shake Shack] On top of recent menu innovations including the return of a summer BBQ menu and fried pickles, the latter the first-ever side item added to the menu, Shake Shacks embrace of technology has also evolved. The company unveiled its first self-serve kiosk in New York City in 2017 and after some early bumps in getting these devices to work for guests, has since rolled them out to nearly all locations. McCaughan says the kiosks have allowed Shake Shack to shift employee resources away from the cashier station to food preparation. That was a shift we made, allowing technology to play a better role interacting with the guests, he adds. In the Atlanta restaurant and a nearby kitchen innovation lab that recently opened, Shake Shack is testing new kitchen equipment that can help make sandwiches and shakes more efficiently, but also retain the chains food preparation standards. Were taking a fresh look, says McCaugan, of the companys more engineer-focused approach to rethink time-saving machinery for fryers and griddles. But, he says the chain wont be embracing more autonomous-focused efforts like the Infinite Kitchen thats being explored by rival Sweetgreen and utilizes robotics to mix up salads. We dont necessarily see the value-add today, says McCaughan. Weve looked at all that equipment in the past.
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E-Commerce
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