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Uncertainty over tariffs and an unpredictable trade war is weighing heavily on companies as they report their latest financial results and try to give investors financial forecasts.Some tariffs remain in place against key U.S. trading partners, but others have been postponed to give nations time to negotiate. The tariff and trade picture has been shifting for months, sometimes changing drastically on a daily basis. Those shifts make it difficult for companies and investors to make a reliable assessment of any impact to costs and sales.On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the U.S. and China, but cautioned that talks between the two sides had yet to formally start.Here’s how several big companies are dealing with the tariff confusion: Chipotle Chipotle Mexican Grill said Wednesday that its costs are rising due to the tariffs.The Tex-Mex chain said it gets some beef from Australia and packaging from Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. It also sources avocados from Colombia and Peru. All are now subject to a 10% tariff.The tariffs may also impact the cost of building new restaurants, since items like shelving and parts for equipment come from China, Chipotle Chief Financial Officer Adam Rymer said during a conference call with investors. But Rymer said the impact of the tariffs on imports from China is harder to predict. This week, Trump administration officials have said they expect a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the U.S. and China.Chipotle reported weaker-than-expected revenue in the January-March period and lowered its outlook for full-year same-store sales.CEO Scott Boatwright said concern about the economy was the “overwhelming reason” consumers reduced their visits to Chipotle during the quarter. That trend has continued through April, he said. Tesla Tesla is in a better position than most car companies to deal with tariffs because it makes most of its U.S. cars domestically. But it still sources materials from other nations and will face import taxes.The bigger impact will be seen in the company’s energy business. The company said the impact will be “outsized” because it sources LFP battery cells from China.The broader trade war could also hurt the company as China, the world’s largest electric vehicle market, retaliates against the U.S. Tesla was forced earlier this month to stop taking orders from mainland customers for two models, its Model S and Model X. It makes the Model Y and Model 3 for the Chinese market at its factory in Shanghai.CEO Elon Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, on Tuesday reiterated that he believes “lower tariffs are generally a good idea for prosperity.” But he added that ultimately the president decides on what tariffs to impose. Akzo Nobel The Amsterdam-based maker of paints and coatings for industrial and commercial use said the big risk from tariffs could come in the form of lower demand for its products.The company said almost all sales of finished goods in the U.S. were locally produced, with the majority of raw materials locally sourced.“Over the years, we deliberately localized both our procurement and production in the U.S.,” said CEO Gregoire Poux-Guillaume, in a conference call with analysts. “We also largely run China for China and use the rest of Asia instead as an export base.”The company’s products range from paints and coatings for the automotive industry to the do-it-yourself homeowner. Broader tariffs could squeeze consumers and businesses and hurt sales. Boston Scientific The medical device maker said it expects most of the effecs of tariffs to hit the company during the second half of the year, but that it can absorb the impact.The company raised its earnings and revenue forecasts for the year, despite the tariffs. It estimates a $200 million impact from tariffs in 2025, but said it can offset that through higher sales and reductions in discretionary spending.The company said it has a long-standing supply chain around the globe and has made significant investments in the U.S. Boeing Boeing said much of its supply chain is in the U.S. and many of its imports from Canada and Mexico are exempt from tariffs under an existing trade agreement.The company does have suppliers in Japan and Italy, but it expects to recover those tariff costs. The net annual cost of higher tariffs on the supply chain is less than $500 million.A bigger concern is the potential for retaliatory tariffs, which could impact its ability to deliver aircraft. China, a key target for U.S. tariffs, has retaliated in part by no longer accepting deliveries of Boeing aircraft. AT&T AT&T, like its peers in the telecommunications sector, faces higher costs for cellphones and other equipment.The company said it believes it can manage anticipated higher costs, based on the current pause in some tariffs and its supply chain.“The magnitude of any increase will depend on a variety of factors, including how much of the tariffs the vendors pass on, the impact that the tariffs have on consumer and business demand,” said CEO John Stankey, on a conference call with analysts. Damian J. Troise, AP Business Writer
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E-Commerce
Few periods in modern history have been as unsettled and uncertain as the one that we are living through now. The established geopolitical order is facing its greatest challenges in decades, with a land war in Europe entering its third year and shifting power dynamics upending what were once settled relationships across the globe. The economy is teetering on the edge of recession, with financial markets in chaos, central banks struggling to navigate inflationary pressures, and consumer confidence levels at historic lows. And beneath these more visible disruptions runs a quieter but perhaps more fundamental transformation: the accelerating advancement of artificial intelligence, a technology that is reshaping how we think about work, productivity, and economic value. It is tempting to push aside worries about the future effects of new technologies when we are distracted by the global turmoil that is outside our windows right now. But if we fail to get ahead of the question of how our societies and economies will deal with automation, the consequences may be far more profound and enduring than the crises that absorb us today. The questions of who works, how they work, and whether that work provides dignity and sustenance will ultimately define our economic future more fundamentally than any temporary market correction or geopolitical realignment. Historically, technological advances have led to long-term economic growth and new employment opportunities even when automation has caused short-term job losses. It would be easy to assume that this pattern will be repeated with artificial intelligence. But this would be a grave mistake. When algorithms can learn, create, and act independently, assumptions that have evolved around the automation of mechanical processes can no longer be treated as reliable guides. The Numbers Game One of the reasons things will be different this time is the sheer speed and scale of the transformation that is rushing toward us. Researchers have calculated that 60% of current job roles did not exist 80 years ago, which is already an astonishing fact. Yet AI promises even faster and more profound changes to the job market. Recent projections are sobering: McKinsey projects that 30% of all hours worked in the U.S. could be automated by 2030 Goldman Sachs argues that up to 300 million jobs globally are exposed to automation The IMF suggests that 40% of jobs are at risk globally, rising to 60% in advanced economies And these are just the short-term predictions. In the longer-term, many tech leaders agree with Bill Gates that humans will no longer be needed for most things. So, whats the business as normal prediction? The World Economic Forum offers a more optimistic forecast: While 92 million jobs will be displaced globally over the next five years, 170 million new positions will be created. Not a rosy picture The arguments for the increases in future roles, however, are far from persuasive. The largest area of growth, the report argues, will come in very traditional roles like farm workers, delivery drivers, and food processing workers. Yet these are precisely the jobs that existing technology can already automate. The fastest growing roles, meanwhile, are projected to be in technology, including many new positions for specialists in data analysis, software development, and fintech engineering. But the assumption that AI will create rather than take jobs in these fields is optimistic, to say the least. The real-world data paints a less than rosy picture. For instance, while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 18% rise in the number of software developers between 2022 and 2032, recent research suggests that actual numbers in 20222025 figures have declined, with significant falls in both employment and job openings in this field. Waves Not Ripples Even in the best-case scenario where AI increases both overall economic activity and overall employment, major disruptions are inevitable. If millions of low-skilled jobs are soon to be replaced by high-skilled tech jobs, we will need an unprecedented global re-skilling program to ensure that displaced workers can find new roles. Without this, we risk abandoning millions of workers, and it is no exaggeration to suggest that the social and political effects of such a move will be catastrophic. Western nations are still struggling to adapt to the collapse of traditional manufacturing industries. A new employment crisis for those who already have the fewest prospects will be devastating. Yet there are few signs of any kind of organized response at the governmental level. In the worst-case scenario, these social waves will become a tsunami. Rapid automation causing widespread unemployment could trigger the kind of unrest that destroys communities and topples governments. A generation of jobless, purposeless youth unable to secure entry-level roles because the only remaining human positions require experience and expertise will pose a grave geopolitical threat. Macroeconomically, excessive automation risks create a dangerous demand deficiencya situation in which our economy can efficiently produce more goods and services than an ever-shrinking base of employed consumers can afford to purchase. This creates a paradox for businesses rushing to automate: the very efficiency gains they seek might ultimately undermine their markets. Machines don’t purchase smartphones, subscribe to streaming services, or buy homes. Humans do. When companies optimize for efficiency without considering employment, they may inadvertently be sabotaging the consumer spending ecosystem that sustains them. If AI causes sustained unemployment, the resulting drop in aggregate demand wont just harm individual businessesit could trigger a deflationary spiral that threatens the stability of the entire economy. Democratizing Responsibility Automation isnt inherently neative. Just as previous technological advances freed us from hard and dangerous physical labor, AI has the potential to relieve us of many routine burdens that stand in the way of true human flourishing. But it can only fulfill this promise if it is thoughtfully integrated into our lives and societies. In theory, governments could mitigate the economic risks through regulation. But history suggests that regulatory frameworks rarely keep pace with technological revolutions. We cannot wait for top-down solutions to emerge. Instead, we need to democratize both responsibility and leadership when it comes to managing the pace of automation and protecting the social and economic foundations on which we all depend. Businesses have a crucial role to play in this process. They must adopt regenerative leadership that looks beyond short-term efficiency gains and instead considers the long-term sustainability of the broader ecosystem. Leaders must recognize that their employees aren’t merely replaceable resources but also consumers driving economic demand. This requires shifting from traditional thinking that focuses on quarterly results to systems thinking that considers long-term economic sustainability. Companies that embrace this responsibility will implement automation strategies that enhance human potential through: Preserving entry-level positions. Companies must maintain some starter roles to develop skilled workers, even when automation seems more efficient. Re-skilling and workforce transition programs. Corporations should fund upskilling initiatives to help displaced workers transition into new roles, such as managing and curating the workflows of AI agents. Recognizing societal interdependence. Businesses exist within communities in which employees and customers form an interconnected system, and that system will break down if customers lack jobs. A holistic view of this symbiotic relationship between companies and the markets they serve will be essential in the AI age. Choosing Our Future The AI revolution presents us with a critical choice between unchecked automation and thoughtful implementation. Each business decision today will shape our collective future. By prioritizing human well-being alongside innovation, responsible leaders won’t just be protecting their own customer basethey will be contributing to the resilience of our entire economic system. The future belongs not to those who automate fastest, but to those who navigate this transition with wisdom, treating AI as a tool for augmentation rather than replacement, and recognizing that true prosperity requires both technological advancement and human flourishing.
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Texas has more than 600 known cases of measles on Tuesday as the outbreak in the western part of the state approaches the three-month mark.The U.S. was up to 800 cases of measles nationwide on Friday. Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children died from measles-related illnesses in the epicenter in West Texas, and an adult in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.Other states with active outbreaksdefined as three or more casesinclude Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico. The U.S. has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of 2024.North America has two other outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has sickened 925 from mid-October through April 16. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state has 514 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes, or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates, health experts fear the virus that the spread could stretch on for a year. Here’s what else you need to know about measles in the U.S. How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico? Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 27 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to 624 across 26 countiesmost of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 64 throughout the outbreak, and Bailey County logged its first two cases.State health officials estimated about 2% of casesfewer than 10are actively infectious.Sixty-two percent of Texas’ cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 386 cases since late Januaryjust over 1% of the county’s residents.The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late FebruaryKennedy said age 6.New Mexico announced two new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 65. Six people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state’s cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and Chaves and Dona Ana counties have one each.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas has 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday.Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.The state’s first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma confirmed one more case Tuesday for a total cases of 13: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.Custer, Oklahoma and Cleveland counties had public exposures in the past 42 days. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases. How many cases are there in Ohio? The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 30 measles cases in the state Thursday. The state county includes only Ohio residents.There are 14 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County, and one each in Allen and Holmes counties, the state said. The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, say there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85. How many cases are there in Indiana? Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the statefive are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday. How many cases are there in Pennsylvania? In far northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County health officials declared a measles outbreak April 14 after finding two new cases linked to a measles case confirmed March 30.The state has had nine cases overall this year, six of which are not linked to the outbreak, including international travel-related cases in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia. How many cases are there in Michigan? Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to a large measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.The state has eight confirmed measles cases as of Monday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak. Michigan’s last measles outbreak was in 2019. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.State health officials are working to trace exposures in Bozeman and Belgrade.They are Montana’s first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn’t say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? There have been 800 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 10 clustersdefined as three or more related cases.Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentuky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”In communities with high vaccination ratesabove 95%diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and death. How can you treat measles? There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable. AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Devi Shastri, AP Health Writer
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