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X (formerly Twitter) is experiencing its largest user exodus since <keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> took over in 2022. The tipping point is a perfect storm of political controversy, privacy fears, and discontent with the platform’s new policies, culminating in a dramatic shift of users to alternative platforms like <keyword id="412371" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bluesky" source="Orion">Bluesky</keyword> and <keyword id="1163500" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="threads" source="Orion">Threads</keyword>. Here’s a breakdown of the recent changes and why they’ve left users saying goodbye to X. <h2>Political backlash</h2>The day after the U.S. presidential election on November 6, X saw over 115,000 account deactivations — the most since Musk's acquisition. Many users were disillusioned by Musk's perceived alignment with newly elected President Donald Trump. Musk's vocal support for Trump during his campaign, coupled with his attendance at Republican rallies, alienated users who once trusted X as a politically neutral platform. One user, Kara Wurtz, said the election was the “final straw.” After eight years on the platform, the finance director from St. Louis decided that X was no longer delivering the content she valued. “Every time I opened it, it would throw things at me that put me in a bad mood,” she said. The political fallout didn’t just affect individuals. Prominent organisations and brands, including The Guardian and former CNN anchor Don Lemon, have also bid farewell to the platform. <h2>New terms of service spark outrage</h2>On November 15, X's updated terms of service came into effect, granting the platform a sweeping global licence to use user-generated content. This includes using posts, photos, and creative works to train artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models. The backlash was immediate: <ul><li>Privacy Concerns: By continuing to use X, users implicitly agree to have their data — personal photos, creative work, and more — used for AI training. Artists and creators fear their intellectual property could be exploited to develop AI tools that might one day replace human creativity.</li><li>Legal Implications: Disputes over the new terms will be handled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, home to Judge Reed O'Connor, a Tesla investor. This has raised questions about potential bias in legal proceedings related to the platform.</li></ul>Alex Fink, CEO of the AI-powered platform Otherweb, criticised X’s lack of transparency, stating, “Unlike other platforms with vague licensing terms, X removes any ambiguity about its intentions.” <h2>Changes to blocking and safety settings</h2>Safety concerns have also escalated due to alterations in X’s block feature. Users now allegedly receive notifications that even those they block can still view their posts — though they can’t interact. This tweak is particularly alarming for users who have faced harassment on the platform. Many feel their safety is compromised, prompting them to seek refuge in safer alternatives like Bluesky, which saw a surge of 500,000 new users in just one day following the policy updates. Initially developed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky offers customizable feeds and decentralised control, which many find refreshing. With over 16 million users (and counting), it’s quickly becoming the top choice for X refugees. Threads, Instagram’s text-based app, also surpassed 275 million monthly active users by November, with 15 million new sign-ups last month alone. For many, these platforms represent a chance to escape X’s chaos while reclaiming control over their online experience. <h2>Is Fediverse the future?</h2>Experts believe the exodus from X could mark the beginning of a new era of decentralised social networks. Bluesky, built on a protocol that enables interconnected platforms, is part of the "Fediverse," which could allow users to interact seamlessly across different apps. This shift reflects growing dissatisfaction with centralised platforms that control user data, content visibility, and privacy settings. While Musk touts record-breaking engagement on X, the cracks in the platform’s foundation are evident. Critics warn that X could become a training ground for Musk’s xAI venture, leveraging user interactions to fuel lucrative AI models. Whether X can weather this storm remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the days of Twitter’s broad appeal as a space for open, inclusive dialogue seem to be fading fast.

Mass X-odus: What are the controversial changes on X that are driving users away?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk's X has tapped Mahmoud Reza Banki to serve as the platform's chief financial officer.</li><li>Banki, a former Tubi executive, received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump in 2021.</li></ul><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk's</a> X has appointed Mahmoud Reza Banki, a former Tubi executive who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, as the platform's new chief financial officer.Banki, who previously held the title of chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at streaming service Tubi from 2017 to July 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrezabanki/">updated his LinkedIn profile </a>to reflect the new position.The former Tubi executive is X's first public CFO. Current and former employees told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/musks-x-names-mahmoud-reza-banki-cfo-65538482">The Wall Street Journal,</a> which first reported the news, that other executives had helped to fill the role in the two years since Musk bought the platform for $44 billion.Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.<h2 id="220e3692-5d72-4976-8a08-c7db2b99abb8">Presidential pardon</h2>Banki received a pardon from President Trump on January 19, 2021.He was pardoned for a case connected to 2010 charges of making false statements. He also faced charges related to sanctions violations against Iran, which were later overturned.Banki spent almost two years in prison before he was released in November 2011 following a successful appeal.In a statement released following the pardon, the Trump administration said: "In 2010, Dr. Banki was charged with monetary violations of Iranian sanctions and making false statements.""However, the felony charges for making false statements have prevented Dr. Banki from resuming a full life. In the years since his conviction, Dr. Banki has dedicated himself to his community and maintained a sincere love and respect for the United States," the White <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-regarding-executive-grants-clemency-012021/">House said in the statement.</a>Banki was among 73 individuals who were granted pardons in the final days of Trump's administration. An additional 70 individuals also had their sentences commuted.Banki's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://rezastory.com/pardon/">website</a> states he left postwar Iran in the 1990s and traveled to the US at the age of 18 "on the promise of the American dream and to have a shot at a better life."The website adds that he graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major and Princeton with a Ph.D. before joining McKinsey &amp; Company in New York City in 2005.Referring to the presidential pardon, his website states: "Joy at the outcome. Relief for justice at last. Sadness of the utter pain, distress, and hopelessness throughout. Exhaustion of the journey. And ultimately thankful to have a grave weight off my shoulders."<h2 id="032f3435-2fc6-4b2b-ad49-f75165f8fbad">X's financial issues</h2>Banki is joining the X at a critical time for the platform.Since Musk took control of the platform in 2022, the company has faced financial challenges, including a drop in advertising revenue. Some major brands have pulled their content from X, and the platform has struggled to win back advertisers.In a September report, market <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-advertisers-plan-to-pull-back-spending-survey-2024-9">research firm Kantar found</a> that more than a quarter — or 26% — of advertisers surveyed planned to cut their spending in 2025.The value of X has also fallen sharply.In January, asset manager Fidelity said X had lost over 71% of its value since Musk acquired it in October 2022.The Wall Street Journal reported in August that Musk's Twitter purchase had ended up being the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-twitter-debt-financing-banks-2008-financial-crisis-2024-8">worst buyout financing deal for </a>banks since the 2008 recession.The $13 billion in loans Musk took out have been stuck on banks' balance sheets, the Journal reported.Musk's vision for X also includes developing a range of financial features that could allow users to manage their finances entirely on the platform. The billionaire plans to turn X into an "everything app," similar to WeChat.

X's new CFO received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump     

On July 13, shortly after Donald Trump was targeted by an assassination attempt, <keyword id="19903807" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="keywords">Elon Musk</keyword>, the billionaire owner of X (formerly Twitter), tweeted to his 200 million+ followers: I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery. Musk's efforts to influence who wins next week's US presidential election have continued. For example, over the past three months, he has donated more than US$100 million to a political action committee called America PAC that's promoting Trump. Shortly after Musk endorsed Trump's presidential campaign, there was a statistically anomalous boost in engagement with his X account. Suddenly, his posts were getting much higher views, retweets, and likes in comparison to other prominent political accounts on the platform. This raises suspicions as to whether Musk has tweaked the platform's algorithm to increase the reach of his posts in advance of the US presidential election. It also demonstrates the problems with how <keyword id="19897919" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-media" source="keywords">social media</keyword> platforms like X are currently regulated around the world. <h2>Not the first time</h2>Musk has a history when it comes to tweaking X's algorithms so his content reaches more people. Last year, he reportedly mobilized a team of around 80 engineers to algorithmically boost his posts. This came after his tweet supporting the Philadelphia Eagles during the Super Bowl was outperformed by a similar one from President Joe Biden. Musk seemed to confirm this happened, posting a picture depicting one woman labeled "Elon's tweets" forcibly bottle-feeding another woman labeled "Twitter." To see whether Musk has done this again in the lead-up to the <keyword id="20204585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-election" source="keywords">US election</keyword>, we compared Musk's engagement metrics—such as the number of views, retweets, and likes—with a set of other prominent political accounts on the social media platform. The data spans the period from January 1, 2024, to October 25, 2024. Other political accounts that served as a basis of comparison include those of right-wing commentators Jack Posobiec, Tucker Carlson, and Donald Trump Jr. The study also examined accounts at the other end of the political spectrum, including those of US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US Senator Bernie Sanders, and Vice-President Kamala Harris. <h2> A sudden and significant increase</h2>Since July, engagement with Musk's X account has seen a sudden and significant increase. The view counts for his posts increased by 138%, retweets by 238%, and likes by 186%. In contrast, other prominent political accounts on X saw more moderate increases: 57% in view counts, 152% in retweets, and 130% in likes. This suggests that while engagement went up for all accounts after July, Musk's metrics saw a particularly large boost, particularly in retweets and likes. The research further found that since July, other conservative and right-wing X accounts have performed better in terms of visibility of posts compared to progressive and left-wing accounts. Without backstage access to the workings of the company, it is impossible to know for sure whether changes to its curation system are boosting its owner's posts. The platform has limited the access it provides to researchers since Musk took over. However, the Washington Post recently found that tweets from Republicans are far more likely to go viral, receiving billions more views than those from Democrats. Similarly, an investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed that new users to the platform "are being blanketed with political content" that disproportionately favors Trump. Since Musk purchased the platform, it has become more congenial to figures on the right, including people who were previously banned for spreading harmful and false information. <h2>The myth of neutrality</h2>The findings raise the question of the extent to which Musk's influential social media platform is reinforcing its owner's political agenda. Musk, whose businesses have extensive government contracts, has made a public and financial spectacle of his unabashed support of Trump. The billionaire tech tycoon is reportedly Trump's second-biggest financial donor. He also promoted Trump in a glitchy live interview on X and authored a stream of tweets promoting Trump's campaign. Musk is also handing out $1 million a day to selected registered voters. This plan (which has met with questions over its legality) aims to boost <keyword id="20759059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-registration" source="keywords">voter registration</keyword> among sympathizers in swing states. Musk's actions have torpedoed the fantasy that social media platforms such as X are neutral. Given he has previously tweaked X's algorithm to amplify the reach of his posts, it would be surprising if he were not tilting the platform in favor of Trump, whom he believes is "the path to prosperity." For too long, social media platforms have enjoyed immunity for the information they selectively inject into users' feeds. It's time for governments to reconsider their approach to regulating the oligopolistic power over our information environment wielded by a handful of tech billionaires.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's social media posts have had a 'sudden boost' since July, new research reveals

<ul class="summary-list"><li>While many tech VCs are optimistic about Trump's second term, some healthcare investors feel stuck.</li><li>They're torn between the promise of long-awaited exits and potential threats to healthcare access.</li></ul>Some healthcare-focused VCs are torn about what Donald Trump's presidential win could mean for their portfolios.Six healthcare investors expressed mixed feelings about Trump's win — largely rooted in a tension they feel between the potential for big deals to come back and policies that fear could restrict healthcare access to many patients.Trump could make sweeping changes to healthcare policy in his return to the presidency. He's said he'll let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" on health initiatives in the new administration, which could see the former presidential candidate making good on his desires to <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852812012478398923">ban fluoride from public water systems</a>, "<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852872924170010840">get toxins out of our food</a>," and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/11/06/heres-what-an-rfk-jr-health-role-in-a-trump-administration-could-look-like-vaccine-skepticism-fluoride-ban/">inject vaccine skepticism into federal decisionmaking</a>, among other initiatives.While Trump is unlikely to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/31/politics/aca-trump-repeal-affordable-care-act/index.html">try again</a> to repeal the Affordable Care Act, he may seek to boost Medicare Advantage plans, cut Medicaid spending, and <a target="_blank" href="https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/madison/news/2024/11/07/trump-rfk-fda-cdc-vaccines-fluoride">reorganize federal agencies,</a> from the Food and Drug Administration to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to an interview Kennedy Jr. gave from Trump's Florida estate shortly after the election.After a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-healthcare-ipos-coming-what-startups-should-know-barclays-banker-2024-10">three-year IPO desert</a> for digital health startups, healthcare investors are desperate for the exit opportunities that a second Trump presidency could usher in. But some of Trump's proposed health policy moves are making investors nervous about their potential impacts on startups building in care areas like women's health and Medicaid, as well as on doctors and patients.Compared to Trump's first term, "I think you're going to see a more systemic overhaul of the infrastructure that administers our healthcare system, and that could happen relatively quickly," said Michael Greeley, cofounder and managing partner of Flare Capital Partners. "It's the unknown of those moves that makes it really hard to make a long-term investment decision."<div type="image" title="RFK Jr. speaks at a Trump rally as Trump watches." height="683" width="1024" msid="115114971" hostid="261" sizebytes="60192"></div><h2 id="cadda1d2-41e5-4dcc-8fbd-97541af9ac1a">Healthcare exits on the horizon</h2>In the three years since 2021's healthcare funding boom — during which <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://rockhealth.com/insights/2021-year-end-digital-health-funding-seismic-shifts-beneath-the-surface/#:~:text=And%20while%20some%20of%20the,peak%20of%20eight%20in%202020.">21</a> healthcare startups went public — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-omada-health-confidentially-filed-s1-ipo-public-2024-10">only four</a> digital health startups have gone public in total, with mixed success.A number of healthtech startups have been waiting on the sidelines for their chance to IPO — and Trump's election should boost their odds, healthcare investors told BI.The lower corporate taxes and deregulation a second Trump term could promise are already amplifying public market optimism. A number of tech and finance giants, from Tesla to JP Morgan Chase, saw their stocks soar Wednesday morning. By midday Friday, the S&amp;P 500 index had risen 3.6% from Tuesday's close.Some startups, including physical therapy startup <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hinge-health-s-1-morgan-stanley-ipo-2024-9">Hinge Health </a>and diabetes startup <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-omada-health-confidentially-filed-s1-ipo-public-2024-10">Omada Health, have already signaled their intentions to IPO when the digital health markets reopen.</a>Several other late-stage startups are moving towards the exits, too. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mavens-cfo-out-as-womens-health-startup-gets-fresh-funding-2024-10">Maven replaced its chief financial officer</a> in October with an executive with public market experience, BI reported. Sword Health has said it's planning to IPO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/pro/health-tech-deals/2024/06/04/sword-healths-road-to-ipo">as soon as the second half of 2025</a>.<div type="image" title="Sean Duffy Omada" height="1880" width="2507" msid="115114964" hostid="261" sizebytes="278880"></div>The healthcare M&amp;A market looks ripe for more activity. Big deals could be on the horizon, including the proposed mega-merger of health insurance rivals Cigna and Humana. Bloomberg reported in October that the insurers had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-18/cigna-resumes-merger-discussions-with-humana-after-talks-ended-last-year">resumed talks of combining</a> after previously shelving the deal last December.The Cigna-Humana merger was expected to face significant antitrust scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openness-in-ai-is-necessary-ftc-lina-khan-2024-7">led by Lina Khan</a> since 2021. She could be removed as the FTC's head early in Trump's second term — and with relaxed M&amp;A regulations, "anything is possible," said What If Ventures founder Stephen Hays.Investors said they also expect to see <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/big-deals-coming-healthcare-startups-take-privates-private-equity-2024">increased private equity involvement in healthcare</a> through more investments and acquisitions. Healthcare VC has been calling for consolidation in overcrowded areas of healthcare <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/13-mental-health-startups-ipo-acquisition-merge-buyout-2024-5">like behavioral health</a> for years. Additional interest rate cuts could help facilitate PE-backed mergers, or even rollups of multiple solutions, in the many fragmented areas of digital health and healthcare services, said a Boston-based healthcare investor.<div type="image" title="Cigna insurance" height="2672" width="3563" msid="115114973" hostid="261" sizebytes="1378900"></div><h2 id="8fd35f3b-b1b9-4ac8-ab08-0143afe9541f">Reverberations in women's health and Medicaid</h2>While healthcare investors remain optimistic about what a second Trump term could mean for late-stage startups, VCs said his win could have consequences for key areas of the industry.Reproductive rights remained a top concern throughout the election cycle. Founders of women's health companies and their investors previously expressed concerns to Business Insider about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/womens-health-startups-risk-trump-wins-election-2024-10">what a second Trump term could mean for their businesses</a>.While Trump has said he wouldn't sign off on a national abortion ban, experts have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/07/how-trumps-victory-could-change-abortion-rights-in-america.html">raised worries</a> that the president-elect could impose more restrictions on birth control access and abortion pills delivered by mail. Demand for abortion pills, emergency contraception, and related treatments <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/07/abortion-pills-hormones-trump">exploded on Wednesday</a> as patients rushed to stockpile the drugs in fear of potential restrictions.In the wake of the election, women's health investors are dismayed but hopeful that the sector will largely remain untouched by federal policy changes and that VCs will be able to use their capital to push care forward even in the face of policy threats."In our conversations with others, there is a shared resoluteness to continue to pledge investment and develop innovation in historically underfunded categories (e.g. contraception &amp; abortion access, menstruation &amp; hormonal health, maternal health &amp; fertility, menopause &amp; aging)," said Carli Sapir, the founding partner of Amboy Street Ventures, in an email to Business Insider. "Every dollar and ounce of effort toward these areas now speaks volumes for future impact."<div type="image" title="an abortion rights protest sign reading &quot;stars, stripes and reproductive rights&quot;" height="683" width="911" msid="115114963" hostid="261" sizebytes="45906"></div>Medicaid could also be targeted in Trump's second term. Experts think Trump could <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/millions-risk-losing-health-insurance-trumps-victory-rcna179146">cut Medicaid funding</a> and enable states to refuse to expand their Medicaid coverage. Those changes could impact dozens of <a target="_blank" href="https://rockhealth.com/insights/unwinding-the-opportunity-medicaids-digital-health-moment/">startups innovating in Medicaid</a>, as well as the millions of patients covered under Medicaid plans, said Jordan Nof, a cofounder and managing partner at Tusk Venture Partners.And if the House of Representatives goes red along with the Senate, experts expect the subsidies that help people pay for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/millions-risk-losing-health-insurance-trumps-victory-rcna179146">to disappear after they expire at the end of 2025</a>. Without those subsidies, tens of millions of people will see their premiums significantly increase, potentially making coverage prohibitively expensive for many.If fewer patients can afford to be insured, the healthcare system is certain to see <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/#:~:text=Because%20people%20without%20health%20coverage,declines%20in%20their%20overall%20health.">rising spend</a> associated with increased hospitalizations from otherwise avoidable health problems — a consequence with far-reaching implications across healthcare and the companies building in the sector.<h2 id="f1af4c00-342b-4f1b-b392-ccfc3d9c72fa">A boon for healthcare AI and Medicare Advantage</h2>Trump's victory could have a positive impact on several big areas of healthcare investment.For one, Trump is expected to restrict the government's involvement in AI regulation. That means AI companies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/22-most-promising-healthcare-ai-startups-2024-8">including healthcare AI companies, will keep soaring</a> with fewer guardrails.Without federal AI safety efforts, the healthcare industry will likely move to self-regulate new technologies, especially in more contentious areas like clinical decision support, Flare Capital Partners' Greeley said. Some of those efforts are already underway, including by groups like the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/future-pulse/2024/10/18/ai-self-regulation-comes-into-view-00184268">Coalition for Health AI</a>, which includes top academic medical centers like Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Speaker alongside tech companies like Microsoft.Still, "there'll be temptations around the margins to more rapidly deploy technologies that aren't yet determined to be safe," Greeley said.<div type="image" title="Dr. Shiv Rao, CEO of Abridge" height="2268" width="3024" msid="115114962" hostid="261" sizebytes="233874"></div>Medicare Advantage plans are also expected to be boosted by a returning Trump administration that's likely to move to further incentivize commercial health insurance. That could be good for the few <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alignment-healthcare-devoted-health-startups-medicare-advantage-membership-market-2024-2">young insurers clamoring for market share in Medicare Advantage</a>, like Devoted Health and Alignment Healthcare, and the many startups working to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-ai-cohere-health-raises-50-million-series-b-extension-2024-1">improve payment processes</a> between insurers and providers. (An increased share of Medicare Advantage plans in the Medicare market might not be good for patients, however, since Medicare Advantage plans <a target="_blank" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2815743">deny claims more frequently</a> than traditional Medicare.)And while Robert F. Kennedy Jr's potential appointment to a key health role in the Trump administration <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/health-officials-concerned-about-rfk-jr-s-influence-in-trump-administration">worries some healthcare experts</a>, his focus on "food as medicine" could yield some interesting federal projects and perhaps add momentum to the <a target="_blank" href="https://rockhealth.com/insights/an-apple-a-day-but-keep-the-doctor-in-play-a-primer-on-food-as-medicine-trends-solutions-and-business-models/">nutrition startups gaining traction</a>, said Chrissy Farr, a managing director at Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, and a general partner at Scrub Capital."He's been given carte blanche, apparently, to take this on. Coupled with GLP-1s, I could see America really doing something interesting around food in the next couple of years," Farr said.

Healthcare investors are torn on Trump's second term

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jasper is a marketing platform that provides AI-driven strategies to its clients.</li><li>The company is using emerging tech to target businesses interested in AI-based marketing products.</li></ul>For "CXO AI Playbook," Business Insider takes a look at mini case studies about AI adoption across industries, company sizes, and technology DNA. We've asked each of the featured companies to tell us about the problems they're trying to solve with AI, who's making these decisions internally, and their vision for using AI in the future.Jasper is an artificial-intelligence marketing platform founded in 2021. The company is fully remote, with 230 employees based in the US, Europe, and Australia. Jasper provides content strategy, integrated marketing campaigns, and public relations to companies including Prudential, Ulta Beauty, Morningstar, and iHeartMedia.<h2 id="15303c4e-ff18-41d1-b714-727cc90ea9f0">Situation analysis: What problem was the company trying to solve?</h2>Jasper has focused on helping clients automate their copywriting using their own brand voice for materials such as blogs, sales <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goblin-tools-artificial-intelligence-review-ai-for-emails-2023-12">emails</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/strategies-to-manage-grow-small-business-social-media-accounts-2021-3">social-media posts</a>. Loreal Lynch, Jasper's chief marketing officer, said the company also offered a self-service AI writing assistant.But as free generative-AI tools like ChatGPT became widely available, Jasper's services evolved. The company started by building products with AI to help clients improve their overall marketing programs. Then Jasper used AI to build a sales pipeline to target companies interested in its AI-based marketing products.Lynch said the goal was to engage prospective clients with "a very personalized campaign where we could automate the creation of a personalized email, a personalized web experience, and a landing page."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Loreal Lynch" height="800" width="800" msid="115425901" hostid="261" sizebytes="26922"></div><h2 id="e69ced26-78c1-420d-843a-4a326679582c">Key staff and partners</h2>Tom Newton, the company's vice president of revenue marketing, said Jasper's marketing team developed the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/marketing-industry-using-ai-save-time-money-boost-productivity-study-2023-6">AI-powered account-based marketing workflow</a>. This program could target companies with tailored <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-use-ai-for-content-creation-digital-marketing">content</a> in the hope of turning them into clients. The company's design and web teams were also involved in its development.<h2 id="6a422697-1d8b-4827-b9da-21e5f360090a">AI in action</h2>Lynch said Jasper used its AI-driven workflow to perform several functions in order to help attract business.First, the program scraped the websites of enterprise companies that Jasper hoped to sign up as clients and gathered information such as company details, brand voice, and email addresses. Newton told Business Insider that this approach identified 2,000 email accounts for prospective clients to target.Then, using the details collected from the websites, Jasper's AI ABM workflow created <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-artificial-intelligence-is-used-in-marketing-strategy-2024-5">a mock landing page</a> for each company.<div type="image" title="Screenshot of Jasper's mock landing page for Kroger, with an image of two cups and a bowl filled with oranges, apples, and cinnamon sticks on the right side." height="1572" width="2880" msid="115425899" hostid="261" sizebytes="179376"></div>Newton said the AI program created and sent a personalized email to each of these companies this year. The email included a link to the sample landing page and a message advertising Jasper's services. The goal was to showcase Jasper's tools to prospective clients.Jasper's AI tool followed up with two additional emails per company.With AI, Jasper generated emails and sample web content in a fraction of the time it would take traditional marketing teams. Lynch said the campaign also helped expand the company's sales efforts.<h2 id="3e5670ff-c4d4-49f9-b8f9-a4cf1710383c">Did it work, and how did leaders know?</h2>Newton told BI that Jasper acquired 12 customers using the AI ABM workflow.Additionally, Jasper said that based on the hours invested in developing the workflow compared with the revenue generated, the initial campaign achieved a return on investment of 20 times for the company. Newton also said its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-email-inbox-revolution-chatgpt-google-openai-shortwave-productivity-tools-2023-3">AI-generated emails</a> performed significantly better than traditional email marketing, achieving 2.9 times the number of opens, 11 times the number of clicks, and four times the number of responses."It's a level of impact that's kind of unreal," Newton said. "Not only can humans not realistically build this many customized experiences at scale, but also we're driving outsized impact on revenue and moving the needle as a business with this tool."<div type="image" title="Headshot of Tom Newton" height="4032" width="3024" msid="115425902" hostid="261" sizebytes="519508"></div><h2 id="41ef074a-a234-4675-8f7a-cd8fc681bc04">What's next?</h2>Lynch said the ABM workflow is now part of Jasper's internal process to attract customers and generate revenue. The company is also offering it to its customers as a service designed to boost their own businesses."Something like this can be really transformational for an enterprise marketing team," she said.Jasper continues to expand its AI services. It recently launched an AI image suite to help customers <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-platform-runway-lets-users-transform-images-videos-with-words-2023-5">edit images at scale</a>, such as by changing colors or adding graphics for holiday marketing campaigns, Lynch said.The company is also working on using AI to automate and scale content tailored around keywords to help customers improve their search-engine rankings.

One marketing firm is merging AI and account-based marketing to attract new businesses. It's already achieved a 20x ROI.

<keyword id="19896016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-Delhi" source="keywords">New Delhi</keyword>: The 54th Meeting of the <keyword id="21275205" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Goods-and-Services-Tax-Council" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Goods and Services Tax Council" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Goods and Services Tax Council">Goods and Services Tax Council</keyword> or GST Council, will be held on 9th September 2024 in New Delhi, the GST Council said in a post on social media platform "X" on Tuesday. On June 22, <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman said that the next meeting of the GST Council will take place in mid to late August. The aim of this meeting will be to discuss the pending issues of the last meeting. The council is expected to discuss rate rationalisation and compliance, among others. The GST Council, consisting of the Union Finance Minister and representatives from all States and Union Territories, was established to make decisions on various aspects of GST, including <keyword id="20452955" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tax-rates" source="keywords">tax rates</keyword>, exemptions, and administrative procedures. It played a crucial role in shaping the GST framework in India. The last meeting of the GST Council was held on 22 June 2024 this year. During the meeting, the council recommended relaxation to taxation, Input Tax Credit (ITC) claims and demand notices. The GST Council proposes exemptions for specific services offered by Indian Railways to the general public, as well as for intra-railway transactions. During the 53rd meeting of the council, it proposed an exemption for specific services offered by Indian Railways to the general public, as well as for intra-railway transactions. The sale of platform tickets and services such as retiring rooms, waiting rooms, cloakroom facilities, and battery-operated car services are now exempt from GST. The 53rd council meeting was marked by several key decisions aimed at easing the compliance burden and providing relief to taxpayers. "Today's <keyword id="20115983" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="GST-Council-meeting" source="keywords">GST Council meeting</keyword> has taken a lot of decisions on trade facilitation, easing compliance burden and relief to taxpayers in terms of compliance easing out," the Finance Minister had said. The GST Council recommended waiving interest penalties on demand notices issued under Section 73 of the GST Act for fiscal years 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20. The Council, in its June 22 meeting, approved an extension for availing input tax credit (ITC) on any invoice or debit note. To curb government litigation, the Council has recommended setting monetary thresholds for filing appeals by departments: Rs 20 lakh for the GST appellate tribunal, Rs 1 crore for high courts, and Rs 2 crore for the Supreme Court. In a move to assist small taxpayers, the Council, in its last meeting, extended the deadline for furnishing returns from April 30 to June 30 for the fiscal year 2024-25 and subsequent years. The Council, in its last meeting, recommended the phased rollout of biometric-based Aadhaar authentication for GST registration applicants across India. The Council recommended a uniform GST rate of 12 per cent on all milk cans, regardless of their material (steel, iron, or aluminium), to eliminate disputes. The Finance Minister, during the last GST meeting, reiterated the central government's intent to bring petrol and diesel under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework. She highlighted that the groundwork for this inclusion was laid during the initial implementation of GST and emphasized that the decision now lies with the state governments. The central government has long maintained that incorporating petrol and diesel into GST would streamline tax rates and potentially reduce prices for consumers.

54th GST Council meeting to take place on September 9 in New Delhi

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-won-election-what-that-means-for-elon-musk-2024-11">Elon Musk and Donald Trump are both enthusiastic </a>about space exploration opportunities amid a desire to slash regulations.</li><li>It's not yet clear how powerful Musk's role in the new Trump administration will be.</li></ul>Now that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-results-trump-harris-presidential-election-2024-11">president-elect Donald Trump</a> is set to return to power in the US, Elon Musk's plans for sending humans beyond Earth's orbit may be more likely to come to fruition.Space industry experts told Business Insider that Musk's influence over Trump could help advance <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-could-help-deregulate-tech-amid-a-trump-victory-2024-11">his business interests</a>, including sending the first crewed mission to Mars."I'm hugely optimistic about what's going to happen in space now," Michelle Hanlon, executive director of the Center for Air and Space Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law, told Business Insider.Hanlon's optimism isn't unfounded, especially if Trump's second term focuses on space as much as his first.During his first term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump's administration founded <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/space-force-guardian-nick-hague-spacex-rocket-iss-2024-2">the Space Force</a>, re-launched the National Space Council, and established NASA's Artemis program. This program is set to return astronauts to the moon and lay the groundwork for the first crewed mission to Mars.But space isn't the only interest Trump and Musk share. They also want to slash government regulations.<h2 id="b873fb1d-647e-4cdf-a3ef-7d9a7adb04e7">Musk's 'Department of Government Efficiency'</h2>Trump has said that he would cut 10 regulations for every new one his administration creates.Musk and his businesses, meanwhile, have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-faa-overtime-regulations-2024-9">clashed with regulators</a>, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration."There is a lot of waste and needless regulation in government that needs to go," Musk wrote on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1830829538118381574">X</a> after Trump announced that he planned to put the billionaire at the helm of a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-rally-elon-musk-save-department-government-efficiency-2024-10">new "department of government efficiency."</a>It's unclear how much influence Musk would have over regulations if this department came to fruition. Trump's trust in Musk to run such a department, however, is a testament to the pair's burgeoning relationship.The two men teamed up on the campaign trail, with Musk contributing millions to Trump's reelection campaign and appearing with him at a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-pennsylvania-america-pac-donald-trump-harris-2024-11">rally in Pennsylvania</a>.In his election-night victory speech, Trump praised Musk for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-spacex-starship-launch-five-huge-deal-space-travel-2024-10">SpaceX's Starship</a> vehicle, designed to shuttle the first humans to Mars, and for the company's Starlink internet satellites, which are designed to offer fast, cheap internet to remote locations worldwide.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-calls-zelenskyy-erdogan-influence-2024-11">Musk also joined a call</a> between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday — underscoring how influential Musk could be once Trump returns to office, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/musk-trump-zelensky-ukraine-call?stream=top&amp;utm_source=alert&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=alerts_all">Axios</a> reported.Whether that influence translates to Trump founding a new "department of government efficiency" for Musk, though, is unclear.<div type="image" title="Elon Musk jumps for joy at Trump's recent rally in Butler, Pennsylvania." height="1279" width="2000" msid="115101302" hostid="261" sizebytes="117830"></div>SpaceX and Musk did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Trump's campaign said that Musk's ideas and efficiency will benefit federal bureaucracy but his role in Trump's administration remains under wraps."It's a crazy situation, but you can't just create a new department," Deborah Sivas, the director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford, told BI. She said Congress would have to approve it, which may be more likely since Republicans won the Senate majority.Changing a government agency's powers or rules, Sivas said, requires making new rules or passing a law through Congress. That can take months, and it's not guaranteed to work.So, it's unlikely that Musk would be able to single-handedly eliminate key steps in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-texas-starship-launch-site-development-challenges-2019-6">regulatory processes</a>, like the typical environmental review requirement for building a new rocket launchpad."I think Elon Musk will be more likely in the background, whispering in his ear," Sivas said of the billionaire's relationship with Trump."Is he going to be able to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-spacex-autocratic-style-success-politics-harm-2024-9">influence space policy</a>? Yes, no question," Hanlon said, adding that she sees that as a "good thing" because of Musk's experience.In other arenas, like environmental regulation, Sivas isn't so sure."I feel like he should stay in his business lane and stay out of the government lane," Sivas said. "When you put those two together, it's like putting church and state together."<h2 id="879d5f64-5325-4a92-9196-db627a3cb3e9">Smoothing potholes on the road to Mars</h2>Even if Musk can't change regulations, a space-friendly Trump administration could smooth the path to Musk's goal of building a city on Mars.Musk recently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1832550322293837833">said</a> that he plans to launch Starships to Mars for the first time in just two years. If those flights go well, he said that the first human crews would follow four years from now."That's a pretty ambitious timeline," George Nield, former associate administrator of the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, told BI. To meet it would probably require "different regulatory frameworks or contractual arrangements than we've used in the past," he added.<div type="image" title="Elon Musk with former president Donald Trump" height="2633" width="3949" msid="115101300" hostid="261" sizebytes="148502"></div>"If anybody can do it, it will be Elon Musk," Hanlon said. But the government can help, she said, by making regulators more efficient.To help even further, she added, "It can become a policy of the US government to support commercial flight to Mars."With Trump's interest in Starship, the chances of that look better than ever.Regulations aren't the only obstacle. There are still a lot of technical hurdles to overcome before we can reach Mars, Nield said.The moon, on the other hand, is more achievable, and Trump has had his eye on it. Weeks after Musk endorsed Trump, the president-elect <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-victory-expected-boost-musks-mars-dream-2024-11-08/">told reporters</a> that the moon was the first step toward his ultimate goal to reach Mars.<h2 id="60abc973-d957-4dd0-8d46-da0596ffb8e2">The next moon landing</h2>For the Artemis program's first human moon landing, NASA plans to launch four astronauts toward the moon using its Space Launch System and Orion spaceship.In lunar orbit, the ship would meet up with SpaceX's Starship, which would carry two astronauts to the moon's surface, putting boots in the lunar dust for the first time since 1972.The date for that mission has been repeatedly pushed back, with September 2026 being NASA's current target.There's no indication that Trump is considering this, but if he wants a faster moon landing, he could ditch the NASA hardware and send astronauts aboard Starship alone, Nield said."If we see rapid progress with Starship and encouragement from the administration and Congress, I don't see any reason why that couldn't happen in a small number of years," Nield said.

What Trump's second term means for space and why one expert is 'hugely optimistic'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Randy McCabe left Google, and now he has earned over $1 million in five years on Fiverr.</li><li>He left corporate jobs due to stress and inflexibility and found balance with freelancing.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with <a target="_blank" href="https://exoagency.com/">Randy McCabe</a>, a 36-year-old freelancer, digital marketing agency owner, and former Google employee from Seattle. It's been edited for length and clarity.I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dream-job-google-great-perks-nightmare-commute-2024-9">worked at Google</a> for nearly two years, starting in 2016 as an account manager. I loved my time there.The employees were friendly, the directors encouraged growth, and the on-site gym and free food were fantastic. But when my position was outsourced, we had the opportunity to look into joining other teams; instead, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/remote-google-employee-relocation-request-denied-care-for-sick-dad-2024-8">I quit</a>.I found a new job, then I gradually started taking freelance digital marketing gigs on the side and later created my digital marketing agency. In five years, I've made over $1 million on one platform, and I'm so happy with the growth I've seen. I used four strategies to help me successfully <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-build-freelancing-businesses-ai-chatgpt-upwork-millennial-transferrable-skills-2024-3">pivot to freelance</a>.<h2 id="e436a468-5e73-44db-8733-fb7b2b9c71d8">Working for companies stressed me out</h2>After Google, I joined the cybersecurity startup Skybox Security as a digital marketing manager. My rigid eight-to-five schedule left little room for flexibility in my personal life.When I was preparing for a major project launch, I found myself staying late at the office night after night and continuing the work from home. The urgency and immediate deadlines from management made me feel <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/overworked-years-until-child-realized-work-doesnt-care-2024-7">constantly tethered to work</a>, and I was stressed out knowing that requesting time off might make management unhappy.I transitioned to freelance when I noticed other online marketers freelancing on the side.<h2 id="23a14e54-1e61-4708-9686-231dd9b62035">Fiverr helped me earn $1 million and gradually grow my business</h2>I began taking freelance gigs on platforms like Fiverr in 2018 to leverage my skills outside of work. I liked <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-money-on-fiverr-freelance-writer-writing-jobs-2023-7">Fiverr's platform</a>, and it allowed me to gradually build my business while initially still keeping my primary job. It took about a year to gain momentum as I dedicated more time and effort. Within a year and a half, I'd reached my first $100,000 on Fiverr.When COVID hit, I was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/laid-off-6-times-cant-find-job-50s-retirement-worry-2024-7">laid off</a> along with the entire marketing department at Skybox. Fortunately, I'd built strong customer relationships on Fiverr, which gave me the confidence to transition to full-time freelancing.One of the toughest challenges in transitioning from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-millennial-quit-corporate-job-move-abroad-europe-germany-spain-2024-11">corporate to freelance</a> work was the uncertainty of not having a guaranteed monthly paycheck. However, once I transitioned to Fiverr full-time, I consistently achieved over $300,000 in annual sales.Within six months of freelancing, I also launched a digital marketing agency called Exo Agency.Today, I'm still working with Fiverr and my agency, and I couldn't be happier with the growth. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.<h2 id="ef232dd3-8e86-4e4d-bfa6-c81f4afa3c55">Four strategies helped me pivot to freelancing and make seven figures in five years on Fiverr</h2><h3 id="8c519d09-b56e-456a-ace0-8c2fa392bc90">1. Identify a niche.</h3>Since my background is in marketing and I had experience working at Google, I decided to focus on providing Google Ads Campaign setup and management services for small businesses. I delved into understanding client needs to set myself apart and increase earnings on the platform.<h3 id="e6cc9989-e39f-4fb6-9a5d-66ae13747557">2. Showcase skills and expertise.</h3>I created a comprehensive <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-your-online-portfolio-really-work-for-you-2014-3">work portfolio</a>. One of the projects I included in my portfolio was a marketing campaign that resulted in a 30% increase in sales for a client's product. Including this campaign in my portfolio proved my creative abilities and showed my direct impact on the client's increased revenue.<h3 id="c2da056d-e4d9-4178-b49b-7fbd8ff24df0">3. Market your services.</h3>To market myself and my Google Ads and SEO services, I made a Photoshopped poster that effectively showcased the value of my services and relevant highlights. I included a Google Partner badge with my Google Ads gigs, showing that I've met all of the performance, ad spend, and certifications. This led to more inquiries and more revenue from my services through the platform.<h3 id="530fbcae-da91-4d68-8be5-521629c162ae">4. Stay Organized</h3>I ensured I met all deadlines and delivered high-quality work by using a project management tool. I rely heavily on Google Sheets and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-calendar">Google Calendar</a> in my daily routine to ensure I meet all deadlines and that each project receives dedicated attention.This level of organization and attention to detail allowed me to take on additional projects — and ultimately increase my freelance income.<h2 id="694138f1-7bfb-46ce-8439-9607a168252d">I'm 100% happier working for myself</h2>I have more control over my schedule and can more effectively <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-life-balance-financial-goals-raising-son-2024-7">balance my work and personal life</a>. I decide when to take a break and take care of myself without feeling guilty or worried about being unavailable to my clients.I also have complete control over the amount of work I take on, allowing me to focus on customer service and results. As a result, I'm not only more productive but also more fulfilled in my personal life.If you quit Big Tech and would like to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli at tmartinelli@businessinsider.com.

I left Google and am 100x happier in my new role as a freelancer — I've earned over $1 million in revenue in the last 5 years.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Democrats hope blue states can be the party's redoubt against Trump's second term.</li><li>Democrats will be in the minority in both houses of Congress in January 2025.</li></ul>With Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential election loss, President Joe Biden leaving the White House in January, and Democrats looking ahead to life in a Senate chamber that they'll no longer control, the new year will bring a new reality: the party's power in Washington, DC will be diminished.A newly empowered Donald Trump, meanwhile, is aiming to reshape the federal government to a degree that he failed to achieve in his first term. He's assembling <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-white-house-staff-cabinet-picks-list-2024-11">an array of loyalists</a> to help further his goals on everything from immigration to foreign policy.Early in Trump's first presidency, protests against his administration were common in Washington and other cities. And as Trump's first term progressed, Democrats remained laser-focused on opposing him. The party harnessed that energy to retake the House in 2018, win back the presidency in 2020, and flip the Senate in 2021.But this time, the Democratic Party appears to be coalescing around a revised strategy.Democratic officials and activists are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/16/us/politics/democrats-anti-trump-battle-plan.html">hoping blue states</a> can be the center of opposition to the president-elect, The New York Times reported. From abortion rights to paid leave, the party sees its Democratic strongholds as bulwarks against Trump, especially with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-supreme-court-conservatives-election-2024-11">the US Supreme Court</a> dominated by conservative jurists.Democrats are also building up a legal operation to challenge the new administration, according to the Times. The newspaper reported that advocacy groups are rallying hundreds of attorneys to fight Trump's agenda from the start of the president-elect's second term.Skye Perryman, the CEO of Democracy Forward, a nonprofit organization created after Trump's win in 2016, told the Times that challenges to the president-elect will be different in his second term."Resistance this time is a lot more about collective power building," she said. "It's using the law and using litigation."Democrats are also already looking ahead to the 2028 election.While Democrats are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-blue-wall-democrats-suburban-voters-unions-2024-11">still smarting over Harris' loss</a> — and trying to assess how their party can reverse electoral gains that Trump made with working-class voters — many of the party's crop of governors have emerged as potential 2028 contenders.Democrats occupy 23 of the nation's 50 governorships, which will remain unchanged at the beginning of the year. Some of them — like Govs. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gavin-newsom-california-gubernatorial-recall-election-landslide-win-2021-9">Gavin Newsom</a> of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan — have long been considered White House aspirants.For Democrats, the focus on states will give many of these leaders a platform as Trump aims to enact a conservative agenda in a nation that remains politically divided. Harris easily won California and Illinois in the general election, but she lost Michigan — a state that for years had been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-blue-wall-economic-message-unions-michigan-pennsylvania-wisconsin-2024-10">part of the party's vaunted blue wall</a> — by about 1.4 points.After the election, Newsom called a special session, which will begin on December 2 in Sacramento, to boost the state's legal resources to challenge the incoming administration on issues like abortion, civil rights, climate regulations, and immigration.Pritzker <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/elections/2024/11/07/pritzker-donald-trump-second-term-defend-illinois-remarks">pledged to work</a> with the Trump administration but also called himself a "warrior" for his state."To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom, opportunity, and dignity of Illinoisans, I would remind you that a happy warrior is still a warrior," the governor, now in his second term, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1854686495975551159">wrote on X</a>. "You come for my people — you come through me."Meanwhile, Whitmer reiterated that she worked with Trump during her first term and would find a way to do so again."We'll figure out how to work with a Trump administration into this last two years of my term," she told reporters after the election.

Democrats are hoping blue states can hold the line in their battle against Trump's second-term agenda

<keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, under the leadership of <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, showcased its vision for the future during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held today (August 29). During the AGM, <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> laid out ambitious plans that span across its diverse businesses. The conglomerate, which has interests ranging from oil to telecom to retail, is positioning itself as a key player in India’s growth story, with a particular focus on <keyword id="20239522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-innovation" source="keywords">technological innovation</keyword>, energy security, and retail expansion. <h2>Not chasing short-term profits</h2><keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword>, during his speech, said that Reliance is not merely chasing short-term profits but is dedicated to creating long-term wealth for the nation. He reiterated the company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services that enhance the lives of Indian consumers. The chairman announced that the company’s board will consider issuing bonus shares on September 5, further rewarding shareholders as Reliance continues to grow. <h2>Transforming into a deep-tech company</h2>A major theme of the AGM this year was Reliance’s transformation into a deep tech company, with advanced manufacturing capabilities at its core. Ambani described this shift as essential to securing a place in the global top-30 companies in the near future. He highlighted the company’s strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), calling it one of the most transformative events in human history. AI, he noted, opens up new avenues to address complex problems, making Reliance a net producer of technology. Reliance has been making significant strides in R&amp;D, with over ₹3,643 crore invested in FY24 alone, taking the total research expenditure to over ₹11,000 crore in the last four years. This investment is driving innovations in various areas, including bio-energy, solar power, green energy, and high-value chemicals. The company has also been active in digital research, filing patents in 6G, 5G, AI, and IoT, among others. Ambani assured that this tech-driven transformation would propel Reliance into a new phase of hyper-growth, multiplying its value in the coming years. <h2><keyword id="20337020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-business" source="keywords">Retail business</keyword> to double</h2>In addition to technological advancements, Reliance Retail, the company’s retail arm, is set to double its business in the next three to four years. Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail, shared that the retail segment recorded a gross revenue of ₹3.06 lakh crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, marking a 17.8% growth over the previous year. The retail business has rapidly expanded, with Reliance opening 1,840 new stores in the past year, bringing the total to 18,836 stores across 79 million square feet of retail space. This growth has positioned Reliance Retail among the top-5 global retailers in terms of store count and among the top-10 in market capitalization globally. Isha Ambani emphasised that much of this growth is driven by a focus on smaller towns, where two-thirds of the new stores have been opened. Reliance Retail is also focused on creating high-quality, affordable products through its Consumer Brands business, which has seen the re-launch of popular brands like Campa, Lotus Chocolates, and Sosyo. Mukesh Ambani concluded by underscoring Reliance’s mission to provide energy security to India while also contributing to a cleaner and greener world. As the global landscape becomes increasingly uncertain, he expressed confidence in India’s role as a key growth engine in the global economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, surpassing Japan and Germany. Ambani affirmed that Reliance will continue to be a driving force in India’s march toward becoming a developed nation.

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