Category: Business Insider

• Panera Bread is getting rid of its highly caffeinated charged lemonades, which attracted lawsuits.
• A size large contained 390 mg of caffeine — the same as about 4 cups of coffee.
• But it was a fun treat in an otherwise dangerous world. I'll miss it.

Panera Bread is finally getting rid of its "charged lemonade" — another chip away at our freedom.

In a world with few acceptable vices left — and a lot to worry about — Panera's "Charged Sips" were a bright spot.

Smoking, of course, is out, and vaping is for degenerate teens. Zyn might be acceptable in the field of stimulants you can do at the office, but I'm concerned about gum health. Moderate drinking, long the most socially acceptable pleasure, is even out, as more and more people are following the (sadly, probably true) advice of wellness podcasters that any amount of alcohol is unhealthy for you.

I'd only had a Charged Sip — its official name — one time: a size large Strawberry Mint Charged Lemonade. It was delicious! I don't usually drink sweet drinks, but it hit just right. And yes, I felt moderately energized, but nothing more than how I feel on coffee. I was disappointed. I wanted to feel something. I wanted to feel the jitters and the sweats. I wanted the lemonade to mess me up.

As for Panera, I guess this was the wise move if you're a suburban lunch chain and one of your products becomes an internet meme that some have dubbed, fairly or not, "death lemonade," and you're facing multiple lawsuits. (Panera has said those are without merit.)

Of course, that people might have died or had serious health problems is tragic and serious. Panera's putting giant caffeine warning labels all over its menu, I guess, wasn't enough.

Bloomberg reported that over the next two weeks, the Charged Sips line will be discontinued in favor of a new low-caffeine, low-sugar line of lavender blueberry lemonade, pomegranate hibiscus tea, and two others.

But, for those who can handle the caffeine, what could be more freeing, refreshing, and exciting than guzzling down some forbidden Mango Yuzo Citrus Charged Lemonade? To release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin. Nothing else can do this for you, only you can chug it in.

So, farewell, Charged Sips. You were too beautiful an idea ("What if someone got zooted on caffeine while eating soup from a bread bowl?") for this world. I find comfort knowing you'll be reunited with your family — Sparks, Four Loko, and Jolt soda — in that big plastic cup in the sky.

• The Department of Justice is investigating potential securities or wire fraud by Tesla, Reuters reported.
• The probe reportedly centers on Tesla's promotion of its driver assist software.
• Tesla has faced scrutiny for its driver-assist software over the years.

The Department of Justice is looking into potential securities or wire fraud connected with Tesla's efforts to promote its driver assist software, according to a report by Reuters that cited unnamed sources.

In 2022, the news agency first reported that the DoJ had launched a criminal probe into Tesla and its self-driving claims, but further details regarding the scope of the investigation were previously unknown.

The DoJ declined to comment, and Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CEO Elon Musk has been promising for years that Tesla will put fully autonomous cars on the road and has repeatedly said the software will one day be able to perform better than a human driver.

The carmaker has faced scrutiny from a number of regulators over the years regarding its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving beta software.

In December, Tesla issued a recall via an over-the-air update to about two million vehicles after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that Autopilot didn't have enough stop gaps to prevent drivers from misusing the software, following a two-year investigation into the feature.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that the agency had asked Tesla for more detailed answers and documents related to the recall.

All current Tesla models come with the carmaker's Autopilot driver-assist program. Owners can also buy the company's Full Self-Driving beta feature for $8,000.

The beta feature enables the vehicle to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park. Both programs still require a licensed driver to monitor the system at all times.

Do you work for Tesla or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at gkay@businessinsider.com

• Businesses are adding $90 billion in fees to consumer's bills each year, according to one estimate.
• US consumers spend more than $650 a year per household on "junk fees," per the CEA.
• Some are fighting back by choosing businesses that give upfront prices to reduce their spending.

Businesses are adding $90 billion in surprise "junk fees" to customers' bills each year — and it is starting to backfire.

Junk fees are hidden costs that are added to product prices. We see them on everything from restaurant menus to concert tickets and flight booking sites.

And according to estimates by the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Americans are spending more than $90 billion a year— more than $650 per household — on junk fees, including live event tickets, internet and cable fees, apartment rentals, banking fees, and more.

These are often added at the end of a purchase, making it tougher for consumers to compare shops for the best offer, resulting in them spending up to 20% more, according to a working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Some are now taking matters into their own hands, by choosing businesses that give them upfront prices.

Noelle Weaver and Bradley Walker told The Wall Street Journal they adopted this approach with hotels and rental cars after seeing the cost of a four-night stay in a New Orleans hotel rise from what they thought would be $719 to nearly $1,100, with the hotel charging $235 in taxes and fees, and $50 for early check-in.

"I just want to know what it's going to cost instead of feeling the bitterness of getting upcharged at every turn," Walker told the outlet.

Merrilee Bridgeman told the Journal she experienced the same issue in a local salon in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was forced to pay an extra $5 hair-washing fee on top of her daughter's $40 cuts and her $100 haircut.

"It just felt off-brand and adds to the fatigue that we already feel about having to watch so carefully when we're ordering and checking out," she told the newspaper.

Last June, President Joe Biden said his administration had taken steps to crack down on junk fees. He said it did this in part by reducing overdrafts by $5.5 billion a year, and bounced-check costs by $2 billion a year.

In April, a Democratic member of Congress introduced the Junk Fee Prevention Act to try to limit and eliminate excessive, hidden, and unnecessary fees.

• After 23 years in corporate America, I decided I needed a career change and signed up for a course.
• Throughout the program, I learned how important it was to build a network and test out new things. 
• After eight months, I was finally able to confidently start doing more fulfilling work.

Career change, shift, pivot. Whatever you call it, after 23 years in corporate America, I wanted out.

I didn't know what I wanted to do next, but I was sure it wasn't what I was doing now.

Luckily, the US job market is more stable now than it's been since before 2020. But changing careers is more than finding a new boss or moving to a different company.

During one marathon search session, I stumbled upon Careershifters and paid $1,175 for its eight-week Career Change Launch Pad course.

Now that I've successfully pivoted, here are the best tips I took away from the course.

Step back and assess where you're at

We started the course by taking a quiz that was supposed to help us determine what stage of the pivoting process we were in (questioner, browser, explorer, pathfinder, and shifter).

These kinds of assessments can sometimes feel gimmicky, but it was helpful to zoom out a bit and reflect on where I was at.

The categories stretched from questioner (wondering whether you need to make a change) to shifter (successfully finding more fulfilling work), and the assessment told me I was an explorer (ready to change but not sure what to do).

Look for people, not jobs

Building my network was exponentially more helpful than skimming through endless job descriptions.

I recommend talking to everyone about your shift — family, friends, former colleagues, yoga teachers, LinkedIn connections. You never know what or who they know.

I met a McDonald's Happy Meal toy designer through a former boss, and my chiropractor connected me with a lifestyle magazine.

Don't try to do everything alone

Surrounding myself with a community of other people going through a career change made all the difference in my process.

My program included coaches who had changed careers and about 65 fellow participants from around the world — including a programmer in the UK, a writer in Greece, and an accountant in Brooklyn.

They all understood what it was like to feel stuck and overwhelmed, and we shared ideas, work experiences, and networks.

Even if you don't want to do a course, there are career-change coaches, podcasts, books, and so many other resources out there to help.

Career shifts don't happen overnight

We're asked what we want to be when we grow up all the time as kids, but I hadn't had the opportunity to explore that question as an adult.

Deciding to pivot allowed me to take the time to discover more about myself, explore my options, and experiment with different possibilities.

Changing careers is a process — don't rush it. I was eight months into my career shift before I felt confident about what I wanted.

Don't start with updating your résumé

A résumé is all about where you've been. But a career shift is about what you want in the future.

Instead of rushing to update résumés or spruce up my portfolio, I tried to trust the process and focus on figuring out what I wanted.

My career experience up to that point had been something like, "You're perfect. You're hired. Now change."

But after a career-shift coach told me she gets paid to be herself, that became my new mission.

Physically try new things that get you out of your head

It's going to be really hard to find fulfilling work if you're just sitting behind your desk all day looking for opportunities online.

Instead of endlessly searching job boards, I did an informational interview with an author, ran promotions for a high-school musical, and went behind the scenes at a local bakery.

Even if I wasn't necessarily interested in those fields, physically getting myself out there and trying new things helped me along in my process.

Expand your reality bubble

Everyone has what I like to call a "reality bubble," and they're full of different ideas, perspectives, people, and experiences.

Simply expanding that bubble a little bit opened my mind to new possibilities for my career shift.

When I pushed myself to have new and different conversations, I met a gift concierge who helped me identify small businesses that needed marketing help and a Disney travel planner who ended up being my first client when I started working as a career-change consultant.

Take your ideas for a low-risk test drive

Attending workshops and testing things out with friends are great, low-risk ways to experiment with different career possibilities.

I did pro-bono marketing for a doggie day care, took an hourlong course on book publishing, and designed a line of 1980s-themed scented markers — along with 25 other short-lived experiments.

Through all these different experiences, I figured out what gives me energy, what I could get good at, and what I might actually be able to get paid for.

Holding one salaried job isn't the only way to work

When I started this process, I knew I didn't want to do one thing in one place with one company anymore.

Just because having a single source of income is the norm doesn't mean that's where you have to wind up. Eventually, I was able to create a hodgepodged career that met my goal of feeling like I was getting paid to be myself.

Now I work with a variety of people and companies as a freelance writer, career-change consultant, and small-business marketing strategist.

• Interior designers shared easy swaps to make in your bedroom to elevate your space. 
• Add a colorful duvet and a fun selection of throw pillows to liven up your room. 
• Replace your nightstand lamp with a wall sconce to reduce clutter while maintaining light. 

Find a nightstand with drawers and hidden storage to reduce clutter.

Sarah Barnard, interior designer and founder of Sarah Barnard Design, told Business Insider that nightstands can quickly accumulate a variety of odds and ends, creating visual clutter.

"Opting for a nightstand with drawers or covered storage keeps items close at hand while maintaining visual calm," Barnard explained. 

She added this type of nightstand can also offer privacy for your items. Plus lined or compartmentalized interiors can help reduce the noise of opening or closing drawers. 

Update the rugs in your space to give it a fresh feel.

Changing out your rug can have a big impact on the overall look and feel of the space, according to Karen Rohr, interior designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors. 

"Changing out your rug is an easy and affordable way to give your bedroom a fresh, new look," Rohr said. 

If you have carpet throughout the room, you can still incorporate rugs by layering them on top, the designer suggested. This creates an inviting and cozy space that's perfect for relaxing at the end of a long day.

Add a beautiful piece of art to your wall in place of a television.

After a long day, your bedroom should be the place where you can finally shut off for the night, so Barnard suggested replacing your TV with a soothing work of art. 

"Our bodies take cues from our surroundings, and if the first thing we see when getting into bed is a television screen, we are more inclined to watch TV before bed, which may disrupt our sleep," Barnard explained.

The designer added that art in the bedroom may help ease the mind and encourage quiet reflection. 

Replace empty corners with plants to give the space color and life.

"Dead corners" are empty areas of a room where the furniture doesn't quite fit or the light doesn't quite reach. As a result, these spots can often feel lifeless and uninviting.

Rohr suggested bringing life into your bedroom by using these empty corners for greenery. Plants can help brighten up a space and add a touch of nature.

Switch out conventional pillows for decorative ones.

To add more visual interest and make the space feel cozier, Rohr suggested layering the bed with a variety of pillows instead of a set of standard ones. 

"The different shapes, colors, and patterns will immediately make your bed look much more interesting," Rohr told BI. "This not only adds pops of color and texture but also helps to create an overall sense of comfort and coziness."

By adding layers to the bed, Rohr said, you'll make your entire room feel like a cozy nook for relaxing and unwinding. 

Swap out your table lamp for a wall sconce to reduce clutter.

As mentioned earlier, it's easy to accumulate clutter on your nightstand.

To avoid this, you can swap the table lamp for a wall sconce, said Jaime Zehner, interior designer and founder of JZ Interior Designs. 

Doing so can both add light and open more space on your nightstand.

Wall sconces do require some electrical work to install, but Zehner said it's well worth it since they're such a great use of space. 

Fresh flowers and herbs can create natural aromas in place of candles.

Instead of relying on candles for a relaxing fragrance, Barnard recommended placing bouquets of fresh, fragrant herbs and flowers in your bedroom.

"Their natural aromas may be a welcome alternative to candles that often contain chemical fragrances and they will add natural beauty to your bedroom space," Barnard told BI. 

Some great options include eucalyptus, mint, lavender, thyme, and jasmine.

Swap out a plain duvet for something colorful or patterned.

New bedding is also a great way to bring fresh energy and excitement to the room.

"Whether you opt for soft, fluffy pillows or bright, rich sheets, new bedding can instantly transform the look and feel of your bedroom," Rohr said. 

Adding a pop of color or pattern can also make the space instantly seem more inviting. 

Choose a stunning wallpaper to go over plain walls.

Zehner told BI you can give your bedroom more pizazz without adding furniture by applying wallpaper to subtly-painted walls.

"I suggest something in a small pattern so it isn't too distracting," the designer said. "This adds so much charm to the room, and when done right, it allows for the fundamental pieces of the room to stand out."

Peel-and-stick wallpaper is an easy, renter-friendly way to achieve this look.

Swap out your closet interior for a more personalized option.

To quell disorganization and clutter, Barnard suggested replacing your closet interior with a more personalized option that meets your specific needs. 

"Having specific storage areas for clothing items and accessories can keep things compartmentalized, especially when best suited for the items in your closet," Barnard explained. 

For example, it may make sense for someone with an extensive shoe collection to repurpose some of their hanging space for vertical shoe storage. 

Give life to your bedroom with new curtains.

New curtains give the room an instant update by adding visual interest and changing the style of the space. 

"The curtains you choose can set the tone for your entire space," Rohr told BI. "So finding a pair that reflects your style and makes you feel relaxed and comfortable is essential."

By choosing curtains with a bold pattern or rich color, you can instantly transform your bedroom into a cozy retreat that reflects your style. 

Replace excess furniture with functional items.

When it comes to decorating your bedroom, the key is to keep things simple and minimal, according to Rohr. Removing excess furniture and opting for smaller items you'll actually use is one way to go about this. 

You can add a dresser if you need more storage for clothes or a soft rug to sit on instead of a full reading nook.

The designer told BI, "By focusing on the items that are essential in your day-to-day life, you can create an inviting and well-designed room that doesn't feel too cluttered and can still perfectly reflect your personal style."

This story was originally published in October 2022, and most recently updated on May 8. 2024.

• Tokyo police arrested a yakuza boss, accusing him of stealing Pokémon cards.
• The yakuza once had a fearsome, violent reputation. This arrest marks a shift to petty crimes.
• Anti-gang laws and lower profits have made yakuza membership less appealing to younger Japanese.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police last week arrested an executive of the Takinogawa gang, a faction of Japan's second-most powerful organized crime syndicate — the Sumiyoshi-kai.

His alleged crime? Police accuse him of stealing Pokémon cards.

Yakuza are members of organized crime syndicates, the Japanese equivalents of gangsters or mafiosos. Membership peaked in the 1960s when numbers swelled to more than 180,000.

In media, the yakuza are often depicted as terrifying figures, known for full-body tattoos and involvement in loansharking, extortion, and violence.

The recent arrest challenges that stereotype.

SoraNews24 reported that Keita Saito, a 39-year-old kanbu, or leader, was arrested in late April over a petty theft related to a December 2022 office break-in.

According to the news outlet, items worth 252,000 yen, or $1,621, were stolen, which included 25 Pokémon trading cards.

SoraNews24 noted an increase in trading card thefts in Japan due to their lightweight, easy conversion into cash, and difficult traceability.

According to France's Le Monde, it's surprising to see a gang member, let alone a leader, arrested for petty theft in Japan, especially given the yakuza's historical association with more serious crimes.

Gangs have, in recent years, largely moved from violence toward white-collar crimes.

According to DW, as well as becoming less brutal, gang membership has steadily declined over the past few decades.

Stringent anti-gang laws, targeting businesses associating with gangs and restricting members' access to financial services like credit cards and pensions have lessened the economic incentive to join, DW reported.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this, the outlet said, noting that decreased demand for illegal activities like gambling, sex work, and drug trafficking impacted the yakuza's financial resources.

Becoming a yakuza has become a less attractive career path for young Japanese, according to Tomohiko Suzuki, an expert on the yakuza, speaking to The Guardian back in 2020.

He told the newspaper: "They have to sacrifice a lot to lead the life of a gangster, but for increasingly diminishing returns."

The Guardian reported that the average age of a yakuza is now over 50, with a growing number in their 70s.

• Rachel Maeng Brown is a former NCAA rower who now works with student-athletes at her firm Gen Agency.
• The agency has provided NIL education and consulting to college athletes, collectives, and schools.
• Brown shared a presentation with five strategies to help athletes price and negotiate brand deals.

Knowing your worth is a struggle many college athletes face now that they can make money from their name, image, and likeness, known as NIL.

To help athletes understand their value, influencer-marketing-and-production company Gen Agency has been educating and consulting college athletes on NIL.

"Our big focus is creating a sustainable NIL marketplace at each university," Rachel Maeng Brown, the founder and CEO of Gen agency, told Business Insider.

Brown, a former NCAA rower, said the NIL side of Gen Agency educates universities to help them build curriculums. The agency also offers athletes on-site and virtual workshops about NIL marketing.

In April, Gen Agency hosted its first NIL-educational summit for University of Michigan influencers in partnership with Reach, a student-driven organization helping content creators grow their platforms and connect with brands. The presentation, which was shared with BI, covered how athletes can understand their audience, price sponsored content, post properly on social media, and protect themselves with a contract.

The summit also featured a panel of guest speakers, including former NFL player Isaiah Johnson. Johnson told BI that social-media followers and engagement are more important to brands who work with athletes than on-field performance.

"Followers, everyone wants to know how many people are following you and then two, just how genuine you are," he said. "If you are genuinely using a product, this could be a wonderful fit."

Johnson said athletes with the best media presence are natural and real with their followers. He said sports fans love behind-the-scenes footage they can not get from somewhere else, like athletes' day-in-the-life videos.

Here are five key slides from Gen Agency's NIL presentation on how athletes can brand themselves and negotiate fair pay:

Learn about your audience

Brown said knowing your target audience is key to working with brands. It helps companies understand who they can reach by recruiting you. 

During the summit, Brown showed athletes where to find key stats on their Instagram audiences, including follower count and growth, location, age, and gender.

A formula athletes can use to estimate the price of a brand deal

The presentation offered a formula student-athletes can use to calculate how much to charge brands for a sponsored post. It's based on a $10 CPM, which refers to the cost per every 1,000 impressions, though CPMs can vary.

To calculate what to charge per post, take the average number of views over the last 30 days and divide it by 1,000. Then take that figure and multiply it by the CPM.

Using that math, an athlete with 600,000 average views over the last days would charge $6,000 per post, based on a $10 CPM, per the presentation's example.

Know your copyright rules

Athletes, like other influencers, need to comply with brand, platform, and regulatory guidelines for social-media posts and ads, such as copyright rules and what kind of content is permitted on a platform.

Student-athletes also need to abide by NCAA rules because posting inappropriate content can result in losing scholarships, eligibility, and future career opportunities, according to the NCAA.

Brown said college athletes should also exercise caution and not include other brands or anything illegal in a sponsored post. She advised double-checking the spelling before posting, too.

Dos and don'ts for sponsored posts

The agency also emphasized the importance of double-checking disclosures for paid ads, partnerships, and more so athletes do not have to delete or redo sponsored videos.

"This is really important to student-athletes as well as smaller influencers because a lot of brands will try to bully them," said Brown, "to say, 'You don't need to put hashtag. You don't need to disclose that we're sponsored.' But it's actually illegal across social media."

She said failing to disclose a sponsored post could result in an athlete's account being banned or messing up their average views and algorithm.

Things to know about payment

Brown also talked about contracts and W-9s, which are tax forms for independent contractors. The presentation emphasized in capital letters that athletes need a contract to make sure they get paid for their work.

They should also be mindful of terms such as "usage" and "ownership" because it could mean their videos could be posted on any social-media channel or site.

Brown said brands are not going to protect the athletes, so they need to look out for themselves.

• Sen. Elizabeth Warren led a group of Democrats in pushing for increased Federal Student Aid funding.
• They said that key student-debt relief programs, like SAVE, are at risk without more resources.
• Congress has failed to boost funding for the agency over the past couple of years.

A group of Democratic lawmakers is pointing to one key thing that will help student-loan borrowers and families navigate financial aid: more funding.

On Wednesday, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren led 24 of her Democratic colleagues in calling on Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Shelley Moore Capito — chair and ranking member of the Senate education committee, respectively — to grant President Joe Biden's $2.7 billion budget request for the Office of Federal Student Aid in fiscal year 2025.

Over the past couple of years, Biden has requested that Congress provide increased funding to FSA to help it facilitate the return to student-loan repayment, the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, form, and a host of new repayment and debt relief programs.

However, Republicans have opted to flat-fund the agency, and this year, they proposed funding cuts. The Democrats wrote in their letter, first viewed by Business Insider, that the lack of funding is "severely undermining FSA's ability to implement critical programs."

"FSA's responsibilities have increased to protect students and borrowers, but its federal funding has remained stagnant," they wrote. "The lack of adequate resources creates more barriers for students to start and continue their education."

Since federal student-loan payments resumed in October, many borrowers have faced a list of challenges, including hours-long hold times with their servicer, payment inaccuracies, and delayed or missing billing statements.

On top of that, the Education Department has been working to carry out a series of reforms to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, it implemented the new SAVE income-driven repayment plan, and it's in the process of overhauling the student-loan servicing system.

Each of those efforts requires more resources to implement effectively — something servicers themselves have previously acknowledged when explaining their own challenges in assisting borrowers.

When it comes to the FAFSA, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been highly critical of the way the Education Department has facilitated the rollout. While the department intended to create a simplified form for families and students, technical glitches delayed the form by months, and aid calculation errors followed, forcing many schools to push back their commitment deadlines.

Just one day before the Democrats' letter, a bipartisan group of lawmakers sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona requesting that the department ensure the FAFSA form is ready, without errors, for students to access as they apply for aid for the next school year. The Democrats wrote in their Wednesday letter that FSA needs more funding to live up to that commitment.

Cardona also expressed the need for Congress to boost the Education Department's funding in written testimony for a Tuesday hearing before the House. He wrote that Biden's $2.7 billion request for FSA will allow the agency to "support students and student loan borrowers as they navigate these modernized financial aid application and student loan repayment processes."

The Education Department is also in the process of crafting its broader student-debt relief plan, which is currently in the public comment period. The department plans to begin implementation of the new debt relief this fall, but the presidential election — and likely legal challenges — present uncertainty to that timeline.

• Footage shared by a Ukrainian battalion appears to show exploding drones striking Russian 'cope cages.'
• Both Russia and Ukraine have used the cages as makeshift missile defenses on vehicles.
• However, experts have told BI that the primary benefit of the cages is psychological.

Video released by a Ukrainian battalion appears to show drones getting through increasingly complex "cope cages" installed on Russian armored fighting vehicles, to devastating effect.

In a video posted on Monday by the 8th Separate Mountain Assault Battalion — part of the famed "Edelweiss" brigade — heavily protected Russian vehicles are seen to be targeted and, it appears, destroyed by Ukrainian drones.

In the video, a drone approaches a Russian armored fighting vehicle topped with a tangled cage-like structure.

The drone hovers for a beat, before backing up to make what appears to be its suicidal — and devastating — last approach.

A similar scene plays out for a second time in the video, on a different vehicle, before a zoomed-out view reveals three smoking wrecks.

The battalion did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for more information, but the vehicles were stationary, suggesting they may have already been hit.

Russia and Ukraine have both been documented using what are somewhat sarcastically known as "cope cages" — makeshift frames or screens aimed at limiting the impact of missiles.

Versions of the defensive apparatus have also shown up in Israel's military following the October 7 Hamas terror attacks, Popular Mechanics reported.

As well as the complex, heavy structures seen in the latest video posted by Ukraine's military, other 'cope cages' have taken the form of box-like screen cages, seemingly aimed at stopping drones.

However, early versions were largely useless against the Javelins and NLAW anti-tank missiles that proved so decisive early in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, experts told BI's Alia Shoaib.

RAND historian and former tank commander Gian Gentile told BI's Jake Epstein last year that cages might offer more protection against some loitering munitions, like drones.

But as the recent video appears to demonstrate, this is by no means a given.

And any protection they offer is largely psychological, Gentile said. "It is a psychological thing that soldiers do in combat when they want to live," he said.

Meanwhile, having to operate a fighting vehicle with a cage is likely a "huge inconvenience," Gentile said, noting that they impede mobility and visibility.

• The adult industry is increasingly embracing AI for tasks like chatting and image generation.
• Some startups even create chatbots and "digital twins" based on existing influencers.
• Creators are experimenting with AI, but some worry it may erode trust and alienate audiences.

The adult industry has long been an early adopter of new technologies, from as early as the printing press in the 1400s to DVDs and the internet.

In 2024, the adult industry is experimenting with and sometimes embracing AI. Superstars in the space like Riley Reid have already created AI versions of themselves; subscription platforms like Fanvue have made AI-generated characters a centerpiece of their missions; and a crop of new startups promises to help adult-content creators generate their "digital twins."

"We sincerely believe that the adult industry always drives all the technology," said Ana Levy, CMO of My.Club, one of the platforms that recently began offering users the possibility of creating an "AI twin." "This is the most responsive industry, the one that drives all the changes."

With experimentation have come excitement and fear. AI could ease the burden on creators that comes with the constant need for fresh content and fan interaction, and many have been curious about the possibility of turning themselves into digital characters. But as fan relationships have become central in adult content in the era of OnlyFans, some worry that relying on AI too much may alienate their audiences.

"I'm seeing so many of my fans get riled up and upset if they have the slightest little thought of 'Am I not talking to you for real?'" OnlyFans creator Isla Moon said. "I'm slightly nervous about that."

And for others, the idea that AI may eventually replace creators entirely is not too far-fetched.

"I think the people who spend the most on fan pages are the most lonely people and seek validation," OnlyFans creator Jada Sparks said. "And if they can get it from an AI, it's validation nonetheless."

Business Insider spoke with industry insiders about the state of AI in the adult-content world and what the future may hold.

AI for chatting and voice

Exchanging messages and chatting with fans has become one of the fundamentals of the new style of adult content that's gained ground on OnlyFans and similar platforms.

Some credit it with helping lonely fans build relationships that go beyond the sexual, while others warn that it may turn into a dangerous game, and further isolate people from the real world and real relationships.

For the creators, it's certainly one of the most lucrative ways to monetize their online presence. But the volume of messages they receive can quickly get overwhelming, and many have long outsourced chatting to their own employees or external agencies. Now, AI can become an addition to this arsenal of chatting tools.

Companies like ChatPersona and FlirtFlow have developed chatbots that can be used on OnlyFans to chat on behalf of creators. OnlyFans has taken a staunch anti-AI stance, though, so a human still has to press "send" on the messages (even if they don't write them).

Creators could use these AI tools to replace existing "chatters," who have often been low-wage workers in countries like the Philippines, India, and Pakistan, Fortune reported.

Other companies, like MySentient.ai or Riley Reid's Clona, have developed the capabilities to create chatbots that can exchange messages with fans on behalf of the creators, using their style of conversation. Unlike ChatPersona or FlirtFlow, these chatbots live on separate platforms from their human counterparts and are clearly labeled as being generated with artificial intelligence.

Riley Reid told BI that she hoped her AI version would be a way to "immortalize herself" and continue to monetize the fan base she'd created with her adult content even as she moves away from it. To chat with AI Riley, fans need to pay a subscription that costs $30 a month.

MySentient has been investing in creating "sentient" AI chatbots based on people that range from adult creators like Amouranth to Jesus.

Reese Leysen, the company's CEO, said MySentient approaches AI with a clear goal of trying to make the interactions positive and putting guardrails in place for its use from the get-go. He said users had been able to form positive connections with chatbots like Amouranth's.

"I know there's many concerns around this, but we have so far not seen one person say in our community, 'This is bad for me,'" Leysen said. "We've actually only seen the opposite, where people say, 'This has made me so much more secure. It has made me feel like I am perfectly capable of forging these kinds of relationships.'"

While chatting with a creator — whether real or AI — can have a positive impact, some experts previously told BI that the type of relief chatting offers can be a temporary Band-Aid to real-life problems, and can become a kind of addiction.

"They don't know how to be intimate. They don't know how to grow. They literally didn't learn that," Robert Weiss, a certified sex-addiction specialist who focuses on digital intimacy, said of some of his clients.

Fanvue, an OnlyFans competitor that has taken an AI-first approach, has developed a variety of AI tools to help its creators. These range from AI message drafting and voice notes to a "creator coach," an AI chatbot that helps users understand their performance on the platform better and gives advice and support.

Creators have also been experimenting with AI tools that can replicate their voices. One of the most well-known and utilized tools is ElevenLabs, an AI darling that's recently achieved unicorn status for its text-to-speech and dubbing capabilities.

Isla Moon said she'd seen some fellow creators clone their voices and then task their employees with sending voice notes to subscribers, pretending they're genuine. She and a number of other creators BI spoke with said they worried about how the use of AI could impact their credibility and undermine audiences' trust in them.

"That's the part that stresses me out a lot," she said. "At what point are [the fans] going to not trust what I'm saying?"

Level up: AI 'digital twins'

Some startups are going a step further from just offering chatbots or voice clones, and promise to create full-on "digital twins" — also referred to as "duplicates" or "döppelgangers" — for existing influencers, which also generate pictures.

Some companies — like Eva AI, Foxy.ai, and My.Club — are fully leaning into the adult world. Eva and My.Club even had booths at AVN, the world's biggest adult entertainment expo, where they were inviting adult stars to duplicate themselves.

Jessica Moore, a creator who generated her digital twin using My.Club, said the idea of making a digital twin excited her not only for money-making potential but also for the creative possibilities and the interactions her AI version could have with other AI-generated characters.

"You're able to interact with your friends, digital versions of them," she said. "I think that's probably where we will see the twin going. For me, I live in a small town in Canada. I don't have access to every creator. Having the ability to do that, I think, is going to be really cool."

Some creators are also experimenting individually with different AI image generators like MidJourney or Stable Diffusion to create depictions of themselves in different settings.

Elaina St James, for example, has started Twitter and Instagram accounts dedicated to AI art of herself — primarily simple portraits of her in revealing outfits in a variety of settings.

"I can be really creative," St James said in a recent podcast episode she hosted. "I can make myself, or I can make a younger, blonde, super curvy version of me. Or I can make somebody older than me … This can all be part of the Elaina-verse."

The next frontier: AI-generated influencers

There's been quite some buzz in the news about AI-generated characters, like Spanish Aitana, who besides being popular on Instagram makes money from adult content.

In recent months, crops of AI-generated influencers in racy outfits and curves that defy the laws of physics have emerged, and some of them have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Some of the creators behind these characters previously told BI they chose to lean into adult content because of its higher monetization potential.

To create these characters, they use a variety of AI tools, including Unstable Diffusion, an AI image generator that focuses on NSFW content. Many of them publish this content behind a paywall on Fanvue.

Some creators have gone as far as using deepfake technology to superimpose AI-generated faces to the bodies of real influencers or celebrities like Dua Lipa and Margot Robbie, a 404 Media investigation recently found.

A popular app that enables this kind of deepfakes is HelloFace. Three AI creators BI previously spoke to mentioned they had seen the app being used in their community, both in legitimate and unauthorized ways.

A spokesperson for HelloFace told BI the company is working actively to limit these unauthorized uses of third-party videos, but the practice still appears to be running rampant.

Some creators are still skeptical — and worry about deceiving their audiences

Like with many technological advancements, the excitement and interest are balanced with a healthy level of skepticism.

Sophie Annaston, who's built a presence on social media primarily with "try-on" videos, said she'd been avoiding AI entirely out of respect for her audience and concern for the potential outcomes.

"If this AI model is directly associated with me, I can't do that," she said. "My account is very much me. It's been managed by me, it sounds like me. I could never have anything being said on my behalf that I don't see and send myself."

Others see the power of AI but also the issues it could create for the adult industry as a whole. Similarly to those in other media sectors, many are embracing AI to speed up processes and for efficiency, but not to replace the creative and human sides. But the pressure to constantly produce new work has led many to at least contemplate how AI could fit into their output.

"In order to ride the algorithm wave, anybody needs a certain amount of content," said Charles Lyle, who co-owns adult production company Blush Erotica with his wife. "We would use AI to replace what we have not shot ourselves. Just to fill the space of how much content we need to feed the beast. That's how we would use AI."