Category: Business

• Tech bosses are getting noticed for their style in 2024.
• As the weather heats up, tech workers should consider updating their wardrobes as well.
• Fashion experts suggested brighter colors and more accessories to make an impression this summer.

Tech's top players are switching over to their summer styles — and workers should follow suit if they want to dress to impress.

Whether accessorizing more like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos or opting for sporty outfits like Bill Gates and Sergey Brin, there are more ways to express personal style than the stereotypical tech uniform of jeans and a t-shirt.

Unlike finance workers — who typically have to keep it a bit more professional — the tech industry is known for its looser dress code and emphasis on an open work culture (though that's shifting in recent years).

Still, tech workers have begun hiring stylists to help them dress better for work. Some pay tens of thousands to improve their look, but others aren't so quick to give up their beloved t-shirts, stylists told The San Francisco Standard.

"If you can get them to try something new, and they get a compliment from someone soon thereafter, that makes it much easier for them to continue updating their wardrobe," image consultant Eddie Hernandez told SF Standard.  

With Meta and others calling their workers back into the office over the past year, employees will have to update their wardrobes for in-person work.

Here's what fashion experts believe tech workers should be wearing this summer.

Ditch the grey tones for colors

No more black, white, or grey.

Hernandez told the SF Standard that he's discouraging clients from going for the drab shades "that are dominant in SF," and asking them to reach for colorful options instead in 2024.

As the temperature heats up, workers might want to put their shackets away and go for the more typical techy t-shirt.

For his clients who want more luxurious options, Hernandez recommended the $80 Niels Standard t-shirt from Norse Project. Entry level employees who want to save money can shop similar styles at Uniqlo and Abercrombie & Fitch for cheaper.

It looks like Gates got the memo and opted for sporty, breathable shorts and Adidas sneakers while off-duty at Zuckerberg's 40th birthday.

Find chic ways to stay cool

Wearing jean shorts and a tank top to work might not go over well — even at the most laid-back tech firms.

Save that for the weekend, and instead, find ways to stay cool during your commute and still look fashionable around the office. In its round-up of summer office outfits, Cosmopolitan included mostly maxi dresses, wide-leg jumpsuits, and light-weight dress shirts.

Loose, breathable clothes catch the wind and keep your body cool while also adhering to a corporate dress code.

Don't be afraid of accessorizing

Tech workers can take notes from Zuckerberg on how jewelry can elevate their look. The Meta CEO has been the subject of viral memes since adding a necklace to his outfits.

"Heading into the summer season, I can see the entry-level tech crowd wearing something clean and understated," Carol Altieri, COO of Bob's Watches told Business Insider.

Altieri suggested a Rolex Explorer for a high-earner starting their watch collection if they want a "clean, low-profile look." The timepiece starts at around $7,000.

To pair with the watch, jewelry brand Ritani told BI that tennis bracelets and necklaces are trendy ways to elevate an outfit.

Ria Papasifakis, vice president of e-commerce at Ritani, said that X CEO Linda Yaccarino is an example of the trend of wearing white gold accessories and putting on chunky bracelets.

"We like to call it the 'powerhouse' look," Papasifakis told BI.

• YouTube launched a free gaming platform, called Playables, with over 75 games.
• Playables includes popular mobile titles like "Angry Birds" and "Cut the Rope."
• Netflix also launched a gaming platform in 2021 focused on mobile games.

YouTube has come a long way since the days when secret commands allowed you to play a brief game of Snake using its buffering animation.

It's now an actual gaming platform that lets you play dozens of popular games — for free.

YouTube launched its new gaming platform, called "Playables," earlier this week, making over 75 games free to play. Some users in select markets could access Playables — which offers games on YouTube's mobile app and desktop site — for the past few months, the company said in a press release.

Most of the games on Playables are popular "lightweight mobile" titles like "Angry Birds," "Cut the Rope," and "Trivia Crack," YouTube said. Playables allows gamers to save their game progress and track high scores.

YouTube isn't the first digital media company to plug into the gaming space.

Netflix also launched a gaming platform in 2021. It was designed for mobile games to keep users engaged for longer periods on different platforms. Old "Grand Theft Auto" games dominated the Netflix platform last year after hype around "Grand Theft Auto VI" caused a surge in downloads.

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Roku released its first QLED TV, the Plus Series, in 2023. That model was a solid debut from the brand, delivering respectable performance at an accessible price. But with its new Pro Series for 2024, Roku is upping the ante and making a real play to compete with top displays. The Pro Series' image quality can't quite match the best TVs in its class, but its vibrant quantum-dot colors, speedy 120Hz screen, and powerful Mini LED backlight prove that Roku can hold its own against TCL and Hisense.

Roku's ace in the hole remains its smooth and simple TV interface, which makes everything from finding your favorite streaming apps to connecting Bluetooth headphones a cinch. This year, Roku has also introduced a few new features, including an AI-powered picture mode that auto-adjusts the screen and (coming later this year) art-gallery screensavers designed to complement the TV's flush-wall mounting system (sold separately).

The Pro Series also includes handy accessories like a rechargeable remote that can be summoned when you lose it and built-in Velcro cable straps to keep things clean on both ends of the screen. While not without its flaws, the Pro Series is a well-balanced package with great usability and colorful picture quality that will wow your guests, all at a reasonable cost.

The Pro Series is easy to assemble with no screws or batteries required

The hardest part about setting up the Pro Series is unboxing it. There's foam on foam and cardboard on cardboard, packed up tighter than a Rembrandt heading overseas. The packaging is a bit more thorough than we've seen on other displays in this class, and while that makes the unboxing process take a bit longer, we appreciate the added care taken to avoid mishaps during shipping. Once you've freed the TV from its cardboard bonds, the rest is a breeze.

The Pro Series offers a nice but basic design with relatively slim bezels around the sides and a flat back panel. The display can even be hung flush on a wall with Roku's slim mount (not included), which is a nice perk for buyers who want their TV to blend in seamlessly in their room. 

You may notice seemingly glaring omissions in the TV's accessories bag, with no screws or batteries, but don't worry, it's all part of the plan. Custom knobs on the TV's left and right feet allow for attaching by hand in seconds, and you can choose between a high or low position to accommodate a soundbar. The feet are about 43 inches apart (on the 65-inch model), and this gap makes it easy to fit on most consoles. As for batteries, the Roku Voice Remote Pro's USB-C charging port makes them unnecessary. Roku says the remote's built-in battery can last three months per charge, and we never needed to plug it in during our evaluation.  

Connecting external devices is similarly smooth, thanks partly to the included straps across the TV's backside that provide neat cable control. And once you boot the TV up, Roku's familiar interface walks you through network setup, naming your components, and adding your primary streaming apps.

Those with an existing Roku account will get even faster service, with some apps logging you in automatically. You may also notice ads as Roku tries to sell you on trials of streaming service partners, though, to be fair, there are some tempting discounts on offer.

The Mini LED backlight provides much-improved contrast and brightness

During our Roku Pro Series evaluation, the word "balanced" kept coming to mind, and it's the perfect term to describe the TV's picture performance. Compared to some competitors, the Pro Series doesn't excel at any one thing, but it does a lot of things quite well. And that all starts with its Mini LED backlight system. 

Last year's Roku Plus Series QLED TVs used regular-sized LEDs with local dimming. But for the Pro Series, Roku has upgraded to Mini LEDs. As the name implies, Mini LEDs are much smaller, which allows the manufacturer to pack in more dimming zones. This results in more precise contrast control with deeper black levels and higher brightness. And the TV can achieve this while avoiding the kind of distracting blooming (haloing around light objects on dark backgrounds) that has long plagued typical backlit TVs. The Pro Series isn't quite as tight around ultra-bright objects as pricier QLED models, but it offers much-improved contrast over the Roku Plus series, with only minor light bleed in dark environments. 

Likewise, the Pro Series is notably brighter than last year's Plus Series. That said, it can't match the blistering brightness levels offered by TCL's latest QM8 or Hisense's new U8N. Instead, it's more on par with the cheaper Hisense U7 series. Still, there's plenty of punch here for both SDR and HDR content, dazzling in scenes like the lava monster fight in "Moana," even when viewed in a fully lit room. Teca's fiery eyes and molten lava balls pop brilliantly against the obsidian backdrop. Combined with the TV's quantum dots, this brightness results in bursting colors that bring realism and sparkle to everything, from nature scenes to big-budget Hollywood spectacles.

The Pro Series' anti-reflective filter isn't the best we've seen in this class, so you will notice glare during bright daytime viewing. But even with full daylight pouring in, the TV serves up impressive shadow detail in darker content without raised black levels. We had no trouble seeing everything with brightness set on the TV's tamer Normal mode, but if you want some more pop, you can always ramp things up with the Bright or Brighter settings. 

The TV shows some flaws when it comes to video processing, which Roku is likely to keep refining in newer iterations. It has noticeable color banding on blockier streaming content in darker scenes, as well as some jerky motion with hard panning. However, unlike the Plus Series, there is a motion smoothing option to account for the latter, but it's quite strong and emits the dreaded "soap opera" effect even on low.

Upscaling is generally solid for 1080p content, though 720p can sometimes look a bit fuzzy. You'll also see some Moire or flicker in upscaled images with tightly packed details, like a checkered shirt or an overhead shot of a flock of birds. Hisense's U8N has similar troubles, and to its credit, the Pro Series actually does better in some scenes.

Like most QLED and LED TVs in its class, the Pro Series has trouble with off-axis viewing, revealing more blooming and notable color loss when you move off to the side. Again, this is common for TVs of this type, but it's not ideal. For substantially better viewing angles, you'll have to pay more for a high-end Samsung QLED, like the QN90 series, or opt for one of the best OLED TVs instead. Check out our QLED vs. OLED comparison for more details about each display type's pros and cons.

Though noteworthy factors for enthusiasts to keep in mind, most of the issues raised above are subtle. Unless you're a big videophile, you may not notice most of them in daily viewing. We showed the TV to some friends and family and the consensus was something to the effect of "I need to get me one of these!" 

Roku's OS remains our favorite smart TV interface

Roku has plenty of competitors when it comes to intuitive TV interfaces these days, but the Roku OS (operating system) is still among the best and most accessible on the market. Its familiar layout of large tiles for all your inputs and streaming apps (aka "channels") makes navigation simple even for smart TV novices.

The Roku Streaming Store has all of the best streaming services, and it's easy to rearrange them for convenient access. The only notable omission compared to other platforms like Google TV is a Continue Watching section that lets you pop back into content across apps from the home screen.

The system mostly makes up for this with easy access to Settings via the sidebar and features like a quick key on the remote to connect Bluetooth headphones. Even as Roku continues to pile on the ads (like most rivals), the interface steers clear of jerky and sluggish lag, leading to remarkably smooth navigation.

Like most TVs we test, the Pro Series has sensors to adjust the screen brightness to your environment, but Roku's new Smart Picture Max feature goes further, auto-adjusting the picture for different content types via a dedicated Neural Processing Unit. Roku says it's more advanced than the company's standard "Smart Picture" feature rolling out to older Roku TVs, able to adjust the picture scene-by-scene and even respond to adjustments you make to other picture modes. 

It's hard to test Smart Picture Max thoroughly since it only works with non-Dolby Vision streaming content and doesn't support live TV. We tried some reality TV and streaming sports, and both seemed to auto-adjust to something akin to Standard Mode, skipping Sports Mode. For a more accurate image that suits most rooms and content, we recommend just sticking with the regular Movie Mode with a few minor tweaks to account for lighting conditions. That said, Smart Picture Max could be useful for some scenarios and users who don't like to mess with settings, especially if it continues to improve.

The TV comes with Roku's second-gen Voice Remote Pro, which is packed with handy features. As mentioned earlier, it's rechargeable via USB, so you don't need batteries, and it even has backlit keys so you don't accidentally hit the wrong button in the dark.

Roku's voice search is as easy and accurate as ever, and the remote supports hands-free commands when you say, "Hey, Roku." If you're not keen on a device that's always listening, you can turn off this feature via a switch on the side of the remote and use the dedicated mic button instead. 

Smarts aside, the remote's most convenient feature has to be its location chime. If you lose the remote in your couch cushions (or the bathroom, the kid's room, etc.), you can press a button on the TV's right side to activate the remote's chime. Frankly, every TV should have a similar option.

On the downside, the remote no longer has a built-in headphone jack, which was previously featured on older Roku models. But since the TV makes it so easy to pair Bluetooth headphones, we don't see this as a big drawback.

The TV's gaming features are solid, but there are a couple of omissions

The Pro Series offers most of the top gaming features we expect from a flagship TV. That includes a screen with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. It supports HDMI 2.1 across two of its four inputs for extras like VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and AMD FreeSync Pro for tear-free gaming, as well as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) to provide fast input response when you connect a gaming console or PC.

It's also nice to see that the HDMI eARC port, used for connecting an A/V receiver or soundbar, is separate from the HDMI 2.1 ports, meaning you can connect an audio device without taking up one of your precious gaming inputs. 

However, unlike similar TVs from TCL and Hisense, the Pro Series does not include a dedicated gaming pop-up menu for viewing your refresh rate in real time, adjusting contrast or gaming-only picture modes, or adding onboard crosshairs. Though not a dealbreaker, a gaming bar is something we've come to expect from a TV at this price.

For those with select gaming PCs, the TV is also capped at 120Hz rather than the 144Hz refresh rate you'll find in many competing midrange QLEDs. It's not a huge problem, especially for console gamers, but it is something to note for the more ardent gaming fans out there.

Should you buy the Roku Pro Series TV?

The Roku Pro Series is a worthy buy for anyone who wants a great midrange QLED TV. However, compared to similarly priced competitors, its strengths lie more in its convenient interface and handy design perks than in its image performance.

Don't get us wrong, the Roku Pro Series is an impressive-looking TV with great contrast and colors. But it doesn't offer the best picture quality in its class. Hisense's U8N, often on sale for around the same price as the Pro Series, offers better processing and much higher brightness, while the cheaper U7N (which we haven't tested yet) is likely to offer as good or better image performance for less. You'll also get higher brightness and better picture processing from TCL's pricier QM8 series. 

But the TV experience is about more than just picture quality. What really makes the Pro Series cook is its distinctive blend of good picture performance and easy usability. From the breezy Roku OS interface to a remote that's tough to lose and never needs batteries, the TV's intuitive design makes it effortless to use as your daily driver. 

It all comes together to make the Pro Series a worthy new option in the increasingly competitive mid-tier TV market. We tested a 65-inch Roku Pro Series model, but our overall impressions also apply to the 55- and 75-inch sizes. 

• A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against Disney theme parks. 
• The lawsuit says she went unconscious and experienced brain damage on a Typhoon Lagoon waterslide.
• She's seeking $50,000 in damages.

A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against Disney, saying she lost consciousness and sustained a brain injury after riding a waterslide at Typhoon Lagoon Water Park.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in Orange County and obtained by Business Insider, says the plaintiff visited the theme park on May 11 and rode the Humunga Kowabunga.

Local Orlando news outlet WKMG identified the plantiff as Laura Reyes-Merino.

The woman's attorney, Richard Russo, did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.

The Walt Disney World website says the waterslide has a "near-vertical" 214-foot drop with a 60-degree angle.

Reyes-Merino fell unconscious after "banging inside the ride," according to the lawsuit. Her family discovered her limp at the end of the waterslide and "frantically" asked attendants to help.

"The attendants told Plaintiff's fiancé and mother that they were not lifeguards and would have to find lifeguards to help," the lawsuit says. "As they were all waiting for help, blood kept coming out of Plaintiff's mouth in the water.

Reyes-Merino's fiancé pulled her from the water, but a lifeguard who arrived at the scene told the family not to touch her and called an ambulance, the lawsuit says.

"Had Defendant had lifeguards at the end of the ride to watch and help guests coming off the ride, Plaintiff's brain injury would not have occurred as she wouldn't have been drowning in the water coughing up blood," the lawsuit says.

Reyes-Merino has experienced mental, emotional, and physical ailments following the incident, including brain damage, the lawsuit says. She's seeking $50,000 in damages.

Representatives for Walt Disney World and Reyes-Merino did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Disney has faced lawsuits related to the Humunga Kowabunga waterslide in the past, including in October 2023, when a woman claimed she experienced vaginal bleeding after a hard landing.

That lawsuit said the woman experienced permanent bodily injury following the incident. She also sought $50,000.

• Harrison Butker defended remarks he made during Benedictine College's graduation ceremony. 
• He encouraged female graduates to forgo professional careers to be homemakers. 
• A career coach said women should be free to make their own choices without shame.

Harrison Butker isn't apologizing for his remarks suggesting that women should forgo professional careers to become homemakers.

The Kansas City Chiefs player appeared at the Courage Under Fire gala at Regina Caeli Academy on Friday, nearly two weeks after his graduation speech at Benedictine College garnered criticism.

"It is now, over the past few days, my beliefs or what people think I believe have been the focus of countless discussions around the globe," Butker, 28, said in footage shared online. "At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion."

Butker said he's become a polarizing public figure, but didn't waver on his previous stance.

"It's a decision I've consciously made and one I do not regret at all," Butker said.

Butker has weathered criticism following his remarks at Benedictine College, a small Catholic liberal arts college in Kansas, on May 11. While there, he told female graduates they had been told "diabolical lies" before suggesting they were more excited to create a family than go into the workforce.

"How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?" Butker said. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

Butker then mentioned his wife, whom he said embraced "one of the most important titles of all: homemaker."

"I say all of this to you because I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God's will in their life," he said.

Women shouldn't be shamed for the path they choose

Butker's comments sparked online debates about women in the workforce.

Phoebe Gavin, a career and leadership coach, told Business Insider that women should have the space and opportunity to determine their future based on their ambitions.

"I am pro-women having choices and women being able to make those choices based on what intrinsically motivates them," Gavin said. "There are some women who are going to choose to embrace motherhood as a primary motivation in their lives, and then there are women who are going to make other choices."

Gavin added some women want both a career and motherhood, while others want neither. None of these choices should be ridiculed, she said.

"There are people who truly believe that is the right decision for them, and if that's what they believe, then I fully embrace, empower, and encourage them to go down that path," she said. "My issue is pushing those sorts of values upon other people."

That's why she takes issue with Benedictine College's decision to choose Butker as a commencement speaker.

"They should have known that he was not the kind of person that they would want to put in front of these grads," Gavin said.

She said it was "challenging" to see young female graduates who had spent at least four years working toward professional careers "being told that they're doing the wrong thing and that they should be doing something else."

Jessica Schaefer, a crisis communications and reputation management expert, echoed Gavin's thoughts. She said commencement speeches are meant to be inspiring, not a platform to share personal opinions.

"As someone who works on a lot of these commencement speeches, it's important that you prepare. The goal is to inspire everyone that's graduating," Schaefer told BI. "It's not a platform for your personal opinion. That's not why you're getting paid to give a commencement speech."

Gavin added that "whatever choice a woman makes, they should be able to make that choice and live without shame."

Since giving his speech, several people have spoken out against Butker and Benedictine College.

The National Football League distanced itself from Butker with a statement praising inclusivity. Teammates Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes said they disagreed with Butker's comments but defended his right to voice his opinion.

And nuns from Benedictine College denounced Butker's speech, saying they disagreed with the suggestion that "being a homemaker is the highest calling" for women.

"We sisters have dedicated our lives to God and God's people, including the many women whom we have taught and influenced during the past 160 years," the statement read. "These women have made a tremendous difference in the world in their roles as wives and mothers and through their God-given gifts in leadership, scholarship, and their careers."

Representatives for Butker said he's not available for further comment.

Benedictine College representatives did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider outside regular business hours.

• CEO Robert Hale Jr. spoke at UMass Dartmouth's commencement ceremony on Thursday. 
• The telecom billionaire gave each graduate two $500 payments.
• Hale gifted the second $500 payment on the condition it goes to charity or someone in need.

A billionaire gifted graduating students at UMass Dartmouth with "envelopes full of cash" totaling $1,000.

Robert Hale Jr., the CEO of Granite Telecommunications, made the announcement during the school's commencement ceremony on Thursday. The school shared a video of the ceremony online, showing the moment Hale told the 1,200 graduates and their families.

"These trying times have heightened the need for sharing, caring and giving," Hale said. "Our community needs you and your generosity more than ever."

A UMass Dartmouth press release said security brought onstage two large duffle bags "packed with envelopes full of cash."

Hale told graduates that he had two envelopes to give them: one reading "gift" and the other reading "give."

Hale explained that each student would receive $1,000 but added there was a "stipulation."

"The first $500 is our gift to you," Hale said. "The second $500 is for you to give to somebody else or another organization who could use it more than you."

If all 1,200 students received the $1,000, Hale's giveaway amounted to about $1.2 million.

During the ceremony, Hale also received the UMass Dartmouth Chancellor's Medal for his philanthropy work.

"The greatest joys we have experienced in our lives have come from giving," Hale said in a statement to Business Insider. "We want the graduates to share in the gift of giving and we are so happy to share in celebrating all that they have accomplished."

College graduation season in the United States this year has been rife with controversy, mostly due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Several schools, including Columbia University, have canceled school-wide commencement ceremonies, citing security concerns. And several schools have called in the police to disperse pro-Palestinian protest camps, a move that one expert on dissent told Business Insider would ultimately backfire.

Students at Duke University walked out during a commencement speech by comedian Jerry Seinfeld last weekend. Seinfeld has become a vocal supporter of Israel. Some students held Palestinian flags as they left the ceremony.

A representative for Duke University told BI that "we respect the right of everyone at Duke to express their views peacefully, without preventing graduates and their families from celebrating their achievement."

• Kate Middleton announced she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer on March 22.
• The princess has been absent from the public eye since Christmas 2023.
• And Kate won't oversee a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour on June 8.

Kate Middleton revealed she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy for an unspecified type of cancer after months of speculation on March 22.

Kensington Palace previously announced that the Princess of Wales had a "planned abdominal surgery" in January, saying she likely wouldn't return to public duty until after Easter.

As time passed, her absence led conspiracy theories about the princess to run rampant online, some of which were bolstered after Kensington Palace released an edited photo of Kate and her children on March 10.

But Kate spoke directly to the public about her health to announce her illness, revealing her diagnosis and reiterating a request for privacy in a video shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' social-media accounts.

Over two months after her announcement, Kate has still not returned to public duty, and she won't be participating in a Trooping the Colour event in June.

Here's everything we know so far.

Kate Middleton made her most recent public appearance on Christmas Day.

Kate joined the royal family for their annual walk from Sandringham in Norfolk, England, to attend a church service on Christmas Day.

The Princess of Wales walked with her children and husband to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in one of her signature coatdresses, much like she did in years past.

On January 17, Kensington Palace announced Kate was in the hospital for "a planned abdominal surgery."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)

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Kensington Palace said in its statement that Kate would remain in the hospital, The London Clinic, for up to two weeks following the procedure.

"Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to hospital yesterday for planned abdominal surgery," the statement read. "The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."

Kensington Palace provided no additional information about what procedure Kate underwent, though the palace told the Associated Press the princess didn't have cancer.

The statement also said Kate hoped "her personal medical information remains private" to help provide her children with "normality."

"Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share," the statement went on to say.

Prince William was photographed visiting Kate at the hospital the following day.

Kensington Palace said on January 29 that Kate had returned to Windsor Castle.

"The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery," the statement shared on Instagram said. "She is making good progress."

William and Kate went on to thank the staff at The London Clinic in the statement, as well as those who sent them well wishes.

The same day, Buckingham Palace announced King Charles was returning home after having a procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.

Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that King Charles has cancer.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement that "a separate issue of concern was noted" during the king's prostate procedure, and additional testing disclosed he has cancer. The palace didn't disclose what form of cancer he was diagnosed with, though they said it wasn't prostate cancer.

The statement also said that the king "commenced a schedule of regular treatments" and that although he would still be working from home, he would "postpone public-facing duties" per medical advice.

The palace didn't specify how long the king would forgo public-facing work.

"His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer," the statement also said.

Prince William returned to public duty on February 7.

William paused his royal engagements amid Kate's surgery and recovery, returning to work on February 7 for an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

The same day, he attended a gala raising money for the London Air Ambulance, and he thanked the public for their messages of support for Kate, Town & Country reported.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days," he said, adding that "it means a great deal to us all."

He has attended a handful of public events since. The public was predicted to look to William in Charles and Kate's absences, as he represents the monarchy's future as heir to the throne.

"It's an opportunity for him to communicate on behalf of the royal family," Eric Schiffer, the chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, said.

In addition, the public generally responds to younger royals more favorably. Without Kate, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, William's youth could be a boon for the monarchy, as Kristen Meizner, a royal watcher, told BI.

"They are most focused on the royals when they are of courtship age, getting married, having babies, that kind of thing," she said. "They're not necessarily considered as dazzling or as exciting to the public when they're 60 or 70 or whatnot."

Kate was reported on February 9 to have traveled to Norfolk to continue her recovery.

On February 9, the Daily Mail reported that Kate had joined her family at their home in Sandringham, Anmer Hall, for her children's half-term holiday.

The outlet also reported that her recovery was going well at the time.

Kate wasn't photographed during her trip from Windsor to Sandringham.

King Charles was photographed a few times throughout February, while Kate remained unseen.

Although he isn't taking on public-facing duties, King Charles has still been photographed a few times since his cancer diagnosis and the beginning of his treatment.

On February 11, he and Queen Camilla were spotted going to church in Sandringham, and he was photographed meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on February 21 at Buckingham Palace.

Kate, on the other hand, remained absent, as Kensington Palace released no photos or videos of her.

William released a rare solo statement on February 20.

A statement from The Prince of Wales pic.twitter.com/LV2jMx75DC

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) February 20, 2024

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Typically, William and Kate have released statements as a pair since they got married.

But on February 20, Kensington Palace released a statement on only William's behalf regarding the conflict in Gaza, in which he said he remained "deeply concerned about the human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on 7 October."

"I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible," the statement said. "There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza."

William also said he continued "to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found, and I refuse to give up on that."

In addition to speaking for only William, the statement had a "W" seal at the top rather than the crown featured on messages from the Prince and Princess of Wales as a unit.

William missed a service of thanksgiving on February 27 because of an unnamed personal matter.

On February 27, members of the royal family attended a service of thanksgiving for King Constantine of Greece, King Charles' second cousin and close companion. He was one of William's godfathers.

William was set to attend the event alongside Queen Camilla and other family members but missed the service because of a personal matter, Kensington Palace told Business Insider.

A palace representative also told BI that Kate was doing well, but they didn't elaborate on what caused William to miss the event.

Following his absence, chatter about Kate's prolonged absence from the public eye erupted on social media, with users speculating about why she hasn't been seen in months. The princess was trending on X, and thousands of people posted about her on TikTok. "Kate Middleton" was also sixth on Google's list of trending search terms on February 27, highlighting how high public interest got in her absence.

Kensington Palace reiterated that Kate was "doing well" as William returned to public duty on February 29.

On February 29, Prince William resumed public duty, visiting the Western Marble Arch Synagogue to learn about the Holocaust Educational Trust, as Kensington Palace shared on Instagram.

He sat down with a Holocaust survivor, Renee Salt. Rebecca English, a royal editor for the Daily Mail, reported on X that during the conversation, he spoke on behalf of himself and Kate.

"Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism," English quoted the prince as saying to Salt. "That's why I'm here today to reassure you all that people do care and people do listen, and we can't let that go."

Kensington Palace also reiterated that Kate was "doing well" in a statement sent to BI on February 29.

"We gave guidance two days ago that The Princess of Wales continues to be doing well," the statement said. "As we have been clear since our initial statement in January, we shall not be providing a running commentary or providing daily updates."

Kate was spotted for the first time in 2024 on March 4.

On March 4, a sunglasses-clad Princess of Wales was seen riding in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton, in photos obtained by Backgrid and shared by TMZ.

According to TMZ, the pair were driving near Windsor Castle when they were photographed, and no other royals or security appeared to accompany them on the drive.

The sighting came as Queen Camilla announced she was taking a break from filling in for her husband at royal engagements until March 11.

After initially indicating she would attend, the British army removed references to Kate from online tickets for a June event shared on March 5.

On March 5, outlets like BBC News reported that Kate's name was included on tickets released online to The Colonel's Review, an event the British army hosts amid Trooping the Colour, on June 8. Kate was named the Colonel of The Irish Guards in December 2022, and the Colonel typically participates in the Review.

Many took her inclusion on the tickets as a sign she was on track to return to work in the summer. But then, the army quickly removed all references to Kate after the tickets were released because Kensington Palace had not confirmed she would attend.

A source close to the situation told Business Insider's Mikhaila Friel the army didn't get approval from Kensington Palace to include references to the princess in the tickets, leading to the confusion.

The palace didn't respond to a request for comment from BI on the matter.

Kensington Palace released a photo of Kate with her children for Mother's Day — but the photo was immediately met with suspicion.

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March 10 was Mother's Day in the UK, and to commemorate the occasion, Kensington Palace released the first official portrait of Kate since Christmas.

In the photo, Kate sits in a chair surrounded by her children, who are all giggling. According to the caption they shared on social media alongside the image, William took the picture of his family in 2024, and the photo appeared to come directly from Kate, as she signed the caption, "C," which stands for Catherine.

"Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months," she wrote. "Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day."

But shortly after it was released, people began to speculate the photo had been edited. Photo editor Patrick Witty told BI's Shubhangi Goel it was "astonishing" the palace released the photo at all because of issues in the image, pointing to areas where the picture is blurred and things that seemed to be added to the shot during the editing process, like a zipper on Kate's jacket.

Later that day, multiple photo agencies removed the picture from their platforms.

On March 10, Reuters, the Associated Press, and the French organization Agence France-Presse sent kill notices for the picture, which means the picture is no longer available for distribution through their platforms.

Reuters said it removed the picture after a "post-publication review," while the AP said explicitly in its kill notice that it wouldn't distribute the photo because "it appears the source has manipulated the image. No replacement photo will be sent."

Kensington Palace has been accused of editing photos of the royals before, as was the case with the Waleses' 2023 Christmas card, but the photo released March 10 is the first to be killed by photo agencies.

The palace did not respond to a request for comment on the editing controversy.

Kate personally apologized for "any confusion" the picture caused on March 11.

On March 11, Kate addressed the controversy surrounding the photo in a statement released on social media, seeming to take responsibility for the manipulated image.

"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote on X. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."

Notably, the statement was signed by Kate alone. Kensington Palace typically speaks on behalf of the couple as a unit, and the royals said in their post on Sunday that William took the shot.

The statement didn't appear to convince royal watchers online. Kate was trending on X, and the edited image had been viewed over 72 million times on the platform as of Monday.

William and Kate were photographed together on March 11 before he attended a Commonwealth Day service.

A few hours after the princess posted on X, the Daily Mail released a photo of William and what appeared to be Kate in a car together leaving Windsor Castle.

Kate is looking out of the window in the shot, so only her profile is visible. According to the outlet, Kate was going to "a private appointment," and William was en route to a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

William was photographed alongside Queen Camilla at the Commonwealth Day service after the photo of him and Kate was published.

Multiple tabloids released a video of what appeared to be Kate and William shopping in Windsor on March 18.

#KateMiddleton seemed to be in good spirits while out and about with #PrinceWilliam Saturday. https://t.co/kLUsfvt3b2 (🎥: TMZ/The Sun) pic.twitter.com/EqbtVojBcw

— TMZ (@TMZ) March 18, 2024

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On March 17, The Sun reported that William and Kate were spotted shopping at a "farm shop" near Adelaide Cottage, their home on the grounds of Windsor Castle. But The Sun's coverage didn't include any images of the prince and princess.

Then, on March 18, TMZ and The Sun released a video of what appeared to be William and Kate walking through the market, holding shopping bags.

The video was grainy, and Kensington Palace did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider on the matter.

On March 22, Kate announced she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy in a video, speaking directly to the public.

On March 22, Kensington Palace uploaded a video of Kate speaking directly to a camera on its social media.

In the video, Kate said that her abdominal surgery in January was successful, but "tests after the operation found cancer had been present."

Her medical team recommended she "undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy" after reviewing the tests, as Kate said in the video. She began treatment in late February, according to a press release shared with BI.

The princess said that the diagnosis was a "shock" and that she and William "have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," adding that determining how to share the news with their children was difficult.

"As I have said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body, and spirits," Kate said.

In the press release shared with BI, Kensington Palace said it would not be revealing what kind of cancer Kate has, nor what stage her cancer is.

The release also said Kate will return to work "when she is cleared to do so by her medical team."

In the video, Kate reiterated Kensington Palace's previous requests for privacy.

"We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment," she said.

The Prince and Princess of Wales marked their anniversary with a private photo of their wedding on April 28.

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To celebrate their 13th anniversary, Kate and William shared a never-before-seen photo from their wedding on Instagram.

The caption on the post was simple, reading, "13 years ago today!"

Kensington Palace has not released a picture of the couple together in 2024.

William said Kate was "doing well" during a royal engagement on May 10.

Since her video announcement, Kensington Palace has not released an official update on Kate's health.

But on May 10, William said Kate was "doing well" when asked about her health in a video recorded by Sky News.

Kate won't be attending a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour on June 8.

On Thursday, Buckingham Palace confirmed to the BBC that King Charles will attend Trooping the Colour, his official birthday celebration, on June 15.

Kate became Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2022, inheriting the title from Prince William. As the Colonel, she oversees the Colonel's Review, a rehearsal for the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

The 2024 Colonel's Review will take place on June 8, but Kate won't oversee the rehearsal this year. Instead, General James Bucknall will do the service for her.

Kensington Palace has not announced if Kate will attend the Trooping the Colour parade.

• PwC has a new deal with OpenAI as the largest user and first reseller of ChatGPT Enterprise.
• The deal comes amid surging interest in GenAI, with 950 of its top 1,000 clients engaging with it.
• "Your business strategy and your AI strategy in this world need to be intertwined," said a PwC exec. 

Big Four consultancy firm PwC has a new deal with OpenAI to help its staff and clients leverage generative AI.

The companies announced Wednesday that PwC will now be the largest user of ChatGPT Enterprise, the most powerful tier of ChatGPT geared toward businesses. According to OpenAI, it offers higher-grade security, longer context windows to process longer inputs, and more advanced data analysis abilities than the consumer version of ChatGPT. PwC will deploy the product across 100,000 of its employees between the US and UK.

As part of the deal, PwC will also be the first reseller of ChatGPT Enterprise — meaning that clients can now purchase the product from both OpenAI and PwC.

The deal formalizes the surging interest in generative AI that PwC has seen from clients over the past year. Around 950 of the firm's top 1,000 consulting clients in the US are actively engaged with generative AI, and many more are discussing the use and implications of the technology, according to its press release.

PwC announced last year that it would invest a billion dollars in generative AI over the coming three years to provide AI training and tooling for its employees — like its conversational AI assistant ChatPwC. Since then the firm has documented over 3,000 use cases for the technology, Joe Atkinson, PwC's US Chief Products & Technology Officer, told Business Insider. "We were our first client, so we would work through our client zero strategy," Atkinson said. Under the new deal, "we're bringing all of those capabilities and skills to our clients who are really, really eager to take their own strategy from where they are today to where they think they can be with generative AI."

He said the biggest questions the firm gets from clients are about the risks and biases of AI models and the accuracy of their outputs. So, it's clear they still need human oversight.

But Atkinson contends that businesses need to embrace AI if they want to survive.

"One of the things we keep telling our clients is, look, your business strategy and your AI strategy in this world need to be intertwined. That understanding, I think is really starting to make itself known in the C-suite and the boardrooms," he said.

• Big lenders are more exposed to commercial real estate than it might seem at first glance, a study says.
• In addition to lending to property owners, big firms also offer indirect lending to REITs, raising their exposure by about 40%.
• Wall Street has been worried about distress in commercial real estate amid high interest rates. 

Leading lenders have greater exposure to commercial real estate debt than typically understood, implying a larger chance of systemic risk, according to a new study.

The paper, titled "Shadow Always Touches the Feet: Implications of Bank Credit Lines to Non-Bank Financial Intermediaries," notes that while most analysts have focused narrowly on bank balance sheets, banks also contribute credit to real estate investment trusts, a form of indirect lending to the commercial property sector. 

When accounting for this, bank exposure to commercial real estate debt rises by about 40%.  

Concerns about systemic risk in commercial real estate have risen sharply in recent years, as high interest rates and waning demand have sown doubt over the market's ability to pay back debt. 

Given that regional banks are the biggest providers of such loans, unease has grown about the possibility of an extensive debt fallout sparking a banking crisis. 

When accounting for REIT credit lines and term loans, these concerns should also be applied to Wall Street's biggest dealers, the study's authors wrote: 

"As credit lines can be drawn intensively by CRE REITs in times of aggregate stress, collateral damage to the largest banks from such drawdowns implies that systemic risk arising from CRE exposures is likely to be considerably greater than implied by direct CRE exposure of banks," they wrote.  

REITs are firms that buy and operate commercial real estate, selling shares to investors who want to gain exposure to the space. 

However, these vehicles are often debt-dependent and are vulnerable to high interest rates. In the past two years, even REITs sponsored by some of Wall Street's biggest firms have had to contend with antsy investors. 

These investment vehicles have seen a rise in redemption requests, putting pressure on REITs to tap banks for more credit, the study noted. In fact, credit lines have been growing at a much faster clip than other forms of borrowing, with significant implications for lenders if a crisis strikes

"The drawdowns from these commitments substantially weaken banks, with the markets failing to offer a commensurate reward or banks charging adequately in credit line fees," the authors wrote. 

They added: "We find that ignoring the unique properties of REITs as a borrower class could underestimate the capital needed in the US banking system by a substantial 37%," 

• The Equinox EV is a solid addition to the electric crossover market.
• I found that Super Cruise elevates the experience behind the wheel.
• The Equinox EV is priced and designed to compete directly with Tesla's mass-market cars.

There's another electric Chevrolet crossover on the market as the bowtie brand leans into EVs while others are pulling back.

I got to take the new all-electric Chevrolet Equinox on a quick drive in Metro Detroit last week, and I came away impressed with the little hatchback's performance.

Two trims of the Equinox EV are available on dealer lots today, with a starting price of $43,295. That's a new, much-needed option in the sub-$50,000 price range for EVs. GM is also promising even cheaper options for the Equinox later this year, with a base model that starts at $34,995.

The Equinox EV has an EPA-estimated range of 319 miles. Its DC fast-charging capability of up to 150 kW enables 77 miles of range to be added in 10 minutes of charging, according to GM estimates.

The Equinox EV also boasts plenty of cargo space, with 57.2 cubic feet of storage with the second row folded down. This little Tesla fighter is also priced and designed to compete directly with Model 3 and Model Y.

This little Tesla fighter, priced and designed to compete directly with Model 3 and Model Y, delivered a smooth ride on GM's pre-selected course that included surface road and highway driving.

The Tesla influence on the Equinox EV is undeniable

The first things I noticed as I approached the Equinox EV were the door handles. When the vehicle is locked, the handles lay flush with the door. Unlocked, they pop out like a level to pull and open the door.

This is a direct nod to Tesla, which originated this door handle design. On a Tesla, cold weather does seem to cause trouble for these mechanical door handles. Chevy says it has addressed this with an ice-breaking algorithm built into the door handles, but I didn't get to test that on a mostly sunny 75-degree day.

The styling on the Equinox EV turns a milquetoast mom car into a stylish prowler

The gas-powered Equinox is one of many boring crossovers in Chevrolet's portfolio. The layman might not be able to distinguish it from a Trax or a Blazer.

But the electrified version is designed to stand out, with a hood that swoops down to narrow headlights, helping give the crossover a menacing stance. More sculpting around the back wheels also gives it a wider appearance, too, making it more distinct from its gas-powered counterpart.

Sleeker design is a must-have in the electric crossover market, which also includes lookers like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Mustang Mach-E.

Unlike the sparse Tesla models, Equinox EV has buttons, nobs, and vents that accent the space

I've always found the sparse interior of the Model 3 and Model Y to feel a bit cavernous, so I was glad to see a lot of accenting and design cues built into the Equinox EV's interior.

Some trims also have more fun color combinations for the leather seating to add a bit of personality inside the car.

Still, overall I found the interior of the electric car to be somewhat underwhelming. I've sat in a lot of Chevrolet interiors over the years, this one didn't feel all that different or special.

Super Cruise elevates the experience in the Equinox EV

While the Equinox EV's interior leaves a bit to be desired, the optional Super Cruise hands-free technology elevates the driving experience to make the Equinox EV feel more special than your average crossover.

I sat back and enjoyed the sunny ride on the highway while Super Cruise navigated traffic.

The Equinox EV is a solid addition to the electric crossover market, but Chevy has a lot to prove with Ultium

Overall, I enjoyed my time behind the wheel of the Equinox EV. It delivers the zippy ride you expect from a battery-powered car, and Chevrolet's engineers have tuned the car to hug corners and feel smooth and stable out on the road.

There aren't a ton of extra frills or surprises, but the Equinox EV gave me just about everything I would want out of an electric crossover — the type of EV I'd be most likely to add to my own driveway.

But I can't help but wonder how some of the troubles with the Ultium technology in the Blazer rollout will affect its chances up against Hyundai, Kia, and Tesla. Electric car customers today are less patient than the techy early adopters who pioneered the market.

Chevrolet is hoping to take advantage of this shift in customer preferences with its trusted reputation as a legacy brand, flooding the market with EVs while others are pulling back. But the Blazer's messy launch, which included a stop-sale to repair software issues, might have an effect on how even the most loyal Chevrolet owner views the Equinox EV.