Stock Pick

  • Guess which ASX lithium stock just doubled investors’ money on Friday

    A girl wearing a homemade rocket launches through the stars.

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is just about flat today, but that’s not stopping this rocketing ASX lithium stock.

    The surging company in question is European Metals Holdings Ltd (ASX: EMH).

    European Metals shares closed yesterday trading for 23 cents. In late morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for 46 cents apiece.

    In earlier trade today, shares were trading as high as 55 cents apiece, up a remarkable 139.1%.

    At the current price, this ASX lithium stock is up a whopping 100% today and commanding a market cap of $104 million.

    It also now sees shares up more than 218% since this time last year.

    Here’s what’s capturing ASX investor interest in the junior ASX mining company today.

    ASX lithium stock soars on $645 million grant

    The European Metals share price is going through the roof after the company announced that its Geomet joint venture company (49% owned by EMH) has been awarded a grant of up to 360 million euros (AU$645 million).

    The grant will help fund the development of the ASX lithium stock’s flagship Cinovec Lithium Project, located in the Czech Republic. Management said it will support significant investments in the production and expansion of equipment, key components, and critical raw materials at the project.

    The money is being provided via the Strategic Investments for a Climate-Neutral Economy program, which is administered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

    While many Aussies won’t be familiar with the project, it’s a pretty big deal.

    According to the release:

    Cinovec hosts a globally significant hard rock lithium deposit with a total Measured Mineral Resource of 53.3Mt at 0.48% Li2O, Indicated Mineral Resource of 360.2Mt at 0.44% Li2O and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 294.7Mt at 0.39% Li2O containing a combined 7.39 million tonnes Lithium Carbonate Equivalent.

    In fact, Cinovec counts as the largest hard rock lithium deposit in Europe. As such, Cinovec has been designated a Strategic Project by the European Union under the Critical Raw Materials Act.

    The ASX lithium stock noted that the final amount of the grant will be confirmed upon formal award, and it could come in below the maximum amount of 360 million euros.

    What did management say?

    Commenting on the government grant sending the ASX lithium stock flying today, European Metals executive chairman Keith Coughlan said, “This is a transformational milestone for European Metals and the Cinovec Project.”

    Coughlan added:

    The Czech government’s award of a grant of up to 360 million euros represents one of the largest direct project level funding commitments to a critical raw materials project within the European Union.

    Following the previously detailed formal recognition of the project, the approval of such a significant financial contribution clearly demonstrates the support for and importance of Cinovec in the future of European electromobility.

    The post Guess which ASX lithium stock just doubled investors’ money on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in European Metals right now?

    Before you buy European Metals shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and European Metals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Google CEO says vibe coding has made software development ‘so much more enjoyable’ and ‘exciting again’

    Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai
    Sundar Pichai said vibe coding is increasing access to non-tech workers and making software development more exciting.

    CAMILLE COHEN/AFP via Getty Images

    • In a recent Google podcast, CEO Sundar Pichai said that vibe coding is making coding more fun.
    • He said the AI-assisted tools are making coding more accessible to non-tech workers and will only get better over time.
    • He also hinted at potential risks, like vibe coding larger codebases that need more security.

    The internet helped unknown writers turn blogging into a career. YouTube did the same for content creation. Now, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai believes vibe coding will similarly make new careers more accessible to non-tech workers.

    Pichai made the comparison in a recent Google for Developers podcast interview with Logan Kilpatrick, who runs Google's AI Studio.

    "It's making coding so much more enjoyable," Pichai said, as people can easily experiment with building apps and websites with no prior coding knowledge. "Things are getting more approachable, it's getting exciting again, and the amazing thing is, it's only going to get better."

    From HR professionals to accountants, an increasing number of non-technical workers are using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Replit to vibe-code their own apps.

    Pichai said vibe coding gives workers a leg up in being able to visualize ideas directly, even if they aren't proficient enough in coding to do so. "In the past, you would have described it," he said. "Now, maybe you're kind of vibe coding it a little bit and showing it to people."

    In some cases, vibe coding can present opportunities within tech companies themselves. Meta's product managers have been vibe-coding prototype apps and showing them to Mark Zuckerberg. At Google, Pichai said there's been a "sharp increase" in people submitting their first CLs, or changelists — code changes that address specific features or bugs.

    Pichai said there could also be risks

    As the vibe coding market grows at breakneck speed, there are some potential risks to handing over the act of coding to AI.

    "I'm not working on large codebases where you really have to get it right, the security has to be there," he said. "Those people should weigh in."

    As of now, developers say that vibe coding is best for low-stakes experimentation and not any core software that could be prone to breaches.

    Pichai said that as the technology improves, vibe coding will only become more impressive — and a big part of the tech future.

    "It's both amazing to see, and it's the worst it'll ever be," he said. "I can't wait to see what other people in the world come up with it."

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Buying ASX shares? Here’s what to know before the RBA starts hiking interest rates

    Higher interest rates written on a yellow sign.

    Buying ASX shares and worried about the potential market impacts of rising inflation?

    You’re not alone.

    On Wednesday, investors were greeted with some unwelcome news from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

    Specifically, the ABS revealed that for the 12 months to October, the consumer price index (CPI) was up by 3.8%, rising from the 3.6% 12-month inflation print in September. And trimmed mean inflation, the measure most relied on by the Reserve Bank of Australia, increased to 3.3% from 3.2%.

    That news didn’t keep investors from buying ASX shares, though, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closing up 0.8% on the day.

    But with the inflation genie back out of the bottle, the odds of any near-term interest rate cuts from the RBA have all but evaporated. And the chances Aussies will see a rate hike in 2026 have soared.

    Will the RBA now raise interest rates in 2026?

    Trent Saunders, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) senior economist, noted investors buying ASX shares should not expect interest rate relief any time soon.

    According to Saunders:

    This outcome reinforces our view that interest rates will stay on hold for an extended period. Signs of a pick-up in market services will be of particular concern for the RBA, but the signal from this release is still far from clear.

    CBA noted:

    The Reserve Bank meets in December and is expected to keep rates steady. But with inflation proving sticky, the tone could turn more towards interest rate hikes, especially if services inflation persists.

    Farhan Badami, market analyst at eToro, added:

    This pretty much confirms the RBA’s easing cycle might be over before it really started, potentially locking in 3.60% cash rate through mid-2026 at least. If inflation doesn’t get any better, it could even add pressure on the RBA to increase rates.

    As for higher rates, UBS and Barrenjoey both said they now expect the RBA will hike interest rates once or twice in the year ahead.

    Buying ASX shares in a higher interest rate environment

    The jury is still out. But following the fourth consecutive month of rising inflation, investors buying ASX shares would do well to review their current and planned shareholdings today.

    While all companies come with their own unique risk and reward profiles, some market sectors tend to perform better than others when borrowing costs increase.

    As a general rule, ASX value shares often outperform ASX growth shares during periods of monetary tightening.

    So you may want to consider increasing your exposure to consumer staples like Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares and decreasing exposure to ASX consumer discretionary shares.

    A lot of ASX tech stocks – often priced with future earnings in mind – could also come under pressure if the RBA raises interest rates in 2026 as higher rates increase the present cost of investing in those future earnings.

    The recently rebounding ASX property stocks could also take a hit under this scenario.

    ASX banks stocks, on the other hand, could benefit, as higher rates enable them to improve their net interest margins, so long as the wider economy keeps chugging along.

    These are just a few broad investment themes to keep in mind when you’re buying ASX shares in today’s environment.

    The post Buying ASX shares? Here’s what to know before the RBA starts hiking interest rates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Ord Minnett says these ASX 300 shares could rise 15% to 30%

    A man clenches his fists in excitement as gold coins fall from the sky.

    The team at Ord Minnett has been busy running the rule over a number of ASX 300 shares.

    Two that have fared well and have been given buy ratings are named below. Here’s what the broker is saying about them:

    Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)

    Ord Minnett was pleased with news that this mining and mining services company has formed a joint venture with POSCO Holdings for its lithium assets.

    It notes that the Korean giant will pay US$765 million (A$1.2 billion) in cash for a 30% stake in the joint venture. This values its remaining stakes in the Wodgina and Mt Marion operations at ~$4 billion, versus a consensus valuation of $2.8 billion previously.

    It also implies a long-term spodumene price of US$1600 a tonne, which is comfortably above market expectations. Commenting on the ASX 300 share, the broker said;

    Breaking the $4 billion down equates to around $20 per Mineral Resources share, up from the prior market valuation of $14 a share. ‍Mineral Resources will still be the operator of Wodgina and Mt Marion as per current deals with US company Albermarle and Hong Kong-based Ganfeng Lithium, neither of which have any pre-emptive rights over the POSCO deal.

    Post the deal, we make no changes to our FY26 EPS estimate, but our FY27 forecast falls 17.4% to incorporate the effect of the sale and our FY28 number rises 1.1%. We maintain a price target of $55.00 on Mineral Resources and reiterate our Buy recommendation.

    As mentioned above, Ord Minnett has a buy rating and $55.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of approximately 15% from its last close price.

    Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd (ASX: VGN)

    Another ASX 300 share that Ord Minnett is positive on is airline operator Virgin Australia.

    The broker was pleased to see the company reiterate its guidance for growth in revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) of 3% to 5% in the first half of FY 2026. It notes that this is being “underpinned by strong demand and operational performance.”

    As a result, the broker has increased confidence in the company’s outlook. It said:

    The trading update gave Ord Minnett confidence the near-term outlook is sound, given Virgin’s hedging program, which incorporates the jet fuel spread, means recent rising fuel prices will have little effect on FY26 earnings. Post FY26, we expect higher fuel costs will be mostly, but not all, offset by management of the RASK metric, i.e. some mix of higher ticket prices and reduced capacity. ‍

    Post the trading update, we have nudged our FY26 EPS estimate down 0.3%, while our FY27 and FY28 forecasts are cut by 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively, to incorporate the impact of fuel costs, which leads us to trim our target price to $4.00 from $4.10.

    Ord Minnett has a buy rating and $4.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 32% for investors over the next 12 months.

    The post Ord Minnett says these ASX 300 shares could rise 15% to 30% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Mineral Resources Limited right now?

    Before you buy Mineral Resources Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Mineral Resources Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • ASX 200 vs US stocks: Where the next decade of big winners may come from

    Two people jump in the air in a fighting stance, indicating a battle between rival ASX shares

    Should Australian investors lean more heavily into the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) or focus their long-term compounding efforts on the giant US sharemarket? 

    It is a debate that resurfaces regularly, and the truth is rarely as simple as choosing one over the other.

    A better way to frame the decision is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each market, then build a plan you can stick to for decades.

    Two markets, two economic engines

    The US market has delivered extraordinary long-term returns, fuelled by world-leading innovation, technology giants with global pricing power, and deeper capital markets. Companies in the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) and the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) have historically compounded earnings faster than the typical Australian blue-chip business, and that growth shows up in returns.

    By contrast, the ASX 200 leans heavily toward banks, miners, energy, and infrastructure—industries that produce significant cash flow and often return large portions to shareholders. For income-focused investors, the ASX 200’s franking credits and dividend culture offer something the US simply does not replicate.

    Neither approach is inherently superior. Both markets have produced exceptional wealth builders over time, and both have delivered long stretches of strong returns. Individual businesses on each side of the Pacific have rewarded investors handsomely, often far outperforming their home index. 

    And when you examine the results of consistently investing in broad indices over the past 30 years, the long-run compounding outcomes have been far closer than most assume, particularly for investors who dollar-cost-averaged through multiple cycles. 

    All else being equal, disciplined participation has mattered far more than the postcode of the index.

    Concentration risk works both ways

    A common argument is that the ASX 200 is too concentrated, with banks and resources often making up 40%–50% of the index. That is true, and it introduces its own risks when credit cycles turn or commodity prices weaken.

    Yet the US market has its own concentration issue. A small group of mega-cap tech companies now represent more than one-third of the S&P 500. Their valuations sit well above long-run averages, and their weighting means the entire index increasingly behaves like a handful of companies. If expectations stumble, the impact could be meaningful.

    The point is simple: both markets carry concentration risk, just in different forms.

    Currency matters more 

    Australian investors who buy US shares also take on exposure to the AUD/USD exchange rate. That can boost returns in periods when the Australian dollar weakens, but it can also reduce returns if the currency strengthens.

    Over decades, currency tends to “wash out”, but it does add another layer of volatility that investors must be comfortable with. For Australians seeking stability or regular cash flow, the home market often remains the simplest foundation.

    The real differentiator

    Across long timeframes, both the ASX 200 and major US indices have delivered mid-to-high single-digit annual returns. Both include companies that go nowhere and companies that become wealth-compounding machines.

    In other words, the market you choose matters far less than the discipline you apply.

    The most consistent path to long-term returns is:

    • investing regularly
    • diversifying across sectors and geographies
    • avoiding extreme concentration in one theme or country
    • staying invested during corrections
    • allowing compounding to do its work

    Investors who diversify across Australia and the US are simply widening the pool of potential long-term winners. Some of the strongest opportunities over the next decade may come from Australian healthcare, infrastructure, and technology. Others may come from US AI, cloud computing, or industrial reshoring.

    A balanced view 

    You do not need to predict which market will outperform. You only need to build a portfolio you can keep contributing to, even when headlines turn negative.

    Australian shares can anchor a portfolio with dividends and stability. US companies can add higher-growth potential. Combined, they create a mix that reduces the pressure to pick a winner and increases the odds of achieving long-term goals.

    For most investors, it really is a case of horses for courses. Both markets have gems capable of compounding wealth far above the index. A disciplined plan that taps into both gives you the best odds of capturing wealth.

    The post ASX 200 vs US stocks: Where the next decade of big winners may come from appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Leigh Gant has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips

  • Tech CEOs can’t stop talking about data centers in space

    Google CEO Sundar Pichai
    Google CEO Sundar Pichai

    Justin Sullivan/Getty

    • Google's latest moonshot research project wants to send data centers to space.
    • CEO Sundar Pichai is the latest tech executive to bet on the idea during the AI race.
    • Pichai said he hopes Google can send one of its custom chips to space by 2027.

    Tech CEOs can't stop talking about data centers in space.

    "Obviously, it's a moonshot," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on the "Google AI: Release Notes" podcast this week.

    He acknowledged that the notion seems "crazy" today, but "when you truly step back and envision the amount of compute we're going to need, it starts making sense and it's a matter of time."

    Pichai was referring to Project Suncatcher, a new long-term research bet that Google announced in November. The goal of Project Suncatcher is to "one day scale machine learning in space," according to a company blog post.

    The Google CEO didn't offer much in the way of details, except that "in 2027, hopefully we'll have a TPU somewhere in space," he said, referring to the company's custom AI chip.

    "Maybe we'll meet a Tesla Roadster," he quipped.

    Pichai was referring to the time when Elon Musk hitched his old Tesla Roadster onto a SpaceX rocket and blasted it into orbit with a spacesuit-clad dummy perched in the driver's seat. Launched in 2018, the roadster was still in deep space as of earlier this year, when astronomers mistook it for an asteroid.

    A Tesla Roadster with a mannequin wearing a SpaceX spacesuit in the driver's seat. The car was launched into space via a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018.
    A Tesla Roadster with a mannequin wearing a SpaceX spacesuit in the driver's seat. The car was launched into space via a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018.

    SpaceX

    That Roadster stunt doesn't begin to compare with the outer space ambitions of Musk and other tech titans in the age of AI.

    "Starship should be able to deliver around 300 GW per year of solar-powered AI satellites to orbit, maybe 500 GW. The 'per year' part is what makes this such a big deal," Musk wrote in an X post earlier this month.

    The numbers Musk is talking about represent an unprecedented amount of electric capacity. Global data center capacity is currently 59 gigawatts here on Earth, Goldman Sachs said earlier this year.

    Global electricity demand is on track to double by 2050, in part due to the race to build AI data centers. In the US, data centers are the biggest driver of the surging demand that is straining the country's power grid.

    Musk, Pichai, and other tech leaders — Jeff Bezos is predicting that data centers will go to space in the next 10 to 20 years — know that the amount of demand coming from AI data centers might not be tenable.

    "I do guess that a lot of the world gets covered in data centers over time," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told comedian and podcaster Theo Von in a July interview. "But I don't know, because maybe we put them in space. Like maybe we build a big Dyson sphere on the solar system and say, 'Hey, it actually makes no sense to put these on Earth.'"

    It's a question that could explain why some of tech leaders seem so eager to send data centers to space, where, as Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff pointed out in a recent tweet, there is "continuous solar and no batteries needed" for power and cooling.

    "The lowest cost place for data centers is space," Benioff wrote in a post on X earlier this month, referring to a video clip of Musk touting the benefits of orbital AI at the US-Saudi Investment Forum earlier this month.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • We’re retired lawyers who started a podcast to figure out where to live. 5 years in, we’ve got a new idea.

    A selfie of a couple with headsets and a mic.
    Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme started a podcast to interview retirees about where they chose to settle.

    Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme.

    • Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme, both 63, started a podcast interviewing retirees around the world.
    • The couple didn't know where to retire, so they asked others to share their stories.
    • Over five years later, their podcast has grown steadily and now features over 200 episodes.

    This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Gilen Chan and Gene Preudhomme, both 63 and retired lawyers, who are the creators and hosts of the "Retire There with Gil & Gene" podcast. It has been edited for length and clarity.

    It's been over five years since we started our podcast.

    In early 2020, we were both thinking about retirement and knew we wanted to leave Brooklyn, where we'd raised our son and lived for many years.

    The idea of being surrounded by nature appealed to us, so we began considering a move to a different state. We decided to take a trip to explore our options and headed to Winter Park in Florida. It was nice, but we knew right away that it wasn't for us.

    We returned to New York, wondering where our next scouting trip would take us. However, the pandemic struck a few weeks later. All travel had stopped, and we found ourselves stuck, just like everyone else.

    We came up with the idea of starting a podcast about where to retire. We wanted a show where we could interview people across the country and hear their stories.

    Starting our own podcast

    We reached out to family, friends, and their networks, and we were lucky to find people willing to share their experiences. We knew that new podcasts often launch with several episodes, so we recorded four right away.

    Finding guests, however, has remained one of the most challenging aspects of producing the show. Just as our pool of interviewees from our initial circle began to run dry, a friend introduced us to someone who had retired in Paris. We interviewed him, and he became our first international guest.

    When we started the podcast, we were a little intimidated. At the time, we assumed most podcasters were younger than we were. But since we're both fairly tech-savvy, we figured if they could do it, so could we.

    When we were living in Brooklyn, we recorded from our basement, which we'd soundproofed. Each conversation lasts about an hour to an hour and a half, and can take between four to five hours to edit.

    Our podcast has over 200 episodes so far, and we've learned that the best guests are also willing to admit when things have not gone as planned. Some have shared that while they love a place for vacation, living there long-term simply does not feel right for them.

    We've had some memorable guests through the years, including an American retiree who wanted to move to Costa Rica while his wife wasn't so sure.

    To change her mind, he hired a local expert to take her on a solo trip around Costa Rica for two months. When she returned, she told her husband she couldn't wait to move there. That was a good one.

    We recently received a sponsorship. It's not a large amount, but it covers the cost of the services we use, like our recording software subscription, editing software, and our website.

    Broadening our perspectives

    Interacting with so many people about their retirement experiences has shaped the way we think about our own, especially after we began speaking with those who chose to live internationally.

    It broadened our perspective and inspired us to think about spending part of our retirement overseas.

    We're now based in Pennsylvania. Our plan is to find a home here — which we're still searching for — and spend about three months each year living abroad, choosing one city at a time and exploring from there.

    Before the podcast, we would've never considered living abroad ourselves. We were both poor growing up, and the thought never crossed our minds. But then we met ordinary folks who seemed just like us who'd made it happen.

    We realized that a flight from New York to California takes about six hours, and a flight to Europe can take about the same amount of time. Psychologically, it suddenly didn't feel so far away.

    In the end, we felt our lives could be so much richer if we could give it a try. Our son, who we're very close to, lives in Rhode Island, so we aren't ready to make the leap to live permanently abroad just yet. That's why we're going to start small.

    In the countries we've visited, including France, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, we've enjoyed every one

    What retirement has really taught us is that we're now at a stage where we feel safe in knowing who we are. Traveling has only expanded our minds.

    Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • 5 people explain how they broke into AI training and how much they make in their side hustle

    A design featuring five individuals who landed AI jobs

    Peter Intile, Jessica Hamilton, Fred Nau, Ryan Adams, Elizabeth Boyd; Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI

    • AI training jobs offer flexible — and sometimes lucrative — side hustles.
    • Major companies like Meta and OpenAI use data labelers to improve their chatbots' performance.
    • Five people share why they like freelancing as AI trainers and how much money they've made.

    AI training is a booming industry that is making the human contributors behind the screen more important than ever.

    As data from publicly available sources runs out, companies like Meta, Google, and OpenAI are hiring thousands of data labelers around the world to teach their chatbots what they know best.

    Data labeling startups like Mercor and Handshake advertise that contributors can earn up to $100 an hour for their STEM, legal, or healthcare expertise. Other companies are banking on armies of generalists to rate AI responses, annotate social media videos, or improve a chatbot's understanding of native languages. The flexible work appeals to parents, full-time professionals, and students alike — but it can be tedious, often convoluted, and slow to onboard.

    Five contractors shared how they broke into the sometimes lucrative world of AI training, including how much money they've made.

    These as-told-to-essays are based on conversations with the contractors, and they have been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified their work.

    Jessica Hamilton, Illinois
    A woman with a laptop sitting on grass infront of a college campus
    Hamilton first started AI training for extra "beer money" in college.

    Jessica Hamilton

    I've always been an entrepreneur and have been running my e-commerce business since I was in college, which I graduated in 2018. I came across Prolific in 2023 after seeing it mentioned on a Reddit group called Beer Money.

    There were enough people on Reddit who were giving Prolific credit that I decided to go for it. I signed up at the start of 2023, but it was not until 14 months later that I was taken off the waitlist and started getting projects.

    I've been active on the platform since May 2024 and have worked on a wide range of projects. Prolific started off as an academic research tool, and most of the surveys were in politics, psychology, or health-related topics. AI training work, which is newer to the platform, involves evaluating or comparing AI responses and doing fact checks.

    I've tried other platforms like DataAnnotation, Amazon's Mechanical Turk, Appen, and Telus, which did not have as long a waitlist. But once I started to get work on Prolific, and especially AI tasks, it has become my primary platform. I've also found it to pay a lot better than a lot of the other companies.

    I keep my laptop open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., five days a week, and check Prolific for projects every now and then. Through this work, I made $1,200 in September, $1,100 in August, and about $1,000 in July.

    The extra money supplements my income from my e-commerce store and my family's go-karting business. It has helped me pay off student loans faster and will help pay for a new laptop. Last August, I went to the Olympics in Paris and to three other countries. I was able to pay for it because of my income from these platforms.

    Elizabeth Boyd, Florida
    AI trainer Elizabeth Boyd.
    AI trainer Elizabeth Boyd.

    Elizabeth Boyd

    In July 2023, I received a LinkedIn message from a Scale AI recruiter inviting me to apply as a law domain expert on Remotasks, a Scale AI-owned platform that preceded Outlier.

    I was onboarding by early August, but didn't do much work on the platform until March or April of 2024. They were offering daily bonuses for working a set number of hours. Good pay rates with regular bonuses, weekly payments, and not needing to look for clients on a regular basis made the AI work more attractive than the content creation work I'd been doing. I put my travel agency franchise on the back burner.

    Since then, AI training has been my main source of income. I typically work around 30 to 35 hours a week, and I supplement that with some online writing.

    Though I started as a law domain expert, I rarely ever worked on projects with a legal focus. Instead, I work on a wide variety of general, non-STEM topics that require specialized multimedia prompt engineering and AI response evaluation skills, as well as quality assurance work.

    I worked on the Mindrift platform very briefly last year. However, nearly all my AI work was with Remotasks, then Outlier, until this summer. Now, the bulk of my AI training work is with the Mercor AI platform.

    Outlier paid me $45 per hour, then $40 per hour. Now my rate with them ranges from $35 to $50, but they have a setup that drops the rate to $21.16 after a set time that is never sufficient for completing the task, so the effective rate is always lower than the starting or stated rate. It's one more reason I generally avoid working there now.

    Mercor pay rates vary greatly, but the projects I'm currently working on pay $45 and $45.50 per hour.

    Some highs of freelancing on these platforms include the opportunity to work in a cutting-edge industry and being able to attain valuable skills. It's also attractive pay for my experience and skills. Another plus is teamwork with some very smart, funny, and talented co-workers.

    There are lows as well. There is no job security, and some projects are short-term, which means I have to continuously apply to new ones. However, project extensions are frequent, and I am often referred to new projects by my project leads for doing good work.

    The work can be monotonous, and some of the projects can be run poorly, resulting in chaos and frustration.

    A Scale AI spokesperson told Business Insider that Outlier gives contractors pay rates and estimated task times at the start of a project. "When contributors flag that certain tasks regularly take longer than expected, we review those tasks and adjust where appropriate."

    Ryan Adams, Virginia
    Ryan Adams headshot
    Ryan Adams

    Ryan Adams

    I've been tasking on Outlier for about a year and a half now, and I do it alongside my full-time job at a health and environmental nonprofit in Virginia.

    I came across Outlier through a simple Google search because I was trying to learn more about AI. I applied to the platform and started receiving projects about three weeks later, after completing some onboarding and training.

    I've worked on about 30 projects since, including training video chat models and voice recording projects. I spend about 20 to 25 hours on Outlier each week, and up to 30 hours when there are incentives like bonus pay.

    I've been approached by another platform, but chose to work only on Outlier because it's been a good fit for me, and I can't take on more platforms with my full time job.

    Per hour, I can make close to what I make in my full time job. I've earned about $31,000 so far, which is about one-third of what I made in my job over the last year and a half.

    It's allowed me to invest more and build emergency savings. My credit score is the highest it's ever been, and I'll be able to pay off my car loan by the end of the year. Eighteen months ago, I would not have believed that I could have an AI-related side hustle without working in tech.

    Fred Nau, Florida
    Fred Nau
    Fred Nau is a contributor on Scale-AI-owned Outlier.

    Fred Nau

    I'm a school chemistry and physics teacher. I heard about Outlier after my master's when someone from the platform reached out to me on LinkedIn. They said that my experience in chemistry was something they were specifically looking for.

    I applied at the start of 2024, and I started receiving projects within a couple of weeks. I majored in chemistry in college, and a lot of the projects I've taken on centered on chemistry or physics and rating different model responses in terms of accuracy. The platform has a lot of specialists, including people with PhDs from various academic backgrounds.

    I try to work on the platform for one to two hours after work and five to 10 hours over the weekend, which gives me about 15 to 20 hours a week. Last year, I was working a lot less than I am now, but I made about $15,000.

    I've used the extra income to pay for a down payment, and I've also used it to go on vacation with my girlfriend.

    Even as a teacher in the district I work for, they're making a huge push toward using AI and AI tools. For me, it's a good opportunity to not only ensure that AI performs better by working on projects that improve data quality, but also to gain a better understanding of how AI works.

    I've recommended it to other teachers because students are using AI. If you're a teacher, it's great to have exposure to these tools and the data that goes into this technology.

    Peter Intile, Wisconsin
    Peter Intile
    Peter Intile

    Peter Intile

    I have an extensive educational background in microbiology and immunology, and I earned a Ph.D. in the field. At my day job, I work for a management company, but still get to use my scientific knowledge for our projects.

    I've always been involved in research work and was familiar with the kind of academic research platforms like Prolific or Amazon's Mechanical Turk help with. Toward the tail end of the pandemic, when I had some extra time, I revisited Mechanical Turk, which I had used before.

    I came across messaging boards and social media platforms that all said that Prolific is the place you should be going to for such work now. They noted several reasons, including better pay and a wider range of projects.

    I signed up, was accepted in about two weeks, and have been working on it for about two and a half years. Since I first joined, the work has transitioned from academic studies and surveys into more AI-focused tasks. Much of it is about making the AI more human, such as behaving in ways that a human would anticipate or provide information.

    I don't use my scientific background very often in my AI task work — it's mostly using my writing or critical thinking skills. I occasionally will get one or two that ask very specific biology-related questions, and those are fun because they bring me back.

    It's better than sitting on social media and scrolling aimlessly. It is a valuable use of my time, and it feels like meaningful work because I know researchers need good data in order to make conclusions about their research. I'm happy to participate in that.

    I usually spend about two to three hours a day on the platform, primarily after work hours. I make somewhere between $20 to $100 a day, with the pay being around $20 an hour. I find myself getting enough tasks on Prolific that I haven't spread myself out on other data labeling platforms.

    We're approaching Christmas, and this side hustle is paying for gifts. The other thing is vacations and being able to do things with my family a little bit more freely.

    Have a tip? Contact Shubhangi Goel via email at sgoel@businessinsider.com or Signal at shuby.85. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • A Black Friday stock tip for free

    Two happy woman on a couch looking at a tablet.

    I’ve gotta be honest; sometimes the Inspiration Fairy brings lots of great ideas for me to use in my writing.

    At other times, well, let’s just say she might have been too busy with Black Friday this week.

    Not that I don’t have anything to say – if you’ve read any of my work here, or on Twitter, you’ll know I’m not short of an opinion.

    But rather, sometimes it’s hard to have something new, interesting and relevant to offer.

    I started three different articles this week. I got a bee in my bonnet about different economic policies and announcements but, while I do think our readers enjoy and value that sometimes, I’m wary of overdoing it.

    At times like these, I almost envy the day-traders – they always have a bright, shiny thing to chase. We long-term investors rarely get energised by those things… by design.

    Frankly, my response to most business news and company announcements is… a shrug.

    Not because I’m disinterested, but rather because they very rarely end up changing my view of a given company.

    Most of them fall into the category of ‘company doing what it does, and having a little more, or less, success than expected, but the thesis remains unchanged’.

    Kinda sounds boring… and almost neglectful, right?

    After all, the market reaction to these things can be anything from a yawn to severe. Doesn’t that warrant a response?

    Mostly… no.

    There’s two reasons.

    Firstly, if the market is overreacting to a short term jump, or slump, then so be it. We’re focused on the long term.

    Second, if the news is thesis-moving, it’s generally ‘priced in’ immediately, and there’s no fancy trading that’d even be possible.

    Disappointed? Expected me to have some fancy crystal ball or high-tech trading strategy?

    Sorry, but again… no.

    It’d be nice to imagine it’s possible, but it’s just not.

    But also, if it was, do you reckon we’d beat the big end of town with their nanosecond trading algorithms and high speed data connections?

    Here’s the best thing, though: our style of investing doesn’t need it.

    We don’t care about squiggly lines on a chart, day-trading strategies, or six-monitor Bloomberg terminals.

    We don’t want to look fancy, or impressive, or like modern-day Wolves of Wall Street.

    We just want to make money.

    And the best way we know to do that is to put the work into understanding companies, paying decent prices, and letting time do the work.

    Kinda the way Warren Buffett does it.

    No, I’m not Buffett. I will never be Buffett.

    But an investment approach following his example is, we expect, a wonderful way to build long term wealth.

    Which takes me back to the breathless reporting of results and the (I think) silly short-term trading that surrounds it.

    When a company reports results (or more recently, updates the market on year-to-date sales, at annual general meetings), the question we ask is a simple one:

    “Does this impact our view of the company’s long term future, and the price we’re prepared to pay for that future?”

    Two such companies provided AGM updates this week: Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN) (I own shares) and Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW).

    Both updates were very good: Harvey’s sales were up 9% and Temple & Webster’s revenue climbed 18%.

    And the result?

    Both companies’ shares fell – Harvey by a little, Temple by a lot.

    Why? The market seemed to want even more.

    Now, a fall isn’t necessarily or always wrong: if a company’s shares are priced for 50% growth and it only delivers 5%, it might make sense for them to drop.

    …maybe…

    Because it’s not about the past.

    See, share prices should reflect not the last few months, but a company’s future, from here to eternity.

    Again, maybe a huge sales miss does dim the brightness of a business’ long term future. If so, and if it was priced for perfection, it would make sense for shares to fall.

    But take Temple & Webster.

    Shares fell 32% on Wednesday.

    That is, the market is telling you that it thinks the company’s entire, eternal, future is a full one-third less bright than it believed, just a day earlier.

    Really?

    I mean, the market might be right (in which case it was very, very wrong a day earlier).

    Here’s a Black Friday special for you, for free: my team and I at Motley Fool Share Advisor, one of the investment services I run, reckon Temple & Webster is a Buy.

    We thought so on Tuesday, before the fall. We still think so, today, after it.

    Not because of, or despite, the announcement.

    But because we think that Temple & Webster can compound sales and profit growth meaningfully over the next 5 and 10 years.

    We might be wrong, of course. And hey, if we get to choose between 18% growth and 38% growth, we’d always choose the latter!

    We think 18% sales growth is pretty good, though, and gives the company plenty of room to keep growing in future, as it executes against its strategy and benefits from a structural shift to ecommerce.

    Most importantly, we know what game we’re playing.

    We’re running a 42.2km marathon, not 422 100m sprints.

    If you want to do the latter, good luck.

    But if so, Aesop’s hare called, and wants to give you some advice!

    Have a great weekend.

    Fool on!

    The post A Black Friday stock tip for free appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Temple & Webster Group Ltd right now?

    Before you buy Temple & Webster Group Ltd shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Temple & Webster Group Ltd wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips has positions in Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Buy, hold, sell: Aristocrat, Domino’s, and Temple & Webster

    Business people discussing project on digital tablet.

    There are a good number of ASX 200 shares to choose from on the local market.

    But which ones could be buys right now? Let’s take a look at three popular options and see if brokers rate them as buys, holds, or sells. Here’s what you need to know:

    Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

    The team at Morgans has been looking at this gaming technology company following its FY 2025 results. It was pleased with its performance and notes that its result was in line with expectations.

    In light of this and recent share price weakness, the broker recently upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $73.00 price target. It said:

    We see no structural shift in market dynamics and remain comfortable with the outlook. ALL reiterated its qualitative guidance for constant currency NPATA growth in FY26 (MorgansF: +10%). Following the result, our EPSA forecasts decrease ~6% across FY26-27F. Given recent share price weakness and a more compelling valuation, we upgrade ALL from Accumulate to Buy, with our 12-month target price reduced to $73 (from $77).

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another ASX 200 share that Morgans has been looking at is pizza chain operator Domino’s.

    The broker was encouraged by its improving performance. And while its shares have rallied recently, Morgans still sees plenty of value here for investors. As a result, it has put a buy rating and $25.00 price target on its shares. It said:

    DMP’s FY26 AGM update was positive, in our view, given the company is on track to exceed FY26 consensus NPAT, cost out was quantified, and its gearing metrics are improving. The trading update was weak, with Same-Store Sales (SSS) growth still negative; however, we think this is somewhat irrelevant while the business transitions to its new pricing strategy to drive higher margin sales for franchisees given the noise around the short-term volume impact of less discounting (i.e. lost sales were unprofitable anyway).

    While DMP’s share price has recently increased ~55% off its lows on the back of potential corporate activity, the stock is still only trading on a FY26F PE of 16x which is a ~30% discount to CKF. With improving confidence in the turnaround, we continue to think the risk reward looks attractive from here. Maintain BUY.

    Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

    Over at Bell Potter, its analysts remain positive on this online furniture and homewares retailer following a selloff in response to its recent trading update.

    It has put a buy rating and $19.50 price target on its shares. It continues to believe that Temple & Webster is well-positioned for long term growth. It commented:

    Our views are unchanged of TPW’s ability to outperform over the long term as market share capture in an expanded TAM is expedited with range, pricing/scale advantages, backed by a strong balance sheet (+$150m cash). Trading at ~2x EV/Sales post the ~40% correction in the share price from the recent peak, we see risk-reward heading into the Feb 1H result and continue to see a buying opportunity. Maintain BUY.

    The post Buy, hold, sell: Aristocrat, Domino’s, and Temple & Webster appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure Limited right now?

    Before you buy Aristocrat Leisure Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Aristocrat Leisure Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

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    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.