• Elon Musk recently suggested the future of news may be AI-powered.
• The billionaire said AI could aggregate social media posts into a real-time news feed.
• Experts say the model could quickly spread misinformation.

Elon Musk has a new vision for AI-powered journalism.

Speaking at the Cannes Lions event on Wednesday, he suggested the world was heading to a new model of newsgathering that would be "better than conventional journalism."

In short, Musk thinks social media posts can be aggregated into a real-time news feed using AI.

"What we're doing on the X platform is we are aggregating — we're using AI to sum up the aggregate input from millions of users," he said during an interview with Mark Read, the CEO of advertising group WPP.

"I think this is really going to be the new model of news, which is to gather information from people who are at the scene, who are experts in the field, and summarize the experts," Musk said, adding that this content should be aggregated into a "real-time news feed."

The suggestion aligns with Musk's continued championing of "citizen journalism," which relies on members of the public collecting, disseminating, and analyzing information.

However, using AI to curate a real-time news feed could come with some serious risks.

'Old Twitter on steroids'

Nic Newman, of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, told Business Insider the model was reminiscent of pre-Musk Twitter.

"It's just old Twitter on steroids," he said. "Some of the citizen journalism can be relied on and gives you things, but aggregating stuff when you're not sure how true it is not going to necessarily help human understanding or take us any further than old Twitter did."

According to Musk, X "very quickly" corrects itself when misinformation is spread on the platform.

However, Newman said his recent research had found the opposite was true.

The 2024 Digital News report from the Reuters Institute found X and TikTok to be the least trustworthy sources in terms of users' ability to differentiate fact from falsehoods. The report notes that both platforms have hosted misinformation or conspiracy theories around the Isreal-Hamas conflict and the Princess of Wales's health.

"The real issue that people have is they feel overwhelmed and confused by what's happening, and they don't have enough understanding. I can't see how this really helps that in any way," Newman said.

The idea that Twitter gets things wrong, but is never wrong for long, is something experts were talking about "over a decade ago," according to Newman.

"What we've discovered in that time period is that it can actually be very, very damaging because the falsehood goes around the world before the truth has time to catch up," he said.

Amplifying incorrect information can be dangerous unless platforms have a better way of correcting themselves and letting people know when they've viewed misleading content, Newman added.

Misleading 'experts'

According to Musk, AI and the internet are already "aggregating the wisdom of the people."

When looking to the future of newsgathering, the billionaire emphasized the importance of "experts in the field" and "first observers" over traditional reporters.

Musk has been somewhat hostile to news media since taking over X. He removed a policy that allowed journalists to get blue checkmarks and temporarily suspended several from the platform.

However, Musk's renewed focus on listening to "experts" contradicts some of these decisions. By removing the blue checkmark verification system, the billionaire has arguably made it more difficult to identify the very people he wants aggregated.

"When you're using AI to sort of sift through millions and millions of tweets or posts on X, it can be hard to tell if someone is just saying they're an expert or claiming to be an expert," social-media consultant Matt Navarra told BI.

Compensation questions

"X is probably one of the worst platforms in terms of being able to trust what you're reading," he added. "So if you're using a tool like AI to go through all of these tweets and posts, it gives rise to concern around if it will actually reflect and summarise factual, verifiable information."

Newman said the suggestion to aggregate experts on the platform also raised questions about compensation.

"If you're aggregating experts, people who really know what they're talking about, what is the payment model behind that? Many of those experts may protect their own IP and write Substack newsletters or do podcasts or do things that they can monetize," he said.

X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

• Gen Z bosses tend to prioritize a work-life balance and a desire to make the world of work better.
• Many encourage mental health days and flexible work hours.
• Young leaders believe respect and open dialogue create a better work culture and efficiency.

Raven Baker, 28, admits she often feels she's falling behind her peers due to the constant pressure of social media.

As the social and community lead at the creative agency Adolescent Content, her role is high-pressured and demanding.

"However, I refuse to project that pressure onto those who report to me," she told Business Insider. "My approach to managing is rooted in respect."

Baker is an example of a Gen Z boss who is setting a new standard for productivity by prioritizing her team's mental health and work-life balance.

Unlike Gen X and boomer managers, who can cause friction with younger staff, or millennials, who strive to be the cool boss but are also baffled by how much Gen Z talks about their feelings, Zoomer managers appear to be keen to hear from their employees and make changes.

At the heart of their prime concerns is the desire to improve the workplace for those who enter it and end a negative cycle of criticism at work.

Ending bad work cycles

Early in her career, leaders and managers spoke to Baker "terribly," she said.

"I never want to be the kind of leader who's the catalyst for someone's inner monologue shifting from 'I am capable, I have great ideas' to 'Am I capable? Am I good enough?'" she said. "I will always maintain an environment where hierarchy does not justify verbal disrespect."

Oliver Hodgson, now 20, dropped out of school at 16 with no qualifications and went on to found his creative comms company, Platinum Live.

He was bullied at school and knows the impact a negative environment can have.

"So I will stick up for my colleagues no matter what," he said.

Mental health is paramount

Hodgson never had a job before starting his own company, so he's very "pro-office," he said. Though he can "totally see the benefits of remote work."

Early in his career, Hodgson learned everyone is different, and he's constantly learning from his employees — the majority of whom are older than him.

The biggest priority for Hodgson is his employees' mental health.

The company encourages staff to take mental health days when they need them and promotes an "open dialogue" culture so people feel they can talk about their struggles and well-being.

"I don't want people coming to work and getting excited for 4 p.m. when they leave," Hodgson said. "I want to foster an environment where everybody excels, and we don't just excel and deliver for clients, but we upskill and we look after ourselves."

Hodgson also doesn't want anyone in his company to feel like "steam engines" that are "just plowing out work" and "forgetting we're human."

High standards with well-being

Sam Winsbury, 24, started building his personal branding agency Kurogo in 2020 and has rapidly grown his company to 19 staff.

Like Hodgson, Winsbury never worked for anyone else and has never even been to a job interview.

Instead, he told BI he learns from friends about their employers and also takes advice from his own team members.

"A lot of the perks and benefits and policies we have are built by the team anyway," he said. "It's just a case of listening to other people and hearing what they want because ultimately it's for them, it's not for me. So they're the best people to guide on what the policies and perks should look like."

Winsbury said he has "high standards" regarding his employees' well-being. He doesn't expect them to respond to clients outside business hours, and the company has a flexible policy, so staff can start earlier and finish earlier if they wish to.

"We're also constantly pushing our team to make sure that they are having a life outside of work," Winsbury said. "We actively encourage people to do things outside of work and to make sure they have clear boundaries."

Jessie Urvater, who is 25, is the founder of the sober dating platform Club Pillar.

She told BI open communication, a healthy work-life balance, and the "psychological safety" of her employees are her main priorities.

"I believe it's essential for team members to feel heard and valued, so I encourage an environment where feedback is welcomed, and diverse perspectives are respected," she said.

Margot Adams, 26, co-owner and head of marketing and sales at the clothing brand Luxeire, told BI she grew up in a time of rapidly advancing technology, and the way she runs her company reflects that.

"As a start-up, we are constantly testing out new ideas, so I give people a lot of creative liberties," she said. "A comfortable and fulfilling workplace not only boosts confidence but also enhances productivity and innovation, which is essential in today's world, particularly for Gen Z."

Michelle Enjoli, a career development speaker and coach, told BI that fostering a psychologically safe working environment is essential for creating a great culture, and Gen Z's priorities line up well with this.

Zoomers are shaping the world, Enjoli said, and emphasizing the benefits of transparency, good communication, and clear direction.

Many staff she speaks with in more traditional workplaces feel they spend unnecessary energy "having to monitor their opinions and hiding their concerns or mistakes," which leads to stress and anxiety.

"When a boss prioritizes mental health and the career growth of their employees, it allows them to repurpose their energy into more productive activities," Enjoli said.

No preconceived notions

For many Zoomer bosses, their age can be a superpower.

Winsbury said that although he's made mistakes and that people can be unpredictable, he can generally avoid most problems by being flexible.

"I've not been biased by my previous experience," he said. "I don't have any preconceived notions around how a company should operate."

Fellow Gen Zers, he said, can be frustrating to work with because they have been conditioned to be impatient. But he hopes by investing in his staff and giving them a clear path for progression, he can avoid them job-hopping too much.

"We're a generation that wants things instantly — food, dopamine, rewards, literally everything," he said. "Which is even more of a reason why we need to make sure we have a pathway for people moving forward so that we don't lose them to an opportunity that they think is going to get them somewhere faster."

Hodgson said Gen Zers "get a bad name" for being work-shy, but he doesn't think that's the whole story.

"I think there's a pocket of really powerful Gen Zers, and they really want to make the world a better place," he said

"I'm certainly one of them, and I want to control my own destiny."

• A US official told CNN that parts of Israel's Iron Dome would be overwhelmed in the event of a war.
• Israel has engaged in tit-for-tat strikes with Hezbollah since October 7.
• The system's efficacy was called into question after it failed to stop Hamas' attacks last year.

Hezbollah would overwhelm at least some of Israel's Iron Dome batteries in the event of a full-blown war, a US official told CNN.

The unnamed senior administration official said that, according to their assessments, at least some Iron Dome batteries would be "overwhelmed."

According to three unnamed US officials cited by CNN, the US has shared its fears with Israel that its air defenses in the northern part of the country, including the Iron Dome air defense system, could be vulnerable to Hezbollah's enormous arsenal of missiles and drones if a war broke out.

The Iron Dome is arguably the most advanced defense system in operation today.

Two US officials told the outlet that Israeli officials have raised similar concerns, telling the US they believe the Iron Dome could be vulnerable, especially in the north.

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging tit-for-tat strikes at the border with Lebanon since Hamas' October 7 terror attacks, with the militant group sometimes striking Israeli military targets.

On Thursday, Hezbollah said it launched dozens of rockets at an Israeli military base in Zar'it, per the Times of Israel.

The Iranian-backed militants fired more than 200 projectiles last week, the Israel Defense Forces said, with some triggering fires but causing no casualties, per the BBC.

Hezbollah also claimed to have struck Israel's Iron Dome air defense system in Ramot Naftali with a guided missile earlier this month, per The New Arab.

According to Israel, the Iron Dome system has been about 90% effective at intercepting rockets over the last 12 years.

But the October 7 Hamas attacks raised questions about why it wasn't able to stop the militants' strikes that day.

Hamas said it fired 5,000 missiles at Israel in just 20 minutes. Israel said the militant group launched more than 3,000 rockets. It's not clear what proportion of the rockets were intercepted during the attack.

Looking ahead to a future conflict, an Israeli official said Hezbollah would more likely overwhelm Iron Dome batteries if the militant group launched a large-scale strike employing precision-guided weapons, which could be difficult for the system to defend against, CNN reported.

In preparation for a possible attack, Israeli officials told the US that Israel was planning to move resources from southern Gaza to northern Israel, CNN reported, citing the unnamed US officials.

• Numerous Tesla owners say they have been trapped inside their EVs after they lost power.
• Teslas come with manual door releases, but they can be hard to find without the owner's manual.
• Business Insider has compiled a guide on how to find them in a range of different Tesla models.

Numerous Tesla owners have said they've been stuck inside their EVs after the cars suddenly lost power.

Firefighters recently had to rescue a toddler from a locked Tesla after the car's battery died.

Renee Sanchez told reporters at On Your Side, a segment in the local outlet Arizona's Family, that her EV's battery died after she put her 20-month-old granddaughter in the car and went to get in the front seat.

When the firefighters arrived on the scene, they used an ax to break the car's window to rescue the child, the report said.

YouTuber Tom Exton claimed back in 2022 that his Tesla Model Y ordered him to pull over before it suddenly lost power and left him unable to exit.

Exton said he followed the instructions for the manual release to open the door, but that this "somehow broke the driver's window."

Another Tesla driver, Rick Meggison, told Arizona-based TV station ABC 15 last summer that he got trapped inside his Model Y vehicle for around 20 minutes on a 100-degree day. He said he couldn't open the doors or windows as the battery had died.

Meggison, who was 73 years old at the time, said he called his sister who was able to open the passenger door using the Tesla app — but that also cracked the car's window, he said.

The manual door release can be tricky to find unless you've combed through your car's owner's manual.

To help Tesla owners avoid getting into the same situation, BI has put together a short guide on how to locate and activate the manual door releases in the Model S, 3, X, and Y.

Model S 

To manually open the front doors when a Model S loses power, you need to pull up the release tab that's found in front of the window switches on the door panel, the Tesla owner's manual says.

To open the rear doors, pull back the carpet below the back seats to expose the emergency door release cable, the manual says, adding that you then need to pull the cable "toward the center" of the car.

YouTuber @TeslaInventory, who posts videos about his experience with Teslas on his channel, said that the front doors of a Tesla Model S would still work even if the car lost power, but the rear doors would not.

He also says the manual release will override the car's child lock.

Model 3 

The Model 3 owner's manual states that "only the front doors are equipped with a manual door release."

To open the front doors in the event that the car loses power, you need to pull up the manual release that's located just in front of the window switch panel on the door.

Model X 

The front doors of the Model X can also be opened using a manual door release that you can find in front of the window buttons, the owner's manual says.

If the power drops out, you can open the rear doors using a mechanical release found behind the speaker grille, which you need to remove from the vehicle's door, the manual adds.

You then need to "pull the mechanical release cable down and towards the front of the vehicle" before lifting up the door to open it.

Model Y

You can also find the manual door release for the Model Y's front seats in front of the window switch panel, the owner's manual says.

The manual makes it clear that not all Model Y cars come with a manual release for the rear seats. For those that do, it is located in the rear doors' pockets.

You need to remove the mat from the pocket and press a red tab to reveal the manual release cable, which you need to pull forward to open the door.

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from BI.

• Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter of Team USA at the Olympics for the ninth time in a row.
• The brand unveiled its Olympic ceremony uniforms and Villagewear collection on June 18.
• The collection includes jeans, moto-style jackets, and plenty of red, white, and blue.

When you think of the official Olympic ceremony uniforms, blue jeans and moto jackets are probably not the first outfits that come to mind.

And yet, that's exactly what Ralph Lauren unveiled on June 18 as part of Team USA's opening and closing ceremony uniforms for the Summer Olympics in Paris, which begin on July 26.

The brand also released a Villagewear collection, which includes graphic tees, sweatpants, accessories, and more for members of Team USA to wear during their downtime in and around the city.

The entire Team USA Collection is also available for fans to purchase.

In a press release, Ralph Lauren Corporation's chief branding and innovation officer, David Lauren, said, "Ralph Lauren is profoundly honored to define the look of the American delegation as they represent our country in one of the world's most celebrated and storied events."

He also told The Associated Press on Monday that the brand works "very closely with Team USA to make the athletes feel at once dressed up, feel like a team, but at the same time comfortable and very distinctively American" and that "nothing says America like blue jeans, especially when we're in Paris."

Fifteen Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky, were chosen to represent the brand as ambassadors.

However, reactions to the uniforms have been mixed.

Among responses on social media, there has been praise for the opening-ceremony jackets, disdain for the jeans, and comparisons to college students' outfits. People even drew comparisons between the closing ceremony looks and "Talladega Nights" character Ricky Bobby and NASA astronauts, per the Independent.

As the internet continues to debate if jeans and moto jackets are too casual — or too similar to a NASCAR pit crew — here's a look at everything Team USA will be wearing this Olympic Games so you can decide for yourself.

Team USA's opening ceremony uniform includes a single-breasted navy-blue blazer, a striped Oxford shirt, jeans, and cream suede buck shoes.

Ties and belts are also included in the opening ceremony uniform.

Team USA's closing ceremony uniform includes a moto-style jacket, polo shirt, white denim pants, and a cap.

Each athlete's jacket features a customized patch indicating the sport they represent.

The Villagewear collection includes accessories, sweaters, sweatpants, graphic tees, dresses, and more.

Gymnast Shilese Jones wears Team USA's red-and-white lace-up rugby shirt.

Paralympian Roderick Townsend sports the collection's satin baseball jacket over a white polo.

Breaker Jeffrey Louis wears the Team USA track jacket and pants with a mesh tank and white mesh pullover.

Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky wears a navy-blue cropped rugby shirt.

Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill wears the Team USA reversible jacket and a knitted flag sweater.

• This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Happy Friday! The best AI-generated picture… wasn't generated with AI. A photographer won the top prize in an AI contest with a real picture to show the ethical issues around the tech.

In today's big story, we're looking at Chipotle's newest pitch in the big business that is winning your lunch break.

What's on deck:

• Markets: Citadel's Ken Griffin grows his Miami empire.
• Tech: Apple Intelligence's China problem.
• Business: Elon Musk wants to have his cake and eat it too when it comes to advertisers and his tweets.

But first, let's grab lunch.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.

The big story

It's 12 o'clock somewhere

One of the most interesting battles in business is taking place on your lunch break.

Back to the office means the return of the age-old question: What's for lunch?

The fight to be the answer to that question is a valuable one. Market research firm Future Markets Insights pegged the lunch takeout market at $215.3 billion in 2022.

Chipotle's latest marketing campaign shows how creative restaurants are getting to nab your lunch order. The fast-casual chain knows where its bread is buttered burrito is wrapped, advertising a limited-time meal targeted at young, male office workers.

The Chipotle Boy Bowl has double chicken, white rice, black beans, mild salsa, corn, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and lettuce, in a nod to the gym and finance bros who frequent the chain. (Truly knowing their audience would have been touting the "macros" — carb, protein, and fat stats — of the dish, but I digress.)

The newest addition to the menu could have been a mea culpa by Chipotle. In recent years, the chain has faced criticism over what some customers say is a drop in quality coupled with rising prices.

That culminated last month in popular food influencer and former Chipotle collaborator Keith Lee complaining about the chain's portion sizes.

Still, Chipotle's stock, which is preparing for a historic 50-for-1 split next week, has persevered. Its share price is up more than 43% this year.

But the competition to be your go-to lunch spot is fierce.

A newcomer to the public markets has come on particularly strong. Fellow fast-casual chain Cava, often viewed as a Mediterranean Chipotle, has been on a tear since it went public last June. This year its share price is up more than 125%.

And that's not even tops in the sector. Sweetgreen, which went public in 2021, is up roughly 165% this year. It also has an eye toward the future with the launch of a robot-driven location in Illinois last year.

But other lunch options haven't enjoyed as much success. Yum! Brands — home to KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell — is up less than 4% this year. And Restaurant Brands, which includes Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeyes, is down more than 10%.

Even the granddaddy of them all — McDonald's — is having a slog. Its share price is down more than 14% as customers criticize its new value meal, and it struggles to integrate AI into its workflow.

But the real threat to chains isn't each other: it's consumers' kitchens. Rising prices have led some to brown paper bag it.

3 things in markets

1. Citadel grows its South Florida fortress. Ken Griffin is reportedly adding two more floors to Citadel's planned offices, which will now feature eight floors within a 55-story tower in Miami's financial district. It shows the billionaire's continued investment in the Sunshine State.
2. The US government is wracking up quite the bill. The Congressional Budget Office projects national debt will reach $56.9 trillion by the start of 2034. That represents a 64% increase over the next decade.
3. Bitcoin's cooldown might be a warning for the stock market. A Stifel strategist predicted a late-summer stock market decline based on bitcoin's 10% sell-off in the past few weeks. He pointed to the strong correlation between bitcoin and the Nasdaq 100 since 2020.

3 things in tech

1. Apple's AI rollout faces a huge hurdle in China. ChatGPT, which powers Apple Intelligence, isn't allowed in China, a key market for Apple. Large-language-model chatbots operating in China need Beijing's permission, which has only been granted to domestic companies. That's reportedly led Apple to consider deals with Chinese makers similar to OpenAI.
2. Nvidia and Microsoft beefed over chips. Jensen Huang's attempt to closely control how Nvidia chips are used reportedly led to a weeks-long feud with Microsoft. The tense standoff made it all the way to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's desk before Nvidia backed down.
3. Amazon goes back to basics. The company got its start selling books in 1994. Decades later, its original business is thriving — and outpacing sales of e-books. Internal documents show Amazon sold $16.9 billion worth of books in the first 10 months of 2022.

3 things in business

1. Elon rues the breakup with Twitter's advertisers. Two years after telling advertisers to get lost, Elon Musk is courting them again in the face of X's plummeting revenue. But advertisers seem to think they're better apart, with many turned off by his chaotic tweeting habits.
2. Sorry, it's for close friends only. After years of favoring influencers, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are all leaning into features for close friends. They're intended to foster connections between users and the small subset of followers who get access to exclusive content.
3. A16z-backed Knownwell is buying Alfie Health. Alfie Health, a Y Combinator startup, uses AI to treat obesity. With Ozempic sparking a boom in the weight-loss business, obesity-care startup Knownwell plans to integrate Alfie's AI tech into its obesity and primary-care services.

In other news

• AI could become a lawyer's greatest help in the courtroom.
• How to live happily past 100, according to 7 of the world's oldest people.
• College donors are tired of the pressure to pay more and more money to attract top athletes. It could lead to big changes.
• Fahim Saleh murder jury must decide if Tyrese Haspil believed stabbing and dismembering tech CEO was 'reasonable'.
• Ted Cruz's leaked donor docs show how money in politics really works.
• Looks like Elon Musk just added Melinda French Gates to his list of billionaires' ex-wives who 'might be the downfall of Western civilization'.
• Millennials and Gen Zers are 'quiet quitting' friendships, and it could backfire.
• This new technology for nuclear power could help fuel the AI revolution.
• 'The Hunger Games' star Donald Sutherland dead at 88.
• New Tesla video shows an early glimpse at how Elon Musk's Robotaxi service could look.

What's happening today

• Donald Trump appears at a court hearing on charges of mishandling classified documents.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. George Glover, reporter, in London. Annie Smith, associate producer, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

• China has spent at least $230 billion on becoming an EV superpower, according to a new study.
• China is now the world's biggest EV market, with firms like BYD fast expanding overseas.
• Fears of a flood of cheap Chinese vehicles have pushed Europe to impose new tariffs.

China has spent at least $230 billion on government support to electric vehicle makers such as BYD since 2009, according to a new study from the Centre for Strategic & International Studies think tank.

The funding has played a crucial role in nurturing China's booming EV industry, which has prompted Europe to raise trade arriers amid fears of a wave of cheap EV exports.

The European Union last week announced additional tariffs of up to 38% after concluding that Chinese firms were benefiting from unfair subsidies, allowing them to sell vehicles at far lower prices than their European rivals.

Government subsidies have been a central pillar of China's quest to become an EV powerhouse over the past decade.

China is now the world's largest electric vehicle market, accounting for 60% of global EV sales in 2023, per the IEA — well above rivals like the US and Japan.

Many of its biggest companies are now making their mark on the global stage, with industry leader BYD briefly overtaking Tesla as the world's largest EV producer late last year.

Data from CSIS showed that government support for China's electric vehicle market roughly tripled between 2017 and 2020, and hit before rising to an eye-watering $45 billion a year in both 2022 and 2023.

EV makers in China can get government support through several routes, including infrastructure subsidies, tax exemptions, and buyer rebates.

CSIS said the $230 billion figure was probably an underestimate, as it did not include support from regional governments, many of which have invested heavily in local EV companies. It also excluded subsidies for other parts of the EV supply chain such as battery manufacturing.

Intense competition

Battery giant CATL, which controls about a third of the global market, received $809 million in government subsidies last year, CSIS estimated, double the sum in 2022.

Massive government support has cultivated intense competition among China's legion of EV companies, which in turn has led to low prices. BYD's Seagull hatchback, one of the best-selling EVs, starts at less than $10,000 in China.

By comparison, most EVs sold in the US are more expensive models, leaving America lagging behind China on the switch to electric.

The Biden administration launched its own round of government support for electric vehicles through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which includes tax credits on US-made EVs that add up to a $7,500 subsidy.

A study by Penn Wharton University published last year found that all the clean vehicle provisions in the Act would cost about $393 billion between 2023 and 2032.

• Kevin Costner confirmed he is not returning for the second half of the final season of "Yellowstone"
• Last year, Paramount announced the series was ending abruptly at season five.
• Rumors of a behind-the-scenes feud between cocreator Taylor Sheridan and Costner began in February 2023.

Kevin Costner announced that he won't be returning to "Yellowstone," leaving the hit show without its star for the final episodes.

On Thursday, Paramount announced that season five part two, the final season of "Yellowstone" will premiere on November 11.

On the same day, Costner shared a short clip on Instagram telling fans that he won't be returning for the second half of season five, which is the show's last season.

"I loved it, and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning," Costner said.

The news is a big blow to "Yellowstone," which in recent years became one of the most-watched TV series on cable in the US, without the help of critical acclaim or media coverage. 

The ranch drama story appeals to viewers in many smaller cities across the US, bolstered by the star power of Costner, who has built a reputation for starring in Westerns.

But last year, rumors started that the series was going to come to a premature end due to a disagreement over the filming schedule between Costner, "Yellowstone" showrunner Taylor Sheridan, Paramount Global, and Paramount Network. 

Paramount denied the rumors for months and then announced in May 2023 that the series would end with season five, which would be split into two parts. 

Costner returned for the first half, but it was unclear whether he would stay for the second since he told his child support hearing in September 2023 that he tried to negotiate against the split season decision. He said the filming schedule would conflict with his own Western film series, "Horizon."

Here's a timeline of the events that led to "Yellowstone" premature end and Costner's departure.

In February 2023, it was reported that "Yellowstone" may be coming to a premature end.

The biggest cliffhanger in the latest season of Paramount Network's wildly popular drama "Yellowstone" wasn't delivered on screen but behind the camera.

Viewers learned via a Deadline report a month after the midseason finale aired that the future of the Dutton saga was in jeopardy following an alleged falling out between creator Taylor Sheridan and lead star Kevin Costner. 

The outlet reported that cocreator and showrunner Sheridan, Paramount Global, and Paramount Network were looking to end the neo-Western drama after its current fifth season because of disagreements with Costner over shooting schedules. 

The actor, who has been portraying protagonist John Dutton in the rating juggernaut since 2018, reportedly wanted to cut back his number of days filming on location for the remaining episodes of season five.

According to the report, the "Field of Dreams" star limited himself to being on set for just 50 days across the eight episodes which have already aired and wanted to only spend a week filming the remaining six installments.

It added that the scheduling conflicts had become a sourcee of frustration for Sheridan and caused morale problems for the other stars of the show.

The same report stated that Matthew McConaughey was in talks to lead a new as-yet-untitled spinoff that will continue the franchise.

Alongside the news that "Yellowstone" could be ending, Deadline also reported that the team behind the series was developing a franchise extension starring Matthew McConaughey after rejecting Costner's latest attempt at a compromise over his shooting schedule.

It was reported at the time that the "True Detective" actor was still in the process of negotiations.

A Paramount spokesperson denied the claims but said that McConaughey is a "phenomenal talent" with whom they'd love to partner.

"We have no news to report," a Paramount Network spokesperson responded when Insider reached out for comment in February 2023.

"Kevin Costner is a big part of 'Yellowstone,' and we hope that's the case for a long time to come." 

Still, the statement didn't exactly put to bed the rumors, going on to add: "Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we'd love to partner."

Days later, Jamie Dutton actor Wes Bentley assured fans that it was a "bit of drama over nothing."

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly at SCAD TVFest in February 2023, just days after the report, Bentley said that fans have nothing to worry about.

"The news that's come out recently about the show is, you know, it's above my pay grade. Different people making decisions," the "American Horror Story" actor said.

"I know that they're still working on… working things out with everyone, to make sure we shoot. And I'm confident we will. We always have before. I think it's probably a bit of drama over nothing."

When Costner gave his Golden Globes acceptance speech for best actor in a TV drama, he didn't acknowledge the rumors, nor thank his "Yellowstone" team.

After being forced to skip the ceremony due to severe flooding near his home in Santa Barbara, on February 14, 2023 — just a week after the explosive rumors came to light — Costner posted a video of himself unboxing the trophy from his bed and shared a few words of gratitude.

He said "it feels really good" to finally receive recognition for his role in the drama, but didn't mention "Yellowstone" by name nor give thanks to cocreator Sheridan or any of the other cast members in his list of thank yous.

 

Costner's lawyer said that claims that his client only wanted to spend a week filming the rest of season five were "an absolute lie."

Speaking to Puck in February 2023, the actor's litigator, Marty Singer, said the reports about his client were "ridiculous" but didn't speak to what Costner's future on the show looks like.

"The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season five of 'Yellowstone' is an absolute lie," he said.

"It's ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn't be believed for one second," he continued. "As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success."

 

In March 2023, Paramount confirmed that McConaughey's "Yellowstone" spinoff was officially moving forward regardless of Costner's future.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Media Networks president Chris McCarthy confirmed that the rumored McConaughey-led spinoff of the popular series was moving forward, regardless of whether Costner returned to the original or not.

The outlet reported that it was one of more than 10 projects that Sheridan has lined up for the network.

As for Costner's future, he didn't have any updates to share but did tell the publication that the flagship series "wouldn't be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that that stays for a long time to come."

In April 2023, the show's main cast was expected to attend PaleyFest in Los Angeles but didn't show up.

Ahead of the show's panel on April 1, 2023, attendees were promised a special screening followed by a conversation and Q&A with the series' main cast.

The original list of those who were supposed to be there included Costner, Sheridan, and executive producer David Glasser, as well as cast members Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Kelsey Asbille, Wes Bentley, Gil Birmingham, and Jacki Weaver. 

However, in a last-minute shakeup that felt like an April Fools' Day prank, the entire lineup changed with none of the original talent present.

Instead, Josh Lucas, Dawn Olivieri, Wendy Moniz, and Mo Brings Plenty sat on the panel with Paramount Network development president Keith Cox. 

 

Paramount Network's president of development and production, Keith Cox, told audiences at PaleyFest that Costner wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Cox addressed the rumors about Costner as the panel, attended by Insider, kicked off.

"What I can say is our star, the face of our show, and executive producer, are very confident he is going to continue with our show," said Cox.

When asked when we can expect production on the season to resume, Cox said an announcement will come "soon." 

He described the season's remaining episodes as "phenomenal. I'm confident."

Cast members confirmed that filming for the remainder of season five has yet to begin, despite the previous promise that it would air this summer.

Speaking to Yahoo on the red carpet ahead of the panel in April 2023, the cast in attendance confirmed that the second half of season five — which viewers were promised would air "this summer" — had not yet started filming, nor have they been given a start date or seen scripts.

"I have no news to report. I just know that Taylor's writing, and we know he's a prolific writer, and I'm excited to see it when it comes," Moniz, who plays Lynelle Perry, said.

Plenty also confirmed that production had yet to begin, but said: "There's some dates floating around."

In May 2023, a new report stated that Costner would not be returning to "Yellowstone" after season five.

Sources close to production said that Costner would exit the show following its fifth season, according to Entertainment Tonight. 

The unnamed source told the outlet that there was still no news about when the cast and crew would be returning to set to finish the season. They did not speak to whether the show plans to continue without the actor after season five.

The news came just a day after it was announced that Costner was also facing some personal problems after his wife of 18 years filed for divorce.

It was announced on May 5, 2023 that "Yellowstone" is officially coming to an end, with the final episodes debuting in November 2023.

Just a day after ET's explosive report, fans of the show got the news they were dreading: "Yellowstone" will indeed be coming to an end with its current fifth season, which will be making its return in November 2023.

However, the blow was softened by the news that a new untitled "Yellowstone" spinoff has been greenlit straight-to series and will premiere on Paramount Network and Paramount+ in December. Full casting for the series, it was promised, will be announced shortly.

Sharing the bittersweet news, Paramount exec Chris McCarthy said in a statement: "'Yellowstone' has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from '1883' to 'Tulsa King,' and I am confident our 'Yellowstone' sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life."

David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, the production company behind the franchise, added: "The Dutton story continues, picking up where 'Yellowstone' leaves off in another epic tale.  We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world."

A month later, Costner revealed via court documents related to his divorce that he is "no longer under contract" for the drama.

In court documents related to his increasingly acrimonious divorce from his second wife, Christine Baumgartner, the actor said he wasn't expecting to receive any monetary compensation from the series apart from "back-end contractual participation rights."

"I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022. This is because I am no longer under contract for 'Yellowstone,' the principal source of my income last year," Costner said in a June 30, 2023 declaration obtained by Insider.

The 68-year-old actor — who in 2022 earned a reported $1.3 million for each episode of the show — said that the fixed amount "pay-or-play" and episodic compensation he received for the neo-Western series had ceased and that "so far in 2023 I have yet to receive any participation compensation from 'Yellowstone.'"

Reserved for in-demand actors, directors, and other high-profile individuals in Hollywood, a "pay-or-play" deal guarantees participants payment, even if they are released from their contract.

Costner continued: "Now, any compensation I earn from 'Yellowstone' will derive only from my back-end contractual participation rights, which amounts are not fixed."

"The most recent report from the producer for 'Yellowstone' shows I am not now owed any participation money," he said, adding that he had "disputed this."

Production on the series was put on indefinite hold in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA Hollywood strikes.

After the Writers Guild of America strike was called on May 2, 2023, Sheridan stopped script work on the upcoming episodes, he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Two months later, it was announced that the American actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, was going on strike over labor disputes with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, essentially putting "Yellowstone" — along with countless other television shows — on an indefinite hiatus.

The combined Hollywood strikes have also delayed production on the second season of the prequel series, "1923," and have put a pin in the development of the upcoming "Yellowstone" spinoff starring Matthew McConaughey.

Costner broke his silence on his "Yellowstone" exit during a child support hearing in September 2023, revealing that the decision to split season five in half finalized his decision to leave.

In a child support hearing on September 1, 2023 — as part of his ongoing divorce from estranged wife Christine Baumgartner — Costner said that a "long, hard-fought negotiation" about breaking season five into two parts was behind his exit, according to People.

While on the stand, Costner stated that filming the series twice a year didn't work with his plans for his four-film Western saga, "Horizon," which he is cowriting, producing, directing, and starring in. 

Costner said he "changed" his schedule to work on the second half of "Yellowstone" season five, per the outlet. "That's a big deal in this world," he added.

Costner added at the time of his departure, there were "no scripts written" for the second half of the season and that "they still hadn't finished" the first half. 

According to the actor, he made one final effort to return to the show, telling his representatives, "Have them pay me whatever number, we came up with a number, and they walked away." He said he believed that number was $12 million.

People reported that when asked whether he'd receive a payout for the second half of season five, Costner said: "I will probably go to court over it."

Costner reportedly wasn't shy about making his demands known for his potential return.

According to a report from Puck's Matthew Belloni published in September 2023, Costner's producing partner, Rod Lake, flew to New York earlier this year to meet with Paramount executive Keyes Hill-Edgar to convince him to reverse course after the show's ending (without Costner) was announced.

While both parties reportedly seemed open to the possibility — Sheridan, who had finished the remainder of season 5 without Costner in mind, even offered to rewrite the scripts to feature Costner's character John Dutton — things soon deteriorated, per Belloni.

During a call with Sheridan, Costner reportedly made some aggressive demands of the showrunner and Paramount, including a higher salary, limited shooting schedule, and the right to potentially turn down any scripts from Sheridan that he didn't like.

The actor reportedly even has a "moral death" clause in his "Yellowstone" contract, to ensure that his character John Dutton isn't killed off in an embarrassing or awkward way. 

Costner says he hopes to return to “Yellowstone.”

In April 2024, Costner told Entertainment Tonight at Cinemacon that he would like to appear in the final episodes of "Yellowstone."

"I've loved making that series. I made five seasons of it, thought I was going to make seven," Costner said. "So how it works out, I hope it does, but they've got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with it, I'd love to do it."Costner said he has his own ideas about what should happen to his character, John Dutton, but he'll leave that for Sheridan to decide.

Costner blames Paramount and 101 Studios for the "Yellowstone" negotiations drama.

In May, Costner shared his side of the "Yellowstone" negotiations drama during an interview with Deadline, saying that previous reports about the situation weren't "truthful."

Costner accused Paramount and 101 Studios of mismanaging the situation and not sticking up for him when stories came out that he didn't want to be on set.

Costner said he was initially contracted for seasons five, six, and seven, but the deal was renegotiated in February, though Costner did not specify which year.

"They wanted to redo that one, and instead of seasons six and seven, it was 5A and 5B, and maybe we'll do six," Costner said, seemingly referring to Paramount and 101 Studios.

Costner said he always made "Yellowstone" his "first priority," but said the show kept moving shoot dates, which affected the schedule for his "Horizon" movies. 

Costner also hit back at reports that he was the reason for production delays last year. He said that during their shoots for season five, the crew wasn't able to finish 10 episodes like they normally would, but it wasn't his fault.

"I have taken a beating from those fucking guys, and I know a lot of times where it's coming from. I just elected not to get into that," Costner said, adding that reports that he only worked 43 days were "bullshit." 

Costner added that he returned across three months to shoot season five, part two, but said the scripts weren't ready, so they couldn't shoot anything.

Costner said he offered them an extra week to sort out the script or what they would do with his character, but he said this was spun into the idea that he only wanted to work a week.

"Do you think that's who I am? I've never missed a day of work. I've never left before fulfilling my contractual obligations," Costner said. 

Costner also said he was inspired to start "Horizon" after Paramount and 101 Studios shut down a season for 14 months and "didn't tell anybody" so he couldn't work.

"I said, 'I can't ever go through that again, where you shut down for over a year and I don't have something in line to do,'" Costner said. "I didn't do Horizon because I was tired of doing Yellowstone. That's a bullshit story. I didn't do Horizon to compete with Yellowstone. This is something I've had a long time."

Costner also said he was still open to returning to "Yellowstone" at this point.

A representative for Paramount did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.

Costner confirms he is not returning to "Yellowstone" after the final episodes get a release date.

On June 20, Paramount announced that the final episodes of "Yellowstone" will premiere on November 11 on Paramount+.

The same day, Costner said in an Instagram video that he won't be returning to the series for these episodes.

"I just want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that's required and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love. I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue, season 5b or into the future," Costner said.

Costner added that he loved the show, and it "really changed" him.

"I love the relationships that I've been able to develop. And I'll see you at the movies," Costner said.

It appears the writers will have to find some way to end John Dutton's story without Costner.

• Disney asked about 2,000 workers to move from California and be based at a new campus in Florida.
• But the $1 billion Lake Nona campus was canceled after about 200 workers had already relocated.
• Two of the workers sued Disney and said they felt they had to return to California for job security.

Two Disney workers have sued the company after it asked them to relocate from California and be based at a new Florida campus — which it later canceled.

Last May, Disney scrapped plans to build the nearly $1 billion campus in Lake Nona, Orlando. The company was on a cost-cutting spree after Bob Iger returned as CEO. Simultaneously, Disney and Florida Sen. Ron DeSantis had locked horns over a Florida law that limited what public schools could teach about gender identity and sexual orientation.

About 2,000 jobs, mainly in the company's parks, experiences, and products division, were set to move from one of its offices in Glendale, Southern California, to the new campus, which had been in the works since 2019.

At least 200 employees had already relocated to Florida before the project was canceled, Disney chairman Josh D'Amaro told employees in an internal email last May.

Two of these workers have now sued Disney for damages.

Maria De La Cruz, a vice-president of product design, and George Fong, a creative director of product design, filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the entertainment and theme park giant on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Disney told them in August 2021 that their roles would move to the Lake Nona campus and "made it clear" that they would lose their jobs if they refused to relocate, according to the lawsuit. The workers were given three months to make their decision.

De La Cruz and Fong told Disney in November that they would relocate to the new campus, and both sold their homes in California and bought new homes in Orlando, the lawsuit alleged. It said that in Fong's case, he had to sell the family home he'd grown up in.

In June 2022, Disney told workers that the deadline to relocate to Florida had been pushed back to 2026 because the project's completion had been delayed, the lawsuit said. After relocating to Florida, De La Cruz and Fong worked from Disney's Kissimmee campus, the lawsuit added.

But then, in May 2023, Disney told employees that the Lake Nona project was canceled. The lawsuit said they had until the end of 2023 to decide whether to remain in Florida, and that if they wanted to return to Disney's California offices, they would have to relocate by the end of 2024.

The lawsuit said De La Cruz and Fong decided to return to California because they thought it was important for their job security, though De La Cruz has yet to relocate.

By this point, though, the real-estate markets had changed. House prices near Lake Nona slumped after Disney canceled the project.

Meanwhile, increases in mortgage rates and house prices in Los Angeles made it "impossible" for Disney workers to buy homes in the Los Angeles area that were comparable to the homes they'd sold there just a year or two beforehand, the lawsuit said.

Fong has moved to a "significantly" smaller house, the lawsuit added.

The lawsuit accuses Disney of "solicitation of employee by misrepresentation, intentional misrepresentation, concealment, and negligent misrepresentation." It claims that Disney made untrue statements about the Lake Nona campus to workers to induce workers to relocate.

Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider made outside of normal working hours.

• Clouds Joo, a mid-20s consultant and content creator, said every day at work looks different.
• She said consulting has a steep learning curve that makes it great for young professionals.
• Despite the fast pace of the job, she said she's able to have a good work-life balance.

Clouds Joo, a young professional and content creator, is only in her mid-20s, and yet she already has experience working in many different industries.

That's because she's a consultant.

The London-based strategy and management consultant works at a leading global consulting firm. Clouds has asked to use her nickname, which she goes by on social media, for privacy reasons, but Business Insider has confirmed her identity and employment.

Describing her role in the simplest terms, Clouds told BI her job is essentially acting as a strategic advisor for global businesses and helping them navigate challenges in a constantly changing world. Around three years in, Clouds said she thinks consulting is "one of the best industries you could join as a fresh grad."

There are three factors that she thinks make consulting a great entry-level job: one, there's a steep learning curve, so you can learn a lot early in your career; two, there's so much variety that you won't get bored; and three, since you work in so many different fields it opens a lot of doors in terms of exit opportunities, so you won't limit yourself to one industry.

Getting into consulting

Clouds studied business management for her undergrad and then got a master's in management. In her last year of school she learned about consulting from people at her university and decided to start applying.

"I think the reason why consulting was so attractive to me was because you get to work in projects with multiple different companies across multiple different industries, so you don't really get siloed into one knowledge area," she said.

She said there was a very rigorous application process, which involved completing multiple rounds of case studies. One example could be a coffee company that wants to acquire a doughnut company, and the consultant would be asked to determine if this makes sense. The job candidate then has to start asking questions about the company's financials and capabilities and make some calculations on the fly to provide a solution.

Clouds said it's typically all done in a 45-minute interview, so the job candidate has to think quickly on their feet. Though the application process can be challenging, she said it can help determine if someone is right for the fast-paced nature of the job.

A day in the life of a consultant in her mid-20s

Clouds said she typically starts work at around 8:30 a.m.

Because she's a night owl, she usually does not do much before work beyond brushing her teeth, doing her skincare routine, occasionally getting a 10-minute ab workout in, and then logging on.

Her job gives her the flexibility to work from home most days of the week, so on days she goes into the office, she wakes up a bit earlier to account for getting ready and her commute.

Her workdays can look different depending on the project she is working on. Clouds said the projects typically last between five and eight weeks, though sometimes longer, and that she is working for one client at a time.

"Within each project it's usually a different client, a different team, a different manager, so your role changes dramatically every single time you change projects," she said.

Clouds said she personally loves changing projects every couple of months and that it's one of the things that makes consulting so attractive to new grads.

"The learning curve becomes really steep because you're consistently always learning about a new industry or a new client every single time you change projects," she said, adding that the drawback is you can never really get too comfortable.

Regardless of the project, every day typically starts with a stand-up, a meeting in which everyone on the team can share what they accomplished the day prior and what they are working on that day. Clouds said because the projects are relatively short-term everything is super fast-paced, so the daily check-ins are crucial.

After the stand-up, her days tend to consist of other meetings, calling experts, analysis, and consolidation of insights, as everything collected from her research needs to be combined and presented back to the client. She spends a lot of time using Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel.

"Usually that consolidation falls under the junior levels, which would be myself, so a lot of collecting insights and putting it all together in a very neat storyline on PowerPoint," she said.

Despite concerns over how AI could disrupt consulting, Clouds said she and her colleagues have worked generative AI into their workflows and that it allows them to be more efficient. For instance, instead of having someone scramble to take notes during meetings, AI can be used to transcribe notes in real time.

Work-life balance in consulting

Clouds said she tries to strike a good work-life balance, which can be difficult in the consulting industry. Some projects only require her to work 40 hours a week, while others are more intense and require more than 60 hours a week.

When she logs off at the end of the day, she uses her evening to do personal things that are important to her, like working out, filming and editing content, and socializing with her friends. She tries to have planned dinners sprinkled throughout the week. If she can't see her friends during the week, she makes sure to see them on the weekend.

Clouds, who says she typically gets a full night of sleep, said people often ask her how she balances everything. She said she is hyper-efficient with her time, often editing videos during her commute on the tube or while getting steps in on the treadmill.

Clouds doesn't think she'll stay in consulting forever. As a member of Gen Z, she said her generation loves variety and is less likely to stay in one career forever. As a consultant, she can also explore opportunities and industries.

"I think there is a lot of beauty in exploring different opportunities, different industries, different jobs, and having that flexibility in your life where your life isn't just your job."

Have a news tip or a story to share about working in consulting? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.