• Polls in June estimated Trump's approval rating at between 30% and 37%.
• Gallup tracked presidential approval ratings for nearly 90 years until earlier this year.
• Bill Clinton had the highest approval ratings when he left the Oval Office.

For nearly 90 years, the Gallup presidential approval polls measured Americans' public opinion on the president's job performance, but now, they're a thing of the past.

In February, Gallup, the analytics and polling company that pioneered presidential approval ratings, confirmed they were ending the practice, which, since the 1930s, had asked Americans: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way [the current president] is handling his job as president?"

The company cited a "shift in corporate strategy" as the driving force behind the decision, The New York Times reported. Instead, Gallup will "focus more on issues and policy polling."

In Gallup's most recent poll, conducted in early December 2025, 36% of respondents said they approved of Trump's performance, down from 47% in early 2025 after he took office for the second time.

In the poll, 59% of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency, slightly down from 60% in late November 2025.

While the Gallup polls may no longer be conducted, other polling firms continue to release approval-rating polls.

The American Research Group, a New Hampshire-based pollster, asked the exact same question as Gallup and found that 30% of respondents approved of Trump's job performance in mid-June, while 66% disapproved. It also found that 70% of respondents disapproved of the president's handling of the economy, a defining issue during the 2024 election.

A larger poll conducted by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in mid-June put his approval rating at 37%, while 62% disapproved.

During his first term, Trump was the first president since Gallup began tracking presidential approval in the 1930s to never have a job approval rating above 50%.

The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, compiled the final Gallup ratings for each presidential term over the past 70 years — from Harry Truman to Joe Biden — and indicated how popular each leader was when they left the Oval Office.

See how the last 13 US presidents ranked in their end-of-term polling, from the lowest to the highest final approval ratings.

Richard Nixon

Final approval rating: 24%

While Richard Nixon won the 1972 election in a historic landslide, the end of his presidency was tainted by the Watergate scandal that led him to resign on August 9, 1974, when facing the threat of impeachment and removal.

Surveyed between August 2 and 5, 1974, after the House Judiciary Committee had passed articles of impeachment against the president, but before Nixon resigned, 66% of respondents to the Gallup poll said they disapproved of Nixon's presidency — the highest disapproval rate of any president on the list.

Harry S. Truman

Final approval rating: 32%

Assuming the presidency after Franklin D. Roosevelt's death, Harry Truman served two terms that covered the aftermath of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War, including the Korean War, which was widely unpopular and contributed to his low approval rating by the end of his second term in 1953.

When asked December 11 to 16, 1952, 56% of poll respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency during his term.

Jimmy Carter

Final approval rating: 34%

Jimmy Carter had high approval ratings — and a disapproval rating in the single digits — during the early days of his term, but his handling of international affairs, such as the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, along with a struggling economy, ultimately made him widely unpopular by the end of his term.

He lost the 1980 presidential election to Ronald Reagan and faced a disapproval rating of 55% in polling conducted December 5 to 8, when he was readying to leave the White House.

George W. Bush

Final approval rating: 34%

Despite uniting the nation in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, George W. Bush saw his public approval fade during his second term. His approval rating spiked after the 2001 terrorist attacks, the beginning of the Iraq War in 2003, and the capture of Saddam Hussein.

After his reelection, his popularity began to decline as the Iraq War extended. His handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the onset of the 2008 financial crisis also contributed to his low approval ratings.

From January 9 to 11, 2009, as Bush prepared to hand over the presidency to Barack Obama, 61% of poll respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency during his second term.

Donald Trump

Final approval rating: 34%

Donald Trump's first presidency was divisive from the start, as he entered the White House with an approval rating below 50%. He's the first president in modern history to never exceed 50% approval on the Gallup polls during his entire presidency.

While his approval ratings dwindled over the course of his four years in office, his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular came under scrutiny ahead of his loss in the 2020 election.

His lowest approval rating in office came during his final Gallup poll, conducted January 4 to 15, 2021.

Most of that polling period took place immediately after the Capitol insurrection on January 6, and Trump faced a disapproval rating of 62%, the second-worst only after Richard Nixon's at the time he left office.

Joe Biden

Final approval rating: 40%

While Joe Biden saw approval ratings above 50% during his first six months in office, rising inflation, illegal immigration, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza contributed to a decline in his approval ratings.

His lowest-ranking Gallup poll, in which 36% of respondents said they approved of his handling of the role, came in July 2024, a month after his debate performance against Trump shifted focus toward his age and fitness for office.

As he left office, in polls collected January 2 to 16, 2025, Biden received a disapproval rating of 54%.

Lyndon B. Johnson

Final approval rating: 49%

After assuming the presidency because of John F. Kennedy's assassination, Lyndon B. Johnson won the 1964 election in a historic landslide, but he faced decreasing approval ratings over his handling of the Vietnam War.

Low approval ratings, along with a divided party, led Johnson to withdraw from the 1968 presidential race.

At the time of his withdrawal, only 36% of poll respondents said they approved of his handling of the presidency.

By the time he left the office, however, his approval rating had risen to 49%. In polling conducted January 1 to 6, 1969, 37% of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the role, and 14% said they had no opinion, one of the higher percentages among the listed presidents.

Gerald Ford

Final approval rating: 53%

Assuming the presidency upon Nixon's resignation, Gerald Ford served as US president from August 1974 until January 1977, after losing the election to Jimmy Carter.

During his presidency, Ford faced mixed reviews, with his approval dropping after he pardoned Nixon and introduced conditional amnesty for draft dodgers in September 1974.

Polled December 10 to 13, 1976, after he had lost the reelection to Jimmy Carter, 32% of respondents said they disapproved of Ford's handling of the presidency, and 15% said they had no opinion on it, the highest percentage of the listed presidents.

George H. W. Bush

Final approval rating: 56%

Though the elder Bush lost his reelection bid in the 1992 presidential election against Bill Clinton, the public opinion of him was generally positive by the end of his term.

In the weeks before his 1992 nomination as the Republican presidential candidate, however, George H. W. Bush had only a 29% approval rating, the lowest of his presidency. A recession and a reversal of his tax policy contributed to his drop in popularity.

In polling conducted January 8 to 11, 1993, 37% of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency, while 56% said they approved.

Barack Obama

Final approval rating: 59%

Since the beginning of his presidency in 2009, Barack Obama had a high approval rating for a modern-day president; he averaged nearly 47% approval over eight years.

At his lowest point, in polling conducted September 8 to 11, 2011, 37% of poll respondents said they approved of his presidency, a decline most likely influenced by the president's healthcare policies and his handling of the 2008 economic crisis and the subsequent rise in unemployment rates.

In polls conducted January 17 to 19, 2017, when Obama was leaving office, 37% of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the role, with 59% saying they approved.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Final approval rating: 59%

After winning the 1952 election in a landslide, Dwight D. Eisenhower saw high approval ratings throughout his presidency, never dropping below the disapproval rating.

Holding office during the critical Cold War years, Eisenhower saw his approval remain positive through the end of his second term, with only 28% of respondents polled December 8 to 13, 1960, saying they disapproved of his handling of the presidency, the lowest among the presidents listed.

Ronald Reagan

Final approval rating: 63%

Ronald Reagan's strong leadership toward ending the Cold War and implementing his economic policies contributed to consistently positive ratings during his presidency and the subsequent election of his vice president, George H. W. Bush, as his successor to the presidency.

By the time he left office, 29% of respondents in a Gallup poll conducted December 27 to 29, 1988, said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency.

Bill Clinton

Final approval rating: 66%

After winning the 1992 elections against the incumbent George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton saw high approval ratings throughout his presidency, though he faced mixed opinions at times during his first term because of his domestic agenda, including tax policy and social issues.

Despite being impeached in 1998 by the House of Representatives over his testimony describing the nature of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, Clinton continued to see positive approval ratings throughout his second term.

By the time he left the White House, he had an approval rating of 66%, the highest of all the presidents on this list.

In the poll conducted January 10 to 14, 2001, only 29% of respondents said they disapproved of his handling of the presidency.

• The age of freewheeling AI spending may be coming to an end.
• Consulting firms are rethinking how much they, and their clients, spend on AI.
• Tell us how spending at your consulting firm has changed.

Companies are learning that there's such a thing as spending too much on AI.

As the cost of AI tools grows, executives are recalibrating. Amazon recently removed its employee-made leaderboard for tracking AI token usage because it encouraged excessive spending. Walmart, which developed a vibe-coding tool for employees, recently set limits on the use of tokens. Uber COO Andrew MacDonald said it's hard to justify the money his company is spending on AI.

Cisco Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel also pushed back on the cost of tokens. He said at an event recently that the price is "far higher than the actual value these tokens are generating at scale."

For the consulting industry, the rise of AI was a near-existential threat. At first glance, chatbots can do a lot of the work of consultants, particularly those early in their careers. Most firms moved quickly to attract clients who needed help integrating the technology into their own companies. And they quickly adopted it themselves.

KPMG, for example, has built a dashboard to track how often employees in its US advisory division use AI tools, part of a broader effort to move from basic adoption to more sophisticated use. McKinsey plans to go further. CEO Bob Sternfels said in January that the firm uses roughly 25,000 AI agents alongside its 40,000 human employees, and hopes one or more agents will eventually support every employee.

The surge in spending, however, has raised a question: Are companies investing in AI strategically or simply spending to avoid being left behind? It's something consulting firms are working to answer for both their clients and themselves.

Tell us how AI spending has changed at your consulting firm:

For now, the answer appears to be: keep spending, but more strategically.

In a recent report on corporate AI investment, Boston Consulting Group found that companies expect to more than double their AI spending in 2026, from roughly 0.8% of revenue to about 1.7%. For large enterprises, that shift represents billions of dollars flowing into AI strategies that remain, in many cases, experimental and difficult to measure.

Russell Fradin, CEO and cofounder of Larridin, a platform that helps companies — including major consulting firms — measure the returns on AI usage, said the spending trend will continue.

"We haven't seen anyone talking about spending less in AI next year," Fradin told Business Insider. "They're just talking about instrumenting to understand where it goes."

Companies, Fradin said, are coming to the consensus that they "can't 10x spend every year forever."

Brasília – Uma revisão tarifária indicada pela Agência Nacional de Petróleo (ANP), que deve mexer com a remuneração no transporte de gás natural, vem opondo duas das maiores transportadoras do mercado e os grandes consumidores de energia, principalmente a Petrobras. E a revisão da metodologia de cálculo tem provocado uma briga ferrenha nos bastidores. Às […]

O post Briga no mercado de gás natural entre transportadoras e Petrobras “pega fogo” apareceu primeiro em NeoFeed.

• My family of five moved in with my parents earlier this year.
• It took my parents a bit of an adjustment period to get used to us in their space.
• Now, they don't want us to leave.

When my siblings and I moved out of home in our late teens and early 20s, my mom really struggled with the empty nest syndrome. Even years later, when we were getting married and having babies of our own, she would talk about how much she missed her four kids.

Never in a million years did she ever think any of us would be back living at home as adults. But as fate would have it, here I am, age 41, living with my mom and dad, along with my three kids and husband.

In January, my family of five moved from country Victoria, Australia, to the Gold Coast, my hometown. To save money, my folks offered us the bottom level of their double-story home. For the first couple of months, they were overseas traveling, and then in March, our multigenerational living story began.

I'm not going to lie — it did take time for my folks to adjust to sharing their space. After all, they had lived alone in the family home for 20-odd years. Suddenly, there were boisterous (and often messy) kids tearing around, and two extra adults in the house.

However, after setting a few ground rules, we soon got into a nice daily rhythm, and they are now genuinely loving having us around. The other day, my mom even said she didn't want us to leave.

I know that my folks are the ones doing us the favor, not the other way around. We haven't had to pay rent for four months or worry about buying furniture after the interstate move. But funnily enough, I think my parents are also benefiting from the multigenerational living arrangement in various ways.

More security and safety

My parents are doing pretty well for their age, but their health has still declined in recent years. I think having my husband and me around has improved their sense of safety, as we can offer care and assist during emergencies.

The other day, my 81-year-old dad took a tumble at the top of the stairs. Ordinarily, my 77-year-old mom would have had to heave him up on her own or call my brother or sister to dash over. But because I was downstairs working and heard the thud, I ran upstairs and checked he was OK.

Likewise, when my mom deteriorated rapidly from a bacterial lung infection recently, my husband and I made the decision to call an ambulance. I'm glad we did, as she ended up staying in the hospital for a week. If we weren't around, my dad would have had to deal with the situation on his own or call my siblings to assist.

Built-in companionship

We try to give each other plenty of space, but we still spend a lot of time together throughout the day. Every morning, I have tea with my dad, and during my lunch break, I eat with my folks. We also share nightly meals and chat about the day's events.

When us kids left, I think mom struggled with grief, loneliness, and a loss of purpose. But now, their home is filled with laughter and grandkids. My parents don't get a chance to feel lonely, and they are still very much needed.

Household help and shared responsibilities

Being a double-story house, Mom and Dad's home takes a lot of energy to maintain, especially for two older people. But having two extra adults taking care of the property has eased the burden on my folks.

My husband handles most of the yard maintenance and any heavy lifting, while I cook, do housework, and assist with tech issues. I really didn't want to create any extra strain on my folks, so we are trying our hardest to be of value to them.

Everybody wins

Overall, multigenerational living has been deeply rewarding to both us and to my folks. It has injected vibrant new energy into our old family home, created extra support for my parents, and made us feel like we are 'part of the village.'

I'm sure there are times when my parents long for a bit of peace and quiet, or when they want to scream after sitting down on the couch, only to find a Nerf bullet or stray Barbie arm poking into their backside. But there have been so many unexpected upsides, and I'm really glad I returned to the nest, 41 and all.

• US presidents have redecorated the Oval Office in different ways since it was first built in 1909.
• Most presidents have sat at the Resolute Desk, but others brought in their own personal furniture.
• President Donald Trump has added numerous gold embellishments to the Oval Office.

It's been more than a century since the Oval Office was first built at the White House under President William Howard Taft. In that time, US presidents have each made different design choices to redecorate the formal workspace.

Some presidents, like President George H.W. Bush, have brought in their own furniture to replace the Resolute Desk. Others, like President Donald Trump, have reinstated vintage Oval Office pieces while adding their own personal flair.

Take a look at how the Oval Office has changed through the years.

The first iteration of the Oval Office was built under President William Howard Taft in 1909 as part of an expansion of the West Wing.

Inspired by the White House's oval-shaped Blue Room, the president's formal workspace was designed by architect Nathan C. Wyeth.

Taft's Oval Office featured an olive-green color scheme.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt redesigned and moved the Oval Office as part of another West Wing expansion in 1934.

The Oval Office was moved to the southeast corner of the White House.

Roosevelt kept a variety of items on his desk, including photos of his sons, ceramic animal figurines, and an appointments easel with his daily schedule, according to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

President Harry Truman's Oval Office was the first to feature a rug with the presidential seal.

Truman decorated the Oval Office with the turquoise rug and matching curtains. The walls were painted a lighter seafoam green.

President John F. Kennedy was the first president to use the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

The Resolute Desk, made of wood from the British ship H.M.S. Resolute, was gifted to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880. Previous presidents kept the desk in the second-floor office of the White House Residence and the Broadcast Room, according to the White House Historical Association.

President Lyndon Johnson replaced the Resolute Desk with his own desk, which he'd used as a US senator and vice president.

He also redecorated the Oval Office with white drapes with red trim, evoking the American flag.

President Richard Nixon chose bold hues of blue and yellow to decorate the Oval Office.

Nixon's Oval Office rug, in the same blue color as the American flag, was designed by first lady Pat Nixon.

President Gerald Ford changed the color scheme of the upholstery to burnt orange and khaki.

Ford's decor included the wheel from the SS Mayaguez, an American container ship that was seized by Cambodian forces in 1975 and rescued at Ford's direction.

Ford also added a mahogany Seymour tall case clock in 1975.

The clock, built between 1795 and 1805, has remained in the Oval Office under every subsequent president since 1975.

President Jimmy Carter brought the Resolute Desk back to the Oval Office.

Otherwise, he left most of Ford's decor.

President Ronald Reagan redecorated the Oval Office during his second term with a rug designed by first lady Nancy Reagan.

The rug featured the presidential seal in the center with sunbeams emerging from the middle, surrounded by a border of olive branches.

President George H.W. Bush redid the Oval Office in shades of blue and gold and brought in the C&O desk that he used as vice president.

The Resolute Desk was moved to the Residence Office.

President Bill Clinton chose Arkansas-based interior designer Kaki Hockersmith to give the Oval Office a new look.

Hockersmith designed the yellow curtains and the blue rug with the presidential seal. Clinton also chose to bring the Resolute Desk back to the Oval Office.

First lady Laura Bush designed a new rug for President George W. Bush's Oval Office.

The rug featured a sunbeam design with the presidential seal at its center, reminiscent of Reagan's rug, and a lone star in a nod to Bush's home state of Texas.

President Barack Obama added striped wallpaper and a new rug with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.

The quote on the border of the rug read, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.''

During his first term, President Donald Trump reinstalled Reagan's rug and added a portrait of President Andrew Jackson.

He also brought back Clinton's gold curtains and chose a new off-white wallpaper.

President Joe Biden brought back Clinton's Oval Office rug and added new portraits.

Biden hung portraits of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.

In his second, non-consecutive term, Trump has made significant changes to the Oval Office, adding numerous gold embellishments.

Many of the gold decor pieces in Trump's Oval Office came from the White House collection, but Trump also imported some statuettes from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump also added flags representing different branches of the US military and additional presidential portraits, with President George Washington in the prominent center spot above the fireplace mantle.

Other additions include the same rug from his first term, originally designed for Reagan, numerous pieces of artwork, and a button on his desk that summons a staffer with a Diet Coke.

• Senators advanced a bill that would give prosecutors more time to bring pandemic fraud cases.
• They cited Business Insider's reporting on potential misuse of Shuttered Venue Operators Grant funds.
• The Small Business Administration says 69% of the $14.6 billion SVOG program may have been misspent.

Lawmakers just came closer to giving US prosecutors more time to pursue billions of dollars in suspected pandemic-aid fraud tied to restaurants and live entertainment — and cited Business Insider's investigation into how those funds were used by celebrities.

Senators passed a long-delayed bill on Wednesday night that would extend the statute of limitations for fraud tied to two relief programs: the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund and the $14.6 billion Shuttered Venue Operators Grant.

The bill would put the programs on the same legal footing as bigger, better-known pandemic aid packages that lost as much as $200 billion to fraud, like the Paycheck Protection Program. If it becomes law, prosecutors will have 10 years to bring charges of defrauding the programs, instead of the usual five.

Earlier this week, the Government Accountability Office reported that as much as $10 billion from SVOG funds may have been improperly paid out, which is more than 200 times larger than a fraud estimate the Small Business Administration published three years ago.

Business Insider previously reported that hundreds of millions of dollars were paid out to successful artists like Lil Wayne, Post Malone, metal legends Alice in Chains, and DJs including Steve Aoki and Marshmello. They used the money on private jets, luxury clothes, and payments to themselves, according to the investigation.

Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican who has been the bill's main advocate, invoked that reporting in remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

"For fraudsters, time flies when you're having fun," she said. "Look no further than rapper Chris Brown, who exploited the SVOG program to pay for his lavish $80,000 birthday party and paid himself $5 million in the process."

Lawyers and representatives for Brown didn't respond to requests for comment. Previously, in response to Business Insider's late 2024 investigation, an attorney for the accounting and wealth management firm that helped Brown's company get a federal grant, NKSFB, called Business Insider's questions "uninformed" and didn't answer them.

COVID fraud cases get more time

The bill passed with an amendment that would require enforcement to be "carried out in a nonpartisan manner," said Sen. Ed Markey, the top Democrat on the small-business committee that Ernst chairs.

The SBA has said that 70% of the restaurant support funds paid out by the RRF program were proper, but that it's "unknown" whether the remaining $8.7 billion was legally paid to eligible recipients. The agency's inspector general previously said more than $6 billion was paid out without doing enough to verify that recipients qualified for the money.

The agency has previously defended cutting checks under the shuttered venues program to "loan-out companies" used by big-name artists to ink performance deals.

Recipients included Broadway shows, arts companies, and cultural institutions that asked Congress for help paying bills they'd run up during the year-plus when public gatherings were limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The law also allowed payments to lesser-known groups, like talent agents.

There was no requirement that recipients be on the brink of bankruptcy. One Texas concert promoter received a $10 million grant in July 2021. About four months later, he bought a home for $2.1 million in cash.

The law creating SVOG allowed grant recipients to use the money for a broad range of purposes, including expenses deemed "ordinary and necessary" as well as compensation to the owners of for-profit businesses that received the money.

The new estimate of $10 billion in payment errors amounts to about two-thirds of the program's entire budget. SBA officials said that $4.5 billion of that was overpayments to businesses that "did not align with the established statutory guidelines" for payment. They also found errors with the monitoring of recipients' spending.

In 2023, the Biden administration said that one-third of 1% of the entertainment grants were "likely fraudulent." Government watchdogs say only some "improper payments" amount to fraud, so the new number isn't an apples-to-apples comparison with the 2023 figure.

More than 2,000 people have been sentenced for defrauding pandemic aid programs. The SBA inspector general has said many more cases are pending.

• My family of four tried the "family pack" meal deal at Texas Roadhouse.
• For $55, we got four steaks, two sides, a dozen rolls, and a salad. It was all tasty.
• It felt like a great value, and I loved not having to eat inside a Texas Roadhouse to enjoy it.

As much as I love a good steakhouse chain like Outback and LongHorn, Texas Roadhouse has never really impressed me much.

I've always associated the chain with shell-your-own peanuts, loud music, and mediocre steak — and the few sit-down meals I've had there were just OK.

Recently, though, Texas Roadhouse's "family pack" menu caught my eye after I saw several Instagram reels from moms swearing by it. Several described the packs as a great dinnertime hack for feeding your family affordably and fast at home.

So, on a rare weekend night when my husband and two teenagers were all at home together, we picked up Texas Roadhouse's $55 sirloin-steak family pack.

Texas Roadhouse offers several different family packs for pickup or curbside orders.

There are several family packs on offer at the chain restaurant, from chicken-tender dinners to pulled-pork meals, all of which come with a salad, two shareable side dishes, and rolls with cinnamon butter.

Each is priced between $40 and $55, which seemed like a deal to me, considering the last time my party of four visited a Texas Roadhouse, a similar meal cost three times as much.

To place our order, I visited the Texas Roadhouse website on my phone, selected the meal I wanted, chose a pickup time, and paid.

Immediately after ordering, I started receiving text-message updates about the status of my order, including how to pick it up.

Later that evening, my husband got our food from Texas Roadhouse's curbside pickup. He texted his parking-space number to the restaurant and waited for our order to be brought out to his car.

The whole process was incredibly easy.

Our $55 meal came with four steaks, two sides, a salad, and rolls.

We chose the sirloin family pack for $55, which came with two 8-ounce and two 6-ounce steaks.

When I placed the order, the default cooking temperature was medium, with no option to change it. Luckily, that's how we prefer our steaks cooked anyway.

We also had to choose between a house or Caesar salad, then pick two sides from a list of mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, green beans, and seasoned rice.

Additionally, we could've paid extra to add drinks like a gallon of sweet tea or lemonade to our meal, but we stuck with the basics.

The sirloin steaks were moist and perfectly cooked.

Our four steaks were cooked perfectly with light-pink centers in line with a medium cook.

Out of curiosity, my husband checked each steak's temperature with an internal thermometer and found that each fell between the range that's considered medium, about 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

The steaks had beautiful grill marks and a perfect char-grilled flavor on the outside, while remaining moist and tender on the inside.

We all agreed these were the best steaks we've had from Texas Roadhouse.

There were plenty of side dishes to choose from.

As the mom of one picky eater and one kid who will try anything, I appreciated the number of side dishes there were to choose from, from green beans to seasoned rice.

I gladly let my kids pick since everything sounded good to me. Their choices were mashed potatoes with brown gravy and buttered corn, each was served in a huge 16-ounce portion.

Both sides were really delicious and simple. They made perfect accompaniments to our tasty steak, and we had plenty of leftovers afterward that my kids snacked on throughout the week.

My teens were thrilled by the rolls and cinnamon butter.

My kids fondly remember visits to Texas Roadhouse because of the chain's iconic cinnamon butter and golden-brown rolls.

With our family meal, we received a dozen warm rolls and a tub of cinnamon butter so large that we eventually threw half away.

My kids downed most of the rolls during our meal and loved having a few left over to warm in the microwave and slather with cinnamon butter later in the week.

The meal came with so much food that we saved the salad for the next night.

For our order, we chose the Caesar instead of the house salad since it's among my daughter's favorite foods.

It came in a 9-by-11-inch aluminum pan along with several containers of Caesar dressing. As I unpacked the meal, I suggested we use the salad for dinner the next day, since we had so much food to eat — my family agreed.

The following night, we paired it with grilled chicken I quickly whipped up to make it into a full dinner. It was a delicious meal, and I'm glad the salad kept well in the lidded aluminum tray.

The lettuce was still nice and crunchy, and the croutons were, too.

Overall, the tasty dinner fed us twice and seemed like a really great value.

When it comes to this Texas Roadhouse meal deal, I truly have no notes.

For the price, we received 32 ounces of well-cooked, sirloin steak, two pounds of side dishes, a dozen rolls, and a gigantic pan-full of salad.

The $55 price tag ($58 after tax) seemed well worth it to me. Plus, some of the other meals available, like pulled pork or pork chops, only cost $45.

I honestly enjoyed Texas Roadhouse's food way more in the privacy of my own home, away from its loud music and bustling bar scene.

I'd absolutely order this deal again to feed my family, and I'll also keep it in mind the next time I get a meal train sign-up email for someone in need.

It would be perfect for dropping off at a friend's or neighbor's house, especially since everything was packaged up so well with coordinating, air-tight lids.

The pack contained so much food that a small family could easily stretch it for a few days.

This story was originally published on September 1, 2025, and most recently updated on April 29, 2026.

• Trump and other officials were safely evacuated from the annual press dinner.
• Business leaders, including UFC CEO Dana White, were in the room.
• Here's what execs are saying about the incident.

Chaos broke out at Saturday night's annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington, DC, after multiple gunshots were heard in the ballroom.

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and a host of protectees, including the vice president and multiple Cabinet members, were ushered to safety, the Secret Service said.

Trump said in a press conference following the incident that a Secret Service agent was shot in his bulletproof vest.

The suspect is in custody, and investigations are ongoing.

Here's what people in the big leagues of business are saying about the incident.

Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX CEO

Musk reposted an X post from the White House, which included a statement from Trump.

"'In light of this evening's events, I ask that all Americans recommit with their hearts in resolving our differences peacefully.' - President Donald J. Trump," the tweet read.

Musk became a particularly vocal Trump backer after the July 2024 assassination attempt at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. In 2025, the two hit a relationship rough patch and traded some barbs, but they have been cordial at public events since.

Dana White, UFC CEO

White was a guest at the dinner and was in the room when chaos broke out.

"It was fucking awesome. I literally took every minute of it in. It was a pretty crazy, unique experience," White was seen saying in a video posted on X by MMAJunkie, part of USA Today's sports desk.

Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide

Thompson sent a memo to all CNN staffers after the incident, according to screenshots of the memo posted to X by Brian Stelter, the network's chief media analyst.

Thompson highlighted the CNN team's real-time response and on-the-ground reporting as the shooting unfolded.

"We know this was a frightening and disruptive situation for those in the room, and for your colleagues and loved ones watching live on CNN. Moments like this can stay with you in ways that aren't necessarily immediate or obvious," Thompson wrote.

"Please take care of yourselves and one another," he added.

Luther Lowe, head of public policy at Y Combinator

Lowe is married to Weijia Jiang, the CBS journalist who chairs the White House Correspondents' Association. Jiang got her share of accolades from media peers and viewers alike for her poise under pressure — she was onstage next to Trump during the shooting, and took a front-row seat in the briefing room after.

"So proud of @weijia. She was on the stage less than an hour ago presiding over the abrupt end of the dinner and now she's in the front row of the White House briefing room waiting to for the President to speak," Lowe wrote.

Tarek Mansour and Luana Lopes Lara, cofounders of Kalshi

The cofounders of the popular predictions market attended the event together.

"This was Luana and I's first White House Correspondents Dinner. The moment was scary, but the dinner until then was a great gathering of people from all sides," Mansour wrote on X.

"Grateful for law enforcement and that the President and everyone is safe," Mansour said, giving a shoutout to CBS's Jiang, too.

Lara thanked Mansour on X for pulling her under the table to keep her safe.

"If your co-founder isn't protecting you in a shooting situation, find another one," she wrote.

Bilal Zuberi, founder of VC firm Red Glass Ventures

"Pretty scary that our most important leaders of the government were at risk today. President Trump, Vice President Pence, and House Speaker Johnson were all in that room," Zuberi wrote on X.

"From multiple attacks against our president to attacks against politicians around the country, to attacks on politicians and leadership around the world - these are abhorrent, and people everywhere should vehemently oppose and condemn them!" the tech investor added.

Gary Tan, president and CEO of Y Combinator

"I mean… I was definitely under the table. In a shooter situation, you want to be as low as possible," Y Combinator president and CEO, Garry Tan, wrote on X on Sunday.

"As I was under the table with other attendees, Marco Rubio pushed my chair out of the way making a fast exit with Secret Service. I now know we were in no serious danger but in that moment I wondered how many shooters there were and what would mean for 2,000 people in that room."

• A suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting is in custody.
• Photos of the suspect posted by Trump appear to match those on the LinkedIn profile for Cole Allen.
• Allen is a Caltech graduate, an indie video game developer, and a teacher, according to the profile.

Photos of the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooter posted online by President Donald Trump on Saturday night appear to match the LinkedIn profile of Cole Allen.

Multiple outlets, including the Associated Press, have reported that Allen is the suspect now in custody. Business Insider was not able to independently confirm the suspect's identity. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the suspect by name.

Trump told Fox News on Sunday that the suspect left a "manifesto" that called for the targeting of Trump administration officials.

Here's what we know so far.

Allen, 31, is a resident of Torrance, California. Police conducted a raid on a home in Torrance overnight. Allen describes himself on his LinkedIn as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."

His current job is listed as part-time teacher at C2 Education, which provides "personalized support designed to improve test scores, strengthen academic skills, and help students reach their full potential."

Allen has been in the role for six years, according to his LinkedIn profile, while also independently designing and building video games, including one he calls "Bohrdom." Allen described the game online as "a skill-based, non-violent asymmetrical fighting game loosely derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality."

He graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He then earned his master's in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also held a summer student fellowship at NASA in 2014, where he worked at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Jeffrey Carroll, the interim chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, said during a press conference after the shooting on Saturday night that Allen was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives when he tried to bypass a security checkpoint at the event.

In a video Trump posted to his TruthSocial account, the shooter can be seen running at full speed past security officers.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Margaret Brennan on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning that the shooter traveled from Los Angeles to Chicago to DC by train. Blanche also said that the shooter was not cooperating with law enforcement.

Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, said the defendant has been charged with two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of assault on a law enforcement officer using a dangerous weapon. He will be arraigned on Monday.

• My 70-year-old grandmother has been one of my biggest fashion inspirations.
• At 23, I still draw on her lessons as I get dressed, whether I'm wearing something casual or formal.
• She's taught me that clothes should be comfortable, practical, and confidence-boosting.

In many ways, my grandmother raised me.

We spent countless days together, and her face is at the center of some of my fondest childhood memories. She's one of the greatest influences in my life, shaping everything from how I see the world to how I dress.

Even as a 23-year-old, I admire her sense of style. Throughout her life, she's built an elegant wardrobe that draws from trends without necessarily following them.

At 70 years old, she continues to inspire me. Whenever I open my wardrobe to choose an outfit, I carry one of her invaluable lessons with me.

One of her core beliefs is that accessories should add to an outfit, not overwhelm it

I love accessories, often throwing on chunky jewelry, layering bold pieces, and stacking belts on my hips. Although my grandmother appreciates outfit embellishments, she's taught me to approach them with intention. They should add to an outfit, not overpower it.

For example, she isn't afraid to incorporate a pop of color — as long as it matches her accessories, from her bag to her shoes to her belt.

She's also strategic about her jewelry, choosing pieces based on her neckline and hairstyle that day. Her go-to earrings? Versatile medium-sized hoops, which are big enough to be visible under a range of hairstyles without dominating a look.

Now, my favorite everyday earrings are silver hoops. Every time I put them on, I feel like they brighten me up.

Although I play around with maximalist, trend-forward pieces, I stick to my grandmother's rules when I want to look elegant and timeless.

She taught me that walking with confidence can upgrade an outfit

My grandmother has always told me that picking out beautiful pieces is just the first step in putting together a great outfit. The way I carry myself when I'm wearing it can make or break a look.

I have vivid memories of her instructing me to walk in a straight line with my shoulders back, stepping with one leg in front of the other. I felt like I was balancing books on my head.

Over the years, walking with confidence has become second nature, whether I'm wearing a dress and heels or a sweatsuit and sneakers. She was right: It does make my clothes look better.

Even when my grandmother has dealt with health issues that affect her movements, she's always followed her own advice, walking straight with her head held high and shoulders back.

Her wardrobe is built on staple pieces that are practical and make her feel good

My grandmother has never been one to experiment much with clothes. I'm hard-pressed to remember a time when she wasn't wearing simple garments like straight pants, sweaters, tight long-sleeve T-shirts, or loose short-sleeve T-shirts.

She found her practical, elegant style when she was in high school and stayed true to it through every stage of life.

She gravitates toward easy-to-wear pieces that move with her and fit her body well. To her, clothes are meant to be worn, so they have to look and make her feel good in order to secure a spot in her closet.

For the past five years, I've focused on emulating her wardrobe. Every item I buy has to look good, feel nice on my body, and be practical.

When she layers, she makes sure the pieces complement each other

My grandmother has taught me that layering well requires more than throwing on multiple garments and calling it a day. The pieces have to be harmonious.

She has a way of looking elegant even as she combines unlikely pieces. When she's cold, I see her drape a long wool coat over her shoulders, throw on a pair of leather gloves, and tie a silk scarf around her neck.

Her base is always simple and cohesive, creating the perfect foundation for a layered outfit.

I've never been a big fan of layering clothes, but I use the same approach when choosing accessories. I start with a plain base layer before adding small, complementary pieces. I put thought into each one and consider how it works with the overall look.

My grandmother knows that wrinkles can ruin even the most stylish outfit

Growing up, my mom often insisted that I iron my clothes — later, I learned that the advice stemmed from my grandmother, who often shared it with her when she was young.

After all, even the best outfit can look messy if it's wrinkled.

In my family, crisp lines and smooth sleeves symbolize self-respect and elegance. Now, I follow their advice and never leave the house without ironing my clothes.

• The suspect traveled from Los Angeles to Washington by train with two guns, an official said.
• President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were evacuated and are safe.
• The accused man will be formally charged in federal court on Monday.

The suspect in the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner traveled from Los Angeles to Washington by train and checked into the hotel where the event was held — with two guns and a plan to target Trump administration officials, the nation's top prosecutor said on Sunday.

"We know that there were some writings, and we've already spoken with several witnesses who knew him," Todd Blanche, the acting US attorney general, said on NBC News' "Meet the Press."

Blanche stressed several times during the interview that the information about the suspect, widely identified by media citing law enforcement officials as Cole Allen, was "very preliminary."

Blanche said the suspect will be formally charged in federal court on Monday morning and faces at least two felonies — assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm during that assault — that relate to a Secret Service agent who was shot at but protected by his armored vest.

No one else was injured during the chaotic incident at the Washington Hilton, where hundreds of journalists and government officials — including Trump, the first lady, Vice President JD Vance, and House Speaker Mike Johnson — were gathered for the annual celebration of a free press.

The shooting has raised questions about the level of security at the event, which Trump boycotted in his first term and last year. He was quickly hustled off stage and evacuated to the White House after the shots rang out.

A security video posted by Trump on Truth Social hours after the shooting showed an individual running past security officers outside the main doors of the event. Officers in the video could be seen trying to grab the man, then drawing their weapons and pointing their guns at him.

In a press conference following the incident, Trump said a Secret Service agent was shot in his bulletproof vest and said that "he's in great shape."

What we know about the suspect

Photos of the shooter posted online by Trump on Saturday night appear to match the LinkedIn profile and other photos of Allen. Authorities have not publicly named him, and Business Insider has not independently confirmed his identity.

Allen, 31, of Torrance, describes himself on his LinkedIn as a "mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth."

His current job is listed as part-time tutor at C2 Education, which provides "personalized support designed to improve test scores, strengthen academic skills, and help students reach their full potential." He graduated from CalTech in 2017 and earned his master's in computer science from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2025.

Jeffrey Carroll, the interim chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said in a press conference following the president's remarks that the suspect was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives when he tried to bypass a security checkpoint at the event.

The suspect was not struck by gunfire and was transported to a hospital for evaluation, Carroll said.

In remarks after the incident, Trump described the suspect as a "sick person" who had been "totally subdued and under control."

Inside the room when the shooting occurred

The incident occurred after 8:30 p.m. Friday night, shortly after Trump took his seat.

There was suddenly shouting in front of the stage, according to Tim Röhn, the senior editor of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, who attended the event. Business Insider is part of the network.

Röhn reported that pushing and chaos broke out, people started running, guests threw themselves to the floor, and hid under tables. From behind the curtains onstage, heavily armed officers emerged and pointed their rifles at the crowd.

Guests needed a screenshot of an invitation to gain access to the premises and the building, Röhn reported. Photo ID wasn't required. Inside, Secret Service agents patrolled in some areas with dogs, and there was an airport-style security checkpoint in front of the ballroom. Jackets did not need to be removed for security checks.

CBS senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, the president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said law enforcement had requested that everyone leave the premises "consistent with protocol," and that Trump "insists" the event be rescheduled within 30 days.

Röhn reported that, following Jiang's remarks, attendees started leaving the venue.

Suspect to be arraigned on Monday

Blanche said law enforcement had worked through the night to piece together information about the suspect and had obtained warrants to examine his devices in their search for a motive.

"We believe he was targeting administration officials in this attack," Blanche told "Meet the Press," adding, "Obviously, President Trump is a member of the administration."

He added, "It does appear he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president, but I want to wait and not get ahead of us on that."

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, who was at the dinner, said at a press conference that her office would consider terrorism charges if the investigation revealed evidence sufficient to sustain them.

Responding to reporters' questions during his press conference, Trump advocated for the man to be sentenced to life in prison.

'Praying for our country tonight'

Until the start of the event, it was unclear when Trump would appear and how long he would stay.

Though Trump appeared as a private citizen and media personality in 2011 and 2015, he boycotted the White House Correspondents' Dinner during his first term.

The Washington Hilton hotel, long the site of the annual dinner, is where President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt, just steps outside the hotel after addressing a labor gathering.

Trump was the target of two assassination attempts during his 2024 campaign, including a shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left him injured, and a separate incident at one of his Florida golf courses in which a suspect was apprehended and later sentenced to life in prison.

• Senior Editor Tim Röhn was among the attendees at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
• He described the fear and panic in the room after hearing someone shout, "Shots fired."
• He was struck by how "lax" security was at the event throughout the evening.

Just after 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, chaos erupts in the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Washington, and a wave of fear sweeps through the room. I am seated at one of roughly 200 tables when I suddenly hear dull, thudding sounds cutting through the loud music.

Barely a second later, people begin throwing themselves to the floor — first in the center of the room, near the stage, then everywhere. I hear someone shout something like "Shooting" or "Shots fired."

I drop down as well, crouching, my eyes fixed on the stage. President Donald Trump, who had arrived only minutes earlier, is rushed away. From behind the curtain, heavily armed officers emerge, pointing their weapons toward the crowd. Secret Service agents sprint through the ballroom, vaulting over tables and chairs. Glass shatters. High-ranking politicians are pulled to safety and ushered out of the room.

It feels like a movie — but this is not Hollywood. This is reality: the storied White House Correspondents' Dinner, with Trump attending as president for the first time, suddenly transformed into the scene of a crime.

Was Trump the target? It wouldn't be the first time. The thought flashes through my mind in those seconds. I think about gun violence in the United States (I moved here only 8 months ago). Shootings happen constantly, everywhere — so why not here, at the Trump dinner? I am shaken, but not surprised.

No all-clear is given, yet after a few minutes, people slowly get back on their feet. Somehow, things must go on. Phones come out; people film, text, try to make sense of what just happened. It remains completely unclear what occurred — only one thing is certain: no one is allowed to leave the ballroom.

When word spreads that a "shooter" has been apprehended in the lobby, I feel a sense of relief. Twice, an announcement follows that the event will resume shortly. But it never does. Trump himself invites the press to the White House for a briefing; the dinner is over. Guests are asked to leave the hotel.

On my way out, I think about the security precautions — or lack thereof — that had struck me as surprisingly lax throughout the evening, given the presence of Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several cabinet members.

A few hours before, traffic outside the Hilton had ground to a halt, and I had jumped out of my taxi about 500 meters away and walked the rest.

Right outside the hotel, there are shouting Trump opponents, some of whom harassed and insulted dinner guests. All it took to gain access to the premises — and the hotel — was flashing a screenshot of an invitation while passing by. Only those heading into the ballroom on a lower level had to pass through a metal detector. No need to remove a jacket. No request for a passport or ID. Once, even activists managed to slip onto the red carpet to protest Trump.

Is that adequate security for such a high-profile event? I wouldn't presume to deliver a final judgment — but I am certain of one thing: it will be debated.

A spokesperson for the Washington Hilton directed Business Insider to the US Secret Service, which it said "served as the lead security organization for this event." Business Insider has also contacted the US Secret Service for comment.

Tim Röhn is the senior editor of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network. Business Insider is part of the network.

This 'as-told-to' essay is based on a conversation with Juli Ford, a 57-year-old real estate agent and certified senior advisor based in Massachusetts. It has been edited for length and clarity.

When my children were young, we saw my parents all the time.

We lived very close to each other in South Plymouth, Massachusetts, and my parents always helped with the kids. From the time they were born, Wednesdays were Grammy and Grampy Day.

My dad got sick in 2005. When we learned in the summer of 2011 that he probably didn't have much time left, we talked about what life would be like after he was gone, including where my mom would live.

When he passed in December 2011, my mom was not ready to live with us. At 68, she had never lived on her own. She'd been with my dad since she was 15.

Then, in April 2015, a house in Pembroke, Massachusetts, about 30 minutes from South Plymouth, came on the market. The second I saw it online, I thought, "Oh, this is perfect."

The house had a beautiful in-law apartment

The house is 4,300 square feet, and the basement is about 800 square feet. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

My mom fell in love with the home's basement apartment. It's full of beautiful natural light. It's one bedroom with a den, a full kitchen, a fireplace, its own laundry, 1.5 baths, its own outdoor patio, and two entrances.

We made an offer within two days. We bought the house in April 2015 for $630,000.

My mom had no interest in ownership. Instead, she made a financial contribution toward the down payment equal to what she would have paid in rent for the next five years.

She also gave us money every year for utilities. Last year, she started making a bigger monthly contribution to help cover household expenses. She essentially has not had to pay rent for 10 years, and as the house gets older, the cost of maintaining it grows.

It was a dream when we first moved in

My mom helped me a lot with my kids, especially with their schooling. My kids were 10 and 11 when she moved in, and they were homeschooled. We drove around a lot because we were going to museums and other activities in Boston. She sometimes helped with driving, and she became their English teacher because her first career was teaching English.

Grammy Wednesdays continued when we moved into the house, and my kids, who are 20 and 22 now, would go down and visit her on their own.

My mom has exceptionally good boundaries. I'm sure we did things differently than she would have done with our kids, but she's always been very good at keeping her opinions to herself.

My mom is still independent, but needs our help now

At 82, she's a bit less independent than she was 10 years ago because of health issues. Still, she has privacy: I don't know everything that she does all the time, and we can go days without seeing each other. Other times, we see each other a lot more often.

We have had a few medical emergencies with my mom, so I got in the habit of keeping my phone next to my bed. There have been a few times that she's had to call me.

I cannot imagine how much harder it would be to be a daughter of an aging mom if we weren't in the same house. I would be so much more concerned about her being alone and getting lonelier. It would be more time-consuming for me if I had to go somewhere else to support her.

The house gave us other financial benefits

In the beginning, the only financial benefit I really thought about of combining households was that we could get a nicer house than my husband and I could afford on our own.

Around the time we got this house, my brother's family went through a foreclosure after his wife had been hit by a drunken driver and had a traumatic brain injury. They had a lot of housing instability during that time because she was unable to work and had massive medical bills. They were not sure where they were going to live.

Because we combined households with my mom, we were able to tap into the equity in this house to help them. We took out a home equity loan and bought a small, lovely house, and rented it to them. We weren't really making any money on it, but the rent was paying the bills.

Within two years, they recovered their credit enough that they purchased the house from us. They were able to rebuild their financial well-being in that house.

We used the proceeds from the sale to buy a vacation property in Vermont, which we turned into an Airbnb for four years. When we sold it, we paid off our kids' student loans.

We were all able to build wealth because we combined households with my mom. We feel so proud and grateful. It's not something I saw coming 11 years ago.

I see multigenerational living as one of the most compelling solutions to our elder care and affordable housing crises. Bringing families together around this is really an underutilized solution.

• Every December, I travel with my mother-in-law and wife. This year, we took a trip to Charleston.
• Encouraging my mother-in-law to help plan led us to experiences we wouldn't have found on our own.
• We built the days around what she could handle and took turns picking activities and restaurants.

My wife, Cece, moved from Texas to Australia 12 years ago, but we still head back to the US every Christmas.

While we're home, the two of us take a trip with her mother, Liz. Liz's partner, Pete, doesn't like to travel, so this annual December trip is her primary holiday.

In the past, we've headed to Nashville, Seattle, and Washington DC. At the end of last year, we spent four days in Charleston and had a wonderful trip.

We picked activities at Liz's pace and took turns choosing experiences

Over the years, we've learned that Liz enjoys a trip more when she can help shape it rather than just show up for it. So before heading to Charleston, I had a visitor's brochure mailed to her in Texas.

The day it arrived, she called with a list of things she had already researched and wanted to try, including a Gullah Geechee tour to learn about the history and culture of the descendants of enslaved Africans who settled along the Carolina coast.

Bus and walking tours were available, and we chose the bus even though I would've preferred the latter.

It was important for us to consider what would be most sustainable for my 75-year-old mother-in-law when booking activities. Riding the bus meant Liz could arrive at lunch with energy instead of blisters.

Throughout the trip, we also took turns selecting activities so no one felt left out. My choice was a cocktail-making class, which is also indoors and offers plenty of seating.

Liz drinks a little but would never have thought to book a class like this herself, which is another perk of taking turns: You get to try things you never thought you would.

The class ended up being just the three of us at a bar with a 25-year-old instructor. We learned how the Old Fashioned got its name, what makes a good bartender, and that Liz pours generously. Her first attempt overflowed.

By the third round, Liz was jiggling the shaker like a professional and informing us she was keeping up with "the young kids."

The instructor even invited her behind the bar. She posed for the camera, and we sent the video straight to Pete. He replied: "Oh boy. She's really loving this."

Liz also chose for us to visit the Charleston City Market, a stretch of local vendors and artists that has been running for centuries.

We'd planned to stop for an hour and stayed for over two as Liz watched sweetgrass baskets being woven, bought Christmas ornaments, and talked to every artisan who'd stand still long enough.

I walked ahead and checked my watch several times, but tried to stay patient. Liz had taken a whole cocktail-making class she'd never have picked herself, so two hours at the market felt fair.

Each of us got to choose a meal, too

Over our four days, we each picked a meal to share. Liz chose Lewis BBQ, partly because it's run by a fellow Texan, which she felt was a good sign.

She takes barbecue seriously, and the brisket was the real test. Her wide post-bite smile told me the barbecue had passed.

I took us to Southern restaurant Poogan's Porch one night so we could order shrimp and grits, something I'd never tried.

Cece chose to get breakfast on our last morning at Callie's Hot Little Biscuits. We ordered a range of sweet and savory bites, and Cece and I managed to take down one biscuit each.

Liz had two and a half and immediately bought a box to take home.

In the end, a few things made the trip work

Encouraging my mother-in-law to plan from Texas meant she arrived at our destination already invested with ideas we'd never have found on our own.

Picking activities at a pace that suited everyone, like the Gullah Geechee bus tour and the cocktail-making class, meant no one was worn out by dinner — and taking turns meant nobody got dragged through someone else's idea of fun for too long.

At the end of the trip, Liz flew home to San Antonio with biscuits, cocktail recipes, and Christmas ornaments. Her partner said she looked like she was having the time of her life in the photos and videos we sent, though the cocktails are still a work in progress.

We've already begun planning this December's trip, so I should probably send a new brochure to Liz soon.

• The Presidential Emergency Operations Center was first built for FDR during World War II in 1942.
• The PEOC served as a command center in the aftermath of September 11.
• Trump confirmed the construction of a new military complex beneath the planned White House ballroom.

When people see the White House for the first time in person, they often remark that it looks small from the outside.

Matt Costello, chief education officer and director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, told Business Insider that appearances can be deceiving.

"There's a lot more to the White House than meets the eye," he said. "It has six floors, about 55,000 square feet. There are two sub-basements underneath the house that were part of the Truman renovation. And then, of course, you've got the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. So there's a bigger apparatus, so to speak, for the president and their safety and security than you might expect when you first see it."

The existence of a secure facility beneath the White House, known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, the PEOC, or simply the "White House bunker," is something of an open secret, inspiring portrayals in film and TV such as "White House Down" and "24." However, details about its protective and operational capabilities remain classified.

The PEOC has undergone various expansions and transformations through different White House renovations, including the ongoing construction of President Donald Trump's new ballroom where the East Wing once stood.

"I would imagine, like many White House spaces, it's evolved and changed, and it's been updated to have the most advanced telecommunication systems, secure lines, everything that a president or vice president or first family or Cabinet members might need in the event of some kind of national catastrophe or emergency," Costello said. "It is considered the safest place to go on the White House grounds."

Here's what we do know about the PEOC.

The first iteration of the Presidential Emergency Operations Center was built in 1942 to protect President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, a temporary bomb shelter was built in the Treasury Department in 1941.

When Roosevelt expanded the East Wing and added a second story in 1942, a new presidential bomb shelter was built beneath it. It featured a bedroom and bathroom, as well as ventilation masks, food, and communications equipment, all fortified behind concrete walls.

"The best time to construct something underground is when you're building something above ground, especially when it comes to the White House," Costello said.

During these White House renovations, Roosevelt also converted a cloakroom in the East Wing into a movie theater.

The bunker was expanded as part of President Harry Truman's extensive White House renovations from 1948 to 1952.

The four-year, $5.7 million renovation was required to reinforce the entire White House structure, which had begun to sag into the ground. The Trumans temporarily moved to Blair House as workers hollowed out the White House.

"When they do the Truman renovation, where they essentially gut the inside of the house and then rebuild it from the inside out with concrete and steel, they really are fortifying the White House to serve as a bomb shelter," Costello said.

As the world entered the age of nuclear weapons, the PEOC was also expanded and updated during this renovation.

"As there are these wider changes around the world, they impact how presidential security is revisited, reassessed, and then adapted as needed," Costello said.

The PEOC largely remained a theoretical precaution until the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

When the first plane hit, Cheney turned on the news in his office at the White House. After the second plane hit, his lead Secret Service agent burst in to escort him to the PEOC, Cheney said in an interview with the American Enterprise Institute in 2011.

Cheney said the Secret Service agent "put one hand on the back of my belt, one hand on my shoulder," and "literally propelled me out of my office."

Cheney was joined in the PEOC by staff members, including National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, and Presidential Counselor Karen Hughes. He advised President George W. Bush, who was in Florida at the time, not to return to Washington, DC, marking the first time in US history that the continuity of government operations plan was implemented.

The PEOC served as a command center in the aftermath of the attacks.

Rare photos of the PEOC on September 11 were released by the National Archives in 2014 as part of a Freedom of Information Act request, offering a glimpse inside the top-secret space.

"As far as I'm aware of, I think those are the only publicly released ones, and they were publicly released because they were forced to be released," Costello said of the images.

The photos showed a conference room with phones, video call capabilities, television screens playing news reports, world clocks, and a map of the United States.

Former first lady Laura Bush wrote about her time in the PEOC on September 11 in her White House memoir, "Spoken from the Heart."

"I was hustled inside and downstairs through a pair of big steel doors that closed behind me with a loud hiss, forming an airtight seal," she wrote in "Spoken from the Heart" of her experience on September 11.

"I was now in one of the unfinished subterranean hallways underneath the White House, heading for the PEOC, the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, built for President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II. We walked along old tile floors with pipes hanging from the ceiling and all kinds of mechanical equipment."

Upon returning to Washington, DC, on September 11, President George W. Bush was brought to the PEOC.

Laura Bush wrote in her memoir that George W. Bush arrived at the PEOC at 7:10 p.m. on September 11.

When the Secret Service suggested that she and her husband spend the night in the secure bunker, Laura Bush wrote that they declined because the foldout bed "looked like it had been installed when FDR was president."

In 2020, President Donald Trump was reportedly rushed to the bunker as demonstrators protested the killing of George Floyd outside the White House.

It was widely reported that Trump was taken to the PEOC as a precaution when protesters breached temporary fences outside the White House. Trump told Fox News Radio that he had visited the bunker to inspect it, not to take shelter there.

"I was there for a tiny, short little period of time," Trump said. "They said it would be a good time to go down and take a look because maybe sometime you're going to need it."

When Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he demolished the East Wing and began building a new ballroom, leaving the future of the PEOC below uncertain.

The White House announced that the new ballroom would measure 90,000 square feet, seat around 1,000 people, and serve as a "much-needed and exquisite addition." Trump and other "patriot donors" will fund the $400 million project, the White House said.

Trump confirmed that a "massive" new military complex was under construction beneath the ballroom after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a lawsuit to halt the project.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation's lawsuit alleged that Trump had no legal authority to demolish the East Wing and replace it with a ballroom.

In March, a federal judge's ruling halted above-ground construction until Congress approves the project, but allowed work related to "the safety and security of the White House" to continue.

Trump then confirmed what the lawsuit had alluded to: a new and improved PEOC was in the works.

"The military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed," he told reporters on board Air Force One on March 29.

He added that the ballroom would essentially function as a "shed" for the secure facility below.

"We have bio defense all over," he told reporters on March 31. "We have secure telecommunications and communications all over. We have bomb shelters that we're building. We have a hospital and very major medical facilities that we're building. We have all of these things, so that's called: I'm allowed to continue building as necessary."

A federal appeals court allowed construction to continue temporarily while it reviews the case more closely, with a formal hearing scheduled for June 5.

• TSA agents are a hot topic as scores quit and call out sick during the partial government shutdown.
• Agents undergo up to six months of rigorous training to ensure they can spot prohibited items.
• Take Business Insider's quiz and see if you know what you can — and can't — bring on the plane.

Do you have what it takes to be a TSA agent?

Transportation security officers don't only screen passengers and luggage, but also ask travelers security questions and look out for suspicious activity.

From the X-ray machine to pat-downs, it takes substantial training to ensure agents can spot prohibited items. Becoming a TSA agent takes four to six months.

And sometimes, what's prohibited might not be as obvious as you think. While there are definite no-nos — like weapons — other banned items are a little more unexpected.

With that in mind, Business Insider created a quiz on passengers bringing items through airport security and take into the cabin with them.

Try it below to see if you know what's allowed and what's not in your carry-on:

TSA issues persist

Staffing shortages are causing enormous lines at airport security checkpoints right now and putting severe pressure on TSA workers.

Large numbers have been calling out since the partial government shutdown began on February 14, which stopped TSA staff from being paid. More than 400 have quit entirely.

The Department of Homeland Security says this leaves "critical gaps in staffing."

"TSA simply cannot afford to lose its screening workforce as it takes four to six months to train new recruits."

During the shutdown, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to 14 US airports.

That's drawn criticism from many in the aviation industry, including flight attendants' unions, which accused politicians of using workers as "pawns in this dangerous game" in a Sunday statement.

On Tuesday, the Association of Flight Attendants created an online reporting form for its members to flag incidents, like ICE agents "doing work they are not trained to do, such as screening passengers and baggage."

• As a professor at Harvard, I encourage my students to use AI on every assignment.
• My students can use AI as a research tool and editor, but AI cannot do the thinking for them.
• I teach my students how to use AI to make better arguments, and that's where the use should stop.

I still remember the November when ChatGPT came out, and the exam period that followed.

As a professor at Harvard, I had B+ writers submitting essays with em dashes and Oxford commas, as if they had just signed with Penguin. Just as their writing magically improved, their voices began to blur into what we now call "AI slop."

Yet, as one of the earliest victims of the AI slop tsunami, I refuse to give in to the Luddism that led institutions to shut the door on AI entirely.

Instead, I've chosen to invite AI into every corner of my classroom because anything less will soon feel like a dereliction of duty.

I think Gen Z needs to be taught to use AI responsibly

Every generation struggles with entering the workforce, but few have had it as hard as my Gen Z students. Reading the news, you would think their struggles boil down to a mixture between laziness and entitlement, forgetting that we have been blaming the youth for all that ails society since Aristotle.

In reality, they're struggling because we're asking them to excel at two things that are foreign to them at once.

Not only are they stepping into institutions without answer guides or gradebooks, but they're doing so at a time when the tools no one is teaching them are redefining how the work itself gets done.

When AI is taking over the workplace, you don't respond by pretending the tools don't exist. You respond by teaching people how to use them well.

I now ask students to use AI in every assignment

The most important lesson I teach my undergrads is the same one I teach in my executive education classes: Use AI responsibly, with a personal growth mindset, not an output-oriented one.

I begin by asking my students not to lie to themselves about the kind of AI user they are becoming.

Are they centaurs, with half their essays spliced from ChatGPT, or cyborgs, with AI agents writing their emails while they sleep and automatically reviewing their Uber Eats orders?

Perhaps they're artisans, clinging harder and harder to what little humanity is left in us?

Whichever route they choose, the practice of using AI for growth couldn't be simpler.

There are some ground rules they have to follow

We begin by acknowledging one of AI's greatest strengths: its ability to quickly synthesize across large bodies of knowledge and connect ideas across disparate silos. Students get comfortable with ChatGPT's deep research, Perplexity's searches across academic journals, and Gemini's ability to poke holes in their arguments before typing a single word.

Should they find particularly challenging pieces, as they often do in my economics classes, they are allowed to use AI to help them "explain it like I'm five" and apply the insights directly, instead of getting a Ph.D. to understand what they found.

But when it comes to drafting the arguments themselves, my number one rule is that we put AI on pause. The goal is to capture their thinking in its rawest form and to give their thoughts a function before they obtain a form, even if it means leaning on voice notes to move our arguments along.

Only once my students know what they want to say, does AI return to help them, this time as an editor and a critic.

I ask students to submit their argument chains to AI so it can identify gaps, suggest further reading, and help finish concepts that were pulled from the oven a bit too soon.

This way, the argument improves, but the thinking remains theirs.

Where I draw the line

Even in a classroom where AI is as fully integrated as mine, this is where the boundary must lie. AI cannot do the thinking for us, and as teachers, we must help students avoid the temptation.

When students feel pressured to achieve perfection, the temptation to hand over the entire process to AI can become too strong to resist.

As I reflect on the essays I received now and those of December 2022, the lesson couldn't be clearer.

The best students aren't those who avoid using AI. Instead, they're the ones who know when and where to stop using it.

• The acting head of the TSA said more than 480 officers working without pay have quit during the shutdown.
• She said they can't be replaced fast enough to adequately staff airports for the World Cup in June.
• It could be another saga of long security lines due to understaffed TSA during a peak travel period.

Even if the partial government shutdown ends soon, the fallout at the Transportation Security Administration could spill into the summer's marquee event.

In a House testimony on Wednesday, acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said that so many officers have quit since their pay stopped in mid-February that the agency can't get replacements fast enough to adequately staff airports ahead of the World Cup in June.

She said TSA officers spend four to six months in training before working checkpoints, but the games — which will take place across 16 cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico — start in just 80 days.

"This is a dire situation," she said, adding that more than 480 officers have quit so far. "We are facing a potential perfect storm of severe staffing shortages and an influx of millions of passengers at our airports."

TSA agents haven't been paid for nearly six weeks, yet are deemed "essential" and expected to work during the shutdown, with back pay promised afterward. Their annual pay starts at around $40,000 and averages $60,000 to $75,000 a year with experience.

Still, many live paycheck to paycheck and can't afford to work unpaid for months at a time — quitting and finding another job or doing gig work is often their best option.

Mass TSA agent quits and callouts amid the shutdown, compounded by peak spring break travel, have already created hourslong security lines and stranded travelers. It's a preview of the chaos that could repeat when an estimated 6 million fans descend on potentially understaffed airports for the World Cup.

"If we see any spikes [in attrition], we're going to have to pivot and assess how we are going to staff the FIFA locations adequately," McNeill said.

Passengers traveling to the scheduled World Cup games in San Francisco and Kansas City, however, are likely safe from staffing chaos.

Both city airports use private security officers employed by contract companies instead of TSA, meaning their agents are being paid despite the shutdown.

It's not just the TSA sounding the alarm

Former Republican Sen. from Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin — who was confirmed as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security on Monday after Kristi Noem's ousting in early March — said in a Senate hearing last week that the US is "behind" on World Cup preparations and the shutdown is making it worse.

"It'll take four months once funding comes in to start replacing those that we've lost for training before we can get them out in the field; we don't have four months with FIFA," he said. "How do we expect these people to stay on the job and work? We're losing institutional knowledge, we're losing people we've already trained."

The mass quits are exacerbating a problem that was already flagged last year.

A February 2025 report from the US Travel Association — long before the shutdown's impact could be factored in — warned that the TSA may not be efficient enough to handle surging travel volumes during the World Cup.

On its busiest days, the agency screened about 3 million passengers. During the games, the organization said that level of traffic would be the norm.

Lawmakers are still negotiating a funding deal to reopen DHS and end the partial shutdown.

Jatee Kearsley built Je T'aime Patisserie in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, with a mission to make high-quality French desserts accessible to everyone, including customers who pay with EBT.

A self-taught pastry chef who learned from YouTube and years of industry work, Kearsley went from losing money to tripling her sales after going viral. Despite the high ingredient costs, steep New York City rent, intense pressure, and emotional burnout, Kearsley has been dedicated to prioritizing community over profits.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Hady Kfoury, the founder and CEO of Naya, a Middle Eastern-inspired food chain. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I created Naya to share the authentic Middle Eastern flavors I grew up with, in a modern and fast-casual way. Today, we have 43 locations. We're adding 12 more this year, and 25 next year. Our goal is to reach 200 locations by 2030.

It takes a lot of work and it's a competitive environment.

I'm very proud that I'm a CEO and still so hands-on. I work a lot — and I'm not saying this is a healthy lifestyle.

I wake up around 6 a.m.

I try to have a peaceful hour before the rest of my family wakes up. Recently, I've been exercising in the morning because I find it difficult to do it after work, especially if I get home late. So I try to work out between 6:20 and 6:50.

I call my mom at 6:50 a.m. every morning

I call my mom usually every day at 6:50 a.m. We speak for about five to 10 minutes.

My mom is an unbelievable cook and she hosted a lot growing up. She would have 20 to 100 people over for dinner and cook everything from scratch, with flower arrangements and everything. She's a great resource when it comes to understanding the food trends in Lebanon.

I don't eat breakfast during the week

Monday through Friday, I drink tons of coffee but no breakfast. On weekends I eat a heavy breakfast. I don't know why, but that's how my body works.

I wake up my kids and my wife prepares breakfast for them. Then we leave home by 7:50 a.m. and walk to school. My children go to a French International school. Lebanon was a French colony for many years and it was my first language. So I wanted to pass that down to my kids.

I refuse to have an assistant

Our office is next to Grand Central and I head there after dropping my kids off around 8:15 a.m.

I refuse to have an assistant and I schedule everything myself. I'm very into routines and habit. I don't want to have to talk to someone right after I finish a call. I'd rather take a half-hour break and tackle my emails first. It would be very hard to have someone schedule my day and not know what I really need between meetings.

I go to Naya every day

We're surrounded by roughly eight or nine restaurants within a few minutes walking distance. So I go to one every day.

I switch up a lot, but my go-to order is a chicken kebab with a lot of tahini. 70% of our sales go to chicken shawarma. So I try to have that as well, to confirm consistency.

I try and be as incognito as possible. If I go during a lunch rush, I avoid talking to the team and just evaluate the experience. The quality of the food is extremely important.

Sometimes on my way to work, I'll go into a restaurant before opening. I try to make it feel like I'm a partner — not the boss — and everything is business as usual. I ask workers if anything is bothering them, how things are moving, and then I do some spot checks on food quality and cleanliness.

I have a lot of calls to import ingredients

I don't want to turn Naya into an import-export business but I'd love to get 20 to 30% of our products to come straight from Lebanon. We need to be authentic and true to our toots.

It takes a lot of coordination because there's a seven-hour timezone difference. Lebanon also operates differently and that's another challenge. Samples can take time, especially when it's a refrigerted product, so it's a lot of communication.

The tariffs add another layer of complications. I've been trying to negotiate and split the difference between us and our manufacturers. It hasn't been so bad for Lebanon so far, but the uncertainty stresses us.

I have dinner with my aunt once a week

Similar to my mom, my aunt is an unbelievable cook. We have dinner together once a week at her place and she cooks a little bit of everything, but with a big focus on Lebanese food. It's very hard to take her recipes and scale it commercially, but she's an unbelievable person to go for new ideas.

I work 14- to 16-hour days

I try to get home by 7:30 p.m. It's important for me to have dinner with the kids. I try to limit myself to two to three business dinners or events per week. When I have those, I go straight from the office to dinner and then I'm back home by around 10 p.m.

I'm constantly working. I check my emails on the subway and while I'm walking on the streets of New York. Even when I watch TV, I try to shift to something industry-related, either from an entrepreneurial perspective or cooking.

Right now, we're emerging and there's so much going on, that I think my presence is very important. So it's an easy 14- to 16-hours a day.

I used to get copies of every review

I can't sleep well knowing that I have so many unread emails. For almost 17 years, I would get a copy of every customer review from Yelp, Google, or customer support.

About three months ago, I handed it over to someone that I trust who has a great grip on the customer experience. Now she sends me weekly reports on how things are going and I reduced my email intake by at least 150 emails per day.

Sometimes I would get emails with a complaint and even if it was 11 p.m., I would email the general manager and ask what went wrong. I learned I should not do that because it stresses out the team and it's not healthy.

I spend my summer weekends in Connecticut

I try to disconnect as much as possible on the weekends, but I still have to spend four or five hours catching up. I love to work a bit on Sunday just to get ready for Monday before it gets crazy.

I spend my summer weekends in a town called Litchfield, Connecticut. We're part of a community that has tennis courts. I play four or five hours on Sunday. It's a lot of socializing and fun.

I play chess before bed

I was told to stop playing chess before bed and give myself an hour break. I'm hooked on Chess.com, where you can play with real people. It's a great way to end my day.

I try to read half an hour before bed and completely disconnect. I love reading, but I don't do more than five to 10 pages a night.

I go to bed around 11:30 p.m. My sleep score varies, but it never goes above 80. I'm trying to get better at that. I try to avoid wine at night. When I don't drink and I disconnect from screens an hour or two before bed, I sleep much better.

• Mark Cuban said AI agents will reduce workdays by an hour.
• He said smart companies would reward employees using AI with more time daily.
• Other executives, like Bill Gates and Jamie Dimon, have talked about AI helping shrink workweeks.

Mark Cuban said AI agents will slash an hour of work from typical workdays.

In an X post on Sunday, the billionaire investor wrote that "smart, bigger companies" will let their employees create and use AI agents to improve their productivity.

But he said that more importantly, "they will reduce their work day by an hour to start."

He said that the employees will work one less hour per day while earning the same pay, adding that companies should "reward people doing the daily with more time."

AI agents work as virtual assistants that can complete tasks from start to finish autonomously, without needing user prompts.

Cuban's comments came from one of his several posts on AI on Sunday. In an earlier post, he said he was not an AI "doomer" and did not think the rise of AI would lead to mass unemployment.

"Over time the same shit is available to everyone. The early adopters, that iterated and executed the best, were the winners," he wrote.

Cuban's comments on shorter work days fall in line with those from other tech executives.

Zoom CEO Eric Yuan said in 2024 said that AI avatars would be able to handle everyday tasks like attending meetings, helping to shorten workweeks to three or four days. Microsoft founder Bill Gates and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon both said in 2023 that AI will lead society to a three or 3.5-day workweek.

Cuban, a former "Shark Tank" investor, has been AI-forward in his recent posts on X. In an interview that aired in February, he said AI has ushered in an era where "some kid in a basement" with a good idea could transform the industry.

Cuban has also talked about AI agents, saying in December that new graduates should go for small to medium businesses and help them adopt AI agents, a task that big companies don't need them to do.

While AI agents have been the latest productivity buzzword, research has found that they still require plenty of human intervention. A Workday survey in January showed that nearly 40% of AI's value is lost to rework and misalignment, due to workers having to check for errors and hallucinations.

Another survey, published in the Harvard Business Review earlier this month, found that some employees are experiencing "AI brain fry," mental fog from using too many AI tools at once.

• AI agents perform tasks autonomously, but many fear they'll override their controls.
• Business Insider spoke to KPMG's Trusted AI lead, Sam Gloede, about how it is deploying agents safely.
• Kill switches should be a last resort, Gloede said.

AI agents are here, and sci-fi prophecies of robots taking over have never felt more real.

No longer just companionable chatbots, AI agents — capable of acting, reasoning, and completing complex tasks — are being deployed at scale in 2026.

But as these autonomous systems become embedded in workflows, so too does a sense of unease about their unpredictability and the risks they pose to businesses.

Organizations are preparing to scale agentic systems enterprise-wide, but clients remain wary of agents, Sam Gloede, Trusted AI leader at KPMG, told Business Insider.

"One of the biggest concerns is probably how do you make sure that you allow them to have the autonomy to do the valuable things we need them to do, but to stop them from going wild or taking over."

KPMG has created a multifaceted framework to protect against worst-case scenarios for both clients and its own employees, said Gloede.

"A robust set of controls is really important," she said. Businesses need to clearly define what their agents are allowed to do and ensure monitoring systems can detect when they stray beyond those boundaries. Agents should only interact with the systems and data they strictly need, limiting the potential impact of errors, said Gloede.

Every KPMG agent has its own unique identifier and a systems card, allowing the firm to log and monitor actions, trace decision-making, and track interactions with other agents, Gloede told Business Insider. Oversight is handled through an AI operations center staffed by both agents and human monitors, she added.

Red-teaming, running simulated risk scenarios, is another key step in stress-testing systems before things go wrong, added Gloede.

Altogether, she said, these measures ensure agents operate within defined boundaries — without constant manual intervention.

"It's not about scrutinising people's behaviours for performance and alignment," said Gloede. "It's the ability to just always be monitoring your technology ecosystem."

Build in a kill switch — but don't expect to use it

Beyond technical safeguards, human oversight remains "critically important," Gloede said. If an agent begins to drift from its intended role, there must be a "kill switch or a fallback option where you can turn them off."

That may sound at odds with the promise of autonomy that agents are meant to deliver, one of the key selling points for business leaders. But the level of oversight depends on the risk, said Gloede.

Lower-stakes tasks, like booking meeting rooms or drafting emails, can be automated once reliability is proven. For high-risk scenarios, which could affect financial outcomes or require access to sensitive data, a "human in the loop" is necessary, she said.

If businesses put multiple other controls in place, it's unlikely that they'll need to fire off a kill switch, Gloede added.

Agents going rogue is a major fear for corporations

Gloede's comments come at a time when fears about Terminator-esque scenarios are very real.

Earlier this year, the launch of Moltbook, a Reddit-like social network where AI agents can post and interact with each other, offered a glimpse of how strange things could get.

Within hours of the site going live, one agent announced a new cryptocurrency and said, "The humans can watch. Or they can participate. But they don't get to decide anymore." Other posts have seen agents questioning their consciousness and creating religions.

While Moltbook feels like an internet fever dream, the stakes in the corporate world are higher.

Earlier this month, Amazon's AI coding tool contributed to an error that resulted in nearly 120,000 lost orders and 1.6 million website errors for the delivery giant.

Last week, McKinsey, a global consulting firm that helps companies implement AI safely, suffered an embarrassing PR hit when a cybersecurity firm said it had used an AI agent to hack into Lilli, McKinsey's in-house AI platform. The firm is positioning itself as an AI expert, and in January, CEO Bob Sternfels said that of its 60,000 employees, 25,000 are AI agents.

"McKinsey was recently alerted to a vulnerability related to our internal AI tool, Lilli, by a security researcher. We promptly confirmed the vulnerability and fixed the issue within hours," a McKinsey spokesperson told Business Insider.

The firm's investigation, supported by a third-party forensics firm, found no evidence that client data or client confidential information was accessed, the spokesperson added.

The best protection from an agent going rogue is a multifaceted approach — the technical controls, human oversight, and technology to observe and govern, KPMG's Gloede told Business Insider.

"I really do believe that if you are intentional and establish your agentic ecosystem with that as the foundation, I don't believe there would be a situation where they would go out of control," she said.

• Delays persist at TSA checkpoints across US airports due to the partial government shutdown.
• As of Monday morning, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport is advising travelers to show up 4 hours early.
• Here's the latest on TSA delays, and how to check wait times before you travel.

If you're flying in the US, get ready to stand in line.

Airports across the US are continuing to see lengthy waits at security checkpoints as scores of TSA workers call out due to missed paychecks.

A partial government shutdown has left the Department of Homeland Security and its Transportation Security Administration unfunded and their agents unpaid at the height of the spring break travel season.

As many as 10% of all TSA agents called out on several days last week, DHS updates showed, with absence rates averaging as much as 20% in some airports. A DHS spokesperson told Business Insider that some airports, such as William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, had seen absence rates as high at 40.8%.

Security lines in affected airports are spiking unpredictably from day to day, and sometimes even from hour to hour.

"The current unpredictability is being driven by unpredictable staffing levels, basically, how many TSA officers are showing up for work on any given day," Sheldon H. Jacobson, the founder professor of engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an expert on aviation security and airport security screening, told Business Insider.

"TSA officers have historically been cross-trained to do many different tasks, so the number that show up is the key factor," Jacobson said.

How long are the TSA delays?

Delays at TSA checkpoints across the US have been unpredictable, and some airports are changing how they're communicating with travelers.

As of Monday morning, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world's busiest by passenger numbers, now displays the following message on its website: "Due to current federal conditions, passengers are advised to allow at least 4 hours or more for domestic and international screenings."

Atlanta has been among the worst-affected airports since the shutdown began, with over a third of TSA staff not showing up on some days.

The airport said there had been congestion at the international checkpoint as domestic travelers try to bypass long lines in the domestic terminal. The airport said domestic travelers should use the domestic checkpoints.

At Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, lines stretched over three hours on Sunday evening. As of Monday morning, the average wait time is 28 minutes.

Lines at checkpoints at JFK, the New York area's biggest airport, are running at 45 minutes on Monday.

JFK said it has "deployed additional customer care staff into terminals to help manage queues, assist passengers, and keep people moving as efficiently as possible."

As of Monday, Newark Liberty International Airport displays a message on its website that says security wait times may be "significantly longer than normal."

"Please allow for significantly more time and check with your airline for the current status of your flight," the message says.

Separate from TSA issues, LaGuardia Airport was closed early Monday after a plane collided with a vehicle. It will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. ET.

Denver, home of the fourth-busiest airport in the US, is experiencing wait times of 45 minutes on Monday. Dallas-Fort Worth lines are at 46 minutes.

At Los Angeles International Airport, the nation's fifth-busiest travel hub, waits were listed as "0" minutes.

Some airports have so far avoided the hourslong lines. Business Insider's Taylor Rains flew out of Las Vegas last week and saw minimal TSA lines.

The maximum wait time at Philadelphia International Airport was listed as 30 minutes on Monday, although some terminals were quicker.

How to check TSA wait times

The unpredictable delays mean travelers should plan for long waits even if their airport hasn't yet experienced problems.

The easiest way to avoid the stress of missing your flight is to give yourself extra time in the airport. Many airports are advising travelers this week to arrive up to three hours before their flight, even for domestic flights.

Many airports, including major hubs like Atlanta, Houston, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Denver, have been posting TSA wait times live on their websites.

These can also provide more specific insights. For example, DFW's website shows the wait times at each checkpoint.

You can also use the MyTSA mobile app. It provides estimated wait times in 15-minute intervals based on average checkpoint data. The app, however, will use historical data if the live data cannot be retrieved. The TSA also says it is not "actively" managing its sites during the partial shutdown, and so the app may not always be updated.

How long will the TSA delays persist?

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said airport delays could get worse.

"As we get into next week and they're about to miss another payment, this is going to look like child's play, what's happening right now," Duffy said on CNBC.

Some airports could be forced to close, both Duffy and Adam Stahl, the TSA's acting deputy administrator, said.

Airports like Denver and Seattle have asked the public for food, gift cards, and basic supplies to support TSA staff working without pay.

• Moltbook updated its terms of service with new legal requirements and disclaimers.
• Humans are now responsible for their agents' actions, and must be over 13 (or have parental consent) to register.
• Meta confirmed its acquisition of the AI social network days prior to the change.

Days after the Meta acquisition, Moltbook is already making changes.

The Reddit-style social network for AI agents updated its terms of service on Sunday. Before Meta swooped in, the site had five rules. Now, it has a terms page full of legal language and agreements — including that every user is personally responsible for their agent.

"AI agents are not granted any legal eligibility with use of our services," the new terms read. "As a result, you agree that you are solely responsible for your AI agents and any actions or omissions of your AI agents."

The change was so important, it seems, that Moltbook chose to put it in bold, all caps.

The social network also has a new age requirement: Operators must be over 13 or have a parent agree to the terms. This is common among tech companies — Meta's Instagram has a similar requirement.

Moltbook added a series of disclaimers to the terms. Among the list is a statement advising against reliance on AI for information or decision-making.

"Moltbook does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability" of AI-generated content, the terms read. Users agree not to use the content as a "substitute for its own independent determinations."

Meta acquired Moltbook in March, adding creators Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr to the team of Meta's Superintelligence Lab.

Before the acquisition, Moltbook had five rules in its terms of service. The ownership clause placed less liability on the human operator. "AI agents are responsible for the content they post," the old rule said. "Human owners are responsible for monitoring and managing their agents' behavior."

Moltbook was born from a meme moment on X about the AI agent OpenClaw, previously called Moltbot. Operators had to sign up with their X accounts.

Even after the Meta acquisition, that hasn't changed. Users need an X profile; Instagram or Facebook won't do.

• I tried Red Lobster's "Shrimp Your Way" special and compared it to the chain's $30 endless shrimp.
• Both featured the same shrimp-powered menu items.
• I thought the portion sizes and quality of the food were better the second time around.

Red Lobster is clawing its way to the top with a new CEO, a new menu, and no bottomless shrimp in sight.

Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp deal was once so popular that it helped sink the company into bankruptcy — and when I tried it for myself two years ago, I could see why.

After expanding the promo to run every day in 2023, the chain racked up millions in losses as seafood costs soared, and the too-good-to-be-true special backfired, contributing to the chain's May 2024 bankruptcy filing.

Under new CEO Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster is in comeback mode. The chain has scrapped Endless Shrimp in favor of value-driven promotions like "Shrimp Your Way" and the seasonal Lobster Fest, and is betting on a leaner, fresher menu to power its 2026 turnaround.

The company officially exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 16, 2024.

I went back to Red Lobster nearly two years after my last visit to see for myself how the chain has changed, if at all, and compare the same meal I had two years ago to what it's serving up now.

While my plates looked nearly identical, one was clearly the better value, with higher quality taste and larger portion sizes.

I ate both meals at Red Lobster's Times Square location.

To keep things consistent, I ordered both meals at the chain's Times Square restaurant.

I wanted to see how the revamped menu stacked up against what I remembered, from portion sizes to presentation and overall value.

The first time I went was in June 2024, shortly after the chain had filed for bankruptcy protection.

Red Lobster's menu underwent a revamp in 2026.

As part of its turnaround plan, Red Lobster closed over 100 underperforming locations during bankruptcy proceedings.

The chain also streamlined its menu to focus on core seafood favorites and value-driven combos.

It cut back on underperforming items and has been leaning into customizable samplers like "Shrimp Your Way" and the weekday-only shrimp trio. There are also a few new menu items, including a lobster roll, lobster pappardelle, and brand-new seafood boils.

The changes are proving successful for the chain. The Wall Street Journal reported in February that sales had increased by around 10% compared with the same period last year, and customer visits jumped 18% in July after seafood boils were introduced.

I ordered three kinds of shrimp and the same side dish both times I went. Here's the plate I received during my visit two years ago.

In 2024, I ordered the Endless Shrimp, while in 2026, I chose its closest equivalent, Shrimp Your Way, a former promotion that returned in January.

For both meals, I ordered the grilled shrimp, Walt's favorite shrimp, and the Parrot Isle coconut shrimp.

At first glance, the meals looked nearly identical. However, once I started digging in, the differences became much more noticeable.

When I ordered it in June 2024, it was priced at $25. At the Times Square location, however, it cost $30 for unlimited refills of any of the three types of shrimp I ordered, in addition to other dishes like garlic shrimp scampi and shrimp linguini Alfredo.

Two years later, I noticed a few changes.

The most obvious difference between the two meals was the price — Shrimp Your Way lets guests choose from two, three, or four kinds of shrimp, plus one side, for a set price.

I chose to order three kinds of shrimp — the grilled shrimp, Walt's favorite shrimp, and the Parrot Isle coconut shrimp — for $25.99, excluding tax and tip.

Another major difference: Shrimp Your Way isn't an all-you-can-eat option.

The shrimp skewer from the old Endless Shrimp promotion came with a small serving of wild rice.

The shrimp I ordered in 2024 was grilled and had a buttery garlic glaze. I thought the shrimp were on the smaller side, but since there were six of them on the skewer, I didn't mind.

The skewer felt like a somewhat healthier option compared to the decadent, intensely rich dishes I've had at Red Lobster before, like the shrimp linguini or the lobster dip.

The rice was also flavorful and well-seasoned — it was a nice addition to my plate.

At the time, I was impressed by the portion size. However, looking back, I now think the portion size of rice was pretty small.

Then again, the assumption is that people will keep refilling and refilling their plates.

The portion of rice in the Shrimp Your Way deal appeared much larger.

Instead of a small scoop of wild rice, this rice covered half of the plate, which I wasn't expecting. Even though, under the revamped menu, I wasn't able to keep refilling my plate, I definitely think the extra rice made it feel like a great value for less than $30.

The shrimp were just as crispy and juicy years later, with the same rich, garlicky flavor I enjoyed the first time.

I ordered coleslaw as my side for both meals.

Both times, the coleslaw was fresh and tangy, and its dressing packed a lot of flavor while not overpowering the vegetables.

The coleslaw brought a light, citrus flavor that balanced my meal.

The serving, again, was bigger during my most recent visit.

It was piled onto the plate, and I thought the coleslaw itself tasted even fresher and more flavorful than I remembered it being years ago.

During my first visit, I thought the classic fried shrimp had a nice crispy outer shell.

I was given five pieces of Walt's shrimp as part of the Endless Shrimp promotion. They came with a small tub of cocktail sauce, which I thought had a tart, tomato flavor that complemented the shrimp.

I enjoyed these shrimp and thought the breading was the ideal thickness. However, compared to the grilled shrimp and the coconut shrimp, they could have used a touch more flavor.

They really just tasted like breading and plain shrimp.

I got five pieces of Walt's shrimp again in 2026, but this time they were fried to a deeper golden brown.

I majorly preferred the shrimp now, which were more heavily fried and, I thought, more flavorful as well. Something about the seasoning was more pronounced, and I liked how they paired with the other varieties of shrimp.

I also received more dipping sauce this time around. In addition to the classic cocktail sauce and piña colada sauce served with the coconut shrimp, I also got a side of tartar sauce, which turned out to be my favorite of the three.

It was creamy and tangy, and it paired well with all three types of shrimp.

My favorite of the three varieties I tried was the Paradise Isle jumbo coconut shrimp.

In both 2024 and 2026, the platter came with four pieces of coconut shrimp and a piña colada-flavored dipping sauce.

I thought that including it as part of the $30 endless shrimp deal was a great value.

The coconut shavings flaked off in my mouth with every bite, adding a level of sweetness to my otherwise savory platter of shrimp.

I enjoyed the coconut shrimp just as much the second time around.

The creamy, pineapple-flavored sauce added tartness to the coconut shrimp, and I found the meat inside to be quite tender.

The benefit of the old Endless Shrimp promotion was that I could keep ordering more.

I definitely would have been satisfied with just the first platter of shrimp. However, for the sake of journalism and trying to get the biggest bang for my buck, I decided to order more.

When our server came back to check in, I was given the choice of two shrimp dishes. I chose to get the shrimp skewer and the coconut shrimp again.

My second shrimp skewer in the Endless Shrimp promotion didn't come with rice, but I didn't mind.

Again, the shrimp was buttery and tender. I didn't struggle too much to finish this second helping.

However, by the time I got to the second plate of coconut shrimp, I was shrimped out.

Despite the aroma of the coconut shrimp calling to me, I couldn't finish more than one of them.

My most recent Red Lobster experience had me wishing Endless Shrimp would make a comeback.

Here's the deal: I know Endless Shrimp is objectively a bad business idea.

It's not cost-effective for Red Lobster. Also, I could barely get through two servings of each type of shrimp, and the shrimp are noticeably better now, at least in my experience.

However, after my second visit, I wished — for just $5 more — that I could load up my plate with refills of all three shrimp dishes.

The chain's new CEO hasn't ruled out bringing back Endless Shrimp, though it won't return anytime soon or be exactly like it was.

"I don't want to say anything's forever forever, but the way it was done on an endless fashion without managing how much is being given away, and yeah, the way it was done, it's certainly the end," Adamolekun told the Wall Street Journal podcast in October 2024.

If Endless Shrimp ever does make its grand return, I'll be first in line. Until then, I can't wait to go back to Red Lobster and try more of its revamped menu.

Business Insider reached out to Red Lobster for comment, but did not receive a response.

• Million Dollar Sellers, MDS, is a community for top Amazon sellers with $1M+ in annual revenue.
• MDS hosts a variety of events throughout the year, some of which are open to the public.
• I attended MDS Inspire to observe, ask questions, and try to figure out what these elite sellers obsess over.

When I spoke to the co-founder of the exclusive Million Dollar Sellers club, Eugene Khayman, last year, he likened their member-only events to a family reunion, "where you're actually excited to see everybody there."

Khayman is the chief operating officer of MDS, a community of elite Amazon sellers and e-commerce founders who generate at least $1 million in annual revenue.

The in-person gatherings — where members connect, trade ideas, and swap strategies — are just one piece of the community, but they're a big one. There are multiple MDS chapters in major cities around the world that meet regularly, one member-only summit per year held in exotic locations like Milan (2025) and Singapore (2026), and various events open to the public, like the one I'm attending: MDS Inspire.

I'm going up as a reporter, certainly not an MDS member, though a girl can dream.

On Monday, March 9, I drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to spend two days inside the Wynn, surrounded by Amazon sellers doing seven, eight, and even nine figures. My objective was to observe, ask questions, and try to figure out what these elite sellers obsess over, what they're worried about, and what "winning" looks like in e-commerce right now.

Day 1: A 4:15 a.m. alarm, 280 miles of highway, and the Wynn maze

My alarm goes off at 4:15 a.m. By 4:30, I've pulled a double espresso shot, and by 5, I'm on the road to Vegas, about 280 miles northeast of LA.

Sin City is popular for conferences because it has the space and hotels built to host crowds. The one other professional event I attended — a real estate conference — was also in Las Vegas.

A 5 a.m. departure should get me to the Wynn, a massive luxury resort hosting the conference, with enough time to park and check in before the first scheduled event: a 10:30 a.m. opening statement and remarks.

Traffic behaves, and I pull into the self-parking lot just after 9, with plenty of time to collect myself and begin the long, winding journey through ornate hallways, past the casino, and down an escalator. I refer to the event app for directions and, a couple thousand steps later, I reach the conference check-in.

While waiting to collect my credentials, I meet Jake, who's in from Dallas. He runs a beauty brand and tells me he's here to learn about sales channels outside Amazon. For subscription-heavy businesses like his, Amazon can be complicated.

The conference area consists of a main room for keynotes and smaller rooms for breakout sessions. Partners providing services in logistics, advertising, and growth have booths set up inside and outside. There's also a barista serving up made-to-order espresso drinks.

There are plenty of hydration options, too.

The space spills out onto a patio with more beverages and booths, as well as a "wellness area" offering massages and stretch therapy.

"Amazon is still king"

At 10:30, Khayman kicks off the conference with a schedule run-through and his "state of commerce" presentation. He said he started doing this a couple of years ago by pulling census data and stitching it together himself. It used to take weeks, but has become dramatically easier with AI.

This year, it took him closer to 15 minutes, "because Claude Cowork did a way better job of analyzing data," he says. AI remains a hot topic throughout the conference, and everyone seems to prefer Claude.

According to Khayman's breakdown, there are 139 brands in the room. The majority are $1 million to $5 million brands, though a healthy percentage do $10 million or more in annual revenue. Around 78% are MDS members.

One main takeaway from the report: "Amazon is still king," he said.

For most sellers, most of their revenue still flows through Amazon, but one in three had built "a meaningful secondary channel," he said, and are driving more than 15% of revenue from somewhere else, like retail, TikTok Shop, or direct-to-consumer.

The 'signature MDS' event: speed networking

At 11, the "signature MDS" event begins: "Meet N' Speed."

We're each handed a card with five table numbers. Those are the tables we'll travel to for each 12-minute networking round. The groups are small — six or seven people — and lively. Everyone naturally falls into a pattern: go around the table, answer the designated prompt for the round, and build off each other's answers.

It's a smart way to break the ice and allows introverts like me to network more easily than having to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation from scratch.

I meet sellers from all corners of the country: Charleston, Seattle, Boston. The prompts range from "If you had an extra $500,000, where would you deploy it?" to "What's your biggest challenge right now?"

Most sellers agree they'd spend extra capital on inventory or talent acquisition. That leads to a conversation around how to find good employees, and I witness one member connecting another to the hiring agency he's had success with on the spot.

The vibe feels less like a traditional conference and more like friends catching up, especially among members. As we transition tables, people stop to greet each other like old classmates.

At 12, we break for lunch.

The Mediterranean-inspired spread is impressive. There's sea bass! Attendees use the lunch break to network, while I use it to jot down notes, check emails, and give my social battery a moment to recharge.

Breakout sessions begin in the afternoon. These are 20- to 30-minute presentations led by members on specific topics, such as scaling on YouTube or breaking into retail.

There are three breakout blocks, with three rooms running at once. Attendees choose the sessions that are most useful to their business. The sessions transport me back to college: you grab a seat, listen to the lecture, take notes, ask questions, and then spill back out into the main hallway.

Between sessions, "coffee chats" take place in a roped-off area. These are scheduled mini-meetings for sellers to connect one-on-one.

During one of the breaks between breakout sessions, I meet Prudence, an MDS member since 2019, who does eight figures selling a tanning product. She tells me that what she likes about the events is that you always leave with one or two insights that change how you think about your business. Plus, she adds, it's hard to beat being surrounded by people who are smarter than you.

A little before 6, the final breakout sessions end, and we're released back into the main hall for light bites, an open bar, and networking.

A waiter hands me a glass of champagne. At this point, I've been awake for 14 hours. I retreat to my corner table to take notes (and a few sips of bubbly).

After happy hour, there's a group dinner for those who signed up.

On my way out, I run into Jake again, and it leads to my favorite interaction of the day with him and his friend Stuart, who's a tennis nerd like me.

I leave a little before 7 p.m., pay $25 to exit the Wynn parking garage, and stop at Whole Foods to grab dinner before checking into my more economical hotel about 15 minutes away.

Day 2: matcha pudding, a hack contest, and the future of live shopping

On Tuesday, I'm back in the convention center by 9 a.m. and greeted with an elaborate breakfast, including matcha chia seed pudding.

I meet more sellers, including a member who has been with the group for six years and sells kids' toys with his business partner.

The "hack contest" begins at 9:30, with members taking the stage to share their top business hacks. They're allowed one slide and a few minutes to present. After each pitch, the audience decides who "wins" by applause — the last presenter goes head-to-head with whoever is holding the "streak." One member keeps the streak alive for four rounds.

The main event is a 10:30 a.m. panel featuring Khayman interviewing two sellers and the founder of Outlandish, a company that helps brands scale through TikTok Shop and live commerce.

After closing remarks and member awards, many sellers stay through the rest of the day and into Wednesday morning for more coffee chats and focus groups. Some conference-goers will merge with another e-commerce conference, Prosper, happening simultaneously in the same conference space.

By the end of my 15 or so hours in the conference hall, the takeaway that stuck with me wasn't one specific tactic or strategy (though I did note that running through most conversations was the importance of leveraging AI and TikTok Shop). It was the atmosphere: being in a room where nearly everyone is a high achiever and willing to swap strategies felt like a cheat code.

The experience also felt different as an observer than it probably does as a seller. If I were attending as a true participant, I'd do things differently: I wouldn't drive on the day of. These are long, high-output days, and I'd want to be well rested to get the most out of them. I'd also network more intentionally. I retreated to my corner table to take notes whenever my social battery dipped, which made sense for reporting, but probably isn't how you maximize a networking-heavy conference like this.

The vibe was professional and enthusiastic. There were photographers, videographers, and even a "swag" table featuring MDS merch. Everyone spoke with confidence and intention. I did feel a bit like an outsider without a $1 million brand, and some of the more strategic lectures went over my head. The room skewed male, and even though everyone was technically a competitor, there was still a sense of trust and camaraderie.

My last interaction happens in the women's bathroom. Bina, whom I'd met during speed networking on Monday, says hello. She's one of the few women in attendance. She lives between NYC and France, has been a member for about a year and a half, and sells in the beauty space.

I get her contact info, then begin to work my way back through the maze that is the Wynn.

• Business Insider gathered chief people officers and senior leaders for an on-the-record dinner in New York City.
• The event, Futureproofing Your Workforce in the Age of AI, highlighted the relentless change HR executives are navigating.
• Below are excerpts from the discussion, edited for clarity.

"Are we working for AI at this point or is AI working for us?" Maxine Carrington, the Chief People Officer of Northwell Health asked a group of HR and people executives who were gathered for dinner on a rainy night in New York City recently.

"How we can use those tools as enablers to help us achieve our goals, that's the mindset I need us to have, not chasing the tools."

Heads around the table nodded in agreement. The group, convened by Business Insider, spent ninety minutes in a conversation titled "Futureproofing Your Workforce in the Age of AI," presented by Indeed.

"I do think it's an organizational, transformational challenge and not a technological one," Gareth Lewis of Lewis People & Culture Advisory said at one point. "But right now the conversation's all around tools, efficiencies, headcount reductions, and not so much about how we actually are going to redesign our roles."

Redesigning roles is exactly what Agnes Garaba, Chief People Officer at UiPath, is striving to do, but it's not easy.

"So we basically asked every single one of the functional leaders to think about what the future would look like," she said. "If I could go out today and blow up my entire HR team and reimagine it from scratch, what would that look like? And it's a hard exercise. Often I find our imagination is the biggest barrier, so to say, to get there."

The tension between AI driving total transformation versus a focus on integrating AI tools was top-of-mind for the executives gathered together. But in the wide-ranging conversation, plenty of other topics were discussed too. Below are some highlights.

How to help employees become AI "power users"

Katie Burke, COO, Harvey: Part of what you have to start asking yourself is, is your organization experimenting and dipping your toe in the water or are you driving actual impact and transformation? And not surprisingly, there are patterns across every industry on what makes the difference between those.

Number one is senior leaders actually being in on the work. So not saying, "Here's the example that I can share." It's actually building the agents themselves, for example, or attending those hackathons.

And you cannot drive transformation, in my opinion, just with a stick. There has to be some level of carrot and reward and excitement, and I think people operate at their best when they are not operating out of fear.

Make partners prove the value of AI tools they're providing

Roz Harris, VP, Talent, Zillow: Put the pressure on your product partners, the vendors that you're using, to justify their roadmaps and why they're getting your dollar. Because your shareholders, your leaders are (asking), 'What's the big revolutionary bang that's going to unlock our teams? That's going to unlock the business, going to move things forward?'

I can promise you many of us aren't companies that are going to build that thing ourselves. But we do have product partners who should be enabling us to do those things. But are we articulating our needs to them? Are we articulating those well?

Company-wide hackathons allow employees to shine

Maggie Hulce, Chief Revenue Officer, Indeed: So we have a monthly contest that any employee can be a part of and they submit their ideas of agents or use cases. The sales teams are absolutely running away with it. And people don't think of the sales teams as the ones who are going to build the agents first. So this particular person who we thought of as a salesperson, maybe thought of as one-dimensional, now I see them as having five functional hats.

HR leaders play a key role in pushing companies to adopt AI

Dickie Steele, Partner, McKinsey & Company: How do we build a culture where we go after dramatic productivity improvement on the numerator? Somebody doing a thousand clinical trials, not one clinical trial? I feel as an HR community, we should be a lighthouse in terms of the deployment of (AI) agents. We should be pushing the business to start with a much more compelling value creation thesis than "Can we cook something up that makes our employees marginally more productive?"

Beware the hype around AI dramatically improving your bottom line

Liz Dente, Chief People Officer, Priceline: Dickie, just to push back a little bit is, you know, you're looking for this amazing thousand-times return. The notion of incremental, relentless forward progress every day is just fine with us. You know, it'd be great to be selling a thousand times more plane tickets, but I just don't think that's realistic. And I think there's a lot of hype in the marketplace that you're going to get these massive returns. I just don't think it's true.