OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says this era is bringing the revenge of the "idea guy" — the once-annoying aspiring entrepreneur burbling about their brainstorm with no technical chops to pull it off. - Altman says it would be like saying: "I have a great idea for a song. I just need that guy with the guitar to make it for me." - "It really did strike me as ridiculous," Altman told me in Chapel Hill, N.C. "But now we're watching a whole generation of people iterate on ideas faster than they ever could. The economics have been reset for what it means to make a new small business or large business." Why it matters: Polls show most Americans think the risks of AI outweigh the benefits , with data-center rage as a bipartisan bonfire in the…
One of the few Black-owned banks in the U.S. is introducing a debit card aimed at helping single mothers who live in government subsidized housing escape poverty
Brad Smith , vice chair and president of Microsoft, slammed tech moguls for hypocritical, grandiose warnings that are alienating Americans at a time of huge workforce opportunity. - "Nobody knows for sure, but let's not panic," Smith, who has been with Microsoft for 33 years , said from the tech giant's headquarters in Redmond, Washington. Why it matters: Smith is among the tech leaders who think dire predictions about AI's threat to entry-level white-collar jobs are souring young Americans on a miraculous technology. Smith writes in a new paper about AI's effect on jobs that AI getting booed at this spring's commencements should be a "powerful wake-up call for the tech sector." - "Hopefully, leaders across our industry will listen…
First lady Melania Trump announced her new initiative, “Fostering the Future Accounts,” a program that aims to empower foster youth by providing them with the financial assets, education, and tools necessary to achieve true independence as they enter adulthood.
This is Axios CEO Jim VandeHei's plan to help CEOs and other leaders navigate this moment. This call to action, which got a sneak peek over the weekend in his C-Suite newsletter, is a follow-up to our Monday column, "The Rattled Generation ." - Watch Jim's video . Americans have lost faith in almost every binding institution and leader — except the CEO. - The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer is unambiguous. "My employer" is the most trusted institution on Earth at 78% — more trusted than government, media or organized religion. Why it matters: This isn't a trophy. It's an obligation. Business leaders have an urgent call to fill the leadership void. Jamie Dimon told me in March that CEOs have a duty to step up. He's right. As a CEO…
OMG: "You work with your hands?" The Trump administration has instituted new initiatives that have made post-undergrad degrees more affordable as well as improved access to and the denigration of skilled trades jobs.
Capitalism has left some people behind, JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon said on "The Axios Show" — and he wants his bank to help create economic opportunities for as many of them as possible. The big picture: "I've been speaking about the frame of the American Dream for years. And I think you have to acknowledge that there's a flaw," especially for lower-income Americans, Dimon told Axios CEO Jim VandeHei. - "The Axios Show" is our interview series featuring newsmakers shaping politics, business, tech, and culture. Driving the news: JPM on Tuesday launches an ambitious multi-year program called the American Dream Initiative. The plan is to invest money and resources into small businesses, affordable housing and job training…
Reckitt Catalyst entrepreneur-in-residence Serena Williams told founders at Axios House during SXSW on Friday that one of the toughest hurdles for early-stage entrepreneurs is learning how to sell themselves. Why it matters: The former tennis star says underinvested entrepreneurs — who are frequently people of color and women — are passionate, problem-solvers but they need mentors to help them with storytelling. What they're saying: "My mentor actually told me I needed to be a better storyteller," Williams told Axios' Sara Fischer, noting that advice changed her trajectory in business. - She said she's believed and invested in founders who ultimately couldn't raise money because they were poor storytellers. - "They had probably…
