Issue #87

Samsung puts ads on home refrigerators, Michelob Ultra becomes top US beer, scientists create AI-designed killer viruses, and more. 

‍News from 18 September - 25 September 2025

‍AI Creates Office "Workslop" Crisis

A study by researchers at Stanford and BetterUp found that 40% of US workers had received "workslop" - AI-generated content that looks passable but lacks substance - in the past month. This forces colleagues to spend extra time decoding, correcting, or redoing the work entirely.

The problem extends beyond productivity loss. More than half of workers viewed AI-using colleagues as less creative, while 42% saw them as less trustworthy. One finance worker described having to decide whether to rewrite AI content herself or "just call it good enough."

This comes after an MIT study found that 95% of US companies had reported no meaningful revenue growth since implementing AI. BetterUp vice president Kate Niederhoffer: “Employees are using AI tools to create low-effort, passable-looking work that ends up creating more work for their coworkers.”

Source

‍JD Sports Blames "Strained" Consumers for Profit Drop

JD Sports reported a 13.5% fall in adjusted profits to £351m as the sportswear retailer blamed "strained consumer finances" for declining sales across all regions.

North America, JD's biggest market, accounting for 39% of its £5.94bn sales, suffered the worst performance with a 3.8% drop. The UK fell 3.3% to £1.46bn as the company reduced its store count by 13 locations to optimise shop sizes and locations.

The retailer expects limited impact from Trump's tariffs, with direct exposure accounting for less than 10% of US sales. However, this protection comes partly from buying stock before tariffs took effect, raising questions about future costs. Charles Stanley chief investment commentator Garry White: “It’s going to be a tricky second half at JD Sports Fashion. Consumers are cautious – especially in the UK.”

Source

Scientists Create AI-Designed Killer Viruses

Stanford researchers used AI to design 302 new viruses from scratch, with 16 successfully infecting and killing bacteria in laboratory tests, marking the first time artificial intelligence has created functioning genomes.

The AI model called Evo, trained on millions of bacteriophage genomes, designed viruses that outperformed natural ones at killing E. coli bacteria. Some AI creations were so distinct that they would be classified as new species.

The breakthrough raises serious biosecurity concerns. Experts warn the technology could be misused to create bioweapons, though researchers emphasise the potential for developing new therapeutics against bacterial infections. J. Craig Venter Institute founder Craig Venter: "If someone did this with smallpox or anthrax, I would have grave concerns."

Source

Bulletin Board

• Meta Makes An AI Matchmaker. Meta launched an AI chatbot for Facebook Dating to help users find tailored matches and refine their profiles. The company also introduced "Meet Cute," providing weekly algorithm-chosen surprise matches to combat "swipe fatigue." Facebook Dating matches among adults aged 18-29 increased 10% year-over-year, but this pales against Tinder's 50 million daily users and Hinge's 10 million. Source
• Michelob Ultra Becomes Top US Beer. Anheuser-Busch's Michelob Ultra overtook Modelo Especial as the top-selling beer in the US by retail volume, two years after its parent company Bud Light became embroiled in a culture war backlash. The success comes partly from sales of Michelob Ultra Zero, a non-alcoholic variant, and heavy investment in FIFA World Cup marketing. This follows Modelo reporting falling sales, which they blame on stricter US immigration policies reducing Hispanic consumer spending. Source
• VC Firms Hiring Fewer MBAs. The percentage of mid-career venture professionals holding MBAs dropped from 44% in the early 2000s to 32% today, according to Stanford research. VC firms increasingly seek technical talent from companies like OpenAI and SpaceX rather than elite MBA programs as the industry expands into AI and hardware. Harvard still placed 50 MBA graduates into VC roles in 2024 with median starting salaries of $177,500. Executive recruiter Will Champagne: "There is less appetite for MBAs currently." Source
• US Imposes $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee. President Trump ordered a new $100,000 fee for H-1B skilled worker visa applications, more than 60 times the current charge, affecting mainly Indian workers who receive over 70% of such visas. Amazon, Microsoft, and JP Morgan advised H-1B employees to remain in or immediately return to the US before the 21 September deadline. India's Ministry of External Affairs: "This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences.” Source
• Samsung Puts Ads on Home Refrigerators. Samsung confirmed it will display advertisements on Family Hub refrigerator screens in the US, despite telling The Verge in April it had "no plans" for such promotions. The ads appear when screens are idle and can be manually dismissed, but cannot be permanently disabled through settings. Samsung spokesperson: "We are conducting a pilot program to offer promotions and curated advertisements on certain Samsung Family Hub refrigerator models.” Source

Disclaimer: This blog offers insights into international business and global events for informational purposes only. It is not intended as investment or business advice. WeavePay is not liable for any decisions made based on the content provided.

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