Intuit Unveils QuickBooks Workforce: A Game-Changer for HR Management | Small Biz Trends

May 15, 2026May 14, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Small and mid-market businesses face a daunting challenge: managing HR duties across numerous disconnected tools, resulting in inefficiencies and wasted resources. Intuit aims to address this issue with the launch of QuickBooks Workforce, a comprehensive human capital management (HCM) solution. Set to revolutionize how businesses handle workforce management, this new platform is embedded directly within existing QuickBooks applications, promising a more efficient and integrated approach to HR tasks.

QuickBooks Workforce consolidates a range of essential functions—from hiring and onboarding to payroll, benefits administration, and performance management—all within a single platform. According to Intuit, many small businesses utilize anywhere from 7 to 25 different tools to manage their workforce, resulting in an annual cost of about $120,000. QuickBooks Workforce directly tackles this fragmentation by automating and synchronizing various HR processes, thereby reducing overhead and administrative burdens.

Lyft and United Airlines Launch First-Ever Pay with Miles Feature | Small Biz Trends

May 15, 2026May 14, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

In a groundbreaking move for travel convenience, Lyft has partnered with United Airlines to allow MileagePlus members to use their accumulated miles to pay for rides directly through the Lyft app. This innovative feature, announced on April 29, 2026, marks the first collaboration of its kind in the U.S., effectively bridging the gap between air travel and ground transportation. For small business owners who value efficiency and cost-effectiveness in managing travel expenses, this integration may offer a significant advantage.

The “Pay with Miles” feature is designed for all United MileagePlus members who link their accounts to Lyft. Once linked, users can seamlessly redeem miles for eligible rides, which include everyday trips, airport travel, and premium services. For small businesses often juggling tight budgets and frequent employee travel, this new option can enhance not just convenience but also financial flexibility. Members can cover the full fare or split payment with a credit card when their miles are insufficient to cover the entire ride cost.

Mount Dukono: I led hikers up an Indonesian volcano and then it erupted | BBC News

May 11, 2026May 11, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

An Indonesian guide who led a group of hikers up Mount Dukono has described the harrowing moment they were caught up in Friday’s eruption, which killed three people in his group.

Reza Selang narrowly escaped being crushed by a large rock ejected from the crater, which landed on two other hikers right beside him.

“There are no words. Until now, I still feel torn apart, I still can’t believe it… right now, I am deeply devastated,” he told the BBC over the phone on Monday.

Indonesian authorities have said two Singaporeans and one Indonesian were killed in the eruption, while the other hikers were safely evacuated from the mountain located on Halmahera Island in North Maluku.

Kodiak AI raises $100M at a steep discount, sending its stock tumbling 37% | TechCrunch

May 8, 2026May 7, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Kodiak AI’s stock tumbled 37% in after-hours trading Thursday after the self-driving truck startup disclosed it had raised $100 million by selling shares at a steep discount — a sign that investors were willing to back the company but not at its current market price.

The company sold shares at $6.50 each, well below its closing price of $9.10, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The raise also included warrants — instruments that give investors the right to buy additional shares later at a set price, in this case as low as $6.

The financing came from existing backer Ares Management and several unnamed institutional investors.

Elon Musk’s lawsuit is putting OpenAI’s safety record under the microscope | TechCrunch

May 8, 2026May 7, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Elon Musk’s legal effort to dismantle OpenAI may hinge on how its for-profit subsidiary enhances or detracts from the frontier lab’s founding mission of ensuring that humanity benefits from artificial general intelligence.

On Thursday, a federal court in Oakland, California, heard a former employee and board member say the company’s efforts to push AI products into the marketplace compromised its commitment to AI safety.

Rosie Campbell joined the company’s AGI readiness team in 2021, and she left OpenAI in 2024 after her team was disbanded. Another safety-focused team, the Super Alignment team, was shut down in the same time period.

GameStop makes daring bid for eBay, hoping to rival Amazon | CNN Business

May 5, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

GameStop has offered to buy ecommerce giant eBay for $55.5 billion, a tie-up that the video game retailer’s boss believes could produce a “legit competitor” to Amazon.

The offer comes amid something of a revival at eBay, which has pushed to reinvent itself in the face of rising competition from the likes of Walmart, Amazon, Shein, and Facebook Marketplace.

GameStop — which became a household name during the meme stock craze of 2021 — has offered $125 per share for eBay, half in cash and half in stock, the company announced Sunday. That represents a 46% premium to eBay’s closing share price on February 4, the day GameStop started building a 5% stake in the company.

You’re paying for the jet fuel shortage when you fill your car with gas | CNN Business

May 5, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The global oil market is wildly complex, with thousands of interconnected parts all working seamlessly together to keep the world’s economy humming. Most of the time, no one notices.

Until it breaks.

It’s been two and a half months since the war with Iran ruptured the crude oil market, and the aftershocks are starting to show up in unexpected ways. Among the many quirks: A European jet fuel shortage – that Americans are paying for at the gas pump.

Oracle Launches AI-Driven Applications to Transform Finance and Supply Chain

April 28, 2026April 27, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Oracle recently launched its Fusion Agentic Applications, a suite designed to enhance finance and supply chain operations through advanced AI capabilities. These innovative tools enable small business owners to automate decision-making and streamline operations within their existing workflows, promising improved efficiency and notable cost savings.

Small business owners often face the daunting task of managing multiple processes with limited resources. According to Oracle’s Executive Vice President of Applications Development, Steve Miranda, “Finance and supply chain teams are under constant pressure to close faster, respond to disruptions sooner, and deliver more with the same resources.” Traditional manual follow-ups and handoffs can occupy valuable time, making it difficult to adapt promptly to changing business conditions.

U.S. Coal Plant Retirements Slow to Record Low as Future Plans Shift | Small Biz Trends

April 28, 2026April 27, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

During 2025, the U.S. electric power sector experienced a significant shift in its energy landscape, with only 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired generating capacity retired—marking the lowest number since 2010. Many small business owners, especially those relying on stable energy sources, may find these developments critical as they navigate operational costs and sustainability.

Coal plant operators had initially planned to retire 8.5 GW in 2025, but unforeseen delays and cancellations changed the outlook. Notably, 4.8 GW of planned retirements were postponed, and two coal plants, totaling 1.1 GW, scrapped their retirement plans altogether. Additionally, a facility scheduled to close in 2026 has now pushed its retirement to 2029. These shifts are indicative of a broader realignment in the energy sector, with implications for electricity pricing and availability.

Meta will let parents see children’s chats with AI and intervene before risks spiral | Digital Trends

April 23, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Meta has been in hot water over teen safety and AI for a while now. A Wall Street Journal investigation, a lost lawsuit in New Mexico, and an FTC inquiry later, the company is finally putting in place some meaningful parental supervision tools.

Today, Meta is introducing a new Insights tab in its supervision hub across three of its most popular platforms: Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. While the name doesn’t make it clear right away, the feature gives parents a window into what their teenagers are actually discussing with Meta AI on all these apps.