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YouTube is in talks to offer select creators millions in payments if they keep their videos exclusively on its platform for a set period, two people familiar with its efforts told Business Insider.The move is a direct shot at Netflix, which has been ramping up its licensing of creator videos for its platform.Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw broke the news on YouTube’s outreach.One person familiar with YouTube’s efforts told Business Insider that talks were underway with a handful of creators. They added that the deal specifics varied by creator and that YouTube hadn’t set a deadline to complete them.A second person, who’s…

The sight of Amazon’s delivery drones buzzing over their homes could soon be the norm for a growing chunk of Americans.Amazon said Prime Air is expanding its drone delivery service to almost 500 US cities and towns by the end of this year. The company plans to make the service available to customers in Illinois, Georgia, Ohio, Idaho, and New York.That’s a major ramp up. Seven states, including Nebraska and Florida, already have access.The company says that any items that weighs 5 pounds or less, and that can fit in a large shoe box, can be delivered by a drone.…

Target’s bid to win back shoppers is gaining momentum as it tackles one of the most important shopping seasons of the year: back-to-school.The Bullseye retailer said Wednesday that the early response to the annual stock-up on school and college supplies has been strong with several weeks still to go.”It’s encouraging to see a strong consumer response to change where we’ve made it, but there’s a lot to come,” CEO Michael Fiddelke said during a call with reporters on Tuesday.Fiddelke, who took over as CEO earlier this year, is working to get Target back into the good graces of shoppers after…

Elon Musk has wanted Warren Buffett as a shareholder for years. His wish has finally come true, in a sense.As of June 30, Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway indirectly owned about 0.04% of SpaceX, a stake worth over $800 million, according to Business Insider’s calculations.This “look-through stake” — a term coined by Buffett — is based on Berkshire owning part of Alphabet, which in turn owns part of SpaceX.Berkshire reported a roughly 0.9% stake in Alphabet, worth about $38 billion, in its second-quarter portfolio update on Friday.Alphabet revealed in its portfolio filing that it owned about 4%, or $94 billion worth, of…

Bob Iger and Josh Kushner plan to buy the Los Angeles Lakers at a record-setting price of $12.5 billion. The best argument for that price: The value of sports TV deals is the one thing that keeps going up, even as the rest of TV contracts.But even though that’s been true for years, it doesn’t mean it will always be true. One hint that things might be changing: The all-powerful NFL — the thing that keeps TV afloat — is starting to see some pushback from its TV partners, led by Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch’s Fox.In 2026, it is very…

Some Silicon Valley workers are taking their résumés off LinkedIn and putting them on their wrists, showing off rare, customized watches from Swiss manufacturer Tudor.The latest round of wrist-flexing began when a post highlighting custom watches made for Googlers circulated on Monday. The post attracted other tech workers sharing their own customized timepieces.Boris Power, OpenAI’s head of applied research, responded with a picture of the custom OpenAI version, complete with the phrase “Good Research Takes Time,” engraved on the back.Eliano Younes, Palantir’s strategic engagement head, jumped in to note that some of the data giant’s staff got customized Tudors, saying…

The team behind the livestreaming platform Kick, which has become a haven for controversial creators, is launching a new app. On Club, creators can earn money through direct payments and build fan communities.The pitch: At a time when social media has become riddled with bots and AI slop, Club can help creators — particularly livestreamers — build stronger relationships with their fans and diversify their businesses.”We launched Club to create a more human form of social media,” said Henrik Pohlmann, Club’s 30-year-old CEO.Club, which is launching out of beta this week with iOS and Android apps, is entering a crowded market, with big…

Three executives who sold their company to S4 Capital are suing the agency group helmed by advertising mogul Martin Sorrell, alleging it has withheld millions of dollars and shares owed to them.The former CitrusByte execs allege in the lawsuit that S4 engaged “in a campaign of obfuscation and delay” and raised “unfounded claims and arguments” to avoid payment, allegedly withholding at least $7 million in escrow funds and delaying or withholding millions of S4 shares tied to the deal.S4 declined to comment on ongoing litigation. The company has not made a legal response to the claims in the lawsuit, which…

Microsoft AI’s chief marketing officer, Andréa Mallard, started transitioning out of her post about six months after being appointed to the role, Business Insider has learned.In an internal email, Microsoft announced that Mallard, who joined Microsoft’s AI unit from Pinterest in January, plans to leave the company.In the June 30 memo, viewed by Business Insider, Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi said Mallard planned to relocate her family to Europe in August to be closer to her father, who was unwell, and that this would result in her stepping back from her role.Microsoft confirmed Mallard’s departure plans and said she’ll stay on…

Lowe’s on Wednesday reported mixed results as the home improvement retailer said it saw “pressure” in spending on projects.Though the company did not cut its full-year guidance, it updated its outlook to the bottom end of its prior guidance. It now expects total sales of $92 billion, compared to $92 billion to $94 billion previously, and comparable sales to be flat, versus flat to up 2%. It expects adjusted earnings per share for the year of $12.25, versus $12.25 to $12.75 previously.Shares of Lowe’s fell about 2% in premarket trading.Here’s how the company performed in its second fiscal quarter compared…