Author: admin

• I packed lots of essentials for my five-hour Amtrak ride, but I didn’t think of everything I needed.
• My Kindle, tripod, and headphones came in handy for keeping me entertained on my journey.
• However, I wish I had brought more comfort items such as a travel pillow, blanket, or even slippers.

When I hauled a heavy suitcase into the overhead on my Amtrak train car, I thought I had everything I’d need for my trip.

Three jackets, two pairs of boots, and a scarf to match every sweater — I was ready for anything. However, I quickly realized I wasn’t nearly as prepared for the five-hour ride itself.

My trip from New Jersey to Boston on the Northeast Regional line gave me just enough time to settle in, stretch out, and enjoy a little downtime. Soon, I learned that what I had — and didn’t — made all the difference in how much I enjoyed my trip.

Here are five items I’m glad I brought, and three I wish I’d packed.

My ticket didn’t include complimentary snacks, so I was glad I’d brought my own.

Due to the length of my ride, I knew I’d be hungry at some point.

My basic ticket didn’t come with complimentary snacks from Amtrak, but I didn’t mind much since I had brought plenty of food from home.

I stopped at a bagel shop before boarding, packed a homemade latte, and had more than enough snacks to keep me satisfied throughout the ride.

There was a café car about halfway through the train that I could’ve bought a few bites at, but I was happy to save the money anyway.

Headphones came in handy for listening to music and streaming TV.

Though the lull of the train can be soothing in itself, I was happy to have packed my headphones so I could listen to music during the ride.

These also came in handy when I wanted to catch up on TV shows without bothering anyone around me.

The only packing mistake I made was bringing wired headphones instead of wireless ones, because I couldn’t charge my device and listen at the same time.

My hot spot came in handy when the train’s WiFi didn’t work super well.

Though Amtrak offers complimentary WiFi on routes like this one, I didn’t find it reliable for everything.

It worked fine for sending texts or scrolling through social media, but it wasn’t as reliable when I wanted to stream TV on my laptop. To stream better, I switched to my phone’s hot spot.

I brought my tripod for capturing content, but it was useful for creating extra space at my seat.

I had originally packed my tripod to capture travel content, and it was helpful as I snapped photos and filmed videos.

I also found it surprisingly useful for creating extra space at my seat.

My tray table wasn’t very big, so setting up my tripod on the floor with my phone to stream a show gave me room to keep my laptop on the table instead.

It’s worth noting that I didn’t have anyone sitting next to me, so I had plenty of floor space to work with. Overall, it made for a nice setup.

My Kindle comes with me almost everywhere I go.

Luckily, I didn’t struggle to keep myself entertained since I had packed my Kindle. I’m a book lover, so five hours of uninterrupted reading time was right up my alley.

I prefer using an e-reader over a physical book when traveling because it’s lightweight and doesn’t take up much space in my bag.

Plus, for early morning or late-night rides with my Kindle, I don’t have to rely on the train’s reading light, which might disturb other passengers.

However, I found myself wishing I had packed motion-sickness medication.

I thought I packed pretty well for the trip, but toward the end of the ride, I started feeling nauseous. I’ve never had motion sickness on a train before, but I’ve also never been on one for this long.

So, when I started feeling dizzy in the last hour, I was caught off guard. I couldn’t look at my phone screen anymore, so I leaned back and closed my eyes.

It really made me wish I had brought some motion-sickness medication along for the ride.

Having a travel pillow or blanket would’ve made my trip more comfortable.

My seat ended up being comfier than I thought, with a decent recline and footrests.

Looking back, though, I really wish I had packed some comfortable travel items, such as a neck pillow or blanket. This ride was early in the morning, and my return trip was late at night, so they would’ve come in handy.

Next time, I’ll definitely bring a few more things to make the ride cozier and allow me to close my eyes for a bit.

Similarly, slippers would’ve been helpful for walking throughout the train car.

Another comfort item I didn’t think about until I was on the train was slippers.

I like taking my shoes off during long trips, especially on airplanes, but for some reason, I felt hesitant to do so on the train.

I wish I had brought a pair of light slippers to wear during the ride and for those trips back and forth to the bathroom. It would’ve been another way to add to the overall comfort of a long Amtrak ride.

This story was originally published on December 3, 2025, and most recently updated on September 23, 2026.

• OpenAI boosts ChatGPT’s voice mode on mobile as the competition over personal agents heats up.
• The new release connects OpenAI’s voice model to its agentic text models, which can handle tasks.
• OpenAI has yet to release a direct competitor to viral AI assistants like Instinct and Meta’s Muse.

OpenAI is pushing further into the hotly contested market for personal agents — this time with voice.

The company is adding its most advanced voice system to ChatGPT’s website and mobile app on Wednesday. OpenAI’s release allows users to speak to delegate single and recurring tasks that require multiple steps, a browser, and disparate apps. The company has been rolling out launches ahead of its big OpenAI DevDay event next week.

OpenAI’s product lead for ChatGPT voice, Atty Eleti, gave a demo to Business Insider. Only speaking with the app, he had the tool analyze his DoorDash spending, pay $5 to book a pickleball court, and reorganize his calendar.

“In the future, we really imagine people using voice as the primary modality to interact with AI,” Eleti said, “and that’s kind of our North Star that we’re working towards.”

Personal AI assistants like Instinct and Meta’s Muse are having a moment in Silicon Valley as the industry peddles apps tailored to handle cumbersome internet tasks. OpenAI has many of these capabilities in ChatGPT, though it hasn’t yet released a narrower offshoot. This voice tool is a play for the AI-assistant buzz.

In the short term, the improvements make it easier for people to delegate work to ChatGPT by speaking while they’re on the go. In the long run, they’ll serve OpenAI’s hardware ambitions: Bloomberg has reported that the company is building a smart speaker for release in 2027.

Wednesday’s release connects OpenAI’s voice model, GPT-Live, to AI models that can perform tasks on computers or in browsers, a focus the company maintained before the personal AI agent craze. GPT-Live, which can listen and respond simultaneously, was already turned on for ChatGPT’s basic conversational mode and connected to agentic models on the desktop app.

Voice mode, as Eleti sees it, has three main benefits. Speaking is quick and natural — “you can blurt out your thoughts,” he said. You can do it with your hands off a device. And it can help you with vocal tasks, like learning a language or practicing a speech. Eleti and his colleagues use it while commuting and on walks, he said.

Eleti said more than 150 million people already use ChatGPT’s dictation and voice mode tools. Still, the team faces an uphill battle. Though smart speakers have shown some staying power, offices are still organized around desktop computers.

Plus, though it’s quicker to speak than type, it’s also quicker to read than to listen. Eleti said his team considered this dynamic when deciding how ChatGPT would respond to audio prompts.

“We don’t think of this as just pure voice in and voice out,” Eteli said. “It’s about voice in and then the right output back. Sometimes it’s text, sometimes it’s voice, sometimes it’s a mix.”

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at scouncil@businessinsider.com, or over text, Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 415-757-8198. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here’s our guide to sharing information securely.

• I’m a longtime Costco shopper who buys items in bulk for my household of two.
• I always stock up on staples like toilet paper, laundry detergent, and dishwasher detergent.
• Items like eggs, chicken nuggets, canned tuna, and white bread always make it into my cart.

I’ve been a Costco shopper for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I often went there with my parents on the weekends to buy bulk food items, books, clothing, and Barbie dolls — and of course, enjoy a $1.50 hot dog and soda combination for lunch.

Now, as an adult, I shop there for bulk staples for my household of two. These are the 10 items that always make it into my shopping cart.

Prices may vary by location.

Kirkland Signature toilet paper is a must.

Paper goods can be expensive at my local supermarket, but at Costco, I find they’re a great deal.

Although I pay a little more to buy name-brand paper towels, I do purchase Kirkland Signature toilet paper.

As a household of two people with stomach issues, we’re picky about what toilet paper we buy. However, I think the Kirkland Signature version is comparable to the Angel Soft brand.

During my most recent trip, I paid $25 for 30 rolls.

Eggs are a great deal at Costco.

When the average price for a dozen eggs rose to a record-high $6.23 in early 2025, I turned to Costco for more cost-effective options.

Now, I typically buy the 24-count of large white eggs for $4.83 and use them for breakfast, a snack, and a key ingredient when baking.

I always stock up on laundry detergent.

Another one of my Costco staples is laundry detergent. The warehouse carries a variety of brands, including sensitive skin options, which I prefer.

During this trip, I grabbed a container of Tide Free and Gentle Pods.

Dishwasher detergent is a steal, too.

I also stock up on dishwasher detergent at Costco, which is typically stocked in both liquid and pod forms. I grabbed the Cascade Complete pods, which were on sale for $14, which I thought was a great deal.

My husband loves the Kirkland Signature canned tuna.

My husband loves canned tuna and says that the Kirkland Signature albacore solid white version is better than other brands he’s had. He eats it on a sandwich mixed with mayonnaise or on its own with crackers.

Chicken nuggets always land a spot in my cart.

As a picky eater, I eat chicken nuggets several times a week. I like to make the Dino Buddies version in the toaster oven and have them with a side of rice or pasta.

I love looking for novelty and seasonal items.

Some of my shopping is dependent on what’s currently available seasonally, or what novelty items are in stock.

On this shopping trip, I grabbed the Reese’s-inspired One-brand protein bars. My husband tries to consume as much protein as possible and loves Reese’s, so these were a quick yes.

White bread is another item I like to buy in bulk.

I eat a peanut butter sandwich almost every day for lunch, so you can imagine how quickly we go through bread.

Costco carries Pepperidge Farm white bread as a two-pack, so I always grab that — especially because the cost for two loaves ($6.37) is similar to what I’ve seen for one at other supermarkets.

I always search the aisles for fun drinks.

Drinks are another item that usually come home with me. For my husband, it’s typically Gatorade to replenish his electrolytes after working out, playing softball, or doing jiu-jitsu.

On this trip, I got a great deal on Starburst-flavored Sparkling Ice (on sale for $13) to help wash down a new liquid medication I’m on.

Brami protein pasta is delicious.

Costco carries Brami protein pasta in bulk, which is a huge win for me. This is the best-tasting protein pasta we’ve tried, and its consistency is actually pretty similar to regular pasta.

I like to put some tomato sauce on it for another easy way to increase our protein and fiber intake.

Curious to know what other shoppers put in their carts? Check out our other Costco diaries here.

This story was originally published on February 10, 2026, and most recently updated on September 22, 2026.

• President Donald Trump announced plans to rebrand artificial intelligence.
• He proposed calling it “superintelligence,” so it wouldn’t sound “fake.”
• Artificial intelligence was originally associated with terms such as “automata studies” and “complex information processing.”

For President Donald Trump, the name “AI” is DOA.

Trump said that the United States would change the name of artificial intelligence at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. It will now be called “superintelligence,” Trump said.

“The use of the word ‘artificial’ makes intelligence fake,” Trump said. “It is not fake. It’s actually amazing.”

The name “artificial intelligence” isn’t a legally designated term that can be changed by the president. Rather, it’s a commonly agreed-upon term that companies and consumers alike use to describe the product.

The term dates back to a 1955 proposal for a conference at Dartmouth College. Mathematicians and scientists met the following year to discuss how to make machines intelligent.

Back then, there wasn’t one streamlined term for the field. Many associated the study with “cybernetics,” which considers communication in machines. A 1951 Paris conference convened several cyberneticists.

Others used terms like “automata studies,” which focused on self-operating machines. Claude Shannon, the so-called “father of information theory” and one of the 1956 conference’s organizers, used this term.

And then there was “complex information processing.” Computer science titan Herbert Simon described his work with this phrase.

When proposing the conference, computer scientist John McCarthy coined the term “artificial intelligence.” The proposal was co-authored by Shannon, Marvin Minsky, and Nathaniel Rochester.

Many have played around with the language since then. Apple named its own product Apple Intelligence. Superintelligence as a name isn’t new, either; it has ricocheted around Silicon Valley for years.

Still, AI has had a lasting footprint. It’s in one of the leading companies’ names: OpenAI.

• YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober creates toys that inspire curiosity.
• His 19-year-old, who has autism, has redefined success for him, he says.
• He says video games taught him about embracing failure and trying again.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mark Rober. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I still have the same crazy, zany ideas I had as a kid. But after becoming a mechanical engineer, I have this skill set that allows me to bring those ideas to life.

As a kid, I liked putting a slinky down the stairs. As an adult, I can build an infinity slinky staircase.

Engineering is a superpower that really exists. It allows you to just will anything into existence. That’s what I want to show kids. I want to give them the experience of getting curious, failing, and engaging with the world around them.

My career path emerged from my interests

I never thought much about my career path. Instead, I just pursued what really, really interested me. In high school, I liked physics class and making videos, even though the equipment wasn’t very good. I never enjoyed public speaking, but I had the chance to do it a lot, and I enjoyed creating the message.

When I was working as a mechanical engineer at NASA, I’d still make animations on the nights and weekends. Those side projects ended up being the illustrations that NASA used for the Mars rover.

The skills I learned at NASA, like breaking down a problem, are the same ones I use to create toys today. I would say making toys is arguably harder than being a space engineer. At NASA, when you have a problem, you can throw money at it. As a toy engineer, you’re incredibly constrained. Playing in that sandbox and making something that’s still incredibly fun is more challenging than putting a rover on Mars.

I would never take away my son’s autism if I could

My son, who is 19, is autistic. We still do the same nighttime routine with his stuffed animals that we’ve done for years. He loves repetition, so my same jokes slay every night. As a dad, what more do you want?

We live in a capitalist society, where success is often tied to your contribution to the GDP. I think a better definition of success is, are you leaving the world better than you found it? There are some people who are very successful by conventional standards, but they’re not inspirations to me. They’re not leaving the world better.

My son and his buddies, though, are like giants among us mere mortals. My son is so joyful and pure. It’s been such a privilege to know him. We never, ever shed a single tear that he was autistic. We just leaned into it. Today, if someone gave me a button that would take away my son’s autism and give me a billion dollars, I wouldn’t get within 100 feet of it.

My mom’s legacy outlived her

My mom, Caroline, had a very rare, aggressive form of ALS. She died about six months before I made my first YouTube video, 15 years ago.

She used to like the proverb “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.” She fell in love with the work of being a mom and raising great kids. Unfortunately, she never got to sit in the shade of the trees she planted. And yet, she’s still had the biggest impact on me, out of anyone in my life.

It’s just impossible to know the true measure of your impact. I just want to infect as many young brains as possible with curiosity about the natural world. In the age of AI, kids will have the answer to any question in their pockets. Moments that spark curiosity will become more important and precious — and I want to help kids and parents have more of them.

Video games can teach us about embracing failure

When a kid finishes watching my videos, I want them to look around the room and ask a question. I hope they build stuff and try things, knowing it probably won’t work the first time. Hopefully it doesn’t — because if it does, you’re not taking enough risks.

I always include the failures in my videos. They happen every single time. Kids need to see that even I don’t get it right the first time. That’s part of the process.

I grew up playing Super Mario Bros. When I died in the game, I didn’t give up; I learned from it and got excited to try again. There’s something to be said for approaching life challenges that way.

Sometimes we internalize life failures. But failures aren’t bad — they just increase the stakes, and give us a chance to try again. No one likes a video or a book without tension. We need conflict and challenge. Those aren’t bugs of this life; they’re a feature.

• The US Navy tested a new way for human planners to give autonomous aircraft orders.
• It cuts down on the work required to turn a battle plan into instructions the aircraft can understand.
• The Navy hopes the technology will make autonomous aircraft easier to use in future missions.

The US Navy has a new system that translates human battle plans into instructions that autonomous aircraft can understand and follow.

The system’s purpose is to make mission planning simpler for human operators by allowing them to communicate more easily. It lets operators focus their efforts on objectives instead of translating plans into acceptable formats for specific aircraft.

The Navy anticipates it will make autonomous aircraft easier to incorporate into the fleet.

The Navy’s Portfolio Acquisition Executives Munitions, which oversees naval weapons and strike capabilities, said on Tuesday that the service had successfully demonstrated the new Collaborative Autonomy Mission Planning tool, or CAMP. In a new release, officials said CAMP was shown off during a maritime environment test at Point Mugu Sea range in California earlier this month.

During the exercise, CAMP was connected to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.’s MQ-20 Avenger uncrewed combat aerial vehicle, which has been used as a test “loyal wingman” aircraft in the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. The Navy demonstrated the entire process, from developing the mission plan to sending it to the Avenger and reviewing the results.

“CAMP is about making autonomy more usable by integrating into mission environments with both manned and unmanned platforms,” Capt. Todd Keith, program manager of the Strike Planning and Execution Systems team under the PAEM, said, per the release.

This demonstration showed how current mission planning can be directly connected to autonomous aircraft, he added.

“That can reduce the burden on our operators, improve interoperability and help bring collaborative autonomy closer to operational use,” Keith said.

When human operators plan out missions, they have to consider the individual roles and duties of the different aircraft and systems involved. They face challenges in translating those plans to autonomous platforms that require specific formats to process information and execute missions. Similarly, there are roadblocks in the back-and-forth communication between the operator and autonomous aircraft.

The Navy said CAMP addresses those problems, translating the plans and creating a common way for planners and autonomous aircraft to communicate. The system builds on the Navy’s Experimental Platform for Intelligence Combat effort, which has been focused on how uncrewed aircraft and systems can operate with humans and on their own.

Like other services, the Navy has been exploring how it can use autonomous aircraft and systems more. Those efforts include naval aviation and uncrewed aerial systems, as well as surface and undersea vessels. Service officials have prioritized building out these capabilities, which they expect to be necessary in future fights.

Last week, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a conference that the future joint force will need to adapt to new threat environments where autonomous systems and uncrewed capabilities are in heavy use.

“We have to transition the joint force to be prepared to fight and win our future wars by generating and delivering lethality at scale with an agile, optimized, high-low mix of combat capabilities to give the young members of the 2.8 million-member all-volunteer joint force the tools that they need before they need them,” he said.