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• The newly public SpaceX S-1 reveals how closely Elon Musk’s companies are connected.
• Last year, SpaceX was involved in more than $660 million worth of payments, goods, and services with the ventures.
• Here’s a look at how SpaceX is intertwined with Tesla, The Boring Company, and more.

Step right up to Elon Musk’s financial merry-go-round.

Tucked more than 200 pages into SpaceX’s S-1 paperwork, which the company filed on Wednesday, is an outline of how interconnected Musk’s various companies are, including through more than $660 million in payments, goods, and services involving SpaceX and his other ventures last year.

Musk has his hands in many pots. In addition to being the CEO of aerospace company SpaceX, he’s the CEO (and “Technoking”) of electric carmaker Tesla, the founder of tunneling business The Boring Company, the cofounder of brain chip firm Neuralink, and was the CEO of xAI, until it merged with SpaceX in February. In various ways, the companies are all intermingled.

SpaceX said in the filing that there may be “conflicts of interest,” but ultimately, they benefit investors.

It’s not uncommon for companies with certain ties to do business with one another and to spell out these relationships in a prospectus filing when they plan to go public. The breakdown in SpaceX’s S-1 is the first look we’re getting at some of its connections, including SpaceX’s deals with The Boring Company or its purchase of Tesla Cybertrucks.

The biggest expenses between the companies fell under the banner of “commercial, licensing, and support.”

Last year, SpaceX paid Tesla $144 million under such agreements, a figure significantly higher than in years past. xAI, then a separate entity, spent more, paying Tesla $506 million last year. xAI, then a separate entity, spent more, paying Tesla $506 million last year, while also bringing in $2 millon in revenue from Tesla.

The majority of SpaceX’s cumulative $650 million in spending with Tesla was for Megapack products, Tesla’s battery storage system. SpaceX also bought $131 million worth of Cybertrucks, which, at a starting retail price of $69,990 a pop, would be as many as 1,871 vehicles.

Additionally, Tesla paid $4 million last year to advertise on X.

Some expenses were driven by pure practicality: Tesla paid SpaceX $2 million to use its aircraft, X leased office space from The Boring Company for $1 million, and xAI rented space from the billionaire’s umbrella company, Musk Industries LLC, for $2 million last year. SpaceX also spent $4 million on a security company owned by Musk for his personal security, as Tesla has done, per its filings.

Other expenses were mind-scratchers. SpaceX paid The Boring Company $1 million in connection with the construction of tunnels in Bastrop, Texas. These could be the tunnels connecting his facilities reported by local outlets, or they could be related to the chip facility SpaceX is building there.

Tesla and SpaceX’s relationship is more than transactional

Musk’s companies plan to continue doing business together, particularly Tesla and SpaceX, which, the company said, have a “strong and constructive partnership.”

Tesla owns nearly 19 million shares of SpaceX stock. While that represents less than 1% of the company, at a target valuation of $1.5 trillion, those shares would be worth about $4.1 billion.

SpaceX and Tesla also have major projects in the works. The pair is developing Macrohard, an agentic AI platform, and, along with Intel, has partnered on Terafab, a manufacturing initiative that creates chips for Tesla’s robots and vehicles, as well as SpaceX’s orbital compute infrastructure.

The projects are set to be the beginning of a long relationship.

“We plan to explore other areas of strategic collaboration with Tesla in the future,” the document says.

• Mark Zuckerberg’s email struck an empathetic tone. He also said he didn’t expect more companywide layoffs in 2026.
• Layoff anxiety can hurt worker productivity and morale, thereby carrying a real business cost.
• Workplace observers say his focus on stability suggests he recognizes the impact of prolonged uncertainty.

Mark Zuckerberg is signaling that Meta employees can stop looking over their shoulders.

After long emphasizing cost-cutting, management flattening, and “Year of Efficiency” rhetoric, the Meta chief struck an empathetic tone in his post-layoff email to employees on Wednesday — emphasizing stability, conceding communication failures, and promising to “do right by people along the way.”

In his internal email to staffers, he thanked the roughly 8,000 workers who were being let go and emphasized his desire to provide “as much stability as possible” to those who remained.

It was a reminder that layoff anxiety carries a real business cost.

To that point, Zuckerberg said that he doesn’t expect further companywide layoffs in 2026.

While that doesn’t rule out smaller-scale cuts, the message followed weeks of grueling uncertainty for staffers waiting to learn whether they still had jobs.

Zuckerberg’s email — a shift away from the more hard-charging tone he adopted post-pandemic — suggested he recognizes that prolonged uncertainty can weigh on employees and, ultimately, the company itself, workplace observers told Business Insider.

“You do need to try to create some psychological safety for people who are there, because layoffs are extremely distracting,” said Amii Barnard-Bahn, a C-suite coach and consultant.

‘We won’t always get this balance right’

Wednesday’s cuts were the latest challenge for a workforce that has spent years navigating repeated rounds of layoffs, heightened performance scrutiny, and persistent questions about whether AI would take their jobs.

It’s a theme that has played out across tech, as companies increasingly tie cuts to AI and leaders warn about a white-collar bloodbath.

In 2025, the CEO told staffers in an all-hands meeting to “buckle up” for an “intense” year ahead. Some of Meta’s layoffs have come with an added sting: Last year, the company also said it was cutting some 4,000 workers who had failed to meet expectations.

By the time the latest round arrived, the accumulation of uncertainty had drained some employees and left them wishing they were let go.

Meta didn’t respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Zuckerberg’s Wednesday message hit on the toll that uncertainty around staffing levels can take: “We won’t always get this balance right, but I care deeply about this so we’ll keep adjusting and work hard to do right by people along the way,” he wrote.

It’s not clear how effective Zuckerberg’s softer tone might be, though he had little choice but to try to reassure those left standing, said Pav Stojkovic, an HR consultant and former chief people officer at several companies, including The Athletic.

Zuckerberg’s approach is a departure from one he’d used previously. In 2022, for example, Zuckerberg told Meta staff he was upping performance goals to get rid of employees who “shouldn’t be here.”

By “turning up the heat a little bit,” Zuckerberg said at the time that he hoped some workers would “decide that this place isn’t for you, and that self-selection is OK with me.”

Last year, Meta directed managers to place a higher proportion of employees in its bottom review rankings. Zuckerberg has a long-standing history of ratcheting up the pressure at Meta, reinforcing a blunt, survival-of-the-fittest culture at the social media giant.

The billionaire CEO is far from alone in embracing a sink-or-swim philosophy as AI reshapes the workplace.

A focus on execution

Zuckerberg’s note comes at a transitional time for the industry. Excitement over the possibility of AI has mixed with fears over efficiency-driven job cuts and the encroachment of automation on workers’ livelihoods.

As Meta reshuffles roughly 7,000 employees to focus on new AI initiatives, Zuckerberg needs a workforce concentrated on execution amid the AI arms race.

“Success isn’t a given. AI is the most consequential technology of our lifetimes. The companies that lead the way will define the next generation,” he wrote.

Barnard-Bahn said it’s likely that productivity at the company took a big hit in the last month, as workers worried about whether they or their colleagues would be cut or reorganized.

By providing workers with a higher degree of job security for the next six-plus months, Zuckerberg might be offering employees something that Big Tech competitors have not.

“Meta has the talent, the infrastructure, the apps and distribution, and the business model,” Zuckerberg wrote. “We have a lot of work ahead, but what’s on the other side is going to be extraordinary.”

• Steve Wozniak gave a commencement speech at Grand Valley State University earlier this month.
• He was cheered after telling students they had AI, or “actual intelligence.”
• Students have booed some other execs who championed AI during their graduation speeches.

Somehow, Steve Wozniak did what other college graduation commencement speakers couldn’t this year: get applause when talking about AI.

The Apple cofounder took the stage during Grand Valley State University’s graduation ceremony earlier this month. During his speech, Wozniak offered reassurance to new graduates who are entering the workforce at the height of the AI revolution.

“You have AI — actual intelligence,” Wozniak said.

The remark garnered laughs and applause from the audience.

“It would take too long to go deeply into what I think about AI, but we’ve been trying to create a brain,” Wozniak said. “Is there a way we can duplicate a routine a trillion times and have it work like a brain? AI is one of those attempts.”

While Wozniak delivered his speech without interruption, the same can’t be said of some other AI-forward commencement speakers. In the weeks that followed, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and real estate executive Gloria Caulfield were both booed for their comments about AI at two separate graduate ceremonies.

AI is looming over new graduates as they enter the job market. The tech is changing the landscape, from the skills candidates need to how companies assess them. Its ability to automate many tasks has led some companies to conduct AI-related layoffs.

During his commencement address, Wozniak reflected on working at Apple and offered students some advice as they begin their careers.

“You should always try to think different,” he said. “Don’t follow the same steps as a million other people. Think, is there something I can do a little different?”

• Shania Twain is no stranger to daring fashion; she’s been rocking bold outfits since the ’90s.
• In the past, she’s worn cutout dresses, plunging necklines, and see-through looks.
• More recently, she’s opted for floor-length gowns and statement accessories.

Who would Shania Twain be without her daring wardrobe?

The country musician has been rocking eye-catching, envelope-pushing outfits since her career began in the 1990s. And she’s only continued to evolve her style over time.

These are the most daring looks she’s worn, from the stage to red carpets.

Shania Twain has always been a fan of daring fashion. Just look at the velvet cutout dress she wore in 1998.

The black gown was asymmetrical with a single strap, an uneven cutout across her waist, and smaller slits down its skirt that extended the length of her leg.

There’s also the corseted minidress she wore while performing at the 1998 Grammys.

She accessorized the bold look with crystal-lined gloves, a satin choker, semi-sheer tights, and knee-high boots.

Next, the musician took her daring style to the 2002 CMA Awards.

She wore a form-fitting halter dress that was most daring up top, with a plunging, scooped neckline.

Twain donned the glittering, gold gown with diamond jewelry, long earrings, and her hair styled in curls.

By 2003, it was time for Twain to experiment with edgier looks, like the dress she wore to the American Music Awards.

Her black, long-sleeved dress was made from sheer mesh, but it was wrapped with opaque black fabric and matching straps. It also had a tulle piece attached to one side of its skirt that created a short train.

To complement the unique look, Twain also wore a crimped hairstyle and thigh-high lace-up boots.

The country star perfectly mixed glamour and drama that year when she performed at the Super Bowl XXXVII halftime show.

Her outfit included a crystal-covered bra, black shorts over fishnet tights, a sparkling black duster jacket, and a sequined white belt that wrapped around her waist and hips.

She also wore thigh-high leather boots.

She tried bold prints and colors at the 2003 CMA Awards months later.

Twain performed onstage in low-rise black cargo pants and a puffer vest buttoned only halfway.

The latter piece had a green, black, and pink swirled print that perfectly matched the design of her slouchy boots.

Fast-forward to 2012, Twain kicked off her Las Vegas residency in a semi-sheer catsuit.

The long-sleeved, high-neck piece was decorated from top to bottom with black beads in a tiger-stripe print, and her black gloves were lined with long, fabric fringe.

She wore the outfit with heeled, belted boots.

When she performed at the 2017 Grey Cup, Twain came prepared for Canada’s snowy weather.

She hit the stage in a red catsuit with a plunging neckline and a sparkling chainmail piece worn over it.

Twain also rocked furry boots, a matching jacket, and red leather gloves.

Last year, Twain put a new, daring twist on one of her most famous music-video looks.

She walked the People’s Choice Awards red carpet in a custom Rodarte dress. It had a sheer, long-sleeved bodice, a leopard-print bralette, and a floor-length velvet skirt with a waistline that dipped below her belly button.

The outfit — which seemingly called back to her ensemble from the “That Don’t Impress Me Much” music video — also included a leopard-print hood and shoulder piece.

Then, at the 2023 Grammys, Twain arrived with hair as red as the carpet and a hat as big as the event.

Harris Reed designed her black-and-white polka-dot look. It featured bell-bottom pants, a bustier top, and a blazer worn on top.

She returned to her country roots in a bold way at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

She first walked the red carpet in a butterfly-print dress, but later changed into a sparkling purple Chanel set that included a crop top and matching shorts. 

When some people on social media criticized the look, particularly the cut of her shorts and the plunging neckline of her top, Twain defended her daring outfit.

“For me fashion is a powerful tool that helps to convey my personality and express my creativity,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “And other than getting to hang out with my friends for the night, it’s one of my favourite things about attending award shows!”

During a 2023 concert in North Carolina, Twain hit the stage in a vibrant outfit and equally bold accessories.

She wore a pink, loose-fitting top over what appeared to be a yellow leotard, and matching jelly sandals with straps that wrapped around her legs.

She then performed in Michigan while wearing a see-through leotard.

The black garment was covered in crystals, as were her fishnet tights and knee-high boots.

To complete the outfit, Twain also wore a pink-and-purple cape that flowed behind her and layers of chunky necklaces.

In 2024, Twain arrived at the People’s Choice Country Awards in sparkling denim.

In collaboration with Levi’s, Twain helped design her denim evening gown.

The halter piece had a form-fitting bodice, a mermaid skirt, a thick, pointed collar, and all-over crystal detailing.

She wore the dramatic dress with denim gloves, a chunky ring, and a ’60s-inspired hairstyle.

This year, she chose a statement silver gown for the Academy of Country Music Awards.

The silver, strapless gown was designed by Falguni Shane Peacock.

It was covered in silver and black sequins, the latter of which were arranged in the shape of a panther across its skirt.

The dress, which was accessorized with black leather gloves, also had satin strips that flowed from her waist.

• Google delayed its Gemini 3.5 Pro AI model, disappointing some developers.
• The smaller Gemini 3.5 Flash model now powers Google’s Antigravity AI coding service.
• Feedback from 3.5 Flash will likely be used to enhance Gemini 3.5 Pro, via reinforcement learning.

Google usually saves its biggest product launches for its I/O conference every year. This time, CEO Sundar Pichai held back, and it says a lot about where the company stands in the AI coding race.

During the keynote address, Pichai told the crowd that Google’s new flagship Gemini 3.5 Pro AI model wasn’t ready yet, drawing groans from the crowd.

I was there, and I’ve spent the rest of the event coming up with a theory for the apparent delay: Google is holding this new model back for a while to get it even better at AI coding tasks.

Anthropic’s Claude Code took the world by storm last year, and OpenAI’s Codex has gotten much better recently. These frontier labs are scooping up developer mindshare and generating big revenue by enabling coders to use AI tools with agents to automate and speed up coding tasks.

It’s a revolution that’s upending Silicon Valley, and Google was probably a bit behind. But not for long.

Instead of releasing 3.5 Pro, Pichai spoke at length and with passion about another new model, the Gemini 3.5 Flash. This is a smaller model that’s faster and a lot cheaper, while being only slightly less powerful than the world’s current top models.

Google has already made 3.5 Flash the main model powering its Antigravity AI coding service. Starting today, software developers will use this tool to churn out code.

This will generate a mountain of anonymous and highly valuable data. For instance, if an engineer starts a new coding project in Antigravity and suddenly halts the task, it suggests that something in the output from Flash 3.5 wasn’t right.

Google can use this feedback data to improve the larger 3.5 Pro model, likely through reinforcement learning—a technique in which a new AI model is refined by rewarding good outputs and punishing bad outcomes.

Signals from running Antigravity on the smaller 3.5 Flash model will likely help with this process in important ways. That’s because coding is particularly good at generating clear signals for AI model development. If the code is good, it likely works. If it’s bad, it often breaks stuff.

This should give the larger 3.5 Pro model strong clues about which coding outputs worked and which didn’t.

“I know you can’t wait to get your hands on it,” Pichai said onstage. “Give us until next month to get it to you.”

So, when this big new model finally lands, I expect it to be a lot better at coding — the hottest application of generative AI right now.

Sign up for BI’s Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com.

• A New Jersey city has banned new data center developments.
• The decision effectively blocks a proposed data center giant.
• The ban comes amid a backlash against a data center boom in southern New Jersey.

A city at the heart of an AI data center boom in southern New Jersey has voted to ban them.

That means one of the largest data center proposals in the state’s history is unlikely to happen.

The Millville Board of Commissioners made the decision during a meeting on Tuesday evening, writing in an ordinance that “data centers are incompatible with the City’s land use planning objectives, infrastructure capacity, and community character.”

“The Commissioners therefore determine that the construction and operation of data centers within the City would be detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare,” the commissioners said.

The decision brings to a halt the proposed 1.4 gigawatt Millville Energy & Data Center Campus, which would have spanned over 60 acres. A1 Data Center, the company behind the project, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Southern New Jersey has emerged as something of a hub for AI data center construction, in part because of its proximity to major cities like New York and Philadelphia and its access to natural gas and transmission networks.

Several other data centers have been proposed — or are already being built — in the area, including a 300-megawatt data center in neighboring Vineland that would supply compute to Microsoft.

While large data centers have been around for decades, their scale has grown exponentially as AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic seek more compute to power their products.

Many Americans — a majority of whom are unexcited about AI, according to a recent study — are now resisting these massive data centers in their communities. They worry that they could drain their water supply, raise utility bills, cause unwanted noise, raise temperature levels, and impede their quality of life.

In its ordinance on Tuesday, the Millville commissioners cited many of these issues, writing that “large-scale data centers and similar facilities generate significant infrastructure demands.”

It also said any jobs created by the project were limited relative to its size. The companies behind data centers have argued that they are good for communities because they create jobs, though many of those jobs are in construction and temporary.

The Climate Revolution Action Network, an environmental nonprofit based in New Jersey, told Business Insider in a statement that it spent months organizing residents to oppose the Millville data center.

“This is a winning coalition and something we need to see more of across the country,” one of the group’s leaders, Kayleigh Henry, said. “These corporations may have more money than us, but they’re no match for people speaking out and making their voices heard.”

The Climate Revolution Action Network and other groups are now working to secure a statewide moratorium on data center construction.

This month, a coalition of anti-data center groups asked New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill to impose a moratorium on approving and constructing new data centers that use at least 20 megawatts of power “until regulations or legislation are implemented to protect ratepayers and consumers, maintain electric grid reliability, and minimize environmental impacts.”