• Marc Andreessen said AI will create a new type of filmmaker in Hollywood.
• “The filmmaker with no visual skill, or access to a set, or to a camera, or to actors, but with an idea,” he said.
• AI has divided the entertainment industry as it threatens jobs and copyright holders.

Didn’t go to film school? Don’t worry. Legendary investor and movie buff Marc Andreessen doesn’t think that will be an issue for future creatives.

During an episode of “Monitoring the Situation,” the podcast for the venture capitalist firm that Andreessen cofounded, A16z, he said advancements in AI technology — like OpenAI’s Sora 2 — have made it possible for a new type of filmmaker to emerge.

“The filmmaker with no visual skill, or access to a set, or to a camera, or to actors, but with an idea,” Andreessen said on Friday. “It’s going to start with shorts and animated things and so forth, but it’s going to work its way up to full movies.”

Andreessen said AI has made the art of filmmaking more accessible to people who may have creative skills but lack the financial resources or technical expertise.

“People who otherwise would be limited to only being novelists or people who do graphic novels but are creative geniuses are going to be able to actually make full movies with AI,” Andreessen said. “I think that’s a reason for profound optimism. I think we’re going to get completely new kinds of film and entertainment from people who otherwise never would have been able to access the medium. I’m very positive on that.”

A16z announced last year that it had invested in Promise, a studio that uses AI to create films and other projects.

While some industry leaders view AI as an opportunity to cut costs and speed up projects, others worry it could wipe out jobs.

Skeptics have also expressed concern over potential copyright issues related to how companies train AI models and use copyrighted IP.

Outside of film, other segments in the entertainment industry are also grappling with AI and its impact on creatives. On Thursday, Spotify announced a partnership with major record labels and music companies to develop “artist-first AI music products.” In a press release, the streaming platform criticized the tech industry.

“Some voices in the tech industry believe copyright should be abolished. We don’t. Musicians’ rights matter. Copyright is essential,” the company said. “If the music industry doesn’t lead in this moment, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, consent, or compensation.”

Representatives for Andreessen Horowitz did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• The US Army is starting to really prioritize integrating drone technology into the force.
• But not every soldier needs one, a commander argued this week.
• These systems can be enablers, he said, but they can also be overwhelming.

When it comes to fielding drones in the US Army, one commander said giving too many to soldiers could be overwhelming.

While Army leadership has been pushing new drone technology, much of the learning — including how many drones small units can realistically handle — is happening on the fly.

At the Association of the US Army’s annual event in Washington, DC, this week, Col. Dave Lamborn, commander of the 2nd Mobile Brigade, 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, said there’s an upper limit on the “number of devices to field out to tactical formations.”

There has been a lot of discussion about getting enablers, like drone tech, down to the squad level. “I certainly want to enable squads, but I also don’t want to encumber squads,” Lamborn said. “There’s enough stuff for these guys to do.”

A squad leader, for example, would end up with even more responsibilities, while fire teams could wind up managing devices instead of leading their riflemen. Soldiers already juggle plenty of gear, like night vision, thermal optics, radios, and weapons, that demand constant attention, Lamborn said.

The lowest level that Lamborn envisions using drones is the platoon, which is composed of more soldiers than squads that are more capable of handling drone operations without it becoming a burden.

Drone distribution isn’t just about workload, he added. It’s also about key resources, such as batteries, charging stations, spare parts, 3D-printing gear, and power generation. Each adds a new layer of logistical hurdles to overcome.

By limiting that distribution, Lamborn said, he can better tackle those resource demands, “which prove to be a great challenge for us in a jungle environment, quite frankly,” back a bit.

Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, the deputy commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, raised similar concerns. “Now, how many can you effectively employ?” he asked. “Do I bring ammunition on the helicopter, or do I bring batteries on the helicopter?”

Those limits may change with time though. When the technology advances, the number of drones a unit could handle might be “unlimited,” he said.

The Army is still figuring out how to make small, cheap drones work in the real world. In the Indo-Pacific’s heat and humidity, for instance, keeping them operational is a challenge. The 25th Infantry Division has taken a leading role in testing, especially with small drones and 3D printing gear.

Across the US Army, soldiers are learning to build, fix, and fly uncrewed aerial vehicles and even conduct drone-on-drone kills as the service and the broader US military embrace drone warfare. Many of these lessons draw from the war in Ukraine, and close work with industry partners has created an iterative feedback loop between soldiers and drone developers.

There are some growing pains, though, including a shortage of soldiers with the specialized skills needed to operate drones, conduct electronic warfare, and manage other tech the Army sees as critical for future wars.

• Amex said new account acquisitions for its elite Platinum card doubled since a recent revamp.
• Amex is seeing strong spending among younger cardholders and has geared some perks toward them.
• Chase said it had its best year for new account acquisitions on its elite card earlier this week.

Not even multi-hundred-dollar fee hikes have stifled the consumer appetite for elite credit cards.

American Express executives said that early demand for its revamped Platinum card beat their expectations on Friday’s third-quarter earnings call.

“New Platinum account acquisitions are running at twice the level before the refresh,” CEO Stephen Squeri said on the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Friday. So far, he said it’s the “strongest start” the company has seen for a US Platinum refresh (this is the third in the last decade).

Amex unveiled its new Platinum card in September, which has an annual fee of $895. Squeri said that retention rates for existing cardholders “have been stable post refresh,” adding that the $200 price hike won’t go into effect for them for a few months.

As the luxury credit card wars have heated up — Chase upped its Sapphire Reserve fee and Citi introduced its Strata Elite card this summer — some have grumbled over the ever-climbing fees. According to JPMorgan Chase CFO Jeremy Barnum, however, they’re not having any trouble convincing people to pay the now $795 fee for its refreshed card.

“This has already been the best year ever for new account acquisitions for our Sapphire portfolio,” he said on Chase’s third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.

For Amex, the Platinum perks “appeal broadly across generations, including millennial and Gen Z consumers,” Squeri said on Friday. He added that they seem to especially appreciate the wellness and entertainment bonuses.

Young cardholders have become a key Amex customer in recent years. In the first quarter of last year, the company said millennials and Gen Zers made up 75% of its new platinum and gold accounts.

Squeri also said in an interview last year that the company used to target millennials and Gen Zers with no-fee cards, but has since tried to woo them with fancier and more expensive ones. This quarter, millennial and Gen Z consumers across Amex cards tended to complete about 25% more transactions than older cohorts, CFO Christophe Le Caillec said on Friday’s call.

Amex reported $421 billion in billed business — the value of transactions on Amex products — during the third quarter. The company’s stock was up more than 7% by mid-afternoon on Friday.

• The US Chamber of Commerce sued Trump over a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee.
• The fee was introduced by Trump via an executive order last month.
• The lawsuit argues that the fee is “unlawful” and would hurt American businesses.

The United States Chamber of Commerce sued the Trump administration on Thursday over the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas.

The lawsuit said the fee, which President Donald Trump put in place with an executive order last month, was “unlawful” and that it would harm American businesses.

“The United States is unique in its ability to attract the brightest talent from across the globe. For more than 70 years, what is now known as the H-1B visa program has enabled the United States to harness this magnetic draw,” the lawsuit said, adding that as a result of the new fee businesses would have to “dramatically increase their labor costs or hire fewer highly skilled employees for whom domestic replacements are not readily available.”

It also argues that the executive order is unlawful because it “blatantly contravenes the fees Congress has set for the H-1B program.”

The lawsuit pits the business association against Trump, who has fashioned himself as a pro-business president.

The White House and the Chamber of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

This story is breaking. Check back for updates.

• My husband loves a good deal and is always looking for ways we can save money.
• In 2025, he has saved us about $300 a month with his wild habits.
• He tracks the prices of items we regularly purchase at five stores and optimizes cash back from credit cards.

“Pears were on sale today, Mom! And we got your favorite protein bars!” my daughter exclaimed one morning after grocery shopping with her dad.

My husband is obsessed with grocery shopping deals, from watching prices across five different stores to finding the best credit cards with cash back on groceries. Sometimes I get annoyed at how much time and energy he spends grocery shopping, but then I look at the receipts and see how much he saves.

Over the past year, he’s saved us over $300 a month on his wild (but sometimes fun) habits.

He follows prices and products at 5 stores

Joe’s typical grocery route looks like this: Stops at Aldi for 12 containers of Greek yogurt, runs to Meijer (a Midwest chain) to get protein powder because it’s buy one, get one half off, then pulls into Costco for protein bars and peanut butter.

He looks across ads, sales, and coupon programs to find the best prices on items our family regularly eats — and specialty items that are nice to have (but usually out of our budget).

He also knows what products we all like better than other brands, like Aldi’s string cheese and fish sticks, so he watches for when the price drops, then stocks up. We even bought a second fridge to store dairy products and drinks. We use the extra freezer space to stockpile bacon and ground beef when they go on sale.

By spending time comparing prices and products, Joe has developed an intimate knowledge of where to shop for certain items, saving us a significant amount of money every month.

He uses credit cards that offer cash back on groceries

In his spare time, Joe researches the best credit cards for our family, including the ones that offer the most cash back on groceries.

His favorite is the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card that offers 6% back on supermarket purchases for the first $6,000 spent. He also uses the Citi Custom Cash Card to get 5% back on our biggest spend category (which is always groceries). Plus, our local credit union card gives us 2% back at wholesale places like Costco.

Together, his credit cards earn us over $650 cash back every year on groceries alone.

He times purchases with sales and seasonal items

About once a month, a package of raspberries goes on sale for $0.99 at Meijer. When that happens, Joe buys at least six, because he knows I love them. But if grapes are the sale fruit, that’s what we have that week. We explain to the kids that we can’t always get the item we want, because it’s not on sale, and we can wait until it is.

Joe has learned that sales often follow a cadence based on seasonality and the store (such as protein powder deals once a month). Right now, apples are a great price in Michigan, so we buy several bags at a time and store them in a cool place.

He signs up for each membership

Most grocery stores offer memberships or loyalty programs, often at no cost. It takes a few minutes to sign up, but it offers lower prices and exclusive deals.

He says that signing up only takes up a little time but always pays off.

He even paid more for us to have the Costco Executive Membership, because it gives us 2% back. He calculated that we would save about $20 a month, which would more than offset the extra $65 cost a year.

He stocks up on non-perishables

Sometimes I get frustrated when the pantry is overstocked with sale-priced olive oil, crackers, and diced tomatoes. But on the other hand, I often have what I need to make a soup or put out a spread for guests.

Plus, I know everything he buys is a good deal, which makes the overcrowding more tolerable.

He teaches the kids how to save and budget

My oldest two boys enjoy the challenge and game of shopping deals with Dad. Joe takes the kids along on his grocery goose chases, filling them in on what they’ll need from each store and why. It’s often a fun Thursday night or Saturday morning excursion.

“Oh man, the Goldfish aren’t on sale, we’ll have to wait for next week,” our 6-year-old said on a recent trip.

The kids are learning from dad how to be smart with their money: waiting to buy something until it’s on sale, being selective and patient, and knowing how to make the most of their money.

For helping dad shop and save, they always get to pick out a treat that’s just for them. The Pringles and popsicles make everyone happy — just the cherry on top of a very low receipt.

• United Airlines just took a subtle jab at its two biggest rivals as it aims to position itself as premium.
• It promised to have uncrowded lounges and touted how many planes now have seatback entertainment.
• Delta has struggled with long lines at its Sky Clubs. And American eschews seatback entertainment.

United Airlines just threw a subtle jab at its two biggest rivals.

The carrier on Thursday said it was focused on a host of “premium” moves, including making sure its airport lounges don’t get “overcrowded” — an obvious swipe at Delta Air Lines, which continues to face long lines outside some of its popular Sky Clubs.

But it didn’t stop there. It tweaked American Airlines, too.

United, during its Thursday earnings call with investors, touted its growing number of seatback screens, saying that these are installed on more than 146,000 seats across 765 airplanes.

It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that American stubbornly refuses to install seatback screens on most of its domestic fleet.

“These screens define a premium airline in the US,” said United’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Andrew Nocella. “Our signature interior conversion is now at 64% and an investment of over $1.6 billion.”

The comments came after a choppy year for airlines, with President Donald Trump’s positions on tariffs and other controversial issues said to be putting a damper on demand for some international flying.

United’s SVP of global network planning and alliances, Patrick Quayle, told the media in October that the airline has seen some decline in foreign points of sale. Still, he said, transatlantic demand remains strong overall, with more than 80% of its seats purchased by people in the US.

United jabbed at perceived shortcomings at Delta and American

United is trying to position itself as the more premium option among the Big 3, emphasizing comfort and exclusivity as the airlines compete for high-paying premium and business travelers.

United said its premium cabin revenue rose about 6% year-over-year in the third quarter, though that was less than Delta’s 9%.

Meanwhile, Delta has acknowledged the record crowds at its more than 50 Sky Clubs worldwide and has made changes, though some have annoyed customers.

In 2023, it raised annual lounge pass prices by $150, increased guest fees, and restricted access for basic economy passengers unless they had the right credit card.

Hoping to split the crowds between the two upscale products, Delta is also rolling out a new tier of exclusivity: “Delta One” lounges, which are more high-end than its Sky Clubs. As of 2025, there are only four locations: New York-JFK, Boston, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

Responding to a request for comment from Business Insider, a Delta spokesperson said: “We are always evaluating our policies and strategy to ensure the best possible Club experience. We continue to track impact of previous policy changes and strive to ensure an unparalleled Club experience for our valued members.”

Meanwhile, American has stayed steadfast in its mostly anti-seatback entertainment stance. (It has in-flight entertainment on large planes that fly overseas, and on certain transcontinental flights.) But on most of its domestic workhorse fleet, it’s instead installed tablet holders so passengers can stream entertainment on their own devices. This saves money on weight and fuel.

Some people — including this reporter — prefer it this way.

“Over 90% of our customers already fly with their own devices — ones they upgrade, know, and prefer,” an American spokesperson told Business Insider. “As such, American is focused on investing in fast connections and free entertainment, enjoyed on the devices our customers choose.”

The spokesperson added that all AAdvantage loyalty members will get free WiFi starting next year.

It’s earnings time for airlines

On Thursday, United’s stock was down more than 7% after it posted better-than-expected earnings figures, but revenue numbers that fell short of what analysts had expected.

Still, its stock is up more than 34% over the past year.

Delta, which also reported earnings last week, is up around 6.5% over the past year. American, which is set to report earnings next week, is down nearly 8.6%.