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Inside Girl Scouts headquarters in New York City and its two licensed bakeries, a team of trend forecasters, marketers, and food scientists spend years cooking up its next iconic cookie. Now, fans of the annual cookie sale are about to get a taste of what the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) team has been baking behind closed doors. The newest addition to the cookie lineup are Exploremores, a rocky road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookie with chocolate shortbread exteriors and chocolate, marshmallow, and toasted almond-flavored cream centers. For Girl Scout cookie enjoyers, a fresh cookie is always a welcome surprise. But, according to Wendy Lou, GSUSAs chief revenue officer and the mastermind behind the nonprofits cookie program, the cookie invention process is an intensive project that requires year-round dedication. Cookie Season may be once a year, but behind the scenes, the conversation about whats next is always happening, Lou says. [Photo: GSUSA] A brief history of the Girl Scout cookie Girl Scout cookies date back almost as far as the Girl Scouts themselves. Along the way, dozens of new flavors have been tested and ultimately retired into the archives of Girl Scout cookies past. According to GSUSAs official record, the first Girl Scout cookies are believed to have been baked in 1917, just five years after GSUSA was first founded. Initially, the cookies were a more run-of-the-mill bake sale fundraiserbut in the following decades, the concept went national, becoming a more organized affair including specially licensed bakeries and a streamlined list of flavors. By 1978, all cookie boxes (regardless of the baker) included uniform GSUSA branding, as well as officially named flavors. Since then, GSUSA has adopted a kind of two-pronged approach to its cookie sales. Each year, the company returns to a few classic cookie flavors that customers can reliably count on, historically including Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Samoas, and Trefoils. Alongside those tried-and-true offerings, the nonprofit generally also includes at least one new or limited-time cookie to add some intrigue to the mix. This second category has produced treats including VanChos, a pack of chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies that ran from 1974 to 1983; Echo, an Oreo-style cookie that lasted from just 1987 to 1989; and Savannah Smiles, a lemon-shaped wedge that was purchasable from 2011 to 2019. More recently, a cookie called the Raspberry Rally was available for just one season in 2023, resulting in a black market-esque resale bonanza. Its a clever strategy that keeps customers coming back each year, both for their favorite classic cookies and to try something differentbut in order to make the cut, a new Girl Scout cookie must first face an intensive development process. [Photo: GSUSA] Why it takes three years to design a cookie According to Lou, GSUSA doesnt adhere to a strict annual cadence for new cookie releases. Instead, its team regularly reviews cookie performance, food trends, and feedback from Girl Scouts to judge its current cookie portfolio and decide when its due for a fresh addition. Innovation is never off, she adds. Were always looking ahead. And cookie innovation is no quick affair. Lou says brainstorming for a new release typically begins around three years in advance, starting with early ideation based on consumer trends, followed by taste testing and naming. In recent years, this naming process has expanded beyond simply describing the cookie to capturing some part of the Girl Scout experience (see 2021s Adventurfuls, for example). Exploremores was chosen to reflect the spirit of curiosity, adventure, and exploration at the heart of Girl Scouting, Lou says. Every name is intentionally selected to connect back to our mission and the experiences girls gain through the program. Even after a cookie is approved, packaged, and coordinated with GSUSAs two bakeries, it still takes about 18 months to make it to an actual cookie stand. From there, its fate is annually reevaluated based on sales performance, local Girl Scout council needs, and operational considerations. In 2025, for example, GSUSA retired its Girl Scout Smores and Toast-Yay! flavors, which were introduced in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Now, they live in the storied archive of cookies past. For any new cookie, like the Exploremore, lifespan is ultimately determined by how customersand scoutsrespond to it. While some cookies are retired to make room for innovation, fans know that Girl Scout history is full of beloved cooiesand who knows what the future might hold? Lou says. What never changes is our commitment to delivering a lineup that excites customers and helps girls succeed.
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E-Commerce
Once the ball starts rolling in the Spanish league, the game is on for some 50 analysts who start looking for signs of online piracy.They scan websites, social media posts, IPTV platforms and streaming portals in search of illegal broadcasts of La Liga matches.The trained analysts identify the pirated content and take the steps needed to take them off air, including notifying Internet intermediaries like Cloudflare, the U.S.-based company whose content-delivery network is believed to manage nearly 20% of the Internet traffic worldwide.And that’s when the real fight begins for the Spanish league.La Liga, one of the most active European leagues fighting piracy and audiovisual fraud, accuses Cloudflare of ignoring illegal content and not doing enough to block it. It says Cloudflare plays a decisive role in the dissemination of online piracy that significantly hurts the soccer industry.Protecting its content is key for the league, which recently sold domestic audiovisual rights for more than 6 billion euros ($7 billion) through the 2031-32 season.Spanish league president Javier Tebas told The Associated Press in an email that Cloudflare is an organization “fully aware that a significant share of sports audiovisual piracy relies on its infrastructure and, despite this knowledge, it continues to protect and monetize that activity, as recognized by courts in multiple jurisdictions.”Tebas said that in Spain alone, more than 35% of La Liga’s content piracy continues to be distributed through Cloudflare’s infrastructure, despite thousands of formal notices and judicially backed enforcement measures implemented by Internet service providers.“This is not a legal, technical or ideological debate, but a case of a company prioritizing its commercial interests and financial gain over the law, the sustainability of the global sports industry, and the protection of its own customers, whom it uses as a digital shield for organized piracy networks,” Tebas said. Cloudflare speaks of censorship Cloudflare, which describes itself as a “long-standing champion of a free and open Internet,” denies wrongdoing and accuses the league of bullying its way into controlling what Spanish users see online during matches.Cloudflare told the AP that the league’s “indiscriminate blocking practices” have kept Spanish users from accessing tens of thousands of legitimate sites while the games are on.The company said La Liga thinks that its commercial interests can “trump the right of ordinary Spanish users to browse lawful sites” during matches.Cloudflare has encouraged Spanish users who notice lawful sites getting blocked because of La Liga to track those blocks and tell their lawmakers. Cloudflare highlights the need to fight “Internet censorship and the harm it causes.”“Cloudflare regularly works collaboratively with rightsholders to help address issues like illegal streaming,” it said. “La Liga, however, has shown no interest in this type of collaboration, believing instead they can bully their way to having complete control over what Spanish users see online during football matches by making unsupported claims and threats.”La Liga notes there is collaboration among several other intermediaries, including Google, Amazon and YouTube, but says Cloudflare has rejected similar collaboration efforts with the league. Legal actions The Spanish league has been successful in achieving court rulings against piracy in Spain, which also impacts Cloudflare, but it remains unable to get the company to block some of the illegal content internationally.Cloudflare has fought back in the courts, filing appeals to “demonstrate that La Liga’s overblocking practices are illegal.”“We are also engaging with talking to politicians and regulators, as well as civil society to find collaborative solutions to combating illegal sports streaming without impeding Internet access for millions of Spanish users,” it said.Cloudflare faces similar legal issues in Italy, France, Germany and Japan, among other countries. The Italian league said it has taken action against Cloudflare multiple times and will continue to do so. In Germany, the local league said it was in “regular and intensive communication with Cloudflare in order to combat the issue of digital piracy in the best possible way.” Seeking government support Cloudflare recently told the United States Trade Representative that the actions by foreign countries constitute digital trade barriers that contradict global norms and disproportionately impact U.S. technology providers, hindering market access in some countries.The Spanish league has also reached out to the European Commission and the USTR to complain about Cloudflare’s practices. It told the USTR that Cloudflare was the main facilitator for unauthorized broadcasts of La Liga and other pirated content worldwide.Cloudflare claims that its network is vital to the U.S.’ economic and security interests.“We urge the U.S. government to continue its resolute advocacy on behalf of American businesses to dismantle these structural barriers and ensure a global digital environment that rewards innovation and fair trade,” it said.The USTR did not answer an AP email requesting comment. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Its a dream come true for investors with heavy defense stock holdings. On Thursday, defense stocks surged after President Trump called for a massive $1.5 trillion defense budget next year. The figure was floated in a Truth Social post on Wednesday. That would be an increase of roughly 50% over the 2026 budget of $901 billion. I have determined that, for the Good of our Country, especially in these very troubled and dangerous times, our Military Budget for the year 2027 should not be $1 Trillion Dollars, but rather $1.5 Trillion Dollars. This will allow us to build the Dream Military that we have long been entitled to and, more importantly, that will keep us SAFE and SECURE, regardless of foe, Trump wrote. Presumably, the beefed-up budget would help pay for some of Trumps military ambitions, which include a Golden Dome air-defense system, and even a new naval ship design. As for how itd be paid for, Trumps Truth Social post suggests that tariff revenue could help cover the additional costs. The reaction by the markets was predictable, as defense companies saw share prices rise during pre-trading Thursday morning. As of around 11 a.m. ET, Northrop Grumman shares were up around 3.75%, Lockheed Martin shares were up more than 6%, and Raytheon shares were up 2%. Interestingly, Trumps dream military post also comes soon after he also floated the idea of preventing defense companies from conducting stock buybacks or paying dividends to shareholders. That idea came in response to the presidents frustration that defense companies were not moving quickly enough, as he wrote in another Truth Social post earlier on Wednesday. As it stands, its unclear how realistic a huge increase to the defense budget is, but according to reporting from Politico, many Republican members of Congress have already voiced support for the increase, including House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, Representative Steve Womack of Arkansas, and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
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E-Commerce
Gmail was always a gateway drug for the greater Google ecosystem. When it launched in 2004, Gmail stood out by offering then-wild amounts of storage for free. Despite few updates to its design in two decades, it now boasts 2.5 billion users and is the largest email service in the world. Andlike so much of the tech industryGoogle is betting that email will sell you on its next big bet: AI. Starting today, Gmail will begin rolling out three new AI services that will significantly impact the way you use your inbox. Gmails new AI features Two of the services require a $20/mo subscription to its Gemini AI service, while the third will come to all users, free. (And yes, you will be able to opt out if you dont want them.) The biggest, and most exciting update is AI Overviews. In essence, this is the Gmail search bar you knowthat perplexing window that stares you in the face as you wonder, what combination of keywords do I need to recall from a random message thread from 6 years ago? [Image: Google] But now, the search bar is infused with AI. So you can ask anythinglike, who was the recruiter I talked to last weekand itll pop up their name alongside other recruiters you may have been talking to a bullet point summary that includes names, dates, and other details from your conversations. Whats interesting about those summaries is that they might include things that your friends said about these recruiters and companies in other emails on the topicwhich Gmail cites with its now-familiar notation we see in Googles main AI search. Then below this new AI summary, youll find all your related emails, much like in classic Gmail search. The next feature is a bit more disquieting, and a direct extension of Googles autocomplete Smart Replies. Now called Suggested Replies, its essentially an auto-email writer. At the bottom of someones email to you, Suggested Replies floats a gray preview of an already-written response. If you tap on itmuch like you can tap on Googles autocomplete suggestions todayit transforms from a gray preview into a fully editable email box. Suggested Replies is actually coming to all users, free, as is a related Help Me Write feature which generates an email from a prompt. (Pro users also get a set of features that also includes a more generalized proofread grammar check, for those who respect the people theyre emailing enough to actually write a note themselves.) [Image: Google] Finally, all users will get access to a new Gmail AI inbox. This is at least the third attempt Gmail is making to cut through the clutter of your emailswhich is necessary for most people, as the average, overwhelmed person gets dozens of emails a day but takes action on fewer than five, according to Yahoo. [Image: Google] AI Inbox has two big features. The first turns your emails into a to-do list. Instead of showing you an email you haven’t responded to, it actually gives you a job like send Ernies vaccination records to Doggy Daycare. Whats clever in the UI is that these to-dos are actually presented a lot like emails. Theyre familiarwhich is key to a platform used by billions of people. You see someones avatar alongside a two-line summary of what you have to do. And by clicking a reply button, and youre ushered into the proper email thread to do it. Just below the to-do list, theres a second, catch me up list. This goes into various topics, ranging from your childrens school updates to your bills. It summarizes the state of play, reminds you of upcoming chats, and lists pertinent dates coming up. Its also heavily cited, with direct links to emails on each topic. Google’s greater AI-meets-email strategy For Google, AI is not just a means to improve your inbox clutter in the immediate. In the longer term, Blake Barnes, head of Gmail product, shared that Google is building a future where the lines between the rich data inside our inboxes and our search queries combine into a far more satisfying, and effective manifestation of Google AI. Assuming youre willing to open up your email to Googles wider service stack. What if Gemini could help you plan a vacation with all of the context Gmail has? Imagine that experience. We know what kind of places you like to go to. We know the budget you usually spend. We know how many people youre traveling with, Barnes told us for an essay in Fast Companys Winter issue, imagining that it could eventually help with about any task you wanted to do. Its like having your own personal chief of staff, he said. However, in the immediate, a Google spokesperson confirmed that Gmails AI is being operated as a separate silo from Gemini AI, and using Gmail AI does not involve ads or commingling with core Search. That seemingly trial separation is enough to make Gmail AI seem like an inevitable, and irresistible toe dip for a large swath of the global population into having a personal AI assistant. Just please, please write me that next email yourself.
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E-Commerce
Gaming peripheral company Razer is betting that people want AI holograms. So much so that it introduce a perplexing new product at CES 2026 that early critics have dubbed a “friend in a bottle.” Project AVA, is a small glass cylinder that features a 5.5-inch animated desk buddy that can interact with you, coach you, or offer gaming advice on demandall powered by xAI’s Grok. Project AVA uses a technology Razer calls “PC Vision Mode” that watches your screen, allowing its 3D animated inhabitant to offer real-time commentary on your gameplay, track your mood, or simply hang out. It attempts to sell the illusion of presencea companion that isn’t just an app you close, but a physical object that lives in your room. Its not a bad idea, in theory. Giving AI a face is not just a marketing ploy but a biological inevitability. Yet Project AVA marks a strange new milestone in our march toward AI companions. [Image: Razer] The inevitability of holographic AI When OpenAI’s introduced ChatGPT 4o voice chats in the summer of 2024, humanity entered a new form of computer interaction. Suddenly, we could interact with AI voices that were smart and natural enough for humans to maintain a conversation. Since then, we have seen other voice AIs like Gemini Live, which introduce pauses, breathing, and other elements that cross the uncanny valley and allow many to suspend disbelief and even form a bond with these assistants. Research has shown that for deep emotional venting, users currently prefer voice-only interfaces because they feel safer and less judgmental. Without a face to scrutinize, we avoid the social anxiety of being watched. However, some neuroscientists argue that this preference may just be a temporary work-around for bad technology. Our brains are evolutionarily hardwired for face-to-face interaction. The “Mirror Neuron System” in our brainswhich allows us to feel empathy by watching othersremains largely dormant during voice-only chats. A 2024 study on “Generation WhatsApp” confirmed that neural synchrony between two brains is significantly weaker during audio-only exchanges compared to face-to-face ones. To feel truly “heard,” we need to see the listener. Behavioral science also tells us that up to 93% of communication is nonverbal. Trust is encoded in micro-expressions: a pupil dilating, a rapid blink, an open posture. A voice assistant transmits 0% of these signals, forcing users to operate on blind faith. Humans still find them very engaging because our brain fills the gaps, imagining faces like when we read a book. Furthermore, according to a 2025 brain scan study, familiar AI voices activate emotional regulation areas, suggesting neural familiarity builds with repeated interaction. The human connection deepens the younger you go (Razers demographic). While older generations largely use AI for productivity, Gen Z frequently reports using advanced voice modes for emotional regulation and companionship. One report noted that 72% of teenagers have engaged with AI companions, with a significant subset treating them as confidants. [Image: Razer] This comes with a dark side too: Since the prefrontal cortex responsible for impulse control and reality testing is not fully mature in teens, the empathy simulated by current voice AIs can feel dangerously real, leading to isolation from human peers or emotional manipulation by the model. But, while voice AIs are powerful user experience, they will never match direct facial interaction. Studies suggest that once the “uncanny valley” is solvedthat eerie feeling of revulsion we get when someone looks almost, but not quite, humanour brains will naturally gravitate toward them. At that point, holographic personas could become a common user experience in businesses and in intimate relationships. Project Ava is not it We are far from that point, though. We will need hyper-realistic AI faces that are algorithmically optimized to look exactly like humans, with every muscle, tick, and imperfection. To avoid the uncanny valley in Project AVA Razer has opted for stylized avatars. There is “Kira,” an anime-style character, “Zane,” a strategic gaming coach, and even a licensed avatar of esports legend “Faker.” The goal is to lean into the parasocial dynamics already common in gaming culture, where digital characters often feel more like friends than software. [Screenshot: Razer] Early hands-on experiences suggest the illusion is fragile. Reviews describe the interaction as “wonky,” with the hologram frequently going on irrelevant tangents. Critics have been quick to label it a “friend in a jar,” questioning whether it fulfills a enuine social need or simply exploits loneliness with a visual gimmick. Its also, and this is important, not a real hologram. These are just 3D animated characters projected in a flat transparent film. Move to the side and your friend will be reduced to 2D invisibility. [Image: Razer] The ethical concerns deepen when you look under the hood. While Razer claims the hardware is model-agnostic, the current iteration is powered by xAIs GrokElon Musks ethically challenged AI model. This instantly tethers the device to the darker side of AI development. Just this week, Grok has been embroiled in a global scandal involving its new “edit” feature, which users have exploited to generate non-consensual sexual imagery at a rate of one image per minute. While Project AVAs avatars are stylized and locked by Razer, the association with an engine currently under investigation by EU and U.K. regulators for facilitating “mass digital undressing” casts a long shadow over the product. There is no guarantee that users won’t find ways to jailbreak AVA to behave in similarly controversial ways, turning a gaming coach into something far more unsavory. Still, its a first step. The market is already betting on this shift. The holographic AI assistant sector is projected to grow from roughly $600 million in 2024 to nearly $4 billion by 2031. We are already seeing successful applications in healthcare, where users rate AI avatars dressed as doctors as more competent than voice-only agents, as well as in customer service kiosks where a digital face helps maintain user attention. AVA is hinting at this future, but it hasn’t solved the fundamental problems yet. To become natural, a holographic AI must be more than a gimmick in a glass. It must be a lot smarter than Grok, and it will need to possess the subtle social cues that signal safety to our nervous system. Until then, AVA will be just a crude toy. [Screenshot: Razer] Im not dismissing it, though. Given our biological imperative, it’s only logical to think that humans will gravitate to holographic manifestations of AI in future UX experiences. But while the holographic AIs are inevitable, Ava doesn’t seem to be it. With luck, it will be remembered as a proto-form of what’s to come. Something truly advanced that, hopefully, will not be powered by the descendants of a techno-fascist AI.
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E-Commerce