If youve been confessing your deepest secrets to an AI chatbot, it might be time to reevaluate.
With more people turning to AI for instant life coaching, tools like ChatGPT are sucking up massive amounts of personal information on their users. While that data stays private under ideal circumstances, it could be dredged up in court a scenario that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned users in an appearance on Theo Vons popular podcast this week.
One example that weve been thinking about a lot people talk about the most personal shit in their lives to ChatGPT, Altman said. Young people especially, use it as a therapist, as a life coach, Im having these relationship problems, what should I do? And right now, if you talk to a therapist or a lawyer or a doctor about those problems, there’s legal privilege for it, theres doctor patient confidentiality, theres legal confidentiality.
Altman says that as a society we havent figured that out yet for ChatGPT. Altman called for a policy framework for AI, though in reality OpenAI and its peers have lobbied for a regulatory light touch.
If you go talk to ChatGPT about your most sensitive stuff and then theres a lawsuit or whatever, we could be required to produce that, and I think that’s very screwed up, Altman told Von, arguing that AI conversations should be treated with the same level of privacy as a chat with a therapist.
While interactions with doctors and therapists are protected by federal privacy laws in the U.S., exceptions exist for instances in which someone is a threat to themselves or others. And even with those strong privacy protections, relevant medical information can be surfaced by court order, subpoena or a warrant.
Altmans argument seems to be that from a regulatory perspective, ChatGPT shares more in common with licensed, trained specialists than it does with a search engine. I think we should have the same concept of privacy for your conversations with AI that we do with a therapist, he said.
Altman also expressed concerns about how AI will adversely impact mental health, even as people seek its advice in lieu of the real thing.
Another thing Im afraid of is just what this is going to mean for users mental health. There’s a lot of people that talk to ChatGPT all day long, Altman said. There are these new AI companions that people talk to like they would a girlfriend or boyfriend.
I dont think we know yet the ways in which [AI] is going to have those negative impacts, but I feel for sure it’s going to have some, and we’ll have to, I hope, we can learn to mitigate it quickly.”
Not too long ago, it used to take trial and error and a girls’ night to find out that your date is a walking red flag. Now, there’s an app for that.
The Tea Dating Advice appwhich allows women to anonymously leave feedback on menhas quickly captured the attention of social media.
Founded and self-funded by former product manager Sean Cook, the app quietly launched in 2023, but it has just recently gained momentum. Beating out ChatGPT, the app this week became the No. 1 most downloaded app on Apple’s App Store. It has over 4 million users, the company claims.
Cook first started the company after “witnessing his mothers terrifying experience with online datingnot only being catfished but unknowingly engaging with men who had criminal records,” the company website reads.
Fast Company reached out to Tea for comment on this article. A press representative declined.
The idea behind Tea is not new. Similarly themed forums have existed for years online. For instance,in the popular “Are We Dating the Same Guy” Facebook group, women share photos and information about their partners to find out if they were cheating, while also offering support networks to spot red flags.
And while such groups do routinely get taken down due to privacy concerns, apps mimicking the model have also popped up, with one even taking the group’s name.
Still, as the Tea app continues to gain traction, it has also garnered criticism and raised concerns about privacy, particularly among male groups.
How does Tea work?
Serving as a sort of “Yelp for men,” Tea lets women leave feedback on men they have previously dated, marking them as a green or red flag. Marketing itself as an app that revolutionizes safety in dating for women, the app also has a built-in sex-offender map and a chat section for women to discuss advice.
Additionally, a premium paid version of the app offers more advanced safety tools, including an AI-powered reverse image search to spot catfishing, a background check tool, and criminal record and court document searches.
The paid version of the app currently costs $14.99 a month, with 10% of the profits going to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, according to an annual giving statement published on the app’s website.
Fast Company reached out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline to confirm, but did not receive a comment at the time of publishing.
To access Tea, women have to verify their gender by submitting a selfie, which is then verified by the app’s team.
Once accepted, users can post a photo of their partners, comment on perceived toxic behavior, add design elements like green or red flags, or generally ask the community if they know any “tea” on them. However, there is no verification process to certify that all claims are truthful.
Fast Company gained access to the Tea app and used some of its features, which were prone to glitches during a review of the UX on Friday. Screenshots of the app are disabled.
Men are not happy about it
While Tea as a concept might seem useful for women in today’s complex dating world, men online are alarmed by the app.
In one popular Reddit group, r/MensRights, a mega-thread about the Tea app was started on July 24, following several posts of men criticizing the app and asking how to get posts about them taken down.
On TikTok, several posts denouncing the app have also gone viral.
“This is a disaster of epic proportions,” one user shared on TikTok. “You don’t even have to prove you went on a date with this person.”
Additionally, claims of a “male version” of the app circulated on social media, with users claiming that it was quickly taken down due to inappropriate content, although its existence is not yet verified.
Its unclear if Teas sudden popularity will land it on the radar of Apple or Google, both of which have lengthy guidelines that prohibit apps with harmful or objectionable content on their app stores. Fast Company reached out to Apple and Google for comment.
Growing concerns as user base skyrockets
It’s not just men who have expressed concerns or even outright complaints about Tea. “It’s so over saturated. I was scrolling and there is a bunch of men with no comments, no anything,” one female user shared on TikTok. “I feel like that defeats the purpose.”
Concerns over user safety have also circulated, with some worried that women with access to the app might be sharing the posts with their male friends, which could potentially put the anonymous users in harms way.
Meanwhile, the news website 404 Media recently reported on a data breach, where personal information including drivers’ licenses and selfies from Tea users were allegedly leaked on 4chan.
Tea acknowledged the breach after the story was published via a post on the app, saying the leaked dataset included 72,000 images, of which 13,000 were selfies and other types of photo identification.
Tea’s privacy policy claims that photos are “securely processed and stored only temporarily and will be deleted immediately following the completion of the verification process.” However, the leaked dataset was from “over two years ago,” the post says, contradicting the company’s own privacy policy.
As Tea continues to spark debates around privacy, toxic dating cultures, and potential ways that the app could be abused, many users across social media are merely highlighting the deeper meaning behind the app itself.
“While everyone’s laughing at the stuff posted on that app, I’m honestly disgusted. My heart breaks for every woman who’s been cheated on, lied to, mistreated, harassed, or worse,” another user shared on TikTok. “There is nothing funny about trauma. It’s not cute. It’s not entertainment.”
It has, to date, been a calm hurricane season in the state of Florida, but any resident of the Southeast will tell you that the deeper into summer we go, the more dangerous it becomes.
There’s no stopping Mother Nature’s wrath, but a Florida-based tech company has come up with a way to help state officials begin recovery efforts after a storm blows through. The technology could eventually be used for other natural disasters, such as the recent flash floods in Texas’ Hill Country and the devastating fires in California.
Last fall, Urban SDK, a Jacksonville, Florida-based software company that aggregates traffic data to help public works departments spot problems more easily, launched HALOa new service that quickly highlights the most pressing problem areas after a storm passes.
As soon as winds drop below 40 mph and the sun is out, the company tasks satellites and deploys helicopters, drones, and fixed-wing aircraft to gather aerial imagery of the storms impact. Those images are processed through its computer vision model, helping state and local officials identify areas where roads are blocked by fallen trees, flooding, or severe damage.
“Our first priority is to get the roads back to operational,” says Drew Messer, CEO of Urban SDK. “The goal is to have eyes onin clear visibilitythe most important impacted area within 24 hours. What we are trying to [offer] is a centralized platform for that information.”
The imagery HALO captures also serves as formal evidence for state officials when requesting FEMA reimbursements for cleanup efforts.
While Urban SDK currently works with 34 states and over 250 local governments in its primary business, HALO is currently only used in Florida. The 2024 hurricane season marked its first deployment, but as 2025 progresses, Urban SDK plans to offer the service in other states.
Right now, HALO is a tool that is hurricane-specific. (The name, by the way, stands for Hurricane Assessment, Logistics and Operations.) Ultimately, though, Messer says the company hopes to adapt the service for a broader range of emergency events.
Theres growing need for that kind of flexibility. The recent Texas floods left more than 130 dead and caused an estimated $18 billion to $22 billion in damages and economic loss. Last year, Asheville, North Carolina, suffered at least $53 billion in damages and saw at least 42 fatalities after Hurricane Helene stalled over the city.
Scientists warn that more floods are likely. Warmer air holds more moisture, and combined with aging infrastructure and budget cuts to NOAA, stormswhether tropical or otherwiseare becoming more dangerous.
That could make tools like HALO increasingly valuable for search and rescue efforts as well as economic recovery.
Looking ahead, the technology could also prove useful in the days before a storm or disaster hits, by identifying vulnerable areas and providing simulated assessments of potential impact. This could help authorities implement preventative responses.
“There’s an opportunity now where we can coordinate a whole of government approach to these issues and allow the disparate systems to be coordinated and joined together so individuals can make better operational decisions based on really relevant information,” says Messer.
Thats still in the future. For now, HALO remains focused on hurricanes, and Urban SDK is preparing to expand the tools reach beyond Florida. With forecasters predicting a higher-than-usual number of named storms this year (including 6 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 5 major hurricanes), HALO could have plenty of work ahead.
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On Tuesday, D.R. HortonAmericas most valuable and largest homebuilder, with a $46 billion market capitalization and ranked No. 123 on the Fortune 500reported its third-quarter earnings for the three months ending June 30.
While D.R. Hortons earnings didnt wow investors, the fact that there wasnt an accelerated softening beyond what homebuildersincluding D.R. Hortonhad already reported earlier this year was enough for some Wall Street investors to buy back into homebuilder stocks.
For todays piece, were going to take a closer look at D.R. Hortons earnings and the commentary its executives provided during Tuesdays earnings call.
Incentive spending is helping D.R. Hortons home sales hold steady
D.R. Hortons net new orders, by its fiscal Q3 (the three months ending June 30th):
Q3 2018 > 14,650
Q3 2019 > 15,588
Q3 2020 > 21,519
Q3 2021 > 17,952
Q3 2022 > 16,693
Q3 2023 > 22,879
Q3 2024 > 23,001
Q3 2025 > 23,071
D.R. Horton continues to see weakness in Florida
While D.R. Hortons national net orders were pretty much flat year-over-year, there was a -10.1% year-over-year drop in its Southeast division. That division includes Floridawhich D.R. Horton once again acknowledged remains on the softer/weaker side.
There’s been a lot of a change [weakening] in the dynamic in the Florida markets. And perhaps most so there. Other markets continue to be consistent performers where there’s been limited inventory and limited development of lots. And housing production continues to see strong demand in those markets, D.R. Horton chief operating officer Michael Murray said during their earnings call on July 22, 2025.
North (13% of D.R. Hortons Q3 2025 net new orders): Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
East (21%): Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
Northwest (6%): Colorado, Oregon, Utah, and Washington
South Central (27%): Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas
Southwest (10%): Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico
Southeast (24%): Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi
D.R. Hortons average sales price moves sideways
D.R. Hortons average sales price in Q3 2025 ($369,600) was -7.3% below the third-quarter peak in Q3 2022 ($398,800).
Its possible that some of the drop in average sales price is due to shifts in product and geographic mix. Instead of outright price cuts, D.R. Horton has preferred to offer bigger incentives this cycle, such as mortgage rate buydowns.
Regardless, D.R. Hortons average sales price confirms that upward pricing momentum has stalled in many markets.
D.R. Hortons incentive spend has caused margin compression
D.R. Horton reported a 21.8% gross margin on homes for Q3 2025. Thats down from 24.0% in Q3 2024; however, its unchanged from its Q2 2025 gross margin (21.8%).
The fact that the margin didnt further compress quarter-over-quarter is why some investors bought the stock back.
However, D.R. Horton acknowledged that, looking ahead, the ongoing housing market softening still points towards a bit higher incentives.
Our commentary really over the last year has been that incentives have been increasing. That’s been the main driver for the gross margin decline over the last year. Our operators are striving every day to strike the best balance between hitting pace and maintaining margin in each community to maximize returns. And so they’re using all the levers they have with incentives to try to balance that. And so we have seen the pace of incentive cost increases and the pace of margin decline moderate a bit over the last couple of quarters and then this quarter it held flat sequentially [quarter-over-quarter], Jessica Hansen, head of investor relations at D.R. Horton, said during ther earnings call on July 22, 2025.
Hansen added that: But the trend is still pointing towards a bit higher incentives, and we don’t see significant offsets to that, though we will continue to work on costs on the construction side.
On Tuesday, D.R. Horton told investors expect Q4 2025 gross margins to come in between 21.0% and 21.5%.
Labor hasnt been an issue for D.R. Horton yet despite the increased ICE crackdown
From labor availability, it’s plentiful. We have the labor that we need. Our trades are looking for work. And that’s why you’ve seen sequential and year-over-year reduction in our cycle time. Because we have the support we need to get our homes built. And, you know, given those efficiencies, reductions in stick and brick [costs] over time. Some of that is from design. And efficiency of the product that we’re putting in the field. And some of that is just from the efficiency of our operations, D.R. Horton CEO Paul Romanowski said during their earnings call on July 22, 2025.
Tariffs havent coincided with higher stick-and-brick costsbut lumber tariffs are something to watch
On Tuesday, D.R. Horton told analysts that stick-and-brick costs are down 2% year-over-year and down 1% quarter-over-quarter.
Note: My understanding is that stick-and-brick costs include direct construction costs of building a home on-site using traditional wood materials like lumber (“sticks”) and masonry materials like concrete (“bricks”). These costs include both materials (e.g., lumber, drywall) and labor (plumbers, roofers, etc.).
Although the White House hasnt included Canadian softwood lumber on their broader tariff list, the U.S. government is preparing to more than double the duties on Canadian lumber imports. As a part of its annual review, the U.S. Department of Commerce plans to raise the tariff on Canadian lumber from 14.45% to 34.45%. The U.S. Department of Commerce argues that Canadian lumber is being unfairly subsidized and sold below market value in the U.S.
It [higher duties on Canadian lumber] will have some potential impact, but we’ve not quantified that. I know it is a significant step up in the tariff rates, I think, going to effect next month. But, you know, we’re buying some percentage of that wood and there’s some substitutionary product that would be available as well. Based on where that pricing ultimately settles, D.R. Horton chief operating officer Michael Murray said during their earnings call on July 22, 2025.
Homebuilder stocks got a little bounce following D.R. Hortons earnings
Following the earnings reports from D.R. Horton and PulteGroup on Tuesday, Wall Street gave homebuilder shares a slight bounce. While the move doesnt return shares to the highs reached around September 2024, it could signal that some on Wall Street believe homebuilder margin compression is losing momentum.
Pura Scents is recalling more than 850,000 diffuser covers because some magnets may detach and cause a possible ingestion hazard to children.
The company is recalling the detachable covers for about 851,400 Pura 4 Smart Home Fragrance Diffusers. It said an additional 1,100 were sold in Canada.
Pura Scents said that the magnets on the inside cover of the product can detach, posing an ingestion hazard to children. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract each other, or other metal objects, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning, and death.
The company has received three reports of magnets detaching from the cover. No injuries have been reported.
The diffusers were sold at Target, Scheels, and other stores nationwide from August 2023 through May 2025 for about $50. They were also sold online through Pura’s website, as well as online at Amazon, Target, and Scheels.
Pura Scents is offering a free replacement cover. Consumers are advised to immediately dispose of the existing detachable cover and to keep the diffusers out of the reach of children and pets.
To receive the free replacement cover, individuals may contact Pura Scents at 855-394-5292 toll-free from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday. The company can also be emailed at replacement@pura.com. Consumers may also visit the company’s website and click on Recall at the bottom of the page for more information.
By Michelle Chapman, AP business writer
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he liked a strong dollar but “you make a hell of a lot more money” with a weaker one.
“So when we have a strong dollar, one thing happens: It sounds good. But you don’t do any tourism. You can’t sell tractors, you can’t sell trucks, you can’t sell anything,” Trump said at the White House before leaving on a trip to Scotland.
“It is good for inflation, that’s about it.”
The dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against six major currencies, steadied on Friday after hitting two-week lows earlier in the week. It is still down roughly 10% over the six months Trump has been in office.
Trump has often complained that dollar strength blunts U.S. export competitiveness and hurts U.S. manufacturing and jobs.
Trump told reporters on Friday that manufacturers would be the first to benefit from a falling dollar, citing construction and mining equipment maker Caterpillar, whose shares have risen 16% over the last month.
Japan and China fought for weaker currencies for decades and were able to dominate markets over the years, Trump said.
“Now it doesn’t sound good, but you make a hell of a lot more money with a weaker dollar – not a weak dollar but a weaker dollar – than you do with a strong dollar,” he said.
At the same time, he acknowledged that pushing for a weaker dollar wasn’t a good look, saying a strong dollar is good psychologically.
“It makes you feel good,” he said. “I love strong dollars.”
Steve Holland and Maiya Keidan, Reuters
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for in an attempt to create clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image and likeness era.Trump directed the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.” The order does not provide or suggest specifics on the controversial topic of college athlete employment.The move comes after months of speculation about whether Trump will establish a college sports commission to tackle some of the thorny issues facing what is now a multibillion-dollar industry. He instead issued an order intended to add some controls to “an out-of-control, rudderless system in which competing university donors engage in bidding wars for the best players, who can change teams each season.”“Absent guardrails to stop the madness and ensure a reasonable, balanced use of resources across collegiate athletic programs that preserves their educational and developmental benefits, many college sports will soon cease to exist,” Trump’s order says. “It is common sense that college sports are not, and should not be, professional sports, and my administration will take action accordingly.”There has been a dramatic increase in money flowing into and around college athletics and a sense of chaos. Key court victories won by athletes angry that they were barred for decades from earning income based on their celebrity and from sharing in the billions of revenue they helped generate have gutted the amateurism model long at the heart of college sports.Facing a growing number of state laws undercutting its authority, the NCAA in July 2021 cleared the way for athletes to cash in with NIL deals with brands and sponsors deals now worth millions. That came mere days after a 9-0 decision from the Supreme Court that found the NCAA cannot impose caps on education-related benefits schools provide to their athletes because such limits violate antitrust law.The NCAA’s embrace of NIL deals set the stage for another massive change that took effect July 1: The ability of schools to begin paying millions of dollars to their own athletes, up to $20.5 million per school over the next year. The $2.8 billion House settlement shifts even more power to athletes, who have also won the ability to transfer from school to school without waiting to play.At Big Ten Conference football media days in Las Vegas, Purdue coach Barry Odom was asked about the Trump order.“We’ve gotten to the point where government is involved. Obviously, there’s belief it needs to be involved,” he said. “We’ll get it all worked out. The game’s been around for a hundred years and it’s going to be around 100 more.”The NCAA has been lobbying for several years for limited antitrust protection to keep some kind of control over this new landscape and avoid more crippling lawsuits but a handful of bills have gone nowhere in Congress. Trump’s order makes no mention of that, nor does it refer to any of the current bills in Congress aimed at addressing issues in college sports.NCAA President Charlie Baker and the nation’s largest conferences both issued statements saying there is a clear need for federal legislation.“The association appreciates the Trump administration’s focus on the life-changing opportunities college sports provides millions of young people and we look forward to working with student-athletes, a bipartisan coalition in Congress and the Trump administration,” said Baker, while the conferences said it was important to pass a law with national standards for athletes’ NIL rights as soon as possible.The 1,100 universities that comprise the NCAA have insisted for decades that athletes are students who cannot be considered anything like a school employee. Still, some coaches have recently suggested collective bargaining as a potential solution to the chaos they see.It is a complicated topic: Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court. While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.Trump’s order also: Calls for adding or at least preserving athletic scholarships and roster spots for non-revenue sports, which are those outside football and basketball. The House settlement allows for unlimited scholarships but does impose roster limits, leading to a complicated set of decisions for each program at each school that include potential concerns about Title IX equity rules. Trump said “opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports must be preserved and, where possible, expanded.” Asks the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission to “preserve college athletics through litigation” and other actions to protect the rights and interests of athletes a stance that could influence ongoing lawsuits filed by athletes over eligibility and other issues. Directs White House staff to work with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to protect the collegiate pipeline feeding Team USA. College sports programs produce around three-quarters of U.S. Olympians at a typical Summer Games, but some are on uncertain footing as schools begin sharing revenue with athletes and the lion’s share going to football and basketball.
Will Weissert, Associated Press
AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed.
U.S. stocks are hanging around their records on Friday and coasting toward the close of another winning week.The S&P 500 was edging up by 0.1% in early trading, coming off its latest all-time high, and is on track to finish its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 71 points, or 0.2%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was drifting around its record set the day before.Deckers, the company behind Ugg boots and Hoka shoes, jumped 16.6% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the spring than analysts expected. Its growth was particularly strong outside the United States, where revenue soared nearly 50%.Edwards Lifesciences rose 8% after likewise topping Wall Street’s expectations for profit in the latest quarter. It said it saw strength across all its product groups, and it expects profit for the full year to come in at the high end of the forecasted range it had given earlier.They helped offset drop of 8.8% for Intel, which fell after reporting a loss for the latest quarter, when analysts were looking for a profit. The struggling chipmaker also said it would cut thousands of jobs and eliminate other expenses as it tries to turn around its fortunes. Intel, which helped launch Silicon Valley as the U.S. technology hub, has fallen behind rivals like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices while demand for artificial intelligence chips soars.The pressure is on companies to deliver solid growth in profits after their stock prices rallied to record after record in recent weeks. Wall Street has zoomed higher on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inflation. Trump has recently announced deals with Japan and the Philippines, and the next big deadline is looming on Friday, Aug. 1.Besides potential trade talks, next week will also feature a meeting by the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Trump again on Thursday lobbied the Fed to cut rates, which he has implied could save the U.S. government money on its debt repayments.Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has continued to insist he wants to wait for more data about how Trump’s tariffs will affect the economy and inflation before the Fed makes its next move. Lower interest rates can help goose the economy, but they can also give inflation more fuel.Lower rates also may not lower the U.S. government’s costs to borrow money, if the bond market feels they could send inflation higher in the future. In that case, lower short-term rates brought by the Fed could actually have the opposite effect and raise the interest rates that Washington must pay to borrow money over the long term.The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that the Fed will wait until September to resume cutting interest rates.In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following Trump’s latest attempt to push Powell to cut interest rates. Trump also seemed to back off on threats to fire the Fed’s chair.“To do that is a big move, and I don’t think that’s necessary,” Trump said. “I just want to see one thing happen, very simple: Interest rates come down.”If Trump fired Powell, he’d risk freaking out financial markets by raising the possibility of a less independent Fed, one unable to make the unpopular choices that are necessary to keep the economy healthy.The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.42% from 4.43% late Thursday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do, held steady at 3.91%.In stock markets abroad, indexes slipped across much of Europe and Asia.Stocks fell 1.1% in Hong Kong and 0.3% in Shanghai. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said he will meet with Chinese officials in Sweden next week to work toward a trade deal with Beijing ahead of an Aug. 12 deadline. Trump has said a China trip “is not too distant” as trade tensions ease.
AP Writers Teresa Cerojano and Matt Ott contributed.
Stan Choe, AP Business Writer
College admissions are at a critical juncture.
Enrollment patterns are changing, with the enrollment cliff now in full view. AI is transforming how students apply to college and how schools evaluate their potential. Additionally, institutions are navigating a complex maze of funding and policy requirementsand, at times, increased political pressures.
Amid these challenges, many higher education institutions are realizing that traditional recruitment playbooks no longer cut it. This year, admissions leaders are rethinking how to attract, evaluate, and support students, while answering a fundamental question: How do we demonstrate the value of a college degree in a world that keeps questioning its worth?
These seismic shifts were made clear in a new report by the company I cofounded, Acuity Insights. Our survey of admissions leaders across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia found that admissions teams are under greater pressure to not only react to changes but actively rebuild for the future.
From revamping how they assess applicants to retooling how they build lasting, student-centered strategies, schools need to lay the groundwork for long-term resilience and success.
Enrollment, policy, and technology changes are keeping admissions leaders on their toes
Lets start with the elephant in the room: Enrollment is down, and its only expected to get worse. With the demographic cliff expected to hit in earnest by fall 2025, admissions leaders are bracing for an even steeper drop in high school graduates entering the pipeline.
Its no surprise that 41% of admissions leaders cited competition from other institutions as their top challenge, followed closely by 36% who pointed to the declining interest in traditional college education. These concerns have sparked a new focus on student retention and career readiness; schools need to not only get students in the door, but also support their students success all the way to graduation.
Layered on top of enrollment concerns are significant policy shifts. Nearly half (46%) of U.S. admissions leaders say they feel fully prepared to navigate changes in financial aid, affirmative action, and DEI policies. However, a near equal percentage (45%) only feel moderately prepared for these changes, which will require updates in admissions criteria and renewed efforts around compliance.
At the same time, todays applicants are evolving just as rapidly. Digitally native students are bringing AI into the admissions process. Our fall 2024 survey of 1,000 recent higher education applicants found that 35% used AI tools like ChatGPT during the application process (and thats just the ones who were willing to admit it).
Its no surprise that 78% of admissions leaders are concerned about how AI might compromise the authenticity and integrity of student submissions, especially as generative tools become more sophisticated and harder to detect.
These combined shifts demand a careful balancing act. Admissions teams must weigh innovation with integrity, speed with substance, and institutional competitiveness with their core mission of educating and preparing students for success beyond graduation.
3 areas where admissions is adapting the most
Its encouraging to see that many admissions leaders are rolling up their sleeves and making real changes to the admissions process.
Here are three key areas in which were seeing admissions teams adapt their practices to todays landscape:
1. Increased reliance on AI
AI isnt just transforming how students complete their college applications, its transforming how institutions evaluate and select applicants. In response, more than half (51%) of admissions leaders believe AI will significantly change the evaluation and selection process.
AI is making it easier to maintain a more holistic review process without sacrificing efficiency. Half of admissions leaders said their teams are using AI to identify key noncognitive factors (such as leadership, resilience, and civic engagement), and 38% report using it to predict students’ success based on various academic and personal criteria.
Beyond evaluation, AI is also being used to improve student communication and engagement, with 38% of leaders seeing value in its ability to provide more personalized support throughout the admissions journey.
2. Greater emphasis on the value of higher education
With public skepticism on the rise, students and their families are carefully weighing the cost and career outcomes of a college degree.
As a result, admissions teams are increasingly focused on proving value and communicating why a degree is still a worthwhile investment.
According to our survey, 34% of schools are emphasizing career readiness and employability in their messaging. Another 33% are doubling down on experiential learning opportunities that give students real-world context for what theyre studying.
Alumni success stories are also becoming a key tactic. Nearly a quarter of admissions teams are leveraging their graduates journeys to illustrate the long-term value of a degree, both professionally and personally.
Demonstrating the tangible benefits of higher education doesnt just apply to attracting students, its also crucial in retaining them. With fewer students entering the pipeline, institutions simply cant afford to lose students midway through their programs. Thats why many schools are doubling down on highlighting academic support, advising, and career services that ensure students stay enrolled, engaged, and on track to graduate.
Moving beyond traditional metrics
Admissions teams are also rethinking what makes a student qualified. Standardized test scores are no longer the be-all and end-all: 57% of admissions leaders are placing greater emphasis on personal qualities and life experiences during application reviews, while 31% are expanding how they evaluate extracurriculars and community impact.
This shift is part of a broader move away from rigid, one-size-fits-all admissions processes toward more holistic practices, where applicants life experiences and nonacademic skills are considered alongside academic knowledge.
Instead of relying solely on standardized tests, personal essays, and GPAs, admissions teams are leveraging personalized and student-focused pathways that account for the unique backgrounds, personal achievements, and soft skills that applicants bring to the table.
In todays complex world, qualities like leadership, civic engagement, and creative thinking can be just as predictive of a students potential as GPA or test scoresand its encouraging to see institutions’ amissions processes evolve to match.
Rebuilding admissions for a new era
This is a watershed moment for admissions. As enrollment declines, policy shifts, and technology evolves, institutions are being called on to reimagine their most fundamental processes.
Ultimately, by embracing innovative technology, better demonstrating real-world value, and revamping admissions practices, institutions are working to rebuild trust in higher education and remind students why its still a powerful pathway forward.
More than anything, these transformations reflect a bold commitment to progress and the long-term vitality of higher education. The institutions that adapt now will define what opportunity looks like for the next generation.
Lawmakers on Maui passed legislation Thursday aimed at eliminating a large percentage of the Hawaiian island’s vacation rentals to address a housing shortage exacerbated by the wildfire that destroyed most of Lahaina two years ago.It’s the latest action by a top global tourist destination to push back against the infiltration of vacationers into residential neighborhoods and tourism overwhelming their communities. In May, Spain ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 holiday listings on its platform for having violated rules. Last month, thousands of protesters in European cities like Barcelona and Venice, Italy, marched against the ills of overtourism.The Maui County Council’s housing committee voted 6-3 to pass the bill, which would close a loophole that has allowed owners of condos in apartment zones to rent their units for days or weeks at a time instead of a minimum of 180 days. The mandate would take effect in the West Maui district that includes Lahaina in 2028. The rest of the county would have until 2030 to comply.The council still needs to vote on the bill, but the committee’s result is a strong indication of the final outcome because all nine council members sit on the housing panel. The mayor is expected to sign the bill, which he proposed.“Bill 9 is a critical first step in restoring our commitment to prioritize housing for local residents and securing a future where our keiki can live, grow, and thrive in the place they call home,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said in a statement, using the Hawaiian word for children.
Vacation rentals take up one-fifth of Maui’s housing
Vacation rentals currently account for 21% of all housing in the county, which has a population of about 165,000 people.An analysis by University of Hawaii economists predicted the measure would add 6,127 units to Maui’s long-term housing stock, increasing supply by 13%.Opponents questioned whether local residents could afford the condos in question, noting that many of the buildings they are in are aging and their units come with high mortgages, insurance payments, maintenance and special assessment costs.Alicia Humiston said her condo is in a hotel zone so it won’t be affected. But she predicted the measure will hurt housekeepers, plumbers, electricians and other small business owners who help maintain vacation rentals.“It’s not what’s best for the the community,” said Humiston, who is president of the Rentals by Owner Awareness Association.Bissen proposed the legislation last year after wildfire survivors and activists camped out on a beach popular with tourists to demand change.
Mayor says tourism will continue but must not ‘hollow out our neighborhoods’
The University of Hawaii study said only about 600 new housing units are built in the county each year so converting the vacation rentals would be equivalent to a decade’s worth of new housing development. Condo prices would drop 20-40%, the study estimated.The report also predicted one-quarter of Maui County’s visitor accommodations would vanish and visitor spending would sink 15%. It estimated gross domestic product would contract by 4%.The mayor said such economic analysis failed to tell a full story, noting families are torn apart when high housing costs drive out relatives and that cultural knowledge disappears when generations leave Maui.The mayor told the council the bill was one part of a broader housing strategy that would include building new housing, investing in infrastructure and stopping illegally operated vacation rentals. He said there were limits to how much new housing could be built because of constraints on water supplies and sewer infrastructure.Tourism would continue on Maui but must do so in a way “that doesn’t hollow out our neighborhoods,” the mayor said.The mayor’s staff told council members that visitor spending would decline with the measure but most of the drop would be on lodging. Because 94% of those who own vacation rentals in apartment zones don’t live on Maui, they said much of this income already flows off-island. They predicted the county budget could withstand an estimated $61 million decline in annual tax revenue resulting from the measure.
Audrey McAvoy, Associated Press
