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When the Trump administration canceled the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, it pulled the plug on grant funds from hundreds of communities working to prevent catastrophes. BRIC wasnt flashy or perfect, but it was essential. Its competitive, complex process favored large, well-resourced cities. Smaller, more vulnerable places often couldnt keep up with the paperwork or wait out the delays. The program was bureaucratic, underfunded, and sometimes slow. But it did something that few else were designed to do: it gave localities from across the country access to federal dollars to proactively reinforce electrical grids, guard water lines, and prepare for floods, fires, and rising seas. In other words, it gave them a fighting chance to withstand increasingly destructive disasters. With more than 95% of Americans living in counties that have experienced extreme weather since 2011, the benefits were bound to be widespread. And fiscally prudent, too. Every $1 spent on disaster prevention saves $13 in recovery costs, according to a 2024 study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Thats not wastethats smart policy to shore up schools, homes, and neighborhoods and safeguard lives. So, what now? We build anyway. A New Era of Public-Private Partnership Urban academic institutions like ours are uniquely positioned to provide applied research, technical expertise, and programmatic support that can help municipalities continue making progress. Universities can serve as innovation labs, testing emerging technologies before jurisdictions invest in full-scale deployment. Indeed, we need a new era of public-private partnershipnot just with academic institutions, but collaborations where localities, businesses, and philanthropy also come together to do what government cant and shouldnt do alone: build vital facilities to withstand natures increasingly powerful storms and floods. At Cornell Tech, weve spent the last two and a half years doing exactly that. Through the Local Infrastructure Huba national nerve center galvanized by Bloomberg Philanthropies with support from other funders (Ballmer Group, Emerson Collective, Ford Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and Waverley Street Foundation), specialists, and policy leaderswe are helping city halls strengthen systems and integrate technology-based tools that bolster infrastructure plans, pro bono. Low-cost solutions Perhaps most promising, from where I sit, is the role of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing local resilience. Even amid funding uncertainty, municipalities can deploy low-cost solutions to streamline processes, identify problems, and look ahead. Consider New York Universitys Urban Systems Lab and its development of ClimateIQ. Its a free, open-source tool that uses artificial intelligence to map neighborhood-level risks from floods and heat, helping local officials make faster, smarter decisions to prepare for severe weather events. Likewise, digital twinsvirtual replicas of physical infrastructureallow planners to model impacts and interventions before committing precious capital to projects. Consider the benefits for municipal leaders in coastal towns susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms. Instead of sketching evacuation routes and emergency responses on a paper map, they can use a digital twin to simulate what would happen if a bridge collapsed or a road flooded during a crisis. They can see how traffic might respond and adjust their plans proactively or in real time. Thats exactly the kind of thinking behind a partnership between the city of Austin and the University of Texas. They deployed digital twin technology to respond to fast-moving grass fires, especially on the citys east side where dry land and high asthma rates overlap. The system uses drones and weather data to map smoke in real time, then warns schools and senior centersdownwind. It started with 2D maps, but when the data moved into a 3D model, it changed everythingpeople could actually see the risk and take action. It’s not just about shiny software; it’s about leveraging the strengths of each collaborator, building trust among key players, and using real data to protect people. In Jacksonville, the University of Florida is piloting a digital twin project with the intent of scaling it statewide to model everything from wastewater treatment flows to outdoor areas especially prone to flooding. It will give officials an evidence-backed view of the future. In Chattanooga, a coalition that includes the University of Tennessee, Audi, Qualcomm, and others are using digital twins and cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology to make roads safer. These are the kinds of cross-sector efforts that city halls everywhere should be replicating. Powerful tools To be sure, digital twins and artificial intelligence arent silver bullets. But they are powerful tools. AI-driven systems can help cities analyze traffic flows, monitor water quality, and identify structural weaknesses in buildingsbefore disasters strike. With input from academics, assistance from entrepreneurs, and consortiums like the Local Infrastructure Hubwhich has already helped 2,400-plus municipalities unlock national investment to design safer roadways, protect groundwater, mitigate floods, and morelocal governments can implement these strategies today. Thats the model: targeted resources, expert guidance, and innovative ideas delivered by an ecosystem that spans sectors and connects officials to fellow peers. Insurmountable losses But we need more. We need nonprofits to expand their support. We need businesses to invest not only in smart cities, but resilient ones. We need researchers to step off campus and onto Americas main streets. And we need mayors to continue to lean into their frontline role as defenders against wildfires, windstorms, and other natural disastersand reimagine the capabilities they need to lead on preparedness and mitigation. This isnt abstract. Its about whether a community is just one crisis away from insurmountable losses to the local economy, public and private property, and peoples hopes for a dependably safe and sustainable way of life. A North Carolina state report on Hurricane Helenes impact in 2024 said: In addition to the devastating loss of life, the storm destroyed thousands of homes and damaged tens of thousands more. Millions of North Carolinians lost access to critical services like water and sewer, electricity, telecommunications, and healthcare facilities. Thousands of miles of roads and bridges were damaged. . . . The regions economy has suffered a severe blow, threatening livelihoods and the long-term viability of communities. Lets stop waiting for Washington to fix what localities are ready to solve. Lets partner across sectors to keep our communities safe, secure, and prepared. Strong nations need strong cities. And strong cities dont waitthey build.
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E-Commerce
The AI companion space will soon see another new entrant. Elon Musk, the owner of xAI and social media platform X, announced recently, Were going to make Baby Grok @xAI, an app dedicated to kid-friendly content. Were going to make Baby Grok @xAI, an app dedicated to kid-friendly content— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 20, 2025 The decision to enter the AI chatbot and companion market seems logical for X: Around three in every four U.S. teens have already used AI companions, and the platform will naturally want to build brand loyalty early. However, experts in child protection and social media use are raising concerns. Musk, xAI, and child-focused apps may not be a good combination, they warn. The concern is that if X or xAI are going to try to get into the children products zone, clearly they just have a terrible track record with prioritizing child safety, says Haley McNamara, SVP of strategic initiatives and programs at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). They’ve just proven themselves to not really care, so I think that they should stay away from kids. McNamara is not alone in her concerns. The apprehension is shared internationally. Elon Musks plans to launch a child-focused version of Grok will cause alarm across civil society, with growing evidence about the risks posed by persuasive design choices in AI chatbots, a lack of effective safeguarding in most major industry models, and no clear strategy to prevent hallucinations, says Andy Burrows, CEO of the Molly Rose Foundation, an organization founded by the parents of U.K. teenager Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who died by suicide after being exposed to harmful content on social media. Beyond the fact that Baby Grok would come from the same organization that developed Ani, a sexualized AI chatbot that users have quickly coerced into explicit conversations, and Bad Rudi, a red panda chatbot that defaults to insults, experts see broader dangers. Burrows is particularly worried about introducing AI chatbots to children since they may easily form emotional attachments to such technology. Chatbots can simulate deep and emotional relationships with child users, and there are evident risks that children may use chatbots to seek mental health support or advice in ways that may ultimately prove harmful, Burrows says. Even adults have formed inappropriate emotional bonds with AI chatbots, struggling to differentiate between artificial and real relationships. For more impressionable children, these connections could take hold more quickly, with potential long-term effects on their mental health. McNamara says companies have an obligation to consider how their platforms affect kids and to take steps to protect themsomething she believes a Grok-bot for children fails to do. (Neither xAI nor Musk responded to Fast Companys request for comment.) NCOSE also raises concerns about whether Musks platforms can adequately protect young users. McNamara notes that after Musk acquired what was then Twitter, many child safety staff were let go. X also allows pornography on its platform, which does not require any kind of stringent age or consent verification for those videos, she says, contending that such lax policies have led to a widespread presence of abusive material, and so far theres been little sign that the company is taking meaningful action to address these issues. Burrows, for his part, points to the U.K.s new Online Safety Act as one layer of oversight that would apply to Baby Grok, though he notes that X has been slow to meet the requirements of the legislation. His larger concern is global. In many countries, he warns, the lack of regulation will mean the rollout of badly designed products will go effectively unchecked. Musk may see a business opportunity. But for those responsible for protecting children online, the stakes are far higher.
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E-Commerce
Bright and early on a recent Saturday morning, a line snaked around the block in Boston’s trendy Seaport District. People were patiently waiting to get their hands on PopUp Bagelssoft, steaming hot bagels designed to be torn and dipped directly into tubs of cream cheese or butter. PopUp Bagels wants to help Americans reimagine our relationship with this beloved breakfast food, and it’s well on its way to doing so. Today, it announces an ambitious expansion from its 13 stores on the East Coast to a fleet of 300 stores from coast to coast with a focus on hubs like Atlanta; Nashville; and Orlando, Florida. “We’re bringing our stores to places where people don’t necessarily think of themselves as ‘bagel people’,” says Adam Goldberg, PopUp Bagels’ founder. “We’re introducing bagels into their routines.” [Photo: Courtesy of PopUp Bagels] The company began as a pandemic hobby for Goldberg, a flood mitigation expert from Connecticut. In lockdown, Goldberg started baking. After trying his hand at sourdough bread, he moved on to bagels. With much tinkering, he developed a recipe for a bagel that had a softer, lighter texture than the dense bagels you find in New York. The bagels were so delicious friends and neighbors wanted to buy them by the dozen. Two years later, Goldberg began opening pop-up shops around New York City that attracted large crowds. To many people, PopUp Bagels offers a fun new take on bagels. Most bagel shops bake their goods in the morning, then toast them for customers. But PopUp Bagels are meant to be served fresh from the oven. They’re satisfying to rip apart, with a crisp exterior that provides contrast with the soft interior. At the Seaport District, people were scattered at picnic tables and benches, dipping their bagels directly into different flavored schmears. They can also be eaten cold in a more traditional way, by slicing them and slathering them with cream cheese and lox. Goldberg points out that the New York bagel has evolved over the years to become what it is. His bagels are actually reminiscent of those in New York shops from decades ago. “I’ve had so many New Yorkers tell me these bagels remind them of their childhood,” he says. “Back then, people lined up for hot bagels straight out of the oven, when they were at their peak performance.” Part of the reason bagels stopped being served this way is that it is logistically challenging to serve them hot at scale. Each store needs to predict demand, then bake them at steady rate that keeps pace with the line. PopUp has turned this process into an art with the help of Tory Bartlett, whom Goldberg appointed as CEO last November. Bartlett, who previously saw the expansion of Moe’s Southwest Grill to 600 locations, is familiar with scaling food businesses. [Photo: Courtesy of PopUp Bagels] Bartlett says that PopUp Bagels has streamlined its operations by exclusively selling bagels and coffee; it doesn’t make sandwiches. It also sells bagels in bundles of three, six, or a dozen, rather than one at a time. (Prices vary from $13 to $15 for a three pack and a schmear, depending on the market.) This allows them to better predict demand and generate revenue. “The unit economics of a business needs to be competitive as you scale,” says Bartlett. “It’s hard to make money by selling one or two bagels at $3 a pop. But selling a three pack protects the transaction.” Another reason the shops are profitable is that they don’t require a very large footprint. They just need a couple of ovens and a counter. Employees focus on quickly packing bags of bagels and schmears for customers. “We don’t need a lot of workers,” Bartlett says. “It’s a very streamlined operation.” [Photo: Courtesy of PopUp Bagels] The efficiency of the business convinced Bartlett that it was possible to quickly scale PopUp. In 2023, the company received an infusion of $8 million Series A funding, and last year, it took a Series B round, both of which were led by Stripes, a growth equity firm. They then began the process of franchising PopUp. Bartlett says they were extremely judicious about their partners. They’re only working with 15 franchisees, who will each run dozens of shops. “Thousands of people reached out to work with us, but we were extremely selective about whom we partnered with,” says Bartlett. “We picked people who are very passionate about this business.” To keep the taste of the bagels consistent, PopUp will make the dough and disseminate regionally. This will allow the franchisees to focus on the operations of delivering hot bagels quickly. If the other locations are any guide, there are likely to be long lines at all of these new stores, as people experience the novelty of the PopUp experience. But can the company keep up this level of inteest? Goldberg has high hopes. “Conveniently, we’ve landed on a product that has been a staple for many people throughout their entire lives,” he says. “The fact that we’re making something that people love anyway gives us a head start.
Category:
E-Commerce
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