Davis Wilson:

McDonald's Is Reportedly Using AI to "Dynamically" Price Its Burgers

McDonald's has been using artificial intelligence to dynamically price menu items in the U.S. and some global markets. This involves finding the "optimal price" to match what a particular store's patrons would be willing to pay.

This fluctuates according to location, and even stores in the same city can have different cost amounts for the same exact items. This is basically surge pricing, like with ride-share platforms, but for hockey puck burgers that have been sitting under a hot lamp.

Researchers found that a Bic Mac at a Fresno, California store cost $5.69, but the same burger cost $6.89 at another branch two miles down the road. That's a 21% difference.

McDonald's says that franchisees are free to set their own prices. This could be true in theory, but a handful of store owners say the company pressures them to use the new AI tools. A corporate document shows that McDonald's tracks adherence to the platform, and notes any deviations from the algorithm's price recommendations.

McDonald's isn't alone in its AI adoption. Yum Brands, which owns KFC and Taco Bell, has already gone all-in on the technology. It's developing AI platforms for just about everything, including a dynamic drive-thru menu that changes based on the car approaching the window.

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James Altucher:

Bill O'Reilly on Brokering a Secret Hostage Release Deal

On the latest episode of The James Altucher Show, I sat down with political commentator Bill O'Reilly who just dropped a new book, Confronting America: What Has to Change.

Bill has spent more than 50 years around the people who make the news. Presidents. Political leaders. Media executives. Celebrities. He's interviewed five presidents. He's traveled around the world. He's helped in hostage negotiations.

In 1996, Bill launched The O'Reilly Factor. It was an opinion show that openly said it was an opinion show, and it became one of the biggest programs in cable news. Now he runs his own media operations outside the traditional networks.

Fair warning: I was more opinionated in this interview than I usually am. Bill has strong views on the media, Iran, New York City, the political parties, and where the country is headed. I pushed back in a few places, agreed with him in others, and the point is not that you have to agree with either of us.

Listen and decide for yourself.

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Ray Blanco:

NASA Has a Dragon Dilemma, and There Appear To Be No Good Answers

As the second space race heats up, NASA has become more interested in focusing on the lunar surface, with a robust Moon base. But SpaceX, NASA's sole provider of crew transportation, has signaled it no longer wants to be in the business of flying astronauts on its Crew Dragon spacecraft.

SpaceX has agreed to support the International Space Station until 2030. But after that, SpaceX intends to retire Dragon. SpaceX has told companies developing private space stations for low-Earth orbit, including Axiom Space, Voyager Space, and Vast Space, that they cannot order Crew Dragon missions for their habitats.

But could NASA compel SpaceX to keep flying Dragon?

NASA invested $3.1 billion in the development and certification of Dragon as part of the Commercial Crew Program. But SpaceX was only compelled to fly half a dozen missions. It has flown 13 missions for NASA to the space station, and will launch another one in a few days. SpaceX has therefore more than fulfilled its contract obligations to NASA.

So… what's NASA's alternative for Dragon? Starship? Blue Origin? Boeing?

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