🌎 Winning with Waffles

Meta is building an AI “superintelligence” team

Zuck’s essentially building the AI version of the Avengers. Earlier this week, several news outlets reported Meta is shelling out billions to form a “superintelligence” team tasked with building the world’s most advanced AI platform.

What’s a superintelligence team?

The term refers to a hypothetical stage of AI that far surpasses human ability in every aspect imaginable. I’m sure we can trust Meta with that.

In a bid to land top AI experts, Zuckerberg is personally pitching Meta’s strengths—deep pockets, vast computing power, and stable revenue—while reportedly offering nine-figure salaries to select candidates.

• The team will include around 50 leading AI experts, recruited by Zuck himself. Among those joining is reportedly Alexandr Wang, CEO of Scale AI.

• Meta is reportedly pursuing an investment of over $10 billion in the company, mainly to gain access to Scale’s talent base.

Once the AI Avengers are assembled… the team will develop a cutting-edge model that can be embedded across Meta’s platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as in products like its Ray-Ban smart glasses and Meta AI chatbot.

Why does Meta need this? 

The hiring push from Meta $META ( ▼ 1.51% ) comes as it grapples with several challenges in AI, including talent losses, a lukewarm response to its Llama 4 model, and internal questions about its ability to match its rivals in the industry.

Not to mention, the AI talent war is heating up:

• Meta, Alphabet, and OpenAI are competing with smaller labs like Cohere and Anthropic for top talent.

They need all the help they can get: Meta reportedly had three candidates walk away from over $2 million offers last week, while Anthropic has remained strong in recruitment and retention.

Hampton Inn’s key to success is… waffles?

Well, who would turn down free waffles? Hampton Inn has quietly become the largest hotel chain in the US by perfecting the art of being reliably average, and, well, selling a lot of waffles—and customers seem to love it.

Nothing wrong with average

Hampton Inn provides guests with standard accommodations and complimentary breakfast items such as coffee, bananas, and, of course, unlimited waffles.

The brand reports that 30 million waffles were served globally last year, a feature that has contributed to its rise to the top:

• According to Bloomberg, Hampton Inn now operates 350,000 rooms in 43 countries.

• In 2024, it sold 90 million room nights—outpacing its closest competitor, Holiday Inn Express—and generated $12 billion in revenue from room bookings alone.

In surveys of recurring customers, Hampton found dependable value and a consistent, no-surprises guest experience as the top reasons to come back. One executive noted that the super low cost of furnishing the hotels didn’t hurt either.

Winning with waffles

While the complimentary breakfast item (that’s way better than a pancake) may not be the sole reason for Hampton’s success, it’s not just a perk; it’s a branding powerhouse.

• They cost little for franchisees but have become an expected ritual for guests, reinforcing Hampton’s value identity.

• The hotel chain found that the self-serve experience, rotation of flavored batters, and unlimited quantity consistently won over customers.

Expanding batters: Hampton is doubling down on international growth, launching hundreds of new locations in regions like India, China, and Europe—often adapting its waffle formula to fit local markets, with flavors ranging from masala chai to sparkling strawberry.

China to give key rare earth minerals to US in ‘done’ trade deal

Phase one of negotiations is officially complete. Built on earlier trade talks in Geneva, the US and China agreed to a trade framework that lessens tariffs on each side, while giving the US access to crucial rare earth minerals.

Formal agreement

Although negotiations have concluded and both countries have agreed to the terms, the deal still requires formal approval from U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Under the provisional agreement:

• US tariffs on Chinese goods will reset to 55%, down from 145% in April.

• China will keep the 10% tariffs on American goods, which was agreed to in Geneva last month, and resume exports on magnets and rare earth minerals for six months.

The framework also includes the US easing export restrictions on tech, including semiconductors and AI tools, while also allowing Chinese students to study at American universities.

While rocks may not seem like a huge deal… they are vital components of advanced technology and key to the US defense industry. As it stands, China dominates the mined production of rare earth minerals (see graph), and the six-month window gives China leverage to work with.

Who won the deal?

Some critics, including former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and the WSJ editorial board, have criticized the agreement as a strategic misstep for the US.

• They suggest the US is at a disadvantage since it relaxed export policies without resolving key structural issues of the agreement.

Looking forward: While the truce serves as more of a temporary relief than a long-term resolution, tensions should settle, comforting markets and trade partners globally.

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Axolotls may help humans regrow limbs

Give me four arms so I can look like General Grievous. Scientists at Northwestern University have made a breakthrough in understanding how axolotls regrow limbs, a major development that could help shape the future of regenerative medicine.

Limitless limbs

The research centered on axolotls, an endangered species of Mexican salamander capable of regenerating entire limbs—including skin, bone, cartilage, muscle, and stem cells—in as little as eight weeks (see more).

How does regeneration work? During testing, researchers used genetically engineered, fluorescent axolotls to monitor gene and protein activity during regeneration. They discovered one molecule was key to the whole process:

• Retinoic acid, a type of vitamin A, played a central role in guiding cells where to go and what to rebuild. It acts kinda like a cellular GPS.

Scientists found that just the right amount of retinoic acid is essential since it also controls genes tied to limb shape and bone growth. If levels go too high or too low, limbs can develop with repeated parts or malformed bones.

But, how can this help humans?

Interestingly enough, retinoic acid isn’t just found in axolotls; it’s a common biological compound produced in several species of animals… even humans.

• During human embryo development, retinoic acid pathways help guide our body layout.

• For example, it makes sure that a head forms where it should instead of an arm or leg.

But humans don’t just share retinoic acid with axolotls, we also store a lot of the genes key to limb regrowth in our own DNA. The difference is that axolotls simply have the ability to use the regenerative genes as needed, while humans do not.

Regrowing limbs may not be science fiction: While more study is needed, researchers think tricking the regenerative cells into thinking the body is still an embryo could unlock the ability in humans.

Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting up into two companies

Just like how Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will later this year (calling it). The entertainment giant announced it will be breaking up into two companies and separate its streaming services from its cable networks, largely undoing its 2022 merger with Discovery.

Why split up?

According to Warner $WBD ( ▼ 1.28% ) , the split will ideally allow both entities to focus on their primary businesses and explore more deals, even as they remain partly linked operationally and financially.

Here’s how the breakup will work:

• A new division, named Global Networks, will absorb Warner’s television channels such as CNN, TNT, and TBS, in addition to Discovery+ and Bleacher Report.

• At the same time, Warner is grouping its film studios and streaming services—including HBO Max—into a newly formed division called Streaming & Studios, which CEO David Zaslav will lead.

The split is a quiet admission that Warner’s 2022 merger with Discovery, which aimed to create a media powerhouse blending traditional TV with streaming, didn’t really work as planned.

But, it might add some value: As cable TV viewership erodes (down to 51% from 86% a decade ago), Warner may be eyeing a sale of Global Networks, according to some analysts. The company slashed the unit’s value by $9.1B last year, while HBO continued to thrive with titles like The Pitt and The Last of Us.

FAST FACTS
Catch up on this week’s weird news

Prehistoric Plant-Eater: Scientists have uncovered a sauropod’s last meal—stuck in its gut for 94 million years—that proves the long-necked dinosaurs were herbivores.

Super Suing: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is attempting to shut down next year's "Enhanced Games,” where athletes using performance-enhancing drugs will be incentivized with up to $1 million for breaking records.

Innovative Item: Chipotle will debut a new menu item, Adobo Ranch, on June 17. It marks the chain’s first new dip offering since queso blanco was introduced in 2020.

Goal Getter: Walmart and Wing (Alphabet’s drone unit) will expand drone delivery to 100 additional US stores in five new major cities, promising fast, drone‑based retail access to millions.

Broadway Billions: The 2024–2025 Broadway season shattered records, grossing $1.89  billion and attracting 14.7 million attendees—the highest in history—driven by star-packed shows and strong ticket sales.