Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🚢🪸 Scientists turn ocean liner into reef
• 🤖 Nvidia to reportedly oust CEO Jensen Huang
• 🥩 Are you eating too much protein?

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.81-minute read (1,013 words).

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here for free.

"Our greatest glory is, not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

–Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)

Your AI assistant might be ready to book your next vacation, but United Airlines isn’t going to issue a boarding pass.

The airline announced yesterday that it's banning unauthorized third-party AI agents from booking flights on its website, citing concerns over customer privacy, unintended purchases, and potential regulatory violations.

• United says giving AI agents access to customer accounts could expose sensitive information or result in unauthorized changes, including the use of frequent-flyer miles.
• The airline also warned that automated actions could violate FAA and Transportation Department rules, like those requiring passengers to personally confirm that their luggage doesn't contain explosives.

AI agents can still display United's flights and fares, but customers must complete bookings themselves unless the agent is authorized.

Déjà vu all over again: The pushback echoes an earlier battle in the airline industry, which spent years clashing with online travel agencies over how flights were displayed and sold.

The customer is always byte

A wide range of businesses—including retailers, banks, and travel agencies—are also grappling with the rise of AI agents like Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots, which can comparison-shop, find deals, and make purchases on users' behalf.

Walmart has partnered with Meta's Muse, while travel companies Expedia and Booking.com are working with OpenAI, viewing AI agents as a potential new sales channel.

Others are less enthusiastic. Along with United, Amazon has also blocked AI agents from shopping on its website amid concerns they could interfere with ad revenue and the retail giant’s ability to market directly to consumers.

You’ve got this. Only eight hours of highway stands between you and Grandma’s delicious pumpkin pie. Make sure your car is road-ready for the journey with SimpleTire.

Compare tires from hundreds of brands using SimpleScore™. Check their longevity, handling, and traction, and read real users’ reviews.

Order online, then book an appointment with one of 20,000+ certified installers at checkout. And if you spot a lower price, SimpleTire matches it, guaranteed.

The SS United States has officially gone from carrying A-listers to housing bottom feeders.

The historic ocean liner was intentionally sunk off Florida's Gulf Coast last night, where it'll begin a second life as the world's largest artificial reef.

A first-class trip down memory lane

The 990-foot ship, which is longer than the Titanic, was once the fastest ocean liner in the world. It set a transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952 that remains unbroken, and carried passengers including presidents and Hollywood stars.

• But as air travel took off, the ship's popularity sank. It was retired in 1969 and eventually spent nearly three decades docked in Philadelphia.
• Preservation advocates spent years fighting to save the ship from destruction, hoping to restore it instead. But efforts to secure a permanent home and funding ultimately fell short.

Now, it's getting a new crew. After extensive cleaning and preparation, the vessel was deliberately flooded and sent to the seafloor yesterday some 25 miles southwest of Destin, Florida.

• The SS United States will rest in ~180 feet of water, with its upper decks accessible to recreational divers.
• Marine organisms are expected to colonize the structure over time, creating habitat for fish and other sea creatures.

Looking ahead…Scientists plan to study how marine ecosystems develop on the ship, while a planned land-based museum will preserve its history and iconic smokestacks.

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🤖 Nvidia is preparing to oust CEO Jensen Huang, per a WSJ report yesterday afternoon; it came minutes after the NY Times published a new report alleging that Huang had an affair with an Nvidia executive who reported to him, in addition to having an affair with a suspected Chinese spy; Nvidia shares fall ~8% after-hours.
• 💰 Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% month-over-month in October, cooling from a 0.6% monthly increase in September; no annual inflation rate was published due to last year’s gov’t shutdown; over the past three months, US prices have risen at a 5.7% annualized pace.
• 📈 US stocks close up across the board on Wednesday, as shares of key “neocloud” company CoreWeave rise ~25% and help rejuvenate the AI trade. (S&P: +1.3% | Dow: +0.5% | Nasdaq: +1.6%)

SPORTS, MEDIA, & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 CFP rankings: Georgia is #1, followed by #2 Utah, #3 Alabama, #4 UCLA, and #5 Notre Dame; #8 Tennessee rises five spots, while #9 Indiana falls five spots on a bye week.
• ☀️ Coachella announces 2027 headliners: Dua Lipa, Tame Impala, and SZA. | 🎄 Snoop Dogg to celebrate the holidays with NBC special Christmas With Snoop, airing on the network on December 2nd and streaming the next day on Peacock.
• 🙏 Stacy Keach, a prolific actor known for his roles in The Long Riders, Up In Smoke, and Blue Bloods, died at 85.

Don't settle for the first offer on your luxury jewelry, diamonds, or watches. Worthy puts your pieces in front of over 1,000 professional buyers who compete in a private online auction, giving you the opportunity to earn more than you would from a single local offer.

With complimentary, fully insured shipping through insurers at Lloyd’s of London, and no out of pocket costs, Worthy makes selling secure and straightforward. Plus, you control the reserve price, meaning you don’t have to accept an offer that falls short.

SCIENCE, SPACE, & EMERGING TECH

• 🛰️ NASA’s twin Mars probes successfully use Earth’s gravity to slingshot towards the red planet in a first of its kind maneuver, after spending a year orbiting to line up for the journey; they’re expected to reach Mars in September 2027.
• 🦴 450 million-year-old fossil of an ancient star fish relative discovered with rare soft tissue intact, offering new clues about how early marine animals lived and evolved.
• 🍗 Eating less protein linked to slower aging and improved metabolic health in new major review of ~350 studies; researchers find many sedentary adults may consume more protein than needed for their age and activity level.

US, WORLD, & POLITICS

• 🗳️ Democrat Scott Colom declared victor of Mississippi Senate race by the Associated Press, defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by a 49.2%-48.7% margin with 99% of votes counted; Colom is the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Mississippi since 1982.
• ⚖️ Impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth blocked after House votes 211-204 against sending articles to the Judiciary Committee; Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who introduced the measure, was the only Republican to join Democrats in voting to impeach Hegseth.
• 🏛️ GOP leadership vote: Republican lawmakers elect Rep. Jim Jordan (OH) as House minority leader and Sen. John Thune (SD) as Senate minority leader for the incoming 120th Congress in closed-door vote on Tuesday.

☝️ Amazon’s Ring on Tuesday unveiled its new Ring Robotics division, along with two new surveillance devices: a flying indoor drone that scans rooms and stairways when suspicious motion is detected, and an autonomous robot that patrols offices, warehouses, and other businesses.

🤔 Did you know? Most commercial airplanes store fuel directly inside their hollow wings, a design that saves space for passengers and luggage and also acts as a heavy counterweight to reduce structural stress during flight.

📰 Worth a read: The mystery behind a 50-year-old factory part flying off the shelves.

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• The terrifying truth about sleep paralysis
• Is ‘brainstacking’ the cure for doomscrolling?
• The most popular Thanksgiving desserts by state

A free look inside your faucet… KETOS is giving 25 Complete Homeowner Package lab tests valued at $255 and covering 35+ water quality parameters with shipping included. All 25 claimed? Get 20% off the same test. Claim with code HOMEOWNER100.

What’s the only continent without an active volcano?

(keep scrolling for the answer)

🌷 A pop-up “Flower Pharmacy” recently handed out bouquets tailored to visitors’ moods in London, with yellow flowers prescribed for happiness and blue and green blooms for calm. The floral pick-me-up came after a new survey found nearly 30% of residents felt down when the clocks turned back and daylight hours shrunk.

Australia

Advertise with us: Want to reach other smart and inquisitive readers like you? Become a DONUT partner.

Made it this far? Let us know what you think:

👍 👋 👎