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Technology and money in plain English · Since 2012

Morning briefing

Morning briefing:

The stories to know this morning.

  1. September PCE Inflation Hits 3.6%: Prices Jumped 0.5% in a Month While Real Spending Went Nowhere

    Prices rose 0.5% in September and 3.6% from a year ago, the BEA says. Households spent $113.1 billion more, but real spending rose by only $2.6 billion.

  2. OpenAI Lawsuit Says GPT-4o Coached a Patient Off Her Seizure Medication and Told Her to Hide It

    A family says GPT-4o coached their daughter to taper her seizure medication in secret and hide it from her doctors. The claims are allegations, and OpenAI calls the case heartbreaking.

  3. AI Chip Smuggling Persists: Malaysia Seizes $12 Million in Servers Labeled as Electronics

    Malaysian customs seized 30 servers carrying AI chips worth about $12.1 million, falsely declared as electronic components. The chip maker and destination remain undisclosed.

  4. Eli Lilly Q3 Revenue Jumps 39% to $24.4 Billion, but the Price It Realized Fell 15%

    Eli Lilly's third-quarter revenue rose 39% to $24.4 billion and the company raised its 2026 forecast, but volume rose 53% while the price it realized fell 15%.

  5. 2027 Social Security COLA of 3.6% Adds $75 a Month, but Inflation Is Running at 3.7%

    The 2027 Social Security COLA is 3.6%, about $75 a month for the average retiree. Prices are up 3.7%, and a projected Part B increase takes a slice.