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New York City’s Summer of Ludd festival is teaching people how to live offline.

Enterprise Document Intelligence [Vol.1 #7ter] - Six positions on the retrieval brick that contradict the cosine-first reflex of mainstream RAG The post The Untaught Lessons of RAG Retrieval: Cosine Is Not the Foundation appeared first on Towards Data Science.

Five independent security disclosures in a single week point to the same gap: AI agent permissions, not AI agent capabilities, are the problem enterprises haven't solved. The post AI Agents Are Creating a New Enterprise Security Gap appeared first on TechRepublic.

It's difficult to pinpoint the moment in my life where America started to lose the plot.

Walkthrough experience includes visits to stars, exoplanets, and observatories.

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C:\ArsGames takes a look at the time Chris Roberts more or less made a whole movie.

Reuters: Filing: GoDaddy challenges a New Delhi court ruling requiring domain sellers to stop offering privacy by default, saying it could expose website owners globally  —  The world's biggest internet domain seller, GoDaddy, has warned that India's crackdown on fake websites impersonating famous brands …

Loro Piana summer loafers and Chrome Hearts trousers are luxury items popular among the AI-wealthy. Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images, Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images Some brands are emerging as winners in the AI wealth boom Brunello Cucinelli thrives with AI entrepreneurs through 'quiet luxury' and innovative e-commerce. Tech elites favor understated fashion like Loro Piana sneakers, valuing scarcity over price tags. Move over, Patagonia vests. There's a new uniform for the tech wealthy. The AI boom is creating a new generation of wealth tech founders and employees with cash to splurge. Luxury brands are taking note. Chanel is relocating within San Francisco's Union Square, moving into a much larger four-story flagship building, while the luxury consignment store The RealReal reopened its San Francisco flagship earlier this year. "These are expansion and commitment decisions, made by houses that do not open or grow lightly," said Ali Mirza, CEO of consumer data firm Affluential. Though some of the tech-bro principles remain — casual dressing and zero logos —  stylists, fashion analysts, and luxury sourcers say that the AI money crowd is putting their own spin on this with a more elevated look. Here's what's in and what's out among the new AI money crowd: Brunello Cuccinelli Bruno Cucinelli, in the middle, at Milan Fashion Week. Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images for Brunello Cucinelli Brunello Cucinelli is emerging as a key winner. The Italian luxury brand has doubled its space in Union Square, San Francisco, in recent years, according to Agility Research & Strategy. Not only does the quiet luxury aesthetic of its clothes appeal to the new tech elite, but the brand's philosophy about sustainability and creativity allows AI founders to frame themselves as ethical builders, said Scott Kerr, founder of luxury consultancy firm Silvertone Consulting. "Brunello lets them be rich, thoughtful, and quietly express their status at the same time," he said. Brunello Cucinelli also launched an AI-powered e-commerce website earlier this year. Cucinelli said at the time that his "friends in Silicon Valley" described the website as a "true invention." Elevated sneakers White Loro Piana suede loafers are pictured here. Claudio Lavenia/Getty Images Understated footwear is the flavor of the day. They're "gravitating toward limited collaborations, logo-less sneakers, and premium everyday footwear that fly under the radar," Gab Waller, who runs a luxury fashion sourcing service based in LA, said. The Loro Piana Summer Walk Loafers, which cost between $1,150 and $2,150, are an example she gave. San Francisco-based stylist Lili Henry said when it comes to sneakers, cult classics like Adidas Gazelles, which range from about $100 to $120, are a popular choice among her clients right now. More elevated styles, such as Valentina by Veronica Beard ($330), are also popular. For her female clients, she recommends the NY-based brand Margaux for flats. Its Demi classic ballet pumps cost just under $400. Levi Pastor, cofounder of London-based luxury concierge business Pastor & Co, said shoes from British luxury brand John Lobb are popular with the AI money crowd. They range from about $900 to $2,800. Chrome Hearts The black leather pants pictured here are from Chrome Hearts. The belt is Hermès, as is the bag, which is a Birkin. Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images If you know, you know. "Younger tech entrepreneurs often want products that only a small group of people recognize," Waller said. "The signal is no longer 'I can afford this'; it's 'I know about this.'" Chrome Hearts, a Hollywood-based gothic rock brand that trades on scarcity through product drops and a very limited line of accessories and apparel, has become an unlikely favorite among the AI crowd. It's been around since the 1980s, but has had a resurgence in recent years, being picked up by Gen Z and worn by the likes of Timothée Chalamet. Waller said the brand's sweaters, hoodies, classic tees, and jeans are the most highly coveted items for the AI crowd. Chrome Hearts' cross patch jeans can cost over $25,000 on the resale market. More traditional, but more exclusive brands like Hermès are also resonating because of this. For Kelly and Birkin bags, Waller said prices start at about $25,000, with limited-edition styles costing about $60,000. Exotic bags, made from materials like crocodile, can reach upward of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Loro Piana, The Row, Bottega The mini handbag and linen trousers are from Loro Piana. Moritz Scholz/Getty Images While in-your-face displays of wealth — aka "loud luxury" — may be becoming more noticeable among America's elite, younger tech founders and workers are sticking to Silicon Valley's historically anti-label, understated, quiet-luxury style. Think neutral colors, luxurious fabrics, tailored silhouettes — and steep prices. SF-based stylist Henry said she mixes accessible luxury brands like Theory, Vince, and Reiss with pricier labels such as Loro Piana, The Row, Chanel, Bottega Veneta, and Brunello Cucinelli. Waller said neutral and classic styles are most requested among the AI money crowd, with Loro Piana as the frontrunner, particularly their jackets, and Bottega Veneta ready-to-wear is also popular. Loro Piana jackets range from $2,250 for a waterproof sleeveless vest to $39,500 for a jacket made of vicuña wool. Bottega Veneta has a similar price range. Customized clothing brands The dark blue suit pictured here is from Proper Cloth. Streetstyleshooters/Getty Images San Francisco-based stylist Kimberly Gant said she has noticed increased interest among her clients in smaller brands specializing in customized clothing, including Sene, Son of a Tailor, and Proper Cloth. "There always has been a sweet spot for companies that have married technology with fashion," Gant said. "There is more of an uptick in finding brands that do more custom work." Son of a Tailor, a Danish menswear brand, uses a proprietary AI algorithm to create a custom-fit garment by taking height, weight, age, and shoe size as input. Prices range from between $75 for a cotton T-shirt to $380 for a cashmere polo. American menswear brand Proper Cloth — often recommended on X by menswear writer Derek Guy — has a Loro Piana suit collection with pieces crafted from the luxury brand's fabric mill priced between $1,795 to $2,995. Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto Fashion designer Rick Owens is known for his all-black fits. Estrop/Getty Images UK-based trend forecaster Lizzy Bowring said that alongside quiet luxury, there is also a "cyber-minimalist" streak consisting of futuristic, monochromatic, and structural pieces. Designers like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, known as "the poet of black," are emblematic of this. Block CEO Jack Dorsey is known as a fan of Rick Owens, sporting the brand's distinctive all-black looks. But logos are still out Easily identifiable luxury items, like the shoulder bag pictured here with a Gucci logo and print, are not so popular with the AI crowd. Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images West Coast stylists Kimberly Gant and Lili Henry said the anti-label look is more prevalent among their clients than ever. The same look is true for China's young AI elite, according to Elisa Harca, CEO of a Hong Kong-based marketing agency. "No flashy cars, no obvious logos," she said. The new tech elite in China are consciously rejecting "the nouveau riche aesthetic of China's earlier tech boom." They also want more than just a brand name. The focus is "impeccable materials," she said. Silicon Valley tech employees have generally maintained their ultra-casual look, which was intensified by remote working. But top tech billionaires have become more fashion-forward in recent years. Mark Zuckerberg was spotted in the front row of Prada's Fall/Winter runway show, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez were the lead sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala. And it's trickling down as AI founders become increasingly more visible and employees return to the office. "In the tech industry, it's always been casual," Gant said. "I would say there is a little bit of a sway in people wanting to dress up a little bit more now that they're returning to the office." Read the original article on Business Insider

Joseph Briggs predicts 9% of the US workforce will be disrupted by AI. NYSE AI adoption may displace 15 million US jobs, says Goldman Sachs economist Joseph Briggs. History shows that new technology usually creates more jobs overall, Briggs said on a Goldman podcast. "Around 85% of job growth has been driven by the technological creation of new positions," he said. AI is coming for millions of American jobs, but that doesn't mean the work will disappear for good. Joseph Briggs, who leads the global economics team at Goldman Sachs Research, said on a recent episode of the bank's "Exchanges" podcast that he expects about 9% of the US workforce to be displaced as AI is adopted across the economy. "9% of workers being displaced by AI would correspond to 15 million workers," Briggs said, comparing the scale of the shift to the tech-driven upheaval of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Those workers, he said, would have to leave their current positions and find new jobs. The effects are already visible In sectors where AI tools are being used — like tech, management consulting, and graphic design — Briggs estimates the technology is cutting 10,000 to 15,000 jobs from monthly employment growth. However, Briggs rejected the idea put forward by many tech leaders that jobs will be permanently displaced, arguing it fixates on jobs destroyed while ignoring those created. History is on his side, he said: "If we look back over the last 80 years, around 85% of job growth has been driven by the technological creation of new positions." The labor market also churns constantly, with roughly 30 million jobs created and 29 million destroyed every year, he told podcast host Alison Nathan. Against that backdrop, even a 5% pickup in the pace of job creation would be enough to reabsorb everyone AI displaces. Not everyone expects a big disruption MIT's Neil Thompson, who also appeared on the podcast, argued the shift will be slower than AI's rapidly improving capabilities suggest. Capability is only step one, he said: an AI system also needs access to the right information, tricky in fields like medicine, where privacy rules get in the way, and it has to be cheap enough to be worth running. Those hurdles mean adoption may lag well behind what AI can technically do. Most jobs can be partly automated rather than eliminated, Thompson said, and the outcome depends on which tasks machines take over. When GPS automated taxi drivers' expert knowledge of city routes, wages fell, but the number of drivers exploded. AI, in his framing, is a "rising tide" workers can see coming and adapt to, not a "crashing wave" that sweeps them away. A cooling job market Meanwhile, hiring is slowing. The June jobs report, released Thursday, showed the US economy added just 57,000 jobs, roughly half what economists expected. April and May were also revised down by a combined 74,000. The unemployment rate dipped to 4.2%, though largely because workers left the labor force. Whether those numbers are the rising tide or the first crashing wave remains to be seen. Read the original article on Business Insider

Reuters: India's IT secretary said the country is investigating a data breach at Apple supplier Tata, which exposed files that included photos of iPhone 18 Pro models  —  India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed documents linked to Apple's (AAPL.O) unreleased iPhone 18 Pro …

Declan Harty / Politico: Pitch document: Chris Larsen and Palmer Luckey invested an undisclosed amount in APEC, a derivatives exchange founded by the son of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand  —  Democratic megadonor Chris Larsen has backed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's political campaigns several times over the years.

This week, we discuss the Supreme Court, the private jet, and AI on the TV.

Takeda has entered a strategic collaboration with Hong Kong-based Insilico Medicine to use AI in early-stage drug discovery across the Japanese pharmaceutical company’s therapeutic areas. The companies did not disclose which therapeutic areas or disease targets will be covered under the collaboration. The agreement gives Takeda access to Insilico’s Pharma.AI platform, which supports biological target […] The post Takeda signs $600M AI drug discovery deal with Insilico appeared first on AI News.

The photo on the left was generated with Gemini. The picture on the right was taken by my colleague. Rebecca Zisser/Ana Altchek I asked LinkedIn users if they could tell the difference between an AI headshot and a real photo. The responses were fairly split, but more users said they preferred the AI version. Career branding experts weighed in on whether candidates should use AI in profile pics. I cringe every time I open LinkedIn and see my profile picture — and that's because it's fake. A few months ago, I snapped a few selfies at work for a new headshot and asked ChatGPT to extend the blue background behind me. Despite asking it repeatedly not to edit my face, it made subtle changes. My eyes look slightly squintier, my smile a little wider, and there's a soft, airbrushed quality that makes the image feel less like me. The original photo (left) and the AI-edited version (right), which is currently my LinkedIn profile picture. Ana Altchek Over the following months, I found myself fixated on the picture, wondering whether others noticed that it was altered by AI. That paranoia led to another question: Was everyone else's profile picture fake, too? In recent months, I've seen AI headshots fill my feed, promising polished professional portraits without the hassle of hiring a photographer. My editor, who had heard my complaints about my profile picture more than once, suggested I put them to the test. Which image would people prefer? Could the average viewer tell the difference? I asked for feedback on LinkedIn I started by testing an AI headshot generator that required uploading several photos of myself. Depending on the service, tools promise anywhere from 10 to 100 studio-quality headshots for around $30 to $100. The results were impressive at first glance, but many images looked fake under closer scrutiny. Some backgrounds looked like green screens, proportions were slightly off, and my editor pointed out that my hair had a cartoonish quality in nearly all of them. Rather than paying for images, I gave ChatGPT Enterprise and the free version of Gemini the same assignment. I also asked Business Insider's art director to take a few photos of me in the office, which the art team then lightly edited and sharpened with a filter — similar to what a professional photographer might do. I uploaded that primary shot along with four or five other reference photos of my face and asked the LLMs to generate a new headshot based on those images and match the office background. After a few additional directions, which involved me repeating the prompt multiple times, Gemini generated an image that looked strikingly close to the real deal. Next, I posted the side-by-side photos on LinkedIn and asked people to comment on which one was real. To my surprise, the vote was close and if I updated my profile without saying anything, I doubt anyone would have questioned it. "Right looks crisper so maybe that one? Or else it's been edited. But honestly not sure," one user commented. In a statement to Business Insider, LinkedIn said that it allows AI to enhance or edit pictures, but that the photo "must reflect your likeness." "We recommend being authentic in your profile picture as this helps to maintain trust," said a spokesperson, adding that it may remove profile photos that don't comply with its user agreement or professional community policies. Should you use an AI headshot? The more surprising result from my test was that most respondents said they preferred the AI-generated headshot, by a roughly 2:1 ratio. The AI version featured a blazer and a silk shirt, which may have made more sense for a professional platform, but I didn't expect such a disparity between the two. "Right is more friendly, junior role, left is higher-paid more senior job," one commentator wrote, racking up 52 likes. The head tilt in my real photo was also a major point of controversy. Most people said that the angle made the photo seem less polished. Others said it made me look more approachable, though some said that wasn't an advantage for women in a professional setting. Vanessa Errecarte, a professor at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and a personal branding expert, told Business Insider that while people may think — and say — that they prefer the more polished headshot, behavior often suggests otherwise. In practice, she said, consumer behavior indicates that people gravitate toward authenticity. Errecarte, who authored "Valuable & Visible: Redefining Personal Branding by Leading With Impact Over Image," pointed to research findings that consumers prefer user-generated content over traditional advertising because it feels more genuine. She also cited studies showing that influencers who openly acknowledge failures are perceived as more authentic, which increases consumers' willingness to buy. "In marketing, we always say trust the way people behave, not what they say they're going to do," Errecarte said, adding that the phenomenon is often why political polls are wrong. She advised against using an AI-generated headshot, or even a highly edited professional photo, if users have any alternative. Errecarte added that in today's job market, more casual headshots are more acceptable than ever. As long as you have a profile picture, most people don't care if it's professionally taken. Amy Perrotta, founder of Needa Strategy Group LLC and a career branding advisor, told Business Insider there's nothing wrong with using an AI-generated headshot as long as it genuinely looks like the you. However, if AI alters your appearance, it can undermine trust, especially at a time when people are increasingly wary of scams. Instead of generating an entirely new image, Perrotta recommends using AI-powered photo editing tools to make subtle improvements to an existing photo. "Don't make yourself look like a cartoon or do something crazy to the background," Perrotta said. Then again, if you're going to go through all the trouble, you might as well just take a photo of yourself. Read the original article on Business Insider

The Information: Sources: Alibaba has banned employees from using Claude Code and asked them to remove all Claude models from their work computers, citing security concerns  —  Alibaba Group has banned employees from using Anthropic's Claude Code, and asked them to remove all Claude models from their work computers …

Some Target stores fulfill hundreds of drive-up orders per day, and small delays can add up fast. Ben Brewer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Target's recent store renovations inadvertently created a small but costly problem. Drive-up workers needed an average of 30 seconds to get back into the store — hundreds of times per day. The company built a tech fix that eliminates the wait, saving an estimated 350,000 hours a year. Target's drive-up operation is big, busy, and growing — and every second counts. Roughly 20% of the company's sales occur via its web or app, and a significant share of those digital orders are placed right into customers' cars waiting in the parking lot. The strategy is so important to Target that its recent (and future) store renovations devote more space to preparing online orders and often include newly installed drive-up doors for workers to use instead of the front entrance. Those doors are locked to prevent unauthorized access. To get back inside, drive-up workers would use a key, tap a fob, or call a coworker. "We've all stood at home digging for our keys. Now imagine you know you've got a cart in front of you," said Ashley Daniels, who joined Target last year as head of product management for the chain's internal software. "We saw this was a frequent, very real pain point for our stores." Daniels told Business Insider that one of her first moves on the job was to send teams out to stores and distribution centers to get an on-the-ground perspective on how Target's tech tools fit into daily operations. A few seconds sounds small until you consider the bigger picture Her team found drive-up workers were delayed by an average of 32 seconds each time they needed to get back into the store after completing an order. That might seem small, but multiplied throughout the day across 2,000 stores, the time adds up. The tech team quickly wrote a feature into the app that drive-up workers use on their handheld devices, allowing them to unlock the door with a tap via the store's secure WiFi network. Rather than fumble for a key, they simply tap on the screen that is always in their hand. After testing in one location last summer, the feature rolled out to additional stores ahead of the holiday shopping season, and Daniels said the update is now live in almost every store in the US. Target estimates that the 30 seconds saved by these few lines of code will ultimately save the company more than 350,000 labor hours a year. "There are stores that are using this over 500 times a day," Daniels said. "That's a good leading indicator that we're adding value." Getting out of the office and into the field The path to this solution is also consistent with CEO Michael Fiddelke's approach to leading the company: Get out of the office and into the field to see what's working — and what isn't. "If you were sitting at headquarters and somebody put this on their road map, it probably would raise some eyebrows," Daniels said, "But it has been some of the most meaningful work for our team members, to the extent that when we bring it up on a call, we are getting a round of applause." Daniels said her team is carrying this experience forward as they visit stores and warehouses and get user feedback from frontline workers. "You can't judge from a conference room what is going to be the most critical or the most impactful for the teams," she said. "You've got to be out there with them." Read the original article on Business Insider

Luxury hotels are adding reformer Pilates studios to their properties to keep up with the booming wellness trend. Ritz Carlton Luxury hotels are adding Pilates studios to attract Gen Z and millennial travelers seeking wellness. The Aster in LA offers complimentary reformer Pilates classes, boosting guest experience and value. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne partnered with Tremble for a new Pilates studio, enhancing the local community. Photographer and art director Bukunmi Grace was between work trips when she booked a stay at Soho Warehouse in Downtown LA. That's when she realized she could take Pilates classes at the hotel. Grace — who jokingly refers to herself as a "fake workout girlie" — says having access to Pilates (even better that it was complimentary) was the cherry on top of the hotel's amenities. "Even when I have a place in LA, sometimes I'll still stay at Warehouse just because it's a nice staycation with a pool, gym, sauna, spa… and they do your laundry for you," she told Business Insider. "Pilates classes are not cheap," Grace continued. "It's super helpful to be able to experience something without having to shell out a few hundred bucks." Grace is just one of many travelers experiencing the latest shift in how hotels are trying to get and keep guests. Today, luxury properties are betting that reformer Pilates on-site will appeal to Gen Z and millennial travelers, who are often prioritizing wellness and planning vacations around health routines. Hotels see on-site studios as both a coveted amenity and a new revenue stream. "We were looking for unique hooks," Bill Doak, managing director for The Aster in Hollywood, told Business Insider. The hotelier, who has been doing reformer Pilates himself for the past 15 years, pushed his team to build a studio. It started off slow, testing a mini version with three reformers, available only to the hotel's corresponding members club. That gave proof of concept enough that in April, the Aster debuted a proper reformer Pilates studio available to hotel guests at no extra charge. Routine classes are indeed a financial investment, with the average group reformer class costing anywhere from $40 to more than $100 for private sessions. Back in April, The Aster in Los Angeles opened a full-scale reformer Pilates studio, making classes complimentary for overnight guests. The Aster "We moved what had been our yoga studio, flip-flopped the rooms, and bought eight studio reformers. We put those into what had been the yoga room," Doak added. "Now, we're able to offer more classes." "To me, [reformer pilates] signals that a hotel knows what is current in the wellness industry. Yes, the gym will be nice, and there will be reformers, but it also signals that the hotel is going to have the kind of milk I want or the kind of food I want," Liz Chen, a NYC-based Pilates instructor at Tera, told Business Insider after her trip to Auberge's Chileno Bay Resort, where she took an on-site reformer class. "It's just a good indicator." One hotel spent $30,000 to keep up with the wellness trend Reformer Pilates differs from yoga and the mat Pilates classes that many hotels already offer. It's a low-impact, full-body workout that builds core strength, balance, flexibility, and stability through controlled movements rather than heavy weights. The key difference is the reformer machine, which uses a sliding carriage, springs, and straps to add resistance and support. Reformers require more investment from hotels, with the nicest machines in the $5,000 ballpark, rather than a handful of $100 yoga mats. The Aster team, for example, spent $30,000 for its eight machines from the Australian brand Your Reformer. "That was not cost-prohibitive," Doak said, especially because the team already had the space. "The barrier came after the fact: Just like reformers are in high demand, so are Pilates instructors." After some trial and error, the managing director finally found a trainer within his network to bring in as the hotel's trainer. This was the opposite case for The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, which debuted a reformer Pilates studio at its property, housed on the barrier island minutes from Miami, in a partnership with Tremble, a Pilates studio with locations across the US. Miami. frankpeters/Getty Images "There wasn't a reformer Pilates studio on the island of Key Biscayne, and so we got talking with Tremble, and they thought it was a great idea too," Ritz-Carlton market general manager Derek Flint said. Before Tremble came into the Ritz-Carlton's Key Biscayne space, it was an infrequently used studio dedicated to virtual fitness classes. "We turned it into a spin class studio, but it's never been as used as it is now. We were hoping this was going to be a huge amenity for our guests, but the word got out within the local community, and the local community has really embraced it," Flint said. Tremble covered the equipment and staffing costs, and it became a revenue generator for both Tremble and the hotel since classes are not complimentary for guests. Pilates studios are becoming an additional revenue stream for some hotels The Aster's Doak said the studio on his property has already proven itself to be "a marketable amenity," and he's having to keep persuading his team to keep classes free for guests. The Aster only charges for no-shows. "When you start to do the nickel-and-diming thing to people, it can become a sour experience," he added. The St. Regis Chicago, which opened its Pilates studio in November 2025, has already had to double its instructor team to accommodate demand. "While we were confident there would be interest, the pace of growth and level of engagement exceeded our expectations," St. Regis Chicago director of wellness Kerri Stokes said in a statement. The Aster unveiled a dedicated reformer Pilates studio, free for hotel guests to use. The Aster Adding a studio can be a win-win for hotels like the St. Regis, which does not offer complimentary classes to guests because the studio is now a revenue generator while improving the experience for guests and locals. "The studio supports guest satisfaction, member retention, and reinforces our commitment to providing a best-in-class wellness experience," the statement continued. There's no clear trend geographically on which hotels are adding reformer Pilates studios — they've been popping up all over the world in big cities like Chicago and resort towns like Hilton Cancún — but location does matter for how someone is experiencing the class, whether they're getting a workout in before going to lie out by the pool or before going into a big client presentation. "If you can be in this beautiful setting and be able to do your favorite workout and not lose progress on investing into your own health and wellness, that's a really great added bonus," Chen said. Read the original article on Business Insider

The average transaction price for a new car has rocketed past $50,000 again. Bloomberg/Getty Images New cars are expensive. Data from Cox Auto shows that only 20 vehicle models had an average transaction price under $30,000. We compiled a list of the 11 lowest-priced cars (before dealer mark-ups and delivery fees) today. Need a fresh set of wheels? Well, it's a tough time to buy an affordable car. In April, the average list price for a new vehicle accelerated past $50,000, per CarGurus. High prices are forcing Americans into some scary-looking finances, too. The average monthly payment has stayed well above $750, and the average loan term is inching toward seven years. Meanwhile, the supply of lower-priced new cars is shrinking. Cox Automotive data shared with Business Insider shows the affordable end of the new-car market has narrowed over the past year. In April, Cox counted 20 models with average transaction prices below $30,000, down from 27 last May. Four of those models had average MSRPs above $30,000, suggesting some vehicles are falling below the threshold only because of discounts. Six had incentives above the national average of 6.7%, another sign that deals are helping keep some models in affordable territory. Still, the cheap, new car isn't fully extinct yet. A small group of new cars still starts below $25,000 — at least before mandatory destination fees, taxes, options, and dealer markups factor in. Here are the 11 lowest-priced new cars on sale today. Hyundai Venue: starting at $20,550 Hyundai's Venue, with a starting price just above $20,000, is America's lowest-cost vehicle. Hyundai Hyundai's Venue is the lowest-priced new vehicle on sale in the US. The diminutive SUV starts at $20,550, and even the top SEL trim starts at $22,825 before destination. Chevy Trax: starting at $21,700 Chevy's subcompact crossover, the Trax, was the brand's third-most-popular car in the first quarter of 2026. Chevrolet Chevrolet's Trax got a facelift for the 2024 model year, while keeping a lower starting price than many rivals. The base LS trim starts at $21,700 before destination, while the 2RS and ACTIV trims start at $25,400. Kia K4: starting at $22,290 Kia offers two variants of the sub-$30,000 K4. Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images Kia's K4 replaced the Forte as the brand's entry-level compact sedan for the 2025 model year. The K4 starts at $22,290 before destination, making it the lowest-priced new sedan on sale in the US. Drivers can also opt for the hatchback version, which starts at $24,990 before destination. Nissan Sentra: starting at $22,600 Nissan gave the Sentra a major facelift after discontinuing its lower-priced sibling, the Versa. : Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images With the Versa gone, the Sentra is now Nissan's cheapest sedan. The redesigned 2026 Sentra starts at $22,600 before destination for the base S trim. Shoppers may still find remaining 2025 Sentras on dealer lots, which could give buyers another lower-priced option depending on local inventory. Hyundai Elantra: starting at $22,625 Pricing for Hyundai's Elantra spans from under $23,000 to over to $40,000, depending on the trim. Hyundai Hyundai's smallest sedan remains one of the few compact cars with a starting price below $25,000, even after the standard destination fee. The Elantra lineup also includes hybrid and performance-oriented N models, though higher-end versions move far beyond budget-car territory. The Elantra N can easily push above $40,000. Nissan Kicks: starting at $22,730 Nissan's sneaker-inspired SUV is the company's lowest-priced model. Nissan The Kicks (as in, sneakers) is Nissan's lowest-priced SUV, slotting below the larger Rogue. The base S trim starts below $25,000 before destination. Still, options and higher trims — including all-wheel-drive models — can quickly push the Kicks' price above $30,000. Toyota Corolla: starting at $23,125 Toyota's Corolla is the world's best-selling car of all time, with more than 50 million units sold. Toyota Toyota's Corolla remains one of the most familiar names in the compact-car segment, and it still clears the sub-$25,000 bar. The base LE trim starts at $23,125 before destination. The automaker also has a hatchback version with a starting price of $24,580, while hybrid models start at $24,975. Chevy Trailblazer: starting at $23,300 Chevy's Trailblazer is slightly more expensive than the Trax, but offers optional all-wheel drive. Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images Chevrolet's Trailblazer gives GM another lower-priced option alongside the Trax. The Trailblazer's stance is more upright, giving it a more standard SUV-ish look. The base LS trim starts below $25,000 before destination, though all-wheel drive and higher trims quickly move pricing into $30,000 territory. Kia Seltos: starting at $23,790 Kia's Seltos is getting a major facelift for 2027. Kia Kia ended production of the boxy Soul SUV at the end of 2025, effectively handing over the title for the brand's lowest-cost SUV to the Seltos. Seltos is getting a major remodel in 2027, including modern exterior design updates, more interior room, and an optional hybrid powertrain. Pricing for the new model is expected to increase. Volkswagen Jetta: starting at $23,995 Volkswagen The Jetta — which first reached American shores in 1979 — is Volkswagen's last sedan in the US. Its base S trim remains under $25,000 before destination, while the cushier SEL model starts just around $30,000. A sports-oriented GLI trim jumps past $33,000. Slate Truck: starting at $24,950 Slate finally unveiled its sub-$25k starting price this week. Slate Slate's only vehicle will have a starting price of $24,950, the company confirmed to Business Insider. Base models of the little electric truck are an exercise in minimalism: they have only two doors and two seats, no speakers for music, and no infotainment screen on the dashboard. A full battery will power the car for 205 miles. Shoppers can add options to the car after it arrives in their driveway — including everything from an SUV cap and a second row of seats to a dash-mount for a Bluetooth speaker. Options can quickly push the truck over the $30,000 price point, Business Insider found. Read the original article on Business Insider