If there’s ever a modern-day Mad Men reboot, it’ll likely feature less cigarette smoking and whiskey drinking, and more inputting prompts into chatbots. Two months into Meta’s Canadian news block, small-time publishers are feeling the pinch. The tech industry hopes you’ll consider making AI gadgets a regular wardrobe fixture. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Oct 05, 2023•7 min
It’s increasingly clear that Canada and India’s spat isn’t the kind that’s easily resolved over a few texts and a round of beers. In a story ripped from the works of John le Carré (or perhaps John le Carr-eh), a landmark Canadian espionage case just hit the courts. Yachts and mansions are nice, but these days, Silicon Valley executives are chasing something money can’t buy: Time. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Oct 04, 2023•9 min
What do four-year-old boys and the electric vehicle (EV) market have in common? Both are obsessed with trucks. Bad business idea: Opening a meth and crack store that immediately gets shut down. Maybe a good business idea? Early investing in the potential decriminalization of hard drugs. Over the summer, analysts were pretty confident that major banks would be interested in buying Laurentian. But now, even the CEO doesn’t want to work there. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepea...
Oct 03, 2023•9 min
Still working from home in your sweats? Better hang on to that gig if you want to keep the lifestyle because few new jobs will afford you the same luxury. This year’s historically bad wildfire season has the federal government searching for new ways to battle future blazes. If it seems like everyone you know (and know of) is becoming a venture capitalist these days… yes, yes they are. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Oct 02, 2023•7 min
A 10-kg bucket of peanut butter. A box of 204 frozen croissants. A 24-karat gold bar. What do all of these items have in common? You can buy them all at Costco. Some folks collect baseball cards or stamps. Canada is collecting EV battery plants. Apple’s iPhone 15 is officially the hottest release of the fall. And no, we’re not talking about its lightweight frame, USB 3.2 port, and exciting new button… Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 29, 2023•8 min
Canada’s new AI regs just dropped… Do you hear that? It’s the sound of keyboards clacking, pens scribbling, and overpriced latte orders echoing across the Sunset Strip… …which can only mean Hollywood writers are back. Amazon’s new check-out concept means Canadian sports fans will still pay $13 for a beer, but at least they won’t have to wait in line for it. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 28, 2023•9 min
The FTC surely must be inspired by the story of David and Goliath, because the US regulatory body won’t stop picking fights with tech giants. The saddest six-word story ever written: For sale, $500 shoes, worn once. Picture the life of a digital nomad: You’re probably thinking of oceanfront workplaces, rainforest yoga, and drinking out of coconuts. But what about just heading to Toronto? Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 27, 2023•9 min
OpenAI's latest ChatGPT update bestows the AI chatbot with the gifts of speech and sight. The world’s largest toymaker is having a hard time making its little bricks eco-friendly. As the calendar turns and labour unrest in Canada continues, the Summer of Strikes is evolving into the Autumn of Arbitration (which is way less catchy, but just as important). Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 26, 2023•7 min
Big congrats to anyone who works for Ford on your big raise. Next round is on you! Unlike many of us coming home from holiday, NASA remembered to bring back souvenirs from its latest trip. Look away, arachnophobes: A new species of tarantula with a unique, electric blue colour has been discovered in Thailand. Don’t worry about finding one of these guys in your home, though—they’re quite rare and prefer the warm, humid conditions of a tropical forest. If you were kicking yourself last year for no...
Sep 25, 2023•7 min
Remember the good ol’ days of Canadian and Indian leaders forging economic ties and posing for extremely cringey photos? We sure do — but that time is behind us now. Ride-sharing in Toronto could soon become an eco-friendly way to travel, which might make you feel a little better about all those Uber charges. Physical passports and boarding passes could go the way of smoking sections on airplanes thanks to biometric technology. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.co...
Sep 22, 2023•8 min
Remember the good ol’ days of Canadian and Indian leaders forging economic ties and posing for extremely cringey photos? We sure do — but that time is behind us now. Ride-sharing in Toronto could soon become an eco-friendly way to travel, which might make you feel a little better about all those Uber charges. Physical passports and boarding passes could go the way of smoking sections on airplanes thanks to biometric technology. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.co...
Sep 21, 2023•9 min
If the Bank of Canada (BoC) is looking for a new mantra during these trying times, might we suggest, “What goes up must come down… to the 2% inflation target.” As the 2023 UN General Assembly enters its final day, member nations are trying to find a way to get a passing grade on the world’s hardest group project. Looking to put some extra muscle into your side hustle? Look no further than our robot pals. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 20, 2023•9 min
If you can’t figure out why you’re grocery bill keeps climbing, you’re not alone, the federal government was wondering the same thing. From shared bedrooms to staircase apartments, it’s a tough world out there for new renters. You’d think that to be one of the world’s most valuable car companies, you’d need to move a lot of hot rods. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 19, 2023•9 min
Electric vehicles might be great for bringing emissions down, but there’s growing concern among autoworkers that they might not be great for people who make cars for a living. Did anyone have Tom Hanks filing a copyright for his AI avatar on their 2023 bingo card? London (England, not Ontario) is set to welcome at least 13 new high-end hotels, some of which claim to offer seven-star accommodation—a number of stars we didn’t even know was possible. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https:/...
Sep 18, 2023•24 min
Ever feel like your cold medication isn’t really doing the job? That may be because it’s literally not doing the job—or any job, for that matter. Washington rolled out the red carpet for big tech’s A-listers yesterday, but instead of asking them who they’re wearing, the Silicon Valley equivalent of the Avengers were quizzed about AI. Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Your phone rings, you pick it up, and within 0.01 seconds, you realize it’s a scammer. You hang up and swear off answering ...
Sep 15, 2023•9 min
Ever feel like your cold medication isn’t really doing the job? That may be because it’s literally not doing the job—or any job, for that matter. Washington rolled out the red carpet for big tech’s A-listers yesterday, but instead of asking them who they’re wearing, the Silicon Valley equivalent of the Avengers were quizzed about AI. Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: Your phone rings, you pick it up, and within 0.01 seconds, you realize it’s a scammer. You hang up and swear off answering ...
Sep 14, 2023•8 min
Apple held its latest product event yesterday, dubbed “Wonderlust,” to pitch shiny new toys they hope will help them navigate unusually choppy waters. The federal government is rolling up the welcome mat for international students (and maybe sticking it in storage for a while). In an effort to offset the environmental impact of its business (and its founder’s 417-foot, US$500 million superyacht), Amazon is getting into the carbon capture game. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://the...
Sep 13, 2023•9 min
Canada’s delegation to the G20 Summit is finally on its way back home after proving that in this country, no one is safe from flight delays. Like any of us in hour four of a Monopoly game, the US government wants to put an end to it all. You all already know that tobacco companies were responsible for one major global health crisis, but what if we told you they were actually responsible for two of them? Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 12, 2023•9 min
China and Russia’s leaders may have decided to skip this year’s G20 gathering in New Delhi, but everyone else managed to get along just fine without them. Heading west for a gold rush? So 19th century. It’s 2023: Miners these days want to hear about lithium “in dem thar hills.” The latest job numbers are in, and they’re sending more mixed signals than a crush who likes all of your Instagram stories but won’t answer any of your texts. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typef...
Sep 11, 2023•7 min
A who’s who of global leaders are landing in New Delhi as the annual G20 Summit starts tomorrow… or later today if you factor in the time difference. Imagine this: You’re a company, and your second-biggest market, which generates almost a fifth of your revenue, suddenly enacts a partial ban on your products. Cars are packed to the gills with technology these days, leading to various problems like production shortages, rampant theft, and now, major privacy concerns. Celebrating something? Let us ...
Sep 08, 2023•8 min
The Bank of Canada held its policy interest rate steady at 5% yesterday, but don’t call it a pivot—they’re ready to hike again if that’s what it takes to whip inflation, and they want to make sure everyone knows it. As Labour Day fades from sight in the rearview mirror, more Canadian employers are telling, not asking, employees to return to the office for at least a few days of the week. For artists who don’t change the economic outlook of a city with a couple of concerts, some extra money from ...
Sep 07, 2023•9 min
Athletes: They’re just like you and me. They eat, sleep, and are painfully aware of how many views their latest Instagram story is getting. At an international summit of Asian countries, the Prime Minister of Indonesia got a custom Team Canada basketball jersey, and Canada got a shiny new foreign partnership. As the US-China chip continues to run hot, a new smartphone has entered the chat. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Sep 06, 2023•9 min
It’s back to school for students across Canada, and teachers are preparing to contend with a new presence in the classroom that’s shaping up to be more disruptive than the class clown: Artificial intelligence. While Canadian troops have been used to fight unprecedented wildfires this summer, some say there’s a better solution. As renters start to echo the concerns of Jimmy McMillan (read: the rent is too damn high), some countries are taking measures to cool off hot rental prices. Celebrating so...
Sep 05, 2023•8 min
Canadian mortgage balances are making like a gym bro and getting swole.The newest location of Canada’s largest bookstore is set to offer a lot more than books. Robots have never been welcome on the internet—think of all the crosswalk photos waiting to stump us in a CAPTCHA—but that’s never been more true in an era of web scraping bots. Like two mismatched cops assigned to work the same case in a cheesy action movie, Shopify and Amazon have set aside their differences and become frenemies. Celebr...
Sep 01, 2023•9 min
If your top skills include “counting, like, really high” then boy, does the government have a job for you. The newest location of Canada’s largest bookstore is set to offer a lot more than books. It might be time to cut back on the spaghetti carbonara… not because you need to watch the carbs, but to save on your grocery bill. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Aug 31, 2023•8 min
Google and Microsoft are duking it out to become the provider of AI tools for your office. Montréal is famous for its bagels, poutine, and… apartment-swaps? The emergency alerts you get on your phone are facing fierce criticism, and not just because they frequently scare the living daylights out of you with that blaring siren sound. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Aug 30, 2023•8 min
As the West and China’s geopolitical relations grow tenser than our vocal cords during a big podcast recording, academic relations are also under strain. As the labour market slows down, the “job-hopping generation” is deciding to stay put. Here are our early predictions for what will be hot in 2024: Lavender mocktails, tube tops, middle-distance running, aaand rampant cybercrime. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Aug 29, 2023•9 min
Ever played SimCity and thought it might be fun to try your hand at creating a city from scratch in real life? You aren’t alone: A growing cohort of entrepreneurs backed by deep-pocketed financiers are giving it a whirl. A scientific breakthrough could shed light on some of the biggest threats facing men's health. How are scores of Americans trying to lose weight affecting Danish monetary policy? The answer isn’t as complicated as it may seem. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://the...
Aug 28, 2023•8 min
The exact causes of the plane crash believed to have killed Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin have not been found, but there are plenty of theories beyond bad turbulence. Like Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon this year, Nvidia’s recent performance has launched it into household name status. Today, in unsurprising news, dumping nuclear wastewater into the ocean is controversial. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Aug 25, 2023•8 min
An exclusive economic club between Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa is officially open for new members. Cold drinks are hot right now, and it’s all because Gen Z thinks they’re totally mother… are we using that right? Québec didn’t waste any time shooting down the fed's latest proposal for tackling the housing crisis. Celebrating something? Let us know here: https://thepeak.typeform.com/to/MNdYA3TO
Aug 24, 2023•7 min
