Stifel Bits

Summary

• A local resident returned a book to an Australian library over 150 years late, resulting in a theoretical fine of $19,500 that will not be enforced.
• U.S. sales of running-specific apparel grew 10% to nearly $1 billion over the 12 months through May.
• Google's Gemini models now process 22 billion tokens per minute, an increase from 16 billion one quarter ago.
• Additional warehouse space under construction across the U.S. reached 305 million+ square feet in the second quarter of 2026, up 18% from 2025.
• The AMC Lincoln Square movie theater in New York City screens The Odyssey at 6:00 a.m. on its largest IMAX screen in the U.S.
• Pubs in the UK poured 30 million+ extra pints of beer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• Most incoming interns prefer tapping a phone over swiping a card, two-thirds prefer in-store shopping, and 91% would not want an AI bot as their primary doctor.
• Instagram tops intern feeds, Spotify owns their earbuds, Nike remains their preferred sneaker brand, and 65% admit to buying items promoted by influencers.
• Every respondent plans to buy a home someday, nearly all expect to marry, most have started saving for retirement, and half fear they will end up financially worse off than their parents.
• Nearly all interns use artificial intelligence daily, yet 84% have questioned an article's legitimacy because of it.
• Plans to deploy a humanlike AI robot teacher at a New York school were suspended due to concerns about student privacy, classroom oversight, and AI in the classroom.
• China's beauty sector uses AI to analyze social media posts, identify skincare trends, discover cosmetic ingredients, and streamline product testing, cutting development timelines from years to months.
• Stunt performer Devyn Dalton served as a stunt double for Matt Damon in a fight scene for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey.
• Chili's attributed its turnaround to investing in foundational technology, specifically fixing Wi-Fi, rather than using AI.
• DoorDash is building its own drones and an end-to-end aerial delivery network.
• Johnson & Johnson offered $5.5 billion to settle most remaining U.S. talc lawsuits after replacing its baby powder with a cornstarch formula.
• JetBlue overhauled its fare lineup to 11 categories to offer more comfort and customization.
• Boston Scientific approved a company-wide restructuring plan following an acquisition spree of more than 10 companies in five years.