A Pouch For Everything

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Happy Wednesday, Future Party. For a brief moment, Google Earth users could deepfake locations all over the world thanks to a new feature powered by Nano Banana 2. In what seems entirely expected, the tool was so widely abused that Google shut it down after just one day. Maybe giving people the power to edit Earth is a little too much.

The rise of Zyn has turned pouches into a popular way to partake in… well… just about anything.

Why It Hits: Every few years a new delivery system becomes culture’s favorite. Gummies aren’t just for kids anymore, everything comes in a powder, and patches are a dime a dozen. The era of pouches is just beginning, so expect a new wave of startups to embrace the little package.

Behind The Gums: The question we may all soon be asking is: “What can’t be put in a pouch?”

Last Chew: Pouches have become especially popular with young men, particularly athletes and those working in finance and tech. That’s because they’re seen as more discreet, modern, and can allegedly boost focus when you’re locked into a Bloomberg terminal or managing coding agents. There’s also the perceived “cool” factor of optimizing yourself. Need an energy boost? Pop in a pouch. Can’t wind down? Pop in a pouch.

No wonder the rise of “Zynfluencers” on Instagram and TikTok helped drive nicotine-pouch sales up 37% last year.

The Future: We’re counting the days until a major music festival like Coachella announces an official pouch sponsor.

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College students are now regularly using AI to complete coursework.

The Big Picture: The use of AI in school is forcing colleges to rethink how they engage with the technology, grade assignments, and develop their curricula. It could mean higher education has reached a crucial inflection point — one where it must figure out how to truly educate students when tech can do so much for them.

Behind The Homework: Is it still considered “cheating” if almost everyone is doing it?

Final Notes: The surveys found that most students use AI for brainstorming. That may be because many are still unsure how to properly and ethically use AI beyond that. According to Axios, the surveys revealed some clear throughlines — students are concerned that AI may diminish their ability to think critically, and they would like guidance from their schools on how to use it responsibly.

In other words, teaching AI has suddenly become a mandate for universities, especially as companies start requiring AI skills for open roles.

The Future: Expect some schools to require an “Introduction to AI” course for all freshmen, regardless of their major.

Big money is rotating into a select group of stocks for the second half of 2026.

MarketBeat’s analysts tracked the move and identified 10 companies attracting fresh capital right now.

The updated 10 Best Stocks to Own in 2026 report lays out the tickers, trends, and catalysts.

See The 10 Names

30.3% of you voted I’m selective about the country music I listen to. in yesterday’s poll: What best describes your taste in country music?

“I live in the South, and it’s a genre of music I’ve listened to for much of my life. It’s been refreshing to hear more female artists in the genre lately.”

“Good ol’ real country music was my jam as a teen in the ’90s in the hills of Kentucky. Of course, we were limited on radio stations. 😅 I’m still shocked when a song I’d forgotten about comes on and I immediately start singing all the lyrics.”

“I don’t like country music except Dwight Yoakam. Some of the older outlaw country is all right, but this modern country-pop music isn’t enjoyable.”

“Americana, yes. Country, no. There’s a fine line between them, I know, but anything on the ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ spectrum is anathema.”

“It fits when I’m driving through the country. When I’m in the city, I tend to stick more with rap, rock, EDM, and pop. It just doesn’t feel right in the city.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎞️ Filmmaker Spike Lee and Brooklyn Nets co-owner Clara Wu Tsai are partnering on a new Brooklyn film festival called “Playback.”

🎮 The upcoming Xbox Helix will reportedly be able to play every Xbox game ever released by digitizing physical discs.

👀 BMW drivers aren’t so sure about being distracted by Spider-Man: Brand New Day ads on their dashboard displays.

🤖 The White House announced it will not publicize its new AI evaluation framework.

💻 Bending Spoons has acquired software firm Airtable for $2.25 billion.

🚗 Lucid shared a turnaround plan to keep the EV maker from stalling. 

🏈 ESPN has recruited five football-focused content creators in the run-up to its first-ever Super Bowl broadcast.

🤳 TikTok has stopped testing a blind-date chatroom feature after some weird things (predictably) happened.

👕 iShowSpeed has inked a deal with Zumiez to sell his merch in stores.