A $27.1 billion* surge of investment energized artificial intelligence companies between April and June, amounting to nearly half of all U.S. start-up funding in that period.

Earlier in the year, the business world was on cloud nine with 13 new U.S. AI unicorns – private companies that reached valuations of over $1 billion.*

Consumers are flipping the switch on virtual assistants as well, with more than a quarter (27%) of Americans saying they interact with AI once a day or several times a week.

AI’s allure in saving time and money is capturing interest in particular: According to Empower research, 21% of people would use AI to suggest money moves to plan for retirement.

— The Editors 

⚡ Crypto’s horizon: The cryptocurrency market could fly high by the end of 2024, with one estimate predicting a climb to $5 trillion.* In 2025, new rules from the IRS and Treasury Department will make crypto reporting easier at tax time for investors: Brokers will be required to report gross proceeds on digital asset sales, with policies applying to other sales a year later. Empower research found that nearly 2 in 5 (18%) Americans plan to invest in crypto this year, and careful planning can help better gauge taxable income.

✍ Talk it up: There’s a lifetime benefit of $100,000* per student in learning about finances early on in life. According to Empower research, more than half (52%) of Americans say they never talked about money growing up. That may be changing. In July, California became the 26th state* to add financial literacy to high school students’ class list, and finishing a personal finance course will become a graduation requirement by 2031.

💫 Rounding up at the checkout: Domino’s has collected $126 million* for charity over 20 years by using “round up” prompts that allow customers to donate the difference between their purchase total and the next-highest dollar amount. With similar types of “checkout contributions,” and other point-of-sale options, organizations raised $749 million in 2022. Carving out a slice of your own budget for charitable giving (such as in a sinking fund) can help you pay it forward.

📈 Uplifting job stats: Close to 6 million* 16- to 19-year-olds worked in June, netting the highest employment rate for this age group in that month since 2007. Rising wages have helped attract new workers, and on average, teens earn $17 an hour in the U.S. For young go-getters, considering a Roth IRA now could kickstart a retirement savings plan that can help them reach their goals early. 

Flash sales soar

The sky’s the limit for shoppers, as Amazon’s Prime Day event in July drove a record $14.2 billion* in online U.S. sales, an 11% increase over last year.

August ushers in a schedule of blue-light specials, including sales tax holidays across 14 states*: During key windows, spenders can pay tax-free for certain categories like clothing, school supplies and computers.  

Families of elementary and high school students have penciled in plans to spend an average of $874.68* for supplies, and last year the majority of parents (84%) put that toward clothing and accessories, according to Empower research.

Markdowns of any amount can be a breath of fresh air: 76% of people think they’re doing as much as they can to save while shopping – even as apparel prices have inched up 7.8% since January 2020.

Beam me in

Telerepairs have entered the chat: Plumbers and electricians are among the skilled workers offering remote services and expertise.

More than 1 in 5 Americans (21%) had to pay for unexpected home repairs over the past year, according to Empower research. Telerepair video calls can be a fraction of the cost compared to an in-home appointment: A virtual call that runs $3* a minute (with a typical conversation running less than 15 minutes) might cost $100 as an in-person visit.

Unexpected upkeep costs can hammer away at savings. As of the end of last year, it cost $6,663* a year to maintain a home, an 8.3% uptick from the same time in 2022.

People see the importance of building up their safety net for surprise expenses: Around a third (32%) of Americans add to their emergency savings when they have extra disposable income.

Sky-high serve

Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport,* with more than 48 million* players over the past year – and now enthusiasts can get in on the game – virtually.

A new video game called “PPA Pickleball Tour 2025,” is taking a swing, serving up simulated tournaments for $49.99, in partnership with the Professional Pickleball Association.

It’s another shot to squeeze in some practice, when they can’t make it to the real-life courts popping up in major cities. Over the past seven years, the number of outdoor pickleball courts in public parks has soared 650%* across major U.S. cities.

The extra screen time may be a win for “picklers”: Empower research found the majority of people (63%) “feel wealthy” if they have enough time to spend with family and friends.

🍉 On Cloud 9: What would it take to feel on cloud nine about finances? Some 71% of Americans believe that “having more money would solve most of my problems” and 59% say money can buy happiness – though just 17% say financial happiness is reaching a certain net worth. Here’s what people say it’s about: