Latest news with #Arrigoni
WIRED
12-06-2025
- Business
- WIRED
AI Agents Are Too Cheap for Our Own Good
Jun 12, 2025 7:00 AM AI tools cost a fraction of human labor—and may undermine the jobs needed to build careers. Illustration: Jacqui VanLiew In 2007, Luke Arrigoni, an AI entrepreneur, earned $63,000 at his first job as a junior software developer. Today, he says AI tools that write better code than he did back then cost just $120 annually. The numbers don't sit right with him. Arrigoni, who runs Loti AI, a company that helps Hollywood stars find unauthorized deepfakes, worries that underpriced AI tools encourage companies to eliminate entry-level roles. He wants to flip the incentive structure so people's careers don't end before they begin. 'If you make the AI systems more expensive, then you have an economic incentive to hire someone that is starting out,' he says. AI transforming—or altogether eliminating—jobs has become a perennial anxiety. But the concern is gaining new urgency as demand for AI agents grows. Those AI systems can now make sales calls and write software code, work that was once reserved for humans. So far, the situation isn't dire. Hiring platform ZipRecruiter estimates that this year, summer internships in the US rebounded to roughly the same level as they were before the pandemic. But that might change in the near future. At the Snowflake Summit in San Francisco last week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman compared current AI tools to interns. The next-generation technology would be like a more 'experienced' worker, he said. In some companies, managers have already started overseeing 'a bunch of agents' the way they traditionally have 'relatively junior employees,' Altman claimed. OpenAI has talked about mitigation efforts like reskilling programs to stave off a potential jobs crisis—but it hasn't mentioned charging higher prices for its services to slow the transition to AI work. That's what has Arrigoni on edge. Even after accounting for the priciest add-on features, AI coding agents cost a fraction of a junior engineer. If inexperienced workers can't get a gig, Arrigoni believes, they might not gain the expertise needed to lead future teams—whether human or machine. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment. 'Less Than Human' AI pricing has fluctuated since ChatGPT launched as a free chatbot in 2022 and triggered an AI boom. Generally, many AI companies still offer free tiers for limited use, and prices for basic tiers have declined. Top-tier plans for the newest features have grown pricier, though not to the point of generating profits for the companies offering them—or deterring adoption. Startup executives and pricing consultants attribute low prices to intense competition among AI purveyors. 'Their only way to win is mass adoption,' says Ajit Ghuman, CEO of pricing strategy company Monetizely. That means AI companies need to charge the same affordable prices as their rivals. Unless electricity or GPU shortages become major problems, or one company corners the AI market, it's difficult to see prices rising significantly, Ghuman says. Decagon, a San Francisco startup that sells a customer service chatbot used by retailers and tech companies, charges $1 or less per conversation—roughly half the cost of human support. In some cases, the chatbot may be more effective than a person, but Decagon believes its clients would never pay more for it. 'The reason to invest in AI is efficiency,' CEO Jesse Zhang says. 'You're going to be less than human labor. That's kind of like the point of technology.' Zhang says his company makes money on each individual conversation after excluding certain overhead costs, but he declined to comment on the startup's overall profitability. With $100 million raised from venture capitalists including Andreessen Horowitz and Accel, Decagon has the flexibility to prioritize growth over profitability. 'Whether we could be pricing more, it's always like a 'what if?'' he says. 'But in general we're pretty happy right now.' 'So Cheap' Erica Brescia, a managing director at the investment firm Redpoint Ventures, had an epiphany about AI agent pricing last month. The $250 price tag on Google's new AI Ultra plan astounded her. 'All this is so cheap,' she recalls thinking. 'It's disproportionate to the value people are getting.' She felt a price of at least double would make more sense. (That same week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told Stratechery that he would hire an AI agent for $100,000 per year 'in a heartbeat.' ) Previously, Brescia worked as the chief operating officer of GitHub, which helped set the bar for AI pricing. GitHub's Copilot coding assistant started at $10 a month in 2022, months before ChatGPT's debut. Brescia says GitHub went with a price that would attract a critical mass of users. The goal was gathering data to improve the service, and GitHub's parent company, Microsoft, didn't mind taking a loss on the new tool to make that happen. In reality, a price 100 times higher would now better reflect the value Copilot provides to software developers, Brescia estimates. (GitHub chief operating officer Kyle Daigle tells WIRED that the company's goal is to support, not replace, developers and that 'pricing reflects a commitment to democratizing access to powerful tools.') Today, Copilot tops out at $21 a month. And similar tools have followed its lead, including Zed, which has received $12.5 million in funding from Redpoint and others. In May, the company started charging a minimum of $20 a month for an AI-assisted code editor it built from the ground up. Zed CEO Nathan Sobo expects AI companies to charge more over time because the current pricing models aren't sustainable. But relative to humans, he wants to keep AI agents affordable so anyone can use them to augment their work, develop better software, and create new jobs. 'I want as much intelligence at my disposal at as low a cost as possible,' he says. 'But to me, included in that is potentially a junior engineer using this technology, ideally at as low a cost as possible.' Decagon's Zhang feels the same way about AI coding tools. 'Would we pay more? Marginally? Yeah,' he says. But '$2,000? Probably not.' He adds 'the hunger for good engineers is infinite.' AI entrepreneurs suggest that agents could command higher prices if they were easier to set up and more reliable to use. For instance, Nandita Giri, a senior software engineer who has worked at Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, says she would pay thousands of dollars annually for an AI personal assistant. 'But strict conditions apply—you can't get frustrated by using it,' she says. Unfortunately, that day feels far away. As a personal project, Giri tried developing an AI agent that could prevent psychological burnout. 'It just canceled all my meetings,' she says. Certainly a solution, but not the ideal one. Now, some companies are hiring 'AI architects' to help oversee agentic systems and cut down on gaffes. The question is who will occupy those roles in the future if early-career workers are cut off from opportunities today. Simon Johnson, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, doesn't expect companies to take into account the social cost of career disruption in making their pricing decisions. He suggests governments lower payroll taxes for entry-level roles to encourage hiring. 'The right lever to pull is one that reduces costs to employers,' Johnson says. Arrigoni is choosing a third path. At Loti AI, he has prioritized steadily hiring junior engineers and hasn't employed AI coding tools. If the job apocalypse comes, 'I don't want to be at fault,' he says.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Forbes
A Look Inside 5 ‘Small-Town' Penthouses That Opt For Views Over Vertigo
Take away the high-rises and a 7th-floor balcony suddenly feels 50th-floor tall. It's all a matter of perspective. For many, skyscraper penthouses still rule property fantasies—those cloud-brushed aeries where glass walls miniaturize whole cities. But in mountain towns, seaside hamlets and centuries-old villages, the penthouse sits closer to earth yet no less aloft in spirit. Top-floor suites hover over white-sand crescents, cobalt horizons and weathered steeples, trading vertigo for clarity. The panorama slips in unbroken, a full-circle sweep of sky and landscape. Sometimes 60 feet is all you need to feel unmoored. Height, after all, is a relative concept – measured as much in perspective as in meters. Here's a look at five properties that prove lower heights can indeed reach high drama. Rising seven stories over the slopes, the Sky Chalet crowns Snowmass Village as the resort's final new-build penthouse. It takes nerve to attempt to rival Colorado's Elk Mountains, so the Sky Chalet penthouse at the upcoming Stratos at Snowmass Base Village settles into dialogue instead. Hovering above the village, its 5,000 square feet stretch across a single, view-hungry plane. Six suite-sized bedrooms, each crowned by its own rooftop balcony, orbit a glass-lined great room where vaulted ceilings and Arrigoni wide-plank invite the peaks indoors. A flex media lounge, Poliform kitchen and sliding walls of glass finish the sentence, spilling onto a terrace readied for a hot tub and rimmed by horizons that feel freshly sketched each dawn. Though the penthouse's elevation may be modest, its amenities are anything but. A private two-car garage feeds a mudroom with twin washer-dryer stacks and lockable gear cabinets. Après begins on that terrace, drifts through Viceroy firepits, then settles beside an Optimyst fireplace, where ember light frames the ridgeline in quiet charcoal. Priced at $30 million, Taylor Burstyn of Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate holds the listing. Cliffs dominate the California coast, but this 6th-floor ocean pad shows a gentler way to rule the Pacific. Southern California toggles between sheer cliff faces that plunge straight into the Pacific and long, billiard-flat sweeps of sand. A bungalow on the latter keeps your toes in the surf but your sightline stubbornly horizontal. In easy-going Del Mar, where the coast inclines almost imperceptibly, a sixth-floor perch suddenly feels sky-high—lofty enough to steal the whole horizon. The 1,800-square-foot plan is thoughtful rather than palatial: two bedrooms split for seclusion, living space that spills onto a wall of windows kissed with salt spray. Owners slip through a resident's gate to L'Auberge Del Mar's amenities—heated pool, courts perched above the surf, and a 24-hour fitness room open when inspiration or insomnia strikes. The listing for the $5 million beachside home is held Yvonne Oberle of Willis Allen Real Estate. Building A of the legendary Ocean Club barely scrapes the sky, yet its 4th-floor perch commands a sweep of aquamarine that feels infinite. Paradise Island flaunts ocean everywhere, but Building A of the Ocean Club Residences guards the choicest angle—east over the cut to open Atlantic. Four stories up, the lower penthouse delivers a water-level grandstand: 6,135 square feet of interiors spill along a gallery spine toward pocketing glass, the trade winds roaming in at will. Who needs altitude when the ocean handles the theatrics? Off the gallery, a sea-facing dining room seats 20 beneath a ceiling of soft surf light. On the terrace, 1,000 sheltered square feet absorb morning glare and evening flare. Beyond double security gates lie Tom Weiskopf-designed fairways, a 52-slip marina, and a ribbon of sugar sand quietly shared with the One&Only just up the shoreline. Ryan Knowles of MAISON Bahamas holds the $6 million listing. Forget height, this 16th-century Florentine palazzo charts altitude in frescoes. Florence is a town best measured in centuries, not meters. Inside a 16th-century palazzo commissioned by Grand Duke Francesco I de' Medici (1541-1587), a grand single-level apartment of 670 square meters (7,211 square feet) —and a roof terrace above it—charts a different kind of ascent. Frescoed ceilings soar in an operatic fashion, while original fireplaces anchor salon after salon. An indoor parking bay and elevator modernize the Renaissance without muting its echo. From the terrace, the storied domes and steeples of Florence unfold at eye level. As if to anchor all that lofted grandeur, the Arno slides by at street level—a silver ribbon within easy reach. The property is represented by Ilaria Mugnaini of Building Heritage. Some penthouses rely on steel. This lakeside duplex leans into its Alpine geology instead. Along Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), the skyline stops at church spires, yet altitude is everywhere. Stepped into a hillside above the charming town of Nyon, this spacious duplex relies on geology rather than girders to achieve its elevated position. The lakeside's slope hoists it like a natural plinth, leaving the glass façade to imitate a 20th-story Zürich pad. Dawn paints the Rhône-Alps across those panes while paddle ferries embroider the lake below. Inside, the upper-level living room doubles as an observatory—skylights harvest alpine light, a winter-garden sunroom erases the border between seasons and a 107-square-metre (1,150-square-foot) terrace coils around the plan. Here elevation, achieved by landscape alone, renders skyscrapers beside the point. Laurence Rothenbühler of boutique brokerage FGP Swiss & Alps holds the listing. Forbes Global Properties is an invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.
Fashion Network
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Kering appoints Federico Arrigoni as CEO of Brioni
The executive reshuffle continues at Kering. The group has announced changes at the helm of two of its houses: Federico Arrigoni, deputy CEO of Saint Laurent, will take over as CEO of Brioni, while Mehdi Benabadji, who has led Brioni since 2020, will move to Ginori 1735. In his new role, Arrigoni is tasked with 'further strengthening Brioni's global positioning and increasing the brand's appeal and success.' 'I am proud to see Federico becoming CEO of Brioni,' said Francesca Bellettini, Kering's deputy CEO in charge of brand development, to whom Arrigoni will report. 'I trust that his extensive knowledge of the industry and his strong international experience make him the best profile to drive Brioni into the next phase of its development, building on the House's remarkable history and achievements.' Bellettini previously worked closely with Arrigoni during her time leading Saint Laurent. An Italian national, Arrigoni joined Kering in 2006 through Gucci, where he held roles in human resources before moving to Saint Laurent in 2015. There, he held a series of senior positions—first as HR director, then as president of Asia Pacific in 2020, later taking on global commercial responsibilities, before being appointed deputy CEO in July 2023. Earlier in his career, Arrigoni began at Decathlon in 1996, progressing through management roles in retail. He joined Autogrill in 2002 as head of HR, then transitioned into luxury in 2004 as head of HR for Europe at Dolce & Gabbana. Mehdi Benabadji, who led Brioni since 2020, "brings to Ginori 1735 a strong track record in strategic transformation and international development," Kering noted. Under his leadership, Brioni underwent a successful operational restructuring and recorded strong growth momentum, reinforcing its position within the men's luxury ready-to-wear landscape. At Ginori 1735, he will report to Jean-Marc Duplaix, deputy CEO and chief operations officer of Kering. His mission will be to guide the historic Florentine porcelain manufacturer into its next phase of expansion and further elevate its position in the global luxury lifestyle and homeware segment. Before taking the helm at Brioni, Benabadji built a longstanding career within Kering, which he joined in 2003. From 2012 and 2019, he held several key executive roles, including director of operations in charge of integrated logistics and industrial activities. A graduate of ESSEC Business School, he began his professional journey in 1995 as a consultant, advising various luxury houses before joining the group led by François-Henri Pinault.
Fashion Network
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Kering appoints Federico Arrigoni as CEO of Brioni
The executive reshuffle continues at Kering. The group has announced changes at the helm of two of its houses: Federico Arrigoni, deputy CEO of Saint Laurent, will take over as CEO of Brioni, while Mehdi Benabadji, who has led Brioni since 2020, will move to Ginori 1735. In his new role, Arrigoni is tasked with 'further strengthening Brioni's global positioning and increasing the brand's appeal and success.' 'I am proud to see Federico becoming CEO of Brioni,' said Francesca Bellettini, Kering's deputy CEO in charge of brand development, to whom Arrigoni will report. 'I trust that his extensive knowledge of the industry and his strong international experience make him the best profile to drive Brioni into the next phase of its development, building on the House's remarkable history and achievements.' Bellettini previously worked closely with Arrigoni during her time leading Saint Laurent. An Italian national, Arrigoni joined Kering in 2006 through Gucci, where he held roles in human resources before moving to Saint Laurent in 2015. There, he held a series of senior positions—first as HR director, then as president of Asia Pacific in 2020, later taking on global commercial responsibilities, before being appointed deputy CEO in July 2023. Earlier in his career, Arrigoni began at Decathlon in 1996, progressing through management roles in retail. He joined Autogrill in 2002 as head of HR, then transitioned into luxury in 2004 as head of HR for Europe at Dolce & Gabbana. Mehdi Benabadji, who led Brioni since 2020, "brings to Ginori 1735 a strong track record in strategic transformation and international development," Kering noted. Under his leadership, Brioni underwent a successful operational restructuring and recorded strong growth momentum, reinforcing its position within the men's luxury ready-to-wear landscape. At Ginori 1735, he will report to Jean-Marc Duplaix, deputy CEO and chief operations officer of Kering. His mission will be to guide the historic Florentine porcelain manufacturer into its next phase of expansion and further elevate its position in the global luxury lifestyle and homeware segment. Before taking the helm at Brioni, Benabadji built a longstanding career within Kering, which he joined in 2003. From 2012 and 2019, he held several key executive roles, including director of operations in charge of integrated logistics and industrial activities. A graduate of ESSEC Business School, he began his professional journey in 1995 as a consultant, advising various luxury houses before joining the group led by François-Henri Pinault.
Fashion United
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Kering appoints new Brioni chief executive
The French luxury goods group Kering has appointed new chief executive officers for its brands Brioni and Ginori 1735. Federico Arrigoni is taking over the leadership at the Italian menswear specialist Brioni, while Mehdi Benabadji is becoming the chief executive at the porcelain brand Ginori 1735, Kering announced on Tuesday evening. Both appointments took effect on May 6. Arrigoni succeeds Benabadji at Brioni, who had led the brand since 2020. The new Brioni chief executive joins from Saint Laurent, where he had been deputy chief executive officer since July 2023. He joined the French fashion house, which also belongs to Kering, in 2015 and took over as head of HR. Before that, he had already been active in this area for brands such as Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana. In 2020, he took on the role of president for Asia-Pacific at Saint Laurent. A year later, he also took on the role of chief commercial officer, until he took on his previous role in 2023. Arrigoni began his career in 1996 at the French sporting goods retailer Decathlon, where he held various positions in retail with increasing responsibility. As chief executive officer of Brioni, Arrigoni is expected to further consolidate the house's global positioning and increase its appeal and success. He reports to Francesca Bellettini, deputy chief executive officer of Kering. 'I am convinced that his extensive industry knowledge and strong international experience make him the ideal candidate to lead Brioni into its next phase of development and build on the house's remarkable history and successes,' said Bellettini. Arrigoni's predecessor, meanwhile, is moving to Ginori 1735, where he is to drive forward the next expansion phase of the Florentine porcelain brand and further expand its position in the global luxury lifestyle and homeware segment. He will report to Jean-Marc Duplaix, deputy chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Kering. 'Ginori 1735 is a jewel of Italian savoir-faire in the fields of porcelain, tableware and decoration, and I am delighted that Mehdi will be bringing his deep understanding of traditional craftsmanship and his extensive experience in international brand development to the house,' said Duplaix. 'I am confident that he will support Ginori 1735 in reaching the next level of its global growth.' Mehdi Benabadji: Credits: Brioni This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
