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Business Insider
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Netflix's original movies aren't moving the needle — but it might not matter
Netflix's "The Electric State," starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, was widely watched but got panned by critics. Netflix's "The Electric State," starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, was widely watched but got panned by critics. Paul Abell/Netflix Netflix's "The Electric State," starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, was widely watched but got panned by critics. Paul Abell/Netflix lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Netflix has seemingly solved the economics of streaming, but it hasn't yet mastered movies. Viewership for Netflix's original films shrank in the last two years, even as inventory rose, according to new research from MoffettNathanson based on data from Netflix's self-published engagement report. Movies made for Netflix generated 9.2 billion viewing hours in the first half of 2025, 7% lower than the back half of 2024, and well down from 10.3 billion viewing hours in the first half of 2023. Those declines came despite an increase in the number of original film titles available on the platform. That suggests Netflix's original movies have "gotten less popular," Joe Bonner, who covers Netflix for Argus Research, told Business Insider. The soft viewership comes despite a slight increase in Netflix's overall viewership, which the company said rose 1% year-over-year in the first six months of 2025. Netflix's original movie output has also declined since 2022, according to research from Kasey Moore, who runs the What's on Netflix site that tracks Netflix releases. (The streamer's original film output is typically lower in the first half of the year, and company executives remarked last week that this year's slate is "unusually second-half weighted.") Netflix has made original films at a slower pace in recent years. Kasey Moore Moore said instead of making its own movies, Netflix is increasingly leaning on licensing new and existing movies from other studios. "They're using other people's movies to boost their viewership all around the world," Moore told BI. A Netflix spokesperson said the company doesn't comment on analyst reports but pointed to the company's latest shareholder letter. Netflix's movie misses may not matter much Although Netflix has made a slew of smash-hit shows, like "Squid Game" and "Adolescence," its original movies haven't often caught fire — or impressed critics. Related stories Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Audience reviews for Netflix's most-watched original movies have trended lower in the last two years, according to ratings from Rotten Tomatoes cited by MoffettNathanson's Robert Fishman, who authored the report. MoffettNathanson "While the critical reception to Netflix's original series has improved considerably over the past two years, the reception to Netflix's original films remains muted," Fishman wrote in the note. Exhibit A is "The Electric State," a straight-to-Netflix movie that Puck reported cost in the neighborhood of $300 million. Critics panned the flick, which garnered a 14% Rotten Tomatoes score, though audience reviews were more upbeat. Netflix said that the film starring Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown racked up 74 million views since its mid-March debut — seventh most among its movies in the first half of 2025. But at that mammoth budget, it's unclear whether that bet paid off for Netflix. If Netflix's original movies don't make waves, Bonner said the streaming giant may have to do some soul searching on whether original movies are "worth the declining return on investment." When it comes to film, Bonner said that Netflix has "a reputation for middling quality versus, say, HBO Max." However, Bonner remarked that even a softer slate of original movies "did not impact subscriber acquisition, revenue, or profits" for Netflix in its latest quarter. Instead, he said investors were excited about the streamer's successful password-sharing crackdown and ad-tier growth. While Netflix hasn't yet perfected its film strategy, Comscore movie analyst Paul Dergarabedian said it can keep taking swings thanks to its "massive footprint and incredible financial resources." That's why he's confident that eventually, the streaming titan's movies can be as big as its shows.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Microsoft CEO calls job cuts in the midst of big profits the 'enigma of success' in internal memo
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sent a note to employees on Thursday trying to explain why the company has cut thousands of jobs while generating huge profits and spending billions on AI. "This is the enigma of success in an industry that has no franchise value," Nadella wrote. "Progress isn't linear. It's dynamic, sometimes dissonant, and always demanding. But it's also a new opportunity for us to shape, lead through, and have greater impact than ever before." Microsoft this year has said it would shed about 15,000 employees and cut nearly 2,000 additional staff deemed underperformers. Related video Meanwhile, the company's net income has totaled roughly $75 billion over the latest three fiscal quarters. Microsoft is also spending $80 billion on AI infrastructure investments. The stock is up 21% this year, and hit a record earlier in July. Nadella acknowledged what he called the "uncertainty and seeming incongruence of the times we're in." "By every objective measure, Microsoft is thriving—our market performance, strategic positioning, and growth all point up and to the right," Nadella wrote. "We're investing more in CapEx than ever before. Our overall headcount is relatively unchanged, and some of the talent and expertise in our industry and at Microsoft is being recognized and rewarded at levels never seen before. And yet, at the same time, we've undergone layoffs." Nadella penned a similar note in 2023. That year, Microsoft announced its first massive layoff of the post-pandemic era and also paused raises. At the time, some employees blasted the CEO for praising the company's successes without acknowledging those tough moves. This time, the CEO took a more balanced approach. Read Nadella's full memo: As we begin a new fiscal year, I've been reflecting on the road we've traveled together and the path ahead. Before anything else, I want to speak to what's been weighing heavily on me, and what I know many of you are thinking about: the recent job eliminations. These decisions are among the most difficult we have to make. They affect people we've worked alongside, learned from, and shared countless moments with—our colleagues, teammates, and friends. Please help BI improve our Business, Tech, and Innovation coverage by sharing a bit about your role — it will help us tailor content that matters most to people like you. What is your job title? (1 of 2) Entry level position Project manager Management Senior management Executive management Student Self-employed Retired Other What products or services can you approve for purchase in your role? (2 of 2) Advertising / Marketing Client / Account Management Company strategy HR / Training / Office support Managing budgets IT / Telecoms / Tech Recruiting new employees Sales Software development Financial Other None of the above Continue By providing this information, you agree that Business Insider may use this data to improve your site experience and for targeted advertising. By continuing you agree that you accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Thanks for sharing insights about your role. I want to express my sincere gratitude to those who have left. Their contributions have shaped who we are as a company, helping build the foundation we stand on today. And for that, I am deeply grateful. I also want to acknowledge the uncertainty and seeming incongruence of the times we're in. By every objective measure, Microsoft is thriving—our market performance, strategic positioning, and growth all point up and to the right. We're investing more in CapEx than ever before. Our overall headcount is relatively unchanged, and some of the talent and expertise in our industry and at Microsoft is being recognized and rewarded at levels never seen before. And yet, at the same time, we've undergone layoffs. This is the enigma of success in an industry that has no franchise value. Progress isn't linear. It's dynamic, sometimes dissonant, and always demanding. But it's also a new opportunity for us to shape, lead through, and have greater impact than ever before. The success we want to achieve will be defined by our ability to go through this difficult process of "unlearning" and "learning." It requires us to meet changing customer needs, by continuing to maintain and scale our current business, while also creating new categories with new business models and a new production function. This is inherently hard, and few companies can do both. But I have full confidence that we can, and we will once again find the resolve, courage, and clarity to deliver on our mission in this new paradigm. With that context, I want to re-ground ourselves in our why, what, and how: our mission, our priorities, and our culture. Our why: mission What does achieving our mission look like and feel like for us as a company? When Microsoft is succeeding, the world around us must succeed too. This is why each of us chose to be here, and as a company it's how we earn our social permission to operate. When Bill founded Microsoft, he envisioned not just a software company, but a software factory, unconstrained by any single product or category. That idea has guided us for decades. But today, it's no longer enough. We must reimagine our mission for a new era. What does empowerment look like in the era of AI? It's not just about building tools for specific roles or tasks. It's about building tools that empower everyone to create their own tools. That's the shift we are driving—from a software factory to an intelligence engine empowering every person and organization to build whatever they need to achieve. Just imagine if all 8 billion people could summon a researcher, an analyst, or a coding agent at their fingertips, not just to get information but use their expertise to get things done that benefit them. And consider how organizations, empowered with AI, could unlock entirely new levels of agility and innovation by transforming decision-making, streamlining operations, and enabling every team to achieve more together than ever before. That's the empowerment our mission enables, creating local surplus in every company, community, and country. And that's our opportunity ahead. Our what: priorities To deliver on our mission, we need to stay focused on our three business priorities: security, quality, and AI transformation. We are doubling down on the fundamentals while continuing to define new frontiers in AI. Security and quality are non-negotiable. Our infrastructure and services are mission critical for the world, and without them we don't have permission to move forward. We've made substantial progress across SFI, QEI, and Engineering Thrive this year, and they remain top priorities to ensure that we continuously improve our innovation velocity and our operational metrics. We will reimagine every layer of the tech stack for AI—infrastructure, to the app platform, to apps and agents. The key is to get the platform primitives right for these new workloads and for the next order of magnitude of scale. Our differentiation will come from how we bring these layers together to deliver end-to-end experiences and products, with the core ethos of a platform company that fosters ecosystem opportunity broadly. Getting both the product and platform right for the AI wave is our North Star! Our performance this past year has positioned us well. And we must move forward with the intentionality and intensity that these industry shifts demand. Our how: culture Growth mindset has served us well over the last decade—the everyday practice of being a learn-it-all, not a know-it-all. It has reshaped our culture and helped us lead with greater humility and empathy. We need to keep that. It starts with each of us as individuals and our personal drive to learn, improve, and get better every day. Professional rewards, growth, and pride in our craft will always be the prime drivers. Beyond that, we each have the opportunity to connect our personal passion and philosophy of how we derive meaning from the work we do with Microsoft's mission to empower the world. This is what makes it all worthwhile. This platform shift is reshaping not only the products we build and the business models we operate under, but also how we are structured and how we work together every day. It might feel messy at times, but transformation always is. Teams are reorganizing. Scopes are expanding. New opportunities are everywhere. It reminds me of the early '90s, when PCs and productivity software became standard in every home and every desk! That's exactly where we are now with AI. Years from now, when you look back at your time here, I hope you'll say: "That's when I learned the most. That's when I made my biggest impact. That's when I was part of something transformational." What we've learned over the past five decades is that success is not about longevity. It's about relevance. Our future won't be defined by what we've built before, but by what we empower others to build now. And I know that with your dedication, drive, and hard work we can go win together, and change the world in the process. I look forward to sharing more at Earnings next week and addressing your questions at our next Town Hall. Satya
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Hulk Hogan dead at 71
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, whose larger-than-life persona, shirt-ripping theatrics, and catchphrases made him the face of the 1980s wrestling boom, has died at 71. The Clearwater Police Department confirmed his death early Thursday afternoon. "Clearwater Fire Department and Clearwater Police Department personnel responded to a medical call at 9:51 a.m. today in the 1000 block of Eldorado Avenue on Clearwater Beach, the department wrote on Facebook. "The nature of the call was for a cardiac arrest. A 71-year-old resident, Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, was treated by Clearwater Fire & Rescue crews before being taken by Sunstar to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased." Hogan was one of wrestling's first superstars. In 1979, Hogan began wrestling for the American Wrestling Association in Minnesota. At the time, he printed his own shirts at a Minneapolis bar, the beginning of what would later become Hulkmania. In 1984, the then-unknown Vince McMahon lured Hogan away to join his wrestling venture. Together, the pair would take a once-regional entertainment sport into a nationwide spectacle. Hogan was so popular that he branched out into movies and later even had his own animated TV show. Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, was born in Augusta, Georgia, on August 11, 1953. His family moved to Florida, where he would later wait after matches at a local Western bar, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sport's biggest stars, who would later become his colleagues. "It was Dusty Rhodes who was the one who got me hooked on wrestling," Hogan told Sports Illustrated in 2023. "If Dusty Rhodes was not on TV on Saturday or Sunday morning here in Tampa, we were pissed off." This is a developing story.
Business Insider
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Ozzy Osbourne's Final Business Ventures Include Selling His DNA
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Shortly before he died, Ozzy Osbourne embarked on a business venture that could let fans "recycle him forever" — technology permitting. Osbourne died on Tuesday at the age of 76. Though he was known for his role as the lead singer of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, Osbourne spent the months before his death launching a series of notable brand partnerships. The so-called "Prince of Darkness" teamed up with the company Liquid Death in June on a product called "Infinitely Recyclable Ozzy." He drank 10 cans of the brand's iced tea, leaving "trace DNA from his saliva" on the now-precious metal, according to the company. Osbourne also signed each package, which originally sold for $450 each. (A six-pack of the teas goes for $13.83 on Amazon). Liquid Death said in fine print that it couldn't guarantee "DNA integrity and cloning results." At the time of writing, the coveted cans were sold out on Liquid Death's website. One sold on eBay on July 22, the day of his death, for $4,655. Osbourne, who sometimes wore dark eyeliner, also dipped his toe in the makeup world in the weeks before his death. On July 1, the UK-based makeup brand Jolie Beauty announced it was partnering with the rock legend and launching a limited-edition collection. Customers could preorder the entire collection, which included brushes, lipsticks, and a makeup bag emblazoned with an Osbourne-esque skull, for $553. The CEO of the Birmingham-based company said in a video on Facebook that the opportunity was an "absolute honor," noting that Osbourne himself was from Birmingham, England. Representatives for Liquid Death and Jolie Beauty did not immediately respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider. In the early 2000s, Osbourne starred in the MTV reality show "The Osbournes" alongside his wife and kids. His somewhat unconventional business partnerships weren't entirely new, either — in 2003, Chipotle created the Chipotle Celebrity Card for him, which grants unlimited Chipotle for one year. As of 2022, he was the only lifelong cardholder. Osbourne struggled with Parkinson's disease in the final years of his life, but joined Black Sabbath for a final concert earlier in July in Birmingham. His family said he died while "surrounded by love" in a statement.
Business Insider
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
The US Air Force let AI help operators find targets to speed up kill chain decisions
The exercise saw operators use AI to speed up targeting acquisitions and decisions. The exercise saw operators use AI to speed up targeting acquisitions and decisions. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt The exercise saw operators use AI to speed up targeting acquisitions and decisions. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. The US Air Force used artificial intelligence to speed up its targeting decisions in a recent exercise. The goal was to test how AI could improve the accuracy and timeliness of operator responses, the Air Force said, in order to have a more automated kill chain in a potential future fight. The four-day Experiment 3 exercise, held last month, was a stress test of future warfare technologies and tactics in a realistic combat scenario. "By replicating this novel methodology, we allowed tactical-level participants to explore how tools and workflows could shape kill chain execution for the future of warfighting," Lt. Col. Wesley Schultz, the director of operations for the 805th Combat Training Squadron/Shadow Operations Center-Nellis, said. A kill chain is a military decision process that guides how forces detect a threat, zero in on it, act, and evaluate the outcome. The US military is actively looking to evolve its kill chain through automation, AI, data-driven command and control decisions, and interconnected sensors, surveillance, and reconnaissance tools. During the training, operators used AI software to accelerate decision-making and targeting processes. It was designed to speed up those processes and "reduce the cognitive load" on human operators, the service said in a release. The Air Force and other military programs have been working on unmanned aircraft than can fly alongside piloted aircraft or on their own. US Air Force photo by Richard Gonzales Reducing the cognitive load, or mental effort, of warfighting personnel has become a priority, especially in recent years with the rise of AI. US military leaders and officials believe that AI can assist humans in assessing massive amounts of battlefield data to help make clearer decisions more quickly. The AI used was developed under the Maven Smart System, a larger US military AI initiative. During testing, the assessments made only by operators were compared to those made with AI recommendations. The testing was intended to explore the value of human-machine teaming. "Differences between machine-generated recommendations and operator decisions highlighted the complementary strengths of human judgment, such as intuition, experience and situational awareness, in time-sensitive targeting," the service said. Feedback from the exercise, as well as observations of how the AI operated, was then used to refine systems and processes. Former Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said earlier this year that future warfare will be "highly automated, highly autonomous, action at long range, precision," and space will be a "decisive theater," adding that the "response times to bring effects to bear are very short" Related stories Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know "We're going to be in a world," he said, "where decisions will not be made at human speed; they're going to be made at machine speed." And last year, he argued that mastery of artificial intelligence solutions could be key to winning the next major war. AI is being implemented across the military, changing how weapons systems and technologies are operated. US Army 25th Infantry Division/Staff Sgt. Brenden Delgado US military branches have been testing how to use AI to speed up decision-making. The Air Force has been looking at pairing the technology with uncrewed systems and drones, like collaborative combat aircraft. The service has let AI algorithms fly fighter jets, and there has been a lot of time and research invested in how artificial intelligence can augment pilot capabilities. AI as a tool can also complete back-end work in the military, such as better search functions for analyzing Department of Defense doctrine, understanding elements of specific locations, commands, or job positions, paperwork, and situation reports. The rise of AI in militaries has been met with skepticism and ethical concerns from experts and officials about its implementation, especially in combat scenarios. The Pentagon has maintained that its policy on AI will keep a human in the loop for decision-making, though some observers have argued that this may not be possible in a high-speed, data-driven future war. Others have noted that the technology may develop at a quicker pace than Washington or the Pentagon can regulate it. In recent Air Force testing, the human was kept in the loop. The AI functioned in a support role rather than hunting down targets independently with autonomy.
