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Instacart Launches New AI-Powered Food Inspiration Search Tool, Ask Instacart

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New Ask Instacart search experience makes meal planning easier, faster, and more inspiring than ever before

SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, today launched Ask Instacart, a first-of-its-kind AI-powered search tool designed to assist with customers’ grocery shopping questions – saving them time, inspiring their routine, and helping them make food-related decisions by offering personalized recommendations throughout the shopping experience.

 

Instacart today launched an AI-powered search tool, designed to assist with customers’ grocery shopping questions.

By leveraging the language understanding capabilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT API and Instacart’s own AI models and unique catalog data that spans more than a billion shoppable items across more than 80,000 retail partner locations, Ask Instacart invites customers to ask questions about what to eat and how to make it, helping tackle the age-old daily question: ‘What’s for dinner?’. Starting to roll out to Instacart customers today and scaling to all U.S. customers over the coming weeks, Ask Instacart is a reimagined yet still familiar search experience directly embedded in the search bar in the Instacart app, providing customers with product recommendations that are intuitively organized, as well as additional useful information about food preparation, product attributes, dietary considerations, and more. The newly enhanced search experience also incorporates personalized question prompts into the search bar that anticipate customer preferences, remind them of their needs based on their shopping history, and inspire them to discover new products.

“A simple question like ‘What’s for dinner?’ is among the most complex for families everywhere to answer. From decisions about budget and dietary specifications to cooking skills, personal preferences, and so much more, Ask Instacart can help customers answer all of their food questions and deliver the ingredients for the perfect meal in as fast as an hour,” said JJ Zhuang, Chief Architect at Instacart. “Whether it’s, “What’s the best fish for tacos?” or “What should I make for a Memorial Day BBQ?,” by supercharging Instacart search with generative AI we can create a truly inspiring experience that unlocks even more opportunities to engage and help customers as they shop online from their favorite retailers.”

With Ask Instacart, customers will be able to:

Better understand what ingredients or dishes pair well with others, like, “What kind of side dishes should I serve with lamb chops?”Discover alternative ingredients that can be swapped for one another, like, “What fish is similar to salmon?”Get more information on cooking techniques, like, “What are good sauces for grilling chicken?”Generate lists of ingredients if they have a meal in mind, like, “What can I use in a stir fry?”Learn more about item attributes so they can get personalized dietary inspiration, like, “What are dairy-free snacks for kids?”Discover broader, context-specific inspiration for more open-ended queries, like, “What are the best veggies to roast?”

Further adding to the new experience, Ask Instacart will help match consumer needs – through the questions asked – with brand partners’ sponsored product campaigns, creating an even more convenient way for people to discover new products and access the products they already know and love.

The Ask Instacart launch comes as part of a growing suite of new AI-native initiatives from Instacart that we are working to roll out over the next year and beyond. In March, the company debuted an Instacart plugin for ChatGPT, which lets ChatGPT users express their food needs in natural language, with Instacart’s ability to make those needs instantly shoppable with ingredients delivered to their door in as fast as an hour. Since that launch, the Instacart plugin has been made available to all ChatGPT Plus subscribers, and Instacart has plans to launch additional plugins with Microsoft Bing and Google Bard in the coming months.

At Instacart, we know that generative AI technology is still in its early stages, so Ask Instacart is a highly specialized model designed to only respond to relevant food-related questions. Instacart is committed to incorporating AI features into our products in a responsible manner, with a goal of enhancing the overall Instacart shopping experience and delivering more food inspiration to customers.

About Instacart
Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America, works with grocers and retailers to transform how people shop. The company partners with more than 1,200 national, regional, and local retail banners to facilitate online shopping, delivery and pickup services from more than 80,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace. Instacart makes it possible for millions of people to get the groceries they need from the retailers they love, and for approximately 600,000 Instacart shoppers to earn by picking, packing and delivering orders on their own flexible schedule. The Instacart Platform offers retailers a suite of enterprise-grade technology products and services to power their e-commerce experiences, fulfill orders, digitize brick-and-mortar stores, provide advertising services, and glean insights. With Instacart Ads, thousands of CPG brands – from category leaders to emerging brands – partner with the company to connect directly with consumers online, right at the point of purchase. With Instacart Health, the company is providing tools to increase nutrition security, make healthy choices easier for consumers, and expand the role that food can play in improving health outcomes. For more information, visit www.instacart.com/company, and to start shopping, visit www.instacart.com.

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SOURCE Instacart

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Charter to Participate in Citi Global TMT Conference

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STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) (along with its subsidiaries, “Charter”) today announced that Jessica Fischer, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the Citi Global TMT Conference in New York, New York on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Ms. Fischer’s remarks are scheduled to begin at 10:50 a.m. ET.

A live webcast of the event can be accessed on Charter’s investor relations website, ir.charter.com. Following the live broadcast, the webcast will be archived at ir.charter.com.

About Charter 
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) is the leading broadband and video company in the nation and the fastest growing mobile provider in its footprint, with services available to more than 70 million homes and small to large businesses across 45 states through its Spectrum brand. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products.

More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.

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SOURCE Charter Communications, Inc.

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Nauticus Robotics, Inc. Announces Substantially Stronger Q3 Offshore Activity with Both ROV Systems Deployed

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Comanche ROV systems are currently operating on commercial projects in the U.S. Northeast and Gulf Coast  

HOUSTON, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (NASDAQ: KITT, “Nauticus” or the “Company”), a developer of autonomous subsea robots and autonomy software, today announced that both of its Comanche remotely operated vehicle (ROV) systems are currently operating on commercial offshore projects, reflecting substantially stronger offshore activity during the third quarter of 2026.

Nauticus is experiencing a substantially stronger third quarter based on commercial ROV activity to date. Both of the Company’s Comanche ROV systems are currently deployed on customer projects. One is working in the U.S. Northeast in support of offshore wind development, while the second is performing platform inspection work off the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The concurrent deployments represent increased utilization of the Company’s ROV assets and place both Comanche systems in active commercial operations simultaneously. The projects also represent commercial activity in two distinct U.S. offshore markets.

In addition to the current deployments, Nauticus has submitted bids and proposals for ROV projects across multiple locations in both the U.S. and international offshore markets. These bids and proposals are not included in the operating activity described in this release, and no assurance can be given that any prospective project will result in a contract or commercial activity.

“Having both Comanche ROV systems working commercially is an important operating milestone for Nauticus,” said Steve Walsh, Vice President of Sales at Nauticus. “Today, we have active commercial operations in both the Northeast and Gulf Coast, with both systems and our offshore personnel supporting customer projects. The level of activity we are experiencing during the third quarter represents a meaningful improvement in utilization of our ROV assets.”

The operational information presented in this release describes activity as of the date of this announcement. Nauticus does not provide revenue guidance, and the information presented regarding current ROV activity should not be interpreted as a forecast of future financial or operating results.

About Nauticus Robotics, Inc.

Nauticus Robotics, Inc. develops autonomous robots for the ocean industries. Autonomy requires the extensive use of sensors, artificial intelligence, and effective algorithms for perception and decision-making allowing the robot to adapt to changing environments. The company’s business model includes using robotic systems for service, selling vehicles and components, and licensing of related software to both the commercial and defense business sectors. Nauticus has designed and is currently testing and certifying a new generation of vehicles to reduce operational cost and gather data to maintain and operate a wide variety of subsea infrastructure. Besides a standalone service offering and forward-facing products, Nauticus’ approach to ocean robotics has also resulted in the development of a range of technology products for retrofit/upgrading traditional ROV operations and other third-party vehicle platforms. Nauticus’ services provide customers with the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets while reducing their operational footprint, operating cost, and greenhouse gas emissions, to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure. www.nauticusrobotics.com

Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”), and such statements are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Act as well as protections afforded by other federal securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: the expected timing of product commercialization or new product releases; customer interest in Nauticus’ products; estimated operating results and use of cash; and Nauticus’ use of and needs for capital. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by, or include the words “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “plans,” “scheduled,” “anticipates,” “intends,” or “continue” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results, or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Nauticus’ management’s current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. There can be no assurance that the events, results, or trends identified in these forward-looking statements will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Nauticus is not under any obligation and expressly disclaims any obligation, to update, alter, or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review the statements set forth in the reports which Nauticus has filed or will file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for a more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and that could cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated in the forward-looking statements made by the Company, in particular the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in documents filed from time to time with the SEC, including Nauticus’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC from time to time. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or expected. The documents filed by Nauticus with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

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SOURCE Nauticus Robotics, Inc.

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The Most Important Commute by Zum Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan Named #1 Amazon Bestseller in Education Administration

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New book makes the case that reliable student mobility is fundamental to access to education

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Most Important Commute, the new book by Zūm Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan, has reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list in Education Administration, underscoring growing recognition of student mobility as a critical part of educational access and outcomes.

Every day, approximately 26 million students rely on school buses to get to and from school, making student mobility one of the largest mass mobility systems in the United States. Yet the system has historically operated with fragmented technology, limited visibility and outdated infrastructure.

In The Most Important Commute, Narayan draws on more than a decade building Zum and working with school districts, families, drivers and transportation leaders to examine why the journey to school is much more than a transportation challenge—it is an education issue.

“Every conversation about improving education starts in the classroom, but for millions of students, access to education begins long before they walk through the school doors,” said Narayan. “The school bus is the bridge between a child and everything education can make possible. Seeing The Most Important Commute reach #1 in Education Administration reinforces how important this conversation has become.”

The book highlights transformations underway in school districts across the country and explores how technology, AI and modern operations can improve reliability, reduce student commute times, provide greater transparency for families and make transportation systems more efficient.

“Zum’s track record, along with its enhanced communication and equity-focused decision making, has greatly benefited our students, families and drivers,” said Dr. Jennifer Collier, Superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools. “It has been a game-changer for KCPS and our community.”

Today, Zum supports more than 6,500 schools across 19 states through Zum CMX™, its unified, AI-powered operating system purpose-built for student mobility.

“The story of student mobility is ultimately a story about opportunity,” Narayan said. “When a child can count on getting to school safely and reliably every day, an entire world opens up to them. That is why this is—and always will be—the most important commute.”

The Most Important Commute is available on Amazon.

To learn more about how Zum is leading the nation in redefining student mobility, visit www.ridezum.com.

About Ritu Narayan

Ritu Narayan is the Founder and CEO of Zum, a technology entrepreneur and working mother who founded Zum after experiencing firsthand the challenges families face getting children safely and reliably to and from school. Under her leadership, Zūm has grown to support more than 6,500 schools across 19 states.

About Zum

Zum is redefining mass mobility with Zum CMX, which connects and coordinates people, vehicles, and operations in real time. In the student mobility market, Zum is addressing a daily source of anxiety and disruption by providing a reliable, transparent, and efficient mobility experience for students and families. Learn more at www.ridezum.com. Today, more than 6,500 schools in 199 states have relied on the Zum CMX™ system.

Media Contact

Jenny Mayfield
VP, Communications, Zum
press@ridezum.com 

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SOURCE Zūm

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