🚙 Lyft put its turn signal on

What’s going on here?

Lyft is planning to launch a streamlined ride-hailing app designed for seniors later this year, featuring “a simple new look” that presumably includes salt-and-pepper coloring and a cashmere rollneck.

What does this mean?

One ride-hailing firm has managed to follow in the footsteps of Venmo and Google, and successfully turn its name into a commonly used verb. But unfortunately for Lyft, that’s Uber – and “Ubering”. So, determined to fill more of its own cars, Lyft is designing ride experiences specifically for seniors – a group often underserved by app-based mobility products. “Lyft Silver” will feature a more user-friendly design with easier access to support and digital gift cards for seniors.

Why should I care?

Zooming in: You can lead a senior to an app, but you can’t make them order a ride.

No wonder Lyft’s trying to schmooze some older suitors. According to Oxford Economics, those over 60 will have a combined $15 trillion to spend by 2030. Plus, seniors tend to be willing to splash out more on convenience. Lyft isn’t the only one eager to dibs a portion of those trillions: plenty of firms across finance, healthcare, and mobility are vying for the attention of older generations. But these businesses will need to balance usability and innovation to solve the accessibility obstacles and digital adoption lags that come with this demographic.

The bigger picture: Bill Ackman’s chosen his ride.

Ride-hailing isn’t just about moving folk from A to B: firms are focusing on locking in those customers for the long haul. Much like the battles between Nike and Adidas or Coca-Cola and Pepsi, the victor in Uber and Lyft’s rivalry will be the one that creates habits, builds emotional connections, and becomes indispensable. Hedge fund heavyweight Bill Ackman has chosen his corner: he’s all in on Uber, sitting on over 30 million shares worth more than $2 billion.

What’s going on here?

US regulators are squaring off against Microsoft, moving ahead with an investigation into whether its AI and cloud dominance is fair game – or straight-up monopoly.

What does this mean?

Microsoft isn’t playing around with AI: it’s aiming to win, pouring billions into ChatGPT-creator OpenAI. But regulators are wondering if it’s all above board. They’re digging into whether Microsoft’s investments are in the interest of innovation – or more about stifling rivals and grabbing power. The tech giant’s cloud business is being put under the microscope too, with rivals claiming that Microsoft’s software licensing terms make it impossible to compete. This probe into the firm started under the last US president, and now it’s charging full steam ahead with the new one. So if Big Tech’s leaders thought the player shuffle would roll the dice in their favor, they may have to think again.

Why should I care?

For markets: It’s a game of chess, not checkers.

Microsoft’s been banking on AI and cloud computing – and if regulators force changes, that could change the game for its future profit. Historically these kinds of “antitrust” cases don’t sink stocks overnight, but they can bring uncertainty, damage growth opportunities, and create stacks of legal bills. And this one has the potential to trigger a rethink among other Big Tech firms, so it’s worth keeping an eye on how things play out. This could easily open doors for smaller competitors to grab a slice of the pie…

For you personally: Tech loves a reboot.

We’ve seen this movie before. IBM dominated in the 1970s until regulators forced it to loosen its grip, making room for Intel… and Microsoft. So the plot’s familiar: Microsoft might be forced to make concessions, or it could see a shakeup that changes the industry. Either way, this means two things. One: some tech stock volatility is likely. Two: opportunities could be coming for some of Microsoft’s key competitors, like Oracle and Palantir – crackdowns have a way of creating unexpected winners.