Google searches for lab grown diamonds have soared

Sherwood News

Pandora’s CEO thinks lab-grown diamonds will reign in 10 years

Looking for that special sparkly something? Synthetic diamonds would like a word.

8/14/24 4:38AM

Pandora has posted another shining quarter, with the Danish jeweler bumping its revenue guidance for the second time in 2024. One part of the business that glistened in Q2? Lab-grown diamonds, sales of which rose 88% year-on-year.

Although less than 1% of the company’s overall revenues, CEO Alexander Lacik expects the synthetic stones to play a much bigger part in his brand and the wider industry in the coming years. Speaking to Bloomberg, Lacik said that lab-grown diamonds are “disrupting in a big, big way”, before predicting that they will account for the “vast majority” of diamond sales in 10 years’ time.

Crowned jewels

Many, including Lacik, have pointed to lab-grown diamonds being relatively easier on the planet (and much easier on the wallet) as potential reasons for their rising popularity. Back in Q1, for example, natural diamonds were almost 4x as expensive as lab-grown alternatives, according to data from industry expert Paul Zimnisky. Indeed, while the eco-friendly credentials of the gems have come under more scrutiny in recent years, they’ve caught consumers’ attention.

Data from Google Trends shows that interest in the lab-grown stones reached a peak last December, perhaps as people conducted some hurried research into Christmas gifts. Interest has even consistently outranked the search volume for natural diamonds… a word which was never really needed as a distinguishing descriptor until lab-grown started to take off.

Max Knoblauch10/16/25

Uber launches “digital tasks” in the US, paying some drivers to train AI

Beginning later this fall, US Uber drivers will be able to earn money by completing short “digital tasks” like uploading restaurant menus or recording audio samples.

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi teased the new gig income stream back in June at the Bloomberg Tech conference.

At that time, Khosrowshahi said drivers and couriers were “labeling maps, translating language, looking at AI answers, and grading AI answers.” According to Thursday’s announcement, the tasks won’t be so focused on Uber’s business, but instead on connecting workers with “companies that need real people to help improve their technology.”

Per Uber, digital tasks can be done when drivers aren’t on a trip, be it at home or when not driving, and will take only “a few minutes” each.

Uber’s having drivers train its AI while partnering with robotaxi companies that could replace them

Per Uber, digital tasks can be done when drivers aren’t on a trip, be it at home or when not driving, and will take only “a few minutes” each.

Max Knoblauch

10/15/25

United Airlines posts stronger-than-expected profit but weaker sales in its third quarter

United’s full-year profit outlook falls somewhere in between the dual forecasts it issued back in April.

United Airlines Airplanes at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey

Hyunsoo Rim, David Crowther

HEAD OF MACROS

10/15/25

Pop-Tarts, Doritos, and Uncrustables have joined the protein craze taking over America’s snack aisle

Food giants are catching up with the latest diet obsession.

Apple TV dropped the “plus” as streamers keep pulling back on originals

After the spray-and-pray approach led to a wave of cancellations, Hollywood is settling into an era of just making fewer shows.

Hyunsoo Rim10/15/25

Max Knoblauch10/14/25

The average price of a new vehicle in the US passed $50,000 for the first time ever in September

The average price of a new vehicle in the US surpassed $50,000 in September, according to Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book.

At $50,080, that’s the highest industry average ever, reflecting the price hikes faced by new car buyers in recent years amid pandemic supply shortages, tariff-induced increases, and the high cost of EV production. The figure marks a 3.6% jump from the same month last year.

“Tariffs have introduced new cost pressure to the business, but the pricing story in September was mostly driven by the healthy mix of EVs and higher-end vehicles pushing the new-vehicle ATP into uncharted territory,” Cox executive analyst Erin Keating said. Passing the $50,000 mark was inevitable, Keating said, especially considering that the country’s bestseller is a Ford truck that “routinely costs north of $65,000.”

Year over year, new vehicle prices rose nearly 6% for GM, while Ford’s climbed 2.5%. Volkswagen new prices were up 12.5%.

As prices climb, so do delinquencies on loans to borrowers with lower credit scores. Recent data from Fitch Ratings shows the portion of subprime US auto loans 60 days or more overdue reached 6.43% in August.