Thu February 19, 2026 (Run 2)

AI/Automation

NiCE says agentic AI is already running contact centers, indicating rapid adoption of autonomous AI systems in customer service operations CXM World
Gartner survey finds 91% of customer service leaders are under pressure to implement AI in 2026 Gartner
CX outsourcing market projected to reach $171.81 billion by 2028, driven by AI-powered support, predictive analytics and hyper-personalization Globe Newswire
Wyndham partners with Google and Anthropic on AI booking platforms to capture reservations at lower cost than OTAs Skift
Hasbro CEO says company is "beyond experimentation" with AI, giving teams choice on how to use the technology Retail Dive
Apple CarPlay to integrate third-party AI chatbots including Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT in iOS 26.4 update EV Blog
Lyft details how it scaled localization with AI, using iterative LLM processes for translation drafting and evaluation Lyft Engineering
Amari AI builds custom AI-powered software to help customs brokers navigate shifting trade policies TechCrunch

Tesla admits its "Robotaxi" service still requires both in-car human drivers and remote operators, arguing its supervision model is more reliable than Waymo's fully driverless system Electrek
Tesla's Full Self-Driving software logs 1 billion miles in first 50 days of 2026, reaching 8 billion cumulative miles EV Blog
Tesla claimed world's first "autonomous car delivery" 8 months ago but never repeated it Electrek
Uber commits over $100 million to develop autonomous vehicle charging hubs in Bay Area, LA and Dallas EV Blog
New York governor pulls robotaxi expansion proposal that was viewed as favorable to Waymo TechCrunch
Rivian's LiDAR supplier RoboSense expects first-ever quarterly profit as sensor costs drop dramatically EV Blog

Ford's $30,000 electric truck promises to be an affordable alternative to Rivian with advanced yet simple design The Drive
Hyundai IONIQ 5 prototype spotted with major upgrades including Tesla-like interior features Electrek
Toyota's new RAV4 PHEV delivers 93 miles of electric range, 58% more than previous version Electrek
Nio breaks 150,000 daily battery swap barrier for first time, completing 158,290 swaps during New Year holiday EV Blog
Polestar quietly cuts 2026 sales growth target in half EV Blog
Benchmark expects Lucid's stock to triple, calls Q4 a "clean-up quarter" ahead of earnings EV Blog
New York pump station replaces diesel generator with battery backup system to cut costs and emissions Electrek
Renault considers Spanish Palencia plant for next-generation compact EV production EV Blog
Nio's Firefly brand launches first global outdoor advertising campaign with large-scale billboard in Belgium EV Blog
Aventon launches Ramblas ADV e-bike with 100Nm torque and 90-mile range for trail riding Electrek

Rivian introduces Apple Watch companion app allowing vehicle access and controls Electrek and EV Blog
Target invests in additional labor hours to address in-store challenges like poor stock rates and long checkout lines Retail Dive

Apple prepares for March 4 product launch event PYMNTS and Hot Hardware
BMW M launching 30 cars in 30 months across gas, plug-in hybrid and electric models, though CEO says manual transmission is "on life support" The Drive
2027 Audi RS5 debuts with new torque-vectoring technology and widebody design The Drive
2027 Audi RS5 Avant wagon features 630-hp plug-in hybrid V6 powertrain The Drive

Air France-KLM hits 2 billion euro profit milestone as premium travelers, especially U.S. outbound, drive profitability despite softening demand elsewhere Skift
United overhauls MileagePlus program to give more rewards to credit card holders to attract high-spend travelers Skift
U.S. inbound tourism slump deepens to start 2026, with visits remaining well below pre-pandemic levels Skift

Tripadvisor CEO issues confidential memo to employees on "challenging" month as activist investor Starboard Value calls for management overhaul, saying "time for incrementalism is over" Skift and Phocuswire
Accor pushes to sell stake in Essendi, the hotel owner it spun off in 2017, targeting 2026 close Skift
Loyalty API platform Odynn secures $9.5M seed funding to build team and scale go-to-market efforts Phocuswire

eBay will acquire Depop from Etsy for $1.2 billion; U.K. apparel resale site saw 60% U.S. sales surge last year Retail Dive
Walmart furthers gains with higher-income shoppers while lower-income households remain stretched Retail Dive
Wayfair records first annual revenue gain since pandemic, outpacing broader U.S. sector despite sluggish housing market Retail Dive

Software-defined vehicles face questions about 15-year lifecycle costs, hardware limitations and long-term responsibility as first generation matures MoveMnt