Le Journal

The author struggled to adjust to civilian life after the Marines.jacoblund/Getty ImagesI planned to be in the Marines for my entire career, but I left early to pursue entrepreneurship.Some of the skills I learned in the Marines, like discipline, helped me in the real world.But I also felt lost in civilian life because everyone had different motivations.When I left the Marines, it was not because I disliked the work. I had originally planned to serve 20 years and retire in uniform, but over time, new interests began pulling me in different directions.The Marines are a 24-hour responsibility. Once you commit, your personal ambitions take a backseat. Eventually, I reached a point where I wanted to explore those ambitions — specifically, entrepreneurship — while I was still young enough to act on them.I made the decision to leave the service during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — even though the civilian job market felt uncertain, and many encouraged me to stay.But retired service members who had built businesses offered a different message. They helped me realize that the military equips people with more transferable skills than they often think. The transition resources on base reinforced that point, so I felt ready to move on.My military experience gave me options, but not a single directionIn the Marines, I worked on amphibious operations and rotated through several roles. That variety helped me grow, but it also made choosing a civilian path harder.I had multiple strengths and enjoyed different aspects of my job, which meant I didn't leave with a single, defined plan. I had possibilities, but no fixed route.Once I committed to transitioning, I wrote my goals down and worked toward them before my end date. Even with that preparation, the hardest part was simply starting. In the military, the steps are usually provided. In civilian life, you take every step on your own.I started to feel directionless, taking jobs in truck driving, sales, and real estate.The habits I learned in the Marines became my biggest advantagesI didn't realize how prepared I was until I stepped into civilian life. Public speaking, counseling skills, emotional discipline, and the habit of double-checking paperwork all became essential. Writing things down remained one of my strongest habits.Those small details sharpened my mind and made me more reliable. Clear communication and consistent structure helped me as I moved toward consulting and supporting clients.My experience also helped me advance at key moments. One employer took a chance on me specifically because I had served in the military. Veterans continued to mentor me even when they could not offer opportunities. When I started consulting, I leaned heavily on my military experience, especially in developing structure and communication systems for clients.But some parts of military life made the transition harderWorking multiple military jobs gave me broad experience, but entrepreneurship requires long-term focus. If you jump between strengths too quickly, you never grow one fully. I had to learn to slow myself down and commit to the task.The cultural difference between military and civilian workplaces was larger than I expected. In the Marines, keeping everyone informed is a core rule. In civilian environments, information moves at different speeds. People communicate based on their roles, goals, or personal habits. Especially in smaller workplaces, communication can be inconsistent. I had to learn not to take those gaps personally.Accountability also functions differently. In the Marines, you trust that everyone is committed to the same mission. In civilian workplaces, people have different motivations. Some individuals seek career advancement, others desire stability, and others simply need a steady income. I struggled to adapt to that.The Marines prepared me well, but left gapsThe military provided me with leadership experience, diverse skills, and a foundation…

Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch says its edge over Silicon Valley isn't smarter models, but being a European alternative built for control, sovereignty, and trust.LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesArthur Mensch, CEO and cofounder of Mistral, said being non-American is a competitive edge its home market.He said European governments and regulated firms want AI that they can control without US providers.AI power will be multipolar, favoring regional players over Silicon Valley giants, he said.As the race to dominate AI accelerates, Europe's most prominent AI startup is betting that geography — not just technology — can be a competitive advantage in its home market. Arthur Mensch, the CEO and cofounder of French AI company Mistral, said the company's edge in Europe over Silicon Valley rivals like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic isn't about having dramatically smarter models.Instead, he said that many European governments and regulated enterprises are seeking AI systems they can control, customize, and operate independently, rather than relying on a small number of external providers. "European governments are coming to us because they want to build the technology and they want to serve their citizens," Mensch said on the "Big Technology Podcast" on Wednesday.When models converge, control becomes the moatMistral, founded in 2023 and now valued at roughly $14 billion, develops large language models that rival those of leading US systems.But Mensch said that frontier AI models are rapidly converging in performance as research spreads and training techniques become widely available.As a result, the real battleground is shifting away from raw intelligence and toward deployment, control, and trust — a shift that plays directly into Mistral's pitch in Europe.Mensch said governments, banks, and heavily regulated industries want AI systems they can customize, deploy locally, and operate independently — without fear that a single vendor could change the rules or shut off access.The approach has already paid off. France's military recently selected Mistral for an AI deal that keeps sensitive systems running on French-controlled infrastructure.AI sovereignty beats regulatory arbitrageMensch pushed back on the idea that the company benefits merely from EU regulation or protectionism.Instead, he framed the demand as geopolitical and operational.European governments, he said, want AI that they can govern themselves and use to serve citizens without depending on foreign platforms.The same logic applies to regulated enterprises that need tighter control over data, compliance, and security.Mistral's embrace of open-source models is central to that strategy.Open source allows customers to run AI on their own infrastructure, build redundancy, and avoid vendor lock-in — a sharp contrast to the closed, centralized platforms favored by many US firms.A multi-polar AI futureThe appeal isn't limited to Europe. Mensch said Mistral also works with US and Asian customers who want to reduce dependence on a small group of American providers and retain more autonomy over how AI is used inside their organizations.That approach is already extending beyond the West. Mistral recently deepened a partnership with Morocco's government to co-build locally tailored AI models and launch a joint research and development lab aimed at strengthening the country's technological autonomy.Long term, Mensch said he doesn't believe AI will be dominated by a single winner or country. Instead, he expects multiple regional centers of expertise shaped by local needs, industries, and political realities.In that future, he suggested, Mistral's biggest advantage may not be the models it builds — but where, and how, it builds them.Do you work for Mistral and have a tip or story to share? Contact this reporter via email at tspirlet@businessinsider.com or Signal at thibaultspirlet.40. Use a…

David Heinemeier HanssonDavid Heinemeier HanssonRuby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson said AI isn't producing code as well as most humans.Hansson remains hopeful about AI, but compared its current output to "a flickering light bulb."Given his view, Hansson said he marvels at just how much of the US economy is bet on AI advancing.Tech entrepreneur David Heinemeier Hansson says he's hopeful about AI in the long term, but right now, he's just not seeing enough to meaningfully change his approach."I feel like it's a little bit like a flickering light bulb," Hansson said during a recent episode of "Next Token." "You're in total darkness and then it'll flicker on and you go like, 'I can see everything.' And then two seconds later, boom, pitch black."Hansson said when he asked AI to write lines of code, the output is not "as good as a job as most junior programmers I've had to deal with.""I'm not feeling that we're falling behind at 37 Signals in terms of our ability to produce, in terms of our ability to launch things or improve the products," he said. "And this is why I'm a little skeptical about the claims that AI is already now at a place where you can take your standard SaaS business and then fire half the programmers and still go faster."Humans coded 95% of the code for Fizzy, 37 Signals' Kanban-inspired organization product, Hansson said. They've experienced with AI-powered features for the product, but for now, they've ended up on the cutting room floor.Hansson said he doesn't see his business losing ground because he's focusing on writing his own code. For the time being, he can still "care about the beauty of it.""That's a luxury that perhaps is akin to what a modern saddle maker enjoys when you go, "Oh, the letter's just right, and the stitching is just right.' And you're like, 'Okay, but you're no longer part of the main production for transportation,'" he said. "And I'm like, 'Well, so what?' I'll continue to make my handwritten code saddles as long as I can for my enjoyment."'Just try to hold onto your hat'Alternatively, Hansson said he's seen the promise of AI in the type of tools Shopify uses, where he serves on the board."Some of the things that they've done with SiteKick, the AI agent they have helping merchants set up their shop and optimize their shop is truly incredible," he said. "And there's some real tangible benefits in that that I think are undisputable."Overall, Hansson said he's excited about the promise of a new era that could upend development, just as the iPhone's 2007 release ushered in a focus on mobile optimization."This is the first one where we, in real time, know the world is going to look totally different, and we don't know what the final result is going to be," he said. "So I think the best thing you can just do is accept that A, we don't know, B, that it's really exciting, and C, just try to hold onto your hat, jump on there cowboy and ride it and see where it goes."He also said AI isn't going away, no matter what some people may hope."That power does not exist. You don't get to roll these things back. Now, you could personally choose that you're not going to use gen AI," he said, adding that some people may also try to avoid buying products that were aided by AI.Hansson said he's amazed by just how much of the US economy is based on large bets that AI will break through its current limitations and reach something akin to Artificial General Intelligence, the theoretical moment where AI reaches capabilities akin to humans."The entire American economy right now is one big bet that that's going to happen," he said. "And I, as AI positive as I am, still marvel at that. The conviction…

Business Insider's Lloyd Lee found the Zoox ride to be a unique experience, but the service is still a work in progress.Lloyd Lee/BIAmazon's Zoox is a robotaxi company with limited operations in Las Vegas and SF, as of January 2026.Zoox's robotaxis do not have a steering wheel and are bi-directional.Business Insider's Lloyd Lee described the experience as akin to a theme park ride.Of all the robotaxis I've tried, Amazon's Zoox feels different.Zoox — founded in 2014 and acquired by Amazon four years later — is a robotaxi company that has limited operations in Las Vegas and San Francisco with about 50 vehicles between the two major cities. The company has said Austin and Miami are next on the map.The service is considerably smaller than its competitor, Waymo, and that limitation was acutely felt in my experience hailing a Zoox on a Thursday night in Las Vegas during the Consumer Electronics Show.However, the rider experience itself felt more akin to an amusement-park-ride-slash-party-bus than an average ride-hail service in an everyday car, which makes Zoox a true differentiator against the emerging players in the robotaxi race.Let me explain.Riders press a touch screen to begin the Zoox robotaxi ride.Lloyd Lee/BIThe good: Zoox is not a car in the traditional senseZoox is not your average car.The company doesn't bulk order vehicles from automakers to retrofit them with sensors the same way Waymo or Uber does. Instead, Zoox designed a vehicle solely for robotaxi operations and builds the cars out of a factory in Hayward, California.The robotaxi doesn't have a steering wheel or brake pedal — only seats inside the vehicle. The car is also bi-directional, meaning the Zoox's "front" goes both ways.This helps the vehicle navigate tight spaces and avoid the need to execute U-turns or three-point turns.However, riders will mainly feel the difference once they step inside the Zoox.Zoox robotaxi has sliding doors that open at the touch of a button.Lloyd Lee/BIA chime plays as the robotaxi's doors slide open — almost like a grand entrance to the Zoox experience.The interior reminded me of one of those immersive Disneyland rides or even a party-themed Gondola lift.Inside, there are four seats — two on each side of the car, facing each other. I found that it encourages a social experience if you're bringing along multiple riders.The headliner — or the roof — of the robotaxi has starlights which reminded me of the inside a Rolls-Royce or limousine. That touch felt especially appropriate for the Vegas scene, but it also seemed to add to the overall social experience Zoox is going for. It feels like a party inside the car.Zoox's interior features a starlight headliner.Lloyd Lee/BISurprisingly, the seats were comfortable. The photos and videos I've seen of the Zoox made me think the seats would feel like a bus or subway seat, but they have a plush touch to them.I don't see myself falling asleep inside the vehicle, simply because you're forced to sit upright and can't lie back in the seats, but they're comfortable enough for a 30- to 45-minute ride.Another surprise: There's plenty of leg room that provides enough space between you and another rider in front of you. I went on a Zoox ride with a company spokesperson facing me, and space was not an issue.I tried a Zoox facing forward and backward inside the car.There have been some reports of riders feeling nauseous when they face backward. I didn't experience that, but that could just be unique to me.The Zoox app tells riders which way to face if they are prone to motion sickness.Zoox robotaxi seats up to four people.Lloyd Lee/BIOutside the flashy headliner, there's little else inside the car. There are four wireless phone chargers, two small armrests, and four touchscreens by each of the seats, which allow riders to control the cabin temperature, change the music, and…