BUSINESS

Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants reports earnings this week amid concerns over rising oil prices and a strike at a large U.S. meatpacking plant.

High-performing entrepreneurs intentionally design slack into their schedules, teams and systems to prevent burnout, reduce chaos and create a real strategic advantage.

When an AI agent needs to log into your CRM, pull records from your database, and send an email on your behalf, whose identity is it using? And what happens when no one knows the answer? Alex Stamos, chief product officer at Corridor, and Nancy Wang, CTO at 1Password joined the VB AI Impact Salon Series to dig into the new identity framework challenges that come along with the benefits of agentic AI. “At a high level, it’s not just who this agent belongs to or which organization this agent belongs to, but what is the authority under which this agent is acting, which then translates into authorization and access,” Wang said.How 1Password ended up at the center of the agent identity problemWang traced 1Password’s path into this territory through its own product history. The company started as a consumer password manager, and its enterprise footprint grew organically as employees brought tools they already trusted into their workplaces. “Once those people got used to the interface, and really enjoyed the security and privacy standards that we provide as guarantees for our customers, then they brought it into the enterprise,” she said. The same dynamic is now happening with AI, she added. “Agents also have secrets, or passwords, just like humans do.”Internally, 1Password is navigating the same tension it helps customers manage: how to let engineers move fast without creating a security mess. Wang said the company actively tracks the ratio of incidents to AI-generated code as engineers use tools like Claude Code and Cursor. “That’s a metric we track intently to make sure we’re generating quality code.”How developers are incurring major security risksStamos said one of the most common behaviors Corridor observes is developers pasting credentials directly into prompts, which is a huge security risk. Corridor flags it and sends the developer back toward proper secrets management.”The standard thing is you just go grab an API key or take your username and password and you just paste it into the prompt,” he said. “We find this all the time because we’re hooked in and grabbing the prompt.” Wang described 1Password’s approach as working on the output side, scanning code as it is written and vaulting any plain text credentials before they persist. The tendency toward the cut-and-paste method of system access is a direct influence on 1Password’s design choices, which is to avoid security tooling that creates friction. “If it’s too hard to use, to bootstrap, to get onboarded, it’s not going to be secure because frankly people will just bypass it and not use it,” she said.Why you cannot treat a coding agent like a traditional security scannerAnother challenge in building feedback between security agents and coding models is false positives, which very friendly and agreeable large language models are prone toward. Unfortunately, these false positives from security scanners can derail an entire code session. “If you tell it this is a flaw, it’ll be like, yes sir, it’s a total flaw!” Stamos said. But, he added, “You cannot screw up and have a false positive, because if you tell it that and you’re wrong, you will completely ruin its ability to write correct code.” That tradeoff between precision and recall is structurally different from what traditional static analysis tools are designed to optimize for, and it has required significant engineering to get right at the latency required, on the order of a few hundred milliseconds per scan.Authentication is easy, but authorization is where things get hard”An agent typically has a lot more access than any other software in your environment,” noted Spiros Xanthos, founder and CEO at Resolve AI, in an earlier session at the event. “So, it is understandable why security teams are very concerned about that. Because if that attack vector gets utilized, then it can both result in a data breach, but even worse, maybe you have something in there that can take action on behalf of an attacker.”So how do you give autonomous agents scoped, auditable, time-limited identities? Wang pointed to SPIFFE and SPIRE, workload identity standards developed for containerized environments, as candidates being tested in agentic contexts. But she acknowledged the fit is rough. “We’re kind of force-fitting a square peg into a round hole,” she said. But authentication is only half of it. Once an agent has a credential, what is it actually allowed to do? Here’s where the principle of least privilege should be applied to tasks rather than roles. “You wouldn’t want to give a human a key card to an entire building that has access to every room in the building,” she explained. “You also don’t want to give an agent the keys to the kingdom, an API key to do whatever it needs to do forever. It needs to be time-bound and also bound to the task you want that agent to do.”In enterprise environments, it won’t be enough to grant scoped access, organizations will need to know which agent acted, under what authority, and what credentials were used. Stamos pointed to OIDC extensions as the current frontrunner in standards conversations, while dismissing the crop of proprietary solutions. “There are 50 startups that believe their proprietary patented solution will be the winner,” he said. “None of those will win, by the way, so I would not recommend.”At a billion users, edge cases are not edge cases anymoreOn the consumer side, Stamos predicted the identity problem will consolidate around a small number of trusted providers, most likely the platforms that already anchor consumer authentication. Drawing on his time as CISO at Facebook, where the team handled roughly 700,000 account takeovers per day, he reframed what scale does to the concept of an edge case. “When you’re the CISO of a company that has a billion users, corner case is something that means real human harm,” he explained. “And so identity, for normal people, for agents, going forward is going to be a humongous problem.”Ultimately, the challenges CTOs face on the agent side stem from incomplete standards for agent identity, improvised tooling, and enterprises deploying agents faster than the frameworks meant to govern them can be written. The path forward requires building identity infrastructure from scratch around what agents actually are, not retrofitting what was built for the humans who created them.

Warner Bros. celebrated an epic Oscar night, while Bob Iger departs as Disney CEO, in a week that sums up the achievements and challenges facing all of Hollywood.

The 2026 Oscars gift bag included a custom prenup. Here’s what that reinforces about the shift in marriage realism among celebs and fans alike. 

Micron reports earnings on Wednesday, but the company already gave investors some good news this week when it said its HBM4 offering is in production for Nvidia.

Global oil prices were poised to end above $100 a barrel for a fourth session in a row on Tuesday, as some nations refused a U.S. call for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

America runs on caffeine. According to a report from the International Food Information Council, 93% of Americans consume caffeine regularly, and 75% consume it daily.If you’re anything like me (or the 25% of Americans who admit to consuming caffeine 3 or more times a day), daily consumption doesn’t just stop with a morning cup of coffee, but continues throughout the afternoon and early evening with energy drinks, crispy Diet Cokes, and espresso shots.But every once and a while, I find myself in need of a smaller boost, something to put a little pep in my step without delivering heart palpitations.With its newest menu launch, Sonic is making it easier than ever to grab that mid-level afternoon pick-me-up.Sonic adds Refreshers to its menuOn March 16, the quick service chain announced it would be adding “a new, crave-worthy lineup of hydrating beverages made with real fruit and green tea for a naturally uplifting boost” to its menu.With 45 milligrams of caffeine, these permanent additions perfectly straddle the line between giving you enough energy to complete your afternoon “to do” list and being able to fall asleep before midnight. Available in both still and sparkling options, the refreshers come in three unique flavors:Strawberry passionfruitMango PeachBerry CitrusRinging in at just $2.99 for a 20 ounce, the drinks are much more wallet-friendly than similar offerings at chains like Starbucks or Dutch Bros.While the Refreshers won’t officially be added to menus nationwide until March 23, Sonic app users get early access starting on March 16.

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Beverages are a core part of Sonic’s businessFrom its earliest days, drinks have been a core component of Sonic’s menu.Sonic started out as Top Hat, a drive-in chain where diners could order root beer via an intercom system and have it delivered directly to their vehicles. As time went on, founder Troy Smith added more items to the menu, but the beverage selection was never an afterthought.Related: Michaels adds new perks for loyal shoppersToday, the restaurant offers more than 1 million drink combinations. Customers can mix and match sodas, slushes, teas, and lemonades with flavored syrups, real fruit additions, and creamers to achieve a thirst quencher perfectly suited to their individual palates.Some of Sonic’s best marketing campaigns have also centered on their drinks lineup. For years, customers have been able to partake in the restaurant’s daily happy hour, where they can swing by during off-peak afternoon hours to pick up their favorite beverages at half-price. More recently, Sonic made the happy hour pricing an all-day perk for people who ordered through the app. The caffeinated beverage market is boomingWith a massive consumer base and such high purchase frequency, it’s no surprise that the caffeinated beverage market is booming. Experts predict a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) somewhere between 5.2% and 7.78%. Sonic is just one of a growing number of companies scrambling to add non-coffee caffeinated beverages to their offerings in an effort to capitalize on increased consumer demand. Last year, Taco Bell rolled out its Refrescas, a line of energy drinks caffeinated with either green tea (52 mg of caffeine) or Rockstar Energy (200 mg of caffeine). A few months later, Wendy’s unveiled its Sparkling Energy drinks (80-120 mg of caffeine). And earlier this month, Panera Bread announced it would be returning to the energy drink scene with two new Refreshers (28-42 mg of caffeine), after the discontinuation of its Charged Lemonades.More retail:Coca-Cola brings exclusive new soda to WalmartPopular coffee chain closes all 20 locations after saleStarbucks rival launches coffee shops in cult favorite chainMark Wasilefsky, head of TD Bank’s restaurant franchise group, says he doesn’t see this beverage boom easing up any time soon.“I don’t think there’s any stop to that,” Wasilefsky told Restaurant Dive earlier this year. “I think the market is huge.”The way you deliver the caffeine is expanding in many, many different directions,” he continued. “It’s really not just coffee.”Related: Taco Bell makes longtime fan favorite permanent

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealStepping into springtime is all the more enjoyable with a fresh new pair of shoes on your feet. Sandals, slides, loafers, and espadrilles are popular styles for warmer weather, but the unparalleled comfort and support of a sneaker make it a solid choice for any day of the year. Adidas’ classic three-stripe sneakers have been a footwear staple for decades, and right now, Zappos has an incredible deal on one of these top-rated pairs. Originally retailing for an affordable $65, the Adidas Daily 4.0 Unisex Shoe is on sale for as low as $46 at Zappos. The aesthetically pleasing neutral gray and black pair is 30% off (pictured below), which brings them to their lowest price in the past 30 days. The black and white style with a vintage-inspired gum rubber sole is also at its lowest price in the last month, with a discount of 29%. Whichever color you prefer, they’ll become a go-to in your shoe collection for their versatility and everyday comfort. The shoes are available in both men’s and women’s sizes, but with these exceptional savings, some sizes are already selling out.Adidas Daily 4.0 Unisex Shoe, $46 (was $65) at Zappos

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Why do shoppers love it?Designed for everyday wear, these sneakers have a timeless style that’s well-suited for the modern day. Adidas’ iconic three-stripe detail is prominently displayed on each side of the shoe and gives the kicks a clean and fresh look. The footwear is crafted with lightweight textile uppers, so you can move comfortably without feeling weighed down. Maximizing durability and longevity, the shoe also has a reinforced toe and rubber outsole, so it will last longer step after step. The traditional lace-up design also helps provide a snug fit around your foot for increased stability.From their ultra-comfortable fit and classic style to their superior quality, reviewers praise numerous things about these Adidas sneakers. Of the nearly 2,000 shoppers who have purchased the shoes, 82% have rated them a perfect five stars. “The shoe is very beautiful and, best of all, super comfortable,” raved one reviewer. “I wore it for the first time on a trip where I did a lot of walking, and I didn’t feel any discomfort.”Related: Nordstrom Rack has ‘super comfy’ $120 Ugg Goldenstar Sandals on sale for $75 in four colorsAnother reason shoppers love these sneakers is their versatility. The cushioned and supportive insole makes them great for prolonged periods on your feet, like walking around the neighborhood, bustling around at work, or traveling through a busy airport to catch your connecting flight. The neutral style also matches a variety of outfits, whether wearing the most casual of looks or dressed for a nicer occasion. One reviewer wrote, “Solid everyday style works with any attire, and it’s comfortable. Keep making this shoe!”Details to know Sizes available: These Adidas sneakers come in men’s shoe sizes 4 to 14 and women’s shoe sizes 5 to 15.Color options: Five colorways are available, but only two of them are on sale for $46.Fit: These shoes run true to size, so you shouldn’t need to size up or down.Zappos’ deal on these Adidas sneakers is even better than what you’ll find on Adidas’ website. Because these sneakers are so well priced, they’re selling fast. If your size and preferred color are no longer available, Zappos has other sneakers on sale for under $50 to consider.Shop more dealsVans Classic Slip-On Stackform, $49 (was $70) at ZapposConverse Chuck Taylor All Star, $42 (was $60) at ZapposReebok Lifestyle Glide Low, $45 (was $50) at ZapposUpgrade your shoe rack with the Adidas Daily 4.0 Unisex Shoe for as low as $46 at Zappos. Don’t miss your chance to save by adding a pair to your shopping cart now.

Analysts say the $1.8 billion acquisition shows stablecoins are moving from niche use to global settlement rails.