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Open-source artificial intelligence is no longer the discount alternative to Silicon Valley’s frontier labs. It is setting the pace on the newest battleground: the laptop sitting in front of the user.The pitch behind that lead was simple. Download the weights, run the model on your own hardware, pay nothing. That pitch is starting to change, right as the fight for on-device AI heats up.Alibaba (BABA) put both stories on display Monday, Aug. 17, releasing Qwen3.8-27B, an open-weight model built to run on a single consumer graphics card. The move directly answers the market Meta entered a week earlier with its own laptop-ready model, Muse Glimmer.The timing was not an accident. Alibaba is not just matching Meta with a smaller, faster model. It is quietly attaching a price tag to the flagship model behind it, and that detail says more about where open-source AI is headed than the laptop launch itself.Two rivals raced to fit AI on a single graphics cardQwen3.8-27B is a 27-billion-parameter model that runs at roughly 17 gigabytes when quantized, small enough for a single high-end consumer GPU, according to Cybernews. Alibaba said the model, which replaces Qwen3.6-27B, matches the performance of systems 10 times its size on coding, research, and agentic tasks, CNBC reported.On benchmarks Alibaba published itself, Qwen3.8-27B outperformed Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 on agentic coding tests but trailed it on general knowledge, according to the model’s card on Hugging Face.Independent developers questioned the comparison, noting Alibaba scored both models using its own testing setup rather than a neutral one, explainx.ai noted.Meta’s Muse Glimmer tells a similar story from the other side. The 30-billion-parameter model, distilled from Meta’s closed Muse Spark system, runs on under 20 gigabytes and needs only one consumer GPU.Independent testing by VentureBeat found Glimmer actually posted a lower privacy violation rate than Qwen on one safety benchmark, a reminder that neither company’s model wins across the board.What is not in dispute is the reception. Qwen3.8-27B passed 3 million Hugging Face downloads within three days and became the platform’s top-trending model, according to Cybernews.

Alibaba’s Qwen3.8-27B hit 3 million Hugging Face downloads in three days, arriving a week after Meta’s rival open-weight laptop model, Muse Glimmer.Bloomberg / Getty Images

Alibaba is quietly attaching a price tag to “open” AIAlongside the laptop model, Alibaba released open weights for Qwen3.8 Max, its flagship system with 2.4 trillion total parameters and roughly 95 billion active at a time, according to CNBC. That release is the more consequential one.Alibaba plans to require large commercial users of Qwen3.8 Max to share a portion of the revenue they generate from it, according to Reuters.Related: Alibaba signals shift in AI coding war with AnthropicThe company has not finalized the rate, but the structure follows the license Moonshot attached to its Kimi K3 model, which requires companies earning more than $20 million a year from services built on it to negotiate a deal, with shares reaching as high as 30%, Reuters noted.Until now, Alibaba charged only for models hosted on its own cloud and let most open-weight releases run free on a customer’s own servers. That is changing for the first time with a flagship-scale Qwen model, and it reframes what “open source” actually means once real money is on the line.Meta is betting on giving away what it does not sellMuse Glimmer carries no such terms. It downloads for free, requires no account, and runs with no metered charges. Meta does not primarily sell model access. It sells attention, advertising, and increasingly hardware, so a free model that runs on a user’s own machine costs Meta little, while making it harder to sell the layer its rivals do charge for.More AI:Nvidia just made a move Wall Street wasn’t ready forMicrosoft just took sides in AI policy fightOpenAI just disclosed something genuinely alarmingThat leaves two different bets sitting side by side this week. Meta is commoditizing the model layer to protect a business built elsewhere.Alibaba is building a toll booth into one part of its open-source strategy that scales, betting enterprises will pay once a self-hosted model becomes core to their revenue.Alibaba’s earnings this week will test which bet is workingAlibaba shares traded near $125 Monday morning, Aug. 17, little changed on the day but up roughly 39% from their 52-week low in June.The real test comes Thursday, Aug. 20, when Alibaba reports quarterly earnings and investors ask whether Qwen’s download numbers translate into revenue, not just attention.The bigger question extends past one earnings call. Moonshot has already moved toward charging large commercial users of its open models, and Alibaba just became the second major Chinese lab to follow.If that becomes the industry norm, the free lunch that defined open-source AI was never permanent. It was a phase, and this week marks where it started to end.Related: The new Chinese AI model rattling U.S. tech investors

WNBA stars Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, the StudBudz, turned WNBA All-Star into $1M+ in brand deals, building a thriving athlete-led business.

The 60-day deadline for the U.S. and Iran to end the war, as per a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Trump in June, expired on Monday.

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 dealAlthough you might not feel at home in the garage or tool shed, it’s important to have some knowledge and a few helpful tools yourself on hand for at-home projects and DIY home improvements. Sure, you might not be using something like the Dewalt Multi-Tool Kit regularly, but having one on hand can help you cut, grind, scrape, and sand in tight spaces where other power tools can’t reach, and that’s important for everything from removing old glue, paint, caulk, or grout in your tile to trim door jams and cleaning cutting baseboards. And although the convenience of having a one-stop product to fix the little issues throughout your home can come at a cost, Amazon has a great sale going on right now to help you get one for less. The Dewalt Multi-Tool Kit retails for $299, but right now it’s on sale for 67% off at Amazon. Save $200 and get both a multi-tool along with a bunch of helpful accessories, for only $99 during this markdown.Dewalt Multi-Tool Kit, $99 (was $299) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?An oscillating multi-tool like the one in this kit uses rapid back-and-forth side-to-side motion with different heads and accessories to cut, plunge-cut, sand, scrape, and grind, particularly in small spaces where standard saws or sanders couldn’t. It’s helpful in making precise cuts in drywall, slicing through protruding nails, screws, copper pipes, polyvinyl chloride, and rusted bolts in cramped spaces, and it can clean out old crackled grout or build up in your bathroom or kitchen tiles. It can even peel up old vinyl floors, adhesive residue and carpet glue, as well as sand wood, drywall patches, or detail corners. All in all, it truly puts the “multi” in multi-tool, and this Dewalt model is a great get for the price.In addition to the 17.15 inch long, 5.03-inch wide, and 9.65-inch high multi-tool, you receive a lithium ion battery, a charger, three blades, a sanding pad, 25 sheets of sandpaper, a depth guide, and an accessory storage box measuring about 15 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 10 inches high. The multi-tool uses a brushless motor in pairing with the lithium icon battery to run more efficiently. Their frictionless design makes them run cooler and use batteries more efficiently than standard brushed motors, delivering lots of power even in small devices like the multi-tool. The brand says it delivers up to 57% more run time than if the multi-tool ran on a standard brushed motor. The multi-tool has three speeds to select from, allowing users to adjust accordingly to their preference and project. It has a dual-grip variable speed trigger, which allows users to maintain control even at the highest speed. The accessories can easily be interchanged in and out with the universal adaptor, and the quick-change system allows blades and attachments to be changed without wrenches or additional tools. Related: Amazon’s $120 heavy-duty tool kit includes 157 pieces and a power drillWeighing only about 2.3 pounds, the multi-tool is easy to use but of course always proceed with caution when using a powerful device like it. Always read instructions carefully so you know how to maintain control and use it effectively. Details to knowDimensions: The multi-tool measures 17.15 inches long, 5.03 inches wide, and 9.65 inches high. The storage bag measures approximately 15 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 10 inches high. Weight: 2.3 pounds. Includes: The kit includes 28 accessories, which includes the oscillating multi-tool, a lithium ion battery, a charger, three blades, a sanding pad, 25 sheets of sandpaper, a depth guide, and an accessory storage box. “Best all-around tool to have,” one shopper said. “DeWalt comes through as always.” Shoppers rave about the versatility of this tool, and say the brand is perfect for providing tools that have power, durability, precision, and a ruggedness. As the “ultimate high-performance choice for home improvements,” this kit provides you everything you need for home repairs and projects. It cuts like butter and operates smoothly and quickly.Shop more deals Craftsman Large Storage Organizer, $12 (was $15) at AmazonWorkpro Premium Utility Knife, $10 (was $12) at AmazonIdealiveny Cordless Electric Power SHears, $12 (was $24) at AmazonAlthough more functional than fun, the Dewalt Multi-Tool Kit is the purchase that gives back in spades in all the ways it helps keep your home in tip-top shape. 

Your day-ahead look for Aug. 18 2026

Regulators rejected Polymarket’s defense regarding its P2P nature, arguing the platform manages market rules and facilitates crypto-based gambling activity.

Shoe Carnival differentiates from traditional shoe stores thanks to its upbeat music, open-stock layout, spin-to-win discount wheels and in-store announcer who manages time-sensitive flash sales. Until recently, the brand mainly focused on moderate-income, value-conscious family shoppers looking for name-brand products (such as Nike, Skechers, Crocs, Adidas) at discounted prices. That’s why it predominantly located its stores across strip shopping centers, benefiting from lower occupancy costs and maximizing exposure to value oriented customers, according to the company’s official documents. However, over the recent years, the brand changed its strategy, affecting some of its most loyal customers. Amid other structural and banner changes, Shoe Carnival made changes to its merchandise offering, prioritizing higher priced footwear. 

Shoe Carnival to permanently close around 24 underperforming stores. jetcityimage / Getty Images

Shoe Carnival CEO admits underserving value-focused families During Shoe Carnival’s first quarter 2026 earnings conference call, Interim President, CEO & Vice Chairman, Clifton E. Sifford explained that the company shifted strategy toward higher price merchandise in 2025, and is now aiming to change that. “We have also begun the effort to reengage the value-focused families and a more fast-fashion-forward customer, both of whom we underserved in fiscal 2025, when our merchandising drifted toward higher price points and assortments that did not reflect what those customers historically came to Shoe Carnival to find,” stated Clifton E. Sifford Interim President, CEO & Vice Chairman. For the full fiscal 2025, Shoe Carnival reported net income of $52.3 million, down from $73.8 million it reported in fiscal 2024, according to the company’s Form 10-K with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Shoe Carnival attributed net income decline partly to its rebanner-related investments. In 2025, the footwear retailer’s net sales declined 5.6% year over year, “as we maintained pricing discipline despite pressure on lower-income consumers and reduced promotional marketing,” the company stated. The problem Shoe Carnival encountered reflects a broader challenge for footwear retailers. Consumers have become increasingly selective as shoe prices rise. Circana footwear analyst Beth Goldstein said that “rising prices will pressure demand, and consumers will still prioritize products that deliver comfort or wellness benefits, as well as fashion.” “To succeed in 2026, footwear brands will need meaningful storytelling, well-defined distribution strategies and tight coordination across digital and physical touchpoints,” Goldstein added. On the other hand, Shoe Carnival highlighted that its Shoe Station banner actually experienced net sales growth in fiscal 2025, driven by rebanner strategy, including omnichannel growth. “Therefore, our Shoe Station banner’s net sales growth in Fiscal 2025 compared to Fiscal 2024 outperformed Shoe Carnival’s net sales decline by 10.4 percentage points.” Its comparable stores net sales also declined 5.6%.  Shoe Carnival to permanently close around 24 underperforming stores During the company’s first-quarter of 2026 earnings call, the management announced new store closures. “Our store fleet includes underperforming locations that do not have a path to acceptable economics with or without banner conversion. We expect to close 12 to 14 such stores during fiscal 2026 and a further 6 to 10 stores during fiscal 2027,” stated Sifford. Closing 12-14 stores a year is not a typical store optimization move for Shoe Carnival. TheStreet’s analysis of the company’s 10-K filings over the last couple of years shows that the company ended fiscal 2025 with 426 stores or four stores fewer than in 2024. At the end of fiscal 2024, the company operated 430 stores, up from 400 a year earlier. The increase was largely driven by its acquisition of 28 Rogan’s stores, along with four new Shoe Station locations, partly offset by two store closures. All 28 Rogan’s stores were eventually rebannered to Shoe Station during fiscal 2025. The company also confirms it contemplates opening around 3 to 5 new stores in fiscal 2027 and 8 to 10 in fiscal 2028. Shoe Carnival and Shoe Station serve different consumers In December 2021, Shoe Carnival acquired privately-held, family-owned Shoe Station for $67 million. “We are excited to welcome Shoe Station to the Shoe Carnival team. Coming on the heels of our best quarter of our best year in our 43-year history, this deal accelerates our journey toward becoming a multi-billion dollar retailer in the years ahead,” stated Mark Worden, Shoe Carnival’s then President and Chief Executive Officer.In March 2025, the company announced that it plans to rebanner its 175 legacy stores to Shoe Station, resulting in more than half of its fleet being operated under the Shoe Station banner, reported SGB Media.  However, the retailer has since backed out of that plan, determining that both brands actually serve as distinct consumers, claiming it is “best positioned to operate both banners as permanent independent components of our portfolio. We are not pursuing a single banner strategy,” Sifford said. Will Auchincloss, EY-Parthenon’s Americas retail sector leader, recently highlighted the challenges retailers are facing, explaining that “demand remains intact but increasingly selective, making value, affordability and clear differentiation more important than ever.”Related: 42-year-old iconic mall retailer quietly closes 219 storesShoe Carnival looks to win back value shoppers as consumers continue trading downSifford highlighted that gaining back customers will be a difficult task. “Reengaging those customers will take longer than a single quarter, but our back-to-school product offering and supporting promotions would demonstrate a clear return to the traditional Shoe Carnival proposition,” the interim CEO said. This aligns with the industry trends dominating over the last few years. In 2024, 72% of consumers reported being concerned about rising everyday product prices, and 67% said they were willing to switch to cheaper brands, according to Deloitte’s Retail 2026 analysis. Moreover, seven in 10 retail executives agree that consumer behaviors “such as trading down , shopping value channels, or swapping convenience for savings represent a structural change, not a temporary response to inflation,” as per Deloitte’s 2026 Global Retail Industry Outlook. Related: Outdoor retail giant permanently closes stores, and it’s working

Giving the fantasy football outlook in 2026 for Trey McBride based on his talent, past production, and situation heading into this year.

The New York Yankees president and Donald Trump ally responded to a boycott proposed to advance voting rights in Black communities.

BTC has dropped 0.6% since midnight UTC as Nasdaq 100 futures slip 1.1%, with the FOMC’s July meeting minutes and a White House crypto summit both due Wednesday.