Axios

After years of development, autonomous trucks are gaining traction across the Sunbelt, but the industry's next breakthrough is economic, not technical.

Why it matters: Large-scale adoption won't happen until driverless trucks become cheaper to operate than human-driven ones — an inflection point that could soon reshape freight logistics, labor and supply chains.

If AI causes a sustained surge in the economy's productivity potential, it will significantly ameliorate America's dire fiscal picture — though by how much depends on how bumpy the path is for workers and how much the government does to assist people whose jobs are displaced.

The big picture: That's the upshot of new modeling from the Budget Lab at Yale, which shows that in the most optimistic scenario — one with strong productivity growth but without mass unemployment — the national debt would level off as a share of the economy.

Nearly 10 weeks into the Iran war, there's new — if still anecdotal — evidence that it could bring tailwinds for global uptake of clean energy tech.

Why it matters: The energy shock highlights many nations' vulnerability to the expensive disruption of oil and gas imports — and the security case for diversifying.

The movers and shakers at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, this week — ranging from CEOs and investors to celebrities (Shaq!) and politicians like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rahm Emanuel — are all navigating a complex landscape, in a couple of ways.

The big picture: The global economy is going through a historic transformation, creating a range of challenges.

• Also: The Beverly Hills Hilton, longtime home to the 29-year-old conference, is under construction — leaving less room for schmoozing and some weird logistics.

The United Arab Emirates is buying 10 Embraer-made C-390 aircraft and is keeping the door open for another 10 in the future.

Why it matters: It's a big buy, and the first such deal for the Millennium transporter in the Middle East.

• Embraer's other customers include Brazil, Hungary, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

Coinbase is the latest in a string of companies to pair layoffs with announcements that AI is changing the way the company operates.

Why it matters: Companies are increasingly blaming AI for job cuts, but the evidence points to a messier mix of automation, cost-cutting and market pressure.

Delta is stripping snacks and drinks from some short flights, while expanding full service on others — the latest sign airlines are reworking what's included in a ticket.

Why it matters: Jet fuel — one of airlines' biggest expenses — has surged amid the Iran conflict, pushing up costs and forcing carriers to cut routes, raise fares and rethink service.

The downfall of Spirit Airlines is casting a spotlight on the future of its budget carrier rival, Frontier Airlines, which is facing many of the same challenges.

Why it matters: The jet fuel price spike was the last straw for Spirit — which ceased operations early Saturday — and it's posing a serious challenge to Frontier, as well.

The Securities and Exchange Commission released a proposal Tuesday that would allow public companies to report earnings just twice a year.

Why it matters: It would be a fundamental change from the quarterly reporting cadence that has shaped U.S. business for over 50 years.

Amazon is offering its distribution, parcel shipping and fulfillment services to outside businesses, not just to those on its marketplace.

Why it matters: The $2.9 trillion company is now aiming to be a dominant force in the global supply chain, going head-to-head against delivery companies like FedEx and UPS, as well as air freight and logistics firms.