Business
MeetKai – The World’s First AI Concierge
Published
4 years agoon
If someone were to tell you that they were going to take on Google or Apple, you’d probably think they were unrealistic, to put it diplomatically. Well, that’s what James Kaplan, founder and CEO of MeetKai, is doing.
“In 2018, it was like, this is crazy. How is everyone satisfied with this trajectory?
“If you have these pieces of tech where they’re not innovating and they’re stagnating, there’s no reason to believe that all of a sudden we’re going to start innovating.”
Kaplan, formerly of the finance world, noticed in ten years of existence that Siri had not changed a bit. She’s still the same awkward, mediocre chatbot we were only mildly impressed with ten years ago.
“I look at that as a good opportunity.”
Taking Siri and Alexa On
In 2018, Kaplan and Weili Dai founded MeetKai, the world’s first AI concierge. Imagine Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant weren’t just fancy chatbots. Instead, they were fully interactive AIs capable of guiding you where you wanted to go. Whether that’s to a new restaurant or learning a simple fact.
Except, they totally aren’t.
“What makes a voice system good is that they use that they allow people to talk in a conversational way. When we use search engines these days, like Google, we have sort of been trained to use text and really to think in terms of keywords.
“You can’t just say, you know, ‘what are good Tom Cruise movies that have action, but no romance.’ You have to say ‘Tom Cruise, Action movie.’ And our brains have almost been trained to think like that when we’re using search engines — that we have to think in terms of a way a computer can better understand.
“For voice assistant like you don’t have that anymore. What I always hated was seeing people use like Siri … giving it commands as if they’re barking at it — saying call mom ‘on way’ or text mom ‘on way’.
Kai, that adorable little bird, is joining the club with Siri, Alexa, and whatever Google Assistant is named. Only Kai has newer ideas and a fresh perspective.
How Does MeetKai Work?
Kai works like Siri. You open MeetKai up and speak to Kai. Just ask, “Hey Kai, can you find me a good recipe for ‘beef rendang?’” in moments you will be delivered a mouth-watering recipe for the world’s most delicious beef stew.
Just like Siri, Kai searches for the solutions to your query. Unlike Siri, however, you cannot ask Kai to call anyone or save dates on your calendar.
“We actually don’t do a lot of the things that Siri does because we’re not built into the phone.
“So, what we’re trying to do is push people towards that idea of like at our core, we’re kind of a concierge that makes recommendations.”
Kai is the most adorable hotel concierge you’ll encounter. One that will eventually come to learn and adapt to your own unique personality.
“One of the things that we want to do was to have Kai have a universal personality that would slowly move towards you.
“I think that would be the idea is that the personality of the app would change as you use it over time into a way that’s sort of like your own ‘mini-me’ is what my co-founder likes to call it.”
The idea of MeetKai is to give users a personable AI that they can turn to for recommendations for streaming, recipes, restaurants, news, games, weather, etc. But with a personality far more colorful than Siri’s stale, monotone voice.
What’s Next For MeetKai?
Kaplan has lofty goals for MeetKai’s success. Besides taking on giants like Google and Apple, Kaplan wants MeetKai to be the resource users turn to – just like they turn to Google now.
“If you think about how often a person uses Google, it’s like three to four times a day. But if you can think of their queries over the course of a month, what percent of them actually end up with web pages versus what they really want? [They want] a piece of content.
“This is like Google’s real mission, right? Google’s mission is to give you the results before you click off the search page. They don’t want to send traffic [away].
“That’s sort of our goal as well.”
“We want to try to be able to do certain things like Google does, but better.
“Such that, when users want to find a restaurant, they don’t open up Yelp or Google Maps or anything that they just use us to find it.
“That’s sort of one pathway – it’s ambitious. But it’s something that we think is possible.”
Big Tech Is Missing The Boat
Giant companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook (ahem, excuse me, Meta) are too caught up in their success to continue innovating. Need proof? Has Apple’s autocorrect gotten better, or worse? Has Siri changed at all? Or is she exactly the same, only less amusing?
MeetKai is the first company in about ten years to start pushing the limits of technology in an innovative direction. A direction that people are actually interested in.
Who asked for the metaverse, Mark?
MeetKai is still new and the AI is still learning. In a tech world where the giants seem to dominate, it’s refreshing to have an adorable little bird guide you to where you want to go.
Chris Blondell is a Philadelphia-based writer and social media strategist with a current focus on tech industry news. He has written about startups and entrepreneurs based in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, New Haven, and more. He has also written content for a true-crime blog, Sword and Scale, and developed social media content for a local spice shop. An occasional comedian, Chris Blondell also spends his time writing humorous content and performing stand-up for local audiences.

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Business
Top 10 Best Places to Buy a Mid Century Modern Office Chair
Published
1 week agoon
July 4, 2025What was once old is new again: mid century modern is back in style. From architecture to furniture, the postwar look is in, and the hype extends all the way to office chairs.
Do you need a mid century modern office chair in your life? If so, there’s plenty to choose from. Your office chair should be tailored to your style, whether you like luxury, utility, or something in between.
That’s why we’ve put together our 10 favorite places to find your ideal mid century modern office chair.
What is mid century modern design?
After World War II, spirits were high in the US, and new technology was taking the country by storm. Mid century modern refers to the design concepts that came about during this time.
As opposed to the frilly, ornate designs of classical furnishings, mid century modern designs are angular, material, and functional. Wood is a common design element, especially teak. Mid century modern furniture may also have materials like glass, vinyl, and metal. Designs are simple and geometric, with bold accent colors to make them pop.
The mid century modern aesthetic never really went away, but it’s made a noted comeback in recent years. Some have chalked it up to Boomer and Gen X nostalgia, others point to mid-century-set shows like Mad Men and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Why should I buy a mid century modern office chair?
Mid century modern is the perfect fusion of style and utility. If you want to cultivate an office space that commands respect without being ostentatious, mid century modern is the style for you.
When it comes to office chairs, an MCM one is often made with sturdy wood and vinyl. They combine the ergonomics of a modern office chair with old-fashioned grace.
If you’re concerned with utility and utility only, a more bog-standard office chair may suit you. But a mid century modern office chair is great for someone who wants to wow colleagues with a mature, thoughtful business space.
Where can I get a mid century modern office chair?
1) Wayfair
When it comes to furniture, Wayfair offers the best of both worlds. Their goods, including their mid century modern office chairs, are stylish and affordable. You can get a sturdy task chair for less than $100 or a more distinguished seat for less than $350.
MCM office chair examples: Dovray ($126), Bradford ($139), Lithonia ($133)
2) France & Son
Wayfair’s chairs are affordable, but France & Son is the perfect option for luxury shoppers. Their mid century modern office chairs are robust and sleekly designed. If you dress to impress and enjoy the finer things in life, these are the chairs for you.
MCM office chair example: Brooks ($695)
3) Houzz
Started as a community for people to share home decor tips, Houzz has become a great ecommerce platform for finding stylish furniture. They’re more known for home decor than desk chairs, but they have plenty of great, affordable finds if you know where to look.
MCM office chair examples: Arvilla ($173), Rathburn ($259)
4) Laura Davidson
The Laura Davidson collection offers a fairly limited selection of classic office furniture. Still, there’s a reason they’re trusted by big-wigs like Apple, Disney, and Salesforce. Their chairs are sturdy and beautifully designed, reimagining classic Eames and Knoll designs.
MCM office chair examples: Rockefeller ($275), SOHO II Soft Pad ($450)
5) Icons of Manhattan
Icons of Manhattan has a simple philosophy: do one thing, and do it right. Their office chairs are handcrafted from premium materials and tailored to a mid-century modern style. If you want that Mad Men energy in your office (hopefully with a lot less angst), these are the chairs for you.
MCM office chair example: Ribbed Medium ($219)
6) Amazon
Yes, the internet’s premier shopping destination has a robust collection of mid century modern office chairs. Like with most products, their selection of seats is vast and can be hit or miss. Still, they’ve got stunning chairs available for any style, whether you care about comfort, class, or ergonomics.
MCM office chair examples: IDS Home Modern ($219), Art Leon MCM Swivel ($139)
7) AllModern
AllModern’s collection of desk chairs and other furniture truly embodies the mid century modern spirit. Their work is tight, angular, and functional above all. They’re part of the Wayfair family and they traffic in a number of modern styles, but their sleek chairs are perfect for any mid century modern space.
MCM office chair examples: Frederick ($229), Kealey ($349)
8) Overstock
Overstock is known as a one-stop shop for quality home goods at sub-wholesale prices. If you want a spiffy mid century modern office chair that won’t break the bank, they’re the first place to look. While they’re somewhat less reliable than the more upscale platforms on this list, their selection is massive.
MCM office chair example: Joseph Modern ($163)
9) Walmart
Hayneedle’s selection of mid-century modern office chairs falls somewhere between the minimal Laura Davidson and the endless Amazon catalog. Their array of mid-century designs is affordable and versatile, with chairs that match almost any style. While they may be part of the Walmart family, these chairs are anything but second-rate.
MCM office chair example: Waleaf ($97)
10) Target
Why splurge when you can save? As usual, Target is a hidden gem, offering a sturdy selection of mid century modern office chairs for some of the cheapest prices out there. Many of the chairs they offer are from the same designers as these other stores—Christopher Knight, LumiSource, Armen Living, etc.—at reduced prices.
MCM office chair example: Lombardi ($136)
A quality payroll service is one of the most invaluable tools any entrepreneur can have. Whether you’re a small business owner or an HR manager, paying your employees on time is crucial. This makes choosing a service even more weighty, after all, it is a heavy administrative burden. The good thing is, you can outsource this duty to an online payroll processor.
According to statistics, 49% of workers begin a new job search after just two paycheck errors, and with 65% of workers living paycheck to paycheck, it’s more important than ever to ensure an efficient, effective payroll process.
These services can save you precious time and mitigate potential issues. To make it easy for you to choose, we listed the best online payroll services for 2025.
Top 5 Online Payroll Services
Gusto
Gusto is a great option for both new and experienced payroll administrators, boasting an incredibly clean user interface and a first-rate payroll setup. Gusto lets you manage your employee’s time off (vacation and sick pay), company health insurance, and worker’s comp. Gusto offers excellent mobile access, too. This allows employees to manage aspects of their Gusto profiles, view payday insights, and access Gusto Wallet financial tools.
Gusto offers four tiers of membership, the most affordable of which is the Contractor’s Only plan, which offers unlimited U.S.-based and global contractor payments, supporting more than 100 countries, plus 1099 creation and filing at a rate of $6 per person per month with no base price.
The other three are Simple, Plus, and Premium. Here’s a deeper look into each plan:
Simple
Price:
$40/mo + $6/mo per person
Plan details:
- Full-service single-state payroll including W-2s and 1099s
- Employee profiles and self-service
- Basic hiring and onboarding tools
- Gusto-brokered health insurance administration
- Employee financial benefits
- Payroll and time-off reports
- Custom admin permissions
- Integrations for accounting, time tracking, expense management, and more
Plus
Price:
$80/mo + $12/mo per person
Plan details:
(All Simple plan features +)
- Full-service multi-state payroll including W-2s and 1099s
- Next-day direct deposit
- Advanced hiring and onboarding tools
- PTO management and policies
- Time tracking and project tracking
- Workforce costing and custom reports
- Team management tools
- Full support
Premium
Price:
Bespoke pricing, reach out for a personalized quote
Plan details:
(All Plus plan features +)
- HR Resource Center
- Compliance alerts
- Access to certified HR experts
- Full-service payroll migration and account setup
- Health insurance broker integration
- R&D tax credit discount
- Waived fees and exclusive pricing
- Performance reviews
- Employee surveys and insights
- Dedicated support
QuickBooks Online Payroll
Founded in 1983, Intuit is a California-based financial software company. Since its inception, Intuit has developed into one of the best-known providers of accounting software. Their online payroll service, QuickBooks, includes the essential features you need to run payroll.
QuickBooks offers three tiers of membership. The least expensive membership covers basic accounting features, such as invoices. For more features, check out the Essentials and Plus memberships. Each plan’s features are as follows:
QuickBooks Simple Start (2025)
- Price: $38/month for 1 user
- Best for: Freelancers and small teams with basic payroll needs
Features:
- Automated bookkeeping
- 5 free ACH bank transfers/mo for bills
QuickBooks Essentials (2025)
- Price: $75/month for 3 users
- Best for: Small businesses needing deeper financial tracking
Features:
- Includes all Simple Start features, plus:
- Recurring invoices
QuickBooks Plus (2025)
- Price: $115/month for 5 users
- Best for: Growing businesses with HR and compliance needs
Features:
- Includes all Essentials features, plus:
- AI-powered profit & loss insights
- Anomaly detection and resolution
- Budgeting
QuickBooks Advanced (2025)
- Price: $275/month for 25 users
- Best for: Established businesses with HR and compliance needs
Features:
- Includes all Plus features, plus:
- Custom user management and permissions
- Custom report builder
- Data sync with Excel
- Revenue recognition
- Forecasting
OnPay
OnPay is a cloud-based full-service payroll processing system capable of running payroll according to a preset schedule, automatically disbursing wages, and calculating and withholding taxes.
OnPay can sync up with several other software your team is already using, making it easy to integrate the service into your team’s system. Another benefit of OnPays model is the simple, transparent pricing structure. No tiers; just one base rate.
Pricing:
$49/mo + $6/mo per employee
SurePayroll
SurePayroll’s award-winning service supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors. Additionally, it handles 401(k) deductions and manages flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA).
SurePayroll also offers a mobile app— available on both Apple and Android devices.
SurePayroll offers live support through its United States-based support team through chat, email, or phone.
Small Business Payroll
- Price: No Tax Filing: $20/month + $4 per employee, Full Service: $29/month + $7 per employee
- Best for: Small businesses and startups
Features:
- We file and deposit your federal and state taxes!
- Run payroll in 3 simple steps
- Schedule payroll to run automatically
- Unlimited payroll runs and free 2-day direct deposit
- Reports and pay stubs are available online 24/7
- Supports W-2 employees and 1099 contractors
Nanny & Household Payroll
- Price: Full-Service Household, $39/month, includes 1 employee, $10 per additional employee
Best for: Homeowners
Features:
- Signature-ready Schedule H
- We file & deposit your federal and state taxes!
- Run payroll in 3 simple steps
- Schedule payroll to run automatically
- Unlimited payroll runs and free 2-day direct deposit
- Reports & paystubs available online 24/7
- Supports W-2 employees & 1099 contractors
Be sure to choose a payroll service that works for your business, and provides you with the peace of mind that comes with a reliable bookkeeping system. Your employees will thank you.
Merck is currently in talks to acquire Seagen, a biotech company. The Wall Street Journal reports that the transaction is valued at $40 billion. And what happens if Merck acquires Seagen, and how would this acquisition benefit cancer research and treatment? Read more about the Merck Seagen buyout here.
Merck Seagen Buyout
Merck and Seagen are still deciding on their share prices. So far, talks have yet to reach an agreement on $200 per share. Both companies want to settle and finalize their deals before Merck announces its quarterly earnings on July 28. At the time of writing, Seagen’s stock was at $176.19.
With an estimated market value of $235 billion, Merck is looking to expand its presence in the cancer treatment space. The Merck Seagen Buyout could play a major role in that strategy. Since Seagen specializes in targeted cancer therapies, the acquisition would give Merck access to a broader range of oncology products.
Shareholder reactions to the new deal are overwhelmingly positive, and the stocks have been up since talks about the deal have been made public.
But this is not the first time that Merck and Seagen have made the news. Back in 2020, they collaborated because of cancer treatments. Seagen has a drug conjugate (ladiratuzumab vedotin) which would be used in conjunction with Merck’s Keytruda.
Merck reveals that Keytruda is its highest-selling product. It’s immunotherapy for cancer.
And this deal could help Merck offset the possibility of reduced sales because it will lose patent protection in 2028.
As promising as this deal is, there could be scrutiny from antitrust officials since there might be a litigation case from the Federal Trade Commission or Justice Department.
The Seagen buyout isn’t the only deal Merck has made recently. They’ve been busy closing another deal, but with Orion too.
Seagen
As a cancer biotech company, Seagen has therapies to ensure that patients benefit from the treatment and reduce any adverse side effects. Their treatments involve the therapy attacking tumors with toxins.
Merck partnering with Seagen isn’t a bad idea considering that Seagen made $1.4 billion in sales in 2021, most of it coming from Adcetris and Padcev (a treatment for urothelial cancers).
Merck-Orion Deal
In the middle of the Merck Seagen Buyout, Merck has recently partnered with Orion for the ODM-208 and other drugs. These drugs are related to the production of steroids. Orion found how it can combat hormone-dependent cancers and further developed this inhibitor.
Their deal includes that they should develop ODM-208 and promote it to the public together. And Orion will receive a $290 million payment from Merck.
Although they’re co-developing and marketing the new inhibitor, Orion will oversee the manufacturing side.
Co-developing the ODM-208 can help Merck with its current research and treatments for prostate cancer. President and CEO of Orion, Timo Lappalainen, says that this partnership will benefit Merck’s goals of treating cancer worldwide.
Other Ventures: Merck’s Role in the Pandemic
You may have heard about COVID-19 pills, which are a form of treatment for those diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19. Merck introduced an antiviral COVID-19 pill to the public. The name: Molnupiravir.
The COVID-19 pill is not a replacement for a vaccination. Instead, it stops the replication of the COVID-19 genetic code and keeps the patient out of the hospital. Not yet FDA-approved, Molnupiravir has been authorized for emergency use since December 23, 2021.
And for other stories, read more here at Owner’s Mag!
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