Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we highlight key stories and give you a peek inside our newsroom. Elon Musk’s political ventures were the last straw for Mahican Gielen, who swapped her cherished Model 3 for a BYD Sealion 7 Excellence. She’s generally pleased with her new car but admits missing several Tesla features. Today’s agenda: - A looming CEO succession crisis. - The end of hidden fees. - Apple is the worst-performing Mag 7 stock in 2025, yet it might be a buying opportunity. - Former Target superfans explain why they’ve lost affection for the retailer. - But first: AI’s impact on consulting giants. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider’s app here. This week’s dispatch Consulting disruption AI is rapidly becoming both an asset and a disruptor in consulting. Polly Thompson in London covers the Big Four—Deloitte, PwC, EY, and KPMG—and their AI strategies. I spoke with Polly to learn more. Polly says the Big Four have heavily invested billions in AI, making it essential for employees to embrace or risk falling behind. Their Fortune 500 clients are expected to follow. It remains to be seen how quickly these investments will pay off. While AI opens vast opportunities for consultants guiding business transformations, it also threatens their operating models, leadership, and job roles, presenting an existential challenge. Smaller consulting firms, especially midsized ones, occupy a “sweet spot. ” They already fulfill the growing demand for specialized sector expertise and see AI boosting their productivity and reach without large workforce expansions. However, they don’t aim to become the next Big Four. Polly plans to explore the impact of AI-driven shifts on employees — from junior training to executives avoiding high-paid partnerships and a possible tech talent war at Big Four firms. Readers can contact her at pthompson@businessinsider. com. Succession IRL CEO turnover among S&P 500 firms is on track to hit 14. 8% this year.

BI spoke with corporate observers who say poor succession planning, frequent job changes, and middle management cuts are harming leadership pipelines. Despite difficulties, companies refuse to settle for subpar candidates. “The musical chairs is broken. ” RIP, hidden fees A new bipartisan FTC rule, effective May 12, bans hidden fees on platforms like Airbnb, Ticketmaster, Booking. com, and StubHub, requiring transparent all-in pricing. Though some companies were reluctant, many are now embracing the change. BI’s Emily Stewart tested the new rule and found it impressive. Apple’s tough year Apple is the worst-performing Mag 7 stock in 2025, down 20% year-to-date, partly due to the trade war impacting its China-assembled iPhones. Former President Trump publicly criticized Apple over this. Still, Wall Street analysts and investors remain optimistic, debating whether now is the time to buy the dip. Veering off-Target Once a beloved shopping destination, Target’s allure has faded in 2025. The retailer’s sales, foot traffic, and popularity have dropped amid a DEI messaging misstep, deteriorating in-store experience, and wider industry challenges. Former fans reveal why their loyalty has waned. This week’s quote: “Employee surveys mostly seem like a way for the executive suite to pat themselves on the back. ” — Nick Gaudio, creative director at chatbot startup Manychat, on the rise of employee satisfaction surveys. More top reads this week: