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I used Anthropic’s Claude to pick Oscar winners at a party. It made odd mistakes, but still beat everyone else.

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I tried something different at my friends’ annual Oscars party this year: I outsourced my ballot to Anthropic’s Claude.

It beat around the bush at first, so I asked it to just give me the winners. Claude obliged, delivering confident picks across nearly every category. And it worked.

I won the pool and walked away with a box of chocolates and bragging rights.


Alistair Barr used Anthropic's Claude to make Oscar picks

Alistair Barr used Anthropic’s Claude to make Oscar picks 

Alistair Barr/Business Insider



But here’s the twist: Claude didn’t even complete the assignment fully.

It failed to pick a winner for Casting, a new Oscar category this year. Maybe the model didn’t register the addition?

And in a couple of other award categories, Claude picked candidates who weren’t even on those shortlists. Check out the photo above to see where it went wrong.

Even so, my Claude-powered ballot still outperformed everyone else’s at the party.

That feels like a glimpse of the jagged edge of AI: systems that are clearly powerful, occasionally brittle, and still good enough to win.

Next year, I doubt I’ll be the only one showing up with an AI-generated ballot.

Sign up for BI’s Tech Memo newsletter here. Reach out to me via email at abarr@businessinsider.com.




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Elon Musk discussed plans to party with Jeffrey Epstein on his Caribbean island, newly released emails show

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In November 2012, Jeffrey Epstein emailed Elon Musk about sending a helicopter to whisk the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to his private island in the Caribbean.

“how many people will you be for the heli to island,” Epstein asked Musk in an email exchange, which was made public Friday by the Justice Department.

Musk said he’d need just two seats — for himself and his then-partner, Tallulah Riley.

“What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?” Musk asked.

The emails, released Friday, were part of a cache of 3 million files the Justice Department released from its yearslong investigation into the convicted sex offender. They include several exchanges between Epstein, Musk, and their assistants.

Responding to the revelations early Saturday on his social media platform, X, Musk said: “No one pushed harder than me to have the Epstein files released and I’m glad that has finally happened.

“I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express’, but was well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name.

“I don’t care about that, but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein, especially regarding heinous exploitation of underage girls.”

Epstein — who counted President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and various other prominent politicians and businessmen among his acquaintances — killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. He had registered as a pedophile in 2008, after pleading guilty to less severe sex offenses.

Shortly after Epstein’s arrest in July 2019, Musk said he had declined invitations to Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands and recounted only one meeting with him. Musk has not been accused of wrongdoing.

“Several years ago, I was at his house in Manhattan for about 30 minutes in the middle of the afternoon with Talulah [Riley], as she was curious about meeting this strange person for a novel she was writing,” he told Vanity Fair at the time. “We did not see anything inappropriate at all, apart from weird art. He tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined.”

Musk has since said in social media posts that he “refused” to visit Epstein’s island despite multiple attempts from Epstein.

The emails released Friday appear to show him planning to visit Epstein’s island at least twice.

In addition to the November 2012 planned visit, Musk indicated he would visit Epstein’s island in January 2014.

“Will be in the BVI/St Bart’s area over the holidays,” Musk wrote to Epstein in December 2013, referring to the British Virgin Islands. “Is there a good time to visit?”

Epstein said he’d be available for the first week of January.

“always space for you,” Epstein told Musk.

After some back-and-forth about their schedules, Musk appeared to confirm that he would visit Epstein on January 2 of 2014.

“When should we head to your island on the 2nd?” Musk wrote.

Epstein later canceled on Musk, according to another email. He said he looked forward to spending time with Musk with “just fun on the agenda.”

“I was really looking forward to finally spending some time together with just fun as the agenda,” Epstein wrote. “so i am very disappointed. Hopefully we can schedule another time in the near future.”

The emails show Epstein planning to meet Musk on other occasions as well.

In February of 2013, Musk’s personal assistant tried to nail down plans for a meeting at SpaceX’s offices in California. Epstein’s assistant said Musk had suggested the location.

“Shall we organize a lunch for Elon and Jeffrey to get together at SpaceX in the coming weeks?” Musk’s assistant wrote. “Elon is generally available at SpaceX on Mon, Thurs and Fri each week.”

It isn’t clear from the emails reviewed by Business Insider if that meeting took place. Musk has previously said that Epstein never “toured” SpaceX’s facilities.

In early March of that year, Epstein directly asked Musk about his availability.

“now its time for fun,” Epstein told Musk.

In the emails, Musk told Epstein he was busy with work at Tesla and SpaceX. Epstein suggested he get more sleep.

“benefit analysis would probably show , tesla doing better with you getting more sleep,” he said.

Musk disagreed.

“Normally I would agree, as I have found that my total daily productivity is optimal at around 6 to 6.5 hours of sleep.”

The two may have met later that spring. In another email exchange, dated April 2013, Epstein’s assistant said he planned to meet Musk at the Milken Institute economic conference.

The Justice Department emails also show Epstein inquiring with Musk about Solar City, a solar electricity company that was later acquired by Tesla. Epstein said in September 2012 that he wanted to use its services for his properties in the US Virgin Islands and New Mexico.

“is there any one at Solar City that my guys can talk to about electriying the caribean island?” Epstein asked. “or the new mexico ranch”

This story has been updated.




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I took my 5-year-old to the wrong birthday party. It taught me a lesson about the grace of strangers.

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My son, Bobby, had always been a shy person. When he started kindergarten, I was hoping he’d make a lot more friends.

I was delighted when I saw an Evite in my inbox from a mom inviting him to a classmate’s 6th birthday party. The little boy’s name was Nathan.

The event took place at a retro slot-car raceway, where you raced tiny, electric-powered replicas of full-size cars on narrow tracks with “grooves,” known as “slots.”

Neither of us had been to one before, and we were excited to accept the invitation. I was also looking forward to finally meeting the other parents.

I didn’t buy a physical gift

I didn’t know anyone, partly because Bobby attended a school in a different suburb, about five miles from ours.

He took the bus, so my husband and I never did pick up or drop off. We worked in the city, so there was no waiting at the school gate and chatting with fellow moms and dads.

Nathan’s mother asked people to give half the money we’d have spent on gifts to an animal shelter. She’d use the other half to buy something big that he really wanted.

I ignored red flags

I was relieved that I didn’t have to go out of my way to purchase a present, so I donated $20 online.

As a result, Bobby and I arrived, empty-handed, at the slot-car venue at 11 am on a rainy Sunday morning. The hostess greeted us at the door.

“Is that Nathan?” I asked, pointing to the child I assumed was her son. The boy had a giant rosette on his sweater. “You mean, Oliver,” she replied. It was the first red flag that I ignored.

My son had a lot of fun

I’ve always been forgetful and apologized profusely. Bobby and I sat down by the racetrack and grabbed his remote control. A dad showed us how to work the cars.

Time went by, and Bobby had a lot of fun. He didn’t interact much with the other children, and they didn’t interact much with him either. I thought nothing of it because he was often withdrawn in busy settings.

I introduced myself to many of the parents. They talked animatedly in groups and clearly knew each other well. Still, they included me by asking me how Bobby liked the teacher.


A group of children at a slot-car racing track.

The author’s son, far left, thoroughly enjoyed himself at the party.

Courtesy of the author.



“Oh yes, he loves her,” I told one of the moms, mentioning the teacher’s name. She looked puzzled. It was another red flag, but I didn’t see it waving right in front of my face.

I spotted a large pile of presents on a table nearby. Wasn’t it odd, I thought, that so many guests bought gifts when Oliver’s mom had wanted us to make donations instead? Still, the penny didn’t drop.

It was time to cut the birthday cake. I helped hand out the slices. I wanted to leave a good impression. One mom said how nice it was of me. I joked that I was expecting a tip. She laughed politely.

Something was off

We left 15 minutes later. “Did you have a good time?” I asked Bobby. He nodded,

Fast forward a week, and I looked through my email and clicked on the Evite from Nathan’s mom. I intended to write down her number and see if her son would be interested in a playdate.

“Come to Nathan’s 6th birthday celebration,” the invitation said. I thought it was Oliver’s party. Something was off. I looked at the date. Nathan’s slot-car racing took place at 11 am the previous Saturday, not 11 am the previous Sunday. We missed his party by 24 hours.

Worse, we’d shown up at the wrong party. Most of the kids were much bigger than Bobby. Now I knew why.

We had crashed a party

I recalled the moment when Oliver cut his cake. I was fairly certain there were more than six candles on top.

No wonder there were so many presents on that table. No wonder the woman looked at me strangely when I mentioned the teacher’s name.

I cringed. What on earth had Oliver’s mom thought of me? I was the bonkers party crasher who showed up uninvited with their kid. I didn’t even bring a gift. What if the other parents gossiped about me and sniggered behind my back? It was mortifying.

My negative reaction shifted

After I called Nathan’s mom to apologize for missing his party, I took a breath and reflected on what had happened. It was actually quite amusing. My negative reaction shifted. Bobby thoroughly enjoyed himself, which was a promising outcome for someone so shy.

The hostess might have wondered who the heck I was, but she was too considerate to ask and embarrass me in front of people.

Everyone at the party had been warm, kind, and full of goodwill. It didn’t matter who I was. They welcomed me with open arms. Those strangers taught me a lesson in grace.




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A rattlesnake bit my toddler at a birthday party. What happened next changed me.

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I was sick at home when my 2-year-old son was bitten by a rattlesnake at a kid’s fairy-themed birthday party in LA.

My husband, Mac, was with our two kids when our son fell into the grass, crying and pointing to his hand. At first glance, Mac thought he was having an allergic reaction to a bee sting, a fair assessment for an Angelino parent, until he identified a second puncture wound in the divot between his little fingers.

It’s one thing to be present when your child gets hurt. The self-blame is straightforward — “It’s all my fault. I wasn’t quick enough. I should have seen it coming.” But when it happens without you, the guilt wanders until it emboldens — “Had I been there, I would have prevented it. I would have lured the snake away with the live mouse I keep in my first aid kit next to the Paw Patrol Band-Aids and butt cream.”


Toddler at hospital crying

The author’s son was admitted to the hospital after being bitten by a snake.

Courtesy of the author



Mac rushed to the Children’s Hospital LA while I went through the suddenly delicate motions of being a parent to our oldest. The CHLA attending doctors, in tandem with California’s leading poison specialist, determined that he would require an anti-venom treatment. A Marvel comic book plotline except this was real life, and the idea of Mads becoming Sssnake-Man was far-fetched, even in our desperation. Ironically, this is when you’re meant to conjure hope. Even if your son’s hand has gone from swollen pink to rigid gray.

As we waited to see if the anti-venom would work, I ran through the unthinkable what-ifs until I landed on a firm bed of memories from the last time I feared death.

My mom died at 67

The first time someone deeply close to me died was 10 years ago, when I lost my mother.

Her death made no sense to me. She was 12 years younger than my dad and only 67 when she died. She’d lived a self-proclaimed glamorous life before meeting my dad and becoming surprisingly pregnant with me at 39.

Before that, she was a “walking model” at Bal Harbour Shops in the 70s, touting signage from the then-emerging designers of couture. We loved each other completely, but it was no secret that becoming a mother deprived her of her golden years.


Mom and daughter

The author’s mom died when she was 67.

Courtesy of the author



I traveled across the county to be with her after her first heart attack. She refused medical advice to be added to a heart transplant list and was vehemently against keeping a low-sodium diet. For this, I was angry. I plead with her. I begged. Did she want to live? What if I were to get married one day? Wouldn’t she want to meet her future grandkids? All she wanted was sodium-rich tomato soup. I was so mad, I decided to cut my trip short so I didn’t have to watch her kill herself. Harsh, maybe, but that’s what it felt like at the time.

“Won’t you stay and hold my hand?” she asked before I left.

She died a few weeks later from sepsis after another heart attack. I made it back in time for her last breath.

Then my dad died at 82

I tried to do better when my dad became ill three years later. His death made more sense. He was an 82-year-old personal injury attorney with diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and eventually bladder cancer.


Dad and daughter

The author’s dad died at 82.

Courtesy of the author



In a word, my dad was basic before it became a popular insult. I mean it in the most endearing way. He was a New York Jew who grew up at the tail end of the Great Depression and was generally satisfied as long as he had a Miami Hurricanes game on and a palmful of peanuts that, in his final hours, he wouldn’t be able to swallow. It was then that I’d watch the games with him and drop ice chips into his mouth to offer some relief.

I knew it wouldn’t be long before he died, but I guess I expected to be there when it happened. Instead, I got a call very early one morning to let me know that my father had “expired.” Like a carton of milk.

My son’s snake bite taught me something important

In the weeks leading up to Madsen’s snake bite, we were preparing to move across the country to be closer to Mac’s family. The decision was made at the last minute, and we had limited assistance. We were moving so fast, we forgot what mattered until Mads was admitted to the ICU.

A decade ago, I had somehow mistaken my mother’s autonomy for abandonment. It was only now that I understood, far too late, that my mom needed me just as much as I needed her.

Madsen received 21 doses of anti-venom over a 72-hour period. And it worked. When I saw him, he kept saying “I got you!” which is what Mac had been telling him since they arrived.

“I got you, too, little buddy,” I said and held his hand in mine.




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What it’s like visiting the island of St. Barts — a beloved party spot for billionaires and their superyachts

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  • St. Barts, also known as St. Barthelemy, is a Caribbean island where billionaires often vacation.
  • The destination offers stunning beaches, luxury shopping, historic sites, and more.
  • A yacht belonging to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was spotted there at the start of 2026.

Where is Amazon founder Jeff Bezos kicking off the new year?

If the location of his $500 million yacht Koru is any indication, the answer is St. Barthelemy, or St Barts for short.

The French-speaking Caribbean island is a luxurious hot spot for billionaires, where visitors can relax on beautiful beaches, shop designer brands, and, naturally, enjoy some privacy.

Of course, many of us are waking up today at home, not on an island. But if you’re curious, here’s what it’s like to visit the destination.

St. Bart’s is an island off Saint Martin in the Lesser Antilles.

Gustavia Harbor in St. Barts.

Mark Mainz/Getty Images

Located in the French West Indies, the small island runs about 11 miles long and 2.5 miles wide.

It’s typically warm and sunny most of the year, with temperatures often in the 70s, 80s, or low 90s, and peak tourist season starts in late fall and lasts through the spring.

As a French territory, the official language of St. Barts is French, though English is also widely spoken.

It’s got rich beaches and a French flair.


Boats anchored off Shell Beach, Gustavia, St Barts.

A view of Saint Barthélemy, the popular Caribbean destination.


Holger Leue/Getty Images

The exclusive-feeling island is home to more than a dozen beaches, where visitors can soak up the sun on smooth, sandy shores and in crystal-clear water.

“I always say if you want to have your toes in the sand and eat a croissant that feels like you’re in Paris, St. Barts is the place for you,” Elisabeth Brown, the membership director at the luxury concierge service Knightsbridge Circle, told Business Insider’s Madeline Berg.

Surrounded by shallow coral reefs, St. Barts has some top-tier snorkeling spots, such as Grand Cul-de-Sac — home to sea turtles and a range of tropical fish.

Local natural sights also include mountains and hills formed from volcanic eruptions. That said, there are no active volcanoes on St. Barts.

Billionaires like Jeff Bezos seem to love St. Barts.


Koru screenshot

Jeff Bezos’s yacht Koru has been spotted near St. Barts in the Caribbean

Screenshot

Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, were photographed in St. Barts this week — and the Amazon founder has been spotted in St. Barts on multiple occasions over the years.

No matter the time of year, though, the island regularly welcomes the wealthy.

Celebrities like Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Leonardo DiCaprio have visited in the past, and influential banking families, like the Rothschilds, have famously purchased property there.

The influx of .001% travelers means yachts are everywhere.


yachts in st barths

St. Barths is a wintertime destination for superyachts.

Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

In addition to Bezos’ vessel, massive yachts owned by Playrix founder Dmitry Bukhman, Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson, and entertainment mogul David Geffen also parked in St. Barts during the recent holiday.

While the yachts are primarily used for transportation to the island, they’re also attractions in and of themselves, featuring amenities such as jacuzzis and movie theaters.

Travelers without private yachts can still reach the island by flying into an airport on a larger Caribbean island, like San Juan. From there, they could take a ferry or private boat to St Barts.

Hotels can get pricey, but they’re quite luxurious.


The Eden Rock hotel in St. Barts.

The Eden Rock hotel in St. Barts.

Education Images/Getty Images

Visitors have several options for accommodations, ranging from villa rentals starting at over $900 a night to luxurious hotels for an even higher price.

The Eden Rock hotel is just one example. It overlooks St. Jean Bay — home to one of the most popular beaches on St. Barts — and is home to fine-dining restaurants and holistic spas.

During holiday seasons like New Year’s, a single-night stay at its largest villa can cost upward of €13,000, or about $15,200.

There’s also the Rosewood Le Guanahani resort, located on a private peninsula that’s home to two secluded beaches, giving travelers the ultimate getaway far from crowds.

Such privacy comes at a price, as even its most basic room can run guests thousands of dollars a night.

Even shopping is elevated on the island.


Pastel green boutique shops with shutters Gustavia St Barts

St. Barts has some high-end boutiques.

Andrew Woodley/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

With billionaire travelers always on-site, the island’s retail scene largely caters to shoppers who can drop thousands at any given moment.

Some of the designer brands that have boutiques on St. Barts include Hermès, Cartier, Dior, and Louis Vuitton.

The island’s also home to luxury retailers like Patek Phillipe, which sells one-of-a-kind timepieces you can’t find anywhere else. Some retail for five, six, and even seven figures.

There’s even a club scene for those who want to party until morning.


Kygo performs at Nikki Beach in St. Barts on December 31, 2019.

A New Year’s Eve celebration in St. Barts.

Romain Maurice/Getty Images

A trip to St. Barts isn’t all about relaxation, though. There are plenty of places to party and experience live music.

One of the most popular spots for this on the island is Nikki Beach, an upscale restaurant and beach club. In past years, big-name musicians like Kygo and Mariah Carey have even performed at its New Year’s Eve celebrations.

It’s also a go-to for people looking to relax poolside with a drink in hand — though keep in mind that even just renting a lounge chair may cost you over $100.




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