Location sharing among friends, family, and significant others has quietly become the norm in recent years.
Now Instagram is looking for a piece of the action with the launch of a new opt-in map tool that lets users share their whereabouts, similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map or Apple’s Find My.
The feature is already available to users in the U.S. Tapping the “Map” circle on the Messages tab reveals an interactive map showing which friends are nearby and any location-based content they’re posting.
“People have always come to Instagram to share what they’re up to and where they are,” the company wrote in a blog post. “Now, with reposts, the map, and the ‘Friends’ tab in Reels, it’s easier for you and your friends to stay in touch through the content you’re enjoying on Instagram.”
In addition to being a convenient way to link up with friends, the tool allows users to explore local hot spots that creators have shared or engaged with. If a friend shares a story from a nearby music festival, for example, it will show up on the map. And if an influencer recommends a new coffee shop, you’ll be able to see exactly where it is.
While location sharing has become a common tool for keeping track of loved ones or checking in with friends, Instagram’s map offers robust controls to ensure the feature is not abused. Location sharing is off by default, and users’ locations update only when they open the app. You choose who you share your location with and can opt not to share your location in specific places or with specific people.
Even if you’re not sharing your own location, you can still use the map to explore public posts and tagged spots. Users can also leave notes on the map for friends to see.
The update reflects a broader trend of social apps becoming more rooted in real-world connection. After coming for Snapchat’s Stories back in 2016, Instagram is attempting to steal Snap Map’s thunder. Snap Map recently surpassed 400 million monthly active users and remains one of Snapchat’s core engagement drivers.
The internet’s favorite programming is back on: #RushTok season is officially upon us.
If this is your first time tuning in, “rush” is the informal name for the recruitment process in which college students in the U.S. vie for a spot in a Greek organization at their campus. On #RushTok, potential new members (PNMs) document their experience rushing different sororities, typically those affiliated with the National Panhellenic Conference.
The phenomenon first went viral in 2021, thanks to the University of Alabama. The hashtag #BamaRush now has more than 1.3 million posts, setting the blueprint for how pledge week plays out on TikTok. Since then, #RushTok has evolved into a full-blown internet subculture, with more than 67 million posts at the time of writing.
Across the world, people tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the recruitment process. Current pledges are building excitement, while viral personalities return for their fourth and final year.
RushTok has essentially become its own reality TV show (think Dance Moms or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders but in bite-size content). Young women try to get into their dream sorority, and the internet comes along for the ride. “Bama rush tok is my superbowl,” one TikTok user posted. “Guys who are we rooting for?” another asked.
With 2025 recruitment well underway, content ranges from simple OOTD videos to high-energy choreographed dances. Brands are swarming the comments to get in on the action (as are plenty of confused Europeans).
Peripheral content ramps up during this time, too, including parodies that highlight the homogeneity of the content. One creator, DestineeMoreh, returns each year to break down the costs behind the flood of “outfit of the day” posts on the For You Page. The phenomenon has even inspired its own Lifetime documentary, set to premiere later this month.
A number of schools are involved, but ask anyone—Bama Rush is the main event. While major players are already warming up, recruitment events at the University of Alabama don’t officially begin for a few more days. According to UA’s Panhellenic Association, recruitment runs from August 9 through 17.
If last year’s content is anything to go by, it’ll be over-the-top, chaotic, and very American.
As artificial intelligence transforms every industry, America faces a critical choice: double down on its greatest competitive advantage—attracting global talent—or watch its AI leadership migrate to nations that recognize a fundamental truth: **immigration policy is technology policy.
Having led AI initiatives at Microsoft for over a decade, democratizing natural language processing for millions, I’ve witnessed both the promise and peril of this moment. The engineers and researchers building tomorrow’s breakthroughs are increasingly weighing their options. The question isn’t whether they want to build in America, but whether America will make it possible.
America’s Proven Talent Pipeline
The U.S. boasts an unmatched ecosystem: 59% of the world’s top-tier AI researchers choose to work here, drawn by world-class universities, venture capital networks, and a culture of innovation. Giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI are products of decades of smart talent attraction. The data underscores our success:
- Nearly half of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, generating $8.1 trillion in revenue and employing 14.8 million people.
- Only 20% of top AI researchers earned undergraduate degrees in the U.S., yet 59% conduct their breakthrough work here.
- H-1B workers earn a median wage of $108,000 (vs. $45,760 for U.S. workers generally), boosting tax revenue and consumer spending.
- A 1% increase in immigrant college graduates correlates with a 9–18% rise in per capita patents.
When immigration works, talent creates jobs for Americans through startups and teams.
The Crisis: Timing Costs Talent
Our challenge isn’t desirability—it’s process. USCIS processing times for employment-based visas (H-1B, O-1) have surged over 80% year-over-year, despite a reduced backlog. EB-1A visas for extraordinary ability now face a record 16,000 pending petitions. In AI, where timing is everything, these delays aren’t bureaucratic—they’re existential. Talented innovators won’t wait indefinitely; they’ll build elsewhere.
Global Competition Outpaces Us
While the U.S. lags, allies act decisively:
- Canada’s Global Talent Stream processes visas in **two weeks**.
- Australia’s National Innovation Visa offers permanent residency in **1–3 months** for exceptional talent.
- The UK’s Global Talent visa fast-tracks AI and fintech experts.
In contrast, U.S. work visas often take months, forcing employers to pay thousands for "premium processing" just to reduce waits to 15 business days. These aren’t policy gaps—they’re strategic vulnerabilities.
Progress and Adaptation
Encouraging steps are underway:
- 2024 policy clarifications eased "specialty occupation" criteria for AI engineers under H-1B visas.
- The 2023 AI Executive Order aimed to modernize immigration pathways for technical talent.
- The 2025 AI Executive Order prioritizes innovation and competitiveness but de-emphasizes immigration and education—areas experts deem critical.
Forward-thinking companies are adapting, leveraging uncapped O-1 visas for extraordinary ability or EB-2 National Interest Waivers for researchers benefiting the U.S. Success requires matching the right visa strategy to individual talent profiles.
America’s Enduring Edge—and Opportunity
Our infrastructure remains unparalleled: elite universities, robust venture capital, and innovation ecosystems that set the global standard. What we lack are immigration processes matching the speed of the talent we seek. Research suggests a startup visa alone could create 500,000 to 1.6 million jobs over a decade.
The choice is clear: streamline pathways for global talent to fuel American innovation, or cede the future to nations benefiting from minds we educated and inspired. America wrote the playbook on attracting brilliance. Now, we must execute it.