14 hours ago
This. Is. March. (At Business Insider.)
The NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments kick off this week. March Madness is considered one of the best sporting events of the year, but why let them have all the fun?
Here at BI Today, we're running a bracket of our own and need your help. Below is an eight-team bracket featuring some of the biggest trends in business, seeded from one (highest) to eight.
(My colleague Joe Ciolli is running a bracket for First Trade focused on specific companies. You can check out his bracket there.)
Voting will remain open until Thursday night. Next Monday, I'll share the results and open another round of voting. We'll repeat this process until we have a winner!
When we last did this in 2024 — I skipped last year due to personal reasons — the final came down to the US presidential election vs. artificial intelligence, with the election narrowly beating AI.
A quick note before we dive in: The war in Iran obviously has massive implications across the business world, but since the conflict remains fluid, it was not included. After all, it wouldn’t be March Madness without a team feeling unfairly left out of the tournament.
SaaSpocalypse (1) vs. Autonomous Vehicles (8): It's been a bloodbath for software companies, illustrating the power of AI. Meanwhile, self-driving cars remain a major bet for companies like Tesla and Uber.
Prediction Markets (4) vs. Tariffs (5): No word yet on whether prediction markets will set odds on this bracket, but I promise not to insider trade. Meanwhile, the ongoing tariff drama continues, now with a new legal twist.
Vibe Coding (3) vs. Longevity (6): It's not just a vibe — vibe coding is big business these days. And it's not only Bryan Johnson and Alphaville aiming to live forever anymore.
Private Credit (2) vs. Robotics (7): Private credit executives insist they're not the problem, though concerns about the industry persist. Meanwhile, one of the most underrated shifts in business is happening on manufacturing floors, thanks to robotics advancements.
