The recent announcement by Waffle House to eliminate the surcharge on eggs has brought relief to customers as the price of a dozen eggs has decreased by 27 percent since the peak in March. This decision comes after the restaurant chain had implemented a 50-cent surcharge on eggs earlier this year due to soaring egg prices.
In a social media post on X, Waffle House declared that the egg surcharge is officially off the menu starting from June 2. This move has been well-received by customers who have been understanding of the initial surcharge imposed in February.
The rise in egg prices was significant, with a dozen eggs costing $6.22 in March 2025, up from $2.04 in August 2023. However, prices have since dropped, with eggs now priced at $4.54 per dozen in May, marking a 27 percent decrease from the peak in March.
The decrease in egg prices can be attributed to a $1 billion strategy announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on February 26 to combat avian flu. This strategy included measures such as biosecurity measures at egg farms, financial relief for farmers, and research on vaccines.
The success of this strategy is evident in the significant drop in wholesale and retail egg prices. The USDA reported that wholesale egg prices have dropped by 64 percent, and retail prices have decreased by 27 percent from their peak earlier this year.
In addition to financial relief and support for farmers, the USDA has also increased imports to stabilize the domestic egg supply. More than 26 million dozen shell eggs have been imported from countries like Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, Turkey, and South Korea to meet the demand and ease the burden on consumers.
The United Egg Producers association noted that the avian flu has affected 53 commercial egg farms so far this year, with over 39 million birds impacted. However, flu detections at egg farms have slowed in recent months, indicating progress in containing the outbreak.
Overall, the efforts to combat avian flu and reduce egg prices have been successful, with customers now able to enjoy eggs at a more affordable price. This positive development is a testament to the effectiveness of proactive measures and support for the agricultural industry. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic in recent years, with advancements in technology enabling machines to perform tasks that were once thought to be exclusive to humans. From self-driving cars to virtual assistants, AI has permeated nearly every aspect of our lives. But what about its role in the art world?
AI is now being used to create art in ways that were previously unimaginable. One of the most popular applications of AI in art is the use of generative adversarial networks (GANs). GANs are a type of machine learning algorithm that consists of two neural networks – a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new images based on a set of training data, while the discriminator evaluates the images and determines whether they are real or fake. Through this process of trial and error, the generator learns to create increasingly realistic images.
One of the most famous examples of AI-generated art is the portrait of Edmond de Belamy, created by the French art collective Obvious. The portrait was generated using a GAN trained on a dataset of 15,000 portraits from the 14th to the 20th century. The resulting image was then printed on canvas and sold at auction for $432,500, sparking a debate about the role of AI in the art world.
But AI is not limited to creating visual art – it can also be used to compose music, write poetry, and even choreograph dance routines. For example, the composer AIVA (Artificial Intelligence Virtual Artist) uses deep learning algorithms to create original compositions in a variety of styles, from classical to electronic music. Similarly, the poetry generator PoetRNN can write poems in a similar style to famous poets like Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost.
While some may argue that AI-generated art lacks the emotional depth and creativity of human-made art, others see it as a new frontier in creativity. AI has the ability to analyze vast amounts of data and create new combinations that would be impossible for a human artist to conceive. In this sense, AI can be seen as a collaborator rather than a replacement for human artists.
As AI continues to evolve and improve, it will be interesting to see how it impacts the art world. Will AI-generated art become mainstream, or will it remain a niche interest? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – AI is here to stay, and its influence on art will only continue to grow.
