newsweek.com
AI, War and Civil Unrest: Why the Rich Are Getting Their Bunkers Ready
"In your lifetime, do you feel like the world has become a better place or a worse place?" That is the question Cory Hubbard asks prospective clients. As co-owner of DEFCON Underground, a U.S.-based manufacturer of bomb shelters, Hubbard caters to a growing, increasingly mainstream market of consumers seeking protection from worst-case scenarios. From backyard bunkers in the Midwest to deep subterranean hideouts in Northern Europe and the Middle East, the industry offers a range of designs, locations, and price points. Developers told Newsweek that business is booming amid an era of heightened geopolitical and technological upheaval. Read More on U.S. “Interest has grown sharply. I haven't put a precise figure on it, but the rise in inquiries and website traffic has been unmistakable,” Michael Brait, CEO of the Massachusetts-based Bunker Building Consulting LLC, said. “More people reaching out, asking more serious questions, and moving faster from curiosity to real planning than I saw even a year ago." He added: “A subject once treated as fringe has become a mainstream conversation among people with the means to act on it.” Civil War and Iran: What's Behind the Bunker Boom Those in the disaster preparedness business who spoke with Newsweek listed...