Blog, YouTube & Content Monetization

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Across industries, a new era of climate innovation is accelerating. The momentum is visible in the data: Global clean energy investment surpassed $2 trillion for the first time in 2024, double the amount invested in fossil fuels. While solar panels, wind turbines, and grid-connected batteries often grab the headlines, the low carbon economy is growing in far more corners than many realize. …

One of China’s largest server makers, H3C, has flagged potential shortages of Nvidia’s H20 chip, the most advanced AI processor legally available domestically under U.S. export controls, in a client notice seen by Reuters. The potential supply crunch could create obstacles for China’s artificial intelligence ambitions at a time when its tech firms are aggressively expanding their investments in AI. “H20’s international supply chain faces significant uncertainties,” the company said in Tuesday’s notice, adding that current inventory was nearly depleted. Geopolitical tension that is roiling global trade and supply of key materials was responsible for the uncertainty…

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock (NASDAQ: AMD) fell 9% before the bell on Wednesday after the company fell short on sales for its data centers, despite reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. (The stock is down 7% as of midday Wednesday.) That’s because the chipmaker’s core business is selling data center chips for graphics processing units used to power AI. It’s currently going head-to-head with Nvidia for market share of the lucrative, high-powered AI chip market. Shares in Nvidia (NVDA), meanwhile, were up 4% in midday trading Wednesday after Google’s parent company, Alphabet, announced it will spend $75 billion in expected capital expenditure…

In HBO’s hit show Succession, patriarch Logan Roy pitted his children against each other for the top spot of leading his media conglomerate. Those who’ve seen the show will know how it ends, but what if he took a different route? What if he established a collaborative, multi-generational leadership team to guide Waystar RoyCo into the future? Granted, it would have made for far less dramatic tension (and probably fewer award wins) for the show. But for Roy’s shareholders, it would’ve been a smarter move in a rapidly changing media industry. Succession planning is a non-negotiable principle for any thriving organization, yet it’s also one of the hardest to get right. …

Teaching machines in the way that animal trainers mold the behavior of dogs or horses has been an important method for developing artificial intelligence and one that was recognized Wednesday with the top computer science award. Two pioneers in the field of reinforcement learning, Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton, are the winners of this year’s A.M. Turing Award, the tech world’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Research that Barto, 76, and Sutton, 67, began in the late 1970s paved the way for some of the past decade’s AI breakthroughs. At the heart of their work was channeling so-called “hedonistic” machines that could continuously adapt their behavior in response to posi…

An iconic eyewear brand has a new creative icon at its helm. Ray-Ban announced today that rapper and fashion trendsetter A$AP Rocky will be its first-ever creative director. In his new role, Rocky will lead Ray-Ban Studios, a sub label of Ray-Ban that it calls “a creative hub celebrating self-expression.” More broadly, he’s tasked with reinventing and contemporizing the brand by overseeing creative projects including a new Blacked Out Collection, which will release in April. The collection redesigns iconic frames (think the Wayfarer and Clubmaster) with a brand-new black-out lens and gold-plated details. “Today, we are welcoming A$AP Rocky into our family; he…

Early in their leadership journey, many leaders believe they need to have all the answers and be experts in every aspect of their team’s work. They assume that credibility comes from knowing every detail, every strategy, and every technical nuance. However, the most effective leaders soon realize that leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about knowing enough to ask the right questions, spot key trends, and guide their teams toward success. Rather than micromanaging or dictating processes, strong leaders focus on creating clarity through shared goals and measurable outcomes. By setting clear performance metrics, they establish a common language with their te…

In today’s whiplash business environment of change and uncertainty, there are a few simple, timeless strategies that consistently rank among the best for accelerating growth. No reinventing the wheel required. One such strategy is test-to-scale—close cousin of the venerable test-and-learn approach that’s long been a startup staple. Both can play a key role, depending on the stage of your company, industry, size, growth curve, and—importantly—internal culture. Basically, test-and-learn uses small scale, iterative experiments to see what works best. Testing different messaging in a marketing campaign, for example, or perhaps different product features. The idea …

For years, we’ve treated confidence in the workplace as something that rises with seniority. The longer you’re in the game, the more secure you should feel, at least in theory. But new data is telling a different story. Confidence is quietly increasing among early and mid-career employees, while many senior leaders are facing a growing sense of doubt. The emotional center of the workforce is shifting, and it says a lot about how work, identity, and leadership are changing. The View from the Ground Glassdoor’s latest numbers show something many leaders might not expect: Confidence is rising among those at the beginning and middle of their careers. Entry-level confidence …

Mental health resources have become a crucial corporate benefit among employers who are looking to recruit the best talent, with more and more companies now offering access to therapy and wellness apps. Even so, many workers report feeling like they don’t have the support they are seeking—particularly as they encounter rising levels of stress in and out of the workplace. In a new report from mental-health-benefits provider Lyra Health, 89% of the 7,500 employees surveyed said they had faced at least one mental health challenge over the past year, citing stress and anxiety as the biggest issues. In many cases, work was the leading source of their stress—namely, overwhe…

Featuring Brad Charron, CEO, Aloha and Carla Vernón, CEO, The Honest Company. Moderated by Yasmin Gagne, Staff Editor, Fast Company. When a company’s momentum reverses direction (or is even on the brink of bankruptcy), how does a leader pivot toward recovery and a return to success? In this panel, you’ll hear from CEOs who seized the reins of their companies when they were struggling—and managed to get things back on track. View the full article

Ever since DeepSeek burst onto the scene last month, there’s been no shortage of opinions about what the Chinese startup’s artificial intelligence accomplishments mean for America’s AI giants like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Meta. However, there’s one company that’s usually been absent from any discussion of just how bad DeepSeek’s arrival is for many of America’s tech giants: Apple. Whenever a tech insider or analyst mentions Apple and DeepSeek together, its usually to suggest that the arrival of the Chinese LLM could be beneficial to the iPhone maker. Is that really the case? AI technology is moving so quickly (DeepSeek virtually appeared out of nowhere) th…

Marketing stunts tend to range from the banal to the broadly clever—but rarely do they border on the chaotically brilliant. Today, the beverage company Evolution Fresh is debuting a 10-gallon hat designed to smuggle 12-ounce cans of its new Real Fruit Soda (or really any beverage of your choosing) into movie theaters and concert venues where BYO is verboten. And you know what? Contrary to most gimmicks, it’s a delightfully offbeat and utilitarian flex that underscores the heart of its product. [Photo: Evolution Fresh] Evolution Fresh released the line last June, and the better-for-you soda category has only boomed in the months since, with Coke unveiling Simpl…

We all know the people pleaser in the office—the one who takes on extra work, stays late without being asked, and is at the full disposal of the department manager. They also may agree with whatever the majority says and will dodge conflict, even though they are in the right. But does this mentality pay off? Likely not, say experts. Who exactly is a people pleaser? A people pleaser is someone who abandons their own needs and values to try and make someone else happy, explains Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. While on the surface, you may think this selfless approach will fast-track you at work, however, this minds…

Lay’s sells more than 200 flavors of potato chips across the globe. Only one of them puts a potato on the package. That’s because in many ways, the largest potato chip company in the world, Lay’s, is the embodiment of a modernist brand. Hear the word Lay’s and its red and yellow logo pops into your brain, quickly followed by a hallucinated blast of salt on your tongue. The logo is an abstract hero, associated with chips only through constant consumer exposure. But in Lay’s own market testing, it discovered a cost to this approach: Only 42% of people realized that Lay’s potato chips are made from potatoes. Now—as the long, liberal war on ultra-processed food has …

In today’s evolving workforce, a growing number of individuals are embracing a new identity: the sidepreneur. These are people who, in addition to their traditional jobs, are launching entrepreneurial ventures on the side. They’re not just taking on additional work—they’re creating new opportunities to pursue passions, build wealth, and gain control over their financial futures. From moonlighting chefs to weekend photographers, tech consultants by day, and digital creators by night, sidepreneurs are the embodiment of resilience, adaptability, and entrepreneurial spirit. The rise of sidepreneurs isn’t just a reaction to economic pressures; it’s a reflection of how modern …

The Humane Society of the United States is going global. The nonprofit animal advocacy organization has officially rebranded as the Humane World for Animals to better communicate its existing, broader work. Beyond the local shelters it’s perhaps best known for, the group works on behalf of animals to combat wildlife trafficking, factory farms, and animal testing, among other causes, globally. The new name and look, which its sister organization Humane Society International also adopted, is an attempt to reflect that. Building a brand to communicate international advocacy The rebrand also follows existing international coordination among its former country-…

Violent tornado outbreaks, like the storms that tore through parts of St. Louis and London, Kentucky, on May 16, have made 2025 seem like an especially active, deadly and destructive year for tornadoes. The U.S. has had more reported tornadoes than normal—more than 960 as of May 22, according to the National Weather Service’s preliminary count. That’s well above the national average of around 660 tornadoes reported by that point over the past 15 years, and it’s similar to 2024—the second-most-active year over that same period. NOAA National Storm Prediction CenterI’m an atmospheric scientist who studies natural hazards. What stands out about 2025 so far isn’t just the num…

David Droga is a legendary advertising creative and executive. He’s also CEO of Accenture Song, one of the largest advertising and marketing services firms on the planet. For those two reasons, we kick off Brand New World with Droga at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Why there and then? It’s the world’s biggest convergence of media, marketing, entertainment, technology, and brands, and a mirror of what’s happening and a bellwether of what’s to come, on a global scale. There’s no better time and place to start a conversation about how brands, and the marketing and advertising industries, are approaching AI at this crucial and nascent moment. In this …

This week, Apple updated half of its iPad lineup. After updating the iPad Pro and iPad mini in 2024, the company has just unveiled a third-generation iPad Air and an eleventh-generation iPad. Many fans of Apple’s tablets have been eagerly awaiting these updates, especially since before this week, the company’s entry-level iPad had not had a refresh since October of 2022. But if you’ve been waiting until this week’s reveals, hoping for a clear picture of Apple’s iPad offerings in order to select the one best for your needs, well, I’ve got bad news: the iPad lineup remains as confusing as ever. Here’s why. Not all models support Apple Intelligence Apple make…

Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. Economic forecasting has never been an easy task, and it becomes even more challenging when confronted with unprecedented economic events like COVID-19 lockdowns and unparalleled levels of government intervention, followed by a rapid cycle of interest rate hikes. Look no further than recent mortgage rate forecasts. Last year marked the third year in a row that mortgage rates ended the year higher than forecasters expected. Will they finally get it right this year? ResiClub’s latest roundup of quarterly mortgage rate forecasts shows that most …

Today, no matter where you are in the world, it’s not unusual to find yourself working alongside an analyst from Amsterdam, a strategist from San Francisco, or a designer from Dubai. As companies look increasingly further afield for workers, they unlock a range of benefits—from wider talent pools that make it easier to find specialized talent to the injection of new perspectives that offer insights into diverse customer bases. While most business leaders agree that developing the right workplace model is crucial to their company’s success, only 24% feel their organization is actually ready to fully embrace a distributed workforce. The list of potential reasons for thi…

At a recent groundbreaking for one of our data center campuses, three members of the community told our team, “Great, we’re going to get a Trader Joe’s now.” It may sound funny, but this is one small part of the data center effect. Having Starbucks and Whole Foods establishments in the neighborhood famously have been associated with higher property values. Data centers also boost the communities where they’re located, by creating jobs and supporting revitalization efforts, for example. Of course, the industry faces criticism too, often based on outdated perceptions that don’t reflect advances in design and sustainability. But public opinion is shifting—partly tha…

The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The emergence of generative AI and digital transformation has redefined customer-company relationships, empowering consumers like never before. As argued in a previous article I wrote, today’s customer is no longer a mere segment or target consumer, but a brand seeking vendors to help create their unique identity. Companies must now redefine their value propositions to meet these evol…

The shine has worn off the new year and, given the long slog of winter that still lies ahead, you might be feeling less excited about work. There’s a good chance that what you’re feeling is more than just the winter blahs. According to a study last year, an alarming 82% of workers feel at risk for burnout. If you think you, your coworkers, or even your boss might be part of that group, here are the red flags to look out for—and what you can do about it. Red flags for personal burnout You likely know many of the obvious signs of burnout, such as feeling exhausted and disengaged at work. But there are plenty of other less obvious red flags that you should pay attention to…