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The age of homes, moving preferences and weather risks are all playing a role in the direction of growth prospects for the remodel and renovation industry. View the full article

Wix has introduced Wix Functions, a no-code solution that allows users to create customized business flows, automate pricing and checkout rules, and tailor app behavior. This new tool provides businesses with greater flexibility to adapt operations to their specific needs without requiring technical expertise. Wix Functions features an intuitive visual function builder, enabling users to define business logic using conditions, variables, formulas, and dynamic values. The tool allows businesses to customize pricing rules, enforce checkout conditions, and implement tailored loyalty rewards. Users can start from scratch or modify templates designed for specific Wix apps. By selecting input data from an app, such as cart and checkout details in Wix Stores, users can establish logical conditions that determine outcomes. For example, Wix Functions can apply location-based fees, trigger discounts for returning customers, or implement custom form validations. Once set, the function outputs the specified action, which is executed by the Wix app in real-time. Wix Functions ensures that checkout processes, rewards programs, and other workflows wait for the function’s output before proceeding. Users can choose from pre-built function templates or create custom rules tailored to their needs. The functions are triggered by app activity, process the required logic, and return a result that directly impacts the business operation—such as adjusting a fee, displaying a discount, or restricting a purchase. “Wix Functions lets businesses extend and customize Wix apps to fit their unique needs—without writing a single line of code,” said Tomas Petras Rupšys, Head of Wix Functions at Wix. “Building on top of our new Automation builder, Wix Functions gives businesses even more control over their operations, enabling them to customize more workflows, further automate processes and implement advanced business rules. The function’s output directly influences how the Wix app behaves in real-time, ensuring that businesses can seamlessly adapt their operations to meet unique needs, further empowering business owners to operate more efficiently and scale with ease.” Wix Functions complements Wix Automations by enabling real-time customization while automations handle ongoing task management. Together, these tools provide a comprehensive system for businesses to automate processes and optimize operations seamlessly. Wix Functions is now available on Wix and Wix Studio for Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix Restaurants, Wix Donations, Wix Forms, and Wix Loyalty Program. The tool is accessible for free, with optional premium upgrades available for expanded business solutions such as checkout and payments. Users can unlock unlimited actions through premium upgrades. Image: Wix This article, "Wix Launches Wix Functions to Enhance Business Customization" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Wix has introduced Wix Functions, a no-code solution that allows users to create customized business flows, automate pricing and checkout rules, and tailor app behavior. This new tool provides businesses with greater flexibility to adapt operations to their specific needs without requiring technical expertise. Wix Functions features an intuitive visual function builder, enabling users to define business logic using conditions, variables, formulas, and dynamic values. The tool allows businesses to customize pricing rules, enforce checkout conditions, and implement tailored loyalty rewards. Users can start from scratch or modify templates designed for specific Wix apps. By selecting input data from an app, such as cart and checkout details in Wix Stores, users can establish logical conditions that determine outcomes. For example, Wix Functions can apply location-based fees, trigger discounts for returning customers, or implement custom form validations. Once set, the function outputs the specified action, which is executed by the Wix app in real-time. Wix Functions ensures that checkout processes, rewards programs, and other workflows wait for the function’s output before proceeding. Users can choose from pre-built function templates or create custom rules tailored to their needs. The functions are triggered by app activity, process the required logic, and return a result that directly impacts the business operation—such as adjusting a fee, displaying a discount, or restricting a purchase. “Wix Functions lets businesses extend and customize Wix apps to fit their unique needs—without writing a single line of code,” said Tomas Petras Rupšys, Head of Wix Functions at Wix. “Building on top of our new Automation builder, Wix Functions gives businesses even more control over their operations, enabling them to customize more workflows, further automate processes and implement advanced business rules. The function’s output directly influences how the Wix app behaves in real-time, ensuring that businesses can seamlessly adapt their operations to meet unique needs, further empowering business owners to operate more efficiently and scale with ease.” Wix Functions complements Wix Automations by enabling real-time customization while automations handle ongoing task management. Together, these tools provide a comprehensive system for businesses to automate processes and optimize operations seamlessly. Wix Functions is now available on Wix and Wix Studio for Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix Restaurants, Wix Donations, Wix Forms, and Wix Loyalty Program. The tool is accessible for free, with optional premium upgrades available for expanded business solutions such as checkout and payments. Users can unlock unlimited actions through premium upgrades. Image: Wix This article, "Wix Launches Wix Functions to Enhance Business Customization" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has announced new AI-driven capabilities in Adobe Experience Cloud aimed at helping businesses deliver highly personalized and seamless customer experiences across multiple channels. The announcement was made at Adobe Summit, the company’s flagship digital experience conference. The new AI-powered tools include an AI-first module in Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO) and enhancements to Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), both designed to optimize omnichannel performance and improve web engagement. According to Adobe, these innovations leverage its AI Platform, which integrates AI agents from Adobe, third-party providers, and commercially safe Firefly models to unify data, content, and customer journeys. “Delivering a unified customer experience requires a much more agile and streamlined operation that solves real customer pain points, which can often be resource and time constrained,” says Amit Ahuja, senior vice president, Digital Experience Business, Adobe. “Adobe is uniquely positioned to help brands meet this moment, with deep expertise in unifying AI, data and content production workflows to execute the right digital experiences with precision, while uncovering unseen problems.” New AI Capabilities in Adobe Experience Cloud Adobe’s latest AI-powered innovations provide businesses with tools to actively orchestrate AI-driven experiences. Among the key offerings: Adobe Journey Optimizer Experimentation Accelerator: A new AI-first module in AJO designed to identify high-impact opportunities and optimize omnichannel engagement. The Experimentation Agent analyzes trends, learns from previous experiments, and generates insights for improved customer journey strategies. Adobe Experience Manager Sites Optimizer: An application that enhances web performance through automated issue diagnosis and solution recommendations. The new Site Optimization Agent detects engagement trends, identifies SEO issues, and suggests real-time content modifications to improve conversion rates. Leading brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, Major League Baseball, Marriott International, and NVIDIA already rely on Adobe Experience Cloud to drive digital customer interactions. Expanding AI Solutions for Enterprise B2B Teams In addition to customer engagement tools, Adobe introduced AI capabilities for business-to-business (B2B) enterprises, aimed at streamlining go-to-market strategies and improving sales and marketing alignment. AI Agents for B2B Account Orchestration: AI-driven workflows assist in lead generation by forming buying groups, assigning roles, and recommending targeted omnichannel engagement strategies. AI-Powered Content Creation: Marketers can leverage Adobe Firefly generative AI and Adobe Express for automated content generation across email, web, and paid media campaigns. Customer Journey Insights: AI-powered analytics in Adobe Customer Journey Analytics B2B Edition provide real-time campaign assessments and sales pipeline insights. Reimagined Lead & Contact Journeys: Marketo Engage now includes a new visual journey designer, enabling teams to create AI-optimized campaigns tailored for lead conversion. With these advancements, Adobe aims to bridge the gap between AI, marketing, and creativity, enabling businesses to scale personalized digital experiences. The company continues to enhance Adobe Experience Platform with integrated AI orchestration and customer experience data, reinforcing its position as a leader in AI-driven customer engagement solutions. The new AI-powered features in Adobe Experience Cloud are now available for businesses looking to optimize customer interactions and digital marketing strategies. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Introduces AI Agents to Experience Cloud for Enhanced Customer Engagement" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) has announced new AI-driven capabilities in Adobe Experience Cloud aimed at helping businesses deliver highly personalized and seamless customer experiences across multiple channels. The announcement was made at Adobe Summit, the company’s flagship digital experience conference. The new AI-powered tools include an AI-first module in Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO) and enhancements to Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), both designed to optimize omnichannel performance and improve web engagement. According to Adobe, these innovations leverage its AI Platform, which integrates AI agents from Adobe, third-party providers, and commercially safe Firefly models to unify data, content, and customer journeys. “Delivering a unified customer experience requires a much more agile and streamlined operation that solves real customer pain points, which can often be resource and time constrained,” says Amit Ahuja, senior vice president, Digital Experience Business, Adobe. “Adobe is uniquely positioned to help brands meet this moment, with deep expertise in unifying AI, data and content production workflows to execute the right digital experiences with precision, while uncovering unseen problems.” New AI Capabilities in Adobe Experience Cloud Adobe’s latest AI-powered innovations provide businesses with tools to actively orchestrate AI-driven experiences. Among the key offerings: Adobe Journey Optimizer Experimentation Accelerator: A new AI-first module in AJO designed to identify high-impact opportunities and optimize omnichannel engagement. The Experimentation Agent analyzes trends, learns from previous experiments, and generates insights for improved customer journey strategies. Adobe Experience Manager Sites Optimizer: An application that enhances web performance through automated issue diagnosis and solution recommendations. The new Site Optimization Agent detects engagement trends, identifies SEO issues, and suggests real-time content modifications to improve conversion rates. Leading brands such as The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Airlines, Major League Baseball, Marriott International, and NVIDIA already rely on Adobe Experience Cloud to drive digital customer interactions. Expanding AI Solutions for Enterprise B2B Teams In addition to customer engagement tools, Adobe introduced AI capabilities for business-to-business (B2B) enterprises, aimed at streamlining go-to-market strategies and improving sales and marketing alignment. AI Agents for B2B Account Orchestration: AI-driven workflows assist in lead generation by forming buying groups, assigning roles, and recommending targeted omnichannel engagement strategies. AI-Powered Content Creation: Marketers can leverage Adobe Firefly generative AI and Adobe Express for automated content generation across email, web, and paid media campaigns. Customer Journey Insights: AI-powered analytics in Adobe Customer Journey Analytics B2B Edition provide real-time campaign assessments and sales pipeline insights. Reimagined Lead & Contact Journeys: Marketo Engage now includes a new visual journey designer, enabling teams to create AI-optimized campaigns tailored for lead conversion. With these advancements, Adobe aims to bridge the gap between AI, marketing, and creativity, enabling businesses to scale personalized digital experiences. The company continues to enhance Adobe Experience Platform with integrated AI orchestration and customer experience data, reinforcing its position as a leader in AI-driven customer engagement solutions. The new AI-powered features in Adobe Experience Cloud are now available for businesses looking to optimize customer interactions and digital marketing strategies. Image: Adobe This article, "Adobe Introduces AI Agents to Experience Cloud for Enhanced Customer Engagement" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Industry lobby group calls for action from government ahead of summit in April View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Getting a premium economy or business class seat for the price of economy sounds like a fantasy, but that’s what the Dollar Flight Club Premium+ Plan helps you do: This subscription service does the heavy lifting of hunting down the best flight deals and sending them to your inbox. Usually, a year of DFC Premium+ costs $99.99, but right now, new users can get it for just $29.99 on StackSocial. That’s a solid discount—unless, of course, you already have an account (in which case, no dice). Also, you have to redeem your code within 30 days of buying, and after your discounted year, the membership renews at full price automatically. If you’re okay with that (or plan to cancel before renewal), you could lock in some serious travel savings with this deal. With a Premium Plus+ membership, you get access to discounted fares across Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class, meaning there’s a chance you could score a lie-flat seat to Europe for the price of an economy ticket. You’ll also get alerts for domestic and international mistake fares (those rare but amazing airline pricing errors), plus exclusive deals not available online, since DFC works directly with airlines. On top of that, members also get discounts on travel perks like Priority Pass and TSA PreCheck. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that Dollar Flight Club currently only covers members in North & South America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. If you travel frequently or have a bucket list trip in mind, this subscription might be an easy way to catch mistake fares, last-minute deals, and discounts on flights—sometimes up to 90% off. Just set your home airports, pick your ideal destinations, and let Dollar Flight Club scour the internet for the best fares. And unlike generic flight deal newsletters, this service tailors alerts to your preferences (departure airports and destinations), so you won’t waste time on irrelevant deals. View the full article

For decades, human organs, some of the most fragile cargo imaginable, have been transported on ice. Not because it was the best method, but because that’s how it had always been done. A process with life-or-death consequences remained unchanged simply out of habit. I didn’t fully grasp the flaws in this system until I experienced it firsthand. I saw the gaps in coordination, the last-minute scrambles, and the life-altering consequences of relying on outdated methods. But identifying a problem isn’t the same as knowing how to fix it. Innovation happens when leaders refuse to accept the way it’s always been done. It happens when they show up, ask questions, and stay immersed in their industry long enough to see the gaps that others overlook. Research proves this: Founders with at least 3 years of industry experience are nearly twice as likely to succeed as those without it. What numbers don’t show Before developing Paragonix’s organ preservation technology, I spent years traveling with transplant teams, standing in operating rooms, and observing every step of the process. I experienced how outdated transport methods created uncertainty, how communication breakdowns led to preventable delays, and how every inefficiency had real consequences for patients. Numbers tell part of the story, but experience fills in the gaps. More than 103,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ transplant, and every 8 minutes, another person is added to the list. A spreadsheet can track transplant success rates, but it won’t capture a patient’s anxiety as they wait, unsure if a life-saving organ will arrive in time. Data can show transit times, but it won’t reflect the pressure on a transplant team racing against the clock, knowing that every lost minute could mean losing a life. Many well-intentioned ideas fall apart because of this gap between analysis and reality. Harvard Business School professor Tom Eisenmann calls this pattern a “false start” — when founders launch solutions before fully understanding the problems they’re trying to solve. His research shows that many entrepreneurs, eager to launch, skip the critical step of customer discovery and assume they’ll figure out the details as they go. Turn immersion into innovation The most effective solutions come from understanding the problem in practice—seeing it, feeling it, and engaging with the people who experience it every day. That doesn’t stop once a company is built. I travel with our sales reps, visit transplant centers, and speak directly with the people using our technology because that’s the only way to understand what’s working and what’s not. Staying embedded in an industry provides the knowledge to innovate, but making a real impact requires persistence. Here are three things I’ve learned: Expect resistance and keep going Even with overwhelming evidence, people still doubt new ideas. Research shows that controlled organ preservation improves outcomes, yet resistance remains. Some pushback strengthens a solution, but not all criticism is useful. The closer you are to the problem, the easier it is to separate valid concerns from reluctance to adapt. Staying in the field provides the conviction to push forward when others hesitate and the clarity to know what feedback is worth acting on. Listen for what’s not being said People don’t always voice their biggest frustrations. A transplant team might say a process works, but watching them tells a different story. For decades, organs packed in ice could only travel so far before becoming unusable, which forced teams to work within tight geographic boundaries. These limitations were simply accepted as part of the job. Real insights come from noticing inefficiencies and workarounds that shouldn’t exist. Leaders who look beyond what’s being said are the ones who recognize opportunities for real innovation. Identify patterns, not just problems Not every problem needs fixing, but when the same inefficiencies surface again and again, they’re worth a closer look. For years, transplant teams worked around unpredictable organ arrival times. They developed contingency plans, adjusted schedules at the last minute, and braced for delays. Real-time tracking wasn’t the result of a single brainstorming session—it came from recognizing a repeated problem. The best insights start with paying attention to the patterns others ignore. You can’t spot a breakthrough from behind a desk. No matter the industry, meaningful innovation starts with questioning what others accept, seeing the problem firsthand, and refusing to look away. 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. View the full article

Social media group is valued at $44bn, matching the price the billionaire paid in 2022View the full article

Despite ongoing efforts to address increased costs, out-of-pocket spending on healthcare continues to rise. Higher insurance copays and deductibles, increased medication costs, and rising inflation rates are just a few of the factors contributing to this trend. As a result, millions of Americans find themselves racking up medical debt, deferring critical medical treatment, or neglecting chronic health conditions. But the cost burden isn’t equal by gender. Many people have heard of the “pink tax,” the pattern of women’s goods and services—from razors to dry cleaning—costing more than the men’s equivalent. But few realize how far this extends beyond store shelves. Across the healthcare spectrum, women are spending significantly more out of pocket on prescriptions and medical treatments. Recently, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel at SXSW discussing the healthcare pink tax, sharing some new research from GoodRx on the disparities, and learning what actions healthcare leaders are taking to address this. This conversation was eye-opening for our attendees, and served as a reminder that we still have a long way to go in fixing this problem. Doing so won’t just help women, but will also relieve pressure on our healthcare system and support a healthier U.S. population. The current state of women’s healthcare costs Each year, women spend billions more than men on out-of-pocket healthcare costs. This latest GoodRx research found that in 2024, women spent nearly 30% more out of pocket on prescriptions than men, totaling over $8.5 billion in additional spending. And the discrepancy is even more pronounced among women aged 18-44, partly due to expenses specific to women, such as those associated with reproductive health. But women-specific healthcare needs like fertility and birth control aren’t the only drivers of inequitable out-of-pocket costs. Women are also spending more on all-gender conditions. One example is mental health, where women spend 113% more than men on depression medications and 103% more on anxiety treatments. Once women reach menopause, the economic burden spikes again. AARP found that women spend over $13 billion annually on treating their menopause symptoms, and research from Elektra Health found that those who’ve been diagnosed as menopausal spend 45% more on healthcare costs to treat their symptoms each year than those who are not menopausal. As Americans age, these gaps begin to close. GoodRx revealed that out-of-pocket healthcare spending among older men and women is more comparable, with women aged 45-64 paying over 35% more in 2024, and women over 65 outspending men by 16.5%. This is likely due to Medicare coverage, similar chronic disease burdens, and reduced reproductive health costs. How healthcare leaders must take action As healthcare leaders, the onus is on us to implement solutions that make it easier for women to access healthcare savings and reduce their out-of-pocket spending. Much of the inequity comes from long-standing, outdated cultural understanding and social stigmas around women’s health. Addressing this urgent crisis requires collaboration and systemic changes across the healthcare system, with policymakers, insurers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and many others playing an important role. Health insurers and employers must take proactive steps to analyze and update benefit design for their members, creating a more equal playing field and reducing the financial burden for women. The government can implement policy reforms, acknowledging the gaps and mandating that healthcare companies look towards more inclusive practices. Researchers should address the data and clinical trial gaps that regularly exclude women in an effort to improve product innovation and outcomes for females. And, collectively, we can all raise awareness and advocate for equality in healthcare. At GoodRx, we are working on the medication piece of the cost puzzle, helping women at all stages of life access lower prices on essential medications. This includes up to savings on fertility treatments, based on the best available GoodRx price, for both brand-name and generic medications used in every phase of the IVF process. We also introduced our e-commerce platform in October with Opill, enabling GoodRx users to purchase the first over-the-counter birth control pill online. And, just last year, we launched affordability programs for Pfizer’s menopause hormone therapies. Though much more needs to be done, these initiatives are critical in chipping away at the larger cost disparity and access issues. Lower healthcare costs create healthier communities Addressing the pink tax in healthcare is our moral and economic imperative. Affordable healthcare doesn’t just support better health and quality of life for women, but has a positive ripple effect on our families, communities, and healthcare system. As with most healthcare reform, real change requires collaboration from all stakeholders in the healthcare system. As a woman and the mom of a daughter, I’m hopeful that we can close this widening gap and improve healthcare access for all women. 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. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Spring hasn’t really been as big of an online shopping season, comparatively speaking: We've got Prime Day during the summer, October Prime Day and Black Friday during the fall, and a bunch of holiday sales during winter. But that might be changing with the recent Big Spring Sale from Amazon, in its second year. Target has decided to compete for your money as well with a Circle Week event, coming later this month. What is Target's Circle Week?Circle Week is Target’s name for its biggest sale, which used to happen once a year but, much to the dismay of Target workers, now happens multiple times a year. Usually, you’ll see one when other major retailers have big sale events as well like Christmas or October Prime Day. When is Circle Week?This upcoming Circle Week will be from March 23 to March 29. Do you need to be a member to shop for Target Circle Week?Unlike Amazon's Big Spring Sale, you will need to be a Circle member to take part in the sale, but unlike being a Prime Member, membership is free. You can sign up on the Target app or Target.com. What deals can I find during Target Circle Week?Mainly spring items, but sale categories broadly include apparel, patio furniture, home essentials, beauty products, grocery items, toys, books, movies, and music. You can shop in person or online, and there will be a "Deal of the Day" for every day of the event. If you want early access to the deals, you can join Target Circle 360, which starts at $10.99 per month. Here is a bit more detail from Target's press release: 30% off tees, tanks, shorts and dresses for the family 30% off patio furniture and accessories 25% off select Pillowfort, teen bedding and decor 25% off Threshold and Casaluna bedding 20% off Brightroom plastic storage bins and closet organization Up to 40% off kitchen and floorcare essentials including Instant Pot, Ninja and Shark appliances Up to 30% off select LEGO Save up to $200 on select Apple devices Does the competition also offer sales?Amazon’s Big Spring Sale will be taking place from Wednesday, March 20 through Monday, March 25. But Walmart and Best Buy will also have competing sales. View the full article

In an unpredictable labor market, where job gains in January fell below expectations and the future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: Employers can’t afford to rest on their laurels. While the economy has remained relatively strong, shifts in the job market have been historically inevitable, and companies must constantly evaluate their operations to ensure they’re attracting and retaining the best talent. One area that employers should pay close attention to: employee benefits. Surprisingly, small businesses—often perceived as lacking the resources to offer substantial perks—are quietly leading the charge in providing the kinds of benefits that employees value most. Small businesses are stepping up to meet workers’ needs, and it’s not just about flashy perks like wellness programs or flexible work arrangements. Traditional benefits, particularly retirement plans like 401(k)s, have emerged as crucial factors in attracting top talent and securing long-term employee satisfaction, according to Guideline research. While it’s easy to focus on the more visible, short-term perks that have become synonymous with modern work culture, many employees are prioritizing long-term financial stability over immediate rewards. As workers grow older, their anxiety about financial security in retirement naturally may only increase. This economic uncertainty has become a driving factor in employee decision making. Our Guideline research shows that a stunning 93% of employees say that retirement benefits, such as a 401(k), influence their decision to join a company. More tellingly, half of employees surveyed said they would turn down a job offer from a company that did not offer a retirement benefit. For businesses, this shift in worker priorities presents a clear opportunity—and a possible call to action. Small businesses are going the extra mile Small businesses, often without the same resources as larger companies, have begun to recognize the growing importance of retirement benefits. In fact, the same research revealed that 70% of employers feel offering employees retirement benefits helped them with recruiting and hiring talent. And they’re not just offering 401(k) plans, but making them as impactful as possible. For example, nearly 80% of businesses that offer a 401(k) plan through Guideline provide employer matching. Our research shows that these contributions can increase employee participation in 401(k) plans by 9%, further cementing their value as part of an overall benefits strategy. No matter the size of your business, it may not be enough to just offer the basics when it comes to employee benefits. Employers can help employees bridge the retirement savings gap. After all, the lack of access to retirement plans or the absence of a company match may disproportionately affect those who need help saving the most—especially in a climate where wages have stagnated for many workers. Providing access to a 401(k) plan and offering employer matching are key ways businesses can fulfill their role in helping employees plan for a comfortable retirement. Small businesses are spurring the 401(k) boom The numbers speak for themselves: over 15,000 businesses signed up for a Guideline 401(k) plan just last year. Of these new signed plans, 92% of them were customers who previously hadn’t offered a retirement saving option. This surge in interest signals a clear shift in mindset—a recognition that long-term financial security is just as important, if not more so, than the short-term perks that have become trendy. Small businesses are recognizing the changing needs of workers and stepping up to meet this demand. As more businesses recognize the impact of robust retirement benefits, it’s clear that this trend is more than just a passing phase—it’s a fundamental shift in how employers view their responsibilities to employees. Workers today are no longer looking for a job that simply offers them a paycheck and a handful of perks. They’re looking for long-term stability and the opportunity to build a secure future for themselves and their families. To put this into perspective, last year, nearly 85% of employees who received access to retirement savings through Guideline participated in their plans, and on average, contributed close to 7% of their paycheck. Small businesses, by offering meaningful benefits like 401(k) plans with employer contributions, are not just meeting these demands—they’re helping to shape the future of employee benefits. While large employers may have the resources to provide a broad array of perks, it’s the small businesses that are truly leading the charge in addressing the real concerns that employees have about their futures. This shift toward offering substantial retirement benefits isn’t just good for employees—it can be good for businesses as well. By helping to ensure their workers can retire with dignity and financial security, small businesses are investing in their most valuable asset: their people. In today’s labor market, the companies that prioritize long-term stability and employee well-being can undoubtedly stand out. The time is now for businesses, large and small, to rethink how they approach employee benefits. It’s no longer enough to offer just the basics. Employees are looking for more, and small businesses are proving they have what it takes to deliver. 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. View the full article

Perhaps the surest sign that artificial intelligence really is taking over the world will come the day it wins your favorite March Madness bracket pool. The day could be coming soon. In an experiment that a) was bound to happen, b) might actually make us all look smarter and c) should probably also scare the daylights out of everyone, a successful CEO-turned-disruptor is running a $1 million March Madness bracket challenge that pits his AI programmers’ picks against those belonging to one of the world’s best-known sports gamblers. “We’re not a crystal ball,” says Alan Levy, whose platform, 4C Predictions, is running this challenge. “But it’s going to start to get very, very creepy. In 2025, we’re making a million-dollar bet with a professional sports bettor, and the reason we feel confident to do that is because data, we feel, will beat humans.” Levy isn’t the only one leveraging AI to help people succeed in America’s favorite pick ’em pool — one that’s become even more lucrative over the past seven years, after a Supreme Court ruling led to the spread of legalized sports betting to 38 states. ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by OpenAI, is hawking its services to help bracket fillers more easily find stats and identify trends. Not surprisingly, it makes no promises. “With upsets, momentum shifts, and basketball’s inherent unpredictability, consistently creating a perfect bracket may still come down to luck,” said Leah Anise, a spokesperson for OpenAI. Also making no promises, but trying his hardest, is Sheldon Jacobson, the computer science professor at Illinois who has been trying to build a better bracket through science for years; he might have been AI before AI. “Nobody predicts the weather,” he explained in an interview back in 2018. “They forecast it using chances and odds.” $1 million on the line in AI vs. Sean Perry showdown Levy’s angle is he’s willing to wager $1 million that the AI bracket his company produces can beat that of professional gambler Sean Perry. Among Perry’s claims to fame was his refusal to accept a four-way split in a pot worth $9.3 million in an NFL survivor pool two years ago. The next week, his pick, the Broncos, lost to New England and he ended up with nothing. But Perry has wagered and won millions over his career, using heaps of analytics, data and insider information to try to find an edge that, for decades, has been proprietary to casinos and legal sports books, giving them an advantage that allows them to build all those massive hotels. Levy says his ultimate goal is to bring that advantage to the average Joe — either the weekly football bettor who doesn’t have access to reams of data, or the March Madness bracket filler who goes by feel or what team’s mascot he likes best. “The massive thesis is that the average person are playing games that they can never win, they’re trading stocks where they can never win, they’re trading crypto where they can never win,” Levy said. “4C gives people the chance to empower themselves. It’s a great equalizer. It’s going to level the playing field for everyone.” But can AI predict the completely unexpected? It’s one thing to find an edge, quite another to take out every element of chance — every halfcourt game-winner, every 4-point-a-game scorer who goes off for 25, every questionable call by a ref, every St. Peter’s, Yale, FAU or UMBC that rises up and wins for reasons nobody quite understands. For those who fear AI is leading the world to bad places, Levy reassures us that when it comes to sports, at least, the human element is always the final decider — and humans can do funny and unexpected things. That’s one of many reasons that, according to the NCAA, there’s a 1 in 120.2 billion chance of a fan with good knowledge of college basketball going 63 for 63 in picking the games. It’s one of many reasons that almost everyone has a story about their 8-year-old niece walking away with the pot because she was the only one who picked George Mason, or North Carolina State, or VCU, to make the Final Four. “You can’t take the element of fun and luck out of it,” Levy said. “Having said that, as AI develops, it’s going to get creepier and creepier and the predictions are going to get more and more accurate, and it’s all around data sets.” Levy suggests AI is no three-headed monster, but rather, an advanced version of “Moneyball” — the classic book-turned-movie that followed Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane’s groundbreaking quest to leverage data to build a winning team. Now, it’s all about putting all that data on steroids, trying to minimize the impact of luck and glass slippers, and building a winning bracket. “We’ve got to understand that this technology is meant to augment us,” Levy said. “It’s meant to make our lives better. So, let’s encourage people to use it, and even if it’s creepy, at least it’s creepy on our side.” The AI’s side in this one: Houston to win it all. Perry, the gambler, is going with Duke. —Eddie Pells, AP national writer View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Ever since I retired my G-Shock in 2015, I’ve been using fitness smartwatches, and some way or another, they’ve all been Garmins—some were passed down from family members and others were gifts. If you’ve never owned a Garmin watch and want to try one out, the best budget Garmin for runners is down to its lowest price ever, according to price tracking tools. You can get the Garmin Forerunner 55 for $149.99 (originally $199.99). Garmin Forerunner 55 Memory Storage: 32 MB, Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS: Built-in, Screen Size: 1.04 In $149.99 at Amazon $199.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Get Deal $149.99 at Amazon $199.99 Save $50.00 As Senior Health Editor Beth Skwarecki said in her intensive search for the best fitness watches for runners, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is the best budget choice you can make, especially at this new record-low price. You get some features that have historically only been found in the premium versions, like the Respiration Rate Tracker feature, which tracks your breathing rate. The battery life is up to two weeks when it’s in standby mode and 20 hours when using GPS tracking. You can use the Daily Suggested Workouts to suggest how to train to reach your running goals. If you like to run on tracks, you can choose which lane you’re in with Track Mode, which gives you exact pacing for much better accuracy, snapping your times at 100 meter intervals. Based on those numbers, you can also see the Race Predictor, which tells you how you’d fare in a marathon and other race lengths using your VO2 max and other metrics. There's also Recovery Hours which suggests how long you should wait until you do another intense workout. View the full article

The Hearth Helper offered a way for Hearth Display users to text or email customer service to upload a list of events on their behalf, like bulk uploading a school calendar worth of events. But as of March 19, the feature has also been integrated into the Hearth mobile app. Hearth Display, the modern family management tool that functions as a shared digital calendar and to-do list tracker, used to include a feature called "Hearth Helper" directly in the 27-inch tablet. When I reviewed the Hearth Display to see if the device was worth the hype (and the $699 price tag, often on sale for $599), I found the feature odd. You might assume that the "Helper" would be a direct line to customer service support, but pressing the "Helper" option only offered a pop-up giving users a phone number and email address if they wanted AI to bulk upload a list of events. You could send the Helper a picture of your kid's school calendar, for example, and the AI would import the data onto your Hearth calendar. I thought little of the feature since then—personally, the last thing I would want is for AI to bulk upload something like a school calendar and clog my calendar—but when Hearth moved the feature into the mobile app, I became curious again. Where to find Hearth Helper in the mobile appTo use the Hearth Helper in the mobile app, start by updating the Hearth app on your device. You may not even be able to use your Hearth app without having this latest update: When I opened the app, a full-screen notification prompted me to update to the latest version. It was the first time I was ever forced to update the app; in the past, I manually updated the app for bug fixes and newer features, like the ability to update Routines directly from my phone or to add custom to-do lists. Credit: Jordan Calhoun / Lifehacker After updating the app, the Hearth Helper can be found as a chat box icon on the top-right of the screen, next to the notification bell. It's an intuitive spot for a "Helper" feature, and much better placed than before: Prior to this latest update, Hearth Helper had a prominent tab on the Hearth Display right next to the Calendar, Lists, and Routines menus. Since the update, my Hearth Display tablet pushed a pop-up announcement that read, "Hearth Helper has moved!" with an explanation that their AI calendar companion now lives on the app. Credit: Jordan Calhoun / Lifehacker How to use Hearth HelperTesting the new mobile-based Hearth Helper was straightforward enough: The AI prompt gives examples of the types of wording you can use to have calendar events created for you, or you can simply press the camera icon to take a picture of a schedule or upload one that you already have saved on your phone. I was mostly curious how long it would take to process a request. Here's how the Hearth Helper looks when you click the icon on the mobile app: Credit: Jordan Calhoun / Lifehacker When I asked Hearth Helper to create a basic appointment, it took under a minute for the AI to send me a "Pending Event" for approval. It comes with the option to "Accept All" or "Reject All" for users who submitted multiple events, or a basic thumbs up or thumbs down for each pending event. Credit: Jordan Calhoun / Lifehacker To give it a more complicated task, I downloaded a PDF of the New York City Department of Education 2024-2025 School Year Calendar to see how long it would take to upload a full calendar. Then I realized the Hearth Helper can't upload PDFs. I took a picture of my screen instead—not a screenshot, but a lazy, grainy photo of my laptop screen that I took from my phone camera—which included eight events across two months. Surprisingly, it still took under a minute for the events to process, and the AI sent me a list of Pending Events that were formatted much better than I expected. Of course, though, if I actually wanted a full calendar of events then I would need to send multiple pictures to span the year. There are a few notable limitations of the Hearth Helper though, which include: You can't upload Lists (like to-do or grocery lists) or Routines with the Hearth Helper. You need to stick with basic pictures: Hearth Helper can't upload from URLs, Word docs, Google sheets, or other formats like those. Hearth Helper is fully run by AI. If you need help with something from a real person, you should contact support@hearthdisplay.com. Is using Hearth Helper worth it? Candidly, I never expected to use the Hearth Helper for its intended purpose. One of the problems that I mention in my initial review is that I feel the premise of the Hearth Helper is pretty shaky. Call me old fashioned, but I want a "helper" to answer my customer service questions, preferably by a human, instead of bulk uploading events that I could do myself in my preferred formats. I tend to be nit-picky about calendar organization and event formats, and I assume most people who use an expensive family management device to run their home are too. But looking at these results from the Hearth Helper bulk uploader, I may have changed my mind for two reasons. Credit: Jordan Calhoun / Lifehacker First, the events are accurate and consistently formatted; and second, the list of imported events are clickable and easy to manually edit or outright reject. My main concern was uploading an overwhelming list of poorly formatted clutter into my calendar, but that seems like less of a concern than I thought: I can just bulk upload calendars that serve as optional event suggestions that I can edit, thumbs up to approve, or thumbs down to reject. Overall, it does feel like this latest update to the Hearth Display will mean faster event management and fewer manual steps, and the Hearth Helper will be useful at back-to-school time, during planning for a new year, or whenever my kids join a new extracurricular or club. View the full article

Typing with a keyboard is second-nature to most of us at this point. Typing on a game controller, however, is not. For as long as I've played games, I've loathed having to slowly hover my on-screen cursor over each key with a joystick. It just isn't fun. It seems Microsoft agrees with the challenges of game controller to keyboard inputs—especially when using a typical on-screen keyboard design for PC. As a result, the company is planning to roll out an on-screen keyboard designed for use with an Xbox controller with an upcoming version of Windows. This should, in theory, make interacting with Windows much easier when you're locked into your controller, and away from your mouse and (physical) keyboard. As reported by The Verge, the new on-screen keyboard has shortcuts that incorporate the buttons on your Xbox controller. As you can see from the screenshot below, "X" activates backspace, "Y" activates the space bar, the menu button activates "enter," the left trigger activates the "&123" menu, the screen share icon actives the microphone, the left button actives the left arrow, the right button activates the right arrow, and clicking in the left stick activates caps lock. Microsoft also notes that the keys in this mode have been aligned vertically, which it believes will support "better controller navigation patterns." Players can be the judge when this rolls out in full, but I imagine it'll be easier that dragging the cursor around the horizontally-aligned design of the existing on-screen keyboard. In fact, the overall experience is likely similar to the on-screen keyboard Xbox players are already used to—if you're coming from Microsoft's console. Credit: Microsoft How to try Microsoft's new Xbox on-screen keyboardMicrosoft added the new on-screen keyboard to the Windows 11 Release Preview Channel. That means PC users will be able to experience it whenever Microsoft drops the next official update for Windows 11. However, you don't have to wait until the official update if you really want to try out this keyboard today. You can enroll your PC in the Windows Insider program to try out early builds of upcoming versions of Windows. This is, essentially, a beta program, which I don't tend to recommend users install on their main devices. However, if you're going to enroll in the Insider program, the Release Preview Channel is the most stable option to choose, as Microsoft seeds the version of Windows the intend to release to the general public—as long as no Insiders discover any device-breaking bugs that need to be addressed. View the full article

Headlines over real estate sales policies, as well as economic upheaval, are having a negative impact on how insiders are seeing the market today. View the full article

MANDAN, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota jury on Wednesday found Greenpeace liable for defamation and other claims brought by a pipeline company in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline. The nine-person jury awarded Dallas-based Energy Transfer and its subsidiary Dakota Access hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The lawsuit had accused Netherlands-based Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA, and funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc. of defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy, and other acts. When asked if Greenpeace plans to appeal, Senior Legal Adviser Deepa Padmanabha said, “We know that this fight is not over” and said the organization’s work “is never going stop.” “That’s the really important message today, and we’re just walking out and we’re going to get together and figure out what our next steps are,” Padmanabha said. The organization said it plans to appeal the decision. Energy Transfer called the verdict a “win” for residents of Mandan, North Dakota, and across the state. “While we are pleased that Greenpeace has been held accountable for their actions against us, this win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace,” the company said in a statement to The Associated Press. The company, who previously said the lawsuit was about Greenpeace not following the law and not free speech, also called the verdict a win for “Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law.” The case reaches back to protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Dakota Access oil pipeline and its Missouri River crossing upstream of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. For years the tribe has opposed the line as a risk to its water supply. The multistate pipeline has been transporting oil since mid-2017. Plaintiffs’ attorney Trey Cox has said Greenpeace carried out a scheme to stop the pipeline’s construction. During opening statements, he alleged Greenpeace paid outsiders to come into the area and protest, sent blockade supplies, organized or led protester trainings, and made untrue statements about the project to stop it. Attorneys for the Greenpeace entities said there is no evidence to the claims, that Greenpeace employees had little or no involvement in the protests and the organizations had nothing to do with Energy Transfer’s delays in construction or refinancing. Greenpeace representatives have said the lawsuit is a critical test of First Amendment free speech and protest rights and could threaten the organization’s future. — Jack Dura, Associated Press View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. You can now pre-order a brand-new Pebble Watch, which is a sentence that will confuse a lot of people and excite others. Pebble was one of the first smartwatches, launching even before the first Apple Watch. We wrote about it here on Lifehacker in 2013. Now it’s back in two versions, running $149 and $225, both expected to ship later this year. Some quick background on PebblePebble was an early smartwatch brand whose devices featured an e-ink display (like the kind you might see on an e-book reader). Its Kickstarter launches broke records for the platform. I had heard that the Pebble Time was the most successful Kickstarter project ever at the time of its launch, so I checked Kickstarter’s list of its 12 most funded projects to see if it still holds that title. Pebble’s three generations hold the #2, #6, and #12 spots. People loved this watch. And they continued to love it, even after the company was bought by Fitbit in 2016. A project called Rebble did its best to maintain the old watches’ functionality over the years, providing app store updates and replacing some of the old cloud services. As the years went by, it got harder and harder to keep using Pebble watches. Both the Android and iPhone apps disappeared from phones’ official app stores, and “how to set up a new Pebble” guides got more complicated, but some users persisted. Google now owns Fitbit and Pebble users managed to successfully lobby Google to open-source the Pebble OS, opening the doors to new Pebble watches. Who is making the new Pebble watches, and why? Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky is leading this project. He wrote: “I've tried pretty much every other smartwatch on Earth, yet I still wear my Pebble every day—nothing else matches its features and long battery life. I really, really, really hoped someone else would create a proper replacement, but no one has stepped up, and my stash of old Pebbles is dwindling!” In an AMA on the Pebble subreddit, Migicovsky mentioned several times that the team is small and that they’re trying not to bite off more than they can chew. Since the OS is now open source, several questions about features were met with answers like “No, but that sounds like a nice feature for someone to add to the open source PebbleOS!” The new watches aren’t going to be sold under the Pebble name, though, since Google still owns that trademark. They are called the Core Time 2 and the Core 2 Duo. A redditor asked what is “duo” about it, and Migicovsky replied: “Du-over 😉” The Core 2 Duo ($149) is “like Pebble 2, but better”The Core 2 Duo will have a black-and-white screen and a plastic (polycarbonate) frame in either black or white, and is expected to start shipping in July. Its look and feel are intended to be just like the old Pebble 2, although some of the internals are upgraded and it has more durable buttons. Other specs include the following (I’ve bolded differences from the Core Time 2): 1.2-inch, always-on e-paper screen 30-day battery life A microphone and speaker, although voice calls won’t be natively supported IPX8 water resistance (the 8 typically means the device can go at least 3 meters underwater, but the X indicates that it isn’t tested for dust resistance) Step tracking and sleep tracking Physical buttons 22-millimeter standard watch strap Bluetooth connectivity No wifi or cellular connectivity No GPS No NFC payments (“Too hard to do as a small company, sorry.”) No heart rate monitor This model has a barometer and compass, where the Core Time 2 does not. The Core Time 2 ($225) is “like Pebble Time 2, but better”The Core Time 2 is larger than the Core 2 Duo and will have a color touchscreen and a metal frame. Not only is the screen bigger than its sibling, it’s also “53% bigger and [has] 88% more pixels” than its predecessor the Pebble Time 2. It’s expected to ship in December 2025. The Core Time 2 has almost all the features of the Core 2 Duo listed above, except that it will not have the compass and barometer (those were included in the Core 2 Duo as a favor to a friend, Migicovsky said in the AMA). On the bright side, it will have a heart rate monitor. 1.6-inch, always-on e-paper screen 64-color display Touchscreen 30-day battery life A microphone and speaker, although voice calls won’t be natively supported IPX8 water resistance (same as Core 2 Duo) Step tracking and sleep tracking Physical buttons 22-millimeter standard watch strap Bluetooth connectivity No wifi or cellular connectivity No GPS No NFC payments No barometer and compass This model has a heart rate monitor, where the Core 2 Duo does not. You can find full specs for both watches here. Note that while the watches will not have GPS, Migicovsky noted that developers could choose to use phone GPS for mapping or fitness purposes. This is a common approach for minimalist wearables, including Whoop and some Fitbits. Your old Pebble charger will work, but so will a modern USB-C cableMigicovsky noted in the AMA that the new watches will use the same charger as previous Pebble watches. (“Take that, everyone who said I should throw out my box of 10-year-old chargers,” said one redditor.) The charger that ships with the new watches will be a connector that plugs into a USB-C cable, so you’ll still need to bring that connector with you when you travel, but you won’t need to carry a whole special charging cable. This is the same approach that Coros took for its Pace Pro, and I even bought a similar style of charging adapter for my Garmin watch—it’s a convenient format. The company intends to stick around, but isn’t making any promises about future productsIn response to questions about other colors, features, or future products, Migicovsky repeatedly said they were going to focus on what they were able to do for now. He isn’t making any promises about when more units will be available to order, so if you want to be sure of getting one of the new watches, it makes sense to pre-order now. The new watches’ operating systems will be open source, and developers are invited to add the features they’d like to see. There is a Discord to organize efforts, and Migicovsky linked to it, saying: “All development is happening on the discord (https://discordapp.com/invite/aRUAYFN) and github (https://github.com/pebble-dev/pebble-firmware).” “We're a gadget company," Migicovsky said. "We make cool gadgets that we ourselves want and then sell them. No plans to make them for a wider audience.” But he also added: “The goal is sustainability—the company is designed to potentially last forever.” View the full article

Chancellor will rely on a spending squeeze to try to ensure she complies with her fiscal rulesView the full article

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is honing in on infant formula in his food safety review. RFK Jr. says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will further test formula brands for heavy metals after some concerning results from Consumer Reports (CR) were released earlier this week. “The FDA will use all resources and authorities at its disposal to make sure infant formula products are safe and wholesome for the families and children who rely on them,” Kennedy said in a statement. HHS is calling the plan “Operation Stork Speed.” On Tuesday, CR revealed the results of testing on 41 types of powdered formula, from major labels such as Enfamil and Similac to smaller startups like Bobbie. Brands were tested for heavy metals including arsenic, lead, BPA, acrylamide, and PFAS. Per the report, the results were “concerning” with “about half of the samples” that were tested containing “potentially harmful levels of at least one contaminant.” However, the formula wasn’t heavy-metal-ridden across the board. The report noted that the “other half of the samples showed low or no levels of concerning chemicals—showing that there are many good options on the market.” The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry rates arsenic as the most toxic substance in the environment. When it came to the formula with the highest level of the substance, Abbott Nutrition’s EleCare Hypoallergenic took the top slot. The formula had 19.7 parts per billion (ppb). The second highest level was found in Similac Alimentum at 15.1 ppb (also made by Abbott). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits arsenic in municipal drinking water to 10 ppb. Abbott told CR in a statement, per the report, that the company had questions about CR’s methodology, and noted that heavy metals are found in the natural environment and may therefore show up in “trace amounts” in any food products, and even in breast milk. “We look forward to working with the secretary, the FDA, and the scientific and medical communities to continue to make infant formulas even closer to breast milk and support the aims of Operation Stork Speed,” Scott Stoffel, divisional vice president of external communications and public affairs at Abbott, told Axios in a statement. While RFK Jr. campaigned on some heavily controversial ideas, such as vaccine scepticism, health officials seem to be greeting the investigation into infant formula warmly. “It’s very encouraging to see the FDA issue this announcement immediately after Consumer Reports shared our findings about contaminants in infant formula,” said Brian Ronholm, head of food policy for CR. “We look forward to seeing the details of how they intend to implement the plan, and we hope the FDA is provided adequate resources and staffing to actually follow through on their promises.” As it stands, it’s tough for parents to know which brand of formula to choose. That’s especially true because some of the most well-known brands seemed to be the ones with the highest rates of heavy metals. Four main formula companies—Nestlé, Abbott, Perrigo, and Reckitt—dominate the market, though in recent years some smaller startups, such as MyHeart and Bobbie, have emerged. In 2022, after a major formula recall kicked off a formula shortage, the newer brands hoped to help meet demand and create more natural formulas. Bobbie was listed in the new reports “best” formulas, and MyHeart was listed in the “good” category. View the full article

A new survey from Paychex reveals that small businesses across the U.S. are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity, revenue, and workforce development. According to the study, which surveyed over 1,000 business owners and HR leaders, 72% of small businesses have a positive outlook on AI, despite ongoing concerns about data accuracy, security, and privacy. Among businesses currently using AI, 66% reported increased productivity as a key benefit. Additional advantages cited by respondents included cost savings (44%), revenue growth (40%), improved recruiting (35%), higher employee satisfaction (34%), and enhanced customer acquisition (34%). The study also found that 82% of respondents believe AI is helpful to their business, and 76% expect it to have a moderate to significant impact over the next five years. Currently, 65% of surveyed businesses report using AI, with its adoption most prevalent in customer support (64%), finance and accounting (42%), and HR functions (50%). “AI allows a business to punch way above its weight,” said Beaumont Vance, Paychex senior vice president of data, analytics, and AI. “It’s a particularly great equalizer for small- and medium-sized businesses in an increasingly competitive landscape. Understanding and embracing AI’s full potential can boost efficiency, enhance decision-making, and deliver tangible ROI.” Despite its benefits, the survey highlights challenges associated with AI implementation. One in five (18%) respondents reported difficulties due to poor data quality, and 53% stated that having accurate data would improve their trust in AI tools. Data security and privacy concerns also remain significant. According to the survey, 54% of businesses cited data privacy and security as major obstacles to AI adoption. Among them, 45% expressed concerns about how technology companies use their data, while 17% indicated they do not trust technology companies with their data. Looking ahead, 72% of small businesses plan to invest at least $1,000 in AI within the next year, with human resources emerging as the top investment area. The survey found that 53% of respondents plan to direct AI investments toward HR functions, including recruiting (44%), onboarding (41%), and employee retention (32%). These findings underscore the growing role of AI in human resources, from talent acquisition to long-term employee development. The Paychex survey was conducted online between February 7 and 17, 2025, with responses collected from 1,129 business owners and HR leaders. The results were not weighted. Image: Paychex This article, "Paychex Survey Finds AI Adoption Gaining Traction Among Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A new survey from Paychex reveals that small businesses across the U.S. are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance productivity, revenue, and workforce development. According to the study, which surveyed over 1,000 business owners and HR leaders, 72% of small businesses have a positive outlook on AI, despite ongoing concerns about data accuracy, security, and privacy. Among businesses currently using AI, 66% reported increased productivity as a key benefit. Additional advantages cited by respondents included cost savings (44%), revenue growth (40%), improved recruiting (35%), higher employee satisfaction (34%), and enhanced customer acquisition (34%). The study also found that 82% of respondents believe AI is helpful to their business, and 76% expect it to have a moderate to significant impact over the next five years. Currently, 65% of surveyed businesses report using AI, with its adoption most prevalent in customer support (64%), finance and accounting (42%), and HR functions (50%). “AI allows a business to punch way above its weight,” said Beaumont Vance, Paychex senior vice president of data, analytics, and AI. “It’s a particularly great equalizer for small- and medium-sized businesses in an increasingly competitive landscape. Understanding and embracing AI’s full potential can boost efficiency, enhance decision-making, and deliver tangible ROI.” Despite its benefits, the survey highlights challenges associated with AI implementation. One in five (18%) respondents reported difficulties due to poor data quality, and 53% stated that having accurate data would improve their trust in AI tools. Data security and privacy concerns also remain significant. According to the survey, 54% of businesses cited data privacy and security as major obstacles to AI adoption. Among them, 45% expressed concerns about how technology companies use their data, while 17% indicated they do not trust technology companies with their data. Looking ahead, 72% of small businesses plan to invest at least $1,000 in AI within the next year, with human resources emerging as the top investment area. The survey found that 53% of respondents plan to direct AI investments toward HR functions, including recruiting (44%), onboarding (41%), and employee retention (32%). These findings underscore the growing role of AI in human resources, from talent acquisition to long-term employee development. The Paychex survey was conducted online between February 7 and 17, 2025, with responses collected from 1,129 business owners and HR leaders. The results were not weighted. Image: Paychex This article, "Paychex Survey Finds AI Adoption Gaining Traction Among Small Businesses" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

After the Federal Reserve moved to slow the pace of quantitative tightening, the Fed chair floated the idea of continuing to allow mortgage-backed securities to roll off its books even after the central bank has met its monetary policy objectives in reducing its balance sheet. View the full article

The climate tech sector is at a crossroads. We have the tools we need to fight climate change, but the real challenge is scaling and deploying them. This is where “climate-curious” outsiders play a crucial role. At Epic Cleantec, a company I cofounded to tackle water scarcity through innovative reuse technology, none of us came from an environmental background. That outside perspective turned out to be a huge advantage. When I began this journey, I didn’t know much about water. I wasn’t a trained environmental or civil engineer, which meant I never even learned about how things were traditionally done. This lack of traditional expertise freed us from being tied down by how things were “supposed” to work, allowing us to find fresh solutions to persistent problems. My path to climate tech was anything but linear. I had flirted with a wide range of disparate career paths spanning veterinarian, chef, club promoter, historian, political lobbyist, and lawyer. I even briefly entertained becoming a rabbi, until my own rabbi convinced me not to take that path. Unsurprisingly, I often faced skepticism at conferences and industry events, where our company’s unconventional approach was met with doubt. But here’s the key takeaway: Solving the climate crisis isn’t just about creating new technology. It’s about turning these innovations into practical, widespread solutions. That’s where operational know-how comes in—something outsiders often bring to the table. People who’ve run businesses, managed complex regulations, and scaled global operations have the experience to make climate solutions a reality. Why climate tech needs outsiders The climate tech industry has largely been driven by environmental scientists and policymakers. But solving the climate crisis calls for more than just scientific advances—it requires major business transformation. To truly deploy climate solutions on a global scale, we need the same expertise that turned industries like fintech, e-commerce, and cloud computing into giants. Investors get it. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink predicts the next wave of unicorns will come from climate tech. But to build these companies, we need more than passion. We need professionals who understand scaling—product managers who can push out software, operations experts who can optimize supply chains, and strategists who know how to drive rapid market adoption. The idea that climate tech needs deep environmental knowledge is a misconception. What’s truly needed are professionals who know how to turn great ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses, all while navigating complex regulations. The future of climate impact depends on commercial success. The solutions are ready, they just need deployment A lot of the technology needed to curb emissions and build climate resilience is already here. From energy storage to electrification, water reuse to regenerative agriculture, many solutions are ready to go. So, the challenge isn’t really about innovation; it’s about implementation. Just look at how SaaS and fintech industries scaled quickly by leveraging automation, networks, and efficient capital use. If we applied those same strategies to climate tech, we could meet our climate goals much faster. Imagine applying the lessons learned during the rapid growth of ride-sharing or cloud services to solar energy, battery tech, or industrial decarbonization. Climate tech isn’t just about better tech; it’s about changing systems. It requires navigating complex regulations, aligning with ever-changing corporate sustainability goals, and getting entrenched industries on board. Outsiders who have scaled companies in heavily regulated fields like healthcare, finance, and transportation are particularly equipped to drive this change. A crucial moment for climate tech Climate tech isn’t a niche anymore—it’s becoming one of the most exciting frontiers of innovation. As more professionals from traditional tech and business sectors seek out purpose-driven careers, climate tech offers a unique blend of meaning and market opportunity. The influx of outsiders isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. For climate tech to thrive, we need to embrace professionals with diverse and wide-reaching expertise. Industry leaders must actively recruit people with transferable skills, and investors must see the value in teams that blend technical knowledge with business acumen. Solving the climate crisis isn’t just about inventing new technologies—it’s about getting them into the world at scale, fast. The opportunity is huge, but the urgency is even greater. To meet global climate goals, we must think outside the box and bring in the people who are ready to challenge the norms. For those “climate-curious,” there’s never been a better time to dive in because climate tech isn’t just the future of innovation, it’s the future of business. 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. View the full article