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Apparently any place looks better if you just say it’s Japan. That’s according to a TikTok trend, dubbed the “Japan effect.” First reported in Casey Lewis’s youth trends newsletter After School, the trend has users making slideshows of two images. For all intents and purposes they are the same, except one is labelled with the original location and the second is labelled Tokyo, Japan. The idea being that the “Japan effect” is so strong, just the location tag can filter how we perceive an ordinary street or an average American neighborhood. Scrolling through the comments, those watching these TikTok videos genuinely believe the second image looks better than the first. “I’ve seen so many of these videos and it’s made me realise my own huge Japan bias,” one comment read. “Why is it so real.” (Some do play around with the saturation or add soft pink filters which somewhat undermines the theory). Others suggest the “Japan effect” has little actually to do with Japan. Instead, it’s an example of the grass always being greener or the shift in perspective when we take a moment to romanticize the mundane parts of life, they say. “America is actually pretty beautiful, it’s just a psychological barrier to being able to appreciate things you see on a daily basis,” one user commented. “I sometimes do that in my own house,” another wrote. ““If this was an Airbnb, I’d be having a blast.” Really makes you appreciate what you have.” And yet the “America effect” doesn’t have quite the same charm to it. Japan simply has a reputation for making everything that bit cooler. Even 7-Eleven is better in Japan. Japanese culture also appears to yet again be having a moment. From the explosion in popularity of anime on streaming giants like Netflix—the company says anime viewership on the platform has tripled over the past five years—to the rise of matcha. In the U.S., retail sales of matcha are up 86% from three years ago, according to NIQ, a market research firm, so much so the bright green drink has become a bona-fide accessory. It’s no surprise, then, that Japan has become a top destination for young travelers. Gen Z and millennial visits to the country are up 1,300% since 2019. Japan is now the most popular country on social media, according to a 2025 Titan Travel study. The country has experienced a 50% increase in search volume over the past three years, with 184 million Instagram posts, and 15.6 million TikTok hashtags for #Japan, according to the report. Of course, the temptation to romanticize and exoticize foreign countries is a large part of the reason people travel in the first place. Simply put, the “Japan effect” exists, as one TikTok user noted, “because we associate this country with pain suffering and heartbreak.” View the full article

Inside a lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology late last year, scientists gave an AI system a new task: designing entirely new molecules for potential antibiotics from scratch. Within a day or two—following a few months of training—the algorithms had generated more than 29 million new molecules, unlike any that existed before. Traditional drug discovery is a slow, painstaking process. But AI is beginning to transform it. At MIT, the research is aimed at the growing challenge of antibiotic-resistant infections, which kill more than a million people globally each year. Existing antibiotics haven’t kept up with the threat. “The number of resistant bacterial pathogens has been growing, decade upon decade,” says James Collins, a professor of medical engineering at MIT. “And the number of new antibiotics being developed has been dropping, decade upon decade.” The research, recently published in the journal Cell, is part of his lab’s Antibiotics-AI Project and offers one example of AI’s potential in medicine. The team tried making a small number of the compounds, and then used one to clear a drug-resistant infection in a mouse. In another part of the study, the researchers used a different approach to generate additional molecules, leading to another successful test in mice—and the possibility that novel, fully AI-designed drugs may eventually be available for the most dangerous infections. The current challenge The standard approach to creating new antibiotics involves screening an existing library of compounds, one by one, or sifting through samples of soil to find promising new candidates. Since the 1980s, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a few dozen new antibiotics, but most of them are minor variations on drugs that already exist. “What’s happened in the last couple decades is, it’s largely been a discovery gap where folks are discovering antibiotics, but they’re more or less very similar—and they are analogs to existing antibiotics,” Collins says. The challenge is compounded by poor economics for drug companies. “It costs effectively just as much to develop an antibiotic as it does a cancer drug or blood pressure drug, for example,” he says. “With an antibiotic, you might only take it once or only over a few days, whereas with a cancer drug or a blood pressure drug, you could take it for many months, years, or even for the rest of your life. With each use, an antibiotic also only makes a fraction of the profit.” All of this means that if you’re infected with bacteria that’s hard to treat—like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which also resists many other drugs—there are fewer options available. In the U.S., MRSA kills an estimated 9,000 people each year. Evolving uses for AI The Collins Lab has been studying antibiotics for around 20 years. Initially, the team used machine learning to better understand how antibiotics work and to look for ways to make existing antibiotics more effective. Around six years ago, they started using artificial intelligence as a platform for antibiotic discovery. They used AI to screen existing libraries of compounds to look for new antibiotics, leading to the discovery of new molecules that worked against infections in new ways. A spin-off nonprofit, Phare Bio, is now working to move promising candidates toward the market. The biotech company hopes to launch a trial of halicin, a drug initially developed for diabetes treatment in 2009 that was discovered to have powerful antibiotic properties by Collins’s research team a decade later. The latest research goes a step further—not just screening through existing compounds, but creating new ones. The scientists used two different approaches. First, they used a library of millions of chemical fragments known to have antimicrobial activity, and used the algorithms to turn those fragments into complete molecules. In the second approach, they used the AI to freely design new molecules, without starting from existing fragments. As the computer churned through new designs, the researchers were free to work on other tasks until the AI was done. After the molecules were generated, “we applied a series of down-selection filters to prioritize which ones to synthesize and test,” says Aarti Krishnan, a senior postdoctoral fellow in the lab. “Those steps took a few days and involved human feedback, where medicinal chemists manually inspected over 5,000 candidate molecules and selected them for synthesizability.” Actually making the molecules was challenging—some of the AI’s ideas were so wild that they would either be impossible or impractical to manufacture. (This will improve as the AI evolves.) But the team was able to make a small number. From the part of the study that worked from fragments of existing molecules, the scientists were able to make two candidates, one of which was very effective at killing drug-resistant gonorrhea bacteria. From the part of the study that let AI freely design new molecules, they synthesized and tested 22 samples, ultimately advancing one candidate in a successful test that treated drug-resistant MRSA in mice. Now, the lab’s nonprofit partner is continuing to work on both molecules so they can undergo more testing. A new use for generative AI While the use of AI in drug development isn’t new, this particular application of generative AI is. “To our knowledge, this is the first generative-AI approach that’s designed completely novel antibiotic candidates whose structures do not exist in any commercial vendor space,” Krishnan says. Drug development is still a slow process, and moving through human trials will continue to take time. But AI can clearly help in the early discovery phase, reducing cost and increasing the chances of success. “AI allowed us to explore much larger chemical spaces than are currently available from screening libraries. And in doing so, it opened up these new molecules for our consideration,” Collins says. The approach could also be useful for other types of medicine. “All of the AI methods that we use could be readily extended to other indications,” he says. View the full article

Fiscal watchdog faces Treasury select committee after accidental publication of key report prompted chair to resignView the full article

AI image generators used to be terrible at handling text. Even once the models mastered hands with five fingers, the presence of mangled, nonsensical, vaguely Cyrillic-looking text was a dead giveaway that an image was generated by AI. Not anymore. Today’s most advanced image generators have slowly improved their text generation. OpenAI’s image generator within ChatGPT handles basic text tasks fairly well. And design-centered models like Ideogram are great for simple, practical text tasks like creating video thumbnails. This week, though, Google has released Nano Banana Pro, an updated version of its wildly popular AI image editing tool. Nano Banana Pro, like its predecessor, is middling when it comes to generating realistic AI photographs. But it’s absolutely amazing at creating beautiful, informative, accurate infographics. In fact, the model is so good that it can turn literally anything into a professional quality infographic in a matter of seconds. Don’t Read To Me Personally, I absorb very little of what I hear. I’m a visual learner, so if I listen to a presentation without taking physical notes or seeing some kind of visual aid, most of the information dissipates into the ether before my brain has any shot at absorbing it. Add background noise or a presenter who mumbles, and I’m totally screwed. I love infographics because they take complex information and lay it out in a way my brain can grok. I can glance at a graphic and absorb more information than I’d get in a two-hour lecture. In my testing, I was therefore thrilled to see Nano Banana Pro’s remarkable ability to take pretty much anything I threw at it, and turn the data into a bespoke visual aid. First, I started with some practical use cases. I fed Nano Banana Pro data on the recent performance of a YouTube channel I’ve been developing called California Dad Reviews. Based on my analytics data, Nano Banana spun up an infographic showing what’s doing well on my channel, several standout videos from the last month, and its recommendations for what to shoot next. In this case, I gave the model unique data from my channel. But because Nano Banana Pro is integrated within Google’s Gemini 3 chatbot, it can also perform background research on its own. In another test, I asked the model to research the best times to cross the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and then present its results visually. It’s impressively comprehensive and useful. Graphics Get Personal These kinds of informative graphics are helpful. I’m sure that bloggers will be tripping over themselves to integrate Nano Banana Pro’s infographics into their SEO optimized posts. But in my testing, I found that the best uses for the tool’s new visual capabilities are more personal. I recently took my senior dog, Lance, to the vet for his annual checkup. He got some routine bloodwork, and his vet’s report was laden with medical terms and specifics. I fed the whole thing into Nano Banana Pro, and got a clean infographic summarizing the findings. Spoiler alert: he’s doing great! The model is especially powerful because it’s able to process nearly any kind of input data. In planning a day trip for a large group in downtown San Francisco, I copied and pasted a long WhatsApp chat with lots of logistics into the model. It spat out a pretty graphic summarizing the day’s plans, complete with a bespoke map of the city. I shared it to the group, and people loved it. Show me the Visuals Again, as a visual learner, the ability to conjure up an infographic in a few seconds (and for free) from essentially any input data is incredibly valuable. It’s also easy to do. You open the Gemini app, paste in the data you want to process, select the Create Image option, and let Nano Banana Pro plug away. Beyond dog health visualizations, though, Google’s new model says a lot about where visual AI is going. In the early days of image generators, creating fun, bizarre images (Ballerina Cappuccina, anyone?) was enough to hold users’ attention. You can only generate so many AI cat photos or Hunky Jesus memes before the tech gets old, though. In response, AI companies are increasingly specializing—creating image generators that solve bounded, real-world tasks. Again, tools like Ideogram are tailored to designers. Adobe has a whole suit of generative tools built into its iconic Photoshop and Premiere products for photographers and videographers. And ChatGPT’s models are perfect for things like making event posters. For Google, though, the endgame has always been about processing tons of information and summarizing it for users. We saw that in the company’s classical “10 blue links,” and more recently in its wildly popular AI Overviews. Now, Google appears to be using its AI image generation prowess to summarize and present information visually. That evolution means we’re almost certain to see Nano Banana generated infographic images appear within other Google tools—first AI ones like NotebookLLM, and later within live search results presented to everyday users. With my brain’s preference for visuals, I’m thrilled to see this new direction play out. To get the ball rolling, I fed this entire article into Nano Banana Pro. True to form, the infographic is beautiful: View the full article

Below, Tim Elmore shares five key insights from his new book, The Future Begins with Z: Nine Strategies to Lead Generation Z as They Disrupt the Workplace. Elmore is the founder and CEO of Growing Leaders, a nonprofit dedicated to developing emerging leaders. As a speaker and coach, he has helped organizations from universities to Fortune 500 companies connect more effectively across generations. What’s the big idea? Many leaders are scratching their heads over Gen Z. The old playbook doesn’t work anymore—but figuring out how to engage and collaborate with this generation is what turns good leaders into great ones. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Elmore himself—below, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. Turn frustration with Gen Z into hope According to a survey by Resume Builder, three in four managers agree that today’s young employees, from Generation Z, are the toughest generation to lead. I believe Gen Z is frustrating to us because they seem so very different, and often unexplainable. I think it’s because of a phenomenon I call the Peter Pan Paradox. Peter Pan could mysteriously fly into London and sprinkle Pixie dust everywhere to make magical things happen. On the other side of the coin, Peter Pan wanted to live in Neverland, where boys never have to grow up. Over the last decade, I’ve noticed something magical and tragic happening in culture. The Age of Authority is decreasing. Gen Zers often come in with an authority that doesn’t require a title. They are intuitive about using AI. They see where culture is going. They know how to monetize social media, and they have visibility on future customers. At the same time, the Age of Maturity is increasing. They often come in behaving unprofessionally. The pandemic delayed their growth. Their social and emotional skills are delayed in development. Employers are saying 26 is the new 18. Almost one in three employers fire them in the first month. So, how should leaders respond? We must listen more than we used to listen to young staff. We must coach more than we used to coach young staff. Maya was hired right out of college—and immediately her team could tell she’d never had a full-time job before. She wore flip flops to work and often arrived at the office 10 minutes late. Maya spent most team meetings quietly, glancing at her phone from time to time. Her manager spent extra time coaching her on the fundamentals, hoping she’d catch up. Then, one day, the payoff happened. Maya burst into her manager’s office with a big smile on her face. She told him she’d been thinking about a problem their team had been discussing for months. Maya had an idea on how they could use AI to solve that problem. It ended up being an incredible solution. No one had known what was going on inside her head. You might say, Maya became her own version of Peter Pan. 2. Gen Z ROI is well worth it In 2018, Colin Webb graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While at MIT, he served four terms as class council president and now serves his alma mater as a member of the MIT corporation, the school’s board of trustees. Upon graduation, he was offered a job by General Motors. Colin was asked to serve as a design, release, and development engineer for their Cruise autonomous vehicle program. He helped make smart cars. He quickly realized he was part of an old industry with a traditional style of getting things done. Obviously, he and his young teammates brought some new ideas, but when he bounced them off his supervisor, he was told to keep his head down and his nose to the grindstone. Soon after, however, Collin did something audacious. He emailed Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, and shared his ideas for improving the company. Mary replied and agreed that his ideas were good and that she’d take them to her executive team. They, too, agreed his ideas were good. But when those ideas made their way down the organizational chart, they died on the vine. Again, Collin was told to keep his head down and nose to the grindstone. In fact, he was told it would take about eight years before he’d get the chance to lead anything. They might as well have told Collin to leave. Within a year, Collin had left the company, even though he is not a quitter. Since then, he has started three companies and sold one of them. He’s doing very well, working hard and living his dream—working with AI. Sadly, similar stories happen all the time. Too often, supervisors miss what Gen Zers bring to the team for three reasons: When we’re comfortable, we default to: That’s not the way we do it here. When we’re scared, we become more concerned with procedures than with progress. When we’re experienced, we assume they’re young and don’t know much. In 2017, a woman walked into a New Hampshire thrift store looking for a picture frame she could restore. She found one for four dollars and thought, “Even if I can’t use it, the price is inexpensive.” She bought it. When she got home, her family examined it and said, “The frame is nice enough, but the painting inside looks like it’s from a famous artist. You should have it evaluated.” When the woman did, she discovered it was an N.C. Wyeth painting that later sold for $191,000. Not a bad trade-off. In many ways, this is an analogy for Gen Z. We usually don’t spend a lot on them right away since all we can see is their frame. Later, we realize it’s what’s inside of them that’s so valuable. Let’s stop treating them like expendable commodities and begin treating them like currency worthy of investment. Let’s find a way to connect with and get curious about them. This may be key to thriving in the future. 3. Relationship and trust mean everything to Gen Z Many Gen Z team members enter their careers directly after college, without having had a full-time job before. Parents encouraged them to focus on academics, but we all know that the classroom rarely resembles the office. Four in five Gen Z job candidates go so far as to bring their parents with them to the interview. At the same time, they also bring with them a new perspective on authority. Much like Generation X some 35 years ago, they are suspicious of corporate leaders, political leaders, educational leaders, and even religious leaders due to stories of corruption. This has fostered a significantly different view of authority than that held by seasoned business veterans. OLDER GENERATIONS Position gives you right to influence. Older folks have wisdom. Systems offer order to chaos. We must listen to the man at the top. The top dog wins the debate. The leader is a gatekeeper. YOUNGER GENERATIONS Connection gives you right to influence. Older folks may be irrelevant. Systems must be disrupted or grow. Top people should be listening to us. The best idea wins the debate. The leader is a guide. Relationships and trust mean everything to most members of Generation Z. While research confirms they don’t trust most traditional institutions, they do trust people—even people from older generations—whom they get to know. So, here are the shifts we should make: Don’t think control, think connect. Don’t think inform, think interpret. Don’t think what, think why. Don’t think inputs, think outcomes. Don’t think tell, think ask. Don’t think manage, think mentor. We don’t know much about the future, but we do know that Generation Z will be there. Let’s build bridges of relationship that can bear the weight of honest disclosure. Everyone will win. 4. How to hire Gen Z Thousands of companies are struggling with the diminishing number of job candidates. I describe what lies ahead in a metaphor I call A New Kind of Storm: We are facing a blizzard. Young people often won’t take traditional entry-level jobs as they did in the past. This blizzard is part of a new winter season. A smaller population, plus issues with addiction and incarceration, reduces the employment pool. This may be part of a larger new ice age. Within a decade, there will be more 65-year-olds than 16-year-olds in the U.S. So, what can we do? Make your organization’s offering more attractive. Make their job the best first job to launch their career. Approach your role as a mentor, not a manager. Gen Z seems to know it’s a buyer’s market when it comes to getting a job. Sally hosted an interview with a Gen Zer (we’ll call him Owen). In the interview, she asked Owen to describe a time when he faced a challenge and was proud of how he made it through. She was pleased with his response and, three days later, asked HR to extend an offer to Owen. His response? He said, “Are you kidding me? There’s no way I will work for that woman. She triggered my PTSD when she asked me to talk about a challenge of mine. It didn’t feel psychologically safe.” We need a new approach to job interviews, especially with Gen Z candidates. For many, it’s a new experience, and employers can use this acronym to get acquainted: P—Preferences: What do you wish to be true about the job? E—Expectations: What are your assumptions about the work? R—Requirements: Any demands or deal breakers? K—Keys to their heart: Get to know them beyond their role as a worker. S—Salary: Clarify, and possibly negotiate. This is your chance to build a bridge. Don’t miss the opportunity to do so. 5. Not all Gen Z myths are true Many bosses (or people over 45) see Gen Z behave in certain ways, don’t understand it, and then stereotype them. During my research for this book, I shared some of these stereotypes with Gen Z focus groups. I will never forget meeting with one group and communicating that many leaders believe that Gen Zers don’t really want to work. After all, they leave right at 5 p.m., and don’t stay a minute longer. They often leave a task halfway done and head out. It feels like they don’t like to be there. One 21-year-old, full-time team member replied, “Dr. Tim, do you know why I leave right at 5? I rush out because I need to get to another job. I don’t make enough to pay the bills at this first job. Then, I go take care of my mom, who has stage 4 cancer.” Suddenly, I realized this Gen Zer’s work ethic is just fine. There is, however, one stereotype that’s not a myth. Millions of Gen Zers can be fragile, especially when receiving feedback. It seems that “hard” is the new “harsh.” Some have never had to hear firm feedback face-to-face with a boss. One of the most challenging situations leaders must face is hosting difficult conversations. Many supervisors avoid them. I created another acronym for sitting down with and correcting a teammate: A—Ask: Asking questions makes them feel valued. L—Listen: Listening makes them feel heard. Gen Zers want to have a voice. E—Empathize: Empathizing makes them feel understood. G—Guide: This is when you can provide the necessary feedback. The correction was communicated using a bridge, not a badge. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea App. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

Many of us have heard of “boomerang employees”—someone who leaves a company and later returns—but there’s a newer version showing up in the workplace: the layoff boomerang. Maybe you’ve seen it yourself. A coworker disappears after a round of cuts, only to show up again a few months later. Same desk. Same job. Sometimes even a bigger paycheck. According to research done by Dr. Andrea Derler at workforce analytics firm Visier, 5.3% of laid-off employees now get rehired by the same organization after a layoff. But the most surprising part isn’t the number—it’s that it’s been happening for years. We just didn’t know. “What surprised me the most was that this has been happening for the last several years. The 5.3% isn’t just a recent figure; consistently, organizations seem to be rehiring after layoffs,” she says. While it might feel more prevalent now, with AI adding confusion and uncertainty for business leaders, it was happening during the pandemic as well—and maybe even before then. “Change has always happened,” Derler said. “We’ve always had those crisis moments, but things just come out into the open more nowadays. We have the data.” So why is this happening? Are companies realizing they let valuable talent go too quickly? And is the rise of AI making this more common? To find out, Fast Company spoke with Derler about her research, as well as several employees who shared their boomerang experiences anonymously to avoid potential retaliation. Why layoff boomerangs happen Many employees who return after a layoff come back within six to 10 months. Derler says that window isn’t random—it lines up with how long it often takes organizations to realize they still need the skills of the people they let go. Part of the issue is that most companies only plan six to 12 months ahead, which leaves little room for long-term strategy. “Which is not long enough,” Derler says. With such a limited horizon, companies may not fully understand which skills they’re losing during layoffs. “There’s a lot that gets lost in that time because they don’t have a really good sense of what skills these employees have, that they’re about to let go,” Derler said. “You may be losing employees only because you don’t know what else they could be doing for the company in the meantime.” By the time companies realize they still need certain skills, six to 12 months may have passed—which coincides with the window in which layoff boomerangs typically occur. “That time window makes sense, because strategic changes and restructuring of a department or a whole business unit takes that long,” Derler says. In other words, by the time the dust settles, companies often realize they never should’ve let those employees go in the first place. Then, they want them back. The disruption for the employee Beyond the emotional toll, layoffs disrupt not only the person being let go but entire teams. And according to Derler, layoff boomerangs are often high performers. “That means you’ve done your best, you’ve performed highly on the scale of performance ratings, and you still got let go. So that’s tremendously traumatic,” Derler says. But the ripple effect doesn’t stop there. “Imagine the people on the other end suddenly get this call back and are asked or offered a job back at the company. It’s tremendously disrupting for the teams who are losing colleagues . . . [and] for the person who is actually losing the job,” Derler says. Even for those who do return, the move isn’t always a long-term solution—it’s often just the next step in navigating an unpredictable job market: “If the person hasn’t found a new job in the meantime, they may come back, but they may not stay long, because they’re really still traumatized for what you did to them a year ago,” Derler says. One worker described her experience as a layoff boomerang: “When I was first laid off from this company in March 2018, I was completely blindsided—it was my first time ever facing a layoff. The website I was writing for shuttered entirely, so we were all out of a job,” the worker says. After the site was purchased and relaunched by another company, several of the original employees were rehired. The former employee reached out to a rehire to see if there were opportunities available. “They were—but on a contractor basis. I was underemployed, freelance is not for the weak, and needed the money. So I agreed to sign on. My pay as a contractor was close to what I was paid when I first worked at the site, but I didn’t have any benefits,” she explains. After several months working there as a writer and editor, she was brought on officially as a staff member. But a few months later, another round of layoffs hit, and she was let go for the second time. “I wasn’t intending to stay there longer than I had to—I was applying for other jobs almost the entire time. When I was laid off the second time, I had actually been in the process of interviewing for another job. Thankfully, I got that one, so after a month break in between jobs, I started the new one,” she says. One Reddit user details their experience as a layoff boomerang. They were let go from a company where they had worked for over six years. “I was very loyal, but also know when you work for a company with 350k+ employees that layoffs happen. I left in very good standing and had a stellar reputation there. But head counts get reduced,” they explain. Months later, they received an offer to return. “Fast forward to [receiving] an offer from the very company that laid me off in October. Different boss, different department, more pay,” they say. Another worker has boomeranged back to her old company—kind of, and hopefully. “I was laid off quite unexpectedly in February. I had been there for 3.5 years and survived at least two other layoffs. As a technical writer, layoffs seldom surprise me. We’re always some of the first cut,” she explains. The employee did not expect to ever hear from the company again, but a new opportunity emerged unexpectedly, much like the layoff itself. She agreed to join for a three-month contract while the company worked on approval for a permanent headcount in the 2026 budget. “To be perfectly honest, I’d been out of work for almost 10 months. I was out of unemployment, my savings were gone, and I was borrowing money to pay my rent. That was the real driver for taking the role,” she explains. Still, she loved the job and the team, and embraced the chance to contribute. “I poured my soul into building that help center, enabling a chatbot for the help center. It was a real passion project for me. I actually accepted a cut in pay to get my foot in the door with the contract,” she says. Her team’s positive reaction to her return convinced her that she had made the right choice, and bolstered her confidence that a full-time, permanent position was in her future. Before considering being a boomerang yourself, Derler advises asking for a reentry interview, or at least considering one. This is where you can have a proper interview with the hiring manager to find out the details of the role. Here, you can ask yourself: “How solidly sure is my employer that they need this role filled, that I’m the right person for the role?” And that another layoff isn’t on the horizon? The disruption for the employer By laying off employees without expecting to bring them back, there are “unintended consequences that organizations may or may not be aware of,” Derler says. If companies understood this, she argues, they could use data to reduce the unnecessary disruption. “If we already know we’re going to rehire some of them, why cause all that disruption—that additional uncertainty?” The first disruption after the layoff itself is the “turnover contagion.” This happens when one employee is laid off and others leave because they perceive the environment as unstable. Employees often notice that if one team member is let go, it could signal uncertainty for themselves. “This is becoming an uncertain role for me; I’d better look elsewhere,” she explains. This ripple effect can disrupt teams, hurt productivity, and further increase the financial and operational costs of layoffs. The second disruption comes in hiring them back. “It’s actually a lot more expensive to rehire people. They earn 3% more than those who have stayed at the company, and they earn 5% more than when they’ve been let go. So the financial implications of the rehiring of previously laid off employees is also not nothing,” Derler says. When an employer realizes they need to bring someone back, they may have to pay a premium. “It’s possible that these employees have found another role. We don’t know what happens in those six to 10 months before the rehiring,” she explains. Layoffs are not collateral damage—and they shouldn’t be viewed that way, Derler says. “We’re talking about humans and people and career-minded individuals. It’s a clear failure of workforce planning. It is a failure of leadership strategy setting. It’s a failure to be more long term-minded. It’s a failure to understand the employee skills,” she said. At the end of the day, layoff boomerangs show just how tricky workforce decisions can be. For employees, coming back can feel like a second chance—but it also brings questions about trust, commitment, and whether the role is really solid. For employers, there’s the cost—both money and disruption—to think about. Paying attention to skills, data, and planning ahead can help make sure everyone comes out ahead when the workforce shifts. View the full article

Move by Financial Policy Committee comes in first review in six yearsView the full article

Bigger than expected rise takes average property cost to £272,998View the full article

One of the most pervasive rules of business is compete-to-win or perish. But as more organizations struggle to navigate an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous landscape, some innovative leaders are choosing to collaborate over compete. This is particularly necessary within the organization, where collaboration may be considered beneficial in theory, but in practice, the rules of engagement still revolve around competition: colleagues become rivals over promotion opportunities, recognition, and advancement. The competition within the organization makes it harder to navigate the disruption and certainty on the outside. How do leaders banish in-house competition? They create and model a culture that uncompetes. To uncompete is to intentionally choose to reject competition and actively design for collaboration. Here’s how. Harness two types of envy Team collaboration increases when we feel psychological safety—like our team has our back. Competition and envy among colleagues can reduce psychological safety and create a hostile environment if not managed well by leaders. Managing envy to motivate teams—not sabotage each other—is a skill. Organizational psychologists broadly characterize envy as falling under two categories: benign and malicious envy. Benign envy motivates us to work harder toward a goal when we see someone else achieving it, malicious envy can be destructive and often results in us wanting to sabotage or undermine a colleague’s success. A powerful way to cultivate benign envy is to focus on the hard work a team member did to achieve a goal, rather than just focus on the achievement itself. Leaders can harness benign envy to create a culture of motivation and collaboration by highlighting the effort it took over outcomes, particularly team-based efforts. Implement rewards for collaboration Many workplace cultures are individualistic, where only individual wins are celebrated. This makes it more attractive for employees to prioritize gaining individual success over collaborative ones. Instead, leaders must implement recognition and reward systems that emphasize collaboration and teamwork. Leaders can verbally name collaboration as an organizational value. Collaboration must also be defined explicitly as a metric for rewarding career development, advancement, and recognition. For promotion and other career development conversations, list “examples of collaboration” as one of the metrics being considered. In addition, group incentive programs are another way to operationalize collaboration, when rewards are pegged to team performance and meted out among the group rather than just individually. Incentivized teams increased their performance by 45%, compared to a 27% increase for individual incentives, according to a study by the International Society for Performance Improvement. Organizations that implement a peer-to-peer recognition program also benefit from creating a culture of shared success. Set reasonable work boundaries In the race to beat competitors, more organizations are normalizing “always on” work cultures. Silicon Valley, in particular, is popularizing a “996” work expectation of working 12-hour shifts six days a week in the race to innovate on AI. When leaders model that workers must be always-on, it creates and exacerbates a scarcity mindset—that there’s never enough time or resources in a day to complete tasks, so we have to keep working more. It also often fosters the belief that employees must compete against their colleagues to demonstrate dedication and competence. When leaders model reasonable work hours and expectations, the message gets communicated that employees don’t have to hustle for rewards. This looks like visibly and vocally taking time off, working reasonable hours, and not penalizing employees when they don’t respond immediately. Hustle culture often leads to burnout, another side effect of competitive environments. By comparison, in collaborative work cultures, employees feel supported to work reasonable hours without fear. Consider job-sharing and other collaboration models Nobel prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin discovered a surprising way to reduce the gender wage gap—job-sharing. A lack of flexibility (also a challenge in always-on cultures) impacts women’s earning potential. But when they’re able to work part-time and trade off their shifts—particulary common for pharmacists—the wage gap almost disappears. What if more leaders could explore some roles at the organization being set up for “job-sharing”—such as two colleagues who work closely together and could substitute for each other easily when the other is out? This can help foster team ownership and collaboration versus individual priorities. One company, Jotform, moved to create small, cross-functional teams when their leaders noticed the company was growing but output wasn’t. These cross-functional teams of 3–5 people each would focus on a single product instead of bouncing between priorities. Each group was paired with its own designer and given ownership. “Almost overnight, the quality of our work improved. The teams moved faster, communicated better, and felt more motivated. Since then, cross-functional teams have become a core part of our culture—and one of our biggest competitive advantages,” writes CEO Aytekin Tank, reflecting on the past decade since the company moved to this model. Of course, establishing a number of collaboration norms, particularly around communication, was key to making it a success. Co-leadership models A compelling case for co-leadership, particularly organization co-CEOs, is emerging. One study of 87 public companies led by co-CEOS between 1996 and 2020 found they had better shareholder returns (9.5%) compared with similar companies who only didn’t. Co-CEOs are not common nor without controversy, but done right, there’s evidence that collaboration at the highest levels can truly drive innovation. Take Netflix, where Ted Sarandos and Reed Hastings were able to leverage complementary skills to grow the company. Management professor Michael D. Watkins lays out seven norms of how a successful co-CEO partnership could operate, including designing clear conflict-resolution mechanisms, creating a leadership charter, and dividing responsibilities by expertise, not convenience. This is even more necessary as AI continues to disrupt many industries. A nonprofit organization I was involved with in the past, Upaya Social Ventures, also transitioned to a co-CEO model last year. Collaborating with their complementary skills has been necessary to serve the organization’s mission of creating dignified jobs for people living in some of the poorest regions of India. Left to chance, many organizations default to competitive norms, where collaboration is often stalled because of internal rivalries. That’s why it’s necessary to uncompete—for leaders to intentionally prioritize and design norms that make collaboration supported, rewarded, and institutionalized. Only then can we reduce inter-organization competition and move towards true collaboration. View the full article

It’s almost the end of the year, and for many, that means health flexible spending account (FSA) funds are set to expire. FSAs allow employees to set aside pretax money to pay for healthcare expenses such as copays, some medications, and deductibles. But many people aren’t aware that the funds don’t always roll over into the next calendar year after December 31. Sometimes, employers will provide grace periods of up to two and a half months past the end of the year to allow for extra time to use your FSA funds. Others may allow you to carry over up to $660 per year. But 33% of employers have a hard deadline, so if you don’t use your funds by the end of the year, they’re gone. In 2023, around half of all FSA account holders forfeited some funds back to their employers, with the average amount left in accounts being $436. In general, experts say this is because many Americans don’t know of the deadline. “People tell us one of the main reasons they forfeit FSA funds is because they aren’t aware that they have a deadline in the first place, or they don’t know how much they have left in their account,” says Rachel Rouleau, chief compliance officer for Health-E Commerce, the parent company of the FSA Store, per CNBC. Still, even if employers don’t roll over funds or offer grace periods, there are some ways to make the most of your funds before the year is out—even if you don’t have healthcare expenses left to cover. According to Joseph Giordano, compliance manager for Health-E Commerce, there are tons of everyday products that you’d likely be buying anyway that can be covered by FSAs. “We estimate that the average American household spends $1,600 a year on healthcare purchases that are FSA eligible,” Giordano told Yahoo Finance. The list of items that can be paid for with FSA funds is extensive. It includes baby care items, skincare products (like face masks), high-tech health devices (like foot massagers), telehealth services, acne medication, cold and flu medicines, and more. Find the full list of eligible products on the FSA Store website. View the full article

Yen and equities steady a day after hawkish comments from the BoJ governorView the full article

If you want to enhance your video edits, incorporating transitions can make a significant difference. From scene dissolves that create a smooth flow between clips to dynamic slide transitions that inject energy into your storytelling, the options are vast. You can explore line and circle wipes for unique reveals or choose advanced pro transitions for a polished finish. Comprehending how to effectively use these transitions can transform your videos, making them more engaging for your audience. So, how do you get started? Key Takeaways Dissolve Transitions: Use short and long dissolves to indicate brief or extended timeframes, enhancing storytelling in your edits. Slide Transitions: Implement slide effects to create dynamic movement, keeping viewers engaged on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Line and Circle Wipes: Apply line and circle wipes for unique visual storytelling, ideal for emphasizing scenes or adding a comedic touch. Pro Transitions: Explore professional-grade transitions available in advanced editing software to elevate your video’s overall aesthetic and viewer engagement. Best Practices: Match transitions to your video’s tone, limit their usage for natural flow, and adjust timing for seamless scene blends. Play Around With Scene “Dissolves When you’re editing video, scene dissolves can be an effective tool for improving your storytelling. These transitions overlap one shot with another, signaling the passage of time and boosting narrative flow. They’re especially useful for “day in the life” clips on platforms like Instagram Stories, where you want to showcase changes in angle or location. You can play around with free video transitions to find the perfect dissolve for your project. Short dissolves usually imply brief timeframes, whereas longer ones suggest extended periods, allowing for creative pacing. Using these video transition effects can elevate hype reels, highlighting various activities in different locations. In the end, scene dissolves contribute to a polished, professional look, ensuring smooth transitions that engage your audience. Surprise With Slide Transitions Slide shifts can add a dynamic edge to your video editing, seamlessly moving images or clips from one side of the screen to another. These free transitions improve viewer engagement, especially in platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. To make the most of slide transitions, consider these tips: Use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming your audience and to maintain a smooth flow in your video. Animate graphics with numbers or text to highlight crucial information, making your presentation more engaging. Incorporate slide transitions to cover more frames fluidly, showcasing rapid changes or movements effectively. Delight With Line and Circle Wipes Line and circle wipes serve as effective changes that not only enhance visual storytelling but furthermore maintain viewer interest. Line wipes shift images or clips by replacing the previous shot from one side of the screen to the other, creating a visually engaging effect. Circle wipes, in contrast, gradually reveal the next frame through inward or outward movement, adding a dynamic touch to scene changes. Both transitions can emphasize specific scenes in vlogs or short films, enhancing viewer attention. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to use these add-on transitions sparingly, as they’re best suited for comedic or surreal effects within video narratives. Incorporating line and circle wipes can heighten your video’s overall aesthetic, ensuring a smooth flow between scenes. Amaze With Pro Transitions Even though you might be familiar with basic video transitions, pro transitions take your editing skills to the next level, offering advanced effects that guarantee seamless integration of clips. These transitions not only improve visual storytelling but additionally raise the aesthetic quality of your videos, giving them a polished look that rivals professional productions. Here are three key benefits of using pro transitions: Match & Move Feature: This allows for smooth animation of identical elements between scenes, creating a cohesive viewing experience. Variety of Options: With Canva Pro, you gain access to numerous professional-grade transitions customized to your project’s needs. Improved Engagement: Utilizing these transitions can greatly maintain audience interest through dynamic visual shifts, improving overall engagement. How to Make Transitions in Videos To create effective shifts in your videos, you’ll want to explore different types, such as fades, slides, and wipes, which can improve your storytelling. Adding transitions is often as simple as dragging and dropping them from your editing software’s library, allowing for quick implementation. Keep in mind best practices, like matching the transition style to your video’s theme and adjusting the timing for a natural flow, to guarantee your audience stays engaged. Types of Video Transitions Video shifts play a crucial role in video editing, as they help you move seamlessly from one scene to another, enhancing the narrative flow and visual appeal. Comprehending the various types of transitions can greatly impact your editing process. Here are three common types: Fades: Gradually shift the image to or from black, creating a smooth change in scenes. Dissolves: Blend two clips together, allowing one to fade out as the other fades in, which can show a passage of time or a connection between scenes. Wipes: Move one shot off-screen as you bring the next shot in, adding a dynamic effect that can energize your video. Adding Transitions Easily Creating smooth changes between scenes is a fundamental aspect of video editing that improves storytelling and viewer engagement. In Flixier, you can easily add transitions by stacking clips on the same track; it automatically generates a fade in the overlapping area. To customize, right-click or use the dropdown menu to select from over 50 transition options, ranging from simple fades to more complex effects. You can simply drag and drop these transitions between clips. Transition Type Description Fade Gradual blend between clips Dissolve Soft transition between scenes Wipe Moves one clip off-screen while revealing another Slide Slides the next clip into view Adjust the duration and timing to improve viewer experience. Best Practices for Transitions When you’re editing a video, selecting the right transitions can greatly impact the overall flow and feel of your project. Here are some best practices to reflect on: Match the Mood: Choose transitions that reflect the tone and mood of your video content, ensuring a cohesive viewer experience. Experiment with Types: Try various transitions like fades, wipes, and slides to improve storytelling and keep your audience engaged. Limit Usage: Use transitions sparingly to avoid overwhelming viewers; well-timed transitions should feel natural and improve narrative flow. Take advantage of drag-and-drop functions in your editing software to apply transitions easily. Adjust the duration and timing of each transition to create seamless blends between scenes, enhancing overall video quality and viewer engagement. Why Use Flixier to Add Transitions to Video Using Flixier to add shifts to your videos can greatly improve your editing experience, especially if you value efficiency and creativity. The platform offers over 50 video shifts, from simple fades to complex effects, all accessible without needing an account. Its drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to integrate shifts between clips, enhancing your workflow and cutting down on editing time. With Flixier’s cloud-based infrastructure, you benefit from superfast video processing and real-time collaboration, making it perfect for team projects. You can customize shift durations and styles to fit the tone of your video, improving storytelling and viewer engagement. Plus, the automatic fade shift feature creates seamless shifts when clips overlap, simplifying the editing process. Need More Than Adding Transitions to Video? How can you raise your video projects beyond merely adding shifts? To truly uplift your edits, consider integrating multiple elements that improve engagement and storytelling. Here are three effective strategies: Background Music: Choose tracks that complement your visuals and set the desired mood, improving viewer experience. Text Overlays and Graphics: Use these to highlight key points or convey important messages, adding depth to your narrative. Video Effects: Implement filters or color grading to create a cohesive visual style that aligns with your theme and strengthens your story. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Free Video Editor With Transitions? When you’re looking for a free video editor with transitions, several options stand out. Editors like Flixier and Clipchamp offer intuitive interfaces, allowing you to drag and drop transitions easily between clips. You’ll find a library with over 50 different effects, including fades and wipes, which improve your storytelling. Furthermore, many of these tools support real-time collaboration and high-quality exports, ensuring your final video looks professional without any costs involved. Where Can I Get Free Video Transitions? You can find free video shifts on various platforms. Websites like Videvo and Mixkit offer downloadable packs compatible with different editing software. Furthermore, free video editing programs such as DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut come with built-in shifts you can use right away. YouTube channels often share free shift packs, and Motion Array allow users to exchange resources, making it easy to improve your projects without spending money. What Is the Free Website to Make Video Edits? You can use Flixier, a free cloud-based video editor, to make video edits easily. It offers a user-friendly interface where you can upload various video formats like MP4 and AVI. With its drag-and-drop functionality, you can quickly add changes and effects without needing to download software. Plus, Flixier allows real-time collaboration, letting multiple users edit projects simultaneously from any device with internet access, streamlining your video editing process efficiently. Which Video Editor Has the Best Transitions? When considering which video editor has the best shifts, options like Flixier stand out with over 50 diverse effects, catering to various editing styles. HelloGen offers customizable shifts that improve storytelling, during Clipchamp‘s drag-and-drop interface simplifies the process. Canva Pro raises visuals with advanced shifts, and VEED supports collaboration, ensuring access to shift tools across formats. Each editor has unique features, so your choice should align with your specific editing needs and preferences. Conclusion Incorporating these seven free video transitions can greatly improve your editing skills and storytelling capabilities. By utilizing scene dissolves, slide transitions, and wipes, you can create a more engaging viewing experience. Furthermore, exploring pro transitions can raise your edits to a professional standard. Remember, perfecting these techniques requires practice, so don’t hesitate to experiment. If you’re looking for more advanced features, consider using specialized tools like Flixier. Raise your videos today by integrating these transitions effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Free Video Editor Transitions to Transform Edits" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you want to enhance your video edits, incorporating transitions can make a significant difference. From scene dissolves that create a smooth flow between clips to dynamic slide transitions that inject energy into your storytelling, the options are vast. You can explore line and circle wipes for unique reveals or choose advanced pro transitions for a polished finish. Comprehending how to effectively use these transitions can transform your videos, making them more engaging for your audience. So, how do you get started? Key Takeaways Dissolve Transitions: Use short and long dissolves to indicate brief or extended timeframes, enhancing storytelling in your edits. Slide Transitions: Implement slide effects to create dynamic movement, keeping viewers engaged on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Line and Circle Wipes: Apply line and circle wipes for unique visual storytelling, ideal for emphasizing scenes or adding a comedic touch. Pro Transitions: Explore professional-grade transitions available in advanced editing software to elevate your video’s overall aesthetic and viewer engagement. Best Practices: Match transitions to your video’s tone, limit their usage for natural flow, and adjust timing for seamless scene blends. Play Around With Scene “Dissolves When you’re editing video, scene dissolves can be an effective tool for improving your storytelling. These transitions overlap one shot with another, signaling the passage of time and boosting narrative flow. They’re especially useful for “day in the life” clips on platforms like Instagram Stories, where you want to showcase changes in angle or location. You can play around with free video transitions to find the perfect dissolve for your project. Short dissolves usually imply brief timeframes, whereas longer ones suggest extended periods, allowing for creative pacing. Using these video transition effects can elevate hype reels, highlighting various activities in different locations. In the end, scene dissolves contribute to a polished, professional look, ensuring smooth transitions that engage your audience. Surprise With Slide Transitions Slide shifts can add a dynamic edge to your video editing, seamlessly moving images or clips from one side of the screen to another. These free transitions improve viewer engagement, especially in platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. To make the most of slide transitions, consider these tips: Use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming your audience and to maintain a smooth flow in your video. Animate graphics with numbers or text to highlight crucial information, making your presentation more engaging. Incorporate slide transitions to cover more frames fluidly, showcasing rapid changes or movements effectively. Delight With Line and Circle Wipes Line and circle wipes serve as effective changes that not only enhance visual storytelling but furthermore maintain viewer interest. Line wipes shift images or clips by replacing the previous shot from one side of the screen to the other, creating a visually engaging effect. Circle wipes, in contrast, gradually reveal the next frame through inward or outward movement, adding a dynamic touch to scene changes. Both transitions can emphasize specific scenes in vlogs or short films, enhancing viewer attention. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to use these add-on transitions sparingly, as they’re best suited for comedic or surreal effects within video narratives. Incorporating line and circle wipes can heighten your video’s overall aesthetic, ensuring a smooth flow between scenes. Amaze With Pro Transitions Even though you might be familiar with basic video transitions, pro transitions take your editing skills to the next level, offering advanced effects that guarantee seamless integration of clips. These transitions not only improve visual storytelling but additionally raise the aesthetic quality of your videos, giving them a polished look that rivals professional productions. Here are three key benefits of using pro transitions: Match & Move Feature: This allows for smooth animation of identical elements between scenes, creating a cohesive viewing experience. Variety of Options: With Canva Pro, you gain access to numerous professional-grade transitions customized to your project’s needs. Improved Engagement: Utilizing these transitions can greatly maintain audience interest through dynamic visual shifts, improving overall engagement. How to Make Transitions in Videos To create effective shifts in your videos, you’ll want to explore different types, such as fades, slides, and wipes, which can improve your storytelling. Adding transitions is often as simple as dragging and dropping them from your editing software’s library, allowing for quick implementation. Keep in mind best practices, like matching the transition style to your video’s theme and adjusting the timing for a natural flow, to guarantee your audience stays engaged. Types of Video Transitions Video shifts play a crucial role in video editing, as they help you move seamlessly from one scene to another, enhancing the narrative flow and visual appeal. Comprehending the various types of transitions can greatly impact your editing process. Here are three common types: Fades: Gradually shift the image to or from black, creating a smooth change in scenes. Dissolves: Blend two clips together, allowing one to fade out as the other fades in, which can show a passage of time or a connection between scenes. Wipes: Move one shot off-screen as you bring the next shot in, adding a dynamic effect that can energize your video. Adding Transitions Easily Creating smooth changes between scenes is a fundamental aspect of video editing that improves storytelling and viewer engagement. In Flixier, you can easily add transitions by stacking clips on the same track; it automatically generates a fade in the overlapping area. To customize, right-click or use the dropdown menu to select from over 50 transition options, ranging from simple fades to more complex effects. You can simply drag and drop these transitions between clips. Transition Type Description Fade Gradual blend between clips Dissolve Soft transition between scenes Wipe Moves one clip off-screen while revealing another Slide Slides the next clip into view Adjust the duration and timing to improve viewer experience. Best Practices for Transitions When you’re editing a video, selecting the right transitions can greatly impact the overall flow and feel of your project. Here are some best practices to reflect on: Match the Mood: Choose transitions that reflect the tone and mood of your video content, ensuring a cohesive viewer experience. Experiment with Types: Try various transitions like fades, wipes, and slides to improve storytelling and keep your audience engaged. Limit Usage: Use transitions sparingly to avoid overwhelming viewers; well-timed transitions should feel natural and improve narrative flow. Take advantage of drag-and-drop functions in your editing software to apply transitions easily. Adjust the duration and timing of each transition to create seamless blends between scenes, enhancing overall video quality and viewer engagement. Why Use Flixier to Add Transitions to Video Using Flixier to add shifts to your videos can greatly improve your editing experience, especially if you value efficiency and creativity. The platform offers over 50 video shifts, from simple fades to complex effects, all accessible without needing an account. Its drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to integrate shifts between clips, enhancing your workflow and cutting down on editing time. With Flixier’s cloud-based infrastructure, you benefit from superfast video processing and real-time collaboration, making it perfect for team projects. You can customize shift durations and styles to fit the tone of your video, improving storytelling and viewer engagement. Plus, the automatic fade shift feature creates seamless shifts when clips overlap, simplifying the editing process. Need More Than Adding Transitions to Video? How can you raise your video projects beyond merely adding shifts? To truly uplift your edits, consider integrating multiple elements that improve engagement and storytelling. Here are three effective strategies: Background Music: Choose tracks that complement your visuals and set the desired mood, improving viewer experience. Text Overlays and Graphics: Use these to highlight key points or convey important messages, adding depth to your narrative. Video Effects: Implement filters or color grading to create a cohesive visual style that aligns with your theme and strengthens your story. Frequently Asked Questions What Is the Free Video Editor With Transitions? When you’re looking for a free video editor with transitions, several options stand out. Editors like Flixier and Clipchamp offer intuitive interfaces, allowing you to drag and drop transitions easily between clips. You’ll find a library with over 50 different effects, including fades and wipes, which improve your storytelling. Furthermore, many of these tools support real-time collaboration and high-quality exports, ensuring your final video looks professional without any costs involved. Where Can I Get Free Video Transitions? You can find free video shifts on various platforms. Websites like Videvo and Mixkit offer downloadable packs compatible with different editing software. Furthermore, free video editing programs such as DaVinci Resolve and Shotcut come with built-in shifts you can use right away. YouTube channels often share free shift packs, and Motion Array allow users to exchange resources, making it easy to improve your projects without spending money. What Is the Free Website to Make Video Edits? You can use Flixier, a free cloud-based video editor, to make video edits easily. It offers a user-friendly interface where you can upload various video formats like MP4 and AVI. With its drag-and-drop functionality, you can quickly add changes and effects without needing to download software. Plus, Flixier allows real-time collaboration, letting multiple users edit projects simultaneously from any device with internet access, streamlining your video editing process efficiently. Which Video Editor Has the Best Transitions? When considering which video editor has the best shifts, options like Flixier stand out with over 50 diverse effects, catering to various editing styles. HelloGen offers customizable shifts that improve storytelling, during Clipchamp‘s drag-and-drop interface simplifies the process. Canva Pro raises visuals with advanced shifts, and VEED supports collaboration, ensuring access to shift tools across formats. Each editor has unique features, so your choice should align with your specific editing needs and preferences. Conclusion Incorporating these seven free video transitions can greatly improve your editing skills and storytelling capabilities. By utilizing scene dissolves, slide transitions, and wipes, you can create a more engaging viewing experience. Furthermore, exploring pro transitions can raise your edits to a professional standard. Remember, perfecting these techniques requires practice, so don’t hesitate to experiment. If you’re looking for more advanced features, consider using specialized tools like Flixier. Raise your videos today by integrating these transitions effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Free Video Editor Transitions to Transform Edits" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

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When it pertains to video marketing, comprehending the fundamental principles can make a significant difference in your success. Setting clear objectives is essential, as it directs your strategy and measures progress. Choosing the right social media platforms based on your target audience’s demographics is equally important. Engaging content that aligns with the buyer’s path captures attention effectively. By implementing these strategies, you can improve your video marketing efforts and achieve better results. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Set specific, measurable goals aligned with the buyer’s journey to track performance and adjust strategies effectively. Choose the right social media platforms based on audience demographics to maximize engagement and reach. Create engaging content that resonates emotionally, utilizing storytelling and relatable scenarios to connect with viewers. Regularly analyze performance metrics and audience feedback to refine your video marketing strategies for better results. Experiment with diverse video formats and styles to keep content fresh and maintain viewer interest across platforms. Set Clear Objectives for Video Marketing When you set clear objectives for your video marketing efforts, you lay the groundwork for a focused and effective strategy. Start by establishing specific, measurable goals, such as increasing brand awareness by 30% within six months or generating 500 new leads from your video content. Align these objectives with the stages of the buyer’s progression, ensuring each video serves a distinct purpose, whether it’s to create awareness, generate demand, or drive conversions. Utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) like view counts, engagement rates, and conversion rates to track your video marketing strategy’s effectiveness. Regularly review and adjust your goals based on performance insights, allowing for a targeted approach that improves content relevance and audience engagement, ultimately leading to positive returns on investment. Choose the Right Social Media Platforms Choosing the right social media platforms for your video marketing strategy is crucial for reaching your target audience effectively. Different platforms cater to various demographics, so comprehension of where your audience spends their time is key. For instance, Instagram is popular among 67% of Gen Z and Millennials, whereas 74% of Gen X and Baby Boomers prefer Facebook. YouTube stands out as the most popular platform for video content, appealing to all age groups, and 87% of YouTube shoppers feel they can make quicker purchasing decisions. TikTok, even though underutilized, can be effective for short-form content, as 66% of video marketers report success there. Tailoring your video marketing for business to these platforms can greatly improve engagement and drive conversions. Align Video Content With the Buyer’S Journey Aligning your video content with the buyer’s path is essential for maximizing engagement and driving conversions. Your video content strategy should reflect the different stages of the buyer’s progression. In the awareness stage, create engaging educational videos to capture attention; 83% of consumers want to see more from brands. For the consideration phase, utilize tutorials and relatable scenarios to showcase product benefits, as 84% of individuals are influenced by brand videos when making purchase decisions. Finally, during the decision stage, leverage customer testimonials to build trust and drive conversions, as 93% of video marketers report positive ROI. Create Engaging and Relatable Content Creating engaging and relatable content is fundamental for capturing your audience’s attention and driving meaningful interactions. Effective video content marketing combines storytelling with emotional resonance. By incorporating relatable scenarios, you can improve viewer connections, as 84% of individuals are influenced to purchase by brand videos. Moreover, using user-generated content builds authenticity and community, with 93% of brands acquiring new customers via social media videos. Short, impactful videos customized for platforms like TikTok and Instagram can boost engagement. Video Type Benefits Ideal Platform Explainer Videos Educate and inform YouTube User-Generated Content Builds community and trust Instagram, TikTok Emotional Storytelling Increases viewer retention Facebook Short Clips Captures quick attention TikTok Tutorials Guides product usage YouTube Plan and Streamline Content Production To effectively plan and streamline your content production, it’s vital to establish a clear production plan that outlines timelines, roles, and responsibilities. This approach guarantees a smooth workflow and maximizes resource efficiency. Evaluate your production options, weighing the benefits of in-house teams against hiring external agencies for high-quality video content creation. Implement scheduling tools like Sprout Social to automate video publishing, which helps maintain consistent content delivery across platforms. Furthermore, consider repurposing footage from a single filming session into multiple videos to extend your content’s reach. Finally, incorporate feedback loops in the production process to refine scripts and visuals, aligning them closely with audience preferences and your brand messaging. These are important video marketing tips for effective content production. Promote and Schedule Videos Strategically Promoting and scheduling your videos strategically is crucial for maximizing their reach and engagement. Utilize management platforms like Sprout Social to schedule video publishing consistently, ensuring your content reaches audiences across various time zones. Repurposing a single video across different networks can extend its reach, reinforcing your messaging without extra production costs. To boost visibility, promote your videos multiple times on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), as audiences may miss initial postings. Moreover, one filming session can yield multiple videos, allowing for a diverse content strategy as you optimize your resources. Finally, analyze video performance using metrics like view counts and engagement rates to refine your video marketing techniques and adapt your scheduling and promotional strategies based on audience preferences. Analyze Performance and Adapt Strategies To maximize the impact of your video marketing, it’s essential to regularly review engagement metrics, such as views and conversion rates. By analyzing this data, you can adjust your content strategies to better align with audience preferences and improve overall effectiveness. Furthermore, experimenting with different video formats can reveal what resonates most with your viewers, enabling you to refine your approach continuously. Review Engagement Metrics Engagement metrics serve as a critical compass for evaluating the effectiveness of your video marketing efforts. Regularly tracking metrics like views, likes, shares, and comments helps you gauge audience interest and make informed decisions. Analyzing watch time reveals viewer retention, whereas monitoring conversion rates shows how effectively videos drive actions like sign-ups or purchases. Metric Importance Views Indicates overall reach Watch Time Shows viewer retention and engagement Likes/Shares/Comments Measures audience interaction Conversion Rates Assesses ROI and effectiveness Utilizing platform-specific analytics tools reveals valuable trends and demographics, guiding adjustments for future content strategies. Continuously adapting based on these insights keeps your video marketing digital efforts relevant and resonant with your target audiences. Adjust Content Strategies Analyzing performance metrics is key to refining your video marketing strategies. Regularly reviewing these metrics helps you adjust content strategies effectively and guarantees your videos resonate with your audience. Focus on the following aspects to improve your approach: Track views, engagement rates, and conversion rates. Utilize A/B testing for different formats and messaging. Gather audience feedback through comments and surveys. Monitor emerging trends in viewer behavior. Compare performance across platforms for customized strategies. Experiment With Formats Experimenting with different video formats is essential for optimizing your video marketing strategy, as varying content styles can greatly impact viewer engagement and retention. When creating a video marketing plan, consider incorporating explainer videos, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content to diversify your approach. A/B testing allows you to analyze performance metrics like watch time and engagement rates, helping you identify which formats resonate best with your audience. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok offer unique features for both short-form and long-form videos, so adapt your content accordingly. Regularly monitor audience feedback and analytics to refine your strategies, as 93% of video marketers report positive ROI when they adjust formats based on performance data. This adaptability improves brand visibility and engagement. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Keys to Using Video Marketing Successfully? To use video marketing successfully, start by setting clear goals aligned with your brand objectives. Tailor content for different stages of the buyer’s progression, such as awareness, consideration, and decision. Utilize various social media platforms to reach your target audience effectively. Regularly analyze video performance metrics to refine your strategy over time, ensuring continuous improvement. Finally, engage viewers with compelling stories while maintaining a consistent brand voice across all video content. What Are the 7 Steps of Content Marketing? To effectively implement content marketing, follow these seven steps: First, define your goals to align with business outcomes. Next, understand your target audience through demographic research and buyer personas. Conduct a content audit to assess existing materials. Then, develop a content strategy outlining content types and distribution channels. Create high-quality, valuable content. Promote it across various platforms for visibility. Finally, analyze performance metrics to measure effectiveness and adapt strategies as needed. What Is the #1 Rule of Marketing? The #1 rule of marketing is knowing your audience. Comprehending their demographics, interests, and pain points is essential for creating relevant content. What Are the 7 Steps of Marketing Strategy? To develop a marketing strategy, start by defining clear goals that align with your business objectives. Next, understand your target audience by creating detailed buyer personas. Conduct thorough market research to gather insights on competitors and trends. Then, develop the marketing mix, addressing product, price, place, and promotion. Create a budget, implement your plan, and regularly evaluate performance through metrics to refine and optimize future strategies. Each step builds a solid foundation for success. Conclusion In conclusion, implementing these seven crucial video marketing tips can greatly improve your campaign’s effectiveness. By setting clear objectives, selecting appropriate platforms, and aligning content with the buyer’s path, you boost viewer engagement. Creating relatable content, streamlining production, and strategically promoting videos further fortify your efforts. Finally, regularly analyzing performance allows you to adapt and refine your strategies, ensuring continued success. Following these guidelines will help you achieve your marketing goals and build a stronger connection with your audience. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Video Marketing Tips for Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

When it pertains to video marketing, comprehending the fundamental principles can make a significant difference in your success. Setting clear objectives is essential, as it directs your strategy and measures progress. Choosing the right social media platforms based on your target audience’s demographics is equally important. Engaging content that aligns with the buyer’s path captures attention effectively. By implementing these strategies, you can improve your video marketing efforts and achieve better results. What comes next might surprise you. Key Takeaways Set specific, measurable goals aligned with the buyer’s journey to track performance and adjust strategies effectively. Choose the right social media platforms based on audience demographics to maximize engagement and reach. Create engaging content that resonates emotionally, utilizing storytelling and relatable scenarios to connect with viewers. Regularly analyze performance metrics and audience feedback to refine your video marketing strategies for better results. Experiment with diverse video formats and styles to keep content fresh and maintain viewer interest across platforms. Set Clear Objectives for Video Marketing When you set clear objectives for your video marketing efforts, you lay the groundwork for a focused and effective strategy. Start by establishing specific, measurable goals, such as increasing brand awareness by 30% within six months or generating 500 new leads from your video content. Align these objectives with the stages of the buyer’s progression, ensuring each video serves a distinct purpose, whether it’s to create awareness, generate demand, or drive conversions. Utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) like view counts, engagement rates, and conversion rates to track your video marketing strategy’s effectiveness. Regularly review and adjust your goals based on performance insights, allowing for a targeted approach that improves content relevance and audience engagement, ultimately leading to positive returns on investment. Choose the Right Social Media Platforms Choosing the right social media platforms for your video marketing strategy is crucial for reaching your target audience effectively. Different platforms cater to various demographics, so comprehension of where your audience spends their time is key. For instance, Instagram is popular among 67% of Gen Z and Millennials, whereas 74% of Gen X and Baby Boomers prefer Facebook. YouTube stands out as the most popular platform for video content, appealing to all age groups, and 87% of YouTube shoppers feel they can make quicker purchasing decisions. TikTok, even though underutilized, can be effective for short-form content, as 66% of video marketers report success there. Tailoring your video marketing for business to these platforms can greatly improve engagement and drive conversions. Align Video Content With the Buyer’S Journey Aligning your video content with the buyer’s path is essential for maximizing engagement and driving conversions. Your video content strategy should reflect the different stages of the buyer’s progression. In the awareness stage, create engaging educational videos to capture attention; 83% of consumers want to see more from brands. For the consideration phase, utilize tutorials and relatable scenarios to showcase product benefits, as 84% of individuals are influenced by brand videos when making purchase decisions. Finally, during the decision stage, leverage customer testimonials to build trust and drive conversions, as 93% of video marketers report positive ROI. Create Engaging and Relatable Content Creating engaging and relatable content is fundamental for capturing your audience’s attention and driving meaningful interactions. Effective video content marketing combines storytelling with emotional resonance. By incorporating relatable scenarios, you can improve viewer connections, as 84% of individuals are influenced to purchase by brand videos. Moreover, using user-generated content builds authenticity and community, with 93% of brands acquiring new customers via social media videos. Short, impactful videos customized for platforms like TikTok and Instagram can boost engagement. Video Type Benefits Ideal Platform Explainer Videos Educate and inform YouTube User-Generated Content Builds community and trust Instagram, TikTok Emotional Storytelling Increases viewer retention Facebook Short Clips Captures quick attention TikTok Tutorials Guides product usage YouTube Plan and Streamline Content Production To effectively plan and streamline your content production, it’s vital to establish a clear production plan that outlines timelines, roles, and responsibilities. This approach guarantees a smooth workflow and maximizes resource efficiency. Evaluate your production options, weighing the benefits of in-house teams against hiring external agencies for high-quality video content creation. Implement scheduling tools like Sprout Social to automate video publishing, which helps maintain consistent content delivery across platforms. Furthermore, consider repurposing footage from a single filming session into multiple videos to extend your content’s reach. Finally, incorporate feedback loops in the production process to refine scripts and visuals, aligning them closely with audience preferences and your brand messaging. These are important video marketing tips for effective content production. Promote and Schedule Videos Strategically Promoting and scheduling your videos strategically is crucial for maximizing their reach and engagement. Utilize management platforms like Sprout Social to schedule video publishing consistently, ensuring your content reaches audiences across various time zones. Repurposing a single video across different networks can extend its reach, reinforcing your messaging without extra production costs. To boost visibility, promote your videos multiple times on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), as audiences may miss initial postings. Moreover, one filming session can yield multiple videos, allowing for a diverse content strategy as you optimize your resources. Finally, analyze video performance using metrics like view counts and engagement rates to refine your video marketing techniques and adapt your scheduling and promotional strategies based on audience preferences. Analyze Performance and Adapt Strategies To maximize the impact of your video marketing, it’s essential to regularly review engagement metrics, such as views and conversion rates. By analyzing this data, you can adjust your content strategies to better align with audience preferences and improve overall effectiveness. Furthermore, experimenting with different video formats can reveal what resonates most with your viewers, enabling you to refine your approach continuously. Review Engagement Metrics Engagement metrics serve as a critical compass for evaluating the effectiveness of your video marketing efforts. Regularly tracking metrics like views, likes, shares, and comments helps you gauge audience interest and make informed decisions. Analyzing watch time reveals viewer retention, whereas monitoring conversion rates shows how effectively videos drive actions like sign-ups or purchases. Metric Importance Views Indicates overall reach Watch Time Shows viewer retention and engagement Likes/Shares/Comments Measures audience interaction Conversion Rates Assesses ROI and effectiveness Utilizing platform-specific analytics tools reveals valuable trends and demographics, guiding adjustments for future content strategies. Continuously adapting based on these insights keeps your video marketing digital efforts relevant and resonant with your target audiences. Adjust Content Strategies Analyzing performance metrics is key to refining your video marketing strategies. Regularly reviewing these metrics helps you adjust content strategies effectively and guarantees your videos resonate with your audience. Focus on the following aspects to improve your approach: Track views, engagement rates, and conversion rates. Utilize A/B testing for different formats and messaging. Gather audience feedback through comments and surveys. Monitor emerging trends in viewer behavior. Compare performance across platforms for customized strategies. Experiment With Formats Experimenting with different video formats is essential for optimizing your video marketing strategy, as varying content styles can greatly impact viewer engagement and retention. When creating a video marketing plan, consider incorporating explainer videos, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content to diversify your approach. A/B testing allows you to analyze performance metrics like watch time and engagement rates, helping you identify which formats resonate best with your audience. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok offer unique features for both short-form and long-form videos, so adapt your content accordingly. Regularly monitor audience feedback and analytics to refine your strategies, as 93% of video marketers report positive ROI when they adjust formats based on performance data. This adaptability improves brand visibility and engagement. Frequently Asked Questions What Are the Keys to Using Video Marketing Successfully? To use video marketing successfully, start by setting clear goals aligned with your brand objectives. Tailor content for different stages of the buyer’s progression, such as awareness, consideration, and decision. Utilize various social media platforms to reach your target audience effectively. Regularly analyze video performance metrics to refine your strategy over time, ensuring continuous improvement. Finally, engage viewers with compelling stories while maintaining a consistent brand voice across all video content. What Are the 7 Steps of Content Marketing? To effectively implement content marketing, follow these seven steps: First, define your goals to align with business outcomes. Next, understand your target audience through demographic research and buyer personas. Conduct a content audit to assess existing materials. Then, develop a content strategy outlining content types and distribution channels. Create high-quality, valuable content. Promote it across various platforms for visibility. Finally, analyze performance metrics to measure effectiveness and adapt strategies as needed. What Is the #1 Rule of Marketing? The #1 rule of marketing is knowing your audience. Comprehending their demographics, interests, and pain points is essential for creating relevant content. What Are the 7 Steps of Marketing Strategy? To develop a marketing strategy, start by defining clear goals that align with your business objectives. Next, understand your target audience by creating detailed buyer personas. Conduct thorough market research to gather insights on competitors and trends. Then, develop the marketing mix, addressing product, price, place, and promotion. Create a budget, implement your plan, and regularly evaluate performance through metrics to refine and optimize future strategies. Each step builds a solid foundation for success. Conclusion In conclusion, implementing these seven crucial video marketing tips can greatly improve your campaign’s effectiveness. By setting clear objectives, selecting appropriate platforms, and aligning content with the buyer’s path, you boost viewer engagement. Creating relatable content, streamlining production, and strategically promoting videos further fortify your efforts. Finally, regularly analyzing performance allows you to adapt and refine your strategies, ensuring continued success. Following these guidelines will help you achieve your marketing goals and build a stronger connection with your audience. Image via Google Gemini This article, "7 Essential Video Marketing Tips for Success" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If my three-decade journey in the corporate world has taught me anything, it’s that in business, as in life, the only certainty is uncertainty. In the past 20 years, periods of upheaval, from pandemics to financial crises to AI hysteria, have restitched the fabric of how we work, travel, and communicate. While this uncertainty can generate tension and turmoil, it also forges the best leaders. I’ve seen bosses and colleagues navigate all types of volatility, where the margin between success and failure can come down to a single action or inaction. So, what distinguishes leaders who can successfully shepherd teams through uncertain times from those who can’t? I believe those who can share these three distinct characteristics. DOUBLE DOWN DURING DOWN TIMES There’s a tendency for companies to become ultra-cautious in times of uncertainty. While this may seem prudent, it’s difficult to get ahead of what’s coming with your head down. The best leaders look ahead and make smart investments even when markets are down and sentiment is grim. In the wake of 9/11, I was at GE Aviation (now GE Aerospace). Overnight, the airline industry was grounded. While other manufacturers hunkered down and leaned on existing IP and products, we increased our budget on new jet engine development. Counterintuitive? Perhaps. But we were confident in one thing: People would fly again. Typically, a new engine has a combined new product introduction cycle and payback period of 15 to 20 years. With such an extended runway for ROI, manufacturers that don’t make a bet to capture market share often struggle to get back into the game. Eventually, airline demand resumed, as did the need for next-gen engines, and we were one of the only companies that could deliver. ABSORB THE FEAR In Stephen King’s The Green Mile, prisoner John Coffey has a remarkable gift: He absorbs the sickness and pain of others, assuming their burdens at significant personal cost. Sci-fi? Yes, but it symbolizes a skill every leader needs. During times of change and anxiety, leaders must absorb the emotionalburdens of their employees, their fear and insecurity, and then project a path forward. The best leaders I’ve seen take on their stakeholders’ doubt and replace it with a clear-eyed vision of the opportunity that exists amid the chaos. Listen, digest the concerns, and replace apprehension with hope. The pandemic was a period of intense uncertainty for companies, and Twilio was no exception. It was also the catalyst for equally intense growth, as circumstances and shifts in consumer behavior accelerated digital transformation. Nearly every organization needed a way to engage its customers digitally, and we were there to help build it. But by early 2024, when I became CEO, we had a lingering post-pandemic hangover. We simply weren’t winning as fast or frequently, and without credible points on the board, I could sense increased anxiety across our employee base. Hope is the currency that reenergizes teams and reassures external stakeholders, but empty hope is useless without a concrete path forward. I made it my mission to deliver that. For us, hope meant aligning on a clear, measurable vision for continued growth and a roadmap that everyone could get behind. This served as a compass, allowing our 5,500 employees to rebuild momentum and get us to the other side. CUT SUGARCOATING FROM YOUR CORPORATE DIET There’s an inclination for leaders to protect their people during periods of uncertainty. Withholding information, changing the message for each audience, or filtering it through rose-colored glasses insulates your stakeholders from the reality of what needs to occur. Fight those urges. Be transparent, while adjusting the altitude of information nuances required for each audience. In my first year as Twilio CEO, I was on the road meeting with stakeholders roughly 70% of the time. I sat down with customers, employees, investors, and board members to listen and communicate the company’s path forward. My goal was to candidly talk about where we were as a company and where we were headed, so that everyone with skin in the game had the same playbook. Without candor and a consistent message, stakeholders can’t grasp the full picture and the steps needed to fix it. You can’t obfuscate the truth or change your tune depending on who you’re talking to. You have a board, shareholders, hundreds or thousands of employees, and customers relying on your transparency. Whether it’s at a monthly town hall, an industry roundtable, or deskside conversations with investors, open and consistent communication simplifies your job as a leader. That’s the real gift of transparency: There are no skeletons to remember to hide or stories to change. Most critically, it reinforces trust, which puts points on the board. THE UNCERTAINTY IS TEMPORARY There’s no telling how any leader will respond to periods of uncertainty or hardship until they’re faced with them. No matter how impassable the road looks, the upside of uncertainty is knowing “this too shall pass.” After 9/11, we flew again. After the pandemic, we gathered again. And even as AI reshapes our work fundamentally, we’ll continue to have meaningful careers. These periods of uncertainty are temporary, but when you string them together, they make up the long-term success or failure of your company. So, when the future isn’t fully written, our job as leaders is to make smart investments, absorb the fear, turn it into clarity, and build trust. Do that, and in my experience, there are always better days ahead. Khozema Shipchandler is the CEO of Twilio. View the full article

The narrative is familiar: Revolutionary technology arrives, promising to liberate women from domestic drudgery and professional constraints. The electric oven would free housewives from coal-burning stoves. The washing machine would eliminate laundry day. The microwave would make meal preparation effortless. Yet as historian Ruth Schwartz Cowan argued in her landmark book, More Work for Mother, these innovations didn’t reduce women’s workload. They simply shifted expectations, creating new standards of cleanliness and convenience that often meant more work, not less. So when we speak of AI as the solution to professional and personal burdens, skepticism is warranted. After all, technology has repeatedly promised liberation while delivering new forms of constraint. The question isn’t whether AI will change professional and personal work; it’s whether this change will finally favor women’s autonomy rather than merely reorganizing their obligations. Recent data Duckbill collected alongside Harris Poll reveals that 47% of women avoid asking for help to prevent burdening others. This hesitation reflects not just conditioning around self-sacrifice, but hard-won wisdom about technological promises that rarely materialize as advertised. SELF-LIMITATION ISN’T ALL ON US The reluctance to seek assistance isn’t a character flaw; it’s a rational behavior within systems that have historically penalized women for taking up space. When 31% of women aged 18-34 procrastinate on booking their own medical appointments, and 76% report that even in their free time it feels like there is something they should be doing, we’re witnessing the manifestation of decades of messaging that female needs are inherently secondary. This isn’t about women “doing it wrong.” It’s about women making calculated decisions within structures that weren’t designed for their success. AI PROVIDES AN ALGORITHMIC ADVANTAGE What makes AI uniquely positioned to address this dynamic is its fundamental departure from human-built social contracts. There’s no emotional labor required, no reciprocal obligation, no concern about imposing on someone’s bandwidth. There’s no judgment. The technology can exist to purely augment human capability, making it perhaps the first truly guilt-free form of assistance available at scale. Consider the surgeon who uses AI to optimize her schedule, allowing her to focus on life-saving procedures, rather than administrative minutiae. What if that surgeon also used AI to handle her insurance claim after a kitchen flood, researching coverage details, coordinating with adjusters, and handling repairs? Or the venture capitalist who has AI analyze market trends and simultaneously asks for it to research the best schools for her daughter, approaching both with the same fidelity and precision. These are examples of resource allocation that refuses to compartmentalize professional efficiency and personal fulfillment. Unlike previous technologies that further entrenched women in prescribed roles, AI has the potential to follow women across all domains of life. So, how do we fix this? 1. Redefine productivity as self-care When 78% of young women report they are simply “trying to get through the day,” we’re looking at a crisis of sustainable solutions. AI offers an alternative: What if getting things done could be both excellent and guilt-free? This shift requires a fundamental reframing for women. Instead of asking “Am I capable of doing this myself?” the question becomes “Is this the highest and best use of my capabilities and time?” Suddenly, outsourcing restaurant research or flight refunds isn’t lazy, it’s strategic. And when tasks are streamlined and coordination becomes effortless, the mental bandwidth that was once consumed by logistics is freed up for vision, creativity, and genuine rest. Unlike previous technologies that created new forms of performance pressure, AI’s most radical feature could be its indifference to human social hierarchies and gendered expectations. 2. Shape the algorithm to work for us For AI to truly serve women’s needs rather than simply digitizing existing biases, women must be active participants in shaping these tools. Women are adopting AI at rates 25% less than their male counterparts. That adoption gap isn’t just a missed opportunity for individual efficiency; it’s a systemic risk that AI development will continue to prioritize male perspectives and use cases. Every time a woman trains an AI assistant on her specific work, teaches it to understand her communication style, or provides feedback on its suggestions, she’s contributing to a more inclusive technological future. This is not just about representation—it’s about functionality. We cannot afford to let this technology develop without us, only to discover later that it replicates the same systems that have historically constrained us. WOMEN DESERVE SUPPORT WITHOUT LIMITS In a culture that has long demanded women take on more tasks to become more, AI represents something revolutionary: technology that encourages taking up space by alleviating pressures. It’s permission to ask for what you need without apology, to optimize for you rather than survival, to treat your time and energy as genuinely valuable resources. The women who understand this aren’t just early adopters of technology, they’re pioneers of a new paradigm where support isn’t scarce, help isn’t shameful, and free time is not a luxury, but a human right. In embracing AI, they’re not just changing how shit gets done, they’re modeling what it looks like when women are able to be as big as their ambitions demand. Meghan Joyce is cofounder and CEO of Duckbill. View the full article

Amar Subramanya to replace John Giannandrea as iPhone maker struggles to make up ground in artificial intelligence raceView the full article

“ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.” How many times have you seen that message? More importantly, how many times have you actually stopped to consider what it means? No doubt you’ve noticed it—along with millions of others who now rely on AI for everything from planning product launches and rewriting emails to turning their beloved pets into cartoons. The adoption speed has been remarkable. In just a few years, AI has gone from a buzzword to a daily fixture in countless workplaces. And for many, it’s already hard to remember what work looked like without it. Like anything that makes life easier, it’s easy to see why it caught on so quickly. What’s harder to see (and easier to forget), though, is how quickly we’ve tuned out “can make mistakes.” That’s why business leaders must be deliberate about how they integrate AI into their operations and clear about where human judgment must lead. SPEED AND THE ILLUSION OF INTELLIGENCE AI’s value is undeniable. It can summarize meetings, analyze data, write copy, solve coding problems, create images, and so much more. That amounts to real progress, unlocking hours that can be focused on more creative and strategic work. But as AI becomes increasingly embedded in our lives, and its “work” becomes better and better, it also becomes easier to overestimate what it can do. Part of that stems from fear. If we believe it can replace us, we start to believe it can think like us. We need to be clear-eyed: AI does not actually think. Not yet, anyway. It predicts what words are likely to come next. It’s a mirror into the ideas, concepts, and content that already exist in the world. When we forget that, we stop questioning. We assume that because something sounds “smart,” it is smart. And that’s where mistakes begin. WHY HUMAN JUDGMENT WILL ALWAYS BE A DIFFERENTIATOR The more powerful AI becomes (and it will!), the more tempting it will be to pass off not just the underlying tasks, but also the reasoning behind them. If judgment were as simple as analyzing data and making a decision based solely on that, we’d be in trouble. The reality, however, is that judgment requires interpretation, empathy, and lived experience. As a communications professional of nearly 20 years, it’s easy for me to imagine how badly AI overreliance could go wrong. Picture a company embroiled in a public controversy. Rather than consulting with someone who has years of experience navigating corporate crises, the in-house team turns to AI for a statement. Absent context or emotional intelligence, even a well-phrased message can make a bad situation worse. Not to mention those excessive em dashes in the company statement will be an obvious flag to anyone who’s read copy drafted by AI. It’s not just outlier events, either. Every day, business leaders must decide how to communicate sensitive changes, interpret market signals, and navigate nuanced situations, all of which require perspective. AI can tell you what’s been said or done before, in whatever format you want—and what a useful tool that is alone. It can surface information, make suggestions, and help speed execution, but human oversight will always be crucial. What if the right course of action based on a lifetime of experience is to take an approach that’s never been done before? If we can only look back and use that intel to inform decisions, how do we truly evolve? BUILD A “TRUST, BUT VERIFY” CULTURE AI is the first technological innovation that appears to possess true intelligence, which makes maintaining a healthy dose of skepticism essential. “Trust, but verify” isn’t about second-guessing technology, it’s about recognizing how AI can make our lives easier and more efficient without losing what makes us unique: Our lived experience. That starts with everyday habits. Remember, AI is a starting point, not the finished product. Encourage your team to ask: Does this sound right to me? Would I stand by this if my name was attached to it? Whether verifying facts and stats, confirming sources, or reviewing tone and feel, these actions prevent speed from turning into sloppiness. As leaders, we must set the tone. By framing AI as a tool for making us more efficient—not a replacement for human judgment—we reinforce what will always drive great work: judgment, creativity, and accountability. Grace Keith Rodriguez is CEO of Caliber Corporate Advisers. View the full article