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I keep seeing articles and conferences about “humanizing” AI in one way or another. And while I get the sentiment, I think they’re taking the wrong approach. There’s no point in making technologies more human. Being human is our job. If anything, AI is less an opportunity to humanize technology, than to re-humanize ourselves. Let’s start at the beginning. AI is just the latest, perhaps greatest advancement yet in what OG computer scientist Norbert Wiener dubbed “cybernetic” technologies. Unlike traditional technologies, cybernetic ones take feedback from the world in order to determine their functions. They work less like a machine you turn on than a home heater’s thermostat, which turns itself off when the heat has reached a certain level. This, in turn, allows the room to cool. Then the thermostat snaps on again, using feedback from the environment to keep the room within a chosen temperature range. Of course, the other kind of feedback we all know about is that loud screech you get when you point a microphone too close to its speaker. The microphone is hearing its own sound, then feeding it back to the speaker, then hearing that sound, and feeding it back to the speaker again. Each feedback loop adds more sound until it screeches out of control. People engaging with AI prompts are vulnerable to those very same “positive” feedback loops. You come up with an idea, pose it to your favorite chat, and the more supposedly “human” the AI, the more it tries to find a way to give you positive feedback. “That sounds like a great idea for a new business, Douglas. I’m intrigued! Shall I develop a proposal with possible action points?” Passive spectators Round and around we go, the initial tiny utterance of a prompt getting cycled again and again, our human nervous system stimulated and reinforced by the positive feedback. Sure, we may contribute a bit to the process, but for the most part we are passive spectators of the phenomenon, marveling at how much history, logic, and speculation the AI can bring to bear. It can even create a slide presentation or video or simulated prototype of the idea suitable for presentation to others! Go to any business conference these days, and you’ll run into more than one entrepreneur who is high on their own supply, sharing videos of their AI’s crazy visions. Lord help the folks they convince to invest. As I see it, the reason they fall prey to such positive feedback loops is that they are too ready and willing to pull themselves from the equation. The AI seems so authoritative, and so human, that surely it’s aware of what it is doing. It wouldn’t be so on board your ideas if it didn’t have some sense that it would work, right? Your agents are not your friends Wrong. Don’t accept the positive reinforcement. The AI isn’t on board with the idea so much as committed to pleasing you, in the moment, like a person if it’s been trained that way. But it’s not a human, not even close, and doesn’t hold a conception of the thing you are working on. No, you, the human partner in this feedback loop, are the only one who stands a chance of conceiving or contextualizing whatever it is you’re working on. Your agents, like your children, are not your friends. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care for them. Quite the contrary, it means you have to be the one to intervene on everyone’s behalf. You are the conscious actor in the system. The way to prevent such positive feedback loops in our interactions with technology is to assume the role of the human. Don’t get out of the AI’s way in the name of efficiency or output. It’s cool to see all that “stuff” coming out, but if you’re not intervening in the process—actively getting in the way—you’re not going to get anywhere at all. Follow your instincts Counterintuitively, perhaps, the way to do that is to become less mechanical, less results-oriented, less utilitarian, and more feeling, more process-oriented, and even less obviously useful. Yeah, slow things down. Nurture your intuition. Lean into your own experience, expertise, and sensibilities. Reconnect with your instincts. Pause and breathe. How does that make me feel? For while cybernetic machines can iterate, only living beings can respirate. Instead of cycling through data, human beings can metabolize through our bodies. We can test ideas with our gut. Something doesn’t pass the smell test. A proposal feels off. This strange moment in the digital age may just be an opportunity to reclaim the uniqueness of being living, breathing, metabolizing creatures in an otherwise digital, unconscious, contextless landscape. Making AI’s seem more human is not doing us any favors, especially when it tempts us to relinquish our roles as the living, breathing adults in the room. View the full article

The health care industry, like many others, has traditionally relied on tried-and-true conventional, one-way marketing tactics. However, that strategy is no longer enough to break through to consumers. More than 81% of consumers tune out generic ads and crave more engaged and personalized content, signaling that marketers need to adapt and stop ineffective communication that tries to pull consumers to them. Instead, we must go to our customers, meeting them precisely where their attention already lives. We know a great story has the power to transcend demographics, evoke emotion, and build lasting connections. Ultimately, brands are collections of human beings, and people connect with people. By humanizing our brands and telling compelling stories about the individuals who compose them, we unlock a profound ability to resonate and connect with our audience on an emotional level. However, where we share stories have changed: We’ve seen the audience shift aggressively to at-home streaming and social media. Understand your customers’ media habits More consumers get their news from non-traditional news sources and streaming viewership has eclipsed traditional broadcast media. We are living through the atomization of content consumption. Knowing how people watch is only half the battle. Each platform—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Netflix and others—is a distinct ecosystem. Savvy marketers understand customer’s unique consumption habits and user behaviors, then tailor their content and approach accordingly. Too often brands hesitate, thinking they may be too small, not unique, or they question their own perspective. But everyone has a story, and every brand has an opportunity to fuel a human emotion. Look at health care. We fuel your lives, your loves, your passions, and your careers. Consider entertainment marketing Last year we launched Northwell Studios to create impactful content that’s both entertaining and purpose driven. Our work, featured on platforms like Hulu and Netflix, has garnered billions of views. But more importantly, its humanizing complex issues, pulling back the curtain on health care, and sparking crucial dialogues around often taboo topics like gun violence and mental health. For example, our 2024 HBO Max docuseries, One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit, drove community support, awareness, and donations that enabled us to open a second mental health unit. That’s the ROI every marketer dreams of. Entertainment marketing, when rooted in purpose, can be a powerful force for good, fostering positive cultural change while building brand affinity. It’s not just about reaching viewers; it’s about making a difference. Five factors to weigh before trying entertainment marketing For brands ready to embrace the power of entertainment marketing, here are five factors to consider. 1. Authenticity: Before venturing into entertainment, identify the core values and stories that define your brand. If you have a product that is authentic, resonates with people, and provides value, then you have a platform to build a brand around that. Your entertainment content should be a natural extension of your brand’s identity, not forced. 2. Partnerships: Collaborating with experienced filmmakers, producers, or content creators is essential. They bring creative expertise and industry knowledge that can elevate your content and expand its reach. Seek partners who share your vision and commitment to quality storytelling. 3. Context: Entertainment marketing is not about just putting your product in a movie. It’s about crafting narratives that resonate with your target audience and subtly integrate your brand’s message. 4. Engage to change: Allow your audience to be part of the storytelling and the brand story. That means not just pushing content out, but allowing them to create content, engage with your brand, and share their passions, and their love for your brand. 5. Measure and adapt: Like any smart marketing campaign, be sure to track viewership, engagement, social media activity, and any other relevant impact on brand awareness and business outcomes that are important to you. Data-driven insights will help refine your strategy and optimize your return on investment. Final thoughts You must be fearless and bold. And you must be willing to fail and learn from those failures. The marketing landscape is transforming. Consumers are demanding authentic connections and engaging experiences. By embracing the power of entertainment, brands can break through the noise, build meaningful relationships, and achieve lasting impact. It’s time to move beyond traditional methods and embrace the power of the story. Ramon Soto is senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell Health. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. I look forward to the fall time change every year, because I have plans for that extra morning hour. Turning back the clock is a perfect opportunity to kick-start a morning routine, since you can get up an hour early without it feeling like you're getting up an hour early. It's a great way to lean into your winter arc. We are, unfortunately, still doing the whole Daylight Saving Time thing. But I will take advantage of that fact while I can, because the fall time change gifts us with an extra hour in the morning (even if it is cruelly ripped from our evening routines). I'm not a morning person by nature, but my day always goes better when I get my workout in early, so I'm going to take that extra morning hour and use it for a workout instead of recalibrating my body clock to wake up later. I recommend all my fellow night owls do the same. When to wake up if you're taking advantage of the time changeI mean, you could use your extra hour to sleep in—take it if you need it. But personally, I'm going to set my alarm an hour earlier than I get up, starting this Sunday (Nov. 2, the first day of standard time for 2025). An hour is enough time for a simple strength workout, or for a short run and a quick shower before officially starting your day. I reserve one day a week for sleeping in, which for me is Saturday. On days I'm resting from exercise, I'll still wake up on schedule but use my morning hour for something fun or relaxing, like reading a book. If you want to fit a full workout in and need more time than the hour gives you, this is still a good way to soften the blow. For example, you can wake up 90 minutes earlier (according to the clock) with it only feeling 30 minutes earlier than usual (according to your circadian rhythms). How to plan for morning workoutsOn the first day you wake up "early," things will be much as they always are. But now that you're becoming a morning exerciser, you'll have to come to terms with the winter darkness. It will creep in, sunrise getting a few minutes later each day, until your morning jog is, most likely, fully in the dark. If you are running in the early mornings, definitely get yourself a light to help you see and be seen. I have a Petzl Tikkina, which I bought last year because Petzl has a reputation for reliability, and the Tikkina is one of their more affordable models. It's worked great for me, so this year I will probably spring for the rechargeable battery that fits in place of its three AAA cells. The rechargeable is designed to work well even in cold conditions, which will come in handy. Also consider wearing bright colors, a reflective vest, or even something like the Noxgear Tracer to give you good visibility on the side of the road. I have a neon pink jacket that comes out on cold dark mornings. noxgear Tracer2 Visibility Vest (Small) $67.95 at Amazon $79.95 Save $12.00 Shop Now Shop Now $67.95 at Amazon $79.95 Save $12.00 At the gym, be aware that the rhythm of the place will change. There will be a different group of regulars, and it may be more or less busy than you're used to. But even if everything is the same, there’s something luxurious about being able to take your time, when normally you have to squeeze your last few exercises together and rush to work. Savor that extra hour. View the full article

Greetings and thank you once again for reading Fast Company’s Plugged In—and a happy Halloween to you. Recently, I used Apple Photos to revisit the photos I took during the 2015 Thanksgiving holiday. There were some gems in there—memories I’d like to preserve forever. But there were even more images I regretted saving in the first place. You already know the ones I’m talking about. The near-duplicates of other, better photos. The blurry misfires. The shots of people with their eyelids drooping or mouths agape. The ones I accidentally took of the floor when my thumb slipped. Did I mention that the treasured pictures of loved ones remain intermingled with detritus such as the shot I snapped of the fine print on the back of my mother’s wireless network extender when I was troubleshooting it? Of course, all of this is an artifact of the age of digital photography. For me, that began in the spring of 1999, when I bought my first digital camera. Freed from film and developing costs, I could take as many photos as I wanted (or at least as many as my memory card would hold). They quickly piled up on my hard drive in a way that had no precedent with printed snapshots. The arrival of smartphones in the following decade may have been the more momentous sea change. Suddenly, I had a decent camera with me at all times. And it synced all the photos I took to the cloud, so they were nearly impossible to misplace. As nice as it is not to lose images by accident—which I did all the time pre-smartphone—the 111,582 photos I currently have stored in Apple Photos, most of which I took with various iPhones, include vast quantities of dross. I’m spending $10 a month on 2 terabytes of iCloud storage to store them, but the cost isn’t the issue. It’s the mental tax I pay every time I have to dig through bad photos to find the good ones. Speaking of “good ones”: Starting in 2023, an app called GoodOnes tried to use AI to distinguish between your best photos and the ones you could safely delete. It later rebranded as Ollie and has since vanished from the App Store. (Its website suggests a new version is coming, but includes a link to a busted waitlist, so who knows?) I gave GoodOnes a try when it was new. Mostly, it proved to me that determining whether a photo is worth keeping often has nothing to do with the aspects AI might be able to judge, such as composition, crispness, or the expressions on faces. In many instances, it’s a deeply personal decision, and impossible to outsource. Even once you’ve decided to trash your unwanted photos, it’s surprisingly tough to do. Apple Photos is focused on safely storing images, and doesn’t seem to have given a whole lot of thought to not storing them. Every time you delete a photo, it makes you confirm your intention, explaining that you can recover it for 30 days. Doing that thousands of times wouldn’t just be a slog—it would be unbearable. (It’s possible to bulk-select photos for deletion, but they’re displayed as tiny, cropped squares, making it hard to tell if any given picture is a keeper or a dud.) This conundrum is obvious enough that Apple’s App Store has several third-party utilities designed to let you keep or delete photos by swiping, as if you were going through potential dates on Tinder. The one I like best—and am happily paying $3 a month for—is called Shutter Declutter. It’s got a likable, minimalist interface and uses notifications to gently nudge you into spending a few minutes with it. It also makes the deletion process less intimidating by presenting you with just the photos you took on today’s date in past years, though you can also jump to others if you’re feeling ambitious. Sorting through 100,000-plus old photos is so overwhelming a project that the most expedient response is to avoid ever doing it. But I can certainly find the time to review ones I took on February 3, June 12, or October 30. Already I’ve used Shutter Declutter to weed out thousands of stinkers. It’s been . . . kind of fun, especially since I also get to see some great photos I’d forgotten I’d taken. Along with using this app regularly, I am trying to follow a few personal best practices for managing my photo collection: First, I am doing my best to take fewer pictures, but better ones. Instead of firing off a dozen haphazard shots of a moment just because I can, I’d rather thoughtfully compose two or three, as if I were paying for film and processing. Secondly, when I shoot a bunch of photos—say, at a picnic or during an e-bike jaunt—I’m trying to review them soon thereafter. I usually end up deleting about 80% of what I captured, leaving me with the 20% that I’d be happy to rediscover years from now. Lastly, my Apple Photos is rife with images that are inherently disposable: close-ups of restaurant meals, most screenshots, mildly amusing shots I texted to friends or family. Rather than letting them fester, I keep reminding myself that it’s best to remove them quickly, as if I were taking out the trash. I’m never going to turn myself into a digital neat freak. But even if all I do is slow my accumulation of additional images, I will have accomplished something. After all, it would be pretty sad if I checked Apple Photos one day and discovered that instead of having 111,582 to wrangle, I somehow had 223,164. You’ve been reading Plugged In, Fast Company’s weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or if you’re reading it on FastCompany.com—you can check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself every Friday morning. I love hearing from you: Ping me at hmccracken@fastcompany.com with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters. I’m also on Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads, and you can follow Plugged In on Flipboard. More top tech stories from Fast Company Claude turns ideas into apps Claude Artifacts lets you make flashcards, quizzes, games, and more—just by chatting. Read More → You bought a fridge with a screen. What did you expect? Samsung is bringing auto-play ads to some of its smart fridge screens. Read More → Figma acquires Weavy, a workflow tool with ‘artistic intelligence’ Figma CEO Dylan Field on why the design platform bought a Tel Aviv startup’s tool for making AI images a starting point, not the destination. Read More → Here’s why you don’t need a magic GEO hack Instead, you need authenticity, clarity, and openness. Read More → Home Depot is using AI to help you flip your house faster The home improvement store partnered with Kai to turn photos into shopping lists. Snap a photo, get a plan. Read More → AI wrote the code. You got hacked. Now what? Security risks from AI-generated code are real—but with the right guardrails, teams can use AI to move faster. Read More → View the full article

Zillow Home Loans originated 57% more purchase mortgages versus the third quarter of 2024, with production and segment revenue growth beating estimates. View the full article

The The President administration’s widespread cancellation and freezing of clean energy funding is also hitting essential work to improve the nation’s power grid. That includes investments in grid modernization, energy storage, and efforts to protect communities from outages during extreme weather and cyberattacks. Ending these projects leaves Americans vulnerable to more frequent and longer-lasting power outages. The Department of Energy has defended the cancellations, saying that “the projects did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs, were not economically viable and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.” Yet before any funds are actually released through these programs, each grant must pass evaluations based on the department’s standards. Those include rigorous assessments of technical merits, potential risks, and cost-benefit analyses—all designed to ensure alignment with national energy priorities and responsible stewardship of public funds. I am an associate professor studying sustainability, with over 15 years of experience in energy systems reliability and resilience. In the past, I also served as a Department of Energy program manager focused on grid resilience. I know that many of these canceled grants were foundational investments in the science and infrastructure necessary to keep the lights on, especially when the grid is under stress. The dollar-value estimates vary, and some of the money has already been spent. A list of canceled projects maintained by energy analysis company Yardsale totals about US$5 billion. An Oct. 2, 2025, announcement from the department touts $7.5 billion in cuts to 321 awards across 223 projects. Additional documents leaked to Politico reportedly identified additional awards under review. Some media reports suggest the full value of at-risk commitments may reach $24 billion—a figure that has not been publicly confirmed or refuted by the The President administration. These were not speculative ventures. And some of them were competitively awarded projects that the department funded specifically to enhance grid efficiency, reliability and resilience. Grid improvement funding For years, the federal government has been criticized for investing too little in the nation’s electricity grid. The long-term planning—and spending—required to ensure the grid reliably serves the public often falls victim to short-term political cycles and shifting priorities across both parties. But these recent cuts come amid increasingly frequent extreme weather, increased cybersecurity threats to the systems that keep the lights on, and aging grid equipment that is nearing the end of its life. These projects sought to make the grid more reliable so it can withstand storms, hackers, accidents, and other problems. National laboratories In addition to those project cancellations, President Donald The President’s proposed budget for 2026 contains deep cuts to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, a primary funding source for several national laboratories, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which may face widespread layoffs. Among other work, these labs conduct fundamental grid-related research like developing and testing ways to send more electricity over existing power lines, creating computational models to simulate how the U.S. grid responds to extreme weather or cyberattacks, and analyzing real-time operational data to identify vulnerabilities and enhance reliability. These efforts are necessary to design, operate, and manage the grid, and to figure out how best to integrate new technologies. Grid resilience and modernization Some of the projects that have lost funding sought to upgrade grid management – including improved sensing of real-time voltage and frequency changes in the electricity sent to homes and businesses. That program, the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, also funded efforts to automate grid operations, allowing faster response to outages or changes in output from power plants. It also supported developing microgrids—localized systems that can operate independently during outages. The canceled projects in that program, estimated to total $724.6 million, were in 24 states. For example, a $19.5 million project in the Upper Midwest would have installed smart sensors and software to detect overloaded power lines or equipment failures, helping people respond faster to outages and prevent blackouts. A $50 million project in California would have boosted the capacity of existing subtransmission lines, improving power stability and grid flexibility by installing a smart substation, without needing new transmission corridors. Microgrid projects in New York, New Mexico, and Hawaii would have kept essential services running during disasters, cyberattacks and planned power outages. Another canceled project included $11 million to help utilities in 12 states use electric school buses as backup batteries, delivering power during emergencies and peak demand, like on hot summer days. Several transmission projects were also canceled, including a $464 million effort in the Midwest to coordinate multiple grid connections from new generation sites. Long-duration energy storage The grid must meet demand at all times, even when wind and solar generation is low or when extreme weather downs power lines. A key element of that stability involves storing massive amounts of electricity for when it’s needed. One canceled project would have spent $70 million turning retired coal plants in Minnesota and Colorado into buildings holding iron-air batteries capable of powering several thousand homes for as many as four days. Rural and remote energy systems Another terminated program sought to help people who live in rural or remote places, who are often served by just one or two power lines rather than a grid that can reroute power around an interruption. A $30 million small-scale bioenergy project would have helped three rural California communities convert forest and agricultural waste into electricity. Not all of the terminated initiatives were explicitly designed for resilience. Some would have strengthened grid stability as a byproduct of their main goals. The rollback of $1.2 billion in hydrogen hub investments, for example, undermines projects that would have paired industrial decarbonization with large-scale energy storage to balance renewable power. Similarly, several canceled industrial modernization projects, such as hybrid electric furnaces and low-carbon cement plants, were structured to manage power demand and integrate clean energy, to improve grid stability and flexibility. The reliability paradox The administration has said that these cuts will save money. In practice, however, they shift spending from prevention of extended outages to recovery from them. Without advances in technology and equipment, grid operators face more frequent outages, longer restoration times, and rising maintenance costs. Without investment in systems that can withstand storms or hackers, taxpayers and ratepayers will ultimately bear the costs of repairing the damage. Some of the projects now on hold were intended to allow hospitals, schools and emergency centers to reduce blackout risks and speed power restoration. These are essential reliability and public safety functions, not partisan initiatives. Canceling programs to improve the grid leaves utilities and their customers dependent on emergency stopgaps—diesel generators, rolling blackouts, and reactive maintenance—instead of forward-looking solutions. Roshanak (Roshi) Nateghi is an associate professor of sustainability at Georgetown University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

As the holiday season approaches, small business owners need to harness new tools and methods to capture consumer attention and maximize sales. According to PayPal’s recent 2025 Holiday Shopping Survey, shoppers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to enhance their shopping experiences. The findings present both opportunities and challenges for small businesses aiming to thrive this holiday season. PayPal’s survey reveals that 40% of American consumers have utilized AI for shopping within the past year, with 77% intending to use AI tools again this holiday season. This trend has significant implications for merchants who want to optimize their visibility across AI platforms. “Shoppers are moving fluidly across channels, discovering products through AI, returning to stores, and choosing flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to maximize this holiday season,” stated Michelle Gill, General Manager of Small Business and Financial Services at PayPal. Small business owners can capitalize on this momentum by ensuring their products are optimally presented across AI-driven platforms. In doing so, they can connect with consumers who are increasingly seeking guidance on deals and gift ideas. Notably, 34% of respondents plan to use AI to find the best deals, while 30% will rely on it for product comparisons, making visibility critical for success. Equally important is the increasing prevalence of BNPL options, which have shifted from being a novelty to a mainstream expectation among consumers. Half of those surveyed intend to use BNPL over the holiday season, citing affordability and budget control as their primary motivations. This payment method can be particularly potent; the survey found that 52% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when BNPL is available. Gill emphasized the advantages of offering BNPL, stating, “When shoppers know they can pay over time, they’re more likely to complete their purchase,” adding that PayPal data indicates a significant increase in average order value—91% for enterprises and 62% for small businesses. While embracing these tools offers considerable benefits, small business owners should consider the practical applications and challenges that come with them. To effectively implement AI, businesses must invest time and resources into optimizing their online presence. This includes product listings that resonate with AI algorithms, ensuring digital channels are well-maintained and easy to navigate. Moreover, adopting BNPL options comes with its own set of considerations. Integrating this payment method might necessitate a partnership with a financial service provider, thus creating a potential barrier for smaller businesses with limited budgets. Ensuring that this payment choice is visible throughout the customer journey can also require thoughtful marketing strategies. Another notable trend from the survey is the revival of omnichannel retailing. About 64% of shoppers plan to shop in physical stores this holiday season, highlighting the importance of a multi-channel strategy. Businesses must ensure a seamless shopping experience across online and in-store platforms, which can enhance customer loyalty and sales. The survey results show that 74% of consumers are more inclined to shop with merchants offering cash back or rewards, making rewards programs an essential aspect of customer attraction. As the holiday season approaches, small business owners will need to adapt rapidly to these evolving consumer behaviors. Those who can unify their online and physical experiences, while also delivering meaningful rewards, are likely to foster deeper customer connections. This strategy serves not just for the holiday rush, but for long-term growth as well. In light of these findings, leveraging AI and offering BNPL could be key differentiators for small businesses. By embracing technology and the evolving retail landscape, even the smallest of businesses can compete effectively during this bustling season. For more information on this survey and its implications, you can visit the original release from PayPal at PayPal Newsroom. This article, "AI and Buy Now, Pay Later Transform Holiday Shopping for Merchants" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

As the holiday season approaches, small business owners need to harness new tools and methods to capture consumer attention and maximize sales. According to PayPal’s recent 2025 Holiday Shopping Survey, shoppers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to enhance their shopping experiences. The findings present both opportunities and challenges for small businesses aiming to thrive this holiday season. PayPal’s survey reveals that 40% of American consumers have utilized AI for shopping within the past year, with 77% intending to use AI tools again this holiday season. This trend has significant implications for merchants who want to optimize their visibility across AI platforms. “Shoppers are moving fluidly across channels, discovering products through AI, returning to stores, and choosing flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to maximize this holiday season,” stated Michelle Gill, General Manager of Small Business and Financial Services at PayPal. Small business owners can capitalize on this momentum by ensuring their products are optimally presented across AI-driven platforms. In doing so, they can connect with consumers who are increasingly seeking guidance on deals and gift ideas. Notably, 34% of respondents plan to use AI to find the best deals, while 30% will rely on it for product comparisons, making visibility critical for success. Equally important is the increasing prevalence of BNPL options, which have shifted from being a novelty to a mainstream expectation among consumers. Half of those surveyed intend to use BNPL over the holiday season, citing affordability and budget control as their primary motivations. This payment method can be particularly potent; the survey found that 52% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when BNPL is available. Gill emphasized the advantages of offering BNPL, stating, “When shoppers know they can pay over time, they’re more likely to complete their purchase,” adding that PayPal data indicates a significant increase in average order value—91% for enterprises and 62% for small businesses. While embracing these tools offers considerable benefits, small business owners should consider the practical applications and challenges that come with them. To effectively implement AI, businesses must invest time and resources into optimizing their online presence. This includes product listings that resonate with AI algorithms, ensuring digital channels are well-maintained and easy to navigate. Moreover, adopting BNPL options comes with its own set of considerations. Integrating this payment method might necessitate a partnership with a financial service provider, thus creating a potential barrier for smaller businesses with limited budgets. Ensuring that this payment choice is visible throughout the customer journey can also require thoughtful marketing strategies. Another notable trend from the survey is the revival of omnichannel retailing. About 64% of shoppers plan to shop in physical stores this holiday season, highlighting the importance of a multi-channel strategy. Businesses must ensure a seamless shopping experience across online and in-store platforms, which can enhance customer loyalty and sales. The survey results show that 74% of consumers are more inclined to shop with merchants offering cash back or rewards, making rewards programs an essential aspect of customer attraction. As the holiday season approaches, small business owners will need to adapt rapidly to these evolving consumer behaviors. Those who can unify their online and physical experiences, while also delivering meaningful rewards, are likely to foster deeper customer connections. This strategy serves not just for the holiday rush, but for long-term growth as well. In light of these findings, leveraging AI and offering BNPL could be key differentiators for small businesses. By embracing technology and the evolving retail landscape, even the smallest of businesses can compete effectively during this bustling season. For more information on this survey and its implications, you can visit the original release from PayPal at PayPal Newsroom. This article, "AI and Buy Now, Pay Later Transform Holiday Shopping for Merchants" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

A momentous week in the technology sector made it clear there is no sign the boom in building artificial intelligence infrastructure is slowing — despite the bubble talk. Nvidia, whose processors are the AI revolution’s backbone, became the first company to surpass $5 trillion in market value. Microsoft and OpenAI inked a deal enhancing the ChatGPT maker’s fundraising ability and OpenAI promptly started laying groundwork for an initial public offering that could value the company at $1 trillion. Amazon said it would cut 14,000 corporate jobs, just days before its cloud unit posted its strongest growth in nearly three years. These developments, along with numerous earnings calls and interviews with executives, make clear that AI has cemented itself as the single biggest catalyst for global corporate investment and the engine of the market rally, even as some question the sustainability of both. Spending without ending Soaring revenue at Microsoft, Alphabet, and other technology giants was expected. But more than 100 non-tech global companies noted data centers on quarterly calls this week, including Honeywell, turbine maker GE Vernova, and heavy equipment maker Caterpillar. Sales in Caterpillar’s division that supplies data centers jumped 31% in its most recent quarter. “We’re definitely really excited about the prime power opportunity with data centers,” CEO Joseph Creed said this week. “The AI supply chain now spans power, industrials and cooling technology, and investors are looking at the entire ecosystem rather than just core tech,” said Ayako Yoshioka, portfolio manager at Wealth Enhancement Group. Goldman Sachs estimates global AI-related infrastructure spending could reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion by 2030. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet are expected to spend roughly $350 billion combined this year. AI investment is propping up global trade, with about 60% of U.S. data-center capex spent on imported IT equipment, according to Oxford Economics, much of it semiconductors from Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam. At least two dozen companies representing more than $21 trillion in combined market value reported quarterly earnings or spoke with Reuters about AI in recent days. Many, including Procter & Gamble and Boliden, noted that the hoped-for productivity gains, though uneven, are beginning to show. “We strongly believe the future contribution of artificial intelligence within R&D, within developing innovation, will steadily increase,” Schindler CEO Paolo Compagna told Reuters, though he said AI’s impact is yet to be seen. The Swiss lift and escalator maker raised its annual margin forecast last week. Year-over-year revenue growth in the U.S. tech sector is up more than 15%, outpacing all other sectors, according to LSEG data. Apple said it was significantly increasing AI investment and Amazon projected capital spending of $125 billion in 2025. Worries about overvaluation Since ChatGPT’s debut in 2022, global equity values have climbed 46%, or $46 trillion. One-third of that gain has come from AI-linked companies, according to Bespoke Investment Group. Analysts warn of a quickening replacement cycle for servers, accelerators and chips as each new generation delivers exponential performance gains. The useful life of AI chips is shrinking to five years or less, forcing companies to “write down assets faster and replace them sooner,” said UBS semiconductor analyst Tim Arcuri. The surge in AI-related spending has widened the gap between investment and returns, with a Reuters analysis showing that sales-to-capex ratios at major tech firms have fallen sharply as outlays on chips and data centers grow faster than revenue. Capital expenditures represent a larger chunk of cash generated by operating activities for some companies, causing some investor concern. “If progress hasn’t been made toward monetization within three years, the market will start asking hard questions,” said Sumali Sanyal, senior portfolio manager at investment firm Xponance. Microsoft reported a record $35 billion in capex in its most recent quarter and projected higher spending, prompting Bernstein analyst Mark Moerdler to ask whether the company was spending into a bubble. Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood responded that AI-related demand still outpaces Microsoft’s spending. “I thought we were going to catch up. We are not,” she said. Some companies are financing AI projects with debt. Oracle’s $18 billion bond sale last month was one of the largest ever for a tech company, and it looks set to be surpassed by an up to $30 billion bond sale from Meta Platforms. News of its largest ever bond sale knocked Meta’s shares down 11% on Thursday. Still, many economists say the AI cycle is far from exhausted. Goldman estimates AI investment is currently less than 1% of U.S. GDP, far below peaks of 2% to 5% seen during the electricity and dot-com booms. “We are in the early innings … and the pace of AI innovation is the fastest we have seen in decades,” said Nick Evans, portfolio manager at Polar Capital Technology Trust. —Akash Sriram, Sriparna Roy, Sneha SK, Puyaan Singh, Jessica DiNapoli, and Bernadette Hogg View the full article

US Treasury secretary says US will protect itself from supply shocks in 12-24 monthsView the full article

Sora, OpenAI's short-form AI video generator, has been out for just about a month now, and already, it's helping to spread disinformation on social media. Accounts share Sora generations without any transparency, sometimes with the Sora watermark removed, and while shrewd observers see through the AI, many people scrolling by don't think twice and believe things happened that didn't. That could be as innocuous as Jake Paul putting on makeup, or as dangerous as a fake interview meant to manipulate viewers towards a political bias. It's getting scary out there. So far, for the free model, Sora has capped video generations at 30 per day. If you pay for the Pro model, you get 100 generations a day. But if you're using Sora free of charge, once you produce your 30th video, you aren't able to make any more. I see that as a good thing, myself: 30 hyper-realistic AI videos a day per user is already way too high. OpenAI, unfortunately, isn't consulting me—and Sora now allows users to pay for extra generations once they've reached the free limit. Bill Peebles, head of Sora, announced the change in a Thursday post on X. Peebles said the company has been "amazed" by the demand from "power users," but, as it stands, "the economics are currently completely unsustainable." According to Peebles, the Sora team thought 30 free generations per day would suffice, but that hasn't been the case. By offering users the chance to pay for additional generations, OpenAI plans to start pulling in extra revenue from its popular short-form AI video generator. Peebles also believes that the company will generate future funds from a "new Sora economy." That would include two parts: rights holders charging users a fee to cameo their characters or real-life people, as well as creators earning money from the videos they post. If you don't plan on paying for Sora generations, though, there's some "bad" news: Peebles says the company will bring the number of free generations down as the platforms grows, as the company doesn't have enough GPUs to manage the demand. As reported by The Verge, you'll be able to purchase 10 additional video generations for $4 a pop—though the actual credits each video takes may depend on many different factors. When you reach your limit, the app will let you buy more through the App Store (Sora is currently iOS-only). Those credits will expire after 12 months, which I imagine will be plenty of time for someone making Sora videos. You can also transfer them to use on Codex, OpenAI's coding platform. I personally see Sora's exponential growth as a bad thing. I get the finances: OpenAI is now operating like a for-profit company, and needs to pull in revenue. But OpenAI, along with other AI companies, is blatantly ignoring the deepfake disinformation machine these products have become. The more the company pushes users to generate with Sora, the more realistic AI slop we'll encounter in our feeds. View the full article

Jumbo debt sales to fund huge artificial intelligence capex threaten to store up new risks for investorsView the full article

The day after the jewelry heist at the Louvre in Paris, officials from across Washington’s world-famous museums were already talking, assessing and planning how to bolster their own security. “We went over a review of the incident,” said Doug Beaver, security specialist at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, who said he participated in Zoom talks with nearby institutions including the Smithsonian and the National Gallery of Art. “Then we developed a game plan on that second day out, and started putting things in place on Days 3, 4 and 5.” Similar conversations are happening at museums across the globe, as those tasked with securing art ask: “Could that happen here?” One California museum knows the answer is yes—police are investigating the theft of more than 1,000 items just before the Louvre heist. At the same time, many were acknowledging the inherent, even painful tension in their task: Museums are meant to help people engage with art—not to distance them from it. “The biggest thing in museums is the visitor experience,” Beaver said. “We want visitors to come back. We don’t want them to feel as though they’re in a fortress or a restrictive environment.” It’s an issue many are grappling with—most of all, of course, the Louvre, whose director, Laurence des Cars, has acknowledged “a terrible failure” of security measures. It was crystallized in a letter of support for the Louvre and its beleaguered leader, from 57 museums across the globe. “Museums are places of transmission and wonder,” said the letter, which appeared in Le Monde. “Museums are not strongholds nor are they secret vaults.” It said the very essence of museums “lies in their openness and accessibility.” Aging security systems A number of museums declined to comment on the Louvre heist when contacted by The Associated Press, to avoid not only discussing security but also criticizing the Louvre at a sensitive time. French police have acknowledged major security gaps: Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure told Senate lawmakers Wednesday that aging systems had left the museum weakened. François Chatillon, France’s chief architect of historical monuments, noted nonetheless that many museums, especially in Europe, are in historic buildings that were not constructed with the goal of securing art. The Louvre, after all, was a royal palace—a medieval one at that. “Faced with the intrusion of criminals, we must find solutions, but not in a hasty manner,” Chatillon told Le Monde. “We’re not going to put armored doors and windows everywhere because there was this burglary.” The architect added that demands on museums come from many places. “Security, conservation, adaptation to climate change—they are all legitimate.” Prioritizing protection Even within security, there are competing priorities, noted attorney Nicholas O’Donnell, an expert in global art law and editor of the Art Law Report, a blog on legal issues in the museum and arts communities. “You’re always fighting the last war in security,” said O’Donnell. For example, he noted museums have lately been focusing security measures on “the very frequent and regrettable trend of people attacking the art itself to draw attention to themselves.” O’Donnell also noted that the initial response of Louvre security guards was to protect visitors from possible violence. “That’s an appropriate first priority, because you don’t know who these people are.” But perhaps the greatest battle, O’Donnell said, is to find a balance between security and enjoyment. “You want people interacting with the art,” he said. “Look at the ‘Mona Lisa’ right around the corner (from the jewels). It’s not a terribly satisfying experience anymore. You can’t get very close to it, the glass . . . reflects back at you, and you can barely see it.” O’Donnell says he’s certain that museums everywhere are reevaluating security, fearing copycat crimes. Indeed, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which oversees Berlin’s state museums and was hit hard by a brazen robbery in 2017, said it was using the Louvre heist “as an opportunity to review the security architecture of our institutions.” It called for international cooperation, and investments in technology and personnel. Creating a balance Beaver, in Washington, predicts the Paris heist will spur museums to implement new measures. One area that he’s focused on, and has discussed with other museums, is managing the access of construction teams, which he says has often been loose. The Louvre thieves dressed as workers, in bright yellow vests. It’s all about creating a “necessary balance” between security and accessibility, Beaver says. “Our goal isn’t to eliminate risk, it’s to really manage it intelligently.” Soon after he took the security post in 2014, Beaver said that he refashioned the museum’s security and notably added a weapons detection system. He also limited what visitors could carry in, banning bottles of liquid. He said, though, that the reaction from visitors had been mixed—some wanting more security, and others feeling it was too restrictive. Robert Carotenuto, who worked in security for about 15 years at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art running the command center, says museums have become increasingly diligent at screening visitors, as they try to thwart protesters. But that approach alone doesn’t resolve risks on the perimeter—the Paris thieves were able to park their truck right outside the museum. “If you’re just going to focus on one risk, like protesters . . . your security system is going to have a lapse somewhere,” he said. “You can stop the protesters . . . but then you’re not going to pay attention to people who are phony workers breaking into the side of your building.” The magic of museums Patrick Bringley also worked at the Met, as a security guard from 2008 to 2019 — an experience that led to a book and an off-Broadway show, “All the Beauty in the World.” “Museums are wonderful because they are accessible,” he said. “They’re these places that will put things that are thousands of years old and incomprehensibly beautiful in front of visitors—sometimes even without a pane of glass. That’s really special.” The tragedy of the Louvre heist, Bringley said, is that such events make it harder for museums to display all their beauty in a welcoming way. “Art should be inviting,” Bringley said. “But when people break that public trust, the Louvre is going to have to step up their procedures, and it will just become a little less magical in the museum.” —R.J. Rico and Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press View the full article

Predistribution, not redistribution, is needed to close the inequality gap View the full article

The behavioral health sector is at a crossroads. The landscape is shifting rapidly, and for many, it feels harder than ever to plan. The One Big Beautiful Bill is a sweeping piece of legislation that redefines Medicaid eligibility and coincides with a broader restructuring of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the The President administration. Combined, these changes have introduced new questions about sustainability, staffing, and service delivery. While some details are still in flux, the direction is crystal clear: Providers will need to adapt. To help make sense of what’s changing, I recently joined a discussion with Chuck Ingoglia, CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, and Monica Oss, CEO of OPEN MINDS. We looked at where the policy is headed and how agencies can prepare. Here are three key takeaways for leaders preparing for the road ahead. 1. Medicaid work requirements will create operational challenges Some states have previously tested work requirements—most notably in 2018-2019, Arkansas implemented work requirements, which led to widespread disenrollments. However, recent changes mark the first time such mandates are being implemented program-wide in Medicaid expansion states for “able-bodied” adults without dependents. Individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders are expected to be exempt, but the definitions and enforcement mechanisms are still being developed. That ambiguity is already affecting planning. Behavioral health agencies are asking: How will we know which clients are exempt? What documentation will be required? Who’s responsible for tracking compliance, and what happens if a claim is denied? From a technology standpoint, these changes raise important infrastructure questions. Intake processes may need to capture new data points. Eligibility logic may need to be updated more frequently. Payer rules could vary by state or change mid-year. To paraphrase Monica Oss: “We’ve seen versions of this before. And what history tells us is that these requirements often reduce coverage without improving outcomes. So, now’s the time to figure out how you’ll track compliance, support clients who might be affected, and safeguard your revenue cycle from gaps in eligibility.” 2. Federal funding streams are changing but not vanishing The legislation coincides with administrative proposals to restructure the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and consolidate federal public health agencies. There are changes HHS introduced in the proposed budget that still require Congressional approval. At the same time, the bill eliminates several behavioral health-specific grants that many safety net providers have long relied on to fund crisis response, peer support, housing navigation, and early intervention programs. As Chuck Ingoglia noted during our discussion, “Behavioral health wasn’t targeted in this legislation. But we weren’t protected either. We got caught in the middle.” While new funding channels like the Rural Health Fund will become available, they will largely flow through the states, introducing more variation in program design, oversight, and eligibility. Behavioral health providers will need to align their operations and reporting practices with new criteria faster than ever before. To avoid being squeezed, agencies must be both grant-ready and advocacy-ready. That means tracking state-level implementation plans, understanding how policy changes affect your population, and demonstrating the value and outcomes of your services, often on short timelines. 3. Compliance and outcomes reporting are under the microscope In today’s funding environment, outcomes reporting has become a compliance imperative. As grant criteria evolve and value-based payment models accelerate, behavioral health providers are being asked to deliver not just care, but proof of impact. Funding decisions, whether from public sources, private payers, or foundations, are increasingly tied to demonstrable outcomes. But “outcomes” can mean different things to different stakeholders. To stay competitive, behavioral health organizations need to clearly report clinical progress, service utilization, payer mix, and program effectiveness—often in real time. Health plans want data tied to value-based payment models. Grantmakers want evidence of community impact. State agencies want metrics aligned with the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set)and/or Medicaid Section 1115 waiver goals. The ability to pull this data quickly and reliably often depends on whether core systems, like your electronic health records, are structured to support it. That includes things such as: built-in outcomes tracking at the point of care, integration with financial and billing systems, and custom reporting dashboards that reflect funder-specific metrics. Organizations that rely on manual reporting or siloed systems will likely struggle to meet new requirements. In a tight funding environment, that can be the difference between receiving a grant or being ineligible. WHAT’S NEXT The days of treating technology as an optional line item are over. Leaders are recognizing that their ability to stay flexible—financially, clinically, and operationally— often hinges on the strength of their systems. At a minimum, organizations need tools that can adapt to policy changes, support mobile and hybrid teams, and simplify administrative work for already stretched staff. That includes: Automating documentation to reduce clinician burnout, streamlining workflows as billing rules shift. Equipping leadership with real-time dashboards for decision-making., Improving client communication through reminders, forms, and follow-ups. When work requirements roll out, systems will need to flag at-risk clients, adjust claims logic, and document exemption statuses. When state rules change, workflows may need to flex without requiring a system overhaul. When staffing is tight, onboarding and training must be faster and more intuitive. What we’re seeing from agencies that are weathering this moment well is that they’ve invested in infrastructure designed for change, not just compliance. There’s no question that the next few years will bring significant changes. But behavioral health remains a bipartisan priority, and there is still room to plan, adjust, and advocate. That means having the right systems, the right partnerships, and the right information to make decisions in real time. Josh Schoeller is the CEO of Qualifacts. View the full article

Silicon Valley chipmaker Nvidia plans to supply hundreds of thousands of its graphics processing units for projects with South Korean businesses and the government to advance the country’s artificial intelligence infrastructure and technologies. The plan was announced Friday by the government, Nvidia, and some of South Korea’s biggest companies, including chipmakers Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and auto giant Hyundai Motor, after President Lee Jae Myung met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. At a news conference, Huang said he hopes to export Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips to China, following U.S. President Donald The President’s talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on loosening U.S. chip restrictions as the two leaders pledged to reduce trade tensions. However, he acknowledged that it was up to The President to decide, and said there were no current plans to sell the next generation Blackwell chips to China. Huang has gotten rockstar treatment reminiscent of Apple’s Steve Jobs since arriving in South Korea on Thursday to attend meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju. As APEC host, South Korea is using the gathering of world leaders to showcase its ambitions in AI. According to Lee’s office and the companies, Nvidia will supply around 260,000 GPUs to support South Korea’s AI computing and manufacturing capabilities. About 50,000 of the GPUs will be used to support a government project to build a national cloud computing center for AI and Nvidia will provide the same number of GPUs each to Samsung and SK to help them enhance their manufacturing processes through AI and accelerate the development of advanced semiconductors. Hyundai and Nvidia said they plan to collaborate on developing technologies related to self-driving cars, smart factories and robotics, a process that will be powered by 50,000 of Nvidia’s advanced Blackwell GPUs. Speaking to business leaders, Huang highlighted how AI and advanced computing are driving a profound transformation across industries, adding to the need for more infrastructure and capacity. South Korea’s strengths in software, technical expertise and manufacturing give it an edge, he said. “When you combine software, AI technology, and manufacturing, you have the opportunity to really take advantage of robotics,” which is the future of AI, Huang said. Nvidia featured in The President-Xi talks Santa Clara-based Nvidia, whose GPU chips power much of the global AI industry, featured in talks Thursday between The President and Xi in the South Korean city of Busan, where the leaders agreed to take steps to ease their escalating trade war. Following the meeting, The President said he discussed sales of computer chips to China. The President and former President Joe Biden have imposed restrictions on China’s access to the most advanced chips, including those used for AI. The President said China will speak with Nvidia about purchasing their chips, but not the company’s latest Blackwell AI chips. Nvidia has argued that U.S. export controls hinder American competitiveness in one of the world’s largest technology markets and warned that such limits could push other countries toward China’s AI technology. Talking to reporters in South Korea, Huang said he hopes to eventually sell Blackwell chips to China, “but that’s a decision for the president to make.” “We’re always hoping to return to China,” Huang said. “It’s in the best interest of the United States, it’s in the best interests of China. And so I’m hopeful that both governments will arrive at a conclusion someday where Nvidia’s technology could be exported to China.” Huang acknowledged U.S. security concerns about Nvidia technology being used by China’s military but argued that China already has ample AI capabilities, making the use of Nvidia chips for military purposes largely unnecessary. In August, The President announced a deal with Nvidia and AMD, another chipmaker, to lift export controls on sales of advanced chips to China in exchange for a 15% cut of the revenue, despite concerns among national security experts that such chips will end up in the hands of Chinese military and intelligence services. Nvidia earlier this week confirmed that it has become the first $5 trillion company, just three months after the company broke through the $4 trillion mark. The milestone underscores the upheaval driven by the AI craze, widely seen as the biggest technological shift since Apple co-founder Jobs unveiled the first iPhone 18 years ago. But there are also concerns over a potential AI bubble. Officials at the Bank of England warned earlier this month that tech stock prices fueled by the AI boom could collapse, and the head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a similar warning. Huang joins Samsung, Hyundai chiefs for fried chicken and beer Hundreds of people, including reporters, gathered at a restaurant in southern Seoul on Thursday as Huang, dressed casually in a black T-shirt just hours after arriving in South Korea, shared fried chicken and beer with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Euisun Chung. The tech executives clinked glasses, took bomb shots, and at one point, Huang stepped outside to hand baskets of chicken and fried cheese to the crowd waiting outside. The three later took the stage before hundreds of cheering fans at a nearby gaming festival, where Huang said Korea’s gaming scene aided Nvidia’s early success back when it mainly made graphics cards for gamers. —Kim Tong-Hyung, Associated Press View the full article

Lyft is shifting its focus to reward the loyalty of its long-term riders, introducing a new initiative called Lyft Cash Rewards, aimed at enhancing the driving experience and creating additional value for its most frequent users. The program comes as Lyft highlights that its riders with over ten years of tenure are more engaged, taking twice as many rides and tipping drivers 20% more often than less seasoned customers. In a push to capitalize on this loyalty, Lyft’s latest program offers a structured rewards system that will provide cash back for rides taken when riders opt for the auto-refill payment method. With percentages ranging from 2% to 5% back on each ride depending on the refill amount, small business owners who frequently utilize rideshare services may find the financial benefits compelling. Taking advantage of Lyft Cash Rewards becomes a straightforward process. By enabling the Lyft Cash auto-refill, riders can set “Lyft Cash” as their default payment method. For every ride paid for with this method, users earn cash back ranging from 2% to 5%, plus additional benefits such as up to $10 in monthly credits for canceled rides and two free upgrades to the more comfortable “Extra Comfort” service. Key Benefits: Financial Incentives: Small businesses that may rely on rides for client meetings or other business engagements can yield significant savings. For instance, a rider opting for a $25 refill level at 2% can potentially earn up to $100 back annually if they take up to 20 rides per month. Enhanced Services: The inclusion of complimentary upgrades and cancellation credits enhances convenience. Business owners would appreciate the added flexibility, allowing for last-minute changes without incurring tight schedules or additional costs. Accessibility and Ease of Use: With the operational details remaining simple, small business owners can integrate this into their routine. They can effortlessly set up the auto-refill and start accruing benefits without a learning curve. However, while the potential for cost savings and improved service is significant, there are considerations for small business owners: Opt-in Limitations: Initially, Lyft Cash Rewards will only be available to 50% of its riders, along with one thousand of its most tenured customers, and all users in the Bay Area. This restrictiveness could mean many potential users might miss out during the pilot launch phase. Impact of Usage Patterns: The value of the rewards is contingent upon how frequently the rider utilizes the service. For small businesses that do not employ rideshare services regularly, it may not yield substantial benefits. Payment Flexibility: Small business owners must evaluate whether committing to Lyft Cash as a primary payment method aligns with their operational cash flow. The expectation to refill regularly may not suit all budget cycles. Lyft’s decision to introduce this program emerges from clear data reflecting the spending patterns of loyal riders. Riders who have been with the service for over a decade are much likelier to dive into the full suite of Lyft’s offerings, from bikeshare programs to charity contributions through their rides. This indicates to small business owners the importance of fostering loyalty and how customer engagement strategies can lead to increased profitability. “Loyal riders are more likely to sign up for the full range of Lyft perks, programs, and features,” said Lyft officials, accentuating how loyalty pays off. They are counting on the new initiative to encourage riders to remain within the Lyft ecosystem. As small business owners assess their transportation needs, they would do well to consider the possible benefits of Lyft Cash Rewards. This initiative not only rewards frequent use but also may influence overall transportation strategy, potentially steering small businesses towards Lyft in favor of alternative rideshare options due to the tangible financial rewards. Interested parties can check their eligibility for the Lyft Cash Rewards program by visiting Lyft’s original announcement and setting up the auto-refill feature to maximize their riding experience with additional rewards. The opportunity for annual savings could strengthen the bottom line for businesses that are often on the go. This article, "Lyft Launches Cash Rewards Program to Benefit Loyal Riders" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Lyft is shifting its focus to reward the loyalty of its long-term riders, introducing a new initiative called Lyft Cash Rewards, aimed at enhancing the driving experience and creating additional value for its most frequent users. The program comes as Lyft highlights that its riders with over ten years of tenure are more engaged, taking twice as many rides and tipping drivers 20% more often than less seasoned customers. In a push to capitalize on this loyalty, Lyft’s latest program offers a structured rewards system that will provide cash back for rides taken when riders opt for the auto-refill payment method. With percentages ranging from 2% to 5% back on each ride depending on the refill amount, small business owners who frequently utilize rideshare services may find the financial benefits compelling. Taking advantage of Lyft Cash Rewards becomes a straightforward process. By enabling the Lyft Cash auto-refill, riders can set “Lyft Cash” as their default payment method. For every ride paid for with this method, users earn cash back ranging from 2% to 5%, plus additional benefits such as up to $10 in monthly credits for canceled rides and two free upgrades to the more comfortable “Extra Comfort” service. Key Benefits: Financial Incentives: Small businesses that may rely on rides for client meetings or other business engagements can yield significant savings. For instance, a rider opting for a $25 refill level at 2% can potentially earn up to $100 back annually if they take up to 20 rides per month. Enhanced Services: The inclusion of complimentary upgrades and cancellation credits enhances convenience. Business owners would appreciate the added flexibility, allowing for last-minute changes without incurring tight schedules or additional costs. Accessibility and Ease of Use: With the operational details remaining simple, small business owners can integrate this into their routine. They can effortlessly set up the auto-refill and start accruing benefits without a learning curve. However, while the potential for cost savings and improved service is significant, there are considerations for small business owners: Opt-in Limitations: Initially, Lyft Cash Rewards will only be available to 50% of its riders, along with one thousand of its most tenured customers, and all users in the Bay Area. This restrictiveness could mean many potential users might miss out during the pilot launch phase. Impact of Usage Patterns: The value of the rewards is contingent upon how frequently the rider utilizes the service. For small businesses that do not employ rideshare services regularly, it may not yield substantial benefits. Payment Flexibility: Small business owners must evaluate whether committing to Lyft Cash as a primary payment method aligns with their operational cash flow. The expectation to refill regularly may not suit all budget cycles. Lyft’s decision to introduce this program emerges from clear data reflecting the spending patterns of loyal riders. Riders who have been with the service for over a decade are much likelier to dive into the full suite of Lyft’s offerings, from bikeshare programs to charity contributions through their rides. This indicates to small business owners the importance of fostering loyalty and how customer engagement strategies can lead to increased profitability. “Loyal riders are more likely to sign up for the full range of Lyft perks, programs, and features,” said Lyft officials, accentuating how loyalty pays off. They are counting on the new initiative to encourage riders to remain within the Lyft ecosystem. As small business owners assess their transportation needs, they would do well to consider the possible benefits of Lyft Cash Rewards. This initiative not only rewards frequent use but also may influence overall transportation strategy, potentially steering small businesses towards Lyft in favor of alternative rideshare options due to the tangible financial rewards. Interested parties can check their eligibility for the Lyft Cash Rewards program by visiting Lyft’s original announcement and setting up the auto-refill feature to maximize their riding experience with additional rewards. The opportunity for annual savings could strengthen the bottom line for businesses that are often on the go. This article, "Lyft Launches Cash Rewards Program to Benefit Loyal Riders" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

Apple delivered financial results during its summertime quarter that exceeded analyst projections, despite being caught in the crosshairs of a global trade war at the same time the trendsetting company is scrambling to catch up to its Big Tech peers in the artificial intelligence race. The performance announced Thursday was driven largely by strong initial demand for its iPhone 17 lineup that went on sale last month. Although the iPhone 17 lacks the AI wizardry featured in rival devices recently introduced by Samsung and Google, Apple spruced up its latest models with a redesign highlighted by a sleek “liquid glass” appearance on the display screens. Apple also largely maintained its pricing on its latest iPhones, despite being squeezed by the tariffs that President Donald The President has imposed on the U.S. devices that the company mostly makes in India and China. The tariffs cost Apple $1.1 billion during the past quarter and are expected to cost another $1.4 billion during the final three months of the year. The formula apparently was enough to win over consumers, particularly in the United States and Europe, helping to produce iPhone sales totaling $49 billion during the July-September period, a 6% increase from the same time last year. That was slightly below the 8% jump in iPhone sales that had been anticipated by analysts, and less than the 13% bump in sales during the April-June period. IDC estimates that 58.6 million iPhones were sold worldwide in the July-September quarter, putting Apple second behind Samsung at 61.4 million of their Android-powered phones sold worldwide in the quarter. Buoyed by the iPhone results, Apple earned $27.5 billion, or $1.85 per share, nearly doubling its profit from a year ago. Revenue climbed 8% from a year ago to $102.5 billion. Both the earnings and revenue eclipsed the analyst forecasts that steer the stock market. Apple shares surged 3% in extended trading after the numbers came out. In a conference call with analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook indicated his belief that the iPhone 17 lineup will continue to do well, predicting even more of the devices will be sold during the final three months of the year. “As we head into the holiday season with our most powerful lineup ever, I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come,” Cook said. He cited the iPhone 17’s popularity in most parts of the world except China, where sales of the device dipped by 4% from a year ago. The Cupertino, California, company expects its iPhone sales to increase at least 10% from last year’s holiday season, according to projections provided by Apple’s chief financial officer, Kevan Parekh. Total revenue is expected to rise at a similar rate. Apple’s stock has been on a tear since a report earlier this month from the research firm International Data Corp. telegraphed the quarterly results with a preliminary analysis that concluded the company had set a new July-September record for iPhone sales. The rally catapulted Apple’s market value above $4 trillion for the first time earlier this week and now the stage is set for the shares to hit another new high during Friday’s regular trading session. But Apple has been widely seen as a laggard in the AI craze, one of the reasons that Nvidia — a chipmaker whose processors power the technology — became the first company to be valued at $5 trillion earlier this week. Apple had promised a wide array of AI features would be rolling out on last year’s iPhone models, but was only able to deliver a few of them. The missing upgrades included a smarter and more versatile version of its frequently flummoxed Siri virtual assistant – a makeover that Apple now doesn’t expect to complete until next year. But Apple has a long history of late starts when technology starts to head in another direction before it finally catches up and emerges as a front-runner. If Apple can pull it off again by eventually implanting more AI features on the iPhone, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives believes those breakthroughs could boost the company’s market share by another $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion, translating into $75 to $100 per share. —Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer View the full article

Who saw this coming? Bettors, apparently. Coinbase Global, one of the largest crypto exchanges on the market, announced its third-quarter 2025 earnings on Thursday—a relatively benign event by most measures. But it wasn’t the revenue or profit numbers that caught many people’s attention. It was some specific comments and words spoken by CEO and cofounder Brian Armstrong. Armstrong, near the end of Coinbase’s earnings call, squeezed in a last-second barrage of keywords. “I was a little distracted because I was tracking the prediction market about what Coinbase will say on their next earnings call, and I just want to add here the words Bitcoin, Ethereum, blockchain, staking, and Web3 to make sure we get those in before the end of the call.” While that may not have meant a lot to most listeners, Armstrong was actually saying specific words that bettors on prediction markets had wagered he would say. Prediction market bettors on platforms such as Kalshi had made bets that Armstrong or other Coinbase executives would say certain keywords during the call, and up until that point, they had not. So by saying those words at the end of the call, Armstrong handed some bettors a win. That also meant that he handed others a loss. Unorthodox? You bet, but it’s all part of a burgeoning new world where sports betting is legal in many states, and American adults can make online bets on almost anything they’d like—from the outcomes of presidential elections to, in this case, what executives of publicly traded companies will say during an earnings call. While it seems clear that there are going to be a lot of opportunities to rig or manipulate wagers such as these, this is likely the first time that the CEO of a large, public company has gone out of their way to decide the outcome of a wager in such a way. Fast Company has reached out to Coinbase for further comment, but has yet to receive a response. After the call, Armstrong replied via X to say, “lol this was fun—happened spontaneously when someone on our team dropped a link in the chat.” One X user called out exactly what appeared to have happened: “At the end of the Coinbase earnings call today, Brian Armstrong pulled up the mention market and rattled off all the words that weren’t said yet,” summing it up as, “What a wild time to be alive.” Shares of Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN) were up around 3.5% in early trading on Friday, with the stock up more than 27% year to date. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The JBL Charge 6 is currently available for $169.95 at Walmart, down from its original $199.95. That small drop might not look dramatic on paper, but considering this model only came out recently, it’s one of the better deals you’ll find on a premium portable outdoor speaker. JBL Charge 6 $169.95 at Walmart $199.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $169.95 at Walmart $199.95 Save $30.00 The Charge 6 keeps the same rugged, travel-friendly design JBL’s known for while improving on what made the Charge 5 such a crowd favorite. It’s built for the outdoors—durable enough to survive a few bumps and rated IP68, meaning it’s both dustproof and waterproof. You can drop it in a pool or take it to the beach without worrying about damage. JBL also added a looped handle, which makes it easier to carry from one spot to another. Sound-wise, it’s a noticeable step up from the previous generation. Inside are a 2.1-by-3.7-inch woofer and a 0.8-inch tweeter that combine for 45 watts of power, backed by passive radiators on each end for extra low-end punch. The audio has weight and clarity, and while you won’t get chest-rattling bass, it’s more than enough for a backyard gathering or a long afternoon by the pool, notes this PCMag review. If you want more control, JBL’s seven-band EQ in the companion app gives you plenty of room to tweak the sound to your liking. As for its battery life, the Charge 6 is said to last up to 24 hours on a full charge (depending on usage) and can even double as a power bank for your phone through the USB-C port, which also supports lossless audio when plugged in. Connectivity and features are strong for this size and price. The Charge 6 runs on Bluetooth 5.4 for stable connections and now supports Auracast, a newer broadcast feature that lets you tune into compatible audio streams or sync multiple speakers for group listening. Codec support is limited to AAC and SBC, which may disappoint anyone wanting higher-end audio over Bluetooth, but the wired option partly makes up for that. JBL skipped including a charging brick or cable, which is a letdown for something in this price range. Still, if you’re after a speaker that’s loud, portable, and can handle real-world abuse while sounding great, the Charge 6 fits the bill, and this price makes it even more appealing. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 2 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $169.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $299.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam, White with Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen), White — $59.99 (List Price $99.99) Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (Newest Model) + Sync Module Core — $29.99 (List Price $69.99) Blink Mini 2 1080p Indoor Security Camera (2-Pack, White) — $27.99 (List Price $69.99) Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 with Ring Chime Pro — $149.99 (List Price $259.99) Introducing Amazon Fire TV 55" Omni Mini-LED Series, QLED 4K UHD smart TV, Dolby Vision IQ, 144hz gaming mode, Ambient Experience, hands-free with Alexa, 2024 release — $699.99 (List Price $819.99) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 2-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $51.99 (List Price $129.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Amazon posted higher fiscal third quarter profit and sales compared with a year ago, fueled by accelerating growth in its cloud computing business and strong spending by its customers looking for low prices at a time when inflation is resurging. The results, announced Thursday, beat Wall Street expectations. The company’s prominent cloud computing arm also surpassed analysts’ expectations, rising 20%. But Amazon issued a cautious sales outlook for the fiscal fourth quarter. Shares, however, soared nearly 13% in after-hours trading. Analysts are analyzing Amazon’s results, along with other retailers’ earnings performances, to get insight into how shoppers are spending heading into the holiday season and how the online behemoth is managing cost increases from President Donald The President’s tariffs. But Amazon, based in Seattle, is also under pressure to shore up confidence among investors that its computing arm Amazon Web Services is just as powerful as Microsoft’s Azure and Google’s Google Cloud platform. Amazon delivered better-than-expected 20% growth for AWS, following a 17.5% growth in the fiscal second quarter. Andy Jassy, president and CEO of Amazon, noted in a statement that AWS is growing at a pace it hasn’t seen since 2022. Last week Amazon grappled with a massive outage of AWS after a problem disrupted internet use around the world for most of the day, taking down a broad range of online services, including social media, gaming, food delivery, streaming and financial platforms. Jassy also noted Amazon is seeing strong momentum and growth across Amazon as artificial intelligence drives “meaningful improvements in every corner of our business.” Jassy also pointed out that in stores, Amazon continues to realize the benefits of innovating in its fulfillment network, and it’s on track to deliver to Prime members at the fastest speeds ever again this year, expand same-day delivery of perishable groceries to over 2,300 communities by end of year, and double the number of rural communities with access to Amazon’s same-day and next-day delivery. Amazon is rapidly automating its warehouses, raising big questions on how many workers it will need in the future. In fact, Amazon announced on Tuesday that it’s cutting about 14,000 corporate jobs as it ramps up spending on artificial intelligence and cuts costs elsewhere. Teams and individuals impacted by the job cuts were notified Tuesday. Amazon has about 350,000 corporate employees and a total workforce of about 1.56 million. The cuts amount to about a 4% reduction in its corporate workforce. Jassy told analysts that the announcement on job cuts wasn’t “really financially driven and it’s not even really AI driven.” “It’s culture,” he said. “And if you grow as fast as we did for several years, the size of businesses, the number of people, the number of locations, the types of businesses you’re in, you end up with a lot more people than what you had before, and you end up with a lot more layers.” Late last month, Amazon unveiled a new robotics system — being tested in South Carolina — for its warehouses that coordinates multiple arms to perform picking, stowing, and consolidating tasks simultaneously. This technology effectively collapses three assembly lines into one, the company said. Amazon is also testing an AI agent that helps human managers deploy workers and avoid bottlenecks. The system allows operators to spend less time analyzing dashboards and more time coaching teams, creating safer work environments, the company said. Amazon’s strategies seem to be powering its latest results. Amazon posted net income of $21.12 billion, or $1.95 per share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30. That’s up from $15.33 billion, or $1.43 per share, a year ago. Analysts had expected $1.57 per share for the quarter, according to FactSet. Amazon’s sales rose to $180.2 billion, up from $158.88 billion in the year ago period. Analysts had expected $177.91 billion, according to FactSet. The number of items that Amazon sold in the latest period increased 11%, the company said. In late July, Jassy touted its more than 2 million sellers in its third-party marketplace, all with different strategies of whether to pass on higher costs to shoppers. He also told analysts that it hadn’t seen “diminishing demand nor prices meaningful appreciating.” Amazon said it expects sales for the fiscal fourth quarter to be in the range of $206 billion to $213 billion. —Anne D’Innocenzio, AP Business Writer View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Prioritizing your to-do list is key to getting everything done. You need to make sure you’re allocating enough time to the difficult and important tasks but saving space for the little ones, too, all while not designating too much time, either. Try the ABC method for categorizing your responsibilities for the day. It's simple to implement and will help you make sense of your to-do lists. What is the ABC method?Categorizing your tasks by need, timeline, and time necessary for completion is important, which is why some people use the Eisenhower matrix and others overload their Google Calendars. These are great methods, but you need to find the right one for you and the work you do. One of the simplest methods you can try was devised by Alan Lakein, an author known for his classic time management books, like How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. He suggested assigning priority status in terms of “A,” “B,” and “C” to everything you have to do, with those letters reflecting a hierarchy of importance: “A” items are “must-do” tasks that are important or critical and have close deadlines. “B” tasks are “should-do,” meaning they have a medium level of priority, will be important over time, but don’t have a looming deadline. You should still prioritize them to an extent, since they can evolve into "A" tasks if left unchecked. “C” is for anything that is currently low priority, either because it has few immediate consequences or no near deadline. Determining what is important to do right now and what can wait will help you feel less overwhelmed and figure out what to get cracking on, so you waste less time deliberating about where to even start. How to incorporate this method into your work dayGo through your entire to-do list and start ranking every task as A-, B-, or C-level. Then figure out what you’re going to do with them. I recommend a method like the 3-3-3 technique, which involves three hours of deep work on a big project (one of your A tasks), the completion of three mid-level projects (there are your Bs), and some time left over for the little tasks (your C items). You can also designate full days to certain tasks, especially if your A duties are really demanding. Theming your days helps you stay on-task for hours without worrying about other, less important responsibilities, so consider devoting an entire workday to your A work, the next day to B, and the day after that to C. Just remember to re-evaluate your lettering system every morning or so, since even C-level projects can suddenly turn into ones with A-level urgency. View the full article

A deadly outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes linked to prepared pasta meals is continuing to spread across the United States. Since September 25, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified three new states with infections, bringing the total number to 18 states. The agencies first reported food recalls associated with the outbreak in June. In the last month, seven new cases have been identified, alongside six new hospitalizations. That brings their respective totals to 27 cases and 25 hospitalizations since the outbreak began. Two more deaths have also been reported, with six deaths recorded in total. There is also one reported instance of fetal loss during a pregnancy-associated illness. Where has the Listeria outbreak spread? The outbreak is widespread, with states largely reporting infections in the West, Southeast, and Midwest regions. The CDC has produced a map of where Listeria cases have occurred. Below is a full list of all impacted states: California Florida Hawaii Illinois Indiana Louisiana Michigan Minnesota Missouri North Carolina Nevada Ohio Oregon South Carolina Texas Utah Virginia Washington Which products have been impacted? At least nine different prepared meal products have been recalled in the wake of this outbreak, with major retailers such as Kroger, Trader Joe’s, and Albertsons being among those that have recalled products. Used-by dates on recalled products now extend to as recent as this week. The FDA has a full list of impacted products along with product images on its website. What Listeria symptoms should I look out for? The outbreak was first discovered in August 2024, but the number of new cases reported as part of the outbreak has increased over the last several weeks, according to a timeline on the CDC website. According to the FDA, a person who becomes infected by Listeria-contaminated food will normally begin exhibiting symptoms within two weeks. However, signs can appear up to 10 weeks later. Mild symptoms of a Listeria infection, known as listeriosis, include: Fever Muscle aches Nausea Tiredness Vomiting A severe form of listeriosis can bring symptoms such as: Confusion Convulsions Headache Loss of balance Stiff neck Individuals who are pregnant, 65 and older, or have weakened immune systems are at greater risk. The CDC directs people to call a healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the above symptoms after consuming affected foods. Beyond not eating any of the recalled foods you might have purchased, the CDC also says to clean anything that might have touched these foods. These areas could be in the refrigerator, containers, or surfaces. Listeria can live in a fridge and “easily spread to other foods or surfaces.” What else is there to know? The investigation is ongoing, so it’s possible that more products will be added to the listeria recall. Watch the FDA’s and CDC’s dedicated pages for any updates. View the full article

Think about the last time you made a purchase using your phone. Maybe you were at a coffee shop and when your turn came, you opened your payment app, tapped your phone on the payment device, grabbed your cappuccino, and were done. Quick and easy. Maybe too quick and easy. Did the coffee shop miss a chance to engage with you? Did Mastercard miss an opportunity to show how their brand made this “priceless” moment possible? Did you miss an opportunity to teach your 8-year-old daughter a lesson on the value of money? As business leaders in an increasingly digital landscape, we’ve learned to treat “friction” as a dirty word. “Remove friction at all costs” is the rallying cry of every customer experience and user experience design team. But what have we lost in the quest to reduce cart abandonments or boost transaction speed? By putting speed and efficiency above all else, are we missing opportunities to build connections between consumers and brands—and perhaps each other? Have we lost the space to reflect on the quality of a product, or the substance of an experience? Are we unable to take a moment to think about a choice we just made and wonder whether there are better ones? Not all friction is bad Friction, in any of its many forms, can be a positive force—for teaching, adding value, creating deeper engagement, and fostering human connection. A process that’s too quick and simple may not offer enough choice, lead to poorly informed decisions, or might even erode trust. An experience with the right kind of friction in the right amount can prove more valuable in the long run. There’s a well-known behavioral science principle commonly known as the IKEA effect. Referencing the global home furnishings giant, it refers to a phenomenon where consumers place more value on an item they’ve invested time and energy in creating, which is why you refuse to throw away that $30 bookshelf you spent four hours putting together for your first apartment. The experience of building IKEA furniture is a form of friction that fosters ownership and personal value, even if the intrinsic value of the item is low. To be fair, our obsession with frictionless experiences stems from a legitimate fear: In a world of infinite choice, a single moment of frustration can send a customer to a competitor. But this relentless pursuit of speed and simplicity often results in a sort of non-experience, a homogeneous market where every brand looks and feels the same. The challenge is to find the right places to re-introduce friction, slowing the process to build and differentiate your brand, deepen customer relationships, or drive sales. You can start by dissecting your customer experiences and looking for three types of friction: imagined, demanded and created. 1. Imagined friction In our push towards a frictionless world, many customer experience designers have removed frictions that were never really customer challenges. QR codes were introduced as a means of contactless ordering at restaurants during the pandemic and many still remain in use. The ongoing justification is that it saves costs, allows for changes, and reduces staffing requirements. While these might all be true, it’s no longer a customer need, or a friction point in restaurant dining experiences. In reality, restaurant orders tend to be larger with physical menus because it allows for collaborative viewing and discussion between diners and provides servers an opportunity to upsell and encourage more human interaction between staff and guests. QR codes, on the other hand, only solve an imaginary friction, and have arguably made the restaurant experience poorer. 2. Demanded friction Almost every hotel chain has introduced digital, keyless check-in that can be done from your phone prior to your arrival at the property. At the same time, most hotel chains will acknowledge that the adoption of these technologies has been underwhelming. Most guests prefer to wait in line to check in, wanting to make eye contact with a hotel employee, announcing their arrival to a human, and perhaps chatting their way to a room with a view. The friction of a human interaction adds a degree of value, comfort, and reassurance. Brands should examine their customer journeys to discover points where efficiency and digitization remove essential customer connection points, including connection points customers actually demand—even if it means waiting in line after a six-hour flight! 3. Created friction IKEA isn’t the only brand creating friction to their benefit. With more than 1,000 stores, TJ Maxx is one of the largest clothing retailers in the country. It employs what it calls a “treasure hunt” strategy, making shoppers rifle through an enormous selection of roughly organized goods to find bargains. The assortment constantly changes, and categories are merely notions: You’re very likely to find a soup ladle next to a decorative candle. But their loyalists, affectionately called Maxxinistas, fight through the friction to discover a hidden “haul.” Reintroducing the right kind of friction There are different kinds of friction: cognitive, emotional, and interactive. In our rush to make everything effortlessly interactive, we’ve brushed over the cognitive and emotional—the human—aspects of friction. But research shows that customers are drawn to brands that align with their identity and values, not just those that offer the quickest transaction. By viewing friction not as a flaw but as a feature—or as a moment to be human—brands can design experiences that are more intentional, more aligned to need and, ultimately, more valuable. While no one would make the argument that the consumer experience world should make things slower, more difficult, or more inefficient, no one would suggest we design things to be less human. The trick is, and will be, to balance an increasingly digitized world with more humanity by creating more opportunities for attention, engagement, and connection. Oscar Yuan is chief strategy + growth officer at Material. View the full article