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Generative AI tools continue to improve in terms of their photo editing capabilities, and OpenAI's latest upgrade brings Adobe Photoshop right inside your ChatGPT app window (alongside Adobe Acrobat for handling PDFs, and Adobe Express for graphic design). It's available to everyone, for free—you just need a ChatGPT account and an Adobe account. As per Adobe, the idea is to make "creativity accessible for everyone" by plugging Photoshop tools directly into ChatGPT. The desktop version of Photoshop already comes with plenty of generative AI features of its own, so this is AI layered on top of more AI—but is it actually useful? How to get started with Photoshop inside ChatGPTAdobe Photoshop, Adobe Express and Adobe Acrobat are available now inside ChatGPT on the desktop, on the web, and on iOS. At the time of writing, you can also get Adobe Express inside ChatGPT for Android, with Photoshop and Acrobat "coming soon." To weigh the capabilities of the new integration, I tested it in a desktop web browser. To get started, all you need to do is type "Photoshop" at the start of your prompt: ChatGPT should recognize what you're trying to do, and select Adobe Photoshop as the tool to use for the next prompt. You'll also need to click through a couple of confirmation dialog boxes, and connect an Adobe account (if you don't have one, you can make one for free). You'll need to connect ChatGPT to your Adobe account. Credit: Lifehacker With all the connections and logins completed, Photoshop is then added to the overflow menu in the prompt box, so just click on the + (plus) to select it. You can start describing what you want to happen using the same natural, conversational language you'd use for any other ChatGPT prompt. You do need to also upload an image or provide a public link to one—if you don't do this before you submit your prompt, you'll be asked to do it after. You don't need to know the names of all the Photoshop tools: Just describe what you want to happen and the relevant tools will be selected for you. One example Adobe gives is using the prompt "make my image pop," which brings up the Bloom, Grain, and Lens Distortion effects—and each one can be adjusted via sliders on screen. It's actually quite simple to use. Simple adjustments can be made with on-screen sliders. Credit: Lifehacker If you do know the name of the tools you want, you can call them up by name, and the classic brightness and contrast sliders are a good place to start. You can either say something like "make the picture brighter" or "adjust the image brightness"—both will bring up an overlay you can use to make brightness adjustments, but if you use the former prompt, the image will already have been made a little brighter. ChatGPT and Photoshop let you add edit upon edit as needed, and you can save the image at any stage. There's also the option to open your processed file in the Photoshop web app whenever you like: This web app uses a freemium model, with advanced features requiring a subscription, and seems to be what the ChatGPT integration is largely based on. What you can do with Adobe in ChatGPTAdobe offers a handy ChatGPT prompts cheat sheet you can browse through, which gives you a good idea of what's possible, and what you're still going to need Photoshop proper for. Note that you can specify certain parts of the image to focus on (like "the face" or "the car") but this depends on Photoshop-in-ChatGPT being able to correctly figure out where you want your selection to be. It needs to be pretty obvious and well delineated. When I tried cutting out objects and removing backgrounds, this worked well—but then I had to turn to Photoshop on the web to actually drop in a different background. There's no way to work with layers or masks here, and you can't remove people or objects from photos, either. Sometimes, however, you do get a spool of "thinking" from ChatGPT about how it can't do what the user is asking for. Cut-outs are one of the tricks you can do. Credit: Lifehacker I was able to apply some nice colorizations here, via prompts like "turn all the hues in this image to blue," and I like the way ChatGPT will give you further instructions on how to get the effect you want. You can even say "show some examples" and it gives you a few presets to choose from—all of which can be adjusted via the sliders again. The ability to run prompts like "turn this into an oil painting" or "turn this into a cartoon" are useful too, though the plug-in is limited by the effects available in Photoshop for the web: You'll be directed to the closest effect and advised how to tweak it to get the look you want. Actually, some of these effects work better in ChatGPT's native image editor, which maybe explains why Adobe wanted to get involved here. ChatGPT removed someone from this picture, no Photoshop required. Credit: Lifehacker If ChatGPT's image manipulation gets good enough, then Photoshop is no longer going to be needed by a substantial number of users: ChatGPT can already remove people and objects from photos, for example, quite effectively. What it's not quite as good at is some of the basic adjustments (like colors and contrast) that Adobe software has been managing for years. For quick, basic edits you want to type out in natural language—especially where you want to adjust the edits manually and need advice on what to do next—Photoshop inside ChatGPT is a handy tool to be able to turn to, especially as it's free. For serious edits, though, you're still going to want to fire up the main Photoshop app, or maybe even shun Adobe altogether and make use of ChatGPT's steadily improving editing tools. View the full article

Deal forms part of broader tie-up for media giant’s intellectual property to feature within ChatGPT maker’s productsView the full article

This IMHO interview explores Marie Haynes’ view of an agent-led future, and why the SEOs who master agentic systems early will hold a critical advantage. The post Well-Known SEO Explains Why AI Agents Are Coming For You & What To Do Now appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Vibe coding has come to Washington. Figma’s AI prototyping tool Figma Make is now available to its Figma for Government users, letting government product managers and designers build and iterate on prototypes and apps with a prompt. The development comes as federal agencies face a looming—and possibly impossible—deadline. President Donald The President signed an executive order in August that established a National Design Studio and an initiative to improve government services by Independence Day next year, but government cuts mean there are fewer federal workers to get the job done. It’s a huge undertaking, considering the government’s digital footprint, which includes more than 10,000 websites used by more 400 million people, businesses, and organizations annually. The hope is that Figma Make will cut the production time of prototypes from weeks to hours, as federal teams will be able to use vibe coding, or letting an AI application make code for them, to iterate faster on mockup elements like a website user flow. Figma received FedRAMP authorization earlier this year, a clearance that gives its software a stamp of approval for use across the U.S. government. Already, the San Francisco–based design software company says it has more than 100 federal, regional, and local government agencies around the world as customers, including several U.S. federal government agencies, though they declined to name them. The news shows how Silicon Valley is taking a growing role in government design work in The President’s second term. The President named Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia chief design officer, and on Tuesday, the Defense Department announced it would use Google’s Gemini for its AI platform. Figma reported 38% year-over-year growth of $274 million in its November quarterly earnings call. CEO Dylan Field said about 30% of its biggest customers spending $100,000 or more in annual recurring revenue were using Figma Make on a weekly basis. 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 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 just hit its lowest price yet at $129.99 (according to price trackers), down from its usual $249.99. If you already use a Samsung phone, this might be a good time to take a closer look. SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 7, 40mm $339.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $339.99 at Amazon This 40mm Bluetooth model keeps things simple but refined, with an aluminum body and a 1.3-inch OLED display that’s crisp and easy to read. It weighs only 1 ounce, and while not super slim, it doesn’t feel bulky on the wrist. It’s built to handle real-world use with an IP68 rating, 5ATM waterproofing, and MIL-STD-810H certification. That means it can survive dust, splashes, and some rough handling. Just don’t expect it to hold up during extreme activities, since Samsung reserves those upgrades for the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Performance-wise, the Watch 7 gets a noticeable bump over the previous model. It runs Wear OS 5 with Samsung’s One UI 6 layered on top, which adds new tools like customizable widgets, photo editing, and built-in translation. The dual-frequency GPS tracks location more accurately than before, although this PCMag review notes that the watch can still be slightly off when logging runs or sleep. The screen is responsive, and gesture controls work well. The biggest limitation is battery life: With average use, you’ll get about 22 to 27 hours before needing a recharge. If you want all-day notifications and overnight sleep tracking, charging it daily will become part of the routine. Where the Galaxy Watch 7 stands out is in its health and fitness tracking. You get the basics like heart rate, blood oxygen, ECG, and automatic workout detection. But it also adds body composition analysis, FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, and a new AI Energy Score that summarizes your fitness and sleep data into a single number. Some of the smarter features, like snore detection, only work if you have a Samsung phone nearby, which limits the experience for non-Samsung users. Still, at this new lower price, the Watch 7 offers strong value for Android users who want solid fitness tools in a durable, polished design. And if you're considering the new Galaxy Watch 8, it’s worth checking out this side-by-side comparison by PCMag to see how much of an upgrade it really is. Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $358.00 (List Price $358.00) Sony WH-1000XM5 — $278.00 (List Price $399.99) Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99) Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $329.00 (List Price $429.00) Blink Outdoor 4 1080p 3-Camera Kit With Sync Module Core — $74.99 (List Price $189.99) Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $29.99 (List Price $49.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

I expected the dark-themed landing page to lose. Everything I knew about conversion optimization said the light background should win. Light themes are standard for B2B lead generation pages because they offer better readability, cleaner visual hierarchy, and align with accessibility standards. Unbounce’s analysis of 41,000 landing pages establishes baseline patterns favoring light backgrounds. It seemed like a safe bet. But after splitting paid traffic 50/50 between a dark landing page and a light landing page for our industrial fleet repair SaaS, the light variant achieved a 16.62% higher CTR yet delivered 42% fewer total conversions. This isn’t an argument for universal adoption of dark themes. It’s a case study in why audience context and industry-specific psychological associations matter more than following aggregate best practices derived from different populations. Why light seemed like the obvious choice We operate in a niche B2B SaaS vertical serving the transportation industry – specifically businesses that maintain commercial vehicles and equipment. Our target buyers are shop owners and operators who spend their days in industrial environments managing technicians, equipment, and demanding commercial customers. Going into this test, I had specific expectations. Light backgrounds would convert better for text-heavy lead generation pages. Professional B2B landing page design principles emphasize whitespace and visual hierarchy. For our 7-field form targeting busy shop operators, light mode with dark text should provide superior readability. Blue CTAs would outperform. Blue is commonly associated with trust and security, which are critical for B2B software purchases. Our treatment used a blue CTA button for this reason. I was wrong on both counts. Dig deeper: 5 tips for creating a high-converting PPC landing page The test: Isolating visual design We ran a standard 50/50 split test through Google Ads and Meta, directing traffic to two landing pages with identical copy but drastically different visual presentations. The control featured a dark theme: Black background throughout. White text overlay. High-contrast white form fields on the dark backdrop. A black CTA button with a red outline. A dark overlay on the background image (trucks and an industrial environment). No brand logo in the header. The treatment used a light theme: White and light gray background. Dark text on the light background. Light gray form fields on white. A blue CTA button. A lighter overlay on the same background image. The brand logo was prominently displayed in the header. We kept everything else identical, particularly the: Headline. Body copy. Value proposition. 7-field form structure (email, name, business name, phone, shop type, technician count). Page layout. This variable isolation is critical. If you change multiple elements, you cannot attribute results to any single change. The test ran for 3 to 4 weeks on Google Ads search campaigns and Meta (Facebook and Instagram). The total spend on Google was $8,205.97, resulting in 767 clicks and 30 conversions. What happened: The light theme’s CTR advantage was misleading The results from Google Ads: Dark theme: 10,250 impressions. 466 clicks (4.55% CTR). 19 conversions (4.08% conversion rate). Cost per conversion: $274.67. Light theme: 5,677 impressions (44.6% fewer). 301 clicks (5.30% CTR). 11 conversions (3.65% conversion rate). Cost per conversion: $271.56. The light theme’s CTR was 16.62% higher, which would typically be interpreted as a win. But it attracted lower-quality traffic that converted at comparable or worse rates. Meanwhile, Google’s algorithm allocated 44.6% fewer impressions to the light variant, resulting in 42% fewer total conversions despite essentially identical cost per conversion. We ran the same test simultaneously on Meta, and the results were even more definitive. The dark theme significantly outperformed the light theme in conversions, with the light variant rarely generating conversions at all. This cross-platform consistency suggested the finding wasn’t an algorithmic quirk – it was an audience preference. MetricControl (Dark)Treatment (Light)Impressions10,2505,677 (-44.6%)Clicks466301 (-35.4%)CTR4.55%5.30% (+16.62%)Conversions1911 (-42.1%)Conversion Rate4.08%3.65% (-10.5%)Cost per Conversion$274.67$271.56 (-1.1%) Note: Google’s algorithm allocated significantly fewer impressions to the light theme, likely detecting lower engagement signals that affected Quality Score. Dig deeper: Dynamic landing pages: What works, what fails, and how to test Why the dark theme won: Audience psychology over design theory The result makes sense when you consider who we’re targeting and what they respond to psychologically. Identity alignment: ‘This is for people like me’ Commercial transportation businesses are industrial workplaces. The aesthetic is functional, not decorative. Dark colors, metal surfaces, concrete floors, and equipment with black housings. The environmental psychology of these spaces shapes what feels trustworthy to the people who work in them. The dark landing page matched that identity. It signaled “built for your industry” without explicitly stating it. The light theme, with its clean, modern aesthetic and prominent branding, resembled consumer SaaS: professional, polished, and aimed at someone else. This pattern consistently appears in optimization testing: designs that reflect the visitor’s environment convert better than those that aspire to a different aesthetic standard. Form contrast: Making interaction obvious The white form fields on the dark background created exceptional contrast. They were visually unmissable. The form demanded attention not through size or position, but through contrast that made it impossible to ignore. The light theme’s gray-on-white form fields blended into the page. They required conscious visual search. For a 7-field B2B form targeting busy shop operators, reducing cognitive load through clarity matters more than aesthetic refinement. Tonal weight: Seriousness signals value Dark backgrounds communicate weight, substance, seriousness, and luxury. They feel significant. Light backgrounds communicate ease, accessibility, and friendliness. All valuable qualities for many products, but potentially wrong for expensive B2B software aimed at industrial buyers. Industrial software is a significant operational investment. It touches every part of the business: scheduling, invoicing, inventory, and customer relationships. Buyers need to feel that the software is substantial enough to handle that responsibility. The dark theme’s visual gravity supported that perception. The light theme’s brightness worked against it. Category conventions: The familiar is trustworthy Most heavy equipment, repair tools, and industrial software use dark interfaces. Parts catalogs, diagnostic software, and inventory systems typically trend toward dark themes with high-contrast elements. This isn’t random. It’s a category convention that has emerged because it works in these contexts. Category conventions matter. Violating them can signal innovation, but it can also signal unfamiliarity. For risk-averse buyers making expensive B2B purchases, the familiar aesthetic reduced perceived risk rather than creating it. The CTA color lesson Despite following best practices by using a blue CTA button on the light theme (the color associated with trust in B2B contexts), it underperformed against the black button with red outline on the dark theme. This violated conventional color psychology, but the explanation is straightforward: contrast matters more than color choice. The black-and-red button created a dramatic contrast against the dark background and white form fields, making it impossible to miss. The blue button, while theoretically the “correct” choice, blended into the light design’s overall aesthetic, reducing its visual prominence despite proper color selection. Dig deeper: How to design landing pages that boost SEO and maximize conversions Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. The real lesson: Test design psychology, not just design The lesson isn’t “dark beats light.” It’s that design is a carrier for psychological signals that vary by context. Your test hypothesis should be about the message your design sends, not the design itself. Before your next test, ask: What does this design signal about who the product is for? Does it match your buyer’s identity, or create distance? What emotional response does it create? Weight/seriousness versus lightness/ease? Trust versus skepticism? Familiarity versus novelty? How does it fit category conventions? Are you violating expectations intentionally (differentiation) or accidentally causing confusion? What does it demand of the visitor? Does high contrast reduce cognitive load, or does darkness create strain? How does it connect to the previous step? Are you maintaining aesthetic continuity from ad/email/referral source? These questions matter more than “which color converts better” because the answer to that question is always “it depends.” Dig deeper: PPC landing pages: How to craft a winning post-click experience How to run your own landing page design test If you want to run a similar experiment, here’s what I learned about proper test structure. Create true visual opposites Don’t test shades of the same approach. Develop genuinely distinct aesthetic treatments that represent unique psychological perspectives. Dark versus light is a clear contrast. Light blue versus light green is not. Keep everything else identical Same copy, form, value prop, CTA, page structure, and URL parameters. Change only the visual treatment. If you change multiple variables, you can’t attribute results to any single change. Proper A/B testing requires variable isolation to draw valid conclusions. Monitor both ad and landing page performance Track CTR separately from conversion rate. If one variation gets higher CTR but lower conversion rate, you’ve discovered a message-match problem – the ad is attracting the wrong traffic. Also, monitor if Google’s algorithm allocates impressions differently. If one variation gets significantly fewer impressions, the algorithm may be detecting lower quality scores or engagement signals. Calculate true cost per conversion Don’t just compare conversion rates. Calculate actual cost per conversion including ad spend. A variation with slightly lower conversion rate but significantly lower CPC might win on efficiency. Look at confidence intervals, not just point estimates With smaller conversion volumes, confidence intervals matter more than point estimates. The conversion rates were too close to call a definitive winner based on the sample size. Consider audience segmentation If possible, segment results by device, geography, time of day, or other demographic factors. Dark themes might perform differently for mobile versus desktop, or for different age ranges. Run qualitative analysis Use heatmaps to see where users focus attention on each variation. Run session recordings to watch actual navigation behavior. Survey converters and non-converters to understand perception differences. We didn’t do this for this test, but it would strengthen the analysis significantly. Dig deeper: Audience targeting in Google Ads Search campaigns: How to layer data for better results Why audience context The Presidents best practices The dangerous part of best practices in optimization is the implicit universality claim. “Light backgrounds convert better” becomes “light backgrounds always convert better for everyone,” which leads to cargo cult optimization, copying tactics without understanding context. Light backgrounds do tend to outperform in aggregate data. But averages hide variation. Industry-specific contexts reveal massive differences. What works for SaaS doesn’t work for events. What works for ecommerce doesn’t work for B2B services. Your optimization framework should start with “who is my audience and what signals do they respond to?” – not “what does research say works on average?” The most successful tests challenge assumptions rather than confirm them. This test challenged the assumption that modern, clean, light design is universally superior. It wasn’t, at least not for this audience. Dig deeper: Top 6 B2B paid media platforms: Where and how to advertise effectively Clarity in your tests creates clarity in your decisions Industrial B2B is just one example, but the principle holds everywhere: design only works when its signals match the audience. When you ground your tests in that question – not in aesthetics – you get cleaner data and clearer decisions. That shift turns every experiment into a reliable read on what your audience actually values, and that’s what drives consistent, defensible gains over time. 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The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point Wednesday for the third time since September, bringing its key rate to about 3.6%, the lowest in nearly three years. Before September, it had gone nine months without a cut. The benchmark rate is the rate at which banks borrow and lend to one another, and the Fed has two goals when it sets the rate: one, to manage prices for goods and services, and two, to encourage full employment. The benchmark rate also affects the interest rates consumers pay to borrow money via credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, and other financial products. Typically, the Fed might increase the rate to try to bring down inflation and decrease it to encourage faster economic growth, including by boosting hiring. The challenge now is that inflation remains higher than the Fed’s 2% target but the job market has cooled. The government shutdown had also prevented the timely collection and release of some data the Fed relies on to monitor the health of the economy. Here’s what to know: Interest on savings accounts will continue to decline For savers, falling interest rates will continue to erode attractive yields currently on offer with certificates of deposit (CDs) and high-yield savings accounts. Three of the big five banks (Ally, American Express, and Synchrony) cut their savings account rates since the last Fed rate cut in October, according to Ken Tumin, founder of DepositAccounts.com. The top rates for high yield savings accounts right now remain around 4.35% to 4.6%. Those are still better than the trends of recent years, and a good option for consumers who want to earn a return on money they may want to access in the near-term. A high yield savings account generally has a much higher annual percentage yield than a traditional savings account. The national average for traditional savings accounts is currently 0.61%, according to Bankrate. A cut will impact mortgages gradually For prospective homebuyers, the market has already priced in the rate cut, meaning mortgage rates continue to hover around the lowest levels in more than a year. Mortgage rates are also influenced by bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. “While there’s no guarantee that the Fed’s move will push mortgage rates lower, there’s reason to be optimistic that homebuyers could see rates below 6.00% in the next year, even if only briefly,” according to Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree. “That would likely spur more Americans to refinance their current high-rate mortgages and possibly even to consider shopping for a new home.” Credit card rate relief could be slow Interest rates for credit cards are currently at an average of 19.80%, down from a record-high 20.79% set in August 2024, but still historically high. The Fed’s rate cut may be slow to be felt by anyone carrying a large amount of credit card debt. That said, any reduction is positive news. “The reductions could mean hundreds of dollars in savings for debtors,” according to LendingTree’s Schulz. While the decrease is incremental, improved affordability could also help stabilize delinquency trends, according to Michele Raneri, vice president of U.S. research at credit reporting bureau TransUnion. “Lower borrowing costs can begin to ease household budgets, providing relief from inflationary pressures and reducing financial stress,” she said. Still, the best thing for anyone carrying a large credit card balance is to prioritize paying down high-interest-rate debt, and to seek to transfer any amounts possible to lower APR cards or negotiate directly with credit card companies for accommodation. Raneri added that the current economic environment continues to be defined by “persistent affordability challenges.” Auto loans are not expected to decline soon Americans have faced steeper auto loan rates over the last three years after the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate starting in early 2022. Those are not expected to decline anytime soon. While a cut will contribute to eventual relief, it might be slow in arriving, analysts say. And more borrowers are falling behind on car payments, a sign of economic distress. In October, 6.65% of subprime borrowers were at least 60 days late on their payments, according to Fitch Ratings, the highest delinquency rate on record, since record-keeping began in the early 1990s. The costs of both new and used vehicles remain high, according to Bankrate, which may be in part due to a shortage of used cars. Generally speaking, an auto loan annual percentage rate can run from about 4% to 30%, depending on the borrower’s credit score. Bankrate’s most recent weekly survey found that average auto loan interest rates are currently at 7.05% on a 60-month new car loan. The cut signals the Fed cares about the labor market If you’re a job-seeker right now, the Fed rate cut is good news, since cheaper borrowing for businesses could help them invest in additional employees to grow their business. “Overall, we’ve seen a slowing demand for workers with employers not hiring the way they did a couple of years ago,” said Cory Stahle, senior economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab. “By lowering the interest rate, you make it a little more financially reasonable for employers to hire additional people. Especially in some areas – like startups, where companies lean pretty heavily on borrowed money – that’s the hope here.” Stahle acknowledged that it could take time for the rate cuts to filter down to employers and then to workers, but he said the signal of the reduction is also important. “Beyond the size of the cut, it tells employers and job-seekers something about the Federal Reserve’s priorities and focus. That they’re concerned about the labor market and willing to step in and support the labor market. It’s an assurance of the reserve’s priorities.” — The Associated Press receives support from the Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism. —Cora Lewis, Associated Press View the full article

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are taking Gemini Space Station Inc. into the prediction market space. The cryptocurrency exchange’s CEO and president, respectively, said on Thursday that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has granted a Designated Contract Market (DCM) license to a company affiliate called Gemini Titan, LLC. Gemini Titan will offer event contracts written as yes-or-no questions about future occurrences, essentially letting U.S. users gamble on the outcomes of everyday events. As examples, Gemini in its announcement provided the questions, “Will 1 bitcoin end this year higher than $200k?” and “Will Elon Musk’s X end up paying the full $140 million fine to the European Commission in 2026?” The news comes three months after the Winklevoss twins, made infamous in the 2010 film The Social Network, brought Gemini public amid a wave of crypto-focused IPOs this year. Gemini’s shares (Nasdaq:GEMI) soared about 16% during after-hours and into premarket trading on Thursday. However, its stock is still down more than 64% from a high that it had reached around its market debut in September. “Making America the crypto capital of the world” The CFTC’s granting of the license comes half a decade after Gemini first applied on March 10, 2020. Tyler Winklevoss credited the approval to President The President “for ending the Biden Administration’s War on Crypto.” He also thanked the CFTC’s acting chairman, Caroline D. Pham, for her “hard work and dedication to help realize President The President’s vision for making America the crypto capital of the world.” Tyler Winklevoss continued his fawning: “It’s incredibly refreshing and invigorating to have a President and a financial regulator who are pro crypto, pro innovation, and pro America.” As for when Gemini Titan will be up and running, the release simply states that it’s “starting shortly.” U.S. customers should be able to use dollars to trade event contracts in their Gemini account on the web and, eventually, the mobile app. The company adds that Gemini Titan might add crypto futures, options, and perpetual contracts to its derivative offerings in the future. It will have to compete with existing prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi. View the full article

If you’re looking to establish a corporation, comprehension of how to get Articles of Incorporation is crucial. This process involves several steps, including meeting your state’s filing requirements and selecting a unique business name. You’ll need to gather specific information about your corporation, like its purpose and registered agent. By following these guidelines, you can guarantee a smooth filing process. But, what happens after you submit your application? Key Takeaways Determine your state of incorporation and review specific filing requirements and fees for Articles of Incorporation. Choose a unique business name that includes a corporate suffix and complies with state regulations. Gather necessary information like the corporation’s purpose, registered agent, address, and number of authorized shares. Complete and submit the Articles of Incorporation form along with the required filing fees to the appropriate state office. After filing, obtain an EIN from the IRS and conduct an organizational meeting to ratify bylaws and appoint directors. Understanding Articles of Incorporation Comprehending Articles of Incorporation is crucial for anyone looking to establish a corporation. These formal documents, filed with the Secretary of State, establish your corporation as a separate legal entity from its shareholders. They typically include important information like the corporation’s name, purpose, registered agent, and board structure. By filing these incorporation papers in New York, you gain legal recognition, which boosts credibility with investors and regulatory bodies. The requirements may vary by state; for instance, you might need to list authorized shares and the corporation’s purpose. If you’re wondering where can I get articles of incorporation, you can often find them on your state’s Secretary of State website or through legal service providers. Benefits of Incorporating Your Business Incorporating your business offers significant advantages that can improve its overall success. You gain legal protection, which separates your personal assets from corporate debts, as well as boosting your credibility with customers and investors. Furthermore, incorporation opens doors to funding opportunities, allowing you to raise capital more effectively and secure your business’s future. Legal Protection for Owners When you decide to incorporate your business, one of the primary advantages is the legal protection it offers to owners. By forming a corporation, you gain limited liability protection, meaning your personal assets are shielded from business debts and legal liabilities. This protection is vital for safeguarding your finances. Furthermore, incorporating allows for perpetual existence, ensuring your business can operate independently of changes in ownership. As you consider incorporating, you might wonder, “how do I get a copy of my business license?” Obtaining this document is necessary for compliance and boosts your business’s legitimacy. Finally, corporations can raise capital more easily, opening doors for growth that unincorporated entities may not access. Enhanced Credibility and Trust Establishing your business as a corporation greatly boosts its credibility and trustworthiness. By incorporating, your business gains legal recognition, making it a separate entity from its owners. This status allows your corporation to enter contracts, sue or be sued, and own property, which reassures investors, customers, and partners about its legitimacy. Furthermore, incorporating provides access to various tax benefits and legal rights, enhancing your appeal in the market. The structured governance outlined in your articles of incorporation encourages clarity in management and operations, promoting trust and transparency. In addition, incorporation protects owners from personal liability for business debts, further reassuring stakeholders that their interests are safeguarded. Ultimately, this strengthens your business relationships and enhances your reputation. Access to Funding Opportunities Securing funding can be much easier for incorporated businesses compared to their unincorporated counterparts. When you incorporate, you improve your credibility with investors and customers, making it simpler to attract funding opportunities. Many venture capitalists and angel investors prefer working with formal business structures like corporations. In addition, as a corporation, you can issue stocks, allowing you to raise capital by selling shares—something sole proprietorships and partnerships can’t do. Lenders likewise favor incorporated entities, viewing them as lower risk because of limited liability protections for owners and shareholders. Furthermore, incorporating can make you eligible for government grants and funding programs tailored for registered businesses, further increasing your access to financial resources. Choosing the Right Business Structure Choosing the right business structure is vital as it directly impacts your liability, tax obligations, and governance requirements. You can choose from several options, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. Corporations provide limited liability protection, safeguarding your personal assets, whereas LLCs offer flexible management and favorable tax treatment. Each structure has unique filing requirements; for instance, corporations must file Articles of Incorporation, whereas LLCs submit Articles of Organization. Tax implications also differ markedly; C Corporations face double taxation, whereas S Corporations and LLCs allow income to pass through to owners, avoiding this issue. Comprehending these differences is fundamental, especially if you plan to attract investors or secure funding for growth. Selecting a Unique Business Name Once you’ve selected your business structure, the next step involves picking a unique business name that stands out and complies with state regulations. Start by conducting a name availability check through the Texas Secretary of State’s online database to guarantee your chosen name isn’t already in use. Remember, your business name must include a corporate suffix, like “Inc.” or “LLC,” depending on your structure. It’s wise to choose a name that reflects your business’s nature, aiding branding efforts. Avoid restricted words such as “bank” or “insurance” except you have the necessary approvals, as these require special licensing. Finally, consider reserving your selected name temporarily to secure it as you finalize your Articles of Incorporation. Gathering Required Information To gather the required information for your Articles of Incorporation, start by confirming your unique business name and ensuring it meets state regulations. Next, designate a registered agent, who’ll handle legal documents for your corporation, and make sure you have their details ready. Finally, prepare to provide any additional information your state might require, including the physical address and the names of initial directors or members. Business Name Selection Selecting the right business name is vital, as it not just represents your brand but must furthermore comply with state regulations. Here are key points to reflect on: Uniqueness: Choose a name that’s not already in use. Check your state’s business name database to verify your selected name is available. Legal Designation: Include a legal designation in your business name, such as “Corporation,” “Inc.,” or “LLC,” based on your chosen structure. Restricted Words: Verify that your name doesn’t include restricted words that may require special approval, like “bank,” “insurance,” or “trust.” Moreover, reflect on the availability of a matching domain name for online presence and prepare your business’s physical address for the Articles of Incorporation. Registered Agent Details After choosing a suitable business name, gathering the necessary details for your registered agent becomes the next step in the incorporation process. Your registered agent must have a physical address in the state where your business is incorporated, serving as the official point of contact for legal documents and government notices. This agent can be an individual or a business entity authorized to operate in the state, but it can’t be your corporation itself. Make certain you have the agent’s full legal name and address ready, as this information must be accurately included in your Articles of Incorporation. Selecting a reliable registered agent is essential, as missing important documents can lead to legal complications or penalties. Completing the Articles of Incorporation Form Completing the Articles of Incorporation form is a crucial step in establishing your corporation, and it’s important to approach this task methodically. Start by visiting your state’s Secretary of State website to access the form and review specific filing guidelines. You’ll need to gather necessary information: The corporation’s name and verify it complies with state regulations and isn’t already in use. The purpose of your corporation, which should be clearly defined. The registered agent’s contact details and the number of authorized shares. Fill out the form carefully, providing all required details, and double-check for accuracy to avoid delays. Finally, submit the completed form along with the appropriate filing fee to the Secretary of State’s office. Filing the Articles With the Secretary of State Once you’ve completed your Articles of Incorporation, it’s time to file them with the Secretary of State. You’ll need to gather all required documentation, including the necessary forms and your filing fee, which varies depending on the type of corporation you’re establishing. Comprehending the submission process and ensuring everything is in order will help you avoid delays in getting your corporation officially recognized. Required Documentation Checklist To successfully file the Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State, you’ll need to gather several key pieces of documentation. Start by ensuring you have the following: Essential Business Information: This includes the legal name, purpose, and registered agent details for your corporation. Name Availability Check: Conduct a search in the Secretary of State’s database to confirm your business name is unique and complies with state requirements. Completed Articles of Incorporation Form: Fill out the form as directed, including necessary components like the number of shares and director information, along with the appropriate filing fees, which range from $25 for nonprofits to $300 for profit corporations. With this checklist, you’ll be prepared to file your Articles of Incorporation accurately. Submission Process Overview Filing your Articles of Incorporation is a crucial step in establishing your business, as it formally registers your corporation with the state. To start, visit the Secretary of State’s website to find the appropriate forms and guidelines customized to your business structure. Make sure you have all necessary information ready, including your business name, purpose, registered agent, and details on authorized shares if applicable. The filing fee typically costs $300 for profit or professional corporations, whereas nonprofit corporations require a $25 fee. After completing the forms, submit them along with the filing fee either by mail or online, if available. Processing usually takes 3-5 business days, with expedited options for an additional fee of $10-$50. Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) When starting a business, obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is an important step, especially since it’s required for tax identification and various operational purposes. You can apply for an EIN online through the IRS website, by mail, or by fax, with the online method being the fastest and usually providing immediate results. The application process requires basic information about your business, such as: Legal structure (e.g., corporation, partnership) Business name and address Social Security Number of the principal officer There’s no cost to apply for an EIN, making it a free but vital step if you plan to hire employees or operate as a corporation or partnership. Once obtained, you’ll use the EIN for various business functions. Understanding Filing Fees and Payment Options After securing your Employer Identification Number (EIN), the next step involves comprehending the filing fees and payment options associated with incorporating your business. In Texas, the filing fee for a profit or professional corporation is $300, whereas it’s only $25 for a nonprofit corporation. If you need expedited processing, expect additional costs ranging from $10 to $50, depending on how quickly you need the service. Payment options typically include checks, money orders, or credit/debit cards, depending on your submission method. Always check the Texas Secretary of State’s website for the most current fee structure, as fees can vary based on specific requirements. Post-Filing Steps and Compliance Once you’ve filed your Articles of Incorporation, it’s crucial to take several important steps to confirm your new corporation complies with legal requirements. Here are three key actions: Obtain an EIN: Apply for a Federal Tax Identification Number through the IRS. You’ll need this for tax purposes and to open a business bank account. Conduct an Organizational Meeting: Hold a meeting with incorporators to ratify bylaws, appoint directors, and issue stock certificates. Be sure to document minutes for legal compliance. Maintain Ongoing Compliance: Regularly file periodic reports with the state, hold annual meetings, and keep accurate records of corporate activities to avoid penalties and confirm your corporation remains in good standing. Common Mistakes to Avoid While starting a corporation can be an exciting venture, it’s essential to avoid common pitfalls that could derail your efforts. First, check the availability of your business name before filing; name conflicts can lead to rejection. Make sure to include all required details, such as the registered agent’s information and your business purpose, to prevent delays or denial. Specify the correct type of corporation, like C Corporation or S Corporation, to avoid unintended tax issues. Don’t overlook state-specific requirements, which can vary greatly and lead to incomplete filings. Finally, include the number of authorized shares; neglecting this can create problems with governance and ownership recognition. Resources for Additional Assistance When starting your expedition to incorporate a business, having access to the right resources can make all the difference. Here are some key resources to take into account: Texas Secretary of State’s Website: Check this site for guidelines and downloadable forms needed for filing Articles of Incorporation. SOSDirect Platform: Utilize this platform for easy access to various business forms and filing options. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: Call (800) 252-1381 for help regarding franchise tax accounts and certificates of account status. Moreover, explore online resources for templates and instructions to guarantee compliance with state requirements. Consulting with legal professionals or document preparation services can likewise help you navigate the intricacies of business formation, ensuring accurate filings. Maintaining Your Corporation’s Good Standing Maintaining your corporation’s good standing is crucial for ensuring its longevity and legal compliance. To achieve this in Texas, you must file annual reports and pay franchise taxes on time with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Regularly check your corporation’s status using the online Certificate Verification service from the Texas Secretary of State to confirm compliance. Accurate minutes of annual meetings and corporate actions should be recorded, as these demonstrate adherence to governance protocols. Moreover, maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Texas, as this is legally required for receiving official documents. Finally, stay updated on changes in state regulations or filing requirements that could impact your corporation’s compliance status. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get Access to Articles of Incorporation? To access Articles of Incorporation, start by visiting the Texas Secretary of State‘s website. You’ll use their online services to request documents. Be ready to provide the corporation’s legal name, formation date, and possibly the registered agent’s name and physical address. There might be a small fee for obtaining copies. If you need assistance, you can call the Secretary of State’s office at (800) 252-1381 for help with your request. Can I Create My Own Articles of Incorporation? Yes, you can create your own Articles of Incorporation by following your state’s guidelines. You’ll need to include crucial details like your business name, purpose, registered agent, and share information if applicable. Before finalizing, check if your chosen name is available. Although self-filing is possible, consulting a legal professional could help navigate intricacies and guarantee accuracy. Be aware that filing fees vary by state, typically ranging from $25 to $300. How Fast Can You Get Articles of Incorporation? You can typically get Articles of Incorporation in Texas within 3-5 business days, but if you need them faster, expedited services can cut this down to just 1 business day for an extra fee. Make sure your documents are accurate and complete, as errors can cause delays. Submitting online through the Texas Secretary of State’s website usually speeds up the process, and you can check your filing status there for updates. Who Prepares Articles of Incorporation? You can prepare Articles of Incorporation yourself, hire an attorney, or use a document preparation service, depending on your expertise. First, gather crucial information like your business name, registered agent, and purpose. Many states offer specific forms and guidelines on their Secretary of State’s website, which can streamline the process. Although you can do it alone, seeking professional assistance often guarantees compliance with state laws and helps avoid common mistakes. Conclusion Incorporating your business is an essential step that provides legal protection and can improve credibility. By comprehending the process, from selecting a unique name to filing the Articles of Incorporation, you can guarantee compliance with state regulations. Remember to keep thorough records and stay informed about your ongoing obligations to maintain good standing. Following these steps will help you establish a solid foundation for your corporation, allowing you to focus on growing your business effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How to Get Articles of Incorporation – A Step-by-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

If you’re looking to establish a corporation, comprehension of how to get Articles of Incorporation is crucial. This process involves several steps, including meeting your state’s filing requirements and selecting a unique business name. You’ll need to gather specific information about your corporation, like its purpose and registered agent. By following these guidelines, you can guarantee a smooth filing process. But, what happens after you submit your application? Key Takeaways Determine your state of incorporation and review specific filing requirements and fees for Articles of Incorporation. Choose a unique business name that includes a corporate suffix and complies with state regulations. Gather necessary information like the corporation’s purpose, registered agent, address, and number of authorized shares. Complete and submit the Articles of Incorporation form along with the required filing fees to the appropriate state office. After filing, obtain an EIN from the IRS and conduct an organizational meeting to ratify bylaws and appoint directors. Understanding Articles of Incorporation Comprehending Articles of Incorporation is crucial for anyone looking to establish a corporation. These formal documents, filed with the Secretary of State, establish your corporation as a separate legal entity from its shareholders. They typically include important information like the corporation’s name, purpose, registered agent, and board structure. By filing these incorporation papers in New York, you gain legal recognition, which boosts credibility with investors and regulatory bodies. The requirements may vary by state; for instance, you might need to list authorized shares and the corporation’s purpose. If you’re wondering where can I get articles of incorporation, you can often find them on your state’s Secretary of State website or through legal service providers. Benefits of Incorporating Your Business Incorporating your business offers significant advantages that can improve its overall success. You gain legal protection, which separates your personal assets from corporate debts, as well as boosting your credibility with customers and investors. Furthermore, incorporation opens doors to funding opportunities, allowing you to raise capital more effectively and secure your business’s future. Legal Protection for Owners When you decide to incorporate your business, one of the primary advantages is the legal protection it offers to owners. By forming a corporation, you gain limited liability protection, meaning your personal assets are shielded from business debts and legal liabilities. This protection is vital for safeguarding your finances. Furthermore, incorporating allows for perpetual existence, ensuring your business can operate independently of changes in ownership. As you consider incorporating, you might wonder, “how do I get a copy of my business license?” Obtaining this document is necessary for compliance and boosts your business’s legitimacy. Finally, corporations can raise capital more easily, opening doors for growth that unincorporated entities may not access. Enhanced Credibility and Trust Establishing your business as a corporation greatly boosts its credibility and trustworthiness. By incorporating, your business gains legal recognition, making it a separate entity from its owners. This status allows your corporation to enter contracts, sue or be sued, and own property, which reassures investors, customers, and partners about its legitimacy. Furthermore, incorporating provides access to various tax benefits and legal rights, enhancing your appeal in the market. The structured governance outlined in your articles of incorporation encourages clarity in management and operations, promoting trust and transparency. In addition, incorporation protects owners from personal liability for business debts, further reassuring stakeholders that their interests are safeguarded. Ultimately, this strengthens your business relationships and enhances your reputation. Access to Funding Opportunities Securing funding can be much easier for incorporated businesses compared to their unincorporated counterparts. When you incorporate, you improve your credibility with investors and customers, making it simpler to attract funding opportunities. Many venture capitalists and angel investors prefer working with formal business structures like corporations. In addition, as a corporation, you can issue stocks, allowing you to raise capital by selling shares—something sole proprietorships and partnerships can’t do. Lenders likewise favor incorporated entities, viewing them as lower risk because of limited liability protections for owners and shareholders. Furthermore, incorporating can make you eligible for government grants and funding programs tailored for registered businesses, further increasing your access to financial resources. Choosing the Right Business Structure Choosing the right business structure is vital as it directly impacts your liability, tax obligations, and governance requirements. You can choose from several options, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. Corporations provide limited liability protection, safeguarding your personal assets, whereas LLCs offer flexible management and favorable tax treatment. Each structure has unique filing requirements; for instance, corporations must file Articles of Incorporation, whereas LLCs submit Articles of Organization. Tax implications also differ markedly; C Corporations face double taxation, whereas S Corporations and LLCs allow income to pass through to owners, avoiding this issue. Comprehending these differences is fundamental, especially if you plan to attract investors or secure funding for growth. Selecting a Unique Business Name Once you’ve selected your business structure, the next step involves picking a unique business name that stands out and complies with state regulations. Start by conducting a name availability check through the Texas Secretary of State’s online database to guarantee your chosen name isn’t already in use. Remember, your business name must include a corporate suffix, like “Inc.” or “LLC,” depending on your structure. It’s wise to choose a name that reflects your business’s nature, aiding branding efforts. Avoid restricted words such as “bank” or “insurance” except you have the necessary approvals, as these require special licensing. Finally, consider reserving your selected name temporarily to secure it as you finalize your Articles of Incorporation. Gathering Required Information To gather the required information for your Articles of Incorporation, start by confirming your unique business name and ensuring it meets state regulations. Next, designate a registered agent, who’ll handle legal documents for your corporation, and make sure you have their details ready. Finally, prepare to provide any additional information your state might require, including the physical address and the names of initial directors or members. Business Name Selection Selecting the right business name is vital, as it not just represents your brand but must furthermore comply with state regulations. Here are key points to reflect on: Uniqueness: Choose a name that’s not already in use. Check your state’s business name database to verify your selected name is available. Legal Designation: Include a legal designation in your business name, such as “Corporation,” “Inc.,” or “LLC,” based on your chosen structure. Restricted Words: Verify that your name doesn’t include restricted words that may require special approval, like “bank,” “insurance,” or “trust.” Moreover, reflect on the availability of a matching domain name for online presence and prepare your business’s physical address for the Articles of Incorporation. Registered Agent Details After choosing a suitable business name, gathering the necessary details for your registered agent becomes the next step in the incorporation process. Your registered agent must have a physical address in the state where your business is incorporated, serving as the official point of contact for legal documents and government notices. This agent can be an individual or a business entity authorized to operate in the state, but it can’t be your corporation itself. Make certain you have the agent’s full legal name and address ready, as this information must be accurately included in your Articles of Incorporation. Selecting a reliable registered agent is essential, as missing important documents can lead to legal complications or penalties. Completing the Articles of Incorporation Form Completing the Articles of Incorporation form is a crucial step in establishing your corporation, and it’s important to approach this task methodically. Start by visiting your state’s Secretary of State website to access the form and review specific filing guidelines. You’ll need to gather necessary information: The corporation’s name and verify it complies with state regulations and isn’t already in use. The purpose of your corporation, which should be clearly defined. The registered agent’s contact details and the number of authorized shares. Fill out the form carefully, providing all required details, and double-check for accuracy to avoid delays. Finally, submit the completed form along with the appropriate filing fee to the Secretary of State’s office. Filing the Articles With the Secretary of State Once you’ve completed your Articles of Incorporation, it’s time to file them with the Secretary of State. You’ll need to gather all required documentation, including the necessary forms and your filing fee, which varies depending on the type of corporation you’re establishing. Comprehending the submission process and ensuring everything is in order will help you avoid delays in getting your corporation officially recognized. Required Documentation Checklist To successfully file the Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State, you’ll need to gather several key pieces of documentation. Start by ensuring you have the following: Essential Business Information: This includes the legal name, purpose, and registered agent details for your corporation. Name Availability Check: Conduct a search in the Secretary of State’s database to confirm your business name is unique and complies with state requirements. Completed Articles of Incorporation Form: Fill out the form as directed, including necessary components like the number of shares and director information, along with the appropriate filing fees, which range from $25 for nonprofits to $300 for profit corporations. With this checklist, you’ll be prepared to file your Articles of Incorporation accurately. Submission Process Overview Filing your Articles of Incorporation is a crucial step in establishing your business, as it formally registers your corporation with the state. To start, visit the Secretary of State’s website to find the appropriate forms and guidelines customized to your business structure. Make sure you have all necessary information ready, including your business name, purpose, registered agent, and details on authorized shares if applicable. The filing fee typically costs $300 for profit or professional corporations, whereas nonprofit corporations require a $25 fee. After completing the forms, submit them along with the filing fee either by mail or online, if available. Processing usually takes 3-5 business days, with expedited options for an additional fee of $10-$50. Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) When starting a business, obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is an important step, especially since it’s required for tax identification and various operational purposes. You can apply for an EIN online through the IRS website, by mail, or by fax, with the online method being the fastest and usually providing immediate results. The application process requires basic information about your business, such as: Legal structure (e.g., corporation, partnership) Business name and address Social Security Number of the principal officer There’s no cost to apply for an EIN, making it a free but vital step if you plan to hire employees or operate as a corporation or partnership. Once obtained, you’ll use the EIN for various business functions. Understanding Filing Fees and Payment Options After securing your Employer Identification Number (EIN), the next step involves comprehending the filing fees and payment options associated with incorporating your business. In Texas, the filing fee for a profit or professional corporation is $300, whereas it’s only $25 for a nonprofit corporation. If you need expedited processing, expect additional costs ranging from $10 to $50, depending on how quickly you need the service. Payment options typically include checks, money orders, or credit/debit cards, depending on your submission method. Always check the Texas Secretary of State’s website for the most current fee structure, as fees can vary based on specific requirements. Post-Filing Steps and Compliance Once you’ve filed your Articles of Incorporation, it’s crucial to take several important steps to confirm your new corporation complies with legal requirements. Here are three key actions: Obtain an EIN: Apply for a Federal Tax Identification Number through the IRS. You’ll need this for tax purposes and to open a business bank account. Conduct an Organizational Meeting: Hold a meeting with incorporators to ratify bylaws, appoint directors, and issue stock certificates. Be sure to document minutes for legal compliance. Maintain Ongoing Compliance: Regularly file periodic reports with the state, hold annual meetings, and keep accurate records of corporate activities to avoid penalties and confirm your corporation remains in good standing. Common Mistakes to Avoid While starting a corporation can be an exciting venture, it’s essential to avoid common pitfalls that could derail your efforts. First, check the availability of your business name before filing; name conflicts can lead to rejection. Make sure to include all required details, such as the registered agent’s information and your business purpose, to prevent delays or denial. Specify the correct type of corporation, like C Corporation or S Corporation, to avoid unintended tax issues. Don’t overlook state-specific requirements, which can vary greatly and lead to incomplete filings. Finally, include the number of authorized shares; neglecting this can create problems with governance and ownership recognition. Resources for Additional Assistance When starting your expedition to incorporate a business, having access to the right resources can make all the difference. Here are some key resources to take into account: Texas Secretary of State’s Website: Check this site for guidelines and downloadable forms needed for filing Articles of Incorporation. SOSDirect Platform: Utilize this platform for easy access to various business forms and filing options. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: Call (800) 252-1381 for help regarding franchise tax accounts and certificates of account status. Moreover, explore online resources for templates and instructions to guarantee compliance with state requirements. Consulting with legal professionals or document preparation services can likewise help you navigate the intricacies of business formation, ensuring accurate filings. Maintaining Your Corporation’s Good Standing Maintaining your corporation’s good standing is crucial for ensuring its longevity and legal compliance. To achieve this in Texas, you must file annual reports and pay franchise taxes on time with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Regularly check your corporation’s status using the online Certificate Verification service from the Texas Secretary of State to confirm compliance. Accurate minutes of annual meetings and corporate actions should be recorded, as these demonstrate adherence to governance protocols. Moreover, maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Texas, as this is legally required for receiving official documents. Finally, stay updated on changes in state regulations or filing requirements that could impact your corporation’s compliance status. Frequently Asked Questions How to Get Access to Articles of Incorporation? To access Articles of Incorporation, start by visiting the Texas Secretary of State‘s website. You’ll use their online services to request documents. Be ready to provide the corporation’s legal name, formation date, and possibly the registered agent’s name and physical address. There might be a small fee for obtaining copies. If you need assistance, you can call the Secretary of State’s office at (800) 252-1381 for help with your request. Can I Create My Own Articles of Incorporation? Yes, you can create your own Articles of Incorporation by following your state’s guidelines. You’ll need to include crucial details like your business name, purpose, registered agent, and share information if applicable. Before finalizing, check if your chosen name is available. Although self-filing is possible, consulting a legal professional could help navigate intricacies and guarantee accuracy. Be aware that filing fees vary by state, typically ranging from $25 to $300. How Fast Can You Get Articles of Incorporation? You can typically get Articles of Incorporation in Texas within 3-5 business days, but if you need them faster, expedited services can cut this down to just 1 business day for an extra fee. Make sure your documents are accurate and complete, as errors can cause delays. Submitting online through the Texas Secretary of State’s website usually speeds up the process, and you can check your filing status there for updates. Who Prepares Articles of Incorporation? You can prepare Articles of Incorporation yourself, hire an attorney, or use a document preparation service, depending on your expertise. First, gather crucial information like your business name, registered agent, and purpose. Many states offer specific forms and guidelines on their Secretary of State’s website, which can streamline the process. Although you can do it alone, seeking professional assistance often guarantees compliance with state laws and helps avoid common mistakes. Conclusion Incorporating your business is an essential step that provides legal protection and can improve credibility. By comprehending the process, from selecting a unique name to filing the Articles of Incorporation, you can guarantee compliance with state regulations. Remember to keep thorough records and stay informed about your ongoing obligations to maintain good standing. Following these steps will help you establish a solid foundation for your corporation, allowing you to focus on growing your business effectively. Image via Google Gemini This article, "How to Get Articles of Incorporation – A Step-by-Step Guide" was first published on Small Business Trends View the full article

This week's Ask a PPC digs into how learning periods influence auction dynamics, conversion modeling, and the predictability of performance shifts. The post Ask A PPC: What Are Learning Periods In Digital Marketing? appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Planning is a key part of staying productive, but it has to be done right. To succeed, you need to understand why previous attempts at planning didn’t pan out. Conducting a personal after-action review is one way to assess your work and determine how to be more efficient, but to truly understand what went wrong and prepare for the future, you need to dig deep. Try the “Five Whys” technique to get to the bottom of things. What is the “Five Whys” technique?You should know, first of all, that this is yet another productivity protocol that springs from Japan’s famed factory system, like the 5S and 3M techniques. With this one, once you identify a problem, you’re going to ask, “Why?” five times, which will ultimately reveal the true root cause of the issue—and what you need to focus on fixing. How to use “Five Whys” for problem solvingSome variations of the technique call on you to assemble a team for brainstorming before doing this, but if you’re assessing a personal issue, that part isn't necessary. Your “team” can be the people posting on forums about the problem, for instance, or a group chat with your friends. If the issue is a household one, chat with your family. This doesn’t have to be super formal, but if the problem is one related to work and you do have coworkers involved, bring them into the discussion. In some cases, there may be no team at all—but that doesn't mean you can't use the Five Whys. Whether you’re consulting a team or not, the real work begins when you define the problem. State it clearly and concisely. Ideally, write it down. Let's say the problem is you didn’t get the dining room clean in time for dinner, so everyone had to eat at the counter. Simplify that to, “I didn’t clean the dining room on time.” Next, ask, “Why?” Write down the answer—maybe it's “I had to take a phone call from work.” Ask, “Why?” Write down the answer and ask again. Then again, again, and again, until you’ve asked five times. So, your paper might look like this: I didn’t get the dining room clean > I had to take a phone call from work > I didn’t finish the reports my boss wanted > I didn’t have the data I needed from the sales department > The sales department was not aware of my deadline. When you’re finished digging into the problem, you can see how the answer to the last “Why?” caused a domino effect that led to the original issue. Fixing these more granular problems will ultimately help prevent bigger ones. So, in this case, write down, “I will communicate deadlines and needs with other departments at work early on when working on a project.” The next time you have a project to do, when you’re planning out your to-dos around it, be sure to include, “Communicate with the sales department about the deadline for the data.” There are plenty of productivity and scheduling apps that call on you to break your larger tasks down into smaller ones, like ABCDE or turning your responsibilities into "bites," and it's likely that the solution to your fifth Why will be something small enough to easily slot into one of those. Make sure you prioritize whatever that small step is, however. Use an approach like the MIT technique to prioritize your to-dos around their impact on your life. In this case, letting the sales team know about your deadline is a small task with a big impact, as it could have cleared the way for you to clean the dining room and enjoy a nice meal with your family. Bear in mind that root causes aren’t always evident after five rounds of “Why?” For instance, maybe it’s not your job to communicate your deadline to the sales department. Maybe the person who was supposed to do that messed up or the people on that team didn’t check their emails. In that case, overhauling your protocols at work might be the answer. The “Five Whys” aren’t concrete; they’re a way to change your thinking around problems so you can easily identify their root causes and address those. Once you get in the habit of asking why and working backward, you’ll be able to do this quickly and alter your future plans more efficiently. View the full article

Today, investors are waking up to red on their screens as many tech and AI stocks are dropping in premarket trading. But why are shares in these companies falling? Much of it has to do with the cloud infrastructure company Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) and its latest quarterly earnings results. Here’s what you need to know. Oracle’s Q2 2026 results send ORCL plunging Yesterday, Oracle reported financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026. To say investors were disappointed in the results is an understatement, given how poorly ORCL shares are performing in premarket trading this morning. As of the time of this writing, ORCL shares are down over 12% as investors unpack its results: Non-GAAP Earnings per Share: $2.26 Total Revenue: $16.1 billion On the surface, the numbers look good. Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) were up 54% and total revenue was up 14%. However, as noted by CNBC, while Oracle’s non-GAAP EPS beat LSEG analyst expectations of $1.64, analysts were expecting higher total revenue figures: $16.21 billion versus the $16.1 billion Oracle delivered. That discrepancy caused the stock to tumble, even after the company announced new agreements with major AI investors, Nvidia, and Meta. As noted by Investopedia, although these agreements have helped boost Oracle’s remaining performance obligations to $523 billion, they have also raised investor concerns about circular spending in the AI industry. Circular spending refers to when companies invest in each other, effectively passing money back and forth. Circular spending is also one of the biggest reasons why many fear we could be in an AI bubble waiting to pop. Chip stocks fall after Oracle’s earnings results These AI bubble fears seem to have been renewed today after Oracle’s financial results. As of the time of this writing, major chip companies operating in the AI space are seeing stock price declines, including: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMD): down 1.2% Arm Holdings plc (Nasdaq: ARM): down 1.2% Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO): down 1.3% Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC): down 1% Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU): down 1.1% NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA): down 1.3% QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM): down 0.9% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM): down 1.4% Big Tech shares are also falling after Oracle’s earnings Oracle’s disappointing earnings and renewed fears of an AI bubble also seem to be impacting the stock prices of many of tech’s most prominent players this morning, albeit to a lesser extent: Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG): down 0.5% Amazon.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN): down 0.7% Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL): up 0.1% Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META): down 0.9% Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT): down 0.6% Nvidia Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA): down 1.3% As for Oracle itself, the company’s stock price is currently down over 12% to $196.25 per share. This decline follows a strong year for Oracle. As of yesterday’s close, the stock is up 33% so far in 2025, outperforming the Nasdaq Composite’s rise of 22.68%. Over the past 12 months, ORCL shares have climbed 25%. View the full article

Today, investors are waking up to red on their screens as many tech and AI stocks are dropping in premarket trading. But why are shares in these companies falling? Much of it has to do with the cloud infrastructure company Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) and its latest quarterly earnings results. Here’s what you need to know. Oracle’s Q2 2026 results send ORCL plunging Yesterday, Oracle reported financial results for its second quarter of fiscal 2026. To say investors were disappointed in the results is an understatement, given how poorly ORCL shares are performing in premarket trading this morning. As of the time of this writing, ORCL shares are down over 12% as investors unpack its results: Non-GAAP Earnings per Share: $2.26 Total Revenue: $16.1 billion On the surface, the numbers look good. Non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) were up 54% and total revenue was up 14%. However, as noted by CNBC, while Oracle’s non-GAAP EPS beat LSEG analyst expectations of $1.64, analysts were expecting higher total revenue figures: $16.21 billion versus the $16.1 billion Oracle delivered. That discrepancy caused the stock to tumble, even after the company announced new agreements with major AI investors, Nvidia and Meta. As noted by Investopedia, although these agreements have helped boost Oracle’s remaining performance obligations to $523 billion, they have also raised investor concerns about circular spending in the AI industry. Circular spending refers to when companies invest in each other, effectively passing money back and forth. Circular spending is also one of the biggest reasons why many fear we could be in an AI bubble waiting to pop. Chip stocks fall after Oracle’s earnings results These AI bubble fears seem to have been renewed today after Oracle’s financial results. As of the time of this writing, major chip companies operating in the AI space are seeing stock price declines, including: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMD): down 1.2% Arm Holdings plc (Nasdaq: ARM): down 1.2% Broadcom Inc. (Nasdaq: AVGO): down 1.3% Intel Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC): down 1% Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU): down 1.1% NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA): down 1.3% QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM): down 0.9% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM): down 1.4% Big Tech shares are also falling after Nvidia’s earnings Oracle’s disappointing earnings and renewed fears of an AI bubble also seem to be impacting the stock prices of many of tech’s most prominent players this morning, albeit to a lesser extent: Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG): down 0.5% Amazon.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN): down 0.7% Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL): up 0.1% Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META): down 0.9% Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq: MSFT): down 0.6% Nvidia Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA): down 1.3% As for Oracle itself, the company’s stock price is currently down over 12% to $196.25 per share. This decline follows a strong year for Oracle. As of yesterday’s close, the stock is up 33% so far in 2025, outperforming the Nasdaq Composite’s rise of 22.68%. Over the past 12 months, ORCL shares have climbed 25%. View the full article

Leaders of Germany, France and UK hold ‘detailed’ call with Donald The President about latest draft of peace plan View the full article

There’s a lot of enthusiasm over what is increasingly seen as the next big frontier in computingView the full article

Lenders concerned they could be at significant risk of potential lawsuits from MoscowView the full article

One of the major things we talk about with large language models (LLMs) is content creation at scale, and it’s easy for that to become a crutch. We’re all time poor and looking for ways to make our lives easier – so what if you could use tools like Claude and ChatGPT to frame your processes in a way that humanizes your website work and eases your day, rather than taking the creativity out of it? This article tackles how to: Analyze customer feedback and questions at scale. Automate getting detailed and unique information from subject matter experts. Analyze competitors. These are all tasks we could do manually, and sometimes still might, but they’re large-scale, data-based efforts that lend themselves well to at least some level of automation. And having this information will help ground you in the customer, or in the market, rather than creating your own echo chamber. Analyzing customer feedback at scale One of the fantastic features of LLMs is their ability to: Process data at scale. Find patterns. Uncover trends that might otherwise take a human hours, days, or weeks. Unless you’re at a global enterprise, it’s unlikely you’d have a data team with that capability, so the next best thing is an LLM. And for this particular opportunity, we’re looking at customer feedback – because who wants to read through 10,000 NPS surveys or free text feedback forms? Not me. Probably not you, either. You could upload the raw data directly into the project knowledge and have your LLM of choice analyze the information within its own interface. However, my preference is to upload all the raw data into BigQuery (or similar if you have another platform you prefer) and then work with your LLM to write relevant SQL queries to slice and analyze your raw data. I do this for two reasons: It gives me a peek behind the curtain, offering me the opportunity to learn a bit of the base language (here, SQL) by osmosis. It’s another barrier or failsafe for hallucinations. When raw data is uploaded directly into an LLM and analysis questions are asked directly into the interface, I tend to trust the analysis less. It’s much more likely it could just be making stuff up. When you have the raw data separated out and are working with the LLM to create queries to interrogate the data, it’s more likely to end up real and true with insights that will help your business rather than lead you on a wild goose chase. Practically, unless you’re dealing with terrifyingly large datasets, BigQuery is free (though to set up a project, you might need to add a credit card). And no need to fear SQL either when you’re pair programming with an LLM – it will be able to give you the full query function. My workflow in this tends to be: Use SQL function from LLM. Debug and check data. Input results from SQL query into LLM. Generate visualizations either in an LLM or with SQL query. Rinse and repeat. Dig deeper: 7 focus areas as AI transforms search and the customer journey in 2026 Get the newsletter search marketers rely on. See terms. Automating subject matter expert interviews It seems to be a common trait among subject matter experts that they’re time poor. They really don’t want to spend an hour talking with the marketing person about a new feature they’ve already discussed with the manufacturer for the last eight months. And who could blame them? They’ve probably talked it to death. And yet we still need that information, as marketing folk, to strategize how we present that feature on the website and give customers helpful detail that isn’t on the spec sheet. So how do we get ahold of our experts? Create a custom GPT that acts as an interviewer. Fair warning, to get the most out of this process, you’ll want a unique version for each launch, product, or service you’re working on. It may not need to be as granular as per the article, but it may end up being that specific. To do this, you’ll need at least a ChatGPT Plus subscription. Instructions will depend on your industry and the personality of your subject matter experts or sales team. They should include: Role and tone: How the “interviewer” should come across. Context: What you’re trying to learn and why. Interview structure: How to open, topics, how to probe more deeply. Pacing: Single question, wait for response, expanding questions. Closing: how to wrap and what to deliver at the end. Once we do that, we’ll want to test it ourselves and pretend to be an SME. Then we refine the instructions from there. This way, you’ll be able to reach your SMEs in the five minutes they have between calls. And you can use an LLM to extrapolate the major points, or even an article draft, from their answers. Dig deeper: SEO personas for AI search: How to go beyond static profiles Analyzing competitors for strategic insights This one may be a bit sneaky and may require a bit of gray thinking. But there are a few things you can do with competitive data at scale that can help you understand the competitive landscape and your gaps within it, like: If you were able to gather your competitors’ reviews, you could see themes such as benefits, values, common complaints, and weaknesses. If you were able to gather their website copy, you could identify their positioning, implied audience, and any claims they may be making, as well as the industries they might be targeting, extrapolated through case studies. With their website copy and support from Wayback Machine, you’d be able to identify with an LLM how their messaging has shifted over time. Job postings could tell you what their strategic priorities are or where they may be looking to test. Once we have their positioning, we’d be able to compare us and them. Where are we saying the same thing, and where are we differentiating? If you were able to gather their social interactions and engagement, we might be able to understand, again at scale, where they’re able to answer customer needs and where they might be falling down. What questions aren’t they able to answer? Dig deeper: How to use competitive audits for AI SERP optimization Scaling research without losing the human thread Pair programming with an LLM to ground yourself in your customer with large data sets can be an endless opportunity to get actionable, specific information relatively quickly. These three opportunities are solid places to start, but they’re by no means the end. To extrapolate further, think about other data sources you own or have access to, like: Sales call transcripts. Google Search Console query data. On-site search. Heatmapping from user journey tools. While it may be tempting to include Google Analytics or other analytics data in this, err on the side of caution and stick with qualitative or specifically customer-led data rather than quantitative data. Happy hunting! View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Many years ago, I saw a tweet go around that said something like, "You have the same amount of hours in a day as Beyoncé." On the one hand, that was annoying, because while it’s true, I don’t have the same amount of resources. Still, yes, everyone has the same amount of hours in a day—point made. But as it turns out, what may be more important thing to understand is that we all have the same amount of hours in a week. That’s the basis for the "168 method," so named for the number of hours in a week. This productivity technique calls on you to expand your thinking around how much time you really have to get everything done, and act accordingly. What is the 168 method? This idea comes from Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. (Straightforward!) This is one of the few productivity books I recommend, because its premise is actually novel and actionable. The guiding point of the book is that when you think of your time in longer spans, like a week, you realize you have plenty of it and can get things done pretty easily. When you consider an average day, by comparison, you may come to the conclusion you don’t have enough time to do everything you need to do, so you’ll either make excuses or sacrifices, neither of which are helpful in getting it all taken care of. When you start thinking about your time on a bigger scale, you can stop letting the daily grind wear you down and breathe a little easier with the knowledge that you actually have a bunch of hours to work with. You can make a longer-term plan, expanding your timelines ever so slightly without giving yourself too much time to take on a given project (which is also a bad thing that can derail productivity). How to use the 168 method to get more doneYour first task here is to start tracking your time, and I mean militantly. You can use a time tracking software, calendar or scheduling software, a planner, or a regular old spreadsheet, but you have to be diligent and you have to be honest. For at least a week, mark down everything you did and the time it took you to do it, for the full 24 hours of each of the seven days. That includes sleeping, loafing, working, showering, commuting—everything. Be detailed, too. Don’t just mark down “working” from 9 a.m, to 5 p.m. List out the tasks you worked on and for how long, the breaks you took and what you did, and any extra work you did outside of those hours. At the end of the week (or two or three weeks, if you’re feeling particularly serious), assess the data by conducting an objective after-action review. Did you need to spend two hours answering emails on Tuesday, or could it have been done in half an hour? What were the distractions that dragged that out? Did you spend as much time on a hobby as you wanted to? If not, when could it have fit in? Maybe Thursday night, when you were scrolling social media? And how did that scrolling make you feel? Was it a necessary moment of unwinding, or would you have felt more accomplished if you’d headed to the gym? (Don't be too quick to write off your downtime, though, as breaks are also integral to productivity.) Your answers to these questions will be subjective. There’s nothing inherently wrong with chilling out and doing nothing, or sleeping in, or even dragging your feet on a task. But by laying out a clear, visual schedule showing everything you did (and didn’t do), you can see exactly where, within that 168 hours, you could have done something else. You can then use this data to better plan your future to-do lists and activities. If you know you have some extra time on Wednesday nights, maybe that’s when you should practice the piano or clean the kitchen. If you know you’re taking more time than you need to on compiling inventories at work, cut that down and use the extra minutes for another task. The value in this method isn’t in shaming yourself about how you allocate your time, but in broadening your understanding of that time into a full week, where you almost certainly will find you have unaccounted-for hours that can be put toward the things you didn’t think you had time to do. I’m not saying you’ll emerge from this journey on the same level as Beyoncé, but you’ll be on a better level than you were before, which is a start. View the full article

The changing climate is increasing insurance rates for residents and cities and lowering property values in areas that face more frequent and intense disasters. View the full article

Google announced it has updated the links in AI Mode to encourage searchers to click more. Google also introduced contextual introductions to embedded links in AI Mode responses.View the full article

I spend most days in rooms where four generations argue about the same spreadsheet. Boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z staff the same executive teams, often guided by directors from a fifth—the Silent Generation. Four different eras, four different mental operating systems, one quarterly earnings call. When leaders tell me, “We’ve got a generation problem,” what they usually have is a self-awareness problem. A widely cited review of so-called generational differences at work found that many popular stereotypes don’t hold up very well when you look at actual data on values and attitudes. At the same time, more recent research shows that age-mixed teams can outperform when leaders handle the friction with care. So, the data tell us two things at once: People from different birth years are less alien than we’ve been told, and they can be a strength or a liability depending on how leaders show up. After three decades recruiting and coaching leaders, I’ve learned a simple rule: What you can see, you can shape. What you can’t see quietly shapes you. How our eras built our habits I’m a boomer. I grew up on a steady diet of “show up early, stay late, say ‘yes, sir.’” That wiring served me well in my time at the White House and later in boardrooms. It also produced a habit that took me years to spot: the urge to please. In hard conversations, I’d soften the edges. Add extra words. Smooth things over. Younger colleagues didn’t experience that as kindness. They experienced it as dodging. They wanted clarity, not choreography. Psychologist Jean Twenge, in her book Generations, shows how each cohort’s habits grew out of the era that raised them: boom-time expansion, layoffs and divorce, student debt and purpose-driven careers, social media and permanent comparison. None of that is virtue or vice. It’s conditioning. Trouble comes when we treat our conditioning as the gold standard and everyone else’s as a flaw. The most freeing move I’ve made as a leader was saying to myself, “My boomer urge to be agreeable is watering down the truth.” Once I named it, I could do something about it. A good first question for any leader is small and uncomfortable: What do people my age regularly praise me for that might secretly be wearing my team out? When senior leaders look in the mirror This isn’t just a mid-career problem. Senior leaders wrestle with it too. Elon Musk, a Gen Xer, has spoken openly about his “pathologically optimistic” timelines. That belief that nearly anything is solvable with enough grit, iteration, and contrarian thinking—is one of the hallmark traits of the Generation X worldview. For Elon, is has helped drive rockets, electric cars, and ambitious AI projects, and it has also pushed employees into impossible deadlines when reality didn’t cooperate. A classic boomer, Jamie Dimon, notes that his vigilance on risk is a strength, and he knows it can land as sharp or impatient in the room. Warren Buffett has explained in shareholder letters that his strong loyalty to managers sometimes kept him from moving fast enough to replace them when performance lagged. These leaders didn’t erase their blind spots. They acknowledged them, adjusted, and built teams that were allowed to tell the truth back to them and accelerated performance and massive shareholder value creation. The same move is available to the rest of us. Caricatures versus real people Generational caricatures are easier than real work. Boomers as workaholics. Gen X as cynical. Millennials as needy. Gen Z as fragile. They make for good jokes; they make for bad leadership. A study of multigenerational teams found that most friction comes from mismatched assumptions about communication, career speed, and feedback, not from wildly different values. That lines up with what I see in succession conversations: People want to grow, feel useful, and be treated fairly, regardless of their birth year. They simply learned different ways to signal those desires. You don’t need a grand theory to lead through that. You need a few habits that make your own lens visible to you and to others. 5 small moves to shrink the ‘generation gap’ Here’s a list I often give to CEOs who are tired of the generational blame game: Run a “shadow meeting” review once a month. After a key meeting, ask one person who’s at least 15 years older or younger than you: “Walk me through how that meeting felt to you—what landed, what didn’t?” Listen without defending. Add a two-question feedback round every quarter. Ask your direct reports: “What’s one thing I should keep doing? What’s one thing I should adjust?” No surveys. Just live conversation. Pair up for reverse mentoring. Invite a younger colleague to teach you one digital habit or collaboration tool they rely on. In return, offer one story about a time you failed and recovered. Research on reverse mentoring points to gains on both sides—skills and understanding grow together. Narrate your intent. In tense moments, say aloud what you’re trying to do: “I’m pushing hard here because I’m worried about risk,” or “I’m being quiet here because I want to hear others first.” You’ll be surprised how much misreading that removes. Pick one generational habit to bend. A Silent-era or boomer leader might deliberately leave the office on time twice a week and invite a younger colleague to walk out with them. A Millennial or Gen Z leader might choose one meeting a day where the laptop stays shut and the phone stays face-down. None of that requires a task force. It does require an honest look in the mirror. The real bridge across generations When leaders learn to notice their own blind spots and talk openly about them, something changes in the room. Silent-era steadiness calms Gen Z anxiety. boomer grit reinforces Millennial desire for purpose. Gen X realism ties these temperaments together. The bridge is not another app, policy, or slogan about generations. The bridge is a leader willing to see themselves clearly and invite others to do the same. View the full article

Google announced that Preferred Sources is now rolling out globally, after launching just in the US and India in August, following its beta period in June. Plus, Google announced Spotlighting subscriptions are coming to Gemini, AI Mode, and AI Overviews.View the full article

In June, Google moved Offerwall out of its AdSense beta, making it available to all. Now, if you are using Offerwall, Google will opt you into Offerwall optimization.View the full article

Labour will need a different leader if it pursues a policy of rejoining the EU customs union or single marketView the full article