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Meta has spent 15 years shunning the iPad. Now, it seems they’re finally ready to embrace the tablet lovers. WhatsApp users can finally text from the big screen. On Tuesday, Meta announced that the popular messaging app is finally available on iPadOS devices, including expanded features for multitasking. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Meta is finally building Instagram for the iPad as well. It’s a curious time to embrace tablets. While still a high-volume sales item, the iPad is losing its popularity. The device has endured a yearslong backslide in growth, comprising only 6.8% of Apple’s revenue in 2024 compared to the boom of more than 15% in the early 2010s. Still, an iPad expansion opens Meta apps up to a broader swath of consumers. Meta’s iPad expansion WhatsApp has been mobile-first since its 2009 launch. Meta purchased the app $19 billion in 2014, mostly leaving it alone to rake in revenue from its then 600 million active users. That number now sits closer to 3 billion, a rival to Facebook and beating out Instagram (Meta doesn’t split their revenue reports by app, but experts estimate that WhatsApp now generates nearly $20 billion annually). Recently, though, Meta has been taking a more active role in WhatsApp’s development. They added messaging functions like emoji reactions, built access via Mac and Windows computers, and broke down privacy barriers by tying WhatsApp to other Meta properties. Though there has been an an iPhone app since 2009, iPad users needed to access WhatsApp via their browser, where users were unable to make calls. Now, Meta has finally launched a standalone iPad app. The app is mostly the same as its iOS alternative, though it integrates common iPad tools like the Apple Pencil and the Magic Keyboard. Since iPads allow split screens, users can now message and call while scrolling other apps, while mobile users still need to toggle between them. (Meta did not respond to a request for comment.) Instagram is Meta’s other major iPad holdout. To access Instagram on a tablet, users must expand the iPhone app, which can reduce image quality. In 2022, Instagram head Adam Mosseri tweeted that that the Instagram for iPad supporters were “still just not a big enough group of people to be a priority,” but that they would “get to it at some point.” Now seems to be the time: According to The Information, Meta is building an iPad version of Instagram to compete with TikTok amid the Chinese app’s regulatory challenges. Meta’s device strategy shift is more apparent in their smaller apps. In July 2023, it launched their X competitor, Threads, for mobile only. Two years later, the app still doesn’t have an iPad counterpart. Compare that to the new Meta AI app which launched last month. This app debuted for both iPhone and iPad, a rarity for Meta. Why is Meta interested in iPads now? When the iPad hit its peak in the mid-2010s, Meta still refused to tailor many of their social apps for the bigger screen. Now, growth is depressed, innovation has slowed, and iPad mania has cooled. Why is Meta now interested in an iPad play after all these years? The choice could be reflective of consumer sentiments. As social apps speed towards entertainment platforms (and away from social connectors), many users are looking for bigger screens. YouTube is now more popular on TVs than it is on phones. Meanwhile, the streaming services that are most popular on iPads are fashioning themselves after social apps. This convergence of content could make being on alternate screen sizes more important for the consumer. The move towards iPads could also be a legacy play. While tablet popularity is waning among the general population, it remains dominant among young children. The Generation Alpha sub-demographic of ages 7-9 are affectionately titled “iPad kids,” with almost 80% raised with easy access to an iPad. This young demographic is also already on social media, and even on the smaller platforms. Feeding their apps to “iPad kids” could ensure longevity, or help Meta reach an underserved consumer base. Meta apps are significantly less popular among Generation Alpha, after all, with the young users opting for YouTube, TikTok, and even Snapchat. Or, Meta could just be embracing a bigger group of consumers. Tablet lovers have waited 15 years, after all. Meta is finally embracing them. View the full article

COVID-19 cases are rising again as a new variant begins to circulate in some parts of the world. The World Health Organization said Wednesday the rise in cases is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions. Airport screening in the United States has detected the new variant in travelers arriving from those regions to destinations in California, Washington state, Virginia and New York. The new variant is called NB.1.8.1. It arrives as the United States’ official stance on COVID-19 vaccination is changing. On Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women — a move immediately questioned by several public health experts. The new variant, increasing globally, had by mid-May reached nearly 11% of sequenced samples reported. The WHO has designated it a “variant under monitoring” and considers the public health risk low at the global level with current vaccines expected to remain effective. The WHO said some western Pacific countries have reported increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations, but there’s nothing so far to suggest that the disease associated with the new variant is more severe compared to other variants. The variant called LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version in the U.S. and globally. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. —Carla K. Johnson, AP medical writer View the full article

Advertisers can now tap into Promoted Pins on Maps as part of their Demand Gen campaigns. These pins leverage existing image assets and appear in key spots on Maps, like Browse, Directions, and Entity/Place Details modes. How it works. Existing image assets from campaigns can be repurposed for these pins. Pins show up in Maps when users browse areas, search for directions, or check out specific places. The move aims to increase visibility in these “browse-worthy” moments, helping to convert digital interest into physical visits. Why we care. Promoted Pins are designed to drive more foot traffic and in-store sales by putting businesses in front of users as they explore locations and businesses on Maps. Bottom line. This addition underscores the push to blend digital advertising with real-world outcomes—boosting store traffic in an era where online-to-offline strategies are increasingly critical. Advertiser reaction. “With Display and now Maps inventory Demand Gen is becoming closer to a PMax for mid funnel,” according to Google Ads expert Thomas Eccel, head of Google Ads at JvM IMPACT on LinkedIn. View the full article

Keeping work organized and on track to meet deadlines is often as simple as creating a workflow process map that depicts how work will get done, who's doing what, and where you and your team might run into bottlenecks. Here how to do it right. The post Workflow Process Mapping: How To Guide With Examples appeared first on The Digital Project Manager. View the full article

President Donald The President said on Wednesday that he plans to negotiate aspects of the “big, beautiful” tax bill, expressing dissatisfaction with certain provisions while being satisfied with others. His comments followed billionaire Elon Musk’s criticism a day earlier, in which Musk argued that the bill detracts from efforts to reduce the U.S. budget deficit. “We will be negotiating that bill, and I’m not happy about certain aspects of it, but I’m thrilled by other aspects of it,” The President told reporters, without directly addressing Musk’s concerns. He also emphasized the need to secure sufficient support for the bill’s passage in the Senate, stating, “We can’t be cutting, you know; we need to get a lot of support.” In an interview with CBS’s “Sunday Morning,” broadcast late on Tuesday, Musk said he was “disappointed to see the massive spending bill” because it increases the budget deficit and undermines the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful. But I don’t know if it can be both,” Musk said in the interview. The White House intends to send Congress a small package as early as next week to formalize cuts made by Musk’s team targeting federal government spending, a White House official familiar with the plan said on Wednesday. For months, Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Congress have been asking the administration to codify the federal spending cuts announced by DOGE. Musk, the world’s richest man, was appointed by The President in February to lead his administration’s chaotic reform of the federal government as head of the newly created DOGE. The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed the sweeping tax and spending bill that would enact much of The President’s policy agenda and saddle the country with trillions of dollars more in debt. The President and his fellow Republicans, which passed the measure by a single vote, have dubbed the legislation the “big, beautiful bill.” It will add about $3.8 trillion to the federal government’s $36.2 trillion in debt over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The U.S. Senate is now considering the measure. A DOGE website that claims it has saved U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars has been riddled with errors and corrections. —By Nandita Bose and Doina Chiacu, Reuters View the full article

Secretary of state did not provide details about measures or who they would affectView the full article

Move is latest US effort to stymie geopolitical rival’s technological advanceView the full article

Search marketers know that visibility doesn’t always equal traffic—and with Google’s AI Overviews gaining traction, the gap is growing. Users are now getting answers directly in the SERP, often without clicking through. That means your content strategy must evolve to stay relevant. In Building a Smarter Content Strategy in the Age of AI, MoreVisibility breaks down how marketers can adapt for a zero-click future, use AI as a strategic tool (not just for content creation), and measure performance beyond CTR. Inside the guide you’ll find: Why traditional SEO tactics aren’t enough in AI-driven SERPs How to make content discoverable—even when users never land on your site What search marketers should track now that clicks aren’t guaranteed Where generative AI can accelerate planning and production—without diluting quality This guide is essential reading for performance-focused teams navigating the next phase of search. Get your copy here. View the full article

Creating and maintaining roadmaps is essential for aligning teams, setting strategic direction and communicating priorities across departments. Whether you’re planning IT initiatives, product development or broader business objectives, having the right roadmap template can save time and ensure clarity. In this roundup, we’ve gathered a selection of the best roadmap templates designed to support different functions and project types. These free roadmap templates provide structure while remaining flexible enough to adapt to your unique planning needs, so you can focus more on execution and less on formatting. Why Use a Roadmap Template? Using a roadmap template streamlines the process of planning and visualizing a project or strategic initiative. Instead of starting from scratch, teams can rely on a structured format that ensures all critical elements—such as goals, milestones, timelines and resource needs—are included. This helps reduce planning errors, saves time and ensures consistency across different projects or departments. A roadmap template also improves communication and alignment. Whether you’re presenting to executives, stakeholders or team members, a clear and well-organized roadmap makes it easier to convey progress, upcoming initiatives and strategic priorities. It supports transparency and helps manage expectations by showing how short-term tasks tie into long-term goals. Moreover, roadmap templates can be customized to suit specific methodologies or industries, from IT and product development to marketing and operations. This adaptability makes them a practical tool for guiding teams, tracking execution and adjusting plans based on feedback or changing circumstances—all without losing the strategic big picture. That doesn’t mean a template is ideal. There are limitations to using a static document to manage something as dynamic as project planning. Templates can’t provide real-time data. Everything must be manually updated, which means the information is always at least a step behind. Templates are also poor collaboration tools. However, there’s a solution: use project management software. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with powerful roadmaps with automated updates, drag-and-drop editing and seamless integration with tasks, timeline and resources. Unlike templates, our roadmaps can link all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns, filter for the critical path to identify essential tasks and slack, plus set a baseline to track progress in real time. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/light-mode-CTA.jpgLearn more 1. Roadmap Template for Excel Download this free roadmap template for Excel to help teams plan, visualize and communicate project goals, timelines and milestones over a specific period. It includes rows for tasks, start and end dates. This structure allows users to map out project phases and deadlines in a linear, visual format. Excel’s native features like conditional formatting, color coding and cell merging make it relatively easy to customize a roadmap to reflect priorities, statuses, and team responsibilities. These templates are particularly useful for high-level planning across departments or for presenting strategic overviews to stakeholders. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ProjectManager-Excel-Roadmap-Template.jpg While Excel roadmap templates are popular for their accessibility and familiarity, they also have limitations. As noted above, they are static by nature and require manual updates, which can be time-consuming and prone to human error, especially as project details evolve. Collaboration is also limited in Excel unless used in an online platform like OneDrive or Google Sheets, and even then, version control, which is included in ProjectManager, can become a challenge. Despite these drawbacks, Excel roadmap templates remain a widely used solution for teams that need a quick, straightforward way to organize and present project or product plans without specialized software. 2. Product Roadmap Template This free product roadmap template for Excel is a strategic planning tool used to visually outline the development and evolution of a product over time. It typically includes key elements such as product goals, features, releases, timelines and responsible teams or stakeholders. By organizing this information in a clear, linear format—often segmented by quarters or development phases—product managers and cross-functional teams can align their efforts around shared objectives. A roadmap template provides a high-level overview that helps prioritize features, communicate progress and coordinate tasks across departments like engineering, marketing, sales and customer support. /wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Product-roadmap-template-2.png Product roadmap templates are valuable for both internal planning and external communication. Internally, they serve as a reference point to keep development teams focused on short-term deliverables while working toward long-term product vision. Externally, they can be shared with leadership, customers or partners to provide visibility into the product’s future direction. Our free roadmap templates are also highly customizable, allowing teams to tailor them to specific methodologies, such as agile, scrum or waterfall, or to categorize by themes, epics or customer segments. With a well-structured product roadmap template, organizations can ensure alignment between business goals and development priorities, making it easier to deliver a cohesive and value-driven product experience. 3. Strategic Roadmap Template This free strategic roadmap template for Excel is a planning tool designed to outline an organization’s long-term vision and the key initiatives required to achieve it. Unlike project or product roadmaps that focus on deliverables and timelines, a strategic roadmap provides a high-level overview of business objectives, priorities and the phased actions necessary to meet those goals. It often spans multiple years and is divided into major categories like operations, marketing, technology, finance or customer experience, helping stakeholders see how efforts align across departments. /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Strategic-Roadmap-Template-for-Excel-ProjectManager-2.webp This roadmap template includes a timeline segmented into quarters, along with strategic goals, key initiatives, responsible teams and performance indicators. A strategic roadmap template helps leadership communicate direction clearly, maintain alignment across the organization and track progress toward long-term objectives. Strategic roadmap templates are especially useful during annual planning, business transformation or when launching new corporate strategies, providing a structured yet flexible format to visualize and adjust strategy execution over time. 4. Program Roadmap Template Download this free program roadmap template for Excel to outline the strategy, schedule and key deliverables of a program that consists of multiple related projects. It helps program managers coordinate efforts across different teams and initiatives by clearly mapping out timelines, milestones and high-level goals. Unlike a project roadmap that focuses on a single initiative, a program roadmap captures the broader view, aligning several projects under one strategic umbrella to ensure they collectively contribute to organizational objectives. /wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Program-roadmap-template-2.png This template includes time-based sections in months, rows for individual projects or workstreams and visual markers for major milestones and phases. It allows stakeholders to see how various projects interrelate, when critical deliverables are expected and how resources are allocated across the program. A program roadmap template is particularly useful for long-term initiatives such as digital transformation, product portfolios or cross-functional strategic goals. It facilitates communication, risk identification and alignment across departments, making it easier to adjust plans as priorities evolve. 5. IT Roadmap Template Use this free IT roadmap template for Excel to visually outline the direction, priorities and development phases of an organization’s information technology initiatives. It helps IT leaders align technology investments and projects with broader business goals by mapping out plans across categories like infrastructure upgrades, system integrations, cybersecurity enhancements, application development and digital transformation. Organized by a monthly timeline, an IT roadmap template gives stakeholders a clear view of what’s coming, what’s in progress and how technology will support organizational growth. /wp-content/uploads/2025/05/it-roadmap-template.png The IT roadmap template includes key sections for strategic objectives, current and future initiatives, milestones, responsible teams, budgets and resource requirements. It’s especially useful for managing complex IT portfolios where coordination across multiple teams and systems is essential. By using an IT roadmap template, organizations can ensure better alignment between IT and business units, prioritize critical projects, reduce duplication of efforts and anticipate infrastructure or security needs. Whether you’re planning cloud migrations, enterprise software rollouts or IT governance enhancements, a well-structured IT roadmap template brings clarity and focus to your technology strategy. ProjectManager Is Better Than a Roadmap Template We’ve already listed why a roadmap template is a poor tool for planning and visualizing a project or strategic initiative. While anyone can download these free roadmap templates and try them out, they’ll quickly conclude that a more interactive planning tool that goes beyond the basic visualization of a roadmap template is in order. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust roadmaps that are live and collaborative. There are also other project views, such as Gantt charts, kanban boards, sheet, task and calendar views, all of which track progress, adjust timeline and reallocate resources as priorities shift. Stay Productive With Resource Management Features Use our resource planning and tracking tools to keep teams working at capacity, but avoiding burnout. This begins by scheduling resources on the roadmap and then onboarding the team, where their availability can be set to ensure resources are allocated efficiently. Use the color-coded workload chart to track allocation. See who is overallocated or underutilized and balance their workload without leaving the chart. There’s also a team page that offers a daily or weekly summary of their activities. It can be filtered by progress and priority and users can update tasks from the same page. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress and More With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports Resources are only one metric that needs to be monitored. For a high-level overview of key project metrics, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboards. They don’t require any setup and automatically collect live data that’s displayed on easy-to-read graphs and charts showing time, cost, workload and more. One-click reports go deeper into the data and can be filtered to also provide a more general view of progress that can be shared with stakeholders. Secure timesheets streamline payroll, but also track labor costs to help keep on budget. /wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Team-summary-better-data-light-mode-home-screen-dashboard.png Related Roadmap Content How to Create a Project Roadmap (Example Included) How to Create a Product Roadmap: Examples & Templates Included What Is a Program Roadmap (Example & Template Included) ProjectManager is online project and portfolio management software that connects teams whether they’re in the office or out in the field. They can share files, comment at the task level and stay up to date with email and in-app notifications. Join teams at Avis, Nestle and Siemens who are using our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post 5 Roadmap Templates appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

High-net-worth clients are urged to act before the estate tax exemption expires in 2025. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner CPE Today Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

High-net-worth clients are urged to act before the estate tax exemption expires in 2025. Quick Tax Tip With Art Werner CPE Today Go PRO for members-only access to more Art Werner. View the full article

Arc, the much-hyped privacy-forward internet browser, won't be getting any more new features. This fact was announced months ago by its developer, The Browser Company, and clarified yesterday in a blog post in which the venture capital-backed entity that built Arc announced plans to focus on an as yet unreleased AI-based browser instead. For now, Arc will still be getting security updates, most of them inherited from the open-source Chromium project, but it's understandable that some dedicated Arc users may be looking for an alternative, and I know of a good one: the open source Zen Browser, currently in beta. Zen is beautiful in the same way Arc is, with its elegant vertical tabs located on the left side. Like Arc, it supports multiple workspaces and offers a compact mode with no toolbars or tabs. It also offers theming, split view, and link previews. Even better, it's built on the same browser engine as Firefox—and not Chromium—meaning it supports legitimate ad and privacy blockers like uBlock Origin. One Arc feature Zen lacks is any kind of AI integration; whether that's a downside or an upside will depend on your feelings about AI in your browsing experience. How to get started with the Zen BrowserWhen you install Zen it will offer to import your bookmarks, history, and even your passwords from another browser on your system. It then ask you to choose a color scheme, and select the key tabs you'd like to pin to the top of your workspaces(). After that you can start browsing the internet, just the way you're used to. Arc users won't need to adjust much when switching to Zen—I daresay everything will feel pretty familiar. (I personally appreciate that it shares the the command bar approach to typing addresses or searching, as it saves space when compared to an address bar that's constantly taking up space whether you're typing into it or not.) Credit: Justin Pot There are a couple of ways to customize Zen. In the settings you can choose between a single, multiple, or collapsed toolbar. If you want more fine tuning, there are Zen Mods, community-made plugins that let you customize all sorts of things about the user interface. More importantly, the browser offers full support for Firefox extensions, meaning you can also browse the Firefox Extensions gallery and install anything you want. Credit: Justin Pot The bottom line: Zen is a clean, speedy alternative browser. If you like Firefox but hate its UI, I recommend checking it out, and the same goes for anyone seeking an alternative to Arc that is still actively being developed. View the full article

Google AI Mode traffic bug fixed after organic search was mislabeled as direct traffic in Analytics. The post Google Fixes AI Mode Traffic Attribution Bug appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

David Droga is stepping down as CEO of Accenture Song, the global consultancy’s creative marketing services unit. In September Droga will transition from his day-to-day leadership into a broader strategic role as vice chair of Accenture. Within only four years, Droga led Song’s growth from $12.5 billion to $19 billion in revenue, all while winning Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity every year, I-COM Data Creativity Awards, Red Dot Design Awards, Webbys, and its first Emmy. Droga came to Accenture back in 2019, after Accenture Interactive acquired his ad agency Droga5. At the time, Droga explained that brand communications had gone far beyond just advertising, seeping into every time and place a consumer experiences a brand—from ads to retail to e-commerce. He knew the combination of Accenture’s scale and digital expertise and Droga5’s strategy and creativity would be in high demand. “CEOs, CMOs, and CIOs all need to be on the same page, because they all affect each other now,” he said at the time. “This isn’t a nice-to-have. I think it’s going to be crucial for any brand going forward. This is future-proofing.” Six years later, many brands are now just coming to terms with this. When Accenture Interactive was rebranded as Song, Droga (who was named CEO in 2021) saw it as another future-proofing move, to make sure the company’s structure matched client demands. “We’re now more in line with each other, working on solutions together, same P&L, so there’s no competing forces getting in the way,” he said. “I think that’s the only way to step up and deliver what clients need.” Given how Song has built up its capabilities—making 62 acquisitions since fiscal 2010—it’s clear Droga has built an absolute powerhouse across creativity, design, technology, AI, data, and strategy into one connected platform. I talked to him about how AI was transforming the advertising industry on Fast Company‘s Brand New World podcast back in February. As part of the transition, Ndidi Oteh, who currently serves as the Americas lead for Accenture Song, will become the CEO of Accenture Song, the company said. Nick Law, current creative chairperson for Accenture Song, will become the creative strategy and experience lead. I spoke with Droga on Wednesday about his not-really retirement, how the company has evolved most under his leadership, and what his next chapter looks like. Fast Company: OK, let’s start with the most obvious question: Why this move and why now? David Droga: Well, because I felt like we had our we had great momentum, and I had the right leadership team. That sort of gave me the belief that if I was going to, step into something new, or retire—or not—that I wasn’t abandoning ship. We’re ready for the next phase. Assembling the team was probably the most important part. One consistent thing through my career is I’ve always been in a rush to prove things out, not just sort of sit around and wait for things to happen. You’ve got to seize opportunity, and try and live up to it. You never really finish doing what you set out to do, but you can certainly hit benchmarks along the way. Then eventually, you feel like it’s got its own momentum. And then you can throw yourself into trying different things, as well. But I certainly proved what I wanted to prove to myself and to the broader audience that creative leadership can really move an industry, a company, forward. And it’s more of a necessity of leadership now than an accoutrement. Back in 2022 when Accenture Interactive was rebranded Song, we talked a lot about spreading creativity to more areas of business problem solving. How has the company evolved most significantly since then? Across broad Accenture, I know they see our creativity and abilities as an advantage. The scale of broad Accenture is vast. It is seen as very much a tech-led company with consulting and operations at the heart of it, and now that they see the power of infusing creativity into that, we can do even more. For me, the real validation and excitement is when we can do things that only Song can do, which is infusing that creativity across every facet of the customer’s business. Yes, there’s marketing, but we can now take that consistency to the commerce platforms, and then we can also do that with the service, and we can do that in design, and with data and AI. I see we’re actually proving that out, not just from how much we’re growing, but putting our best intentions and experience into it, and I’m seeing that woven into what we’re doing for clients. We’re not pigeonholed into one dimension of our clients’ needs. What particular pieces of work or projects stand out as highlights that embody those capabilities? Well, you can go from the Coinbase (2022 Super Bowl ad) and the Sydney Opera House work as more traditional advertising. Then there’s amazing digital work, which is, like, you know, the Gatorade digital redesign, or the IKEA work where people can resell their old stuff back on the IKEA platform. It’s not just the creative idea. I always say if you look at our very best ideas, is that a marketing idea? Is it a commerce idea? Is it a design idea? Is it a sustainability idea? No, it’s about the ability to make them all come together. I’ve always been trying to prove out not just the worth of creativity, but the different canvases and dimensions where it can show up. I’m a creative person to the marrow, and the best way to prove the worth and value of creativity is by making a sustainable business where we’re growing, where our client work is working, where people have opportunities, and people are excited by what we represent. But it’s also difficult. Forging a new path is intimidating, and sometimes you stumble and fail. I’ve said this before, but I’m more afraid of repetition than I am a failure. OK, speaking of forging new paths, this sounds like a sort-of, not-really retirement. What’s next for you? What does a vice chair do? I’m still participating. I’m a builder and a worker, and I like to do things. So I’m going to step out of leading this enterprise and being caught up in the day to day operation, and now I can sort of cherry pick and spend time with the things that I think are going to move us forward. I think, had I just retired, it’s probably too abrupt for someone (like me) who’s probably like a shark—you die if you stop moving. I don’t have aspirations to play golf and sit on a beach for rest of my life, but I also did want to just take stock. My oldest daughter just started college, for example. So I wanted to be able to ground myself and think about how I can contribute in these other ways. And it’s probably saving me from just playing tennis and pouring tequila over my head. View the full article

American president’s comments signal tensions with ally IsraelView the full article

The company behind the Opera browser is launching yet another AI tool with Opera Neon, an agentic AI browser. This basically means that it's a browser with an AI agent built in, which can go beyond answering questions and will purportedly be able to browse the internet for you to help you get various things done. This includes helping you plan trips, booking vacations, and even creating web apps with simple natural language prompts. Oddly enough, this isn't Opera's first go at agentic AI, as it follows the announcement for the standard Opera browser's Browser Operator tool. Technically, Browser Operator isn't released yet, but it seems the difference is that Neon's use cases will be a bit broader, as the AI will supposedly even able to generate content in the cloud while you're offline. The catch is that Neon isn't free, and is currently invite-only. Opera says it'll require a paid subscription when it launches, and while the company hasn't revealed the pricing or the launch date yet, you can join a waitlist to get notified about details closer to release, plus get in line for an invite. Opera says you'll be able to use the integrated AI as a chatbot and it will be able to search the web to find answers for you. It'll also be able to handle repetitive tasks such as filling forms and shopping. The biggest draw seems to be its ability to create content, though. On the Opera Neon website, a sample screenshot shows a someone requesting the AI to make a "retro snake game" for them. One plus going for this product is that it claims to be able to analyze webpages without recording your screen all the time (looking at you, Recall). Opera also claims that your browsing history, website data, and login information will be stored locally on your computer, which is good for anyone with privacy concerns. It goes without saying that all of these features will only be as useful as the AI model is accurate. The last thing I'd want is to have a faceless AI model book an overpriced hotel in a shady location, so I'll be taking all these trip planning claims with a pinch of salt until I see Neon in action. While launching new products always gets more attention, the sheer number of Opera's recent releases means that its browser lineup is getting a bit confusing. Opera currently has the following browsers listed on its website: Opera Browser, Opera GX, Opera Air, and Opera Mini. This makes Opera Neon the fifth product in the lineup. Each has its own specialty, but I'm starting to feel a little choice paralysis here. View the full article

The yield on 10-year benchmark Treasuries was up about three basis points following Wednesday's sale, after earlier climbing more than five basis points. View the full article

US vice-president promises ‘pro-innovation’ regulatory agenda in speech at Las Vegas conferenceView the full article

Messaging app’s 1bn users will gain access to Grok chatbot after Tesla chief met chat app’s founder Pavel DurovView the full article

Fast Company is the official media partner of Summit Detroit. At Summit events, unlikely pairings of innovative yet seemingly disconnected people regularly take the stage. In the past, Summit attendees have heard Kendrick Lamar and Quentin Tarantino discuss their creative processes; investor Brad Gerstner do a deep dive into Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi’s background and upbringing; and Al Gore and actor and entrepreneur Jaden Smith unite over their work combating the climate crisis. This signature feature of Summit events will be no different at Summit Detroit this June 5–8. “Summit becomes the conduit for all of these amazing intersections to happen,” says Summit CEO Jody Levy. Check out just some of the unique pairings coming to Summit Detroit: Picking winners in the AI arms race with Brad Keywell and Dick Costolo Venture investor and former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo and serial entrepreneur Brad Keywell will share the criteria they use to evaluate AI startups, the signals that separate hype from substance, and what most investors get wrong about the space. They will also reflect on the broader implications of AI: the good, the bad, and the potentially catastrophic. How autonomous vehicles, reusable rockets, and humanoid robots will define our solar system for the next 200 years with Franz von Holzhausen and Kiko Dontchev In their first-ever stage conversation, Franz von Holzhausen, chief designer at Tesla, and Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s VP of launch, will discuss innovations in revolutionizing transportation, manufacturing, and sustainable design. A new era of creative leadership with LP Giobbi and Ivy Ross Ivy Ross, Google’s VP of design and a trailblazer in neuroaesthetics—the exploration of how the brain responds to art—moderates a deep dive with LP Giobbi, DJ, pianist, and founder of Femme House. Together, they’ll explore how music, design, and science are converging to rewire how we create, connect, and lead. Symbols, systems, and the battle for public imagination with Shepard Fairey and Hank Willis Thomas Two of the most influential impact- and mission-focused artists of our time, Shepard Fairey and Hank Willis Thomas, explore the power of visual language in public areas and its ability to disrupt power, reclaim space, and challenge dominant narratives in a time when truth feels contested. The future of ownership, wealth, and economic power in America with Dr. Bernice A. King, Ashley Bell, and Dhani Jones Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center; Ashley Bell, founder and CEO of fintech platform Ready Life; and former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones will discuss the National Black Bank Foundation, which pioneers a new financial model merging economic justice with investment opportunity. The funny thing about being human with Lori Gottlieb and Ben Gleib As the voice behind The New York Times’ “Ask the Therapist” column and the bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb has helped millions rethink their inner narratives. Gottlieb will join comedian and cultural critic Ben Gleib to explore the hidden threads of identity, self-deception, and transformation. This conversation will offer a disarmingly funny and powerfully clarifying account of our mysterious inner lives and our capacity to shape them. Why creativity still matters in an AI world with Ivy Ross, Eames Demetrios, and Fast Company’s Mark Wilson As generative AI transforms how we build, communicate, and imagine, the role of human creativity has never been more vital. In a time when algorithms can mimic aesthetics and automate storytelling, what distinguishes truly meaningful work? This conversation brings together Google’s Ivy Ross and designer Eames Demetrios to explore how creativity isn’t being replaced, it’s being redefined. Moderated by Fast Company’s global design editor Mark Wilson, this session will delve into why imagination, intuition, and emotion remain irreplaceable tools in shaping beauty, connection, and culture and why design thinking must not only keep pace with AI, but chart the course forward. Learn more about Summit and apply to attend Summit Detroit this June 5-8, 2025. Tickets start at $4,750. View the full article

A German court ruled against a Peruvian farmer Wednesday in a landmark case that claimed global warming fueled by energy company RWE ‘s historical greenhouse gas emissions put his home at risk. Farmer and mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya said glaciers above his hometown of Huaraz are melting, increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding. RWE, which has never operated in Peru, denied legal responsibility, arguing that climate change is a global issue caused by many contributors. Experts said the case had the potential to set a significant precedent in the fight to hold major polluters accountable for climate change. Here’s a look at other climate cases being watched closely: An environmental group has asked the Dutch Supreme Court to uphold a landmark lower court ruling that ordered energy company Shell to cut carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels. That ruling was overturned in November by an appeals court — a defeat for the Dutch arm of Friends of the Earth and other environmental groups, which had hailed the original 2021 ruling as a victory for the climate. Climate activists have scored several courtroom victories, including in 2015, when a court in The Hague ordered the government to cut emissions by at least 25% by the end of 2020 from benchmark 1990 levels. The Dutch Supreme Court upheld that ruling five years ago. ___ The United Nations’ top court held two weeks of hearings in December into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change and help vulnerable nations fight its impacts. The case was spurred by a group of island nations that fear they could simply disappear under rising sea waters, prompting the U.N. General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice for an opinion on “the obligations of States in respect of climate change.” Any decision in the case, the largest in the court’s history, would be non-binding advice and could not directly force wealthy nations to act, though it could serve as the basis for other legal actions, including domestic lawsuits. In another advisory opinion requested by small island nations, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea last year said carbon emissions qualify as marine pollution and countries must take steps to mitigate and adapt to their adverse effects. ___ Colombia and Chile are awaiting an advisory opinion from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on whether countries are responsible for climate change harms and, if so, what their obligations are to respond on human rights grounds. A four-day hearing was held this month in the Brazilian state of Amazonas and an opinion is expected by the end of the year. Much of the testimony focused on indigenous rights in Latin America, including whether industries violate their rights to life and to defend their land from environmental harm. ___ Dozens of U.S. states and local governments have filed lawsuits alleging that fossil fuel companies misled the public about how their products could contribute to climate change, claiming billions of dollars in damage from more frequent and intense storms, flooding, rising seas and extreme heat. In March the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit from Republican attorneys general in 19 states aimed at blocking climate change suits against the oil and gas industry from Democratic-led states. And state supreme courts in Massachusetts, Hawaii and Colorado have rejected attempts by oil companies to dismiss lawsuits, allowing them to proceed in lower courts. Even so, the Department of Justice recently sued Hawaii and Michigan to prevent the states from seeking damages from fossil fuel companies in state court for harms caused by climate change. The DOJ also sued New York and Vermont, challenging their climate superfund laws that would force fossil fuel companies to pay into state-based funds based on previous greenhouse gas emissions. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. View the full article

It's not easy to maintain your privacy when using technology today. That's largely the fault of companies who prioritize data collection over the integrity of their users. But even though I'm quite used to the lack of respect most companies pay towards my privacy and security, I have to admit, I'm a bit taken aback by T-Mobile's latest decision. T-Life, T-Mobile's tech support app, has a rather unconventional and unnerving feature. For some users, it appears T-Life can record your screen whenever you have the app open. This setting is quite hidden, and worse, enabled by default. Who signed off on this? How T-Life's screen recording worksThankfully, the privacy and security implications aren't quite as bad as the headlines make it seem. T-Mobile says the feature is strictly for T-Life tech support—not for spying. As a T-Mobile spokesperson told CNET, "To help us give customers who use T-Life a smoother experience, we are rolling out a new tool in the app that will help us quickly troubleshoot reported or detected issues. This tool records activities within the app only and does not see or access any personal information." Still, this explanation doesn't excuse quietly enabling in-app screen recording for customers without their knowledge. I have no issue with a company like T-Mobile offering tools that aid tech support when all parties are willing and able, but as CNET points out, the app already has such a feature called "Screen Share" under Help & support. Seems redundant to have a separate "screen recording" setting that serves a similar purpose—especially when it appears the company wasn't planning on telling people about it before the news broke. When you do take a look at the setting in the T-Life app, you'll see the following description: "We use a tool to record how customers use the app to analyze and improve your experience. Only T-Mobile will review and analyze your info. If you turn this toggle on or magenta, we will record your screen while you use the app. If you turn this toggle off or gray, we will not record your screen." Yikes. How to disable T-Life's screen recordingTo disable the feature, open T-Life, then head to Settings > Preferences. Here, you'll see Screen recording tool, where you can disable the setting. (You'll know it's off if it turns gray.) If you don't see the setting, you might not be affected. T-Life hasn't rolled out this feature to all users yet, so it is possible the app isn't screen recording for you at this time. Reports say T-Mobile has rolled this out to iPhone and Android users alike, so don't assume you're safe because you use one platform or the other. View the full article

Last week we talked about office thefts, and here are some of my favorite stories you shared. 1. The bike My coworker and I both biked to work fairly often. One day, my coworker didn’t bike but I did. My coworker left the office before I did and stole my bike, because he forgot he didn’t bike and just grabbed a bike and left. The funniest part is that said coworker is nearly a foot taller than me, so his bike is much larger, and also a different color. He made it all the way home before realizing that (1) there was already a bike in his home, (2) he had car keys in his pocket, and (3) the bike he had was not his, it was mine. (He brought it back the next day, and apologized profusely, and offered to reimburse me for any costs of getting home. He was also a new father and exhausted, and honestly if he was that tired that he didn’t notice his silver bike was now blue and roughly half the normal size, it was probably good he wasn’t behind the wheel of a car! And it was nice outside, so I just walked home.) 2. The medical card More than 40 years ago, in med school, outside our classroom was a big set of cubbyholes for coffee mugs, labeled with our names. My plain white mug kept getting taken, and I’d usually find it in the student smoking lounge full of cigarette butts. I photocopied a card that I had been issued when I completed my two-year Peace Corps stint. I taped it to the mug with the line, “Use at your own risk” added. The card was intended as a heads-up to doctors and it said, “MyName was in (country) from (date) to (date) and may have been exposed to the following diseases (list of 20+ tropical diseases, including leprosy).” No one ever took my mug again. 3. The Uncrustables During Covid, two of my colleagues and I were all bringing in Uncrustables (the little PB&J frozen sandwiches) to be our lunch. We rarely saw each other (alternating schedules and different work zones), but we each had our stash in the freezer. We were all respectful, would never steal. All that. One morning I had to go in extra early. I’d purchased a refill of my frozen snacks to take in with me, good news. End of the day, I’m ravenously devouring the third sandwich in my box of four when colleague comes in. I wave with half a sandwich in my hand. He opens the freezer (the kitchen was line of sight 20 feet from my desk), makes a face, and leaves without saying anything other than hello. Busy guy, it’s not unusual. I got home and saw my box of frozen sandwiches sitting on the counter, fully defrosted. I’d devoured his sandwiches. Not mine. I’d even waved at him with one of them. 4. The maneki-neko cat My office had a maneki-neko cat at the front desk. For those who don’t know, those are the Japanese ceramic cats with the mechanical paw that some believe bring good luck by beckoning customers into the business. Our owner was also an absolute jerk. Mysteriously, strangely, the maneki-neko started disappearing from the front desk. It would always turn up later in another part of the office — on a cabinet, in a drawer, looking out the window — but always facing away from the door. This would drive the owner crazy, and for months the managers would ask, “Who’s moving the cat???” Finally, one day, I caught my beloved coworker taking the maneki-neko from the front and surreptitiously moving it to the breakroom. He never fully explained his motives, but I suspect it was petty revenge against our terrible boss. He simply said, “I have moved the cat before, and I will move the cat again.” 5. The candy bar At an old job, the exec assistant to the CEO came in one Monday and found someone had stolen candy from the top drawer of her desk. She’d had a full size Snickers bar there on Friday, and someone had opened it, eaten some, and then put the partially eaten bar back in the drawer. 6. The penguin I used to work with a literal penguin (at a zoo) who loved to steal keys. He was really sneaky about it too. He would wait until you were crouched-down busy feeding another penguin and would sneak up behind you and gently pull stuff out of your pockets. Often I wouldn’t notice until he was quickly waddling away jangling the keys. 7. The hair theft Somebody stole my HAIR. A month or so before Covid, I had an enormous amount (several feet) of my hair chopped off for charity. The office sponsored me, and were incredibly generous, but I also donated the hair itself. I planned to post both the hair and the eventual check at the same time, and the building has a mail room that we’re allowed to use if we buy our own stamps, so the envelope containing, again, TWO LONG, THICK, NEAT PLAITS OF HAIR was in the top (unlocked) drawer of my desk until I could get round to posting it. And then Covid happened. I was on leave when the office shut down, so my desk, with my hair, was left to molder to itself for a few stressful months. As soon as everything reopened, I went to get both the money and the hair. Found the money, which had been locked safely away in the bottom desk drawer … but no hair. I was, as you can imagine, thoroughly flummoxed. My not-insubstantial flabber was gasted. And so on. (The envelope was not sealed, so it would have been immediately obvious what was in it.) Somewhat diffidently, given that it is a touch tricky to ask, “Has anyone found my hair?” in a professional manner, I made enquiries. No hair was found but that which I remained attached to. About 18 months later, we had a full office refurbishment. One unfortunate secretary, who’d been brought in to assist with the clear-out, found an envelope containing my STOLEN, and I really cannot stress this enough, HAIR shoved unceremoniously down behind a locker. Unsurprisingly, the poor woman remembered my plaintive emails regarding my lost tresses and returned them to me unharmed. I bought her several coffees to make up for what I’m assuming was a bit of a shock, so we’re still friends today. And yes, the charity got its hair donation as well as the money. 8. The revenge It’s not exactly stealing, but I was passed over for a promotion. I had been covering as a manager and they gave the job to someone who actually isn’t good at the job. While I was covering as manager, we moved offices and I inherited a mini fridge. Instead of leaving the fridge to the next manager (fairly common thing to do), I waited until everyone left and moved the mini fridge to my new office. I also know where we keep water coolers so I took one, and I set it up outside my office door. My office neighbors love it. My officemate thought it was hilarious. I’m now eyeing an extra unneeded microwave and may make it go missing into my office. Best part is that everyone thinks I got permission to do this so no one questions it. 9. The pens Taught in a place for about eight years. At the end, I was moving cities. I filled a big envelope with all the pens I found around my flat. All sorts: some didn’t matter like Bic blue or black, but others were purple or red, fancy, roller ball, all nibs and colors. I guessed about 70% were “borrowed.” To be fair, we would all periodically buy and dump pens there, me included, but I did also pick up any pen I saw loose, carry it round, and who knows, it might go in my bag. I grew up in a big family, if it’s not hidden it’s communal. Anyway I posted the envelope with maybe 40 pens in it. When it arrived a colleague said people were like OH MY GOD MY PEN!! It was a whole occasion. 10. The chicken My colleague brought in a salad with a grilled chicken breast on top. When she went to have lunch, she discovered that someone had taken the chicken and left her with just the salad. The container had been inside a zippered lunch bag in the office fridge, which meant the chicken thief unzipped and went through her bag before taking the lid off the Tupperware, removing the chicken, putting the lid back, putting the sealed, poultry-less salad back in the bag, zipping the bag, and replacing the bag back in the fridge. The funny part was that she said it was leftover chicken that was too dry, so she had popped it into her salad in hopes that would liven it up a bit. 11. The ceramic mug My sister “Dr. Smith” is a chemistry professor who loves tea. When I still made pottery back before the arthritis got too bad to sit at the wheel, I threw her a mug, added a little pocket on the side to store a drippy tea-bag, and glazed it in her favorite color. She loved it and used it daily, until it was stolen from a ledge right outside her lab (can’t take food or drink into the lab, of course). She posted a sign explaining that the mug was hand-made by her sibling and had a great deal of sentimental value, but nobody ever returned it. So I made her another one, complete with a little tea-bag pocket just like the first one. On this new mug, I used lettering stamps to imprint “Stolen from Dr. Smith” around the side, adding underglaze to the imprinted letters to make sure the message would be clearly visible. She still uses her personalized mug to this day. 12. The amnesty box My workplace had an “amnesty box” set up so you could sneak your stolen plates and utensils back after hours and not have to look any people in the eye. 13. The meat theft One day I was at work and when I took my sandwich out of the refrigerator I discovered someone had stolen the meat out of it. It would have been less insulting if they’d just taken the entire thing! 14. The creamer I nipped coffee creamer theft by blatantly stealing an idea that I think I read about in here somewhere awhile back — I transferred all of my creamer to a glass bottle and labeled it “Breast Milk.” Not only did people stop stealing it, no one would even touch it or place their own items too close to it. No matter how full the fridge was, it was like my creamer had a protective little forcefield around it. 15. The Edible Arrangement A coworker planned to attend a celebratory family event directly after work, and had an Edible Arrangement sent to her so that she could bring it to her family party. It arrived, wrapped in cellophane and a pretty bow, and she put it in the office refrigerator to keep it fresh until quitting time. After work, she went to retrieve the arrangement to bring to her celebration, and someone had opened the cellophane, taken all the chocolate-covered fruit off, leaving just the plastic stems, and re-wrapped it. Also, an Ask a Manager meet-cute friendship occurred in the comments on that post! The post the inadvertent bike thief, the disappearing hair, and other stories of weird office thefts appeared first on Ask a Manager. View the full article

The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization has created a new version of, as well as enhanced the current edition. of its reference model. View the full article

Google’s YouTube Insights Finder tool, launched to help advertisers understand intent-based audience insights, is now available in over 20 markets worldwide. How it works: Explore interests and trends: Find out what your audience is searching for and interested in. Discover top creators: Identify trending creators by topic, category, or audience segment. Measure engagement: Access detailed metrics on viewer engagement and content preferences. Understand device usage: Analyze how audiences watch across devices, including Connected TV. Why we care. The tool taps into YouTube’s trove of viewing behavior and trending topics, helping you tailor campaigns to what’s resonating now. The big picture: YouTube Insights Finder helps brands activate smarter campaigns by decoding where attention is shifting and what’s gaining traction in the Creator community. What’s next: Start exploring with the tool or dive deeper with Google’s official Ads Help page. Get started: Click the “Start using Insights Finder” button to get insights and start driving results. View the full article