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Google has released its April 2025 Android Security Bulletin, which includes patches for 62 vulnerabilities affecting Android devices. Two of the fixes address critical zero-day flaws that may have been exploited in "limited, targeted" attacks, according to Google. Zero-days are security vulnerabilities that are exploited before the software developer can identify the flaw and issue a patch. The security update for April includes fixes for a range of issues, many of which elevation of privilege flaws, as well as vulnerabilities with Qualcomm, MediaTek, Arm, and Imagination Technologies components. Two serious exploitsOne of the zero-day exploits (labeled CVE-2024-53197) is an elevation of privilege flaw in the Linux kernel's USB-audio driver for ALSA Devices. According to Bleeping Computer, this vulnerability was identified by Amnesty International's Security Lab in 2024 as part of a chain—along with one flaw fixed in February and another in March—used by Serbian police to target activists. The other zero-day (labeled CVE-2024-53150) is an information disclosure vulnerability in the Android kernel that permits local attackers to gain access to data without the device user's input. If you're an Android user, you should be sure your device is up to date with this latest patch. How to update your AndroidGoogle issues patches for both its Pixel phones and the core Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code and gives manufacturers of other devices—like Samsung, Motorola, and Nokia—advance notice so they can push updates around the same time. If you have an Android, you should get a notification to install an update when one is available. You can also go to About phone or About tablet > Android version to ensure your device is up to date and check your update status (under System > Software update or System update). If a patch is required, follow the prompts to download and install updates. Any device running Android 10 or later may receive both security updates and Google Play system updates. This round of patches applies to AOSP versions 13, 14, and 15 and is split into two parts, the most recent of which is dated 2025-04-05. View the full article

Computer-driven asset manager’s institutional equity strategy down 8% in AprilView the full article

WordPress contributor cutbacks are slowing progress on new features and improvements users would otherwise see throughout the year The post WordPress Contributor Cutbacks Cause Core Development To Stall appeared first on Search Engine Journal. View the full article

Deregulation at the federal and state levels could open the door to a potential boom in housing supply, HUD Secretary Scott Turner said Tuesday. View the full article

Getting work done today seems to require dozens of different apps, tools, and platforms. But when you’re bouncing around from HubSpot to Gitlab to Jira to Mailchimp, you might start feeling more frazzled than super-productive. That’s where no-code workflow automation comes in. With this software, you can get your daily processes running automatically, and put all your apps in communication with each other. This can be extremely useful if you need to work cross-functionally with multiple departments It’s a way to get your tech working for you — no coding skills required! Here are 10 great tools to get you started on your automation journey. Unito Kissflow Zapier Cflow Outfunnel Pipefy Make Workato Whalesync Process Street Unito: No-code workflow automation with two-way sync Most other integration tools, like Zapier, use trigger-based automation that only works one way. By contrast, all of Unito’s integrations work both ways. Automatic, bidirectional syncing means that when selected information in one tool changes, any app it’s integrated with syncs automatically. The most recent data from project management apps like Trello or Asana shows up in whatever other tools your team prefers, in real time, according to rules you choose. Changes in one app automate across your entire stack, saving time and keeping everyone on the same page. That means you can work across tools without time-intensive manual processes like managing exports and copying and pasting data. It’s a huge step up in efficiency and value. That’s why this workflow management software is used by organizations like Tesla, Netflix, Harvard, and Uber. Best for Building a true two-way sync between project management apps, reporting tools, spreadsheets, and more, so data in all tools is automatically updated as you work. Key features True 2-way sync, which creates two-way relationships between work items and keeps everything up to date without code or setting up multiple automations. Automated field mappings, which ensure that data always goes to the right place, no matter how different the tools you pair are. Robust rules, allowing you to control which work items get synced between tools as well as automating actions like status changes and assigning tasks. Use cases IT service management Project management Account management Marketing reporting Drawbacks Unito offers integrations with Hubspot, Jira, Mailchimp, Pipedrive, and many more. While we’re adding new integrations all the time, we currently integrate with 30+ apps. These integrations cover database reporting tools, CRMs, project management tools, and more. Some of our competitors support a broader range of tools, but they rarely offer the same depth as Unito integrations. Kissflow: Best no-code automation tool for operations Kissflow’s top no-code workflow automation tool makes handling business processes a breeze, offering a no-code solution perfect for any team, big or small. Enhance business operations by automating tasks and diving deep into analytics without breaking a sweat. With Kissflow, you get to play around with a custom user interface, easy integrations, and a smart form builder. It’s all about simplifying things, from heatmaps for quick decisions to secure custom access. Whether automating workflows, developing apps with little to no code, or managing cases efficiently, Kissflow is your go-to for stepping up your operational game and smoothly sailing through digital transformation. Pricing Kissflow offers a Basic subscription plan starting at $1,500 per month, along with custom-priced enterprise options to meet specific needs. Drawbacks Kissflow focuses on simplifying workflow automation and process optimization, opting not to include Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Business Process Model Notation (BPMN), or process mining in its suite of features. Zapier: Jack-of-all-trades workflow automation software Zapier aims to make your life easier by connecting all the apps you need to do your job. Zapier is all about integrations, allowing you to automate workflows across more than 4,000 different web apps. You can set up ‘if X, then do Y’-style dependencies across apps like Slack, Mailchimp, Airtable, and literally thousands more. It’s an example of the best-known no-code workflow automation software on the market. Use Zapier to cut down on the repetitive, boring tasks that eat into your team’s workday. Pricing Zapier does offer a free plan, but its functionality is pretty limited. Paid plans are charged monthly, starting at a certain number of tasks, and scaling up as they increase. The Professional plan starts at $29.99 a month for 750 monthly tasks, scaling up to $5,099 for 2 million monthly tasks. The Team plan starts at $103.50 a month for 2,000 monthly tasks, scaling up to $5,999 for 2 million monthly tasks. Zapier also offers custom Enterprise plans, though you’ll have to reach out to their sales team to get a quote. Drawbacks Zapier doesn’t offer mobile apps, so you won’t be able to control automations from your phone. And as we mentioned, the functionality of their free plan isn’t great. You only get 5, single-step automated workflows (which they call Zaps). How does Zapier measure up? Zapier is easily one of the most popular workflow automation solutions out there, but how does it measure up against some of its competitors? We break down the differences between Zapier and some of its top competitors here: Zapier vs. Make Zapier vs. IFTTT Zapier vs. Unito The best Zapier alternatives Cflow: No-Code cloud BPM Workflow Automation Platform Cflow is a versatile workflow automation platform that can build workflows from the ground up with a convenient-to-use visual workflow builder. Deep customization capabilities in Cflow allow for the automation of all types of business workflows. With Cflow, you can create process workflows from scratch without having to write even a single line of code. Top 5 compelling reasons why you should consider Cflow: Flexible approvals: Approve without a user license with the public forms feature. Sophisticated rules engine: Your business, your rules. Enjoy deep customization with a user-friendly interface. Digital document management: End paper-based work by digitizing important task documents. Email notifications: Never miss a task deadline with automated email alerts and notifications. Secure data: Best-in-class data encryption and security for your business data. Pricing Flexible and transparent pricing plans – the Happy Plan at $7/user/mo; the Joy Plan at $11/user/mo; the Bliss Plan at $16/user/mo. Drawbacks Some users have reported that navigating via the interface is confusing. Another concern expressed by a few users is about difficulty in understanding the logical functions. Outfunnel: Workflow automation for revenue teams Like Zapier and Automate.io, Outfunnel is workflow automation tool you can use without coding skills. But its integrations have a very specific audience — sales and marketing teams! Outfunnel was designed by, and built for, the needs of sales and marketing, offering integrations with Copper, Pipedrive, Airtable, HubSpot CRM, and other marketing tools. It has built-in lead-scoring capability, and syncs data on leads and customers across all your sales and marketing tools. The idea is to help your marketing team save time, and focus on the leads that really matter! Pricing Unfortunately, Outfunnel doesn’t offer a free plan. But their prices are pretty affordable, and they do offer a free two-week trial. Outfunnel offers three pricing tiers: a Basic plan that starts at $29 a month, a Professional plan starting at $99 a month, and a custom Scale plan. Drawbacks Outfunnel is more limited than other integration tools on the market. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing! Outfunnel has a specific purpose, and it’s great at achieving just that. And of course, there’s no free version, although the plans are cheaper than many other tools on this list. Pipefy: Best workflow automation software for your deal pipeline Pipefy automates business processes like purchasing, onboarding, and recruiting. It’s not really an integration tool, like the options we’ve already talked about. In fact, you’d more likely be using Zapier to connect Pipefy to something else. Instead, it’s intended to make your business processes faster and more efficient. For example, you can create sharable forms to gather data, and automate email communications. It’s used by some pretty big companies like Toyota, KraftHeinz, and IBM, so they’re clearly offering some serious value. So you can still reach your goal — no-code workflow automation — with software that’s a little different. Pricing Woohoo — Pipefy is entirely free for small teams! They also have three paid plans: Business, Enterprise, and Unlimited. They don’t make pricing available, however, so you’ll have to contact their sales team for a quote. Drawbacks Because it’s not really their core functionality, Pipefy’s integration capabilities are pretty limited. Across review sites like TrustPilot and Capterra, users have also shared some complaints about their interface and learning curve. Make: No-code workflow automation for visual learners Make, formerly Integromat, allows you to do way more than automate tasks and workflows. Within their drag-and-drop interface, you can build entire apps and systems, too! Make boasts a fun, well-designed, highly visual interface — the company describes it as ‘playful.’ You can create integrations to connect different apps, or build workflows that can run right away or be scheduled. Make could be a great choice if you need to automate workflows, but want no-code capability beyond that too. Make used to be called Integromat, and it’s used by companies including Meta, Spotify, and Heineken. Pricing Make offers a Free plan and three paid plans: Core: Starting at $9 a month for 10,000 ops a month, scaling up to $988.28 a month for 2,000,000 ops a month. Pro: Starting at $16 a month for 10,000 ops a month, scaling up to $1,377.67 a month for 2,000,000 ops a month. Teams: Starting at $29 a month for 10,000 ops a month, scaling up to $8,231.05 for 2,000,000 ops a month. They also offer an Enterprise plan with custom pricing and enhanced security, but you’ll need to talk to their sales team for a quote. Drawbacks Make is a fairly advanced tool. While the interface is well-designed, there’s definitely a learning curve, and some reviews mention that Make’s customer support could be better. Additionally, the cheaper tiers are pretty limiting, placing restrictions on file size, customer support, search functionality, and more. How does Make measure up? Make is an advanced no-code workflow automation tool, making it a solid option for people with technical skills. But how does it compare to some of the other tools on this list? Make vs. Unito Make vs. Zapier Workato: No-code workflow automation with AI Workato is one of the leading examples of no-code workflow automation software. Because they use machine learning and other proprietary tech, Workato claims they make creating automations 10 times faster than other solutions. Workato offers integrations with over 1,000 different apps. Heightened security is another Workato selling point — they promise that no matter what, automating workflows and integrations will never compromise their users’ security. Workato is used by some big names like Atlassian, AT&T, and Adobe. Pricing Workato’s pricing structure is a bit unique. It’s based on what integrations and apps you actually need, so you’ll need to get a quote from the company directly. Drawbacks Workato is a mid-market to enterprise solution. It’s a bit too complex and powerful for small businesses and solopreneurs. Additionally, some users have found that making the most of Workato did require a little bit of coding knowledge. How does Workato measure up? Workato is a strong no-code workflow automation tool, especially for enterprise-sized companies. But how does it compare to some of the other tools on this list? Workato vs. Unito Whalesync: Workflow automation software with sync Whalesync is a workflow automation tool that offers a two-way sync option for databases, website builders, CRMs, and more. With Whalesync, you can build bases that automatically update tools in both directions, allowing you to automate processes across teams. Examples of use cases for Whalesync include syncing Webflow and Airtable to generate thousands of SEO landing pages, linking your Shopify store with Airtable bases to automate repetitive tasks in e-commerce, and even build web apps by connecting Bubble to Airtable. Pricing Whalesync offers two pricing plans: The Starter plan is $99 a month and gives you access to integrations for Airtable, Webflow, Notion, and Memberstack. You can build up to five syncs and sync up to 10,000 records. The Custom plan starts at $599 a month and gives you access to all integrations, including Salesforce, HubSpot, WordPress, and Shopify. You can also build unlimited syncs and sync an unlimited number of records. Drawbacks Whalesync’s two-way sync is a great option among workflow automation tools, but it doesn’t support as many connectors as other tools. Where some platforms have dozens or hundreds of connectors, Whalesync only supports 14. While some of those connectors — like Stripe and WordPress — are very versatile, the tool won’t be much use to you if it doesn’t support the platforms you want to automate. Process Street: AI-powered workflow automation Process Street is a workflow automation solution designed to make all your processes run more smoothly. It does this through its five flagship features: Workflows combine task management and automation, letting you essentially set up your own automated project management solution. Process AI is a workflow design assistant that automatically adapts your processes as you work. Forms lets you create feedback forms, surveys, quizzes, and more, so that you don’t have to integrate an external tool. Data Sets allows you to house a database right in Process Street, making all your data available for your automated workflows. Pages is a built-in word processor that helps enhance collaboration on everything from briefs to marketing content. Pricing Process Street offers two fixed plans, billed monthly. The Startup plan will set you back $100 a month and give you access to unlimited workflows and pages. You’ll be limited in the number of members you can add and how you can customize your workspace. You’ll also be limited to email and chat support. The Pro plan costs $1500 a month and the number of members it supports is customized to your needs. You’ll also have more control over the customization of your workspace and better customer support. You can also get their Enterprise plan, though you’ll need to contact their sales team for a quote. Drawbacks One of the main drawbacks Process Street customers have cited is the price. With its cheapest plan starting at $100 a month, Process Street isn’t necessarily well-suited to organizations with smaller budgets. This is made worse by the fact that the free trial doesn’t include all premium features, making it difficult to properly test the tool and see if it fits your needs. Bonus: Tools you already use with built-in workflow automation Did you know that many of the tools you’re already using have built-in integrations and workflow automation features? Project management apps in particular boast these features, and often they’ll be more than suitable to your needs. Here are a few examples of tools you might already be using that have significant workflow automation features. Notion: Database automations Notion’s built-in database automations allow users to build simple trigger-based automations that handle repetitive actions. Automatically change assignees, send notifications to Slack, and even edit page properties across databases. Wrike The Wrike Sync add-on, built by Unito, connects Wrike with some of the most popular tools out there, from Miro to Google Sheets and Jira. This no-code platform builds two-way syncs between Wrike and these tools, meaning changes that happen in one tool are automatically pushed to the other — and vice-versa. Trello Trello is one of the most popular project management tools on the market for a reason. It has a smooth learning curve, boasts an easy-to-use interface, and is flexible enough to handle all sorts of use cases. Butler, Trello’s built-in automation tool, applies all of this to workflow automation. Jira Jira’s trigger-based automation solution allows users to create simple automations that can auto-assign work across Jira instances, automate repetitive tasks, move issues around your projects, and more. It’s a great place to start if you’re a Jirea user. Asana Asana’s rules allow project managers to streamline and optimize the way they handle important projects. Assign (and re-assign) work automatically, send automatic reminders as deadlines approach, move tasks when they’re updated, and more. How to pick the right no-code automation tool To pick the right no-code automation tool, here’s what you should look for: The tool supports all the systems you need to automate. The tool either is easy enough for anyone in the organization to use or has the necessary security measures for your IT team to limit access accordingly (depending on your organization’s needs). The tool is actually no-code and doesn’t expect you to write scripts or other code to get the tool’s full functionality. The tool supports the workflows you need to automate, whether that’s pushing contact information between tools, automating task creation, or keeping tasks up to date in multiple project management tools. Still not sure? Here’s a more detailed answer. Knowing what you need from workflow automation software Not all workflow automation tools are created equal, and even the leader in a field might not be a good fit for your particular organization. According to recent statistics, global AI market revenue is expected to reach $126 billion by 2025, highlighting the significant growth and investment in automation technologies. With so many options on the market, you need to know exactly which tool fits your needs. To do that, ask yourself the following: What’s your job-to-be-done? Who will use this software? What integrations do you need? What is your desired outcome? How will this software be deployed in your organization? What to look for in no-code automation tools Knowing your needs is just one half of this discovery process. You also need to know what to look for in a potential new tool and how to match that up with your needs. Here are some characteristics of no-code workflow automation software that you need to know before making a purchase decision: It’s really no-code: Some workflow automation software calls itself no-code, but still requires you to work with scripts or similar processes that would be more accurately called low-code. If the team members using your workflow automation software don’t have the skill level to handle anything that’s beyond no-code, you’ll want to investigate this thoroughly before getting a platform. It has the right integrations: There’s no worse feeling than thinking you’ve found the perfect workflow automation solution only to discover it doesn’t support the tools you need. Sure, it might support a few of your tools — the ones you tested when you first acquired it — but you find that its potential is pretty limited when it comes to integrating the rest of your stack. It matches your technical skill level: Even if a solution is no-code, it might require a significant level of technical skill to set up, troubleshoot, and maintain over time. If you don’t have those resources, you should eliminate platforms that require significant technical investment before you sync your first bit of data. It fits the type of integration you need: Not only do you need to make sure the platform you choose supports the tools you use, but it should also provide a depth of integration that suits your needs. Some platforms just offer shallow one-way automations while others offer deep two-way syncs. Make sure to map your needs to the depth of integrations offered by a potential solution. Let’s get synced Apps and tools make our work faster, more accurate, and more efficient. But as more and more specialized, powerful apps keep hitting the market, so too does it become more challenging to manage them. That’s what makes these no-code workflow automation software platforms so magical. In the past, it would have taken serious coding knowledge to automate your boring, repetitive workflows, and get all your different work apps cooperating together. Today, you can shift that burden quickly and easily. That means less time fiddling with all those apps and tools, and more time actually doing your job. FAQ: No-code workflow automation tools What are no-code automation tools? A no-code workflow automation tool is a software platform that pushes data automatically between systems like project management apps, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, software development tools, and more, without requiring technical skills or coding. What are the best no-code workflow automation tools? Some of the best no-code workflow automation tools on the market include: Unito: A no-code workflow automation tool with two-way sync for over 60 tools. Kissflow: No-code solution for automating business processes. Zapier: Popular no-code workflow automation platform with thousands of integrations. Cflow: Versatile business process management platform. Outfunnel: Workflow automation platform designed for revenue teams (e.g., sales, marketing, support). Pipefy: Popular workflow automation software for managing your deal pipeline. Make: Automation platform with a visual drag-and-drop platform. Workato: AI-powered workflow automation. Whalesync: Two-way sync solution with a focus on databases like Notion, Airtable, and Webflow. Process Street: Workflow automation platform with extensive AI features, forms, and a built-in word processor. What should I look for in a no-code automation tool? When choosing a no-code automation tool, you should look for the following: Support for all the systems you need to automate. Support for the workflows you need to automate (e.g., project management, ticket escalation, The tool is easy enough for anyone in your organization or has the security features required to limit access based on your requirements. A tool that is actually no-code without limiting features unless you have the technical skills to write scripts or code. You may need to go through a period of trial-and-error to find a workflow automation tool that meets all these criteria. View the full article

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott said Jonathan McKernan's final confirmation vote to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is "imminent." View the full article

Social media can be a fantastic way to connect with friends and family, but it can also be dangerous—especially for kids and young adults. While modern social media platforms like Facebook have been around for over 20 years, figuring out how to make these apps and sites safe for minors is still an ongoing challenge. For all its faults, Meta is making some efforts in this space. Last year, the company announced Teen Accounts for Instagram. All accounts for users under the age of 18 automatically shifted to this new format, which included a number of protections not found on typical Instagram accounts. For example, Teen Accounts are private by default, so new followers need to be accepted one by one. Non-followers cannot see their posts, send DMs, or tag or mention them in posts. There are also a number of content filters associated with Teen Accounts, as the app blocks violent content as well as posts promoting cosmetic procedures. In addition, Teen Accounts receive reminders to quit Instagram after 60 minutes of screen time, and a built-in sleep mode activates between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to mute alerts and send auto-replies to any incoming DMs. While 16- and 17-year-old users can adjust these settings if they wish, users under 16 cannot do so without their parent's permission. Meta seems satisfied with the results, so it's not a surprise that the company is both expanding Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger, as well as adding to the number of protections built into these accounts. Teen Accounts on Facebook and MessengerMeta announced these Teen Account changes in a Tuesday blog post. In addition to Instagram, Teen Accounts are rolling out to Facebook and Messenger users in the United States, UK, Australia, and Canada, with more regions planned in the near future. As with Instagram Teen Accounts, accounts for users under the age of 18 will automatically transition to Teen Accounts. Before that transition happens, users will see an alert at the top of their apps informing them of the settings Meta plans to change. Credit: Meta What's new with Teen AccountsTeen Accounts on Facebook and Messenger are getting the same protections that Instagram Teen Accounts have had since last year. However, Meta is rolling out new restrictions for Teen Accounts on Instagram specifically. That includes a ban on live broadcasting for users under 16. If these users want to go live on Instagram, they'll need their parents' permission to enable the setting. In addition, these users will require their parents' OK to turn off a feature that blurs images containing suspected nudity in DMs. Credit: Meta I imagine the vast majority of parents are going to want to keep these settings disabled on their teens' Instagram accounts. Meta does, too: The company says that 97% of users aged 13-15 keep these default protections enabled. How to manage your teen's Meta accountsAs previously mentioned, Teen Accounts are automatic. If your teen has an account with Instagram, Facebook, or Messenger, their account will switch to a Teen Account without you needing to do anything. If your teen is 16 or older, they will have the option to adjust these settings on their own. However, teens under 16 not only need your permission to change settings, they first need to set up parental supervision to give you the option to adjust these settings in the first place. Otherwise, they're stuck with Teen Accounts restrictions until they turn 16. To do this in Instagram, open the app, open your profile, tap the hamburger menu in the top right, the choose Family Center. Tap Invite your teen, then choose your child from the list of users. Tap Invite to send the invitation. You'll find a similar invite link setting in Messenger and Facebook: Open the app, head to Menu > Settings (Settings & privacy on Facebook) > Family Center, then share the invite link that the app generates for you. Once set up, you should be able to manage your teen's permissions from this Family Center chat. That includes options like who can DM them, who can mention or tag them, what content they can see and unblur, sleep mode settings and time limit options. However, this isn't a "big brother" situation: Meta says you cannot see your teen's search history or DMs, make posts on their behalf, or reset their password. They retain a significant amount of personal privacy here: You simply control the aforementioned permissions. When your teen does try to change a restricted setting, the app will let them know they need your permission to do so. View the full article

The IRS tends to be something of a stickler when it comes to filing tax returns and paying taxes on time. And that time is ticking—there are only a few days left before the official April 15 deadline. If you think filing is a headache, just wait until you're dealing with penalties and interest. Here's what you need to know about the upcoming tax deadlines help you file on time in 2025. Key tax deadline informationThe standard tax filing deadline for most individual taxpayers is typically April 15. However, if you requested an extension earlier this year, your final deadline to file your 2024 tax return is October 15, 2025. You can request an extension by April 15 with the IRS here. This six-month extension gives you additional time to complete your return, but remember: An extension to file is not an extension to pay. If you owe taxes and don't pay by the April deadline, you'll start accruing penalties and interest. Last-minute filing optionsIf you're approaching the April deadline, you have several filing options: E-file through the IRS Free File program. With Free File, you complete your tax return using guided software via a partner site, which then e-files it with the IRS. Available to taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $84,000 or less in 2024. Use commercial tax preparation software. I used H&R Block this year and was done within an hour. Check out my guide here to choose between other popular TurboTax and FreeTaxUSA. Hire a tax professional. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) or Enrolled Agents can help with complex returns. Here's how to make sure your preparer knows what they're doing. File by mail. Though not recommended due to processing delays, you can still file a paper return (postmarked by April 15—or Oct. 15 if you secured that extension). What happens if you miss the October deadline, tooIf you're reading this in October, you might be in a tough spot. Missing the extended deadline can result in: Failure-to-file penalty. This amount is typically 5% of unpaid taxes for each month your return is late, up to 25%. Continued interest. You'll also end up owing interest on any unpaid tax liability, which compounds daily. Loss of refund. If you don't file, you won't get that refund. Keep in mind that if you do eventually file and are owed a refund, you generally have three years to claim it before it expires. If you can't meet the Oct. 15 deadline, your options are limited. The IRS generally doesn't grant additional extensions beyond Oct. 15 except in pretty specific circumstances: Those living outside the United States may qualify for an additional extension. Military personnel in combat zones receive automatic extensions. Those affected by federally declared disasters may receive additional time. Tips for last-minute filersThe most important piece of advice here: File even if you can't pay. Filing on time avoids the failure-to-file penalty, which is typically higher than the failure-to-pay penalty. So start to gather all necessary documents, like W-2s, 1099s, and receipts for deductions and credits. You can also look into requesting a payment plan; for anyone who can't pay in full, the IRS offers installment agreements. Looking ahead: Tax planning for 2025Avoid the current headache that brought you to this article and start using a spreadsheet to track all your tax-related information throughout the year. I've created a basic template to get you started here. The purpose is to create a handy archive of all your tax records in one spot, making it much easier to file on time next year. Remember, filing your taxes is a legal obligation. Even if you can't pay what you owe, filing your return on time helps minimize penalties and keeps you in compliance with tax laws. And finally, for specific advice regarding your tax situation, you really should consult with a qualified tax professional. View the full article

Goals are set easily enough, but reaching them takes work. Sometimes that work is falling short, and project teams need to figure out why and how to get back on pace to meet their goals. For that, they use something called a needs assessment. But what is a needs assessment, often called a needs analysis? We’ll answer that first before going into when one should take place and how to do it. To better understand, we’ll share an example and even a template to help readers get started. What Is a Needs Assessment? A needs assessment is a systematic process to identify and evaluate gaps between a current situation and desired outcomes. It helps organizations, teams or individuals determine what resources, skills or improvements are necessary to achieve their goals. By understanding what is lacking or what areas need enhancement, decision-makers can prioritize actions and allocate resources effectively. Needs analysis can highlight areas where performance, knowledge or resources are insignificant. It can also help organizations focus on the most critical needs to maximize impact and provide data-driven insights to guide planning, budgeting and resource allocation. This improves efficiency by ensuring that time and resources are used on initiatives that directly address actual needs. Once the needs assessment identifies gaps, priorities and the necessary resources, project managers can translate those findings into actionable tasks and milestones. This can be visualized on a Gantt chart, which is often a feature in project management software, to build an accurate and effective project timeline. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software with robust Gantt charts that turn needs assessments into scheduled tasks, resources and costs. Our Gantt chart goes further by linking all four types of task dependencies to avoid cost overruns. It also filters for the critical path and can set a baseline to track progress in real time. Multiple project views give teams the tools they need to execute their work, such as kanban boards and task lists, while stakeholders can monitor progress on the calendar view. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. /wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Gantt-CTA-2025.jpgLearn more When to Conduct a Needs Assessment Conducting a needs assessment at the right time ensures that resources are used efficiently and decisions are based on accurate information. Whether planning a new initiative, improving existing processes or addressing challenges, knowing when to perform a needs assessment can make all the difference. A needs assessment is typically conducted at critical decision points, such as the start of a project, during periods of organizational change or when performance issues arise. By assessing the current state and comparing it to desired outcomes, organizations can develop targeted strategies and avoid unnecessary spending or misaligned efforts. Here are some examples of when it’s opportune. Business Strategy & Market Research: To identify gaps in products, services or market demand before making strategic decisions. Project Management: To define project requirements and ensure alignment with stakeholder expectations. Training & Workforce Development: To determine skill gaps and design employee training programs. Healthcare & Public Services: To assess community needs for healthcare, education or social services. Education & Curriculum Design: To align courses with student learning needs and industry requirements. Technology & System Implementation: To evaluate user needs before deploying new software, tools or infrastructure. Process Improvement & Quality Management: To identify inefficiencies and areas for optimization. Grant Writing & Policy Development: To justify funding requests and design effective policies based on community or organizational needs. How to Conduct a Needs Assessment Conducting a needs assessment is a structured process that follows a systematic approach, where teams can gather relevant data, engage key stakeholders and develop actionable solutions. Each step in the process builds upon the previous one, ensuring that the final recommendations are well-informed and aligned with organizational goals. To do one, follow these seven steps. 1. Establish the Purpose and Scope of the Needs Assessment Begin by defining the reason for the assessment and what you hope to achieve. Clarify the specific problems or opportunities you are addressing, and determine the boundaries of the assessment. A clear purpose and scope ensure that efforts remain focused and actionable. 2. Identify Key Stakeholders Engage the individuals or groups directly or indirectly affected by the assessment’s findings. This may include employees, managers, customers or community members. Involving stakeholders early ensures diverse perspectives are considered and increases buy-in for the proposed solutions. 3. Collect Data Gather relevant information through surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations or reviewing existing data. Use both qualitative and quantitative data to get a comprehensive view of the current situation. Reliable data serves as the foundation for identifying and understanding gaps. 4. Define the Gap Between Current and Desired State Analyze the data to compare the existing conditions to the ideal outcomes. This step helps identify where shortfalls exist and what is preventing the organization from reaching its goals. Visual tools like charts and graphs can make gaps more apparent. 5. Identify Deficiencies and Needs to Close the Gap Determine the specific issues that must be addressed to bridge the gap. This could include a lack of resources, insufficient training, inefficient processes or missing infrastructure. Prioritize needs based on their impact and feasibility. 6. Develop an Action Plan Create a detailed plan outlining how to address the identified needs. Define actionable steps, assign responsibilities, set timelines and allocate resources. A well-structured action plan provides a clear roadmap for implementation. 7. Monitor and Report on Progress Once the action plan is underway, establish a system to track progress and measure outcomes. Regular reporting and feedback from stakeholders help ensure the plan remains effective. Adjustments can be made as needed to keep efforts on track and aligned with goals. Needs Assessment Example This is very abstract, of course. For many, the concept and process become clearer when illustrated in a real-life example. Let’s look at how a needs analysis works in an industry like construction. /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Needs-Assessment-example.png The above example shows the various stakeholders and the current state of the business. It also defines its client relations and marketing positioning. This leads to the prioritization of needs, recommendations and next steps. There’s also a section to monitor and evaluate the actions taken. Needs Assessment Template Download this free needs assessment template to guide the process of identifying and evaluating gaps between the current state and desired outcomes. It provides a clear framework for collecting data, analyzing findings and developing actionable recommendations. /wp-content/uploads/2025/04/needs-assessment-template-1600x532.png Organizations can use this free template to ensure a consistent and thorough approach to their needs assessment. It streamlines the process, promotes consistency across projects and makes sure that all relevant factors are considered when making decisions. Benefits of Conducting a Needs Assessment To reiterate, a needs assessment is a valuable tool that helps organizations achieve their goals by creating targeted solutions that drive meaningful improvements. Whether used in project planning, organizational development or community initiatives, a needs assessment helps ensure efforts are aligned with actual needs. Here’s a list of those advantages. Informed Decision-Making: Provides data-driven insights to guide strategic planning and resource allocation. Efficient Resource Use: Ensures time, budget and personnel are focused on the most critical needs. Improved Problem Solving: Identifies root causes of challenges, leading to more effective solutions. Enhanced Stakeholder Engagement: Involves relevant stakeholders, fostering collaboration and support. Measurable Results: Establishes clear benchmarks for tracking progress and evaluating success. Reduced Risk: Minimizes the likelihood of project failure by addressing potential issues early. Increased Accountability: Creates transparency and clarity on objectives, responsibilities and timelines. How to Manage Needs Assessment Projects With ProjectManager Managing the needs analysis and the project that comes from that process requires more than a template. Templates are fine in their place, but these static documents are not equipped to deal with the dynamic nature of managing projects. Project management software has the tools to plan, manage and track that work. ProjectManager is award-winning project and portfolio management software that streamlines planning, data collection, analysis and reporting. It allows teams to collaborate, tracks progress and makes sure that actionable insights are turned into successful outcomes. Allocate Resources Effectively To ensure that each phase of the assessment is completed without delays or resource constraints, start by scheduling them on the Gantt chart. Then, when onboarding the team, set their availability to streamline assignments. For an overview of resource allocation, go to the workload chart. It’s color-coded, which makes it easier to see who is overallocated or underutilized. Project managers can balance their team’s workload from the chart to keep everyone working at capacity without worrying about burnout. There’s also a team page that provides a daily or weekly summary of team activity. It can be filtered by priority or progress, and tasks can be updated right from that page. /wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Team-Light-2554x1372-1.png Track Progress With Real-Time Dashboards and Reports For the monitoring and evaluation phase of the needs assessment, several tools can help keep the project on track. For a high-level overview, toggle to the real-time project or portfolio dashboards. They show metrics, such as time, cost, workload and more, on easy-to-read graphs and charts. Customizable reports on status, variance, timesheets, workload and more show progress, other findings and provide actionable insights. They can also be shared with stakeholders to keep them updated. Even our secure timesheets help keep projects on budget by monitoring labor costs. /wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dashboard-light-mode.jpg Related Needs Assessment Content There are other ways to find gaps in one’s current status and desired future state outside of a needs analysis. For those interested in reading more about gap analysis, root cause and more, below are some recent posts from our blog. How to Conduct a Gap Analysis: Definition, Steps & Example Gap Analysis Template for Excel (Free Download) How to Write an Action Plan (Example Included) Root Cause Analysis: A Quick Guide 5 Whys Technique in Root Cause Analysis 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 use our software to deliver successful projects. Get started with ProjectManager today for free. The post How to Conduct a Needs Assessment appeared first on ProjectManager. View the full article

Want more housing market stories from Lance Lambert’s ResiClub in your inbox? Subscribe to the ResiClub newsletter. Speaking to ResiClub in December, Jay Bray, CEO of mortgage servicer Mr. Cooper, told me that real estate would see a lot of mergers and acquisitions in 2025—and that Mr. Cooper was out shopping—as the industry continues to “grind” through the prolonged housing activity slump that started back in summer 2022. “You’ve seen consolidation already. If you think about this industry going forward, you’re going to need a balanced business model. You’re going to need the capability to invest in technology, to use everybody’s favorite two initials: AI,” Bray said in December. “That requires scale, that requires capital, that requires a healthy balance sheet. So I think as long as we’re in this kind of grind it out origination market, I don’t see any reason you will not see more consolidation happen. The stronger players will continue to get stronger, to some degree, and continue to look for opportunities to consolidate.” Bray added that: “We are in the stronger category . . . We’ve probably done more acquisitions than anybody in the industry, by far, and so, yeah, we’re still in the market for that… We will be active and looking for opportunities.” Bray was right that a big deal loomed—only the hunter became the hunted. On March 31, mortgage lending giant Rocket Companies (owner of Rocket Mortgage, formerly known as Quicken Loans) announced it had reached an agreement to acquire Mr. Cooper for $9.4 billion. Rocket Companies claims that, combined, it will service more than $2.1 trillion in loan volume, including one in six mortgages in America. Varun Krishna “Servicing is a critical pillar of homeownership alongside home search and mortgage origination,” said Varun Krishna, CEO of Rocket Companies, in the press release announcing the deal. “With the right data and AI infrastructure we will deliver the right products at the right time. That’s how we build lifelong relationships, by proactively unlocking benefits and meeting needs before they arise. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Cooper’s nearly 7 million clients.” This deal came just three weeks after Rocket Companies announced on March 10th that it struck an agreement to buy Redfin in a $1.75 billion deal. What’s going on? Rocket Companies is strategically positioning itself as a giant force in residential real estate, aiming to create a one-stop shop for homebuyers by merging Redfin’s customer funnel and Mr. Cooper’s mortgage servicing with its existing mortgage lending business. “It’s becoming increasingly clear that Zillow’s true competition isn’t CoStar—it’s Rocket,” Amanda Orson, CEO of real estate marketplace Galleon, tells ResiClub. “Everyone’s been watching CoStar’s $1 billion ad blitz with Homes.com, but their residential play is burning cash with no meaningful traction. Meanwhile, Rocket is executing something far more ambitious—and more dangerous: They’re buying the full residential real estate stack.” Redfin handles front-of-house customer acquisition, and Rocket does mortgage origination and lending, where it’s already the dominant direct-to-consumer player. Finally, Mr. Cooper has a $2.1 trillion mortgage servicing portfolio and 4.6 million customers. Says Orson: “This is vertical integration on an entirely new scale.” Orson adds that there are two major forces at play right now in the real estate industry: changes in the commission structure and a new administration that appears more friendly to mergers and acquisitions. “The real estate transaction itself is undergoing tectonic change,” says Orson. “[The National Association of Realtors] settlement is just the start. We’re watching the unbundling of a 112-year-old commission structure. A wave of agentless transactions is coming—and Rocket is positioning to serve them end-to-end.” Zillow’s current model relies heavily on agent commissions ($1.2 billion of its $1.9 billion in revenue), says Orson: “They’ve started to pivot into mortgage origination and full-stack products, but the scale Rocket already commands in direct-to-consumer lending puts them in a league of their own.” Plus, the new administration is a tailwind for M&A, she adds. “Rocket is taking advantage of this moment with bold moves, consolidating distribution, infrastructure, and recurring revenue,” says Orson. “Both Zillow and Rocket are chasing verticalization, but Rocket is further along—and playing to win. They now control the entire journey: from lead to loan to lifetime servicing. Zillow still has front-of-funnel traffic, for now—but Rocket has monetization.” Orson says that CoStar—the commercial real estate giant that owns Homes.com and was trying to compete with Zillow—is the biggest loser in all of this. “Their residential push isn’t sticky, isn’t scaled, and at $1 billion [per] year in ad spend is starting to look like a costly distraction.” View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: This one’s weird. I would love your thoughts, if you can. Some of my coworkers and I got a text from an unknown number addressing us by our first names and asking us to rate the company we work at. It was different than the usual company survey text in that it wanted a direct response rather than following an outside link, and it came from what looked like a personal phone number rather than the five-digit number the company will use. The whole thing seemed suspicious, especially since we all just completed the monthly multiple question survey the week before. My coworker looked up the number in the white pages and found it belonged to some lady we’d never heard of. I tried looking further to see if I could find her name associated with the company but have had no luck. I thought about bringing it to our manager’s attention, but we are suspicious it may have something to do with her. For some context, my manager, Lucy, is a bit of a martyr. We constantly hear about her conflicts with her own boss and fellow managers, how HR ignores her, her family drama, how much of a loser she is (her words), and why doesn’t anybody come talk to her with her open-door policy? One time we had a new relief worker call out at the last minute (things happen, right?), and Lucy’s immediate reaction was to suggest it was done just to spite her, as if it was a personal vendetta against her. At the beginning, I felt sorry for her; now I’m just tired of hearing it and disturbed that she even shares some of these things with us. Lucy’s always telling us how bad corporate says we are but that she sticks up for us and puts her own job at risk, so she can fix everything. I keep telling myself she means well. Maybe she does, but the words and gestures just feel hollow now, especially when you know she complains about people behind their backs and uses emotional manipulation tactics. Not surprisingly, over half our staff has quit without replacements, in part because of Lucy, and in part likely because of the growing bad reputation circulating the company (a story worthy of another letter). Odd that no one wants to apply to work here. Getting back to the text, Lucy obsesses over these surveys (likely due to pressure from above), but with her track record, none of us would be surprised if she was enlisting someone to help her ferret out info regarding who said what. The other day she asked me not to talk to her boss about any concerns I had with the way things were operating, as if I’m supposed to lie when asked a question. This was because Lucy’s boss cornered my coworker one day, and when asked a question, my coworker answered honestly while trying to be fair with the response. Lucy later got defensive and started telling everyone how my coworker threw her under the bus, acting like she was joking, but she clearly wasn’t. Obviously, none of this is any sort of proof of Lucy being connected to the text, and we can’t just accuse her, so we all have decided to ignore the texts for now, but I wonder if it would be worth reaching out to someone to ask about the legitimacy of them. I suppose it could be a spam thing, but why would spam ask us to text back a number between 1 and 10 to rate the company? If this is indeed an illegitimate survey being sent to employees, the company should know, right? If so, whose attention should I bring it to? Would this still be an HR issue? Oh, and then there’s Lucy. I can already picture her being upset that I didn’t tell her about the text first, which I guess makes her problem number two, or rather the main problem. I really try to ignore her drama and keep things professional, but she’s exhausting. Thoughts? For starters, yeah, definitely don’t respond to the text! And you might as well check with HR. It would be perfectly reasonable to say to someone in HR, “My team all got texts asking us to rate the company but it didn’t look like company texts normally do and it came from a different number than usual. I wanted to check if this is legitimately from the company, or if it might be a phishing attempt or something else I should report.” And forward a screenshot of the text to them so they can see it. I don’t know that anything will come of it — if it’s not from them, they might just write it off as spam and not investigate. But hopefully you’ll at least get a clear answer about whether it was from the company or not. If Lucy hears you asked HR about it and is upset that you didn’t talk to her first, don’t get drawn into any drama or intrigue. Just say, “Oh, I just figured it was an HR thing if someone is spamming employees.” (Say this in a slightly bored, uninvested tone, like this is all incredibly unremarkable and not anything you’re spending any time thinking about — i.e., the opposite of a “we all suspect you’re behind this” vibe.) Obviously, though, your Lucy problem goes way behind the question of this one text. Realistically, there might be nothing you can do about that … but it’s worth considering whether you can fill in anyone above her on the problems with her management, and in particular on the fact that she asked you not to talk honestly with her boss. (If I were her boss, I’d be very, very interested in hearing that. Whether or not her boss is depends on what that person is like as a manager, but the whole “cornered your coworker and asked a question that she answered honestly, which then set off Lucy” thing suggests that that person might be open to hearing more.) View the full article

Clare Lombardelli says import taxes will ‘depress activity’ but impact on inflation is less clearView the full article

While property taxes vary widely across the United States (Essex County, New Jersey has some of the highest on average, at $13,145; while West Virginia has some of the lowest—just $989), if you own a house, you’re paying some kind of property taxes—and if you renovate that house, your property taxes will probably go up. That happens because significant improvements to your home will increase its value, and your property's value is what your property taxes are based on. It can take some time for your local tax assessor to catch up with your renovations, but at some point your property will be reassessed and your taxes increased accordingly, so it's best to be prepared to take the hit. Part of that preparation means knowing the sorts of renovation projects that will have the biggest impact on your tax bill. Tax rates and assessment procedures vary widely from place to place, so it’s impossible to say exactly how much impact a particular project will have on your particular tax bill—but these seven renovations are likely to hike your property taxes the most. Building an additionGenerally speaking, anything that increases your home's livable space will increase your property taxes. Property taxes are usually assessed through potential sales value, replacement cost, or estimated rental value (sometimes all three), so having more living space obviously boosts every aspect of your home’s value. This includes other renovations that add livable space without requiring new construction, like converting a garage into a bedroom or office, or subdividing a bedroom into two (a house with three bedrooms, however small, is often considered more valuable than one with two). And certain kinds of outbuildings, like a shed in your backyard, might increase your tax bill too—especially if they are built on a foundation and connected to water, electric, and sewer lines. Adding a bathroomLike bedrooms, more bathrooms generally mean your house is worth more, so adding one to your home will probably increase your tax bill. Just upgrading your existing bathrooms can also trigger a property tax increase, as many tax assessments rely on the number of fixtures in the bath to assess general value—thus, a two-piece half bath is valued less than a five-piece en suite. Turning that simple three-piece into a lavish spa bathroom might cost you at tax time, even though you didn’t actually add a new bathroom. Installing an in-ground poolEven though pools are kind of controversial in terms of home value—they can even lower your potential sale price because they’re expensive to maintain, and not everyone is a fan of pools—they will still increase your property value because a) they’re clearly an improvement, in the sense that they add something to your property that wasn’t there before (and they typically do add some value) and b) they’re considered “real property” instead of personal property (and luxuries, to boot) because they’re attached to the home. (An above-ground pool would probably be considered personal property, and have no impact on your property taxes). Adding a patio or deckAdding a patio or deck to your outdoor space obviously improves that space, making it more pleasant and useful. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee a property tax bump—different tax codes will have different guidelines regarding outdoor spaces, and the size and scope of your deck or patio area (as well as the materials you use) will be factor as well. But in general, if your new outdoor space can be expected to raise the sale value of your home, it will also raise your property taxes. Finishing your basementIf your current tax assessment is based on a house with a damp, dingy basement filled with cobwebs and exposed plumbing, it shouldn’t be a shock that transforming that space into a cozy entertainment area or guest suite will increase your property taxes. Since a finished basement generally offers a 70% ROI in terms of home value, if your basement costs the average of $32,000 to finish, your home should increase in value by about $22,400, and your taxes will definitely increase accordingly. General land improvementsA key concept in property taxes is “improvement.” Every house once started off as an empty plot of land. Someone came along and improved it by clearing the plot, running sewer, water, and power lines, pouring a foundation, and building a house there. All those improvements made the land more valuable, and that process continues when you renovate or add onto the property. That doesn’t only mean additions and renovations to the house itself, however—you can also improve the land in various ways: Adding fencing to a yard Paving a dirt or gravel driveway Adding drainage or irrigation systems Landscaping and hardscaping Adding outdoor lighting Regrading Installing sidewalks All of these projects improve the property, add value, and could trigger significant property tax hikes. Adding a fireplaceAdding a fireplace to your home makes it a cozier, warmer place—and also a more valuable one. Fireplaces are generally considered luxuries (unless your home relies on one for heat), which is one reason homes with fireplaces sell for about 13% more than comparable homes. As a result, you can expect that extra value to be reflected in your home’s next tax assessment. Call before you renovate If you’re considering any sort of renovation, addition, or other improvement to your home, it can be very difficult to determine how—or when—it will impact your property taxes. And one rule is likely to hold true: If you pull permits for the project (and you definitely should pull permits for any job for which local building codes require you to), eventually your local tax office will become aware of your projects and move to reassess your home’s value for tax purposes. The easiest way to get some idea of what the tax impact will be is to call your local assessor’s office and ask, before you start any work. They probably won’t be able to give you a precise number, but they can tell you if you can expect your project to raise your tax bill, and possibly give you a general idea of what the increase could look like. 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. Google has been making these Nest thermostats ever since Google acquired Nest back in 2014, but for the first time, Apple or Alexa users can now add the thermostat to their Home app. I still use my first generation Google Nest at home and love the user experience. If you're looking for the latest iteration, the fourth-generation Google Nest Learning Thermostat came out in the summer of 2024, and it's down to a record low price of $219.99 (originally $279.99) according to price-tracking tools. Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen, 2024), Polished Silver $219.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Get Deal $219.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $60.00 Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen, 2024), Polished Gold $218.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $61.00 Get Deal Get Deal $218.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $61.00 Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen, 2024), Polished Obsidian $219.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Get Deal $219.99 at Amazon $279.99 Save $60.00 SEE 0 MORE The Google Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a Second Generation Google Nest Temperature Sensor ($40 value) in the box, which you can put anywhere in your house so that the thermostat can detect that specific location's temperature and adjust accordingly. You can also move it around so that the temperature can follow you around the house. Of course, you can create schedules around the sensors (you can get multiple ones if you wish). Another of the new features is an AI feature that takes into account the outside temperature to adjust the temperature indoors, as well as learning what temperatures you like so it can anticipate your actions. For example, if there's a heatwave coming, it'll cool the house a little bit more than usual, based on your past behaviors. It can also detect if there's an abnormality with your HVAC system, like an efficiency issue, and send you a warning—which, as all homeowners know, can be a lifesaver if it saves you from having to do an expensive HVAC repair. This is also the first generation to have full Matter support, giving you access to the Home app (in other words, it can work with Siri or Alexa). You can learn more in PCMag's "excellent" review. View the full article

Bill Pulte, making the announcement as chairman of Fannie Mae, did not provide additional details following earlier rumors of larger layoffs. View the full article

Refinancings, particularly the cash-out version, helped to drive mortgage product availability and rate lock activity during March, separate reports found. View the full article

Forced to choose between the US and China, the likes of Vietnam may opt for BeijingView the full article

Understanding intelligence and creating intelligent machines are grand scientific challenges of our times. The ability to learn from experience is a cornerstone of intelligence for machines and living beings alike. In a remarkably prescient 1948 report, Alan Turing—the father of modern computer science—proposed the construction of machines that display intelligent behavior. He also discussed the “education” of such machines “by means of rewards and punishments.” Turing’s ideas ultimately led to the development of reinforcement learning, a branch of artificial intelligence. Reinforcement learning designs intelligent agents by training them to maximize rewards as they interact with their environment. As a machine learning researcher, I find it fitting that reinforcement learning pioneers Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton were awarded the 2024 ACM Turing Award. What is reinforcement learning? Animal trainers know that animal behavior can be influenced by rewarding desirable behaviors. A dog trainer gives the dog a treat when it does a trick correctly. This reinforces the behavior, and the dog is more likely to do the trick correctly the next time. Reinforcement learning borrowed this insight from animal psychology. But reinforcement learning is about training computational agents, not animals. The agent can be a software agent like a chess-playing program. But the agent can also be an embodied entity like a robot learning to do household chores. Similarly, the environment of an agent can be virtual, like the chessboard or the designed world in a video game. But it can also be a house where a robot is working. Just like animals, an agent can perceive aspects of its environment and take actions. A chess-playing agent can access the chessboard configuration and make moves. A robot can sense its surroundings with cameras and microphones. It can use its motors to move about in the physical world. Agents also have goals that their human designers program into them. A chess-playing agent’s goal is to win the game. A robot’s goal might be to assist its human owner with household chores. The reinforcement learning problem in AI is how to design agents that achieve their goals by perceiving and acting in their environments. Reinforcement learning makes a bold claim: All goals can be achieved by designing a numerical signal, called the reward, and having the agent maximize the total sum of rewards it receives. Researchers do not know if this claim is actually true, because of the wide variety of possible goals. Therefore, it is often referred to as the reward hypothesis. Sometimes it is easy to pick a reward signal corresponding to a goal. For a chess-playing agent, the reward can be +1 for a win, 0 for a draw, and -1 for a loss. It is less clear how to design a reward signal for a helpful household robotic assistant. Nevertheless, the list of applications where reinforcement learning researchers have been able to design good reward signals is growing. A big success of reinforcement learning was in the board game Go. Researchers thought that Go was much harder than chess for machines to master. The company DeepMind, now Google DeepMind, used reinforcement learning to create AlphaGo. AlphaGo defeated top Go player Lee Sedol in a five-match game in 2016. A more recent example is the use of reinforcement learning to make chatbots such as ChatGPT more helpful. Reinforcement learning is also being used to improve the reasoning capabilities of chatbots. Reinforcement learning’s origins However, none of these successes could have been foreseen in the 1980s. That is when Barto and his then-PhD student Sutton proposed reinforcement learning as a general problem-solving framework. They drew inspiration not only from animal psychology but also from the field of control theory, the use of feedback to influence a system’s behavior, and optimization, a branch of mathematics that studies how to select the best choice among a range of available options. They provided the research community with mathematical foundations that have stood the test of time. They also created algorithms that have now become standard tools in the field. It is a rare advantage for a field when pioneers take the time to write a textbook. Shining examples like The Nature of the Chemical Bond by Linus Pauling and The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth are memorable because they are few and far between. Sutton and Barto’s Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction was first published in 1998. A second edition came out in 2018. Their book has influenced a generation of researchers and has been cited more than 75,000 times. Reinforcement learning has also had an unexpected impact on neuroscience. The neurotransmitter dopamine plays a key role in reward-driven behaviors in humans and animals. Researchers have used specific algorithms developed in reinforcement learning to explain experimental findings in people and animals’ dopamine system. Barto and Sutton’s foundational work, vision and advocacy have helped reinforcement learning grow. Their work has inspired a large body of research, made an impact on real-world applications, and attracted huge investments by tech companies. Reinforcement learning researchers, I’m sure, will continue to see further ahead by standing on their shoulders. Ambuj Tewari is a professor of statistics at the University of Michigan. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

If your iPhone is running iOS 18.4, you might have noticed some significant new features, like AI-powered Priority Notifications and seven brand-new emojis. However, one change in particular might be a bit controversial: Safari's Search feature now shows a list of your most recent searches every time you search for something new. Useful? Maybe. Privacy-compromising? Definitely. Don't be alarmed: If you're not a fan of Safari's new "Recent Searches" screen, you can turn off this feature entirely, or clear all recent results quite quickly. How the new Safari Search screen worksWhen you open a new tab and tap "Search or enter website" in iOS 18.4, you'll see a new screen showing all your recent search results, as you can see below. Left: Safari Search feature without Recent Results | Right: With Recent Results. Credit: Khamosh Pathak There are many reasons to disable this feature. You might not want to be reminded of what you searched yesterday, or you might not want anyone else using the device to see your recent search history. Apple chose to enable this by default, not as an opt-in setting. But the good thing is that whenever Apple adds a new feature like this, an additional toggle switch often appears somewhere in Settings, so you can return to how things used to be. How to clear search results from Recent Searches in SafariIf you like this feature, but want to eliminate your search results every now and then, that's an easy fix. While there's no option to remove search results individually, you can clear all the recent searches with a tap. Credit: Khamosh Pathak Open the Search screen, tap the Clear All button up top, and watch as all your queries disappear instantly. As you search more, they will start to fill up again. How to turn off recent search results in SafariIt's not just that this feature is a privacy nightmare. It also takes up the whole screen, and you can't see the Start page when it's in use. Even if you feel you have nothing to hide, the feature hides Safari from you. To turn off this feature, open the Settings app and go to Apps > Safari. Now, scroll down and turn off the Show Recent Searches feature. When you return to the Search menu, you won't see your latest search results anymore. Credit: Khamosh Pathak View the full article

Starmer vows to do ‘everything we can to ensure there’s a bright future’ for steelmaker’s main site in ScunthorpeView the full article

UK PM’s comments will be seen as warning shot across bows of Office for Budget Responsibility View the full article

I'm sure there was a point in time when it was cool to receive a text from a business or service, but it's not today. Our phones are sounding off way too often these days, in part because of the rise in spam messages. Many of these messages arrive because your number happened to end up on an organization's subscriber list for one reason or another. Perhaps you donated blood one time, and now you are contacted every other day about setting up your next appointment; maybe you gave money to a political candidate, and now that candidate's party is blowing up your phone for more money. In many cases, you can send a STOP text to end the madness. But if the organization doesn't advertise this, you might not know it's possible. That's why a new yet subtle Google Messages feature could be quite helpful for millions of Android users looking to minimize the number of times their phones ding for no important reason. "Unsubscribe to stop receiving messages"Android Authority's Mishaal Rahman recently noticed the change while using Google Messages. Rahman opened a text from AMC Theaters, which confirmed tickets he had purchased for a screening of Princess Mononoke. This text, presumably, is redundant, seeing as Rahman likely has the confirmation both in his email, as well as in the AMC app. There's no need for a third alert about these tickets. This message simply served as an unwanted distraction. Usually, a message like this would spark an eye roll and a quick deletion, but this time, Google Messages presented Rahman with a new option: "Unsubscribe to stop receiving messages." When he tapped the link, a new menu popped up, asking why Rahman wanted to unsubscribe from this sender. There are five options here: Not signed up Too many messages No longer interested Spam Other The first three options are static, and don't allow the user to add any additional information about the situation. However, choosing "Spam" reveals a subsequent checkbox labeled "Report this sender." You can decide whether to rat on the sender to Google Messages or simply note it as "spam" without putting blame on the contact. If you tap "Other," you'll reveal a text field where you can elaborate on why you're unsubscribing, if you want to. No matter which of the five options you choose, once you tap "Unsubscribe & report," Google Messages will send a STOP text to the sender to unsubscribe you from future texts. Rahman says this feature is present on messages sent from "short codes," which are five or six-digit numbers. These are the contacts that usually send these subscription-based messages, rather than a full ten-digit number. Google has also confirmed the feature will be available on RCS Business Messages, and is coming first to users who have the Google Messages beta. Until the full feature is rolled out, businesses will need to send users a link to unsubscribe if they cannot fulfill the request from the unsubscribe command. This feature might not hit your smartphone today, but it will roll out to you eventually. The next time you receive one of these messages on your Android device, take a close look at the bottom of the thread. Even if you don't see the option, feel free to send a quick STOP text. It'll likely accomplish the same. View the full article

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. A reader writes: At my small company, employees have a small number of set hours each week but can set their own schedule to be as full or as empty as they’d like by scheduling sessions directly with the clients they are connected with. We give them a calendar where they input their hours worked, and then we process payroll based on those calendars twice a month. The calendars are the only way we know anything about people’s work schedules, as they can change drastically from week to week. A new employee for some reason just will not fill out his calendar in anything approaching a timely manner. He has been here for months, and so far I have been able to process his hours with everyone else’s once. Except for that one time, he has completely ignored his calendar (and all of my emails) for about 1.5 months, then backfills it all and expects to be paid for all that time. Aside from how strange this is, it creates a massive headache for me as I have to do special payroll runs for this one person. Our payroll system is time-intensive and far from my primary duty, and I am at my wits’ end. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do or how to get this to stop? I answer this question — and three others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here. Other questions I’m answering there today include: My office includes me in Administrative Professionals Day just because I’m a woman Reference checker only wanted me to call if the candidate was “exceptional” How far back should your resume go? View the full article

For Paul, a finance administrator, things came to a head when his report mistakenly included £7,000,000 of costs rather than £700,000. Fearing accusations of fraud, Paul disclosed his recent dementia diagnosis to his boss. Six weeks of sick leave became six months, and then a stepping stone to early retirement. Several years later, Paul regrets his unwanted unemployment, but at the time there didn’t seem to be an alternative. Paul was participating in an unrelated study about public transport when he told us about his unemployment. As researchers, we had heard many similar accounts—so we decided to dig down into the research on work and dementia. We were curious about how typical Paul’s experience was of the trajectories of people diagnosed while working. The ageing of populations around the world is influencing our lives in many ways. More people are extending their working lives beyond traditional retirement ages, and many more are being diagnosed with dementia. Around 9% of the world’s 55 million people with dementia are under 65, with around 370,000 new cases of young-onset dementia annually. It is striking then, that despite government and business commitments to support longer working lives and inclusive employment practices, workers with dementia are largely ignored. What little evidence we have paints a picture of widespread and unwanted unemployment. For some, this takes the form of redundancy or retirement. For others—like Paul—a period of temporary leave gradually evolves into a permanent exit. Alongside workforce ageing, digital transformation is perhaps the single most important development in modern industry. Almost all our working lives are now shaped by digital technologies in some form. Older people are often stereotyped as technologically incompetent. This can be even worse for people with dementia. When exciting digital innovations are discussed in relation to them, the focus is almost always on providing care. But someone diagnosed with dementia in their 60s today might have been blogging in their 30s, scrolling social media on a phone in their 40s, and using a smart home assistant in their 50s. The tech is here already The reality is that many people with dementia use digital tools every day. This ranges from familiar products like Google Maps to more cutting-edge technologies. A person with dementia recently introduced us to their voice-activated AI companion, with which they watch and discuss films. These companions can provide vital social interaction for people fearing judgement or isolation because of their cognitive decline. Far from being a barrier, digital technologies could offer ways to help people with dementia to enjoy positive working lives, just as they help workers who don’t have dementia. The trick is to use them to tailor work and workplaces to the individual. For example, if a worker is struggling to remember appointments, automated and shared calendar scheduling can take care of that. If a worker has impaired wayfinding, mapping apps can be tailored to working environments and live location data can be used to guide staff around complicated sites. This is hardly futuristic tech. Many of us would struggle without our online calendars and maps. Research shows that touchscreens can be particularly challenging for older people with dementia. To make interfaces more suitable, developers could encourage the integration of voice-operated smart assistants into employee workstations (think of Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri). While discussions of dementia often focus on memory loss, the various types of dementia are associated with a wide range of symptoms. One very common symptom is the struggle to find the right words. But recent developments in generative AI (like OpenAI’s ChatGPT) are proficient at predicting and expressing the next word in a sequence. These tools are also excellent at transforming text into different formats. Guidance on dementia-friendly information recommends features such as large fonts, single-clause sentences and single-syllable words. A generative AI tool could quickly transform documents into dementia-friendly formats. The integration of these tools into emailing and writing applications could make a lot of work far more accessible to people with dementia. These days, it makes little sense for workers to be manually entering costings into a spreadsheet. Dementia or no dementia, these practices are ripe for human error. By outsourcing them to digital technologies, we can free up our ageing workforces to use their unmatched skills, such as networking and experience. In practice, employers will likely be responsible for supporting positive working lives with dementia in the future. The best way to do this will be to develop strategies, in consultation with people with dementia, that identify interventions suitable for the workplace. Then, when an employee is diagnosed, they can pick and mix a personalised collection of tools to address their needs. Right now, we are not aware of any workplace that has such a strategy. But many organisations already have robust policies for other conditions. Our own employer, the University of Bath, has a repository of reasonable adjustments that can be tailored to support staff and students experiencing mental illness. Dementia could be approached in much the same way. The UK government is currently attempting to increase the number of people with disabilities participating in the labour market. It is simultaneously driving an agenda to increase the use of AI throughout the country. The potential of a digital working life for people with dementia highlights both promise and peril. Simply forcing every person into work is a surefire way of turning challenging situations into real problems. But providing tailored support for those who want to work can enrich organisations and workers alike. James Fletcher is a lecturer (assistant professor) of management information, decisions & operations at the Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour at the University of Bath. Olivia Brown is an associate professor in digital futures at the University of Bath. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. View the full article

Billionaire dubs Peter Navarro a ‘moron’ as feud over policy intensifies View the full article