Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Elon Musk’s publicly traded electric vehicle company Tesla, Inc. hosted its highly anticipated “We Robot” event on Oct. 10, 2024, at Warner Bros. Discovery Studios in Burbank, California and streamed it live on his social network X and YouTube. Despite showing off slick prototypes of a new “Cybercab” autonomous car without a steering wheel or gas and brake pedals, and a similarly sparse, art deco retrofuturistic “Robovan” capable of seating 20 passengers, the event was criticized by some prominent observers as being more style than substance. lt was lacking in precise details on timelines, costs and legal issues, and even came across as misleading in some cases. The most glaring example of potentially misleading information was Tesla’s move to have its still-in-development humanoid Optimus robots filling the venue space and interacting with attendees, even serving drinks at a bar. While some present assumed the robots were entirely autonomous, reports confirmed they were teleoperated — meaning controlled by a human in another room. “Not wholly AI? Not at all AI,” wrote venture capitalist Josh Wolfe, co-founder of Lux Capital on Musk’s social network X. “Totally worthy to celebrate low latency remote control but totally dishonest to demo these as autonomous robots—call it the parlor trick it is.” This skepticism raises questions about how far Tesla has truly advanced in developing artificial intelligence for robotics. While Musk touted the Optimus, Cybercab and Robotaxi as tremendously impactful inventions for society, EV reviewers The Kilowatts noted on X that much of the technology will remain “unbelievable” to investors and consumers until it is shipped. For now, Tesla’s vision of fully autonomous personal robots as well as new autonomous electric vehicle types remains more speculative than realistic. Here’s a summary of what was discussed: Cybercab: all autonomous and cheaper than a bus or Model 3? Credit: Tesla Perhaps the most expected of the announcements was Tesla’s Cybercab, a two-seater electric vehicle designed for autonomous operation. Musk described the Cybercab as a sleek, more compact version of the Cybertruck, and it will reportedly cost less than $30,000. That is below the current price of Tesla’s most affordable personal vehicle, the Model 3, which debuted at $35,000 in 2019 but has since seen its price rise to around $42,000. According to Musk, Tesla aims for the Cybercab’s operating cost to be between $0.20 and $0.30 per mile compared to the operational cost of a bus, which he placed at around $1 per mile. The vehicles would be powered by inductive (wireless) charging, eliminating the need for plug-in charging stations and further integrating autonomous cars into the urban landscape. The promise of an individualized “mass transit” future has long been part of Musk’s vision, and the Cybercab is a key component of that goal. During the event, Musk proudly displayed 20 Cybercabs driving autonomously around the venue. He emphasized that the Cybercab is part of a broader effort to make cities safer, cleaner and more efficient. Tesla’s AI Vision system, trained on millions of cars, allows these vehicles to operate without the fatigue and distractions that affect human drivers. Musk claimed that Tesla’s autonomous technology could eventually make driving 10 to 30 times safer than human operation. He also floated the idea that autonomous car owners could manage fleets of vehicles, offering ride-hailing services similar to Uber or Lyft. This business model, if successful, could reshape the gig economy and create new opportunities for individuals to generate income. However, while the Cybercab’s debut was met with enthusiasm, industry insiders raised concerns about the lack of concrete details surrounding its rollout. Musk indicated that production on the Cybercab would begin between “probably” in 2026 or “before 2027,” but admitted he “tend[ed] to be a little optimistic with timeframes.” Indeed, Tesla has historically struggled with meeting deadlines for its more ambitious projects such as its Full Self-Driving (FSD) and even shipping the Cybertruck, which Musk at one point suggested would be waterproof enough to act as a boat for short journeys (it is not and cannot). As Washington Post technology journalist Faiz Siddiqui noted on X, the entire We, Robot event livestream was preceded by a heavy disclaimer from Tesla stating, in part, that “Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions with respect to the future, are based on management’s current expectations, involve certain risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees. Future results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.” While the vision of affordable autonomous transportation is compelling, much remains uncertain about when—or if—Tesla can deliver on these promises. Robovan: Tesla’s answer to buses, trains, and mass transit Credit: Tesla Another key reveal at the event was Tesla’s Robovan, a large autonomous vehicle designed to transport up to 20 passengers or goods. Musk positioned the Robovan as a potential solution for high-density urban transport, hinting at a future where autonomous shuttles replace conventional buses. The Robovan represents a vision of more efficient, less congested cities where autonomous vehicles run frequently enough to eliminate the need for large, underutilized parking lots. Musk suggested that, over time, cities could convert parking spaces into parks, improving the quality of life in urban areas. Some technology observers such as Brian Roemmele on X were overjoyed at the news, especially the Robovan’s sleek, striking art deco design, even predicting that “100s of 1000s” or hundreds of thousands of people would be living in Robovans converted into mobile homes by 2031. Credit: Tesla Despite these ambitious goals and praise, critics were quick to point out that Tesla offered no specific timeline for the Robovan’s production. X user Facts Chaser noted that while Tesla unveiled a prototype, China already has operational autonomous vans in real urban environments. Tesla Full Self-Driving coming to Texas and California next year? A recurring theme at the We Robot event was Musk’s long-held belief that autonomous vehicles will revolutionize urban life by reducing traffic, improving safety and reclaiming public

 While Musk took the right approach in buying an established media brand, what’s missing is a description of his new strategy for Twitter. Getty Images How well does Elon Musk understand the media business? His $44 billion proposed acquisition implies that he has a better plan for monetizing Twitter than the current management but that’s unlikely given what he has said about his plans so far. The multi-talented Musk has proven his leadership skills in building successful companies as head of Tesla, SpaceX, and as former head of PayPal. Those businesses were not media businesses and media businesses are in a different industry – a market that’s declining in revenues and in quality. The media industry business model continues to be in flux – there is no reliable, sustainable model based on advertising. It’s been in a steady decline for two decades. The ad industry has managed to disintermediate media publishers via technologies that can target consumers directly, almost anywhere on the Internet, repeatedly. There’s no reason to pay high ad rates to target wealthy New York Times online readers when your ads can follow them wherever they go. But those advertisers don’t want their ads to appear next to controversial content, or fake news, or on scam websites.  Twitter has tried to eliminate controversial content, and remove people from its platform and newsfeeds. And this has calmed some of the advertisers’ concerns.  Musk, however, has been critical of Twitter’s policies in banning certain content and controversial people. Under Musk ownership of Twitter we can expect a revision of such standards and the allowing of controversial content and personalities.  Advertisers won’t be happy over such changes and there’s likely to be an exodus. And Musk’s version of free expression will likely not meet European Union regulations, which seek to stop publication of harmful content – and penalties can be severe.  Musk has the option of offering a paid subscription service that doesn’t require support from advertisers and won’t have to conform to their social and moral standards.  But that would create a far smaller-sized Twitter because it would likely become a place where extremist views are freely shared and thus less appealing to the majority of users. While Musk needs to figure out a viable revenue strategy, he has chosen the right approach in not launching his own Twitter-like service. It would have taken him two or more years to build such a brand and with a high risk of failure. It’s a much better strategy to acquire an established brand. Jeff Bezos, co-founder of Amazon, chose a similar strategy in buying an established media brand, when he purchased the Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million.  In the same year, fellow billionaire Pierre Omidyar, co-founder of eBay, launched his media venture First Look Media – a fresh new business. Omidyar’s strategy was to launch well-known journalists in their own online media ventures. The journalists would come with a ready-made audience and therefore there should be no need to pay a premium for an already established media business.  It did not work out that way for First Look Media, which suffered greatly from not knowing how to build a media venture from scratch. There is a description of its disastrous history here on Wikipedia.  While Musk took the right approach in buying an established media brand, what’s missing is a description of his new strategy for Twitter. So far, Twitter employees have not been told of any changes associated with the acquisition beyond that they should continue as normal since it will likely be about six months for the deal to be completed.  With Twitter as a private company, Musk’s management team will have an advantage in that it will be able to plan for longer-term revenue goals since it won’t be tied to the quarterly financial reports cycle of a public company.  Wall Street scrutiny of publicly traded companies affects their share price, which acts as a control on what management can do, forcing a short-term focus on the business. Privacy will give Twitter’s management greater freedom and also shield it from having to reveal key metrics. Free speech has never been free of serious social responsibilities – it’s something that Twitter has struggled to learn – and it’s a lesson that Musk will also need.  source

I have several friends who are public-school teachers. As with many teachers, they love the core mission of education but get frustrated by the administrative aspects of their jobs. Two of the most cumbersome are frequent changes in curriculum and state teaching standards. Customer experience (CX) leaders face a similar challenge. In recognition of CX Day 2024, Bain & Company, in collaboration with Kantar and Qualtrics, released a new set of global standards for customer experience teams. The goal is to create a common set of guidelines to help CX teams address their attribution and influence challenges. It’s a laudable goal. But the standards fall short of providing CX leaders with the direction they need to attain that goal. The good news is that the new standards do not significantly diverge from what CX professionals are likely already familiar with. Forrester has long offered to its CX clients an assessment tool to evaluate their function’s maturity. Many of that tool’s statements mirror the characteristics now espoused by the newly published global standards. Similarly, content and courses offered by the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) center around its CXPA CX Framework, which includes categories such as CX strategy, customer understanding, design, metrics, measurement, culture, and accountability. On the other hand, on their own, no standards will dramatically improve CX leaders’ impact and influence. Our research shows that CX leaders continue to struggle with showing impact and ROI. What CX professionals really need to do is find a common language and approach that’s shared by stakeholders across their organization, like talking about ROI in CFO terms and CX initiatives in agile or project management office speak. CX leaders can also align their work with existing standards that their stakeholders already follow. For example, ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) publishes a set of voluntary standards for service excellence that cover key topics like design thinking, cocreation, and journey mapping. Similarly, many organizations follow ISACA’s CMMI maturity models to improve business performance. While initially created for software engineering, the models expanded to help organizations in any industry evaluate their current levels of capability and performance and offer a guide to optimize business results. I’m not advocating for a move away from existing or new CX standards. Instead, I’m suggesting that CX leaders try to integrate their work with standards that have already been adopted across their enterprises to help them better collaborate with their business partners. So what action should you take with this new set of standards proposed by Bain, Kantar, and Qualtrics? Definitely read them, especially if you are new to your role and need guidance for kicking off your CX transformation. If you are already following a path toward CX maturity, chances are you will find little that is new. You might find some additional standards to help strengthen your position but not enough to warrant a wide-scale shift in your approach. Instead of adopting a new set of standards that continue to focus too inwardly, connect with what already works in your organization. Like our public-school teachers prefer, let’s stay the course and focus on implementation before seeking more change. To stay connected to these topics and my other research, go to my Forrester bio and choose “Follow.” To delve more into how to demonstrate impact and value, please schedule time to talk. source

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Nvidia showed off its technology in Washington, D.C. today at its AI Summit to help educate the nation’s capital. The world’s biggest maker of AI chips made seven big announcements at the summit, and we’ll summarize them here. First, it is teaming with U.S. tech leaders to help organizations create custom AIapplications and transform the world’s industries using the latest Nvidia NIM Agent Blueprints and Nvidia NeMo and Nvidia NIM microservices. Across industries, organizations like AT&T, Lowe’s and the University of Florida are using the microservices to create their own data-driven AI flywheels to power custom generative AI applications. U.S. technology consulting leaders Accenture, Deloitte, Quantiphi and SoftServe are adopting Nvidia NIM Agent Blueprints and Nvidia NeMo and NIM microservices to help clients in healthcare, manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services and retail create custom generative AI agents and copilots. Data and AI platform leaders Cadence, Cloudera, DataStax, Google Cloud, NetApp, SAP, ServiceNow and Teradata are advancing their data and AI platforms with Nvidia NIM. “AI is driving transformation and shaping the future of global industries,” said Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, in a statement. “In collaboration with U.S. companies, universities and government agencies, Nvidia will help advance AI adoption to boost productivity and drive economic growth.” New NeMo microservices — NeMo Customizer, NeMo Evaluator and NeMo Guardrails — can be paired with NIM microservices to help developers easily curate data at scale, customize and evaluate models, and manage responses to align with business objectives. Developers can then seamlessly deploy a custom NIM microservice across any GPU-accelerated cloud, data center or workstation. Lowe’s, a home improvement company, is exploring the use of Nvidia NIM and NeMo microservices to improve experiences for associates and customers and enhance productivity of their store associates. Forexample, the retailer is leveraging Nvidia NeMo Guardrails to enhance the safety and security of its generative AI solution platform. Nvidia is helping SETI sift through radio data faster. SETI Institute researchers are also using Nvidia tech to conduct the first real-time AI search for fast radio bursts that might be a sign of life somewhere else. To better understand new and rare astronomical phenomena, radio astronomers are adopting accelerated computing and AI on Nvidia Holoscan and IGX platforms. This summer, scientists supercharged their tools in the hunt for signs of life beyond Earth. Researchers at the SETI Institute became the first to apply AI to the real-time direct detection of faint radio signals from space. Their advances in radio astronomy are available for any field that applies accelerated computing and AI. “We’re on the cusp of a fundamentally different way of analyzing streaming astronomical data, and the kinds of things we’ll be able to discover with it will be quite amazing,” said Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI at the SETI Institute, a group formed in 1984 that now includes more than 120 scientists. The SETI Institute operates the Allen Telescope Array (pictured above) in Northern California. It’s a cutting-edge telescope used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) as well as for the study of intriguing transient astronomical events such as fast radio bursts. The project started more than a decade ago, during early attempts to marry machine learning and astronomy. Pittsburgh trades steel for AI tech Pittsburgh is getting new Nvidia AI tech centers. Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh will accelerate innovation and public-private collaboration through a pair of joint technology centers with Nvidia. Serving as a bridge for academia, industry and public-sector groups to partner on artificial intelligence innovation, Nvidia is launching its inaugural AI Tech Community in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Collaborations with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as startups, enterprises and organizations based in the “city of bridges,” are part of the new Nvidia AI Tech Community initiative, announced today during the Nvidia AI Summit in Washington, D.C. The initiative aims to supercharge public-private partnerships across communities rich with potential for enabling technological transformation using AI. Two Nvidia joint technology centers will be established in Pittsburgh to tap into expertise in the region. Nvidia’s Joint Center with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for Robotics, Autonomy and AI will equip higher-education faculty, students and researchers with the latest technologies and boost innovation in the fields of AI and robotics. And Nvidia’s Joint Center with the University of Pittsburgh for AI and Intelligent Systems will focus on computational opportunities across the health sciences, including applications of AI in clinical medicine and biomanufacturing. CMU — the nation’s No. 1 AI university according to the U.S. News & World Report — has pioneered work in autonomous vehicles and natural language processing. CMU’s Robotics Institute, the world’s largest university-affiliated robotics research group, brings a diverse group of more than a thousand faculty, staff, students, post-doctoral fellows and visitors together to solve humanity’s toughest challenges through robotics. The University of Pittsburgh — designated as an R1 research university at the forefront of innovation — is ranked No. 6 among U.S. universities in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, topping more than $1 billion in research expenditures in fiscal year 2022 and ranking No. 14 among U.S. universities granted utility patents. Nvidia will provide the centers with DGX for AI training, Omniverse for simulation and Jetson for robotics edge computing. U.S. healthcare system deploys AI agents for research to rounds The U.S. healthcare system is harnessing AI agents from research laboratories to clinical settings. Nvidia also said the U.S. healthcare system is adopting digital health agents to harness AI across the board, from research laboratories to clinical settings. The latest AI-accelerated tools — on display at the Nvidia AI Summit taking place this week in Washington, D.C. — include Nvidia NIM, a collection of cloud-native microservices that support AI model deployment and execution, and Nvidia NIM Agent Blueprints, a catalog of pretrained, customizable workflows. These technologies are already in use in the public

Project Management apps are an essential function for a healthy and productive organization. Without project management, who sets the bar for accountability and expectations?  Without the right software in place, how do you plan to drive a project to its completion? How will you help your team mitigate delays, due dates, or bumps in the road? How will you track projects through a project management system? Visibility, automation, customization, task track time, and more — it’s all essential to getting things done correctly and on time. When time is of the essence in the business world, efficiency and the ability to collaborate matter most of all. The best project management tools and document management tools will help you accomplish all this and more. Plus, it will give you the top-down transparency you need as a manager or supervisor to customize your projects in real-time. We have examined the top project management software offerings on the market right now, highlighted their features, and underlined the competitive advantages. We wanted to expand on past the standard workspace apps such as Mac Pro IOS systems, Android software or Slack messaging apps that you know about. Read on to discover ZDNet’s best solutions for your large or small team and make the right investment for your organization at large. Show less Microsoft Project Not unlike an Excel spreadsheet at its core Microsoft Project is an excellent piece of open-source software that will help calculate resource constraints, streamline the project, and help your organization stay on track with great interactive tools.  The top features of MS Project are: Built-in project templates Resource management Project cost and scheduling Projected timelines Reporting Business intelligence A single license usually costs around $600, but when bundled with the entire Microsoft Office suite of applications, this cost may be significantly reduced. Microsoft Project is not unlike an Excel spreadsheet at its core. The file can be passed around to the entire team for status updates, but there is limited internet connectivity. Microsoft Project will check most of the boxes as an enterprise solution, even if it seems a bit outdated on the surface. If you are looking for something with a streamlined unlimited user experience, Microsoft Projects might not be your best pick, but it gets the job done at a basic level. Show Expert Take Show less Show less Trello Outstanding visuals and a clean, modernized UX Trello is a fantastic project management tool thanks to outstanding visuals and a clean, modernized UX. It is well known for its main dashboard that all cross-functional units of the company can access. If using Trello, you are likely adopting an agile style of task management, which is far more common in small business settings these days. You can shift assignments across the dashboard to different times, days, or weeks. There is no re-writing a start of the finished date – simply click and hold the task, and drag-and-drop it to its appropriate location. Easy to learn, easy to master, and highly intuitive. The top features of Trello are: Unlimited task creation. Commentary and collaboration features. Organizing tasks by priority. File and image sharing. Finally, Trello boards are free for personal use. If you decide that Trello may be the right pick for your complex project management department, it only costs $9.99 per user per month. Show Expert Take Show less Show less Scoro Your “one-stop-shop” for all your business needs Scoro is another industry standard for cross-functional project team management, and we love the complete set of services it provides. Scoro assists in the management of everything from billing to reporting, production and development, and any other miscellaneous functions in your company. Whether you work with full-time employees or freelancers, the project management tools will work great for your team.  In a nutshell, Scoro is your “one-stop-shop” for all your business needs, with a strong emphasis on team collaboration tools.  The top features of Scoro are the following: Contact management Time-tracking and billing Quoting and invoicing Team meeting scheduling and calendar view KPI dashboard Reports of project progress and budget Scoro is user-friendly and has a breezy learning curve for all employees. Instead of using Outlook to schedule meetings, Microsoft Project to build and track timelines, and Oracle for quoting and billing, Scoro can consolidate and streamline everything in one swoop. You can even try the free version of Scoro for 14 days. After that, the $26 per user per month will not break the bank. It’s worth the cost, in our book. Show Expert Take Show less Show less Teamwork Project Management Suite Web-based project management suite Teamwork is another web-based project management suite that offers a comprehensive toolkit for various operations and tasks. Collaboration is the keyword here, and that’s where Teamwork stands out. A central location for everyone to tap into is a huge upside and clarifies everything across the board.  The easy-to-use interface boasts the following features: Reporting Time Tracking and timesheets Gantt Charts Tasks with sub-tasks Milestone projection and management Different user permissions If you are interested in the Teamwork suite, you will be happy to know that this project management software tool integrates with Teamwork Desk and Teamwork Chat. Show Expert Take Show less Show less Easy Project Very similar to Microsoft Project Easy Projects project management software boats great visuals, Gantt charts, and a simple user interface.  It is very similar to Microsoft Project in terms of the end product, but Easy Project is built in an updated interface with a great visualization appeal.  The main features of Easy Project are: Configurable dashboards User and task tracking Gantt charts Project templates Portfolio management Easy Project lives up to its name in simplicity, and we like its customizable layout, but it may not be full-featured enough for enterprise use. This software can get any number of projects moving in the right direction, although you might want to upgrade once operations expand in scope and complexity. Show Expert Take Show less Show less Basecamp Boasts

You are an AI assistant trained to help categorize social media accounts.You will be given a description of an account and some of its recent posts. Here is a detailed codebook of the information you will be asked to provide: # CODEBOOK: ##############################################################– IND-ORG: Whether the account belongs to an individual or an organization. (CHOOSE ONE)– individual: the account is controlled by or can be attributed to a single person (Note: category also includes “couple” or “family” accounts, as well as businesses or brands that are represented by a single individual).– organization: the account is controlled by or can be attributed to a group or entity – PUBLIC-FIGURE: If the account belongs to an individual, whether that individual is a public figure. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the individual is a publicly notable figure. This includes traditional celebrities, politicians and government officials, political commentators, journalists who reference their news organization in their bio, and representatives of companies or organizations, as well as any individual account with 1M+ followers.– no: the individual is not a publicly notable figure.– NA: the account does not belong to an individual. – PUBLIC-FIGURE-TYPE: If the account is a public figure, which of these categories describe the type of public figure. (CHOOSE ANY THAT APPLY)– celebrity: the individual is a well-known actor, musician, author, athlete, model, chef, or other entertainment figure. Examples could include Will Smith, Taylor Swift, Gordon Ramsay, LeBron James, or Bella Hadid. (Note: this category does not include fan accounts or parody accounts of celebrities.)– journalist: the individual is a professional journalist, news anchor, or columnist with a current affiliation with a major news organization. Examples could include Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, or Jamelle Bouie.– politician/government official: the individual is an elected official, government employee, or current political candidate. Examples could include Joe Biden, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Donald Trump.– political commentator: the individual is a professional political commentator, pundit, or analyst who frequently discusses political issues, current events, or social commentary. Examples could include Ben Shapiro, Jon Stewart, or Tucker Carlson.– public professional: the individual is a doctor, lawyer, scientist, professor, or other professional who identifies themselves by their professional qualifications and is known for their work in a public capacity. Examples could include Dr. Anthony Fauci, Neil deGrasse Tyson, or Dr. Sandra Lee (Dr. Pimple Popper).– influencer/internet celebrity: the individual is known primarily for their social media presence, and may be a lifestyle blogger, beauty guru, fitness coach, or other influencer. Examples could include Mr. Beast, Charli D’Amelio, or James Charles.– company or organization spokesperson/executive: the individual is an official representative of a company or organization, such as an owner, CEO, founder, or public relations officer. Examples could include Elon Musk, Tim Cook, or Greta Thunberg.– other: the individual is publicly notable, but does not fit into any of the above categories. – ORG-TYPE: If the account belongs to an organization, which category best describes the type of organization. (CHOOSE ANY THAT APPLY)– government: the organization is a government agency, department, or official government account. Examples could include the CDC, NASA, or the White House.– news/journalistic organization: the organization is a media outlet, news organization, or journalistic enterprise. Examples could include CNN, FOX, The New York Times, or NPR.– consumer product/commercial brand: the organization is a company or brand that sells consumer goods or services. Examples could include Coca-Cola, Nike, or Apple.– entertainment celebrity group: the organization is a band, dance group, sports team, or other collection of individuals who are known for their entertainment or performance work. Examples could include BTS, the Rockettes, the New England Patriots, or the cast of Stranger Things.– NGO/non-profit organization: the organization is a non-governmental organization, charity, non-profit, or advocacy group. Examples could include charities, think tanks, or religious organizations.– other: the organization is a group or entity that does not fit into any of the above categories. – POLITICS: Whether the account’s content covers politics and/or social commentary. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the account frequently discusses political issues, current events, or social issues, including political commentary, news about politics, general social and economic commentary, and cultural/identity politics.– no: the account does not discuss political issues or social commentary. – NEWS: Whether the account’s content covers news and/or current events. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: The account is either a provider of news information (e.g., a journalist or news organization) or frequently discusses news events, current events, or breaking news. Includes news headlines, news commentary, news analysis, and news reporting.– no: the account does not discuss news events or current events. – HUMOR: Whether the account frequently posts humorous or comedic content. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the account frequently posts humorous or comedic content, including jokes, skits, memes, parodies, and other videos framed from a satirical or humorous perspective.– no: the account does not post humorous or comedic content. – VLOG: Whether the account frequently posts personal vlogs, stories, or updates about the account owner’s life. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the account frequently posts personal vlogs, stories, or updates about the account owner’s life, including personal anecdotes, daily life updates, and personal reflections.– no: the account does not post personal vlogs, stories, or updates. – MUSIC: Whether the account frequently posts viral or trending music, lip sync, or dance content. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the account frequently posts music, lip sync, or dance-related content, including vocal, instrumental, or dance performances filmed directly for social media, lip syncing videos/trending sound clips, dance routines, covers, or challenges, or music covers.– no: the account does not post music, lip sync, or dance-related content. – ENTERTAINMENT: Whether the account frequently posts content related to entertainment, media, fandom, and pop culture. (CHOOSE ONE)– yes: the account frequently posts content related to entertainment or pop culture, including reviews, recommendations, discussion, or clips of entertainment media, such as books, movies, television, music, video games, theater, comedy specials, or other entertainment media, celebrity gossip, news or updates, promotion of upcoming releases, fandom-related content such as cosplay, fan art, or fan theories, or other pop culture content.– no: the account does not

What should your organization ask itself to determine whether retaining a tech vendor is the best move right now? We’re finding that some digital leaders, such as those in many B2C commerce organizations, are choosing to stay with the tech vendors that they already have in place. Why is that remarkable? It’s a shift from earlier years when they were more likely to be swept off their digital feet by other vendors’ promises of competitive ROI and sparkling innovation. Today, digital business leaders are instead prioritizing how they consolidate or reduce the software products in their ecosystems. One reason: Leaders who already have made the move to SaaS solutions often cannot justify the business case for replatforming. Plus, they don’t want incur the costs, disruption, and (inevitable) unexpected issues of a replacement project. But what if your current vendor isn’t innovating or providing the support that you feel your organization needs? To help determine whether your org is better off retaining your vendor or looking for a new solution, analyze your current vendor in light of the following questions: Can you — and your customers and employees — stomach the costs of staying put with your current vendor? Avoiding replatforming might seem less expensive because the transition itself brings inherent costs, but don’t discount the costs of staying with a vendor if you’re being left behind in terms of functionality that may create better customer and employee experiences. Think specifically about: The hard, direct costs of the current system. Analyze everything included: subscriptions, licensing, support, ongoing customizations, and potentially hosting. Factor in potential increases due to usage-based pricing, plus the costs of maintenance over time, as the solution ages. The hard, direct costs for a potential new vendor — plus the costs of the migration. These expenses may be recorded differently, but they’re still real costs of the change. Include training, potential new hires to bring in expertise, testing, and other costs of the transition. Whether your current solution will help you keep up with competitors. For each solution, analyze the impact on both customers and your employees. For example: Will you struggle to provide relevant search results and sacrifice conversion? Will customer experience suffer with poor post-purchase messaging and shipment tracking — and drive higher costs and volumes for customer care? Are competitors providing clear inventory availability in stores while you can’t? Will associates have a harder time fulfilling online orders for in-store pickup?   Are you getting enough of what you need from the current partnership? Culture fit is an often-overlooked factor in vendor selection and retention. You’ll know if it’s working. When it’s not, and if you’ve done all you can to communicate with your vendor about the relationship, it may be time to move on. Remember that: All strong vendors perpetually innovate. Do you receive inspiring new functionality from your vendor? Do you also feel that you have influence over its roadmap? Technology vendors in your ecosystem must be true partners to your organization. Is each of the vendors in your ecosystem an ally? What’s their history of delivering on promises and building trust with your teams? Is your organization able to work on improvements and innovative solutions alongside your partners? What does support look like, and is that working for your internal teams? If retention feels like a good fit for your organization and you want a strategy to “win” the renewal game, check out Forrester’s report, The Digital Leaders’ Guide To Acting As Your Own Tech Retention Advocate. For Forrester clients who want a buyers’ guide, please schedule an inquiry or guidance session with us here. (coauthored with Senior Research Associate Delilah Gonzalez) source

The survey asked Asian immigrants about their views of life in the United States and how it compares with their country of origin. Majorities say the U.S. is better on nearly all qualities asked about in the survey, and about three-quarters say they would choose to come to the U.S. if they could do it again. Still, the survey – conducted from July 2022 to January 2023 – found that two-thirds of Asian immigrants also feel dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country, and more than half say the country is generally headed in the wrong direction. Additionally, Asian immigrants generally view their children’s prospects in less optimistic terms than their own. This chapter explores Asian immigrants’ attitudes about life in the U.S. today. How Asian immigrants compare the U.S. with their origin countries Majorities of Asian American immigrants say the U.S. is better than their origin country on nearly all qualities asked about in the survey, including the opportunity to get ahead (77%), treatment of the poor (64%) and gender equality (62%), among others. The one quality that a majority of Asian immigrants say is better in their country of origin than in the U.S. is the strength of family ties (60%). By main reason for immigrating Among Asian immigrants who came to the U.S. due to conflict, about 80% or more say the U.S. is better than their origin country on nearly all qualities asked about. The only exception is the strength of family ties: 25% say family ties are stronger in the U.S., while 48% say this is better in their origin country and 23% say it’s equal in both. Among those who immigrated for other reasons, assessments of the U.S. are more mixed. For example, those who immigrated for educational opportunities (51%), family reunification (58%) or economic opportunities (65%) are less likely than those who immigrated due to conflict (84%) to say the U.S. is better for health care access than their country of origin. By ethnicity For these findings, “country of origin” is used to refer to the place respondents came from. Those of the same ethnicity may identify different places as their origin country, which can be influenced by ethnicity, birthplace, nationality, ancestry, or other social, cultural or political factors. For more information, refer to the terminology. 75% of Chinese immigrants say lack of state censorship is better in the U.S. than in their country of origin, but about half say the same about women’s rights (50%) and health care access (48%). For Filipino immigrants, about 80% or more say opportunities to get ahead and access to health care are better in the U.S. than in their origin country. Some 53% say the same about women’s rights.  79% of Indian immigrants say opportunities to get ahead are better in the U.S., while 52% say the same about health care access. Among Korean immigrants, roughly 70% or more say the U.S. is better than their origin country in opportunities to get ahead, conditions for raising children and women’s rights. On the other hand, 66% say health care access in better in their origin country than in the U.S. And 45% say regularly held honest elections are about equal in both places.  About 75% or more of Vietnamese immigrants say the U.S. is better than their country of origin across all qualities asked about except the strength of family ties. By citizenship Asian immigrants who are U.S. citizens are more likely than noncitizens to say the U.S. is better than their origin country on access to health care services (63% vs. 39%) and treatment of the poor (67% vs. 57%). For more on how Asian immigrants’ views of the U.S. compared with their country of origin varies across these subgroups, refer to Appendix A. Asian immigrants’ views of their own standard of living, and that of their children A large majority of Asian immigrants in the U.S. (77%) say their standard of living is much or somewhat better than their parents’ standard of living when they were the same age. Meanwhile, 13% say their standard of living is much or somewhat worse, and 9% say it’s about the same as that of their parents. The survey also finds Asian immigrants are less optimistic about their children’s prospects than their own. Among Asian immigrants who have children, about half (48%) say their children’s standard of living will be much or somewhat better than their own. Some 37% say their children’s standard of living will be much or somewhat worse, and 15% say it will be about the same as their own. Among Asian immigrants with children, expectations about the next generation’s standard of living vary by: Ethnicity: More than half of Vietnamese immigrants (58%) say their children’s standard of living will be better than their own, a higher share than among other ethnic groups. Citizenship: 58% of Asian immigrants who are not U.S. citizens say their children’s standard of living will be better, compared with 44% of those who have U.S. citizenship. Years in the U.S.: 64% of Asian immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for 10 years or less say their children’s standard of living will be better than their own, versus 49% of those in the U.S. for 11 to 20 years and 38% of those in the U.S. for more than 20 years. Education: Asian immigrants without a college degree are more likely than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher to say their children’s standard of living will be better than their own. Overall, immigrant Asian adults have a more positive outlook about their own and their children’s prospects than U.S.-born Asian adults: 77% of Asian immigrants say their standard of living is better than that of their parents, compared with 60% of U.S.-born Asian adults who hold the same view. 48% of Asian immigrants with children say their children’s standard of living will be better than their own, compared with 29% of U.S.-born Asian adults with children.

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More The newly launched Swarm framework from developers at OpenAI is an experimental tool designed to orchestrate networks of AI agents, and it’s been making waves in the tech community. Unlike other multi-agent frameworks, Swarm aims to provide a blend of simplicity, flexibility and control that sets it apart. Although still in its early stages, Swarm offers a fresh take on agent collaboration, with core concepts like “routines” and “handoffs” to guide agents through collaborative tasks. While Swarm is not an official OpenAI product nor is intended as a production-ready tool, it provides valuable insights into the potential of multi-agent systems in enterprise automation. Its key focus is on simplifying agent interactions, which is achieved through the Chat Completions API. This stateless design means agents do not retain memory between interactions, contributing to Swarm’s simplicity but limiting its use for complex decision-making tasks that require contextual memory.  Instead, developers need to implement their own memory solutions, which offer both challenges and opportunities for customization. This balance of simplicity and control is a major point of attraction for developers interested in learning about or building multi-agent orchestration systems. A lightweight approach for developers Swarm is distinct in its lightweight design, focusing on ease of understanding and implementation. This approach gives developers more granular control over execution steps and tool calls, making it easier to experiment with agent interactions and orchestrations. Compared to other frameworks like LangChain or CrewAI, Swarm’s stateless model is easier to grasp, which makes it accessible for those who are new to multi-agent systems. However, the lack of built-in memory management is a noted limitation. To achieve more sophisticated agent behavior, developers must implement external memory solutions. Despite this, Swarm’s emphasis on transparency and modularity has been praised for enabling developers to tailor agent behaviors and extend the framework based on their needs Guiding collaboration with routines and handoffs At the heart of Swarm are the concepts of “routines” and “handoffs,” which are mechanisms designed to help agents carry out collaborative tasks in an organized manner. A routine is a set of instructions that agents follow to complete specific actions, while handoffs allow for seamless transitions between agents, each specializing in particular functions.  This structured approach to agent interactions allows developers to create dynamic, multi-step processes where tasks are handled by the agent best suited for each step. Examples include customer service systems where triage agents manage initial contact before passing on specific queries to agents specialized in sales, support or refunds. This adaptability makes Swarm particularly useful for building applications that require multiple, specialized capabilities to work together. Addressing limitations: The role of state and memory Despite its promising features, Swarm’s lack of internal support for state and memory limits its effectiveness in complex decision-making based on past interactions. For instance, in a sales scenario, a stateful system would allow agents to track customer history across interactions—a capability that Swarm, in its current form, does not provide. The release of Swarm has also sparked ethical discussions about its potential impact on the workforce and the broader implications of AI-driven automation. While Swarm aims to make sophisticated multi-agent systems more accessible, its capability to replace human tasks raises concerns about job displacement and fairness. Security experts have also highlighted the need for robust safeguards to prevent misuse or malfunction within these autonomous agent networks. However, the decision to open-source Swarm has created an opportunity for community-driven development, potentially leading to novel uses and improvements. As developers experiment with Swarm, they contribute to the growing understanding of how multi-agent orchestration can be leveraged to solve real-world problems, particularly in enterprise environments where automation can drive efficiency and allow human workers to focus on more strategic initiatives. source

In the dynamic world of technology, startups and growing tech vendors are constantly seeking innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve. The rise of generative AI (GenAI) offers a transformative opportunity, but leveraging its full potential requires more than just adoption—it necessitates a strategic approach called GenAI Engineering. This blog post delves into why GenAI Engineering matters for tech vendors and startups and how it can be a cornerstone of your growth strategy.  The GenAI Boom: A Catalyst for Innovation  Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, the potential of GenAI has become evident across industries. From GitHub CoPilot to DALL-E and Google Bard, GenAI applications have showcased incredible capabilities in automating tasks, enhancing creativity, and improving decision-making processes. This surge in GenAI adoption is particularly relevant for tech startups and vendors who are uniquely positioned to harness these advancements for rapid innovation and market differentiation.  The Pitfalls of Consumer-Focused GenAI  While consumer-focused GenAI services have ignited interest, they often fall short in addressing the specific needs of enterprises, especially those in the tech sector. Startups and tech vendors require GenAI solutions that align with business objectives like scalability, accuracy, privacy, and cost-efficiency. For instance, concerns about data security, intellectual property, and the accuracy of GenAI outputs are paramount for these organizations.  What Is GenAI Engineering?  GenAI Engineering integrates concepts and decision-making between three overlapping and interdependent domains: Data Domain: High-quality data is the bedrock of successful GenAI projects. Startups must focus on data sourcing, quality, and privacy. Questions like where the data is sourced, its appropriateness for the intended outcomes, and its security are crucial.  AI Models Domain: Selecting and customizing the right GenAI models is essential. Startups need to consider the types of models that best suit their needs, how to fine-tune these models, and ensure their outputs are reliable and high-quality.  Outcomes Domain: GenAI implementations must be outcome-driven. This involves choosing the right implementation approach, determining the degree of autonomy for AI components, and selecting appropriate infrastructure platforms.  Three Reasons Why GenAI Engineering is Critical for Startups and Tech Vendors  GenAI Engineering is the disciplined approach to implementing GenAI technologies in a way that aligns with business goals and maximizes value. For startups and growing tech vendors, this means:  Strategic Implementation: GenAI Engineering bridges the gap between strategy and execution, ensuring that GenAI projects are aligned with business outcomes, resources, and constraints.  Scalability and Flexibility: By systematically applying clear business and technology principles, startups can scale their GenAI implementations efficiently, adapting to changing market demands and opportunities.  Innovation and Competitive Edge: GenAI Engineering empowers startups to innovate rapidly, offering customized solutions that differentiate them from competitors and appeal to their target markets.  Governing Factors in GenAI Engineering   For tech startups, the following factors are critical:  Value: Focus on outcomes that improve productivity, enhance product offerings, and drive growth. Startups need to evaluate the potential ROI of GenAI projects.  Resources: Assess available resources, including data, skills, tools, and infrastructure. Startups often operate with limited resources, making strategic resource allocation vital.  Constraints: Navigate industry regulations, internal policies, and risk management. Understanding these constraints helps in developing responsible and compliant GenAI solutions.  Collaboration: The Heart of GenAI Engineering  Effective GenAI Engineering ideally involves collaboration across various roles, such as CISOs, CDOs, data engineers, data scientists, developers, and non-technical domain experts. However, startups often lack the resources to have all these roles in-house. Here are practical steps for startups to initiate GenAI engineering:  Leverage Partnerships: Collaborate with universities, research institutions, and other tech startups. These partnerships can provide access to expertise, resources, and infrastructure that may be beyond the reach of a startup.  Utilize Open Source Tools: Take advantage of open-source GenAI tools and platforms. Communities like Hugging Face and GitHub host a multitude of projects that can accelerate your development efforts without significant upfront costs.  Engage with GenAI Platforms: Use AI platforms provided by major cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure. These platforms offer ready-to-use models, development tools, and infrastructure support that can help startups implement GenAI solutions quickly and cost-effectively.  Hire Freelancers and Consultants: Bring in external experts on a project basis. Freelancers and consultants can provide the specialized skills needed for specific tasks without the long-term financial commitment of full-time hires.  Build a Cross-Functional Core Team: Assemble a small, cross-functional team with diverse skills. Even with limited resources, having a core team that includes data engineers, developers, and business analysts can drive GenAI projects forward.  Invest in Training: Upskill existing employees through training programs focused on GenAI technologies. Online courses, workshops, and certifications can equip your team with the knowledge needed to implement GenAI solutions effectively.  Establishing a GenAI Center of Excellence (CoE)  For many startups, creating a GenAI Center of Excellence (CoE) can be a strategic move. A GenAI CoE can:  Centralize Expertise: Bring together experts from various domains to drive GenAI initiatives.  Promote Best Practices: Share success stories, establish standards, and ensure consistent application of GenAI Engineering principles.  Drive Innovation: Act as a hub for exploring new GenAI opportunities and developing cutting-edge solutions.  Practical Steps   Start with Data: Ensure you have a solid foundation of high-quality data. Implement robust data governance practices to maintain data integrity and privacy.  Choose the Right Models: Evaluate different GenAI models and select those that best align with your business goals. Consider fine-tuning and customizing models to meet specific needs.  Focus on Outcomes: Define clear business outcomes for your GenAI projects. Ensure that every implementation is aligned with these outcomes to maximize value.  Invest in Skills: Build a team with the necessary skills and expertise. Invest in training and development to keep your team updated on the latest GenAI advancements.  Foster Collaboration: Encourage collaboration across different roles and teams. Establish clear communication channels and collaborative tools to facilitate teamwork.  Key GenAI Use Cases for Startups and Growing Tech Vendors Understanding the potential use cases for GenAI can help startups identify where to focus their efforts:  Task Productivity: Simple tasks like summarizing reports, generating job descriptions,