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Building a Data-Driven Culture: Three Mistakes to Avoid

Topics Data, AI, & Machine Learning Data & Data Culture Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images When one of the largest global telecom companies grappled with high customer attrition, the marketing team used a heuristics-driven approach to retain customers. For example, if a customer hadn’t made any…

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6 ways for educators to use Microsoft Copilot for end-of-school year tasks

The end of the school year is a hectic time for educators everywhere. Between reviewing content, completing assessments, and maintaining classroom management, it’s easy to feel the pressure of too many responsibilities and not enough time to accomplish everything.Whether closing out the academic year in the northern hemisphere or preparing for the next one in the southern hemisphere, Microsoft Copilot offers innovative and efficient ways to complete many of the…

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  • Reading time:10 mins read
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How Generative AI Is Remaking UI/UX Design

As former developers and product managers, we’ve lived the grueling dance between designers and developers, where questions such as “Is this design technically feasible?” and “Can you add another screen for this step?” take place in every meeting. All too often, this aspiring creative exchange resulted in a Jira-filled, time-consuming process comprised of iterations, compromises, and, ultimately, a disconnect between the designer’s vision and the developer’s execution. In the last…

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2023 was the hottest summer in two thousand years

Although 2023 has been reported as the hottest year on record, the instrumental evidence only reaches back as far as 1850 at best, and most records are limited to certain regions.Now, by using past climate information from annually resolved tree rings over two millennia, scientists from the University of Cambridge and the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have shown how exceptional the summer of 2023 was. Even allowing for natural climate…

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Connecticut Expands Paid Sick Law to Establish Entitlements for Most Employees by 2027

 Current LawExpansion Under Public Act No. 24-8 Effective January 1, 2025 (Unless Otherwise Noted)Covered EmployeesThe current law applies to “service workers,” who are defined as employees in certain occupations identified in the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Standard Occupational Classification system.The expanded law applies to all employees, including seasonal employees who work 120 days or fewer during a year.Covered EmployersThe current law applies to employers with 50 or more service…

  • Post category:Ogletree Deakins
  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Introducing GPT-4o: OpenAI’s new model in preview on Azure

Microsoft is thrilled to announce the launch of GPT-4o, OpenAI’s new flagship model on Azure AI. This groundbreaking multimodal model integrates text, vision, and audio capabilities, setting a new standard for generative and conversational AI experiences. GPT-4o is available now in Azure OpenAI Service, to try in preview, with support for text and image. Azure OpenAI Service A step forward in generative AI for Azure OpenAI Service GPT-4o offers a…

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Over 20,000 people join search for new dementia treatments

Using the resource, scientists have already been able to show for the first time that two important bodily mechanisms – inflammation and metabolism – play a role in the decline in brain function as we age.By 2050, approximately 139 million people are expected to be living with dementia worldwide. In the UK, in 2022, UK Prime Minister launched the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission, part of the government’s commitment to…

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How AI Skews Our Sense of Responsibility

Frontiers Research shows how using an AI-augmented system may affect humans’ perception of their own agency and responsibility. Ryad Titah May 13, 2024 Reading Time: 5 min  Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Matt Chinworth/theispot.com As artificial intelligence plays an ever-larger role in automated systems and decision-making processes, the question of how it affects humans’ sense of…

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June 2024 Visa Bulletin Shows No Advancement in Employment-Based Categories

Quick Hits The EB-1 and EB-2 final action dates remain unchanged for all countries of chargeability. The EB-3 final action date for India retrogressed eight days, while all other countries of chargeability remain unchanged. USCIS has confirmed it will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the final action dates chart for the June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Family-based applications may continue to use the dates for filing chart. Based…

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Microsoft announces investment in France to accelerate AI

The company will invest 4 billion euros in cloud and AI infrastructure, AI skilling, and French Tech acceleration, aiming to train 1 million people and support 2,500 AI startups by 2027. Today, during Choose France summit, Microsoft announced its largest investment in France in its 41-year history in the country. This broad investment package is designed to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies, increase the country’s…

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Picture This: Why Online Image Searches Drive Purchases

In a visual world, most online retailers still rely on consumers to define and enter their own search keywords. But using images to help shoppers sharpen their queries could push them to buy more, spend more, and feel happier about their purchases.“For a long time, consumers have been asking things like, 'When can I find a coat that I like by simply snapping a picture of somebody wearing that coat…

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Is Space Becoming the Next Front for War—and Traffic Jams?

Q: Are national security issues showing up in space? National security issues have shown up in space since the Cold War. Militaries around the world are enabled by space. They’re applying space technology for communications, for positioning—when you drop a bomb, you want to be able to precisely hit a target—and for situational awareness. Intelligence gathering or reconnaissance from space is very important for understanding the world they’re operating in.…

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AI’s Second Order Effects

Here’s a math puzzle: A good salesperson can sell 50 widgets a year, earns $100,000 a year, and will not take a pay cut. A company has an amazing new widget that needs to be sold (people will not find it on their own/aren’t looking for it). Prospective customers of this company’s new widget will happily pay $500/year, but not a dollar more. How will this company do? To quote…

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Scoring Big: Growing Sports Interest and the Rise of Sports Management Software

Sports management software in the U.S. is a ~$8-10B market expected to grow by double digits over the next five years. Broadly, the space can be divided into two segments: professional sports and non-professional/community sports. Both segments can be further split into performance, competition, and engagement; though the main customer groups would naturally vary (e.g., fan engagement vs. member engagement). While professional sports management software presents a viable opportunity, this…

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Will disputes are on the rise. Here are 7 pragmatic steps you could take to minimise conflicts

A will is an important way of outlining what you’d like to happen to your assets when you pass away. Yet, figures suggest will disputes are on the rise. If you’re worried about potential conflicts when you pass away, read on to discover some useful steps you might want to take. According to a report in the Guardian, thousands of families have been embroiled in disputes dubbed “ruinously expensive” by…

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Building Your First Board: Lessons for Founders

Sooner or later, every successful entrepreneur confronts the challenge of establishing a board of directors. Yet many founders approach this task too casually, relying on intuition rather than learning from empirical research or other entrepreneurs’ experience. Such founders tend to become disillusioned with the board they assembled, losing faith in its capacity to empower management to create shareholder value and foster sustainable organisations.It doesn't have to be this way. Over…

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  • Reading time:7 mins read
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Birth by C-section more than doubles odds of measles vaccine failure

A study by the University of Cambridge, UK, and Fudan University, China, has found that a single dose of the measles jab is up to 2.6 times more likely to be completely ineffective in children born by C-section, compared to those born naturally.Failure of the vaccine means that the child’s immune system does not produce antibodies to fight against measles infection, so they remain susceptible to the disease. A second…

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A New Formula for Security in West Africa: Alliance of Sahel States

Bound by a common destiny on issues of instability, security, the threat of terrorism, economic backwardness, etc., the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger decided to unite primarily because they were faced with the threat of ECOWAS military intervention in Niger, and also because it was necessary to act against these evils. On September 16, 2023, a new military bloc in West Africa appeared on the world map –…

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4 compelling reasons you might want to consolidate your pension

It’s been more than a decade since auto-enrolment was introduced, and now most workers automatically become members of their employer’s pension scheme. While more people saving for retirement is excellent news, it could mean you end up juggling multiple pots. One option is to transfer one pension to another, known as “consolidation”. It’s usually simple to do and there are many reasons why you might want to transfer a pension.…

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Student-Athletes Excel In and Out of the Classroom

Tartan linebacker Kevin Cooke is a Chicago Bears fan who enjoyed watching Brian Urlacher play defense for his favorite football team, but his real hero is his older brother Sean, who also played football for CMU. “Sean was always the person I looked up to on the football field. He was a running back, but I was able to learn so much from him,” he said. Cooke, who will graduate…

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  • Reading time:6 mins read
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3 practical reasons to check your State Pension forecast before you retire

The State Pension is often a useful foundation when you’re creating an income in retirement. Yet, a survey from Just Group found that a third of people didn’t check their State Pension forecast before stopping work. While the State Pension might not be your primary income in retirement, it’s often valuable because it’s reliable – you’ll receive a regular income when you reach State Pension Age for the rest of…

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1 in 5 people expects to be paying their mortgage in retirement

Affordability challenges mean more people could near retirement with outstanding mortgage debt. It could affect your retirement plans or mean your income once you give up work doesn’t stretch as far as you expect. If you’re approaching retirement with a mortgage, read on to find out what your options may be. The effect rising house prices and interest rates have on first-time buyers is covered in the news.  New figures…

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New tactics for new talent: Closing US semiconductor labor gaps

Fueled by record-high investment from semiconductor players and once-in-a-generation federal backing, semiconductor manufacturing capacity is poised for a massive expansion in the United States. This strategy aims to rebalance the country’s supply and demand profile to establish greater autonomy in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and intellectual property rights; as the US secretary of commerce has stated, one of the goals is to propel the United States to produce 20 percent of…

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Layer 2, Rollups, and Building Onchain (with Base)

“Layer 2” rollups are computer networks that are designed to help scale “layer 1” blockchains such as Ethereum — and they’ve been bustling with activity recently, especially since Ethereum implemented its scaling-related EIP-4844 (“Dencun”) upgrade in March. Jesse Pollak, who is Coinbase’s head of protocols and who founded and leads the popular layer 2 rollup Base, joins a16z crypto engineer Noah Citron and host Robert Hackett to discuss bottom-up vs.…

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104,000 panel solar farm set to power The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester has signed a landmark new deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project. In a major move towards achieving its 2038 zero carbon ambitions, the University has partnered with leading UK clean energy company Enviromena to buy electricity generated from its brand-new solar farm based in Medebridge, Essex. Once complete, Medebridge Solar Farm will comprise 104,000 solar…

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The art you must see to celebrate the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary

Did you know that the National Gallery turns 200 this year? Originally founded in 1824, the museum in Trafalgar Square, London houses an impressive collection of over 2,300 paintings. Displaying art from the mid-13th century to 1900, it’s home to many famous paintings that people travel across the world to see. Whether you’re a London local or a tourist excited to see the best culture our capital city has to…

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AI for social good: Improving lives and protecting the planet

Advances in AI have accelerated dramatically over the past two years, marked by an ability to design, train, and—most important—run AI at a large scale and for many millions of users. AI’s potential impact spans sectors and could deliver positive social change. In fact, AI is already being used to further all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—from the goal of eliminating poverty to establishing sustainable cities and communities and providing…

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How two telcos in Indonesia are bringing inclusivity to 17,500 islands

Eric Kutcher, a senior partner at McKinsey, talks to the chief executive officers of two of Indonesia’s largest telecommunications providers—Ririek Adriansyah, chief executive officer of PT Telkom Indonesia Tbk (Telkom), and Vikram Sinha, president director and chief executive officer of Indosat Oredoo Hutchinson (Indosat or IOH). Referencing the diversity of a country that consists of thousands of islands, they talk about the challenges of creating an inclusive society and how…

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New York’s Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Bill Continues to Make Progress

Quick Hits Comprehensive workplace safety legislation proposed in the New York State Senate would require retail employers to assess potential workplace violence hazards and develop and implement comprehensive written workplace violence plans. Among other requirements, retail employers with fifty or more employees nationwide would have to install panic buttons to immediately dispatch local law enforcement when pressed. The bill, S8358B, has a companion bill pending in the New York State…

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Britain’s housing dubbed “worst value for money” of any advanced economy

Britain’s housing stock has been dubbed the “worst value for money” in a Resolution Foundation report. With the media reporting that the UK is in the midst of a housing crisis, you might not be surprised by the news, but how the UK compared to other countries could still shock you. Read on to find out more about the research conclusions and why soaring house prices could mean it’s more…

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How to Reimagine Strategy Planning to Embrace the Unpredictable

If the pandemic and the ensuing few years have taught us nothing else, it is the fact that we are in a world of terminal turmoil. Change comes fast and often. Black swans lurk around every corner. Yet many companies are still executing their strategic planning like it’s 1985. The new unpredictable normal calls for a different approach. Historically, strategy creation was a long, linear process with a singular plan…

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Kareem Yusuf on building sustainability products for your customers

In this episode of McKinsey on Building Products, a podcast dedicated to the exploration of software, product management, and engineering, McKinsey partner Rikki Singh talks to Kareem Yusuf, senior vice president of product management and growth at IBM. Throughout his career, Yusuf has worked across disciplines to sharpen his product management skills and has led IBM in creating platforms for companies to improve their sustainability practices. In their conversation, Singh…

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Corporate governance matters most to investors

A significant majority of large investors polled in a new survey say they consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) concerns when determining which firms to invest in, but basic governance factors far outweigh environmental and social concerns in their calculus. This is according to the 2024 Institutional Investor Survey on Sustainability, published through a partnership of the Hoover Institution Working Group on Corporate Governance, Stanford’s Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock…

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How to Think About Foundation Models for Cybersecurity

In this episode of the AI + a16z podcast, a16z General Partner Zane Lackey and a16z Partner Joel de la Garza sit down with Derrick Harris to discuss how generative AI — LLMs, in particular — and foundation models could effect profound change in cybersecurity. After years of AI-washing by security vendors, they explain why the hype is legitimate this time as AI provides a real opportunity to help security…

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Bringing generative AI to Azure network security with new Microsoft Copilot integrations

Today we are excited to announce the Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) and Azure Firewall integrations in the Microsoft Copilot for Security standalone experience. This is the first step we are taking toward bringing interactive, generative AI-powered capabilities to Azure network security. Copilot empowers teams to protect at the speed and scale of AI by turning global threat intelligence (78 trillion or more security signals), industry best practices, and organizations’…

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What are tax-efficient investments?

With UK tax allowances falling it can be useful to look at how you can structure your investments to ensure they are as tax-efficient as possible. There are a number of options to consider, including ISAs, pensions and bonds, alongside VCTs and EIS. But which should you choose? Claire Spinks, our Head of Tax Technical and Development, looks at some of the most common tax-efficient investments. The UK remains a…

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Not Selected in the H-1B CAP? Discover Opportunities in Canada: Exploring Alternatives for Talent Retention

By: Rania Abboud For many highly skilled international workers, securing an H-1B visa in the United States can be elusive. With this year’s lottery results announced, employers find themselves exploring alternative strategies to retain invaluable talent. Among these strategies is the consideration of relocating talent to Canada, where a range of enticing options await. Exploring Canadian Alternatives: LMIA-Exempt Work Permits: Canada offers a variety of LMIA-exempt work permits that could…

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DOL’s Wage and Hour Division Issues New Guidance on Employers’ Use of AI

Quick Hits The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division published new field assistance guiding its field staff on the implications of employers’ increasing use of automated systems and AI technologies. The guidance cautions that while such technologies have workplace benefits, human oversight is necessary to avoid results that violate federal labor laws. The guidance comes after President Biden issued an executive order (EO) calling on federal agencies to coordinate their approach…

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Leading AI Transformation: Moody’s drives pragmatic AI innovation to help employees and customers around the world

Leading AI Transformation: Moody’s drives pragmatic AI innovation to help employees and customers around the world - Source For over 100 years, Moody’s Corporation has been helping organizations make better decisions through data—believing that understanding risk is the best way to get ahead of it. Working with Microsoft, the company is developing new generative AI-powered solutions to help its employees and customers around the world decode risk and unlock opportunity.…

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