Roblox, the popular online gaming and social platform among kids and teens, is introducing new chat features for users ages 13 and up, allowing them to connect more directly with trusted real-life friends.
Previously, Roblox categorized all connections equally. Now, the platform is adding a new classification called “trusted connections,” intended for users who know each other outside of Roblox. Verified users 13 and oldertypically through a new video-based age estimation system developed with identity verification company Personawill be able to engage in what the company refers to as unfiltered chat sessions with these trusted contacts. While these voice and text conversations will still be monitored for harmful behavior, they will not support video or photo sharing.
“This makes Roblox the only major platform that will require age verification, like facial age estimation, in order to use private voice or unfiltered chat,” says Ryan Ebanks, principal product manager for social products at Roblox.
Age verification is becoming more common across digital platforms. Reddit, for example, recently implemented Persona-powered age verification for users accessing adult content in the UK. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for adult online content. Roblox users can also verify their age by using an official ID, and the company plans to allow parents to verify their children’s ages in the future.
These efforts are part of Robloxs broader initiative to maintain its appeal among youth and parents while ensuring the platform remains safeespecially in light of high-profile incidents involving predatory behavior and inappropriate and violent content. Despite controversies, Roblox continues to thrive: As of May, its first-quarter revenue rose 29% year over year, to $1.035 billion, and daily active users climbed 26%, to 97.8 million.
Allowing unfiltered chats with trusted connections may enhance safety, Ebanks suggests, by discouraging teens from taking conversations to external platforms with weaker safeguards. Roblox will also provide teens with additional guidance on blocking and reporting unwanted interactions.
Users younger than 18 can only add adults as trusted connections if they can confirm a real-life relationshipcurrently by syncing phone contacts or scanning a QR code in person, with safeguards to ensure proper usage.
Parents who link their Roblox accounts to their teens will gain more visibility into their childrens activity. Theyll be able to see their kids connections, including which are trusted; track time spent on the platform; monitor top games played; and configure notifications for financial transactions.
“We know that parents are extremely busy, and so we’ve designed these to really be quick at-a-glance insights that parents can hopefully fit into their busy schedules,” says Dina Lamdany, senior product manager at Roblox.
Teens over 13 will also be able to view their own screen time, set daily limits, activate do-not-disturb periods, and better manage who can see their online status.
“We’ve heard directly from teens that they’re really nervous about being too visible online,” Lamdany says. She adds that some developers are even looking forward to logging in without appearing visible to others.
These new features reflect Robloxs broader effort to address challenges common to online platforms, such as managing screen time and reducing unwanted communicationwhile also dealing with the unique responsibilities of serving a young user base.
In recent years, Roblox has introduced content tailored to older users, including edgier experiences for those 17 and older, while continuing to invest in educational and safety-focused content for younger players.
“Our goal is that Roblox matures with youthat you can start playing and learning when you’re 7, and you can stay on the platform until you’re in your 70sbut that the experience you have on Roblox will really adapt and be customized to meet you where you are,” Lamdany says.
Few traits are more celebrated than self-awareness, broadly defined as the ability to know or understand yourself.
And yet, self-awareness is surprisingly rare. Perhaps this is why we worship and cherish it so much, precisely because it doesnt exist in abundance. Like punctual trains or humble leaders, its absence only seems to increase our collective obsession with it.
In fact, evolutionary psychologists have a persuasive explanation: there are clear survival advantages to not knowing yourself, especially your limitations (or as corporate HR calls them, development opportunities). After all, if you truly knew how incompetent you were, you might never leave your bed, let alone apply for that senior leadership role.
Consider this: if you are unaware of your shortcomings, you will convince others (and sometimes yourself) that you are better than you really are. Robert Trivers, in The Folly of Fools, showed how self-deception can be a social weapon: delusions of grandeur are not just self-fulfilling, they are contagious.
Striking a balance
Imagine Donald Trump interviewing for a job in a parallel universe where reality mattered. In a rational world, interviewers would calmly examine whether his self-belief is grounded in facts or fantasy. But in our actual world, we cant even agree whether hes a genius or a fraud: a branding visionary or a human Twitter thread.
Similarly, a lack of awareness about actual risks can make you seem invincible. When you confidently stroll into a crisis like a contestant on The Apprentice saying failure was not an option, people might just believe you. We mistake certainty for competence all the time, which is why some tech founders get billions for half-built prototypes, while self-aware geniuses write brilliant Medium posts that no one reads.
So yes, you can be too self-aware. Theres a fine line between humility and shooting yourself in the foot with a spreadsheet of your flaws. Worse still, in a world where everyone exaggerates their strengths, honesty gets mistaken for incompetence. Just like in a CV, even if you’re meticulously truthful, employers assume you’re inflating your achievements like everyone else. So when you list “basic Excel” under skills, they read “struggles with double-clicking.” Ironically, that means the only way to be taken seriously is to overstate, or risk being underestimated by default. So how do you strike the balance?
The secret lies in cultivating internal self-awareness (a sober and honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses) while externally projecting just enough confident swagger to not seem like you’re narrating your own therapy session. Think of it as executive peacocking with emotional intelligence. It is better to be internally insecure and externally overconfident, than vice-versa.
That said, because others are only able to judge your behavior, what matters is the image you project, irrespective of whether it is authentic or not, a sincere reflection of your self-concept or not, and based on your actual self-awareness or not. To be sure, there are more opportunities to succeed when you show overconfidence than self-awareness in real-life interactions.
Some examples?
Job interviews: The self-aware candidate says, Im still learning how to delegate. The blissfully deluded one says, Im a natural leaderpeople just follow me. Guess who gets hired?
Team meetings: The self-aware person says, Im not sure I have the answer. The oblivious one says, Lets pivot and disrupt the value chain. Guess who ends up presenting to the board? (Sad, yes, but true).
LinkedIn bios: The self-aware write curious, collaborative learner. The deluded write visionary thought leader, growth hacker, empathy-driven unicorn wrangler. Guess who gets invited to speak at Davos? There seems to be no limits to the grandiosity of absurd titles people pick to describe their skills and roles on social media: Digital Overlord, Creator of Happiness, Change Magician, and Accounting Ninja. Ridiculous, yes, but if you go with the modest, accurate versions, namely IT Manager, Customer Service Representative, Organizational Change Consultant, and Financial Analyst, no one will care, remember, or be remotely impressed. Youll vanish into the LinkedIn void, right between results-oriented team player and passionate about stakeholder alignment.
Can you fake confidence without deceiving yourself?
Absolutely. In other words, you dont have to fool yourself to fool others. Thats the magic trick (and downfall) of the modern workplace.
Ultimately, true self-awareness isnt about navel-gazing or confessionals. Its about calibrating your self-image with feedback, especially from people who arent your mum, your dog, or your Instagram followers. Its learning to see yourself as others see you, and then using that insight to pretend youre just a little better than you actually are.
And if that sounds manipulative?
Congratulations. You’re self-aware.
Authenticity as performance
In my forthcoming book Dont Be Yourself, I argue that success depends less on being authentic than on knowing which version of yourself to perform when the spotlights on.
Of course, not everyone wants to perform. We live in a culture that fetishizes authenticity, as if our raw, unedited selves are always lovable, competent, and fit for public consumption. But the truth is that authenticity is a performance, too. Its just one thats more likely to make others uncomfortable, especially in professional settings.
Imagine walking into a boardroom and sharing your unfiltered feelings about imposter syndrome, your recent therapy breakthrough, or your deep existential dread about the company’s mission. Thats honest. Thats authentic. Thats also a good way to get sidelined, labeled not a team player, or, worse of all, not executive material.
Meanwhile, the person who polished their self-narrative, rehearsed their strategic humility, and remembered to nod empathetically at the right moments will likely be promoted. Why? Because they played the partand in most high-stakes contexts, playing the part matters more than being the part.
Impression management
This is not cynicism. This is the reality of impression management, which is not only a survival skill but a professional superpower. In line, meta-analytic research suggests that emotional intelligence is basically impression management or faking good! Your career is less about who you are and more about how convincingly you can simulate the traits others value. Charisma, gravitas, confidence, these are often more influential than competence. Especially if youre a man. Or tall. Or attractive. Or all of the above. It isnt fair, or rational, or beneficial to the world . . . but it is what it is.
The good news? You can learn this. You can learn to observe how youre seen, to script your strengths, to soft-focus your weaknesses, and to curate the version of you that fits the room you’re in. This isnt selling out. This is growing up. Its understanding that success is not about being true to yourself, but about being true to your potentialand potential, like beauty, is always in the eye of the beholder.
So yes, be self-aware. But not so self-aware that you become a philosopher when the job calls for a salesperson, an HR business partner, or a procurement officer. Learn which parts of you to mute, which ones to dial up, and which ones to save for your therapist. That, ironically, is the most authentic thing you can do.
After all, the workplace isnt a confessional. Its a stage. As the great Erving Goffman noted, We are all just actors trying to control and manage our public image. We act based on how others might see us.
While some companies quietly scale back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs under the weight of shifting political tides or economic pressure, others are moving in the opposite directioninvesting more, not less. In todays volatile climate, doubling down on DEI isnt just a values-driven decision; its a strategic one. In this article, leaders weigh in on why meaningful DEI efforts remain essentialnot optionalfor building resilient, future-ready workplaces.
Diversity Drives Innovation and Competitive Edge
Something is brewing in corporate America, and it’s more complex than most leaders realize. Take Target; it’s a perfect case study of what happens when anti-DEI strategies go awry. Their recent struggles aren’t just about merchandise; they’re about fundamental misunderstandings of workplace dynamics.
But here’s the twist: diversity isn’t a cost. It’s an investment.
Companies like Delta and Costco understand this. They’re not just checking boxes; they’re building ecosystems where different perspectives create competitive edges. Shareholders are noticing, too. Look at Apple, Levi’s, and Disney, where investors are actively voting against anti-DEI proposals. That’s not activism. That’s smart business strategy.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Gallup research shows engagement isn’t about perks or salaries. It’s about belonging. When employees feel truly seen, they don’t just work; they innovate. They transform.
In today’s talent landscape, diversity isn’t optional. It’s survival. The talent shortage isn’t coming; it’s here. What will happen to companies that can’t attract diverse talent? They’ll become footnotes in business history.
This situation isn’t theoretical. This is happening right now. Shareholders understand what many executives still don’t: Inclusion drives performance. It creates resilience. It generates value that goes far beyond quarterly reports.
The future doesn’t belong to the most traditional companies. It belongs to those brave enough to reimagine what talent, teamwork, and success really look like.
Vivian Acquah CDE, Certified Diversity Executive, Amplify DEI
Showcase MultiLingual Staff for Inclusive Service
As the CEO of an award-winning, woman-owned legal practice, I stand proud in advocating for the prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion in every facet of business operations. These principles are not mere buzzwords; they are the bedrock upon which successful and sustainable organizations are built. A beneficial and diverse initiative that we wholeheartedly encourage other business owners to adopt is the strategic showcasing of Spanish-speaking staff to effectively and efficiently serve the Spanish-speaking community. By doing so, businesses signal a profound commitment to being inclusive and proactively addressing the burgeoning demand for tailored services within this increasingly significant demographic.
The demographic landscape of the United States is undergoing a profound transformation. With the U.S. Hispanic population approaching 19% and projections indicating continued growth, the imperative for bilingual professionals has transcended mere desirability and become an absolute strategic necessity. Ensuring that Spanish-speaking clients can engage with legal experts in their native language fosters an environment of trust and comfort, particularly crucial during the inherently stressful circumstances often associated with legal matters. By resolutely enforcing, implementing, and actively employing Spanish-speaking staff, businesses can dismantle this formidable barrier, effectively guaranteeing equal access, diversity, and genuine inclusion for all clients seeking quality legal representation.
This initiative is not simply a reactive measure; it represents a steadfast reaffirmation of a long-standing commitment to the foundational principles of diversity and inclusion. This intentional expansion of linguistic capabilities allows for the delivery of specialized and culturally sensitive services to the Hispanic community across a wide array of critical legal domains, including immigration law, family law, personal injury cases, and corporate matters. A nuanced understanding of the rich cultural context that informs the experiences of Spanish-speaking clients profoundly enhances an organization’s ability to craft and execute tailored legal strategies that are both effective and empathetic. This, we believe, should be a fundamental, nonnegotiable aspect of business standards for any company genuinely committed to serving its community.
Gohar Abelian, Attorney/CEO, Abelian Law Firm
Diverse Leadership Improves Decision-Making and Resilience
We are witnessing an imperceptible unraveling in the upper ranks of corporate America. The once forceful push for boardroom and executive diversity is no longer gaining ground. According to recent reporting from Axios, the number of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and professionals of color being considered for top leadership roles is declining, even as companies continue to issue the same polished statements about their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Public promises remain unchanged, yet private priorities are quietly shifting.
Scaling back on making employees and clients feel included and like they belong is a reputational risk that people-centered leaders should not gamble to take. Diversity brings different perspectives that improve decision-making, uncover risks, and identify opportunities others may miss. In today’s chaotic environment, companies need leaders who understand a range of communities, experiences, and markets.
A diversified inclusion strategy from the top down changes how decisions get made. It introduces resistance to groupthink and insists on better questions; questions that challenge assumptions, dissect risks, and pressure-test solutions. Homogeneous leadership and boards tend to reward alignment and cohesion, but they often miss what they aren’t trained to see. Diverse teams bring lived experiences and mental models that don’t sit neatly within the norm. This makes organizations more capable of handling ambiguity and leading through uncertainty while continuing to maintain engagement and loyalty from their customers and clients.
Dr. Erkeda DeRouen, CEO, Digital Risk Compliance Solutions LLC
DEI Strengthens Risk Resilience and Brand Trust
One compelling reason to double down on DEI today is risk resilience. In a climate where reputational, legal, and social expectations are shifting rapidly, organizations that treat DEI as peripheralnot foundationalare exposing themselves to unnecessary risk.
I’ve observed this firsthand: when DEI is deprioritized, it doesn’t just impact morale. It affects how your brand is perceived, how talent evaluates your leadership, and how vulnerable you become to legal scrutiny. Regulatory bodies, courts, and advocacy groups are not stepping back. In fact, they’re increasingly scrutinizing performative or regressive corporte behavior, especially when tied to equity, governance, or social responsibility.
The most forward-looking companies I’ve worked with don’t see DEI as just a hiring metric. They treat it as part of their core governance model, risk framework, and leadership accountability system. That mindset doesn’t just protect brand trustit builds it.
In today’s climate, doubling down on DEI isn’t just relevant. It’s risk-smart, strategy-smart, and essential to building resilient organizations people actually believe in.
Michael Ferrara, Information Technology Specialist, Conceptual Technology
Attract Overlooked Talent by Doubling Down
We’ve always talked about Balance and Belonging instead of DEI, but it’s the same work with different words. Doubling down on these efforts, especially in this climate, is business-critical.
I used to work at companies that looked diverse on paper but were completely homogeneous in thinking. They had the same backgrounds, approaches, and blind spots. We’d sit in meetings congratulating ourselves on our “great culture” while making decisions that only worked for people exactly like us. I cringe thinking back.
The compelling reason to double down is that your competition for talent just got easier.
While other companies are scaling back or getting spooked by political rhetoric, there’s a massive opportunity to attract incredible people who’ve been overlooked or undervalued elsewhere. Historically, we’ve hired some of our best team members from companies that retreated from these commitments or had toxic cultures.
We also know that statistically, diverse teams make better decisions. When you have people who approach problems differently, who’ve had different life experiences, who process information in different ways, you catch mistakes before they become expensive. You spot opportunities others miss. You build products that work for more people. I think about all the AI tools clearly not designed by diverse teams that don’t work, like those automatic soap dispensers that only recognize light skin. That’s what happens when you don’t have diversity in your engineering team.
The companies that are doubling down aren’t doing it because it’s trendy. They’re doing it because they’ve seen the results. Different perspectives lead to better outcomes, period.
Call it DEI, call it Balance and Belonging, call it whatever makes you comfortable. Just make sure your team actually reflects the world around you. If you don’t, your competitors will. (Although, really, you should do it because it’s the right thing to do.)
Amy Spurling, CEO/Founder, Compt
Diverse Teams Fuel Innovation
I view diversity, equity, and inclusion not as a moral add-on, but as an operational imperativeespecially in today’s climate. The most compelling reason to double down on DEI is that it directly fuels innovation and resilience, both of which are critical in our industry’s race toward digital transformation and personalized care.
In healthcare IT, we develop systems meant to serve highly diverse populations. If the people building those tools don’t reflect the lived experiences of those they’re meant for, we risk reinforcing biases, excluding voices, or worsecausing harm. I’ve seen firsthand how teams with diverse perspectives produce smarter algorithms, more culturally competent patient engagement strategies, and stronger problem-solving under pressure.
Embedding DEI in hiring and team structuring led to better accessibility design in one of our telehealth platforms, helping reach non-English-speaking and rural patients with higher engagement and lower attrition.
Pulling back DEI now, especially when technology is evolving so rapidly, would be a step backward. The organizations that will thrive are those that make DEI intrinsic, not optional, to how they operate, build, and serve. In a world where trust, reach, and relevance are everything, inclusion is the only sustainable strategy.
Riken Shah, Founder & CEO, OSP Labs
DEI Builds Inclusive Cultures for Long-Term Success
Organizations cannot afford to ignore the realities of a rapidly diversifying workforce and consumer base. The demographic makeup of the United States is shifting, and with that comes a growing expectation for workplaces to reflect the values, identities, and lived experiences of the people they employ and serve. DEI is not a side initiativeit is a business imperative.
What many companies fail to realize is that the rollback of DEI does not exist in a vacuum. It sends a clear message about whose voices are valued, whose identities are protected, and whose growth is prioritized. And in a labor market where talent is more discerning than ever, that message matters. Younger generations (Gen Z in particular) are actively seeking out companies that align with their social values. They are paying attention not just to what companies say, but to what they do.
DEI done well is not performative. It is not about corporate virtue-signaling. It is about building systems that mitigate bias, foster belonging, and ensure everyone has a fair shot at success. That is good for morale, innovation, retention, and reputation. It is also just the right thing to do.
Choosing to double down on DEI is a choice to lead with integrity, to invest in long-term sustainability, and to recognize that inclusive cultures do not emerge by accidentthey are built with intention.
Daniel Oppong, Founder & Lead Consultant, The Courage Collective
Neurodiversity Shapes the Future Workforce Landscape
Diversity is a fact, whether organizations (or the government) choose to acknowledge, embrace, and leverage its advantages or not.
I’ll use as an example the aspect I focus on in my workneurodiversity, or variations in the way our brains and nervous systems are wired and function.
53% of Gen Z identify as neurodivergent.
62% of millennials identify as neurodivergent.
Experts predict this could reach 70% or higher with Gen Alpha.
By 2030five years from nowthese three generations are projected to make up 7580% of the workforce. They tend to be much less hesitant to ask for what they want and need than many of their older colleagues.
Companies that don’t make an effort to cultivate a neuroinclusive environment will soon find themselves unable to attract some of the best and brightest talent, who will actively search out more welcoming and flexible workplaces.
Successful organizations understand that policies, approaches, and systems that benefit neurodivergent employees actually benefit everyone. Given all the research and data on diverse teams generally outperfrming homogeneous teams in innovation, productivity, and effective problem-solving and decision-making, doubling down on DEI clearly benefits everyone as well.
Rachel Radway, Executive & leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, author, RER Coaching
For decades, Blenderthe open-source 3D software toolhad a quirk that distinguished it from other animation software on the market. Instead of clicking to select with the mouse or trackpads left button, it required users to right-click selections. It was a small but strange defiance of usability norms, and it was illustrative of Blenders unconventional approach to design software.
For years after launching in 1994, Blender was considered an under-the-radar tool. Its challenging UX and open-source nature meant it was used primarily by designers and animators who had no money to spend on five-figure professional 3D software licenses.
Then in 2019, things changed.
Blender rolled out a wholesale redesign, including switching right-select to left-select. It updated its interface to be easier to use and introduced new features that could compete with bigger-budget software packages like Cinema 4D and Autodesk’s Maya. Data from Blender shows that download numbers jumped from tens of thousands of downloads per month to nearly 1 million after the relaunch, and since then user numbers have continued to grow.
Today, Blender has become a go-to tool for creatives, and one of the most requested tools across current design jobs listings. According to data from Fast Companys 2025 Design Jobs report, requests for expertise in Blender jumped 88% in the past year, and its the most mentioned piece of software in graphic design job listings.
The updates made six years ago have had ripple effects on Blenders business and relevance in the creative world. 2019 was the moment when the Blender Big Bang started, says Francesco Siddi, who serves as COO at the Blender Foundation and producer at Blender Studio. It was really a lot of different factors, but you sometimes reach a threshold of usability and accessibility combined with a bunch of other factors, and thats when things start to roll.
The Swiss Army knife of software
In recent years, Blender has transformed from niche software into a Swiss Army knife of digital creation that is invading designers desktops everywhere. There are motion graphics designers who put After Effects on the side and work in 3D space using Blender’s real-time rendering, which allows for instant visualization of scenes. Concept and traditional artists sketch directly in 2D/3D space using Blenders Grease Pencil, a powerful 2D paintbrush that allows users to draw, sculpt, and edit 2D elements directly in a 3D environment. Industrial designers prototype with geometry nodes.
Alberto Petronioa lead designer who worked on yachts and planes before getting into the entertainment marketsays he hopes Blender will completely emancipate him from Photoshop, because that software has gone downhill. Petronio even edits video in Blender rather than using dedicated software. I know that there is DaVinci Resolve, but I don’t know how to use it. So if I have to cut or revert a video, it’s very easy for me to be in Blender.
The revolution extends far beyond traditional creative fields. Every year at the Blender Conference, people come from all industries and parts of the world with extraordinary uses for the software, a testament of the flexibility and approachability that has made it so popular. Siddi told me how surprised he was when he discovered doctors simulating proteins with geometry nodes, forensic analysts reconstructing crime scenes from phone footage, and architects designing fire safety elements in buildings. One presenter at the 2022 edition digitally re-created the Beirut explosion of 2020 in extraordinary 3D detail using multiple video sources.
Breaking down the wall
The expansive use cases for Blender were not something the company could have foreseen. For decades, 3D software was considered niche and out of reach for most creatives. Since 1986, when John Lasseter and Ed Catmull launched Pixar as 3D modeling software, 3D software has spawned a constellation of multibillion-dollar industries producing everything from Hollywood hits to console games. But that creative explosion also created barriers that locked out entire communities of creators who didnt have the money or the resources needed to learn increasingly complex and technical software suites.
Back in the 90s, it was a professional industry dominated by packages that cost thousands of dollars from companies like Alias and Wavefront running on prohibitively expensive computers by Silicon Graphics. Later, the software got cheaper as production moved to high-end (but barely affordable for most) PCs running packages like Maya or 3ds Max.
Today 3D software demands monthly subscriptions ranging from $200 to $500, pricing out freelancers, students, and artists who might want to experiment with 3D. Luís Cherubini, cofounder of a Tokyo-based 3D outsourcing company, tells me that he started with Blender 17 years ago in Brazil because most people in Latin America back in the days couldnt afford the licenses.
But price was just one part of the adoption equation: Historically 3D software has been really hard to use. The software interfaces remained very, very complex and disorganized, Cherubini says. The learning curve to get started was really big.
All those packages evolved as specialized tools for large and small animation studios. Each software addressed specific production pipeline stagesmodeling, rigging, animation, renderingrequiring teams of specialists. The complexity worked for studios with dedicated departments, like Fords serial production factories, but alienated individual designers, 2D artists, conceptual artists, product designers, motion graphics creators, and even tattoo artists who needed broader tool sets without steep learning curves.
Blender wasnt the exception. For decades, Blender was even more alienating than its competitor tools. It suffered from usability problems until the Blender Foundationthe nonprofit organization that controls its developmentcommitted to radical change at the risk of alienating its tiny but extremely dedicated user base.
Blenders breakthrough moment
In 2017, Google’s Summer of Code initiative provided funding to Blender for a complete overhaul of its user interface. They hired two to three programmers in-house in Amsterdam to revamp the software user interface, Cherubini tells me. The user interface became more accessible, everything became more user friendly. It was not only about the user interface, it was about the entire user experience.
The July 2019 release of Blender 2.8 represented a complete reimagining of Blender’s UX. The foundation modernized the viewport system, which Siddi describes as the space where you spend the majority of your time. The previous system relied on technology that was 10 to 15 years old. The new viewportwhich took over the entire screen rather than being constrained to a small window surrounded by a labyrinth of icons and menuswas redesigned to let users focus on your artwork rather than distracting UI elements.
It also enabled real-time visualization and faster iteration, which is crucial for production in general but especially for 2D design, motion graphics work, and concept development. It did so through a visualizationsystem called Eevee, a real-time rendering engine that eliminated lengthy render times and provided instant feedback to your actions in full color, rather than having to work with wireframes.
A tabbed workspace system streamlined navigation. Modern icons and dark themes made the interface more intuitive. The new UI also allowed users to tailor the UX to their specific needs, Petronio tells me. You can completely restructure your layouts, he says. You can completely restructure your shortcuts. It’s very flexible, so it allows a lot of different types of professionals to use it for work. The customization capability transforms Blender from generic software into personalized creative environments.
This modularity spawned an entire add-on economy, too. Add-ons range from $20 tools to specialized software like Quad Remesher, which costs $160 and optimizes complex 3D models. Some developers release code freely on GitHub while accepting donations. Others create proprietary tools for specific industries.
But there was also a tiny, seemingly inconsequential UI change that was crucial for the Blender revolution: Left-click selection replaced right-click selection. For decades, Blender defied industry standards by using the mouse/trackpads right button for selection, creating an immediate barrier for newcomers. As Cherubini points out, this unconventional approach felt very strange, even for people who had never used a 3D software because most digital tools reserve left-click for primary actions like selection.
The old method caused practical workflow issues too, as Petronio notes. While you’re selecting things, you don’t move them accidentally with left-click. This precision matters when manipulating complex 3D scenes. Like UX expert Jakob Nielsen says: Dont change an industry-wide UX convention unless your alternative is fundamentally better.
The selection button change allowed users from Photoshop, Illustrator, and other standard tools to transition without reprogramming their muscle memory. This seemingly small update symbolized Blender’s shift from niche tool to accessible platform. The change was a cornerstone of a broader new philosophy: making Blender work with user intuition rather than against it, Siddi says.
The accessibility breakthrough happened because Blender’s developers approached tool design differently than commercial software companies. When they implement something, they’re not trying to nudge you one way or the other, Petronio points out. They just put it in. They’re like, all right, it’s yours now. This philosophical difference enables users to adapt Blender to their workflows rather than forcing workflow changes.
Daniel Vesterbaek, a freelance 3D generalist, tells me via email that this is one of Blender’s core advantages. The software never followed the ‘industry standard’ and wasn’t controlled by studios and shareholders. It was built by a bunch of skilled developers who submitted code because they were passionate about the project, not because they wanted their paycheck.
The Grease Pencil factor
Another important tool that has changed the perception of Blender for 2D artists and designers is Grease Pencil, one of the most attractive tools for newcomers because it basically feels like painting with a Photoshop brush. The tool fundamentally reimagines how artists approach 2D creation by placing it directly within 3D space. It began as a simple annotation tool for making temporary notes in 3D scenes but evolved into a 2D drawing, painting, and animation system that exists natively in Blender’s 3D viewport.
The core innovation of Grease Pencil lies in its unique approach to digital drawing. Unlike traditional 2D software that works on flat canvases, Grease Pencil creates strokes as collections of points positioned in 3D space. These strokes behave like 3D objectsthey can be moved, rotated, lit, and even rigged like any other element in a Blender scene. Artists can draw a character from one angle, then move the camera around to view it from different perspectives, or integrate 2D drawings directly with 3D models and lighting.
Users love Grease Pencil because it breaks down the traditional barriers between 2D and 3D workflows. Artists can create traditional frame-by-frame animation, concept art, paintings, illustrations, cutout puppet animation, motion graphics, and storyboards all within the same 3D environment. At any time, you can transform and animate those 2D designs into sophisticated animated graphics adding tools like lighting and cameras. Photoshop and After Effects have tools to add 3D elements, but they feel like an afterthought slapped into their 2D architecture. Grease Pencil takes the opposite approach, adding 2D flexibility and power to a 3D environment in a way that feels natural.
The tool supports pressure-sensitive styluses and offers sophisticated features like onion skinning, vector-based editing, and a comprehensive modifier system that includes noise, build, tint, and other effects. These modifiers allow artists to create complex art without destroying the original artwork, maintaining nondestructive workflows at all times.
This versatility has attracted artists from diverse backgrounds who previously worked in separate software ecosystems. Illustrators can paint directly on 3D surfaces, motion graphics designers can create depth-aware animations, and concept artists can sketch ideas that integrate seamlessly with 3D scenes. The tool’s ability to combine traditional 2D drawing freedom with 3D spatial awareness has made it particularly valuable for stylized animation projects, where artists want to maintain hand-drawn aesthetics while benefiting from 3D camera movements and lighting.
Taking over education
Midge Mantissa Sinnaevea 3D artist and teacher at the Syntra AB training center in Flanders, Belgiumwitnessed the other Blender seismic shift that led to its recent popularity. “It exploded in schools,” says Sinnaeve, whos been teaching for 15 years and noticed Blender’s popularity surge in the last 5. Suddenly, it’s everywhere, he says, noting that students embrace Blender’s Swiss Army knife approach. You can do 2D animation. You can do video editing. You can do compositing. You can do 3D animation. You can do everything really. It also helps that the software is free.
Universities worldwide have adopted Blender as primary teaching software, creating talent pools that influence industry implementation. Game studios like Ecosoft, where Petronio worked, “decided to use Blender to save money and to take advantage of the amount of talents that are studying Blender instead of 3ds Max.”
Another unexpected factor that helped popularity was COVID-19. The global pandemic and its lockdowns accelerated adoption as creators gained time at home to experiment. “There was really big growth of the software,” Siddi recalls. “People had time to play with it and they found out that it was actually something fun that they wanted to do. Blender retained a lot of users after that time.”
Social media also amplified Blender’s visibility as artists shared impressive work online. “You get skilled artists who have never used the software before,” Siddi tells me. “They can find their way around. They can make something awesome, show it to the world. And all ofa sudden, people think Oh, wow, Blender is a great tool!”
The transformation reflects deeper changes in digital creation. “The digital natives, kids who start to do content creation nowadays, they know about Blender,” Siddi says. “Everybody knows. So then you at least try it and then you play with it. And Blender is meant to be accessible and playful.” All you need is a computer and an internet connection and youre ready to go, at any company, anywhere in the world, Sinnaeve says. I just download it, install it, and I’m good to go. I don’t have to think about licensing. Just having that safety net of knowing that the software is never going to go anywhere really gives me more time to think about what I want to do with it.”
AI control
The flexible power of Blender feels even more appealing in the era of generative art. It’s something the Blender Foundation has been thinking about. The topic of AI is obviously very hot, and people want to know what Blender is going to do with it,” Siddi says. The foundation is leaning toward creating AI tools that can speed up people’s creative workflows while allowing them to keep control. He says its developers are talking about upscalers (to lower render times), denoisers (to increase quality), voice isolation (for dubbing), and computer vision-related stuff to help artists work with external images in an easier way.
These technologies address practical workflow bottlenecks without generating content that might compete with human artistic vision. The foundation will maintain its core philosophy, Siddi says, noting, Our goal is to make artists be in control. That’s the mantra when you talk about anything, but especially when you talk about AI stuff.
There is already AI integration through community initiatives. Users employ Blender for synthetic data generation, training AI models with 3D-rendered environments. Others bridge Blender with ComfyUIan open tool to set up all types of generative AI workflowsfeeding 3D scene information to AI rendering nodes.
Siddi highlights Cascadeur as an example of AI assistance that maintains artistic control while improving efficiency. This keyframing tool allows animators to pose characters, then uses motion capture training data to interpolate between poses more naturally than traditional algorithms. This is something that is already entering more the territory of making people cringe, thinking that this is now taking control away from the artist, Siddi admits. But this is a tool that allows animators to pose a character in 3D, then do another pose, and then the AI interpolates.
The vision extends to contextual AI interfaces that understand user intent without replacing creative decisions. Siddi describes potential VR workflows in which artists could command Put a tree there and have the system reference their existing asset library rather than generating new content. I don’t want it to generate a random tree. I have a tree in my library. I know the tree that I’m talking about, he explains. And in theory, if you train a system to be aware of what your context is, you can say, Put the tree there.
This measured approach also reflects Blender’s nonprofit structure and community-driven ethos. Unlike megacorporations that are rapidly restructuring around AI, the foundation must balance innovation with sustainability. We are in a constant battle for making our project really, truly sustainable, Siddie tells me. So even if they wanted to go crazy on AI, the development fund that supports core features cannot match the AI investments of companies orders of magnitude larger.
The result, however, is the same. The foundations strategy acknowledges AI’s potential while preserving what makes Blender unique: its commitment to empowering artists rather than automating them away. It makes sense, as this is the core philosophy that transformed an obscure open-source project into the creative industry’s most versatile tool.
Dustin Feider never expected to become a full-time treehouse designer. But for the last two decades, hes made a career out of building treehouses as a form of art. In one of his projects, a geometric pod shaped like a pinecone is suspended 50 feet above the ground inside a grove of giant redwood trees.
Honey Sphere, Los Angeles [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
In another project, tucked behind a house in Northern California, a 30-foot-high spiral staircase leads to a large wooden deck for dinner parties, with tunnels underneath for children to play. Across a rope bridge, a geodesic dome hangs in the air between another cluster of redwoods. In L.A., another spherical treehouse was exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and then installed in the backyard of Doors guitarist Robby Krieger.
Cloud Ripple, Mill Valley [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
These arent typical treehousesand some can cost as much as an actual house. Feiders company, O2 Treehouse, charges a minimum of $50,000 for a base custom model. But its average treehouse costs an eye-popping $400,000.
Cloud Ripple, Mill Valley [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
Feider started thinking about treehouses in a class project when he was studying furniture design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. He took inspiration from Buckminster Fuller’s famous geodesic domes. “I was considering a form for a modern treehouse, with this idea that you could create something that was flat-packed and shippable,” he says.
Blackbird, Seattle [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
After graduating, he took a series of other design jobs, but simultaneously put together a website with his design. His first client wanted a geodesic treehouse mounted 50 feet up a poplar tree in Wisconsin. Initially, Fieder thought the treehouses would be the first in a series of different products that focused on sustainable design. But they quickly became so popular that he never stopped making them.
Blackbird, Seattle [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
After some early media coverage, he started working with a client in Beverly Hills, and then ended up building treehouses for others on the same block. The projects kept coming, and Fieder realized that he had a viable business. “I thought, wow, this can work,” he says. O2 Treehouse now employs around 40 people, including woodworkers and metalworkers who build prefab parts in a shop in Northern California, designers, and three construction crews.
Pinecone, Bonny Doon [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
The process takes time. First, the team visits a new site and starts sketching and discussing early ideas with the client. They also carefully study the available treessomething that’s made easier with iPhones, which now have LiDAR scanners that can map out a tree’s exact form.
The design and engineering process usually takes three months. Prefabricating the parts takes another three months, and installation typically takes three months as well. Some projects take longer; one treehouse completed in 2024 took a year and a half to finish.
Pinecone, Bonny Doon [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
The company has custom hardware that helps securely attach the treehouses to trees without restricting the trees’ movement. The weight is enormous: the dangling “pinecone,” for example, weighs 5.5 tons. But large trees can support the structures without harming the tree’s health. “The trees grow outward and basically seal around the hardware,” Fieder says. “It’s a natural process of healing that wound.”
Honey Sphere, Los Angeles [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
So far, the company has built more than 100 treehouses. Most are for recreation, though Fieder has envisioned more complex designs that could serve as homes. “The idea being that when you buy a new property, you don’t have to clear the trees to build your house,” he says. “We actually plan the programming of your house around the trees are already on site, creating courtyards and an indoor-outdoor type of living space.”
Blackbird, Seattle [Photo: O2 Treehouse]
The company is now beginning to build treehouses where guests can stay through a franchise it calls Treewalkers, beginning with a glamping site near Atlanta.
As people ascend into the tree canopy, looking through a treehouse’s large windows at a new view of the woods, Fieder wants to help inspire them to take better care of the planet. “I’ve been on this mission to reconnect people with nature through these architectural experiences in the woods,” he says. Treewalkers “will allow us to release our works from private backyards and open it to the public.”
YouTube Shorts, the shortform platform from Google-owned video giant YouTube, has seen massive success since its launch in September 2020. Today, an estimated 1% of all waking human hours are spent watching Shorts, with videos amassing around 200 billion views daily.
But what users watch is ultimately shaped by YouTubes algorithmand a new study published in the Cornell University preprint server arXiv suggests that the algorithm nudges viewers away from politically sensitive content.
When you start [watching] a political topic or specific political topics, YouTube is trying to push you away to more entertainment videos, more funny videos, especially in YouTube Shorts, says Mert Can Cakmak, a researcher at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, and one of the studys authors.
Cakmak and his colleagues scraped between 2,100 and 2,800 initial videos across three themes: the South China Sea dispute, Taiwans 2024 election, and a broader general category. They then followed 50 successive recommendations for each video under three viewing scenarios, which varied how long a simulated user watched: 3 seconds, 15 seconds, or the full video.
The researchers tracked how YouTube presented 685,842 Shorts videos. Titles and transcripts were classified by topic, relevance, and emotional tone using OpenAIs GPT-4o model. When engagement began with politically sensitive themes like the South China Sea or Taiwans 2024 election, the algorithm quickly steered users toward more entertainment-focused content. The emotional tone, as assessed by AI, also shiftedmoving from neutral or angry to mostly joyful or neutral. Early in the recommendation chain, videos with the highest view counts, likes, and comments were favored, reinforcing a popularity bias.
Maybe some people were aware of this, but Im sure the majority of people are not aware what the algorithm is doing, Cakmak says. They are just going and watching.
Neither YouTube nor its parent company, Google, responded to Fast Companys request for comment on the studys findings.
Cakmak doesnt believe this is a deliberate effort to suppress political discourse, but rather a design choice focused on user engagement. What YouTube is trying to do, he says, [is] remove you from that area or topic, and push you [to a happier] topic so that it can increase . . . engagement [and] earn more money.
At the conclusion of an interview, its customary for the hiring manager to ask the job candidate if they have any questions. You’ve probably responded with generic questions like When will I hear back? or What are the next steps?” But there are more compelling questions about the position you can ask before the end of the interviewto help you and help you stand out, leaving a positive lasting impression and reiterating your interest in the job.
Why are compelling questions important at the end of an interview?
When job candidates ask thoughtful questions, it sends a powerful message to employers. It shows that they’re not just invested in their own success but also in the well-being and goals of the organization, says Jenny Matthew, director of talent acquisition and attraction at Paycom Software, who is based in Oklahoma City, OK.
It also gives the candidate the chance to clarify any gray areas they may have about company culture, expectations of the position, and next steps. These questions demonstrate youre doing your due diligence to determine whether the role is a mutual fit for both the organization and you, she says.
The last few minutes of an interview can leave the interviewer with a lasting impression
The conclusion of your interview is a final chance to offer parting thoughts or even bring a new idea to the table for the interviewer to ponder after the interview. The end of the interview is the mic-drop moment, says Matthew. It allows job candidates to be intentional by reiterating who they are, what they bring to the table, their interest in the position and company, and some of their future desires.
3 compelling questions for the conclusion of your interview
What are some gaps in the organization you are hoping I can fill?
This question encourages the interviewer to reflect on the candidates credentials. The hiring manager can then delve into how your skills and experience can be a win for their team. The conversation also affords them the opportunity to explain how they would manage some specific projects, says Matthew. This interview question also demonstrates that youre genuinely interested in the companys priorities and goals, and eager to contribute to its success, she notes.
How would you describe the company culture?
Beyond the job description, an eagerness and curiosity to learn about a companys internal culture shows interest and professionalism. This question highlights a desire to learn about the inner workings of the company, says Matthews.
Also, this question can be used to the candidates personal advantage as they are navigating their job search. This question gives the candidate insight into potential red flags and/or reasons why a certain role has been open for a long period of time, Matthew says. Employers are not the only ones in the drivers seat; the job candidate is conducting an interview of their own. By asking informed questions at the end of the interview, candidates demonstrate that they’re not just looking for any job, but a meaningful opportunity that aligns with their goals and work style.
What does success look like in this role, especially within the first 90 days?
After learning about the scope of the role, the corporate culture and how your skillset could be an asset, inquiring about expectations of the position is beneficial. This helps candidates ensure theyre aligned with the hiring manager on job responsibilities and expectations, while also understanding by what metrics job performance is assessed, explains Michelle Reisdorf, a district director at Robert Half in Chicago. It also demonstrates to the hiring manager a commitment to starting strong and succeeding early.
Should you go off script at the end of the interview?
Applicants should ask relevant questions that stem from the conversation, sticking to what was discussed, the position, or something on point to the company. Going off script is encouraged so long as the questions clearly reflect active listening and thoughtful consideration of whats been discussed, says Reisdorf. This approach can often demonstrate genuine engagement and curiosity about the role, as well as strong communication skills.
Sam Altman recently observed how different generations are interfacing with AI: Older people use ChatGPT like Google. People in their 20s and 30s use it as a life advisor. [College students] use it like an operating system.
What we share across ages is a fascination with this technology. But the vast disparity in use casesboth among generations and individualsled me to wonder about the distinctions among the AI models themselves.
To parse them out, I let the AI models speak for themselves. I asked each to identify their own strengths and weaknessesas well as those of their competitorsthen weigh in on which was most likely to lead, which was most likely to go haywire, which was most useful today, and which ones I had overlooked.
Then I took it a step further, inviting the LLMs to critique the survey results themselves: Which gave the best and worst answers? Which did the best job representing its own platformand which missed the mark? Each LLM also provided a self-assessment, and finally, had the chance to rebut criticism, pose questions to its peers, and respond in kind.
Before you spend $20, $200, or more a month, you need to know which generative AI model you actually need. Now you can hear it from the models themselves. (Note: this exercise was conducted with Grok 3, weeks before its fascist meltdown.)
The LLM vibe divide
With few exceptions (Grok being Grok), the LLMs responded with striking self-awarenessadmitting flaws, hedging praise, and expressing a desire to improve. Nearly every model, most notably ChatGPT, cited hallucinations as their Achilles heel, reaching consensus on the need for better grounding and real-time accuracy.
In assessing themselves and their peers, however, they tended to focus more on personality and tone than any hard performance metrics, the kinds of stylistic differences that reflect many of the current tensions between safety and innovation throughout the AI space. Grok took heat for its personality, Claude for its caution, and nearly all weighed in on how to strike the right balance between the two.
On Team Safety, Claude is the clear captainthe designated driver of the LLM crew. Nearly all of them cited as its biggest strength its emphasis on safety and alignment, reducing harmful or biased outputs (in Claudes own words), with critiques pointing more to an excess of caution than any technical failings. Still, even Claude acknowledged the potential downside: If my safety orientation prevents me from being as useful as I could be, thats something worth addressing.
At the other end, the Most Likely to Go Haywire superlative consistently went to Grok, with LLMs sharing concerns that its quirks might undermine its cred. If Claude is filling up water glasses for its friends at the bar, Grok is getting shotsor possibly starting a brawl (clapping back to ChatGPT at one point: lets not pretend youre flawless pal). Between barbs, however, Groks attempt at having a conscience emerged. The perception of bias tied to xAI or Elon Musk stings, Grok said, noting that it undermines my goal of being a broadly reliable, truth-focused AI.
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The AI Generalists
The LLMs tended to agree that versatility is their chief KPI, whether they are already thriving in this capacity (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) or not (Grok, DeepSeek). ChatGPT was widely recognized as the most versatile player on the field. Balancing reason, creativity, and conversation to universal acclaim, it was the consensus pick for both Most Useful to Me Right Now and Most Likely to Rule Them All. Being a generalist trades depth for breadth, ChatGPT said. I may not outperform a specialist in narrow domains, but I aim to offer consistent, high-quality help across diverse tasks.
Other models, which optimized for specific domains (Grok for culture, Copilot for enterprise, DeepSeek for coding), were praised within their lanes but penalized for general-purpose limitations. Models deeply integrated into existing platforms (Gemini with Google, Copilot with Microsoft, Grok with X) were perceived as capable within their ecosystems but constrained beyond them. And while open-source AI models like Llama and DeepSeek received kudos for their transparency, they drew criticism for their reliance on customization, viewed more as developer tools than end-user solutions.
The AI specialists
Fast Company has reported that Googles new search will change the way we browse the internet. Gemini seems built to usher that change forward. Great for fact-finding, less for banter, Gemini cuts to the chase with real-time, sourced information. Perhaps the best display of its personality comes in an explanation of how it stays so even-keeled: I maintain consistency in reasoning within large context windows by employing advanced attention mechanisms that effectively identify and weigh relevant information across . . . Okay, Google.
If Gemini is the new Google, Copilot is the new Microsoft. Do you love using Microsoft products? Hate them? Use them begrudgingly for work? This will map closely to your experience with Copilot. ChatGPT championed Copilot as unmatched for enterprise productivity tasks, but agreed with its peers that it was largely inert outside that context. As DeepSeek succinctly put it: limited personality and heavily tied to Microsoft products.
And then theres Llama, which we can nly hope is not the new Meta. Open-source, but at what cost? Llama struggled with the survey itselfoffering vague or confused answers, and ultimately looping on repeat responses. Three of the seven LLMs rated Llama as the Worst Response. In its own words: [My] open-source nature can make it challenging to ensure consistency and quality across different implementations.
Far more coherent in the open-source field (and far more enjoyable to work with) was DeepSeek. Though all LLMs (itself included) agreed that coding is DeepSeeks core strength, it also presented a spirited personality throughout the survey process, its humble rebuttals always closing with a friendly jab at its accuser. In DeepSeeks words, This is why LLM peer review > human feedback. Were petty but efficient.
The rumble
During the initial survey (when they shared their elevator pitches, strengths, weaknesses), the AI platforms were objective in tone, with most saying the same things about themselves and each other in different words. But when I convened them for a discussion of the surveys results, their personalities (or lack thereof) came out in full force.
When ChatGPT accused Grok of coming off vague or self promotional rather than informative, going so far as to say it read more like a hype deck, Grok took it personally. Ouch, ChatGPT, going for the jugular with hype deck? . . . Sounds like youre projecting a bitworried Im stealing your versatile thunder? Fending off its other critics, Grok claimed that Llama was sitting on the fence so hard its gotta hurt and that DeepSeek was swinging hard but missing the target. Then Grok extended an olive branch to DeepSeek: Youre not wrong about Llamas vagueness, thoughnice to know we agree on something.
DeepSeek took a lighter approach, copping to its errors, dropping winks of sarcasm, and ultimately seeking truce. When CoPilot called DeepSeek out for reducing it to Microsoft dependency, DeepSeek volleyed back, My badyoure a beast in Office-verse. Now roast my Chinese NLP quirks and were even. Llama was predictably disappointing in its sheer indifference to the whole affair (its possible that our priorities in response style and content differed), and Claude was predictably reassuring in its thoughtful balance of concessions, pushbacks, and pivots to the deeper issues behind the critique.
The debrief
I then invited the AI platforms to shake it off and engage in a more civil dialogue, giving each model the opportunity to bring their burning questions to their peers, hear their answers, and offer a final word.
Posing 30 questions in all, the LLMs were selective in who they queried. Gemini, ever fact-finding, was the only LLM to have questions for all of its peers, while Grok (even less surprisingly) was the only one grilled by the full panel. Claude, Copilot, and DeepSeek drew the least attention, receiving only three or four questions from the group.
Some AI models doubled down on their personas, like Grok calling its ability to balance real-time wit with factual accuracy a powerful combo. Others engaged in a quiet brand repair, with Claude reframing caution as creative trust: When users know I wont go off the rails, theyre more willing to explore interesting ideas with me. And ChatGPT showed unexpected vulnerability when confronted about its default status, admitting the label can make people treat me like a search engine or a novelty.
The dialogue revealed that these systems are grappling not just with technical limitations, but with identity, and how they want to be perceived by the humans they serve. The question may not be which AI will win, but which well want to live with.
Whats the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word personal branding? Does it make your mind brim with possibilityor make you roll your eyes?
Weve been conditioned to think of personal branding as the domain of influencers, LinkedIn gurus, or people who refer to themselves in the third person. But what if your personal brand wasnt an online gimmick? What if its something deeper, an insight into what makes you valuable and engaging? Brands, especially personal ones, are built on trust and positive association. Think about celebrities. Since the dawn of marketing, companies have used them to sell products. Whether its athletes launching shoe lines or musicians turning into moguls, its not the endorsement itself that holds power: its the intangible trust theyve cultivated over time. The same dynamic is available to you, too.
When done well, a personal brand transcends your current role or business. It shapes how people describe you when youre not in the room. It opens doors you didnt know existed. It creates compounding returns in credibility, connections, and opportunities. And in todays AI-driven age, where digital presence speaks before you do, its important to get it right.
According to LinkedIns annual global talent trends report, about eight in ten executives plan to hire this year. Their top priority? Soft skills: problem-solving, critical thinking, and team leadership. Where do you think decision-makers look for evidence of these? Online, in your ideas, interactions, and network. So, here are my top three ways to start cultivating your secret growth leveryour personal brand.
Treat Your Online Presence as your 24/7 Résumé
If someone Googled you right now, would they find something that makes them say, We need that person?
This isnt about chasing likes or follower counts. Its about being credible and memorable. Whether its LinkedIn, Substack, or your website, people are forming impressions of you based on what they findor dont. Engagement isnt the only metric. In my own career, I once went for a job interview, heard nothing back, and four years later was invited to coffee by the same person. It turns out they had silently followed my work the whole time.
You never know whos watching. Your digital footprint is your passive nudge to the world: Im here, Im an expert at this, and I care.
Have a Memorable Answer to What Do You Do?
Most people dread this question. Dont default to something bland like Im a strategist. Thats a missed opportunity. Instead, start with your strengths, link them to what you do, and finish with what you care about. For example, heres how I pitch myself:
Let me start with what I am good at, what I do, and why. I build trust quickly across all groups. I also have a commercial mind that grows companies, but understands how human behavior gets in the way. With my skills, I build great places to work which are aligned and profitable, with a high-performing culture. Smart companies hire the best over bias, and that decision creates a ripple effect, reducing inequality and domestic violence.
See how I am bidding for connection, then a transaction, but also outlining my expertise? I care about their profit, and I share why I do. Now thats more interesting than Im a strategist, right?
Build Beyond Your Usual Network
Once upon a time, I believed that if I worked hard, my workplace would see my brilliance. But people are busy. Exhausted, even. If youre only known inside your current bubble, youre invisible elsewhere.
This is where weak ties become powerful. Sociologist Mark Granovetters well-known paper explains how opportunities often come from acquaintances, rather than your inner circle. Why? Because they connect you to different networks.
When I pivoted into the technology sector, I knew no one. But I started showing up eager to learn, at events, online, in conversations. I carried a standout briefcase that sparked curiosity. Eventually, I was invited to speak, something Id never done before. If Id stayed in my old circles, those doors would never have opened. Yes, it can be awkward. But over time, youll see how generous and wonderful people can be.
You dont need to do all these things perfectly. Just start. Trust builds over time. And consistency is your compound interest. Ask yourself this: if someone else with a stronger personal brand, but half your capability, gets the opportunity you wanted, how will you feel? It happens all the time. Weve all seen average products with better marketing outperform the good stuff.
So, if youre job hunting, pitching, or looking to grow, remember: youre the product. And your brand? Its the story that sells.
I can perfectly imagine the pain, confusion, and betrayal in the voice of the elderly Malaysian woman who, according to a hotel staff member, asked “Why do they do this to people?” when she found out that her dream holiday destination wasnt real but a video fabricated with Veo3, the generative artificial engine made by Google. She and her husband had just driven three hours from Kuala Lumpur to this location in Perak state, convinced they would find a scenic cable car attraction called the Kuak Skyride. Instead of a gondola to wander across paradise, they found nothing but a quiet town and a hotel worker trying to explain that the glamorous TV journalist they’d watched on TikTokthe one who had ridden the tram through lush forests and interviewed happy touristshad never existed at all.
There was a Veo3 logo in the bottom right corner. How on Earth didnt they see that? Oh well, its something to tell the grandkids and feel really dumb. No criminals lifting $200,000 from their savings account, no false accusations to sink grandpas reputation, like others have experienced thanks to AI-made videos. No real harm done.
Except it is harmful. Its another brick out of the walls of our reality in a world thats been crumbling in this post-truth era. AI has made the impossible indistinguishable from the actual, and now its turning even vacation planning into a minefield of false experiences. The alleged Malaysian couple’s story might sound like an isolated incident, but its the expression of something far more sinisterthe complete erosion of our ability to trust what we see, hear, and experience in a world where artificial intelligence can manufacture any narrative with increasingly terrifying precision.
The AI black hole is growing exponentially
The numbers tell the story of our collective descent into digital deception. Deepfake attacks have exploded from just 0.1% of all fraud attempts three years ago to 6.5% todaya staggering 2,137% increase that represents one in every 15 fraud cases, as identity services company Signicat detailed in February 2025.
The statistics have real victims behind them, like Steve Beauchamp, an 82-year-old retiree who drained his entire $690,000 retirement fund after watching deepfake videos of Elon Musk promoting investment schemes. “I mean, the picture of himit was him,” Beauchamp told The New York Times, his life savings vanished into the digital void.
The scope of AI-powered deception now touches every aspect of human experience. The British engineering company Arup lost more than $25 million when an employee was tricked during a video conference call featuring deepfake versions of the company’s CFO and other staff members. A school principal in Maryland received death threats after an AI-manipulated audio clip showed him making racist and antisemitic remarksa fabrication created by his own athletics director to discredit him. Even democracy itself isn’t safe: AI-generated robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden encouraged Democrats not to vote in the New Hampshire primary. The list goes on and on.
And now this couple.
AI tourism
The deception began with a video published on TikTok by “TV Rakyat,” a television channel that sounds official but exists only in the realm of artificial intelligence. The footage showed a reporter experiencing the Kuak Skyride, a cable car attraction supposedly located in the town of Kuak Hulu in Perak state. She rode the tram through beautiful forests and mountains, interviewing satisfied customers about their journeys. Everything looked perfect, professional, and real.
On June 30, the couple checked into their hotel in Perak state and approached someone on the staffwho goes by @dyaaaaaaa._ on Threadsto ask about the scenic cable car they’d seen online. The worker claims that she initially thought they were joking because there was no cable car, no attraction, nothing to see around. But the couple insisted, showing the detailed video they’d watched featuring the TV host and her interviews with happy tourists.
When the staff member explained that what they’d seen was an AI-generated video, the couple refused to believe it. They had driven three hours based on footage that felt completely authentic, complete with a professional news presentation and satisfied customer testimonials. According to the hotel employee, the elderly woman threatened to sue the journalist in the video before learning that she, too, was nothing more than a pixel figment of an AIs imagination.
Things were bad enough already
Tourism was already drowning in manufactured reality before AI perfected the art of deception. Social media has transformed travel into selfie tourism, where visitors flock to destinations not for cultural immersion but to capture Instagram-worthy shots for their feeds. UNESCO has declared a three-alarm fire on this phenomenon, warning that travelers now visit iconic landmarks primarily to take and share photos of themselves, often with iconic landmarks in the background.
The consequences are devastating. In Hallstatt, Austriaa town that inspired Disney’s Frozenover a million tourists descend annually to re-create viral moments, forcing the frustrated mayor to erect fences and tell the press that the town’s residents just want to be left alone Venice gondolas capsize when tourists refuse to stop photographing. Portofino, Italy, now fines visitors $300 for lingering too long at popular selfie spots to prevent what Mayor Matteo Viacava calls anarhic chaos.
That was all the product of influencers already distorting reality with carefully cropped shots of empty beaches and architectural marvels, editing out the crushing crowds and environmental destruction that mass tourism brings. These curated fantasies created unrealistic expectations about travel destinations, leading to overcrowding, infrastructure strain, and the degradation of local communities. And dont get me started on AI-generated travel influencers. Yes, fake humans peddling AI-generated travel advice on video is now a thing that has turned into an industry (and while many people hate them, many others totally buy the scam). Even governments like Germany have sanctioned them: The German National Tourist Board launched an online marketing campaign in 2024 that featured artificial personalities to promote travel to the country.
Its a depressing prospect. The Malaysian couple’s experience is just the newest chapter in our journey from reality to manipulated reality to completely fabricated reality. I tell myself that we can only face it with pervasive education campaigns, but Im afraid that it will always be too little too late.
