 |
|
|
|||||
What does the future of computing look like? Is it voice chat? Floating holographic displays? A generative AI fever dream with no escape? At Salone de Mobilethe annual design fair in MilanGoogle is suggesting something less literal: Its light thats as pliable as fabric. [Photo: courtesy Google] Since first attending in 2018, Google has become a staple of Milans annual design festival, where the installations draw long lines and buzz. The company has measured how different rooms make you feel, demonstrated that water informs their design, and explored the ties of color and emotion through immersive spectacles. This year, Googles project is called Making the Invisible Visible, on display at Garage 21 in Milan from April 7 to 13. Its a series of what I might only describe as a series of light showers that stand six feet in diameter. Laser light rains down from a halo above, and by running your hands through the beams, they react in a dynamic animation that falls somewhere between a draping textile and the strings of a harp. The architectural approach was inspired by conversations Ivy Ross, chief design officer of consumer devices at Google, and artist Lachlan Turczan had around the role of technology in our lives. Turczan explores the intersection of light and the environment, with surreal works placed in nature that blend the wild and the technological. Squint and you can almost see a vision of ambient computing. [Photo: Lachlan Turczan/courtesy Google] Over several conversations, Ross and Turczan spoke about how Humanity shapes technology, and technology shapes humanity back. Turczan has been developing these sculptures, dubbed Lucida, out of those conversations. At this moment in time, we’re questioning what role does technology have? What does it mean to be human? says Ross. We have to come to that place where we’re not competing [with technology], but we are interacting together, moving modern life forward. The light showers in Making the Invisible Visible are meant to explore that theme, not necessarily literally, but as a more generalized ethos. [Photo: courtesy Google] Then through the rest of the installation, Google goes on to articulate how its made the invisible visible within their own products. That includes the Pixel Buds which required laser scans from 3,200 ears to get its one-size-fits-all geometries, along with the new Nest thermostat, which sits quietly until it senses your approach, and displays its user interface. Then in the final room, Google designers share some of the actual objects that have inspired their approach to productslike river rocks for an earbud case, and a macron for a speaker. (The design team is given a budget to acquire bits of inspiration in their travels around the world, which they deposit inside their design studios private library.) [Photo: courtesy Google] While the installation is built for the public, Ross sees the benefits this annual practice brings to her own team. Its giving them an opportunity to work at a different scale with a different set of challenges, which I think is really good to feed their creative muscle, says Ross. And [the other benefit] is the joy they get from manning these exhibits. Because we dont usually get to interact with the public about what we do. /p>
Category:
E-Commerce
From AI resources to upskilling growth programs, LinkedIns annual Top Companies list reveals top employers are investing in making the workplace a place to grow and succeed. “These are companies that make a commitment to their employees and their employees know that they’re not alone in their career,” said Andrew Seaman, editor at large for Jobs & Career Development at LinkedIn News. “I think you can use the methodology in your own job search too.” Published on Tuesday, the list uses LinkedIn data on upskilling, attrition and retention, gender diversity, ability to advance, and more to rank the top 50 U.S. companies for career growth. The list not only honors the companies, but serves as a tool for members looking for jobs. Each honoree will receive a badge on its company page. And according to LinkedIn, all of those top companies are hiring right now, with more than 129,000 job openings across the companies. Landing at the top of the list, Googles parent company Alphabet takes the number one spot, followed by Amazon and Wells Fargo, which ranked last year as well. AI companies also took the spotlight, with NVIDIA and ServiceNow landing on the list for the first time. Among the 50 honorees, which span across various industries, employers are using AI-powered resources for employees, like Bank of America’s (no. 11) AI virtual assistant Erica; Moderna’s (no. 43) AI academy which customizes learning for employees’ needs; and AT&T’s (no. 7) conversational productivity assistant “Ask AT&T.” AI upskilling initiatives further advances this year’s top skill on the rise, equipping employees with AI literacy. Beyond AI, many top companies shared growth programs for employees like cross-practice rotations. Some of the companies include Walmart (no. 10), which invested $1 billion in week-long training and certificate degrees, creating a pathway for in-demand jobs; and Kearny (no. 46), which offers rotational programs and six-month individualized coaching programs. LinkedIn’s methodology is based on eight pillars: ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity, company affinity, gender diversity, educational background, and employee presence in the country. It can feel really lonely navigating your career, and it’s nice to see companies that invest in their employees and have a vested interest in seeing them succeed, Seaman said. Here are the top ten companies for 2025 in order: Alphabet Amazon Wells Fargo Northrop Grumman PwC Capital One AT&T JPMorgan Chase EY Walmart
Category:
E-Commerce
Giving money away has never been so easythanks to AI. Daffy, a platform that facilitates charitable giving, is rolling out a suite of new AI-powered tools thats making it easier than ever to donate to charity. So easy, in fact, that a Daffy user can feel like a billionaire making a quick donation to their chosen charity without having to fill out forms, mail checks, or any of the other tedium that can slow the giving process downsimply hit a button, or make a verbal command, and make a donation. Specifically, Daffys new tools include a Quick Donate feature, which converts free text or voice commands into an immediate donation. Daffy will need some direction (users choose a charity, donation amount, etc.), but from there, you can simply say to the application make a donation to the ACLU, or something similar, to facilitate the donation. The idea was to leverage AI to improve the giving experience, says Daffy CEO Adam Nash. We looked at the real world to see what benefits the wealthy getthey get concierge service. They dont need to fill out a bunch of forms or track down an EIN from a database. They tell an assistant they want to make a donation, and it gets done, he says. The goal, then, was to get as close to that experience as possible while leveraging AI to make it happen. Over time, too, the feature will learn the specifics of a users desired causes or charities, so a user could tell it to make a donation to their childs school, for example, and Daffy can handle the rest. And by allowing Daffy to handle the rest, Nash believes that people will give more. Because friction is the enemy of generosity, he says. In other words, the easier it is to make a donation, the more donations people will make. If the process is tedious and time-consuming, fewer people are going to do it. We feel like weve proven the hypothesis that technology can help people be more generous, Nash says. And we think AI has a role to play. Users can also use the AI features to set up recurring donationslike a donation to a local food bank every year on Thanksgiving, for example. In all, Nash thinks that the AI features could open the floodgates to potentially millions of dollars more in donations every year. A lot of people are using AI right now and are just playing with it, Nash says. Were trying to use it for something important.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||