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Theres a very common question asked of people working in space exploration: Why explore space when we have so many problems on Earth? From Wi-Fi, to satellite images of real estate, to matters of national security, much of our daily lives has been made possible by policy changes in the 1990s that permitted the deployment of low-Earth-orbit satellites. But the tangible benefits to space exploration may not always be obvious, according to Jack Kilray, director of government relations for The Planetary Society, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing space science and exploration. What we discover in space invariably helps life on Earth, Kilray said at last months World Changing Ideas Summit, cohosted by Fast Company and Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C. These investments in fundamental researchalthough maybe you don’t see those direct comparisons to your life immediatelyhave these knock-on effects for decades after you make that initial discovery and revolutionize the economy, national security, and just our fundamental understanding of the cosmos. And space has evolved to become a critical infrastructure, said Rich Cooper, vice president of strategic communications for the Space Foundation, a nonprofit advocating for space education and exploration. More than 90 countries now have active space operations, and hundreds of companies are operating business interests in spacewhich is why policy efforts must focus on balancing the needs of these various interests, he added. Dealing with space traffic and litter In space, one of the biggest policy challenges right now is managing all of the traffic. Finding the place for a satellite or other instrument, so it doesn’t impact any other operations, is literally threading quite the needle, Cooper said. The policies about how to deal with space litter have improvedgovernments and companies are now required to have a plan in place to prevent the creation of more orbital debris, though more work is still required. Countries as well as companies are looking to be much, much more responsible, but we still have other players that need to be far more responsible than they’ve been, Cooper said. The next era of human exploration Finally, policies must adapt amid the race thats underway to send humans to the moon once again, and eventually to Mars. The good news is that this next era of space exploration is likely to unite people around the globe, Kilray said. It’s no longer just a flags-and-footprints approach, but a sustainable approach to whether it be lunar exploration with crew or scientific exploration of the outer planets or the building of the next great observatory to image habitable worlds around other star systemslike that’s all within our grasp as a species, which is truly amazing, Kilray said. We couldn’t have imagined what was possible today 60 years ago.
Category:
E-Commerce
When the British designer Fred Rigby released his first furniture collection in 2021, he knew from the outset he would prioritize a U.S. audiencea bigger market with more sales opportunities, he says. Rigby designs and manufactures elegantly crafted furniture in the Oxfordshire countryside, and has built strong relationships with interior designer clients in cities like New York, L.A. and Miami. For a few years, things went according to plan. As his studio grew, 6070% of sales came from the U.S. market. Then in 2025, all of that changed. “We had a healthy-looking pipeline, but when the tariffs came in, we just saw more and more projects disappear, says Rigby. Since October 14, upholstered furniture imported to the U.S.such as sofas and armchairshas been subject to a 25% tariff, which is due to rise to 30% on January 1, 2026. In reality, trade deals with specific countries affect this final number. For instance, tariffs on all imports from EU countries are capped at 15%; for the U.K., its 10%; for Brazil, its 50%. Different elements of a furniture item can even be subject to varying tariffs based on their country of origin. These changes and uncertainties have rattled the furniture world, including foreign furniture makers with significant U.S. markets like Rigby and U.S.-based interior designers sourcing global furniture. Even domestic furniture brands, who often rely on international materials, are taking a hit. Delaware-headquartered American Signature, parent company of furnishings retailers American Signature Furniture and Value City, filed for bankruptcy in November, citing the economic impacts of tariffs. The great reshoring USITC data shows that most furniture imported to the U.S. comes from China and Vietnam, largely representing the mass of the market with quick-shipped, budget pieces. For higher-end, design-forward interiors projects, the picture is a little different, with many pieces coming from heritage and prestige European furniture brands. Europe offers a level of uniqueness and legacy techniques that are hard to replicate, says New York-based interior designer Clive Lonstein, who sources roughly 20% of the furniture used in his studios projects internationally. These pieces will remain important to his practice, he says, as they add depth and individuality to each project. Nevertheless, in the wake of tariffs, he has also begun looking to domestic vendors and artisans. [There is] incredible design talent and craftsmanship here in the States, he says. [Photo: William Jess Laird/courtesy Clive Lonstein] Recentering the focus on American production is a driving vision of the U.S. tariffs, and many of the large, well-known furniture companiesboth domestic and internationalare already making moves in that direction. Swedish brand Ikea, which currently manufactures about 15% of products that it sells in the U.S. domestically, has said it would increase U.S. production. In the meantime, it concedes, tariffs will result in price adjustmentsmade more urgent by its recently reported plunge in profits. American brand RH, meanwhile, which imports most of its products, has reportedly started moving more manufacturing to its existing U.S. operations in North Carolina, a national and historic hub of furniture making. [Photo: William Jess Laird/courtesy Clive Lonstein] Reshoring comes with its own challenges, however: U.S. labor is often more expensive, it can be harder to find enough skilled workers, the infrastructure is not yet there to match production levels achieved internationally, and many materials still need to be imported. Even with the tariffs, it might be cheaper for consumers and clients to buy imported furniture. Smaller brand, bigger problems Although many large brands are waiting to see how things play out, smaller-scale furniture makers are already feeling the impact. [Photo: Austin Leis/courtesy Soft Witness] Soft Witness, a furniture and interior design studio based between New York and Florence, Italy, has earned a reputation for its craft-focused, architecturally informed aesthetic. Its furniture pieces are manufactured in Italy and often shipped over to the U.S. To maintain sales and commissions at competitive pricing, founder Whitney Krieger has been taking the hit financiallypaying tariffs and not passing that cost on to her customers. For her, this means potentially forgoing profits, or even taking a loss. [Photo: Neige Thebault/courtesy Soft Witness] While the impact has prompted Krieger to consider producing her works in the U.S., where 90% of her sales are, she has yet to be convinced this will move the needle much, as it doubles a lot of work. Ultimately, she feels committed to collaborating with the artisans in Italy she has built a relationship with. Larger furniture brands, however, often have the funds or mechanisms to absorb the subsequent costs of tariffs or manufacturing relocation, without necessarily passing on the bulk of that cost to consumers. [Photo: Erik Whlström/courtesy Hem] Hem, a popular, young Swedish furniture brandappealing for its contemporary, playful take on Scandinavian minimalismmanufactures its products in Europe, but has focused sales on the U.S. market from the outset. As such, it established an incorporated limited company in the U.S. [Photo: Kasia Bobula/courtesy Hem] This has significantly lessened the impact of the current tariffs, as instead of exporting to clients at retail price, Hem exports to its own entity at product cost, resulting in lower tariff bills that the brand largely absorbs. Weve raised prices a little bit, but not a lotabout 5%, says Petrus Palmér, Hems founder. The most significant impact, he says, has been the noise and insecurity. Its confusing enough for business owners, he says, but worse for consumers. I understand completely if they stop buying. Trickle down effects The business outcomes of furniture producers and the interior designers who buy their products is deeply intertwined. For interior designers relying on furniture imports, including from Europe, the day-to-day reality of their business has become much more complex, even while the vision and ambitions remain the same. [Photo: Nicole Franzen/courtesy Vellum Studio] Los Angeles and New York-based Vellum Studio, for instance, does not intend on abandoning foreign products in its high-end residential interior projects. International pieces are part of our design, says founder Ronit Lee. We do not believe in forgoing these as each piece is a lifelong investment [for the client]. [Photo: Nicole Franzen/courtesy Vellum Studio] Prices for certain purchases from abroad have increased, but Lee is transparent with her clients about the changing costs and importing challenges. If possible, she prioritizes furniture that has already been imported to the U.S. by big brands or vintage furniture dealers, and is now being sold domestically. But this is a now dwindling supply. [Photo: Yoshihiro Makino/courtesy 22RE] For L.A. architecture and design studio 22RE, most of the furniture it specifies for projects is vintagean approach that draws on a fundamentally global narrative. So much of 20th-century designespecially modernismcame from global conversation and cross-cultural making, says founder Dean Levin. European design in particular, he says, remains a huge part of the language of modern interiorsnot just visually, but culturally. The tariffs have made sourcing rare international finds harder and often not financially realistic, he says. They threaten that global exchange and make some of the most defining pieces of design history less accessible. [Photo: Yoshihiro Makino/courtesy 22RE]
Category:
E-Commerce
Shopping assistant chatbots were a novelty a year ago. Now, they’re everywhere.After rolling out AI-powered assistants, online retailers and tech companies have been adding more artificial intelligence features to make online shopping easier and more convenient.The latest crop of AI-powered shopping services and tools made their debut in recent weeks, just in time to kick off the holiday shopping season that begins with Black Friday.Here’s a rundown of existing and newly released AI services that can help with your search for the perfect gift in the run-up to Christmas: Retail chatbots Amazon led the way by rolling out its Rufus chatbot in 2024. Other ecommerce websites followed with their own AI assistants to enhance the online shopping experience.Walmart’s Sparky chatbot is available on the retail giant’s app and can synthesize reviews or offer product recommendations based on occasions, such as Christmas. Target recently unveiled a gift finder chatbot on its app, but it’s only available for the holiday season. Ralph Lauren partnered with Microsoft on the “Ask Ralph” chatbot to provide style recommendations.The aim of deploying chatbots is to make it easier for people to find what they’re looking for. Instead of entering search terms and keywords, you can type or use voice dictation for a conversational back-and-forth.The results, in my experience, can be mixed.I tried Rufus recently to find a replacement aftermarket stainless steel pot for my rice cooker, as well as a protective trivet for my kitchen sink faucet. In both cases, the results weren’t quite right and didn’t seem to capture the wide range of products available. Sometimes the results were completely unsuitable.I ended up doing a more painstaking search of product listings’ pictures and specifications to find the right items. The problem, I suspect, is partly because I was looking for generic products. Searches for name-brand products may produce better results. AI-powered buying advice Perhaps you don’t want to limit yourself to a single retailer’s website in your Christmas shopping search. Or you’re not sure where exactly to find that perfect gift.Tech platforms have rolled out AI-powered shopping tools that can cast a wider net by searching multiple sites.OpenAI added a new “shopping research” feature to ChatGPT last week that can provide personalized buying advice for products that are heavy on detailed specs, like electronics or appliances. The feature will activate if you ask ChatGPT a shopping-related question or manually turn it on in the chat window. OpenAI says it can go beyond simple questions, such as checking a price or feature that regular ChatGPT can easily answer.Google users can get a similar experience when they use its search engine in AI Mode, which recently got a big update for shopping searches. The company says users can describe what they’re looking for as if talking to a friend and get an “intelligently organized response” based on 50 billion product listings, with pictures alongside prices, reviews and inventory info.Google added similar shopping features to its Gemini AI chatbot app for U.S. users last month.Meanwhile, Perplexity unveiled its own shopping assistant feature last week that can tailor recommendations based on previous searches.I asked all three to find a soft cotton flannel shirt. Both ChatGPT and Perplexity asked me for specific requirements, such as budget and must-have features. ChatGPT’s response was the most detailed, with options from six brands including its top pick, and included pictures, prices and point-form summaries for each shirt. It also compiled the results into a comparison table.Results from Google, which didn’t ask follow up questions after my initial request, felt the most general. Perplexity’s results fell in between. Try it on virtually So, you think you’ve found a stylish cardigan for your spouse. But you’re not sure about the silhouette or vibe.Generative AI “try on” tools let users see what a piece of clothing might look like on the wearer.Existing virtual dressing room tools have relied on complex 3D rendering, real photoshoots and augmented reality. Often, shoppers were limited to picking a model that best fit their body type to see how clothes fit.Google is now tapping AI to allow shoppers to virtually try on garments and shoes using pictures of themselves in simple poses. Among the exceptions: accessories like hats or jewelry, bathing suits and lingerie.To use this feature, which is available through Google’s shopping desktop search and mobile app in Australia, Japan Canada and the U.S., just tap the “Try it on” button on a product’s photo and then add a full-length photo of yourself. You can then save the image of yourself with the tested item or share it. The original photo is also saved to your account so you don’t need to keep uploading fresh images.If you’re shopping for a gift for someone, Google says you can upload their photo, but only if you have their permission. AI agents buy it for you Now that you’ve figured out what exactly to get for those special people on your Christmas gift list, it’s time to buy. But if you want to outsource some of the legwork involved, there are “agentic AI” tools that can help.Amazon users can use an “AI agent” to buy a product on their behalf if the price falls to a desired level. Google has launched its own “agentic checkout” feature, which can automatically buy a product you’re keeping an eye on with its price-tracking feature. Google’s feature has rolled out to a small group of retailers, including Wayfair, Chewy and Quince we well as some Shopify merchants.Both companies say they’ll always confirm with you before the AI agent makes the purchase.Amazon is taking it a step further by allowing shoppers to buy items that aren’t in stock directly from other brands’ websites. If you see a product on the Amazon Shopping app with a “Buy For Me” button, you can buy it through the usual Amazon checkout page but the AI agent will then carry out the transaction on the other brand’s website with your encrypted payment details. The feature was in test mode but is being rolled out more widely. AI calls for availability Prefer to buy in person? It’s a good idea to make sure a bricks-and-mortar shop has the product you want before heading over. Google has launched an AI service that will call local stores to ask.It’s only available in the U.S. for toys, electronics and health and beauty products. When doing a Google search for the product you want, add “near me” to the end of your search query. Then, if you see “Let Google Call” when scrolling through the results, you can tap the “Get started” button. Answer some questions about what you’re shopping for, whether you want updates by email or text.Google will then contact stores near your location to ask if the item is in stock.The bot works swiftly but results might be limited. When an AP reporter in New Jersey asked Google to call around about a specific Acer monitor, the agent returned quickly with a reply from a local computer repair shop that sold refurbished monitors. It appeared to ignore nearby big-box outlets selling electronics.According to Google’s text update, the local repair shop didn’t have the monitor, but did have a similar-sized one sans the other bells and whistles for a lower price. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip. Kelvin Chan and Anne D’Innocenzio, AP Business Writers
Category:
E-Commerce
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