At Apples annual WWDC keynote, the highest-level subject is always the future of its software platforms. And the big news in that department usually stares us right in the face. In 2023, for example, it was the debut of Apple Vision Pro, the companys entry into the headset market and its first all-new experience since the Apple Watch. Last year brought Apple Intelligence, its branded take on what AI should look like as a core element of computing experiences.
And then there was Monday mornings WWDC 2025 keynote, as streamed online to millions and screened to a select audience of in-person attendees at Apple Park. After Apples embarrassing inability to ship the AI-infused update to Siri it showed off at WWDC 2024, it was hardly surprising that this years event didnt bet everything on whipping up a further AI frenzy. That alone set it apart from last months Google I/O keynote, whose topics consisted of AI, AI, and more AI, with some AI drizzled on top.
[Photo: Apple]
Apple did introduce some new AI during the keynotequite a bit of it. Overall, though, the event felt like an act of counterprogramming. Instead of positioning itself as a leader in AIor at least quashing fears that its a laggardthe company seemed happy being itself. From the unified new design to old features (phone calls!) turning up in new places (the Mac!), it focused on giving consumers even more reasons to own and use as many of its products as possible.
Herewith a few of the impressions I took away from my morning at Apple Park:
Liquid Glass is classic Apple, in the Steve Jobs sense. In 2012, one of Tim Cooks first dramatic moves after succeeding Jobs as CEO was to oust software chief Scott Forstall. That led to a reorganization that put Jony Ive in charge of design for software as well as hardware. Ives influence was seen in the iPhones iOS 7 upgrade the company shipped the following year. It ditched the lush skeuomorphism of the iPhones software up until that time for a far flatter look, bringing to mind the understated, Dieter Rams-like feel of an Ive MacBook, manifested in pixels rather than aluminum. Ive left in 2019, but the principles he instilled have informed Apple software ever since.
[Photo: Apple]
But now theres Liquid Glass, a new aesthetic Apple is rolling out across its portfolio of platforms. Its glossy, dimensional, pseudorealistic, and animateda dramatic departure from iOS 7-era restraint, but reminiscent of both earlier iOS releases and also older Apple software all the way back to the first version of the Macs OS X in 2000. That was the one with buttons that Jobs said people would want to licka memorable design imperative that is suddenly relevant again.
As my colleague Mark Wilson writes, Liquid Glass isnt about adding new functionality to Apple devices. It might not even be about making them easier to usein fact, when an interface introduces transparency effects and other visual flourishes, legibility is at risk. It does, however, look cool in a way thats classically Apple, and which the Apple of recent years had deemphasized.
The iPad has left limbo . . . for Macland. For years, Apple seemed to have reached a mental standstill with the iPad. The company clearly wanted its tablet to be something distinct from a Mac, but it also appeared to be short on ideas that were different than the Mac, especially when it came to building out iPadOS as a productivity platform. End result: The platform has foundered rather than matured.
[Photo: Apple]
With iPadOS 26, the iPad will finally see a lot of meaningful change all at once, and most of it is distinctly Maclike. Its getting a menu bar. Windows that float and overlap. A more full-featured Files app and, for the first time, a Preview app. Even the quirky circular cursor gives way to a more conventional pointy one.
As an unabashed iPad diehard, I admit to my fair share of trepidation about all this. The iPads abandonment of interface cruft in favor of considered minimalism is a huge reason why Ive been using one as my primary computer since 2011: I dont like to wrangle windows or scour menus for the features I need, hidden among those I dont. Maybe Apple has figured out how to retain whats great about the iPad even as it gives in to the temptation to borrow from the Mac. But Im alarmed by the apparent disappearance of the iPads foundational multitasking features in the first iPadOS 26 beta, and hope theyll return before the software ships this fall.
VisionOS is still evolving, and thats good. Its been two years since Apple unveiled the Vision Pro and 17 months since it shipped. Rumors aside, we still arent any closer to clarity on how the $3,500 headset might lead to a product that caters to a larger audience than, well, people who will pay $3,500 for a headset. Even Tim Cook says it isnt a mass-market product.
Still, Apples enthusiasm for spatial computing doesnt seem to be flagging. As previewed during the WWDC keynote, VisionOS 26 looks downright meaty, with more realistic-looking avatars for use in video calls, features for watching movies and playing games with Vision Pro-wearing friends, widgets you can stick on a wall or place on a mantel in the real world, AI-powered 3D effects for 2D photos, partnerships with companies such as GoPro and Sony, and more.
None of these additions will prompt radically more people to spring for a Vision Pro in its current form. But assuming that the headset doesnt turn out to be a dead end, Apples current investment could help a future, more affordable version offer compelling experiences from day one.
Its still unclear whether ChatGPT is a feature or a stopgap. Apples own AI assistant, Siri, was acknowledged only at the start of the keynote, when Craig Federighi, senior VP of software engineering, mentioned last years announcements and the decision to delay the newly AI-savvy version until it meets Apples high-quality bar. Another AI helper did pop up several times during the presentation, though: ChatGPT. For example, it powers a new Visual Intelligence feature that will let users ask questions about the stuff on-screen in any app. The keynotes example: Upon seeing an image of a mandolin in a social post, you can ask, Which rock songs is this instrument featured in?
Given that the new Siri features Apple revealed a year ago remain unfinished, adding a dash of ChatGPT here and there is an expedient way to maintain some AI momentum. But does the company see integrating the worlds highest-profile LLM-based assistant as an attractive user benefit in itselfor just a placeholder until it can offer similar technology thats entirely under its own control? Im still not sure. At WWDC 2024, Federighi also talked about incorporating other AI models, such as Googles Gemini, but no news has emerged on that front since.
Even during a pivotal, unpredictable time for the tech industry, one of the WWDC keynotes purposes remains straightforward. Apple needs to get consumers excited for the software it will ship in the fall, which isnt necessarily synonymous with blowing them away through sheer force of AI breakthroughs. In a Bluesky conversation, one commenter suggested to me that people arent actually clamoring for AI at alla take that has a whiff of truth to it even if it isnt the whole story. Ultimately, users want pleasant products that help them get stuff done, whether in a personal context, a work environment, or somewhere in between.
After last years WWDC, assuming Apple will ship everything it brags aboutat least in a timely fashionis dangerous. But its easier to envision the confident vibe of this years keynote paying off, because so much of it involved the company playing in its comfort zone.
As the pace and complexity of business accelerate, enterprise leaders are under pressure to deliver more, faster: more growth, innovation, and resilience. And yet, despite bold visions and thoughtful strategies, many organizations still struggle to execute effectively.
Its not because leaders fail to plan; they lack real-time visibility and alignment.
In my role working closely with product and technology leaders across industries, a consistent pattern emerges: Strategy is often clear at the top, but somewhere between the boardroom and the frontlines, execution becomes fragmented. Priorities get lost in translation. Resources are misaligned, and risks are spotted too late. What started as a solid strategic plan ends up slipping out of reach.
This disconnect between strategy and execution isnt a minor inefficiency; it poses a systemic risk. When leaders lack real-time visibility into how work is progressing across their organization, even the best-laid plans can derail. The impact is both tangible and costly:
Missed revenue from delayed go-to-market initiatives
Rising costs from duplicated work or misaligned efforts
Operational risk from bottlenecks or blockers no one saw coming
Erosion of culture over time, weakening alignment, and organizational health
A lack of connected insight
Enterprise leaders dont suffer from a lack of data; they suffer from a lack of connected insight.
Dashboards and status updates are often backward-looking, fragmented across systems, and disconnected from the actual work. This creates a lag between whats happening and what leaders think is happening, making it challenging to anticipate risks or adjust course in time. But with AI, we now have access to radical, objective visibilityinsights grounded in real-time data rather than subjective reporting. More importantly, AI empowers them to lead proactive change across large, complex organizations by predicting challenges early and helping navigate transformation with speed and precision.
This shift marks a new era in leadership, one where execution is no longer just about tracking work but about driving continuous change and adaptability at scale.
Modern platforms can help
Modern work management platforms are evolving to meet this challenge by providing leaders with real-time visibility and control while preserving the autonomy and agility of their teams. These solutions connect strategy to execution, enabling organizations to deliver impact with greater speed, consistency, and confidence.
Effective execution tools combine control and agility without forcing trade-offs, enabling leaders to maintain oversight while empowering teams to stay productive. They leverage explainable AI to flag emerging risks, clarify their root causes, and prioritize urgency, supporting more informed, proactive decision making. These tools also embed visibility directly into the workflows where teams operate, driving consistent data usage and ensuring strong adoption across the organization.
Bridge strategy and execution
To lead effectively in todays landscape, enterprise organizations must rethink how to bridge the gap between strategy and execution. This means evolving beyond static planning cycles and siloed reporting, enabling real-time coordination across teams, projects, and priorities.
Specifically, leaders need:
Live portfolio visibility to monitor execution in real time and surface emerging risks
Standardized frameworks that align teams without creating bottlenecks or rigidity
Workforce intelligence tools that ensure the right people are working on the right priorities
AI-powered insights that not only flag risks early but also help explain and prioritize them
These capabilities are not just nice-to-haves; they reflect the most common and urgent needs we hear from enterprise leaders. Delivering them requires once-unimaginable AI tools designed to enable leaders to act swiftly, navigate confidently, and adapt at scale.
The future of enterprise success wont be defined by the boldest ideas alone but by the ability to consistently turn those ideas into outcomes. Achieving this starts with asking the right questions: Can you see how your top priorities progress in real time? Are your teams clearly aligned with your strategic goals? And are you leading proactively, or simply reacting after the fact?
Execution is no longer a downstream function. Its a leadership imperative. In the age of AI, the systems we rely on to manage work must enable agility, speed, and transformation like never before.
Daniel Lereya is chief product and technology officer at Monday.
Theres a growing concern that artificial intelligence is leading us to a place where we think less and rely on it more. Headlines warn that AI is eroding our critical thinking skills, creating a world of work where human ingenuity might take a backseat to automated convenience. After all, when generative AI can draft a report, summarize a dense article, or generate a marketing plan in seconds, wheres the incentive for leaders and employees to sharpen the skills we relied on before?
These concerns arent baseless. Automation has always sparked questions about how reliance on technology impacts our brains and behaviors. Examples like GPS leading us to abandon our navigation skills or calculators replacing mental math, provide a glimpse into the broader challenge AI presents. Research confirms that AI may be changing the way we think today: Constant exposure to AI tools can reduce our ability to think critically.
Should workplaces abandon AI and turn the clock back? Of course not. Thats neither practical nor productive. AI isnt a fleeting trend. Its a transformational shift thats here to stay. The genie is out of the bottle, and its applications in nearly every area of life and work are deepening by the day. But this raises an important question: If AI is inevitable, how can we ensure it doesnt simply make us passive users, but instead inspires us to grow and evolve in new ways?
The answer lies in how we redefine the skills we value and develop in ourselves and future generations. Instead of seeing AI as a competitor to human intelligence, we must think of it as an enabler that challenges us to excel in areas where AI cant. We must consider how to develop AI fluency.
Our human advantage
To thrive in an AI-dominated world, enterprises need to invest in the abilities that AI can amplify but not replicate. Part of developing a fluency in AI is recognizing where it excels and where we as humans can outperform it. Here are three areas where humans excel over technology.
1. Critical thinking and judgement
Generative-AI tools can surface answers faster than ever, but humans must decide which answers are valid, relevant, and ethical. In an era of AI-generated content, our ability to ask the right questions, evaluate information critically, and spot biases will be more essential than ever.
2. Creativity and problem solving
AI can assist in generating ideas, but the ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts or imagine entirely new possibilitiesknown as taking a creative leapremains inherently human. As automation tackles more routine work, businesses will increasingly seek individuals who can navigate ambiguity and generate innovative solutions.
3. Emotional intelligence and leadership
Machines lack the empathy, communication skills, and interpersonal insights required to foster collaboration, inspire teams, and guide organizations through change. Our human edge lies in understanding other humans, which AI cannot replicate.
Adaptability is an essential skill
As AI becomes embedded in nearly every aspect of work and life, our approach to growth and development needs to evolve alongside it. Today, upskilling is less about acquiring static knowledge and more about developing the agility to apply new skills in dynamic, ever-changing contexts. Being adaptable is a skill unto itself. As AI introduces new opportunities and challenges, our success will hinge on our ability to constantly upskill and adjust to whats next.
Organizations and individuals alike must embrace this new reality. For businesses, that means prioritizing upskilling programs that focus on the human-AI partnership. That could mean, for instance, teaching employees how to leverage AI effectively while continuing to contribute their unique human value. For individuals, it requires shifting from passive consumption of AI outputs to active engagement and integration. Instead of simply asking AI to provide answers, we need to think critically about the prompts we design, the follow-up questions we pose, and the frameworks we use to evaluate and synthesize its outputs.
AI is a catalyst for human growth
The narrative that AI is making us stupid misses the bigger picture. Like every major technological leap in history, AI is changing the nature of how we work, think, and create. But its not a replacement for human intelligence. Its an accelerator. The responsibility is ours to wield it wisely, using it to complement and expand our capabilities rather than diminish them.
The future of work wont belong to those who resist AI or passively lean on it. It will belong to those who use it as a catalyst for growth, wielding this revolutionary technology to push the boundaries of what humans can achieve.
The question isnt whether well need skills in an AI-driven world. Its what kinds of skills will define human success. And the answer, as it turns out, is a sharper, more agile, and more curious version of ourselves.
Hugo Sarrazin is CEO of Udemy.
When I first encountered AI, it wasnt anything like the sophisticated tools we have today. In the 1990s, my introduction came in the form of a helpful, but mostly frustrating, digital paperclip. Clippy, Microsofts infamous assistant, was designed to help, but it often got in the way, popping up at the worst moments with advice no one asked for.
AI has evolved since then. Major companies like Apple are investing billions, and tools like OpenAIs ChatGPT and DALL-E have reshaped how we interact with technology. Yet, one challenge from Clippys era lingersunderstanding and adapting to user intent.
The original promise of AI was to create experiences that felt seamless, intuitive, and personal. AI was supposed to anticipate our needs and provide support that felt natural. So, why do so many systems today still feel mechanical and rigidmore Clippy than collaborator?
When AI assistance is a burden
When first introduced, Clippy was a bold attempt at computer-guided assistance. Its purpose was groundbreaking at the time, but it quickly became known more for interruptions than useful assistance. Youd pause when typing, and Clippy would leap into action with a pop-up: It looks like youre writing a letter!
Its biggest flaw wasnt just being annoying: It lacked contextual awareness. Unlike modern AI tools, Clippys interactions were static and deterministic, triggered by fixed inputs. There was no learning from previous interactions and no understanding of the users preferences or current tasks. Whether you were drafting a report or working on a spreadsheet, Clippy offered the same generic adviceignoring the evolving context and failing to provide truly helpful, personalized assistance.
Is AI destined to be like Clippy?
Even with todays advancements, many AI assistants still feel underwhelming. Siri is a prime example. Though capable of setting reminders or answering questions, it often requires users to speak in very specific ways. Deviate from the expected phrasing, and it defaults to, I didnt understand that.
This is more than a UX flawit reveals a deeper issue. Too many AI systems still operate under a one-size-fits-all mentality, failing to accommodate the needs of individual users. With Siri, for instance, youre often required to speak in a specific, rigid format for it to process your request effectively. This creates an experience that feels less like assistance and more like a chore.
Building a smarter assistant isnt just about better models. Its about retaining context, respecting privacy, and delivering personalized, meaningful experiences. Thats not just technically difficultits essential.
Helpful AI requires personalization
Personalization is what will finally break us out of the Clippy cycle. When AI tools remember your preferences, learn from your behavior, and adapt accordingly, they shift from being tools to trusted partners.
The key to this will be communication. Most AI today speaks in a one-dimensional tone, no matter who you are or what your emotional state is. The next leap in AI wont just be about intelligence, itll be about emotional intelligence.
But intelligence isnt only about remembering facts. Its also about how an assistant communicates. For AI to truly feel useful, it needs more than functionality. It needs personality. That doesnt mean we need overly chatty bots. It means assistants that adjust tone, remember personal context, and build continuity. Thats what earns trust and keeps users engaged.
While not every user may want an assistant with a personality or emotions, everyone can benefit from systems that adapt to our unique needs. The outdated one-size-fits-all approach is still common in many AI tools today and risks alienating users, much like Clippys impersonal method back in the early days. For AI to thrive in the long term it must be designed with real humans in mind.
Building Clippy 2.0
Now imagine a Clippy 2.0an assistant that doesnt interrupt but understands when to offer help. One that remembers your work habits, predicts what you need, and responds in a way that feels natural and tailored to you.
It could help you schedule meetings, provide intelligent suggestions, and adapt its tone to fit the moment. Whether it has a personality or not, what matters is that it adapts toand respects the uniqueness of every user.
It might even respond with different tones or emotions depending on your reactions, creating an immersive experience. This kind of intelligent assistant would blend seamlessly into your routine, saving you time and reducing friction.
Clippy may have been a trailblazer, but it lacked the technological foundation to live up to its potential. With the advances weve made today, we now have the tools to build a “Clippy 2.0an AI assistant capable of transforming the way we interact with technology. Although maybe this time, it doesnt need to come in the form of a paperclip with a goofy smile.
Oleksandr Kosovan is the CEO and founder of MacPaw.
Over the past two decades, our team and I have spent countless hours in homes, healthcare settings, and community spaces, watching how people navigate the rhythms of everyday life. What stays with me are the quiet adjustments or life hacks. A bed lifted on risers to slide a storage bin of medical supplies underneath to stay within reach or to better facilitate a transfer. A bottom dresser drawer left empty because it is out of reach and theres concern it could lead to a fall. A nightstand pulled a few inches away to make space for a CPAP hose or oxygen tubing.
These arent rare exceptions. Theyre everyday adjustments to the built environment that hadn’t previously caught up with real life wants and needs. In response to these observations, we design products to fill the gaps. From medical aids like canes and bath safety products to household furniture that directly addresses these needs, integrating novel functional enhancements into the product design helps create environments that work better for people. Responding to one definition of disabilitya mismatch between a persons abilities and their environmentwe strive to ensure that built environments are accessible, functional, and welcoming for as many people as possible.
From the edge to the universal
In design and in business, were often taught to prioritize the average user. But the most meaningful, enduring innovations tend to come from the edgesdesigning with people who experience the world differently, whether through disability, age, or temporary limitation. What begins as a targeted accommodation often becomes something far more universal.
Accessible features in furniture, kitchen tools, or other housewares tend to become quietly indispensable. Not because they draw attention to themselves, but because they solve problems most people didnt even realize they shared.
When you design for the margins, you dont exclude the mainstream; you elevate it.
Take, for instance, a bed designed with integrated armrests to support safer mobility, as we recently created in collaboration with Pottery Barn. It may have been crafted with accessibility in mind, but it ultimately benefits anyone recovering from surgery, dealing with aches and pains, or simply trying to get up more easily in the morning (or reposing in bed to comfortably watch TV or use devices). The same goes for a nightstand designed with discreet space for powering medical equipment. It meets a real need, while also improving daily use for people managing cords, devices, or the clutter of modern life.
These design choices never come out of thin air. They come from time spent with real people, in real environments, observing where traditional products fall short and responding to those gaps with practical, thoughtful solutions. Michael Graves often referred to this as common sense.
Design for accessibility
Situational disability is something most of us experience regularly without really thinking about it. You dont need a formal diagnosis to encounter friction in your environment, yet it can be improved by surrounding yourself with thoughtful products. Think about navigating a dark hallway, opening a door with full hands, or focusing in a space thats too loud or too bright. These are temporary or contextual limitations that can turn an ordinary task into a source of frustration. Designing with these moments in mind doesnt dilute a projects creativity; it strengthens it, and leads to better customer experiencesa universal business goal.
Theres still a lingering belief that designing for accessibility means sacrificing style or inflating cost. But in practice, starting with constraints leads to sharper, more intentional design decisions; products with smarter features and a clearer sense of purpose. Many of todays most widely adopted design featurescurb cuts, touchless faucets, voice control, ergonomic gripsoriginated as accessible solutions. They didnt stay niche. They became standard.
The real opportunity today is not just designing for users, but designing with them. When we observe how people actually live, what they reach for, struggle with, work around, we find the insights that matter most. We call this approach Design With, a process built on listening early and often, where lived experience isnt just part of the feedback loop, its part of the product development foundation.
Accessible design isnt a feature or a trend. Its a foundation. When baked in from the beginning, it expands a products relevance, strengthens emotional connection, and makes the experience feel more human. It reflects the reality that ability exists on a spectrum, and that good design considers everyone on it.
If we want to create more useful, more beautiful, and more accessible environments for Every Body, we have to start by looking at the edges. Thats where the friction lives, and where the most meaningful design breakthroughs often begin.
Ben Wintner is CEO of Michael Graves Design.
Meta, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagramas well as Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApphas tapped Alexandr Wang, the CEO and founder of the startup Scale AI, to head up its new artificial intelligence research lab, according to The New York Times. It is also in talks to invest over $10 billion in the company, Bloomberg reported.
The lab will be dedicated to pursuing AI superintelligencean AI system that would reportedly surpass human intelligenceand is part of Meta’s larger reorganization of its AI efforts as it faces internal struggles over the technology and some of its products, per The Times.
Meta is just one of many tech companies to throw its hat into the competitive, high-stakesand expensiveAI development space. Back in January of this year, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the social technology company plans to invest between $60 billion and $65 billion in capital expenditures this year alone to build out its AI infrastructure. (Meta is also building a large data center that would reportedly “cover a significant part of Manhattan to power its AI offerings, according to Zuckerberg.)
What does Scale AI do?
Scale AI delivers high-quality training data for AI applications to a number of tech companies in the AI space, including: Open AI, Google, Microsoft, and of course, Meta. The company expects revenue to more than double to $2 billion this year, from about $870 million in 2024, per CNBC.
Scale AI is already working with governments in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, and recently signed a deal with Qatar in February that will include developing AI voice, chat, and email agents for contact centers, Business Insider reported. Scale AI also signed a contract with the U.S. Defense Department to enable the military to use AI for “operational decision-making.”
While its financials are confidential, Scale AI is reportedly planning a potential tender offer for employees and early investors at a valuation of $25 billion, Business Insider reported.
Who is Alexandr Wang, the young billionaire behind Scale AI?
Wang founded Scale AI in 2016 in San Francisco at age 19, out of Y Combinator‘s startup incubator, after dropping out of MIT.
In 2022, at age 25, Wang became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire after Scale AI raised $325 million in funding, putting the company at a valuation of $7.3 billion; by 2024, Scale AI was valued at $13.8 billion, the Observer reported.
Wang owns 15% of Scale AI, making his net worth over $2 billion.
Here’s a dream job for chronically online coffee lovers: Starbucks is hiring two full-time content creators for a 12-month gig posting content at Starbucks locations around the world.
The role, aptly titled “global coffee creator,” involves traveling to between 10 and 15 Starbucks locations, from Milan to Costa Rica, and capturing the local culture, community, and atmosphere surrounding each Starbucks location, according to the job description.
Of the two successful applicants, one will be a current Starbucks employee and the other will be an external hire. Both creators will receive a full-time salary, rooming accommodations through Marriott Bonvoy, and travel covered by Delta Air Lines for the duration of the year.
Responsibilities include highlighting specialty drinks, documenting and sharing customer and barista stories, pitching ideas for Starbuckss social channels, and collaborating with the global marketing team.
To apply, internal and external candidates must create a TikTok video explaining why, as a coffee-obsessed, chronically online world traveler, they are the right person for the job. Applications are open through June 13.
Fast Company has previously reported on employee-as-influencer-style content, more commonly referred to as employee-generated content (EGC). More workers are lifting the curtain on their day-to-day working lives, with or without their employers’ permission. This latest role is part of a broader shift toward brands putting content creators on payroll. For both brands and creators, its a mutually beneficial move.
By bringing a creator in-house, brands get more than content and reach. They get a direct line to someone who understands platforms, audiences, and trends, and how a brand can naturally integrate itself into those spaces, says influencer marketing consultant Lindsey Gamble. In-house creators can contribute to everything, not just one-off campaigns. They help fill in gaps that internal teams might have, especially when those teams come from more traditional or corporate backgrounds.
Starbucks isn’t the only brand embracing in-house ambassadors. Ulta Beauty recently launched an ambassador program called “Ulta Beauties,” compensating employees who were already posting content about their jobs. Instead of relying on traditional influencers, these brands are turning to existing employees who already have the context and connection to represent the brand authentically.
For creators, these opportunities offer stability that influencer life often lacks. Not every creator wants to be a full-time influencer, and not everyone can monetize consistently through brand deals or their products, Gamble adds. These roles give creators a way to keep creating while having the security and structure of a traditional job.
Getting to travel the world and drink Starbucks? Thats just a perk of the job.
Video game voice actors and motion capture artists could be headed back to work soon. SAG-AFTRA and major video game companies have announced a tentative contract agreement, 11 months after union members began a work stoppage. Artificial intelligence was at the heart of the dispute.
“Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for the union, in a statement.
Terms of the agreement were not immediately released. SAG-AFTRA said it would offer details with ratification materials to members.
While a tentative deal is in place, members will continue to strike the major video game companies until the final terms are agreed upon, the union said. SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher seemed to stop short of declaring victory. “The needle has been moved forward, and we are much better off than before,” she said. But later, Drescher added that planning would begin for the next negotiation immediately. “Every contract is a work in progress.”
Voice and performance artists have been on strike since July 2024 against Activision Productions, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, WB Games, Take 2 Productions, Blindlight, and Epic Games.
The strike followed 18 months of negotiations. Generative AI was at the heart of the dispute, as the union maintained there were no contractual provisions that prevented game companies from training AI to reproduce an actor’s voice or likeness without informed consent. (Game publishers countered that their AI proposal contained strong protections for performers, requiring prior consent and fair pay when duplicating their performances.)
The union worked out side deals with over 130 game developers early in the strike, which let work continue on many titles.
Industry analysts say the settlement is a good development for the industry, noting that many games are increasing the use of live actors in development (such as Norman Reedus taking a lead role in Death Stranding and the growing number of celebrities who appear in the Fortnite series).
“I think these artists are essential and were relatively unappreciated until executive producers saw how much worse AI solutions were,” says Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities. “There is a tendency for Hollywood to get this, and for video game developers to assume they can replace anyone with software. But its clear from the settlement that the game publishers agreed that these actors are essential.”
The strike over AI protections was the second SAG-AFTRA work stoppage the video game industry has faced in the past decade. In 2016-2017, voice actors and publishers battled over the issue of residual payments. That strike lasted for 340 days, resulting in a three-year contract, though many voice actors complained the agreement was toothless and the union had ceded too much ground. The agreement called for “bonus pay” based on the number of sessions a performer worked on each game, but it did not follow the traditional residual model.
The tentative agreement over AI demands comes just over a month after video game companies gave their “best and last” offer to SAG-AFTRA. The two parties began negotiating on a new agreement in October 2022.
Falling fertility rates typically get blamed on the women of the world. But a new study published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says both men and women face significant barriers to realizing their fertility aspirations. Its not that they dont want to have childrenrather, they just arent able to in the ways they want to.
According to the report, barriers in political discourse, healthcare policies, financial instability, and climate change are some of the leading causes for globally declining birth ratesand furthermore, they prevent many from realizing their preferred child status.
The evidence is clear: We are moving from a world of rapid population expansion in the mid-20th century to a period of declining fertility rates, Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA said.
UNFPA partnered with market research and data analytics firm YouGov to ask 14,000 people across 14 countries what they want for their reproductive futures and why. According to the report, nearly one in five participants cited a fear of the future as affecting their decision to have fewer children than they desire, including concerns about climate change, environmental degradation, wars, and pandemics. Meanwhile, 39% reported financial limitations as affecting their decision.
The countries included in the study represent a third of the world population, and include North Korea (the country with the lowest fertility rate), Nigeria (the country with the highest fertility rate), and the U.S. (somewhere in the middle).
All participants’ reasons behind their reproductive status were divided into five factors:
Health, including infertility and a lack of medical care
Economic, including unemployment and housing situations
Changed desires, including partner or personal decisions
Concerns over future, including political or climate concerns
Other, including lack of partner or societal pressure
It is hard to escape the conclusion that these concernswhich certainly warrant policy responsesare rooted in outdated notions around who should be reproducing and why, and the notion that the achievement of a countrys preferred birth rate will ensure economic and political security, Kanem said.
The UNFPA will use this reports data to inform a youth reproductive choices survey launching later this year, with the goal of informing future global policy and programming. See the full report here.
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During the pandemic housing boom, from summer 2020 to spring 2022, the number of active homes for sale in most housing markets plummeted as homebuyer demand quickly absorbed almost everything that came up for sale. Fast-forward to the current housing market, and the places where active inventory has rebounded to 2019 levels (due to strained affordability suppressing buyer demand) are now the very places where homebuyers hold the most power.
At the end of May 2025, national active housing inventory for sale was still 12% below May 2019 levels. However, more and more regional markets are surpassing that threshold.
This list is growing. At the end of January 2025, 41 of these 200 major markets were back above pre-pandemic 2019 inventory levels. At the end of February, it was 44. By the end of March 2025, 58 of these 200 major markets were back above pre-pandemic 2019 inventory levels. At the end of April 2025, that number had climbed to 69.
Now, at the latest reading for the end of May 2025, 75 of the 200 markets are above pre-pandemic 2019 inventory levels, and ResiClub expects that count will continue to rise this year.
Many of the softest housing markets, where homebuyers have gained leverage, are located in Gulf Coast and Mountain West regions. These areas were among the nations top pandemic boomtowns, having experienced significant home price growth during the pandemic housing boom, which stretched far beyond local income levels.
When pandemic-fueled migration slowed and mortgage rates spiked, markets like Cape Coral, Florida, and San Antonio, Texas, faced challenges as they had to rely on local incomes to sustain frothy home prices. The housing market softening in these areas was further accelerated by the abundance of new home supply in the pipeline across the Sun Belt. Builders in these regions are often willing to reduce prices or make other affordability adjustments to maintain sales. These adjustments in the new construction market also create a cooling effect on the resale market, as some buyers who might have opted for an existing home shift their focus to new homes where deals are still available.
In contrast, many Northeast and Midwest markets were less reliant on pandemic migration and have less new home construction in progress. With lower exposure to that demand shock, active inventory in these Midwest and Northeast regions has remained relatively tight, keeping the advantage in the hands of home sellers.
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Generally speaking, housing markets where inventory (i.e., active listings) has returned to pre-pandemic levels have experienced weaker home price growth (or outright declines) over the past 30 months. Conversely, housing markets where inventory remains far below pre-pandemic levels have, generally speaking, experienced stronger home price growth over the past 30 months.
