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The English Premier League, the worlds most popular soccer league, kicks off this weekend to a global TV audience of around one billion people across nearly every country. Alongside the action on the pitch, millions more will be selecting their fantasy football teams for the weekends fixtures. Fantasy sports bring together friends and colleagues, adding a competitive edge that some take to extremesporing over data and acting as armchair analysts. But a new initiative by the Premier League could change that dynamic: an AI chatbot integration that allows users to ask for team-picking advice. Instead of choosing their own squads, players will now be able to ask Microsoft Copilot to do it for them. There will be much more conformity and far less diversity of teams if AI chooses the lineups. It doesn’t come with our partisan opinions, says Simon James, head of data science and AI at Publicis Sapient, and a fan of Plymouth Argyle, who play in the third tier of English soccer. That can be both a blessing and a curse, he admits, but it risks ironing out the quirks that make fantasy football unique. Football is fundamentally about opinions, and fans are naturally more inclined to pick their players over rivals, he says. You’ll never see a Chelsea fan choosing Solanke over Joao Pedro, but the AI might. AI seeks the path of optimization, but that removes the tribal element that makes fantasy football so engaging. For James, the fun part is choosing the unknown in fantasy sports. Can AI truly account for all these variables and gut instincts? he asks. Probably not. On the one hand, I am worried about overuse, says Joanna Bryson, professor of ethics and technology at the Hertie School in Berlin. Im particularly worried about peoplethat somehow its combined badly with imposter syndrome. But on the other hand, I mean, weve had Google forever, right? Some fantasy players treat the game with near-professional seriousness, devoting hours to research that separates them from casual competitorsan effort that becomes easier with AI advice. Others who lack the time often copy picks from online analysts, with a cottage industry of human advisers already reducing the role of guesswork. Bryson, however, worries that AI could push this trend too far. Theres just so many different ways to have fun, but that one might be over, she says. Not so, argues Joe Lepper, host of the Fantasy Football Scout YouTube channel. There is a lot of debate in the fantasy community about this, he says. Some people dont like it at all. They think its going to destroy the game. And some people really like it. Where you land depends on your personal opinion, and on how you and others use AI. Following its advice blindly is obviously going to take the fun out of it, says Lepper, but if you use it to just give you information to then feed into your own decision-making, then the fun is retained. The move reflects the broader shift toward analytics in sports after Moneyball. Some welcome the precision; others believe it flattens the unpredictability that makes sport compelling. People can choose to ignore it. People can choose to embrace it. But it’s not a case of man against machine. It’s more of a case of machine helping that, says Lepper. In the end, the debate mirrors the wider conversation about AIs impact on our lives. As James puts it: Just like in business, AI is excellent for automation, but the jury is still out for inspiration.
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E-Commerce
Theres no denying that AI has touched almost every part of our lives, from how we shop, learn, and get medical advice, to how we do our jobs. We still dont know exactly how far it will go in automating tasks and jobs versus augmenting humans and unlocking their potential, but one thing is certain: AI is already reshaping how we think about work. Take a financial analyst who once spent days building models in Excel; now AI can produce a first draft in seconds, freeing them to focus on scenario planning and decision-making. Or a marketing manager who used to spend hours compiling reports; with AI, they can devote more time to creative strategy and client engagement. Even within the same role, the skills that create value are shifting toward judgment, creativity, and relationshipsareas where humans still have the upper hand. But the impact isnt limited to specific jobs. It cuts across every rung of the corporate ladder. Which leads to one of the most intriguing (and perhaps provocative) questions in business: could AI replace human leaders? Could Your Next Boss Be a Machine? Augmentation is already here. AI lets leaders outsource a growing list of tasks to machines: scheduling and prioritizing, drafting emails and presentations, scanning for competitive threats, modeling strategic options, even running simulations of tough decisions to see possible outcomes. That leaves more time for the human parts of leadership: inspiring, motivating, listening, and coaching. But what if AI didnt just help your boss . . . what if it was your boss? Heres the case for and against replacing your manager with a machine, but feel free to differ (even if you arent a boss). The Pros of an AI Boss Smarter and more rationalAI doesnt get tired, distracted, or hangry. It makes decisions based on data rather than mood swings, personal grudges, or office politics. In theory, this could mean more consistent, merit-based decisions, and no favoritism for the loudest voice in the room. More predictableIf your boss is an algorithm, you know what to expect. No Monday-morning temper, no mysterious U-turns on strategic priorities. This predictability could reduce workplace stress and uncertainty. After all, people generally prefer working for managers who are reliable, predictable, and, well, quite boring (in a good way). Better at learning . . . and unlearningAI can ingest vast amounts of information, adjust to new patterns, and discard outdated assumptions far faster than most humans. Leaders often cling to what worked in the past; AI can pivot the moment the data says so. Note also that no amount of unconscious bias training will remove stereotypical and prejudiced inferences from the human mind (to be human is to be biased by deign). However, AI can be trained to unlearn human biases, paying attention to true signals of talent and performance while ignoring bias and noise. Cheaper than an executiveMany CEOs and senior leaders are expensive not just in salary but in perks, bonuses (in the U.S., executive compensation increased by an astonishing 1,085% over the past four decades, compared to just 24% for typical workers), and the political cost of bad decisions. An AI boss can be updated rather than bought out. Better at personalizationAn AI manager could tailor feedback, development plans, and even motivational tactics to each employees personality and working style, the way Netflix personalizes your watch list. Typical bosses dont like to personalize because it can evoke feelings of unfairness (this is why they often are against hybrid or flexible working arrangements, as opposed to forcing everybody to be in the office). Personalization requires thinking, planning, and evaluating actual employee output: things AI algorithms are good at but humans are not. If this sounds far-fetched, consider that millions of Uber drivers (and in fact any food-delivery app worker) already take their marching orders from an algorithm that sets prices, assigns rides, and rates performance. Warehouse workers at Amazon follow routes and pick lists generated by AI. Hedge funds and logistics firms use AI-driven systems to set priorities and allocate resources. And research is emerging that AI can outperform humans not only in repetitive decision-making but in certain aspects of strategy and innovation, such as identifying new market opportunities or optimizing supply chains. Oh, and if you wear an Oura ring or other wearable monitoring your health and fitness analytics you will know what it means to be bossed around by an AI well-being coach! The Cons of an AI Boss People crave human connectionYour robot spouse may never argue, but theres value in having someone to argue with. Leadership isnt just about efficiency; its about meaning, trust, and shared experience. Many employees want a boss who can empathize with their struggles and celebrate their wins. The employability problemIf AI took over leadership, what would all those executives do? The displacement of senior roles could ripple through organizations, creating a glut of ex-leaders looking for work in a market that doesnt need them. Granted, in past industrial revolutions short-term disruption to jobs (and especially tasks) eventually led to long-term periods of prosperity, which is what experts predict vis--vis AI. But this still implies some employment losses in the immediate term. Context and nuanceAI can be brilliant at pattern recognition but still miss cultural signals, ethical gray areas, or subtle interpersonal dynamics. An algorithm might optimize for productivity without realizing its creating burnout, not to mention inequality. Change resistancePeople may trust AI to recommend music or plan a commute, but trusting it to guide their careers, assess their performance, or decide who gets promoted is a bigger leap. The optics and politics of reporting to a machine could be messy. Ethical and bias risksAI is only as fair as the data and rules its built on. If trained on biased decision-making patterns, it can replicate and even amplify discrimination in promotions, pay, or workload allocation. Worse, AI decisions can be opaque, making it harder to challenge or even detect unfair treatment. This is why AI ethicists and teams governing AI with the highest ethical and legal standards are in such high-demand today. Accountability gapsWhen your boss is an algorithm, who do you appeal to if a decision is wrong or harmful? Without clear lines of responsibility, unethical or damaging outcomes could go unaddressed, or be endlessly passed between the system and the humans who manage it. Better than average isnt the same as greatAI might outperform the median boss (the distracted, biased, or mediocre manager) but its unlikely to surpass a truly exceptional leader who combines vision, emotional intelligence, and moral courage. Granted, the latter variant is rather rare. The Real Opportunity: Better Leaders, Not Fewer Leaders Rather than replace leaders wholesale, AI gives us a chance to rethink how we select and develop them. Imagine if AI could take on the routine, analytical, and administrative burden of leadership, freeing human leaders to focus on the qualities that machines cant replicate: empathy, inspiration, judgment under uncertainty, and the ability to build culture. We could also use AI to make better leadership appointments in the first place, predicting who has the personality traits and learning agility to thrive in the role, and giving them targeted development before they start. This could help end the cycle of promoting based on technical expertise or tenure rather than leadership potential. The best path forward may be a partnership: machines handling the logic, humans handling the meaning. Thats not just about efficiency; its about making leadership more human than it has been in years. So, would you replace your boss with AI? The answer may depend less on your faith in technology than on the quality of your current boss. If theyre great, youll want them augmented. If theyre terrible, you might be happy to let the algorithm take over. Either way, the leadership model is changing; and we shouldnt wait for AI to pick our next boss to start making it better.
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E-Commerce
Allbirds made a name for itself by making shoes out of natural fibers like wool and tree pulp that weren’t commonly used to make sneakers in the past. Today the company is stepping in a new direction with a shoe collection called Remix, which is made from a different material: trash. On the surface, the two Remix silhouettes look similar to other Allbirds sneakers: There’s the sporty-looking Runner, and the streetwear-inspired Cruiser. But their familiar exterior belies the fact that they’re actually made entirely from waste. The uppers are made from clothes destined for landfills; the soles are made from scraps of old shoes. And Allbirds is hoping that new materials can make the brand exciting again. The stumbling years Allbirds launched in 2016 and went public in 2021. But over the past three years, its revenues have plummeted. After its 2022 peak of $297.8 million, it generated only $189.8 million in revenue last year. The company is now trying to regain its footing. In March 2024, Allbirds promoted Joe Vernachio from the role of COO to CEO. Vernachio previously led Mountain Hardwear’s turnaround from losses to profitability, and believes he can do the same with Allbirds. Part of the plan involves shrinking the brand’s retail footprint to 21 stores this year from 43 in 2023. But it also involves introducing new and updated products while also telling a story about what the brand represents. The Remix collection encapsulates this strategy. Adrian Nyman, who was hired as the brand’s chief design officer last year, argues that one way to add some excitement to the collection is to branch out into new materials. “I believe we should open up the aperture of the brand by playing with different materials,” he says. “As long as we’re holding true to our commitment to sustainability, we owe the consumer as many permutations of this brand as possible.” That said, given our current moment of economic and political turbulence, many consumers aren’t focused on environmentalism right now. So we’ll have to wait and see how well the Remix collection resonates in the market. Cruiser [Photo: Allbirds] A Shoe That Tells a Story When Allbirds launched a decade ago, the impact of climate change was beginning to sink in, as natural disasters became more frequent. Consumers started to show interest in brands’ environmental practices, which is why many of the startups that popped up during that eraincluding Reformation and Everlanefocused on an eco-friendly approach. But times have changed. According to McKinsey, many brands have seen softer sales over the past two years due to inflation; this has resulted in many of them scaling back their sustainability pledges. Footwear brands across the industry are rolling back their commitment to fight climate change: Nike has laid off dozens of sustainability managers as part of a broader cost-cutting effort, and Crocs has reset its net-zero carbon emissions goal from 2030 to 2040. Nyman says that many consumers appear to be less focused on the planet than they used to be. But he also says it would be a mistake for Allbirdswhich was founded as a sustainable brandto pull back on its commitments to the environment. “Consumers may be distracted right now, and in a bit of a fever dream, but I think the pendulum will swing and people will wake up,” he says. “When that happens we need to show that we stayed the course and remained true to our original charter.” The design team at Allbirds has been thinking about how to expand beyond its portfolio of materials, specifically into the world of recycled materials, which are now more sophisticated than ever. The big shoe brands have experimented with designs made from recycled plastic, such as Nike, with sneakers made using scraps from factory floors, and Adidas, with footwear made from ocean-bound plastic. The startup Rothy’s makes shoes from recycled bottles. But Allbirds wanted to try something different and create shoes using recycled lyocell (sometimes referred to by its brand name, Tencel), which is derived from cellulose, the building block of natural materials like cotton and tree pulp. [Photo: Allbirds] It made sense to partner with Circ, now a leader in textile-to-textile recycling. Circ, which launched in 2011, has developed the technology to break down polyester, cotton, or a blend of the two into its component materials. It then spins these materials into new polyester and lyocell fibers, which it sells to brands. Now its investing in large factories to do the work at scale. It has a factory in Danville, Virginia, and recently announced a $500 million investment to build a new factory in France that will open in 2028. But to ensure these factories stay in business, Circ needs brands to buy its recycled fabric at scale. Circ has partnered with high-fashion labels like Christian Siriano and mass-market brands like Zara to create garments from recycled fibers. To keep growing its customer bse, Circ is keen to illustrate that its materials can also be used to make shoes. According to Peter Majeranowski, Circ cofounder and CEO, fibers used in shoes need to be stronger than those used in garments. Circ transformed the lyocell into filaments, which are much longer than yarn and are therefore less likely to break. The company then used a weaving technique that ensures the fabric is thick but also has some stretch. “Performance footwear has the highest technical standards,” he says. “It was important for us to showcase our technology to illustrate that you can create a filament that is good enough to go into sneakers.” Allbirds also partnered with Blumaka, a company that collects foam waste that is discarded during the production of sneakers and transforms it into foam soles. Some companies transform old soles into furniture; since 1992, Nike has used old foam scraps to make Grind, a material that is used on everything from running tracks to playground flooring. But here, the old foam in shoes is used to make new foam soles, creating a more circular system. For Nyman, this is a way to not only demonstrate the brand’s commitment to sustainability but also create an interesting design twist that he hopes spurs new interest in the brand. “Sustainability doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game, where you have to give up comfort, functionality, or fashion,” he says. “We want to create a product that excites the customer aesthetically.”
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E-Commerce
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