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In a world of endless pings, scrolls, and streams, digital burnout has become a modern malaise. Particularly for Gen Z, whose lives have played out almost entirely online, theres now a growing hunger for something more grounded. In fact, 69% of 1824-year-olds now shop in-store weeklya striking shift back to the physical, the real, the tangible. This isnt a rejection of tech, but a rebalancing. For brands its a fundamental recalibration of what connection really means. Its both a challenge and a golden opportunity to deliver a life-led response to digital fatigue, and to become facilitators of meaningful moments in peoples lives. So, how can they do it? How can they create physical spaces that help people reconnect with themselves, with each other, and with the world around them? Retail as a Remedy, Not Just a Transaction It begins with a recognition that today’s consumers want more than shelves and sales. They want stories. Spaces that reflect their values, spark curiosity, and invite participation. Retail can no longer be passiveit must provoke. This starts with intentional design. Sustainability isn’t a nice-to-haveits a nonnegotiable. From ethical materials to platforms that elevate underrepresented voices, physical stores are a powerful stage for a brands values to be seen and felt. Think of Wingstops informal spaces for teenagers, or Raphas cycling clubhousesplaces with a purpose, not just a product. Community is the New Currency People arent just buying thingstheyre buying into tribes. And the most successful brands are those creating reasons for people to gather. From cooking classes to craft clubs, physical spaces can be reimagined as community hubs that foster identity and belonging. The brief? Create spaces where people want to linger, learn, leave their phones alone for five minutes. Maybe even make a friend. The Offline Club is showing whats possible here. Already established in Amsterdam as a place to disconnect from electronic devices, the concept recently launched in London, and hundreds of people flocked to unwind, engage in creative activities, and form meaningful in-person connections without digital distractions. Play as Protest, and Joy as Connection The exact nature of that purpose or community varies by brandsand crucially should feel authentic to that brand. For some this will be about play. In uncertain times, play isnt trivialits transformative. From the Balloon Museum to ball pit bars, were seeing a resurgence of immersive, childlike wonder. But the best examples go deeper, using play to spark connection and creativity. LEGOs Botanical Truck Tour is a brilliant exampleflorist workshops on wheels, where people can build, share, and display their own Lego floral creations. Its playful, meditative, and deeply social. A brand moment thats not about screensits about presence. More brands could lean into joy as a design principle, and in doing so, they could create spaces that cant be replicated on a screen. Mindfulness, but Make it Matter For others, the focus is on wellness. As with play, wellness cant be bolted onit has to be baked in. Todays consumers are seeking brands that help them feel better, not just look better. That might mean sensory spaces, quiet zones, or experiences that invite reflection and presence. Take HOKAs Run, Stop, Corner Shopa place for runners to recharge body and mind. Or imagine Urban Outfitters offering mental health workshops for Gen Z. Its not about becoming a wellness brandits about becoming a better human brand. Post-Digital, Deeply Human Yes, AI and AR are redefining experience. But the goal isnt to dazzleits to deepen. Virtual try-ons, AI beauty consultations, and frictionless checkout should exist not to replace people, but to enhance their time together. Sides, a fried chicken brand by YouTube collective The Sidemen, does this beautifully. We designed interiors that feature LED tickers showing live social content, connecting digital community with real-life vibe. This is tech as connective tissue, not wallpaper.The future of retail isnt screen-freeits meaning-full. Its about designing experiences that offer real reasons to return. Spaces that recharge us. Experiences that anchor us. In the face of digital burnout, people arent running away from tech. Theyre running towards connectionwith themselves, their people, and the planet. The brands that respond with intention, imagination, and integrity? Theyll be the ones shaping not just what we buy, but how we live.
Category:
E-Commerce
Back in 2008, The Atlantic sparked controversy with a provocative cover story: Is Google Making Us Stupid? In that 4,000-word essay, later expanded into a book, author Nicholas Carr suggested the answer was yes, arguing that technology such as search engines worsened Americans ability to think deeply and retain knowledge. At the core of Carrs concern was the idea that people no longer needed to remember or learn facts when they could instantly look them up online. While there might be some truth to this, search engines still require users to use critical thinking to interpret and contextualize the results. Fast-forward to today, and an even more profound technological shift is taking place. With the rise of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, internet users arent just outsourcing memorythey may be outsourcing thinking itself. Generative AI tools dont just retrieve information; they can create, analyze, and summarize it. This represents a fundamental shift: Arguably, generative AI is the first technology that could replace human thinking and creativity. That raises a critical question: Is ChatGPT making us stupid? As a professor of information systems whos been working with AI for more than two decades, Ive watched this transformation firsthand. And as many people increasingly delegate cognitive tasks to AI, I think its worth considering what exactly were gaining and what we are at risk of losing. AI and the Dunning-Kruger effect Generative AI is changing how people access and process information. For many, its replacing the need to sift through sources, compare viewpoints, and wrestle with ambiguity. Instead, AI delivers clear, polished answers within seconds. While those results may or may not be accurate, they are undeniably efficient. This has already led to big changes in how we work and think. But this convenience may come at a cost. When people rely on AI to complete tasks and think for them, they may be weakening their ability to think critically, solve complex problems, and engage deeply with information. Although research on this point is limited, passively consuming AI-generated content may discourage intellectual curiosity, reduce attention spans and create a dependency that limits long-term cognitive development. To better understand this risk, consider the Dunning-Kruger effect. This is the phenomenon in which people who are the least knowledgeable and competent tend to be the most confident in their abilities, because they dont know what they dont know. In contrast, more competent people tend to be less confident. This is often because they can recognize the complexities they have yet to master. This framework can be applied to generative AI use. Some users may rely heavily on tools such as ChatGPT to replace their cognitive effort, while others use it to enhance their capabilities. In the former case, they may mistakenly believe they understand a topic because they can repeat AI-generated content. In this way, AI can artificially inflate ones perceived intelligence while actually reducing cognitive effort. This creates a divide in how people use AI. Some remain stuck on the peak of Mount Stupid, using AI as a substitute for creativity and thinking. Others use it to enhance their existing cognitive capabilities. In other words, what matters isnt whether a person uses generative AI, but how. If used uncritically, ChatGPT can lead to intellectual complacency. Users may accept its output without questioning assumptions, seeking alternative viewpoints, or conducting deeper analysis. But when used as an aid, it can become a powerful tool for stimulating curiosity, generating ideas, clarifying complex topics, and provoking intellectual dialogue. The difference between ChatGPT making us stupid or enhancing our capabilities rests in how we use it. Generative AI should be used to augment human intelligence, not replace it. That means using ChatGPT to support inquiry, not to shortcut it. It means treating AI responses as the beginning of thought, not the end. AI, thinking, and the future of work The mass adoption of generative AI, led by the explosive rise of ChatGPT (it reached 100 million users within two months of its release) has, in my view, left internet users at a crossroads. One path leads to intellectual decline: a world where we let AI do the thinking for us. The other offers an opportunity: to expand our brainpower by working in tandem with AI, leveraging its power to enhance our own. Its often said that AI wont take your job, but someone using AI will. But it seems clear to me that people who use AI to replace their own cognitive abilities will be stuck at the peak of Mount Stupid. These AI users will be the easiest to replace. Its those who take the augmented approach to AI use who will reach the path of enlightenment, working together with AI to produce results that neither is capable of producing alone. This is where the future of work will eventually go. This essay started with the question of whether ChatGPT will make us stupid, but Id like to end with a different question: How will we use ChatGPT to make us smarter? The answers to both questions depend not on the tool but on users. Aaron French is an assistant professor of information systems at Kennesaw State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Category:
E-Commerce
On todays episode, hosts Josh Christensen and Yaz Gagne are joined by journalist and author Megan Greenwell to discuss her new book, ‘Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream.’ Greenwell explores how private equity firms often prioritize profits over the long-term health of businesses and what that means for workers, consumers, and the economy.
Category:
E-Commerce
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