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Continuing from the year of yeehaw, professional bull riding is having a moment on TikTok. Since the beginning of this year, Professional Bull Riding (PBR)the largest bull riding league in the worldhas gained 650,000 followers across its social media platforms, Mashable recently reported. Thats just 200,000 fewer than they gained throughout all of 2024. Mitch Ladner, PBRs social media lead, told Mashables Christianna Silva that most of this growth comes from followers between the ages of 18 and 35. On PBRs TikTok, which is nearing 3 million followers, many recent videos tap into viral trends and audiowith a cowboy twist. Aligning our chakras, one caption reads, but instead of a sound bowl, its a can of Monster Energy and a meat stick. Whoever is in charge of your page is so Gen Z chronically online coded, and I LOVE IT, reads a comment beneath a recent video. The sport itselfwith rides lasting a maximum of eight secondswas practically built for short-form video. The goal is simple: Stay on the bull using just one hand and both legs (touching the bull with the second hand means disqualification). Now its finding fresh traction with a new TikTok audience. Cowboy culture, too, is enjoying a broader resurgence. From fashion trends like coastal cowgirl and cowboy core to Beyoncés Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album and tour, 2024 earned its year of yeehaw nickname. Today, cowboy hats and boots are everywhere. Pinterest reported an 8,700% spike in searches for country glam in 2024, while searches for Western style outfits rose 418%. A RealReal report also showed searches for vintage Levis denim and fringed leather up nearly 70%. Still, we may not have hit peak cowboy. In January, a PBR event sold out Madison Square Garden for three consecutive daysthe first time in nearly 20 years, according to Mashable. Founded in 1992, PBR is leaning into its Gen Z moment. “Our mantra is: Be cowboy,” PBR CEO and Commissioner Sean Gleason told Mashable. “It doesn’t matter where you live, what you drive, how you dress, the color of your skin, or your gender. If you live honestly with integrity, hard work, and an appreciation for the history and heritage of America, you’re a cowboy.”
Category:
E-Commerce
The average person changes jobs every two years and nine months, according to a survey by the career advice website Career Sidekick. If you work for 40 years, that translates to about 15 jobsand 15 resignations. While the conversation can feel difficult, its important to be thoughtful about how you say goodbye, says Melody Wilding, author of Managing Up: How to Get What you Need from the People in Charge and human behavior professor at Hunter College in New York City. A lot of people boomerang back to a company, team, or manager in a fairly short time, says Wilding, who is also a contributor to Fast Company. Having strong relationships with leaders and colleagues could also be a good for getting a reference, LinkedIn recommendation, or referrals to new roles. Delivering a resignation, however, can involve heightened emotions. Resentment, frustration, burnout, and fatigue may have caused you to seek a new role or company, yet you likely have a desire for civil, diplomatic, and tactful conversation, says Wilding. Sometimes those two things can be at odds, she says. You’re not only dealing with your own emotions, but you’re also trying to project other people’s reactions. Is my boss going to be upset or ask that I leave right away? The desire to get [the conversation] right and secure your future can put pressure on you. Do the pre-work Wilding advises doing some pre-work before you deliver the news that you’re quitting. Be ready that the reaction may not be positive, especially if youre involved in sensitive work, she says. They may say, Thanks for your two-week notice, but actually you can be done today, she says. Before you exit a team and possibly lose access to your work, Wilding recommends taking stock of what youve achieved in your role. This isnt about stealing anything that’s company IP or proprietary, she says. Its updating your résumé, putting together a case study that you may want to reference in the future, updating your LinkedIn profile, and writing some posts based on what you did while you still have access to all of it. Next, put together a transition plan. While it sounds intimidating, it simply needs to be a rundown of your projects and their stages. You could also put together a guide for standard operating procedures, about how you do certain things. Wilding suggests including contact information or different stakeholders so the person who assumes the job can easily take over. Putting together a transition plan is valuable because it shows that youre thoughtful and solution-oriented, says Wilding. Prepare for the conversation After youve done the pre-work, prepare for the conversation, which should be done in person and not through a written platform, says Wilding. Virtual can be fine over Zoom, but you want it to be in real time so the person can hear your tone of voice, and your sincerity can come through, she says. Too much can be lost over email or messenger. A good rule for managing up is to not let the people above you be negatively surprised, and it applies to leaving, too. Wilding says if you go into your one-on-one and the news completely sideswipes your manager because they didn’t see this coming, they’re probably going to have a much stronger negative reaction. Instead, set the stage by saying, Today in our one-on-one, I’d like to put aside five or 10 minutes to give you an important update that I have. At least they know something’s coming, says Wilding. You don’t have to disclose I’m telling you that I’m leaving, but you can say, I wanted to discuss my trajectory here or I want to talk about my next steps in the organization. It gives them a heads up that can be crucial. Skip to the chase Most people feel some nerves when they share news that theyre leaving. While it can be tempting to make small talk, Wilding recommends fighting that tendency and jumping to the chase. Frame it from your perspective, she says. You can say, I’ve made the hard choice that it’s time for me to move on. [This date] will be my last day in this role. You can be honest and say, This wasn’t an easy decision for me or I thought about this a lot. I know it will be hard for the team. You don’t have to apologize. Keep it focused on your situation and what is right for you and your career. This isnt time to have a feedback conversation about the difficulties in the role, adds Wilding. Break the news and focus on moving forward, she says. Next, talk about how you will transition out of the role and leave the team in a good place. Having your transition plan ready provides the perfect tool for refocusing the conversation if it starts to get emotional. If they say, How could you do this? This is such terrible timing, you can say, I understand, and that is not my intention. What I think would be helpful is if we focus on how we implement this plan, says Wilding. It gives you something tangible to keep circling back to. Its important that you feel emotionally grounded going into this conversation, adds Wilding. This is not the type of conversation you want to squeeze between two other meetings, when you may be rushing from one thing to the next, she says. Also, dont feel like you need to keep talking. When we get uncomfortable, we tend to over explain, says Wilding. If you’ve had a good experience, you can say, I’ve enjoyed my time here. If it wasnt the greatest experience, you can say, I’ve learned a lot from my experience here, which is true even if you work somewhere where it’s been difficult. Then say, On this date, I’ll be moving to this company or this new team and then be quiet. When we inject strategic silence into a conversation, it projects more confidence than just rambling. Think about external communications It’s also important that you shape the narrative that’s being told about why you’re leaving and make sure its an accurate story instead of letting people fill in the gaps. Ask to be part of the communication roll out, especially if you have clients, vendors, or cross-functional partners that need to be notified, says Wilding. Ideally, hand over a transition message, says Wilding. Or, at the very least, be proactive about saying to your manager and HR that you want to be part of that communication. Wilding also recommends writing a post aout what you learned during your time there or gratitude for your team. You can use that as a jumping off point to share what you’re doing next. Throughout the process, keep your interactions healthy and strong, says Wilding. In most industries, it’s a very small world, she says. Dont bad mouth anyone. Even if you don’t end up working directly with the same people, you may have shared colleagues who come up in conversation. Put things in the past and move on. You want to be able to have a network of weak ties for the future so you can reach out for a referral, expand your network, and provide references or recommendations for others.
Category:
E-Commerce
Scam calls are turning the world on its head. The Global Anti-Scam Alliance estimates that scammers stole a staggering $1.03 trillion globally in 2023, including losses from online fraud and scam calls. Robocalls and phone scams have long been a frustratingand often dangerousproblem for consumers. Now, artificial intelligence is elevating the threat, making scams more deceptive, efficient, and harder to detect. While Eric Priezkalns, an analyst and editor at Commsrisk, believes the impact of AI on scam calls is currently exaggerated, he notes that the use of AI by scammers is focused on producing fake content, which looks real or on varying the content in messages designed to lure potential victims into malicious conversations. Varying the content makes it much more difficult to identify and block scams using traditional anti-scam controls, he tells Fast Company. From AI-generated deepfake voices that mimic loved ones to large-scale fraud operations that use machine learning to evade detection, bad actors are exploiting AI to supercharge these scam calls. The big question is: How can the telecom industry combat this problem head-on before fraudsters wreak even more havoc? SCAMMERS ARE UPGRADING THEIR PLAYBOOK WITH AI Until recently, phone scams mostly relied on crude robocallsprerecorded messages warning recipients about an urgent financial issue or a supposed problem with their Social Security number. These tactics, while persistent, were often easy to recognize. But todays AI-powered scams are far more convincing. One of the most alarming developments is the use of AI-generated voices, which make scams feel disturbingly personal. In a chilling case from April 2023, a mother in Arizona received a desperate call from what sounded exactly like her daughter, sobbing and pleading for help. A scammer, posing as a kidnapper, demanded ransom money. In reality, the daughter was safethe criminals had used AI to clone her voice from a social media video. These scams, known as voice cloning fraud, have surged in recent months. With just a few seconds of audio, AI tools can now create an eerily realistic digital clone of a persons voice, enabling fraudsters to impersonate friends, family members, or even executives in corporate scams. Scammers are also using AI to analyze vast amounts of data and fine-tune their schemes with chilling precision. Machine learning algorithms can sift through public informationsocial media posts, online forums, and data breachesto craft hyper-personalized scam calls. Instead of a generic IRS or tech support hoax, fraudsters can now target victims with specific details about their purchases, travel history, or even medical conditions. AI is also enhancing caller ID spoofing, allowing scammers to manipulate phone numbers to appear as if they are coming from local businesses, government agencies, or even a victims own contacts. This increases the likelihood that people will pick up, making scam calls harder to ignore. TELECOMS COUNTEROFFENSIVE: AI VS. AI As fraudsters sharpen their AI tools, telecom companies and regulators are fighting back with artificial intelligence of their owndeploying advanced systems to detect, trace, and block malicious calls before they ever reach consumers. 1. Call authentication and AI-based fraud detection To combat spoofing, telecom carriers are leveraging AI-powered voice analysis and authentication technologies. In the U.S., the STIR/SHAKEN framework uses cryptographic signatures to verify that calls originate from legitimate sources. But as scammers quickly adapt, AI-driven fraud detection is becoming essential. Machine learning models trained on billions of call patterns can analyze real-time metadata to flag anomaliessuch as sudden spikes in calls from specific regions or numbers linked to known scams. These AI systems can even detect subtle acoustic markers typical of deepfake-generated voices, helping stop fraudulent calls before they connect. 2. Carrier-level call filtering and blocking Major telecom providers are embedding AI-powered call filtering directly into their networks. AT&Ts Call Protect, T-Mobiles Scam Shield, and Verizons Call Filter all use AI to spot suspicious patterns and block high-risk calls before they reach users. The GSMAs Call Check and International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF) solutions also provide real-time call protection by verifying legitimacy and combating calling line identity spoofing. For context, GSMAs IRSF Prevention leverages first-party International Premium Rate Numbers (IPRN) data and an advanced OSINT (open-source intelligence) platform to deliver real-time, actionable fraud intelligence. It tracks over 20 million IPRNs, hijacked routes, and targeted networkshelping telecoms proactively combat IRSF and Wangiri fraud. 3. AI-powered voice biometrics for caller verification Another promising line of defense against AI-generated fraud is voice biometrics. Some financial institutions and telecom providers are deploying voice authentication systems that analyze more than 1,000 unique vocal characteristics to verify a callers identity. Unlike basic voice recognition, these advanced systems can detect when an AI-generated voice is being usedeffectively preventing fraudsters from impersonating legitimate customers. REGULATORS ARE CRACKING DOWN, BUT IS IT ENOUGH? Its one thing to tighten regulations and stiffen penaltiessomething many government agencies around the world are already doingbut effectively enforcing those regulations is a different ball game altogether. In the U.S., for example, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has ramped up penalties for illegal robocalls and is pushing carriers to adopt stricter AI-powered defenses. The TRACED (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence) Act, signed into law in 2019, gives regulators more power to fine scammers and mandates stronger anti-spoofing measures. Internationally, regulators in the U.K., Canada, and Australia are working on similar AI-driven frameworks to protect consumers from rising fraud. The European Union has introduced stricter data privacy laws, limiting how AI can be used to harvest personal data for scam operations. However, enforcement struggles to keep pace with the speed of AI innovation. Scammers operate globally, often beyond the jurisdiction of any single regulator. Many fraud rings are based in countries where legal action is dificultif not nearly impossible. Take, for example, countries like Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, where organized crime groups have established cyber scam centers that use AI-powered deepfakes to deceive victims worldwide. Operators in these scam centers frequently relocate or shift tactics to stay ahead of law enforcement. They also operate in regions with complex jurisdictional challenges, further complicating enforcement. Scammers thrive on fragmentation and exploit vulnerabilitieswhether thats a lack of industry coordination or differing regulatory approaches across borders. These regulatory bottlenecks underscore why telecom providers must take a more proactive role in combating AI-driven fraud, rather than relying solely on traditional frameworks whichwhile helpfulare not always efficient. Thats where the GSMA Call Check technology, developed by German telecom solutions provider Oculeus, could play a vital role. The GSMAs Call Check services provide a simple, fast and low-cost mechanism for the exchange of information about scam phone calls as they occur. This technology is rooted in the cloud, making it future-proof and global in a way that other methods being contemplated by some nations will never be, Commsrisk‘s Priezkalns says. FAR FROM OVER Without question, the battle against AI-powered scams is far from over. As former FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel noted last year: We know that AI technologies will make it cheap and easy to flood our networks with deepfakes used to mislead and betray trust. The good news is that the telecom industry isnt backing down. While scammers are using AI to deceive unsuspecting individuals, the industry is also leveraging AI to protect customers and their sensitive datathrough automated call screening, real-time fraud detection, and enhanced authentication measures. But according to Priezkalns, technology alone isnt enough to protect people. For him, deterrencedriven by the legal prosecution of scammersis just as important as technological solutions. It needs to be used in conjunction with law enforcement agencies that proactively arrest scammers and legal systems that ensure scammers are punished for their crimes, he says. One thing is certain: Scammers and scams arent going away anytime soon. As Priezkalns points out, people will continue to fall for scams even with high-intensity public awareness training. But as AI continues to evolve, the telecom industry must stay a step aheadensuring it becomes a force for protection, not deception. And with tools like the GSMAs Call Check, that future is within reach.
Category:
E-Commerce
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