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The U.S. economy contracted for the first time in three years, an initial measurement by the Commerce Department revealed on Wednesday. During the first quarter of President Trump’s return to office, the gross domestic product (GDP) shrunk at an annual rate of 0.3%. The economic decline follows a 2.4% growth for the last quarter in 2024. Additionally, personal consumption fell from the last quarter, increasing by a 1.8% annualized rate in comparison to the previous 4% rate. While the GDP measurements reflect data from January to March of this year, Trump has taken to social media to blame his predecessor, former president Joe Biden, for the economic decline. “This is Bidens Stock Market, not Trumps,” Trump said via Truth Social. “This will take a while, has NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS, only that he left us with bad numbers.” Economists left surprised by contraction The economic shrink was fueled in part to “an increase in imports” and a “decrease in government spending,” the advanced estimate said. The decline comes as a surprise, with economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal having anticipated a 0.4% growth. A volatile and uncertain economic landscape leading up to the report has already led various companies to adjust or withdraw their economic forecasts for 2025. Proctor & Gamble, PepsiCo, and Chipotle lowered their economic forecasts, citing volatility and changing consumer habits. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines withdrew their full-year guidance for 2025. Major stock indexes were lower on Wednesday as investors absorbed the unpleasant news: The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite were respectively down 0.74%, 1.05%, and 1.51% in late-morning trading.
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E-Commerce
Have you ever used ChatGPT to draft a work email? Perhaps to summarise a report, research a topic or analyse data in a spreadsheet? If so, you certainly arent alone. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are rapidly transforming the world of work. Released today, our global study of more than 32,000 workers from 47 countries shows that 58% of employees intentionally use AI at workwith a third using it weekly or daily. Most employees who use it say theyve gained some real productivity and performance benefits from adopting AI tools. However, a concerning number are using AI in highly risky wayssuch as uploading sensitive information into public tools, relying on AI answers without checking them, and hiding their use of it. Theres an urgent need for policies, training and governance on responsible use of AI, to ensure it enhancesnot undermineshow work is done. Our research We surveyed 32,352 employees in 47 countries, covering all global geographical regions and occupational groups. Most employees report performance benefits from AI adoption at work. These include improvements in: efficiency (67%) information access (61%) innovation (59%) work quality (58%). These findings echo prior research demonstrating AI can drive productivity gains for employees and organisations. We found general-purpose generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are by far the most widely used. About 70% of employees rely on free, public tools, rather than AI solutions provided by their employer (42%). However, almost half the employees we surveyed who use AI say they have done so in ways that could be considered inappropriate (47%) and even more (63%) have seen other employees using AI inappropriately. Sensitive information One key concern surrounding AI tools in the workplace is the handling of sensitive company informationsuch as financial, sales or customer information. Nearly half (48%) of employees have uploaded sensitive company or customer information into public generative AI tools, and 44% admit to having used AI at work in ways that go against organisational policies. This aligns with other research showing 27% of content put into AI tools by employees is sensitive. Check your answer We found complacent use of AI is also widespread, with 66% of respondents saying they have relied on AI output without evaluating it. It is unsurprising then that a majority (56%) have made mistakes in their work due to AI. Younger employees (aged 18-34 years) are more likely to engage in inappropriate and complacent use than older employees (aged 35 or older). This carries serious risks for organisations and employees. Such mistakes have already led to well-documented cases of financial loss, reputational damage, and privacy breaches. About a third (35%) of employees say the use of AI tools in their workplace has increased privacy and compliance risks. Shadow AI use When employees arent transparent about how they use AI, the risks become even more challenging to manage. We found most employees have avoided revealing when they use AI (61%), presented AI-generated content as their own (55%), and used AI tools without knowing if it is allowed (66%). This invisible or shadow AI use doesnt just exacerbate risksit also severely hampers an organisations ability to detect, manage, and mitigate risks. A lack of training, guidance and governance appears to be fuelling this complacent use. Despite their prevalence, only a third of employees (34%) say their organisation has a policy guiding the use of generative AI tools, with 6% saying their organisation bans it. Pressure to adopt AI may also fuel complacent use, with half of employees fearing they will be left behind if they do not. Better literacy and oversight Collectively, our findings reveal a significant gap in the governance of AI tools and an urgent need for organisations to guide and manage how employees use them in their everyday work. Addressing this will require a proactive and deliberate approach. Investing in responsible AI training and developing employees AI literacy is key. Our modelling shows self-reported AI literacyincluding training, knowledge, and efficacypredicts not only whether employees adopt AI tools but also whether they critically engage with them. This includes how well they verify the tools output, and consider their limitations before making decisions. We found AI literacy is also associated with greater trust in AI use at work and more performance benefits from its use. Despite this, less than half of employees (47%) report having received AI training or related education. Organisations also need to put in place clear policies, guidelines and guardrails, systems of accountability and oversight, and data privacy and security measures. There are many resources to help organisations develop robust AI governance systems and support responsible AI use. The right culture On top of this, its crucial to create a psychologically safe work environment, where employees feel comfortable to share how and when they are using AI tools. The benefits of such a culture go beyond better oversight and risk management. It is also central to developing a culture of shared learning and experimentation that supports responsible diffusion of AI use and innovation. AI has the potential to improve the way we work. But it takes an AI-literate workforce, robust governance and clear guidance, and a culture that supports safe, transparent and accountable use. Without these elements, AI becomes just another unmanaged liability. Nicole Gillespie is a professor of management and chair in trust at Melbourne Business School. Steven Lockey is a postdoctoral research fellow at Melbourne Business School. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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E-Commerce
Every friend group has one person whos always running late. If you cant think of one, chances are you’re that friend. Now, a newly launched app called Lately is here to help you stay on time for everything from meetings to dinner plans. Created by developer Erik MacInnis, Lately sends users timely nudges30, 10, and five minutes before it’s time to leave. As the self-acknowledged late one in his friend group, MacInnis tells Fast Company that the idea for Lately struck during a fishing trip gone wrong. He had assumed it would take 20 minutes to get there, got sidetracked by replying to emails, left five minutes late, and the drive ended up taking 30. When I arrived, my friend was understandably annoyed and I literally said out loud, I need something where I can just input when and where I need to be and it makes sure I leave on time. At the time I was looking for a new idea, and I was like thats it. To help users stay on track, Lately turns punctuality into a game, featuring a point-based reward system and four difficulty levels. To tackle time blindness and time optimism, Lately is working to leverage every tool it can to keep the user aware of when to leave, says MacInnis. That includes a countdown, watch app, and smart notifications. His favorite feature? The lock screen progress bar. It’s readily visible, intuitive, and eliminates the need for any mental math, he adds. If its not close to the end, I can relax and if its almost full, I have to get going. Time management can be especially tough for those with attention deficit disorder (ADHD or ADD). Everyone runs late now and then, but for people with ADHD, it can become a definingand frustratingtrait. Timers, alarms, and productivity apps are essential tools, and now theres one more to add to the arsenal. Lately is currently available on iOS, with an Android version in development. A premium subscription unlocks bonus features for $3 a month or $10 a yearfor those looking to take their punctuality to the next level. MacInnis also plans to launch a social feature called Lately Friends, which will automatically notify friends when a user leaves, is five minutes away, and when they arrive. This has been the most requested feature, he adds.
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E-Commerce
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