We’ve found one more reason to fight back against return-to-office mandates: More and more remote workers are reportedly requesting accommodations from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Over the last few years, companies around the world have been insistent on getting employees back in the office, despite the majority of work from home productivity stats showing that the employee perk is good for business.

As a result, remote workers have done what they can — from petitions to walk-outs — to keep their flexible schedules intact. Now, ADA requests are on the rise.

ADA Requests Are Up for Second Year in a Row

According to a report from AbsenceSoft, titled 2025 State of Leave and Accommodations, ADA requests have risen for the second year in a row, with 60% of HR professionals stating that they saw an increase. Even more substantial, of those that said they saw an increase, 62% said the increase was by more than 21%.

The most common accommodation was remote work, with 51% of requests specially asking to work from home. On top of that, 46% were requesting intermittent leave or reduced schedules.

Given the fact that RTO mandates started hitting headlines with gusto just a few short years ago, this massive influx of ADA requests may simply be part of the pushback.

However, an increase in long-term disabilities is also what we’d expect to see if studies highlighting the negative long-term effects of Covid-19 are correct, given that everyone and their mother has caught the bug a handful of times by now. Much like those caring for young kids or elderly parents, those with disabilities need to work remotely to maintain flexible schedules, avoid burnout, and care for themselves.

Is Remote Work Even Covered by the ADA?

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the government agency in charge of enforcing the ADA, businesses are not required to provide remote work to all employees. However, if you offer any remote work positions, you “must allow employees with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in such a program.”

“Not all persons with disabilities need — or want — to work at home. And not all jobs can be performed at home. But, allowing an employee to work at home may be a reasonable accommodation where the person’s disability prevents successfully performing the job on-site and the job, or parts of the job, can be performed at home without causing significant difficulty or expense.” – US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Subsequently, there are scenarios in which an employee may be entitled to work from home, if they meet the requirements and go through the proper channels to get them approved.

How to Manage ADA Requests As a Business

The language in the ADA dictates that businesses must provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, as long as it doesn’t cause “undue hardship.” That kind of vague language obviously leads to some subjective interpretation, so how should you business approach these kinds of requests?

The best place to start is a good faith discussion with your employees. Flexible schedules can make life infinitely easier for your staff, and if productivity isn’t dropping, abiding by these requests could do a lot to improve employee satisfaction.

Our Impact on Technology in the Workplace report even found that business providing remote work have higher employee retention and increased revenue, which makes this accommodation a bit of a no-brainer.

AI isn’t ready to take over all the jobs just yet, with a recent experiment demonstrating that a fake company run exclusively by AI agents would have, at best, a 24% rate of success.

Since the ChatGPT-fueled AI boom, the business world has been abuzz with talk of AI taking people’s jobs. Even Bill Gates came out and said that, in just 10 years, the majority of jobs will be obsolete.

That time definitely isn’t here yet, though, with researchers putting the theory to the test with disastrous results.

Researchers Created a Fake Company Staffed Entirely by AI Agents

The experiment from Carnegie Mellon, reported first by Business Insider, saw professors from the esteemed university creating a fake company run by different AI models from companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google.

The AI models were then instructed to complete tasks that employees in a small software startup would need to accomplish, like analyzing spreadsheet data, conducting performance reviews, and picking a new office space.

The fake company in question, called TheAgentCompany, was then evaluated based on how effective it was at accomplishing these basic tasks, and if you can believe it, the company was an absolute mess.

The Fake Company Staffed by AI Was a Disaster

The experiment from Carnegie Mellon showed that AI simply isn’t ready to take over the business world, with not a single model able to achieve even a moderate level of success when it comes to running a business without human intervention.

Claude from Anthropic was the highest performing AI model in the research, accomplishing just 24% of the jobs it was tasked with. Other models, like Gemini from Google and ChatGPT from OpenAI fared even worse, achieving approximately a 10% success rate on requested tasks. The worst performing AI model was Nova from Amazon, which only accomplished 1.7% of jobs.

To make matters worse, the study found that these AI-powered companies were not only inefficient but problematically expensive, with each task averaging a cost of about $6. Considering each job was averaging approximately 30 tasks to be accomplished, those numbers could really stack up.

Why Isn’t AI Ready for Business Autonomy?

The new era of AI has certainly show serious potential over the last few years, but there are some clear AI shortcomings that will likely prevent it from running a business on its own for a long time. Because of an inherent lack of common sense, the technology runs into some borderline embarrassing problems when it doesn’t have human intervention.

The clearest example from this experiment was the AI model’s inability to access a file containing important data needed to assign projects to other “employees.” An unexpected pop-up hampered the simple task, soliciting IT requests and eventually abandoning the task entirely.

Any human would have easily recognized that by simply pressing the small X in the upper right hand corner of the pop-up ad, you could move on and accomplish the task. But alas, without common sense and a history of internet use, AI was unable to get the job done on its own.

Yes, big tech is investing in AI like crazy, lording its potential as a complete gamechanger for everyone on the planet. And while the environmental effects will certainly impact all of us, this experiment shows that we’re still quite far from a world where humans are no longer required to keep the wheels from falling off.

Intel has announced a change in its remote work policy that now requires workers to come into the office four days a week, rather than three. The change was announced by new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who also revealed further changes to the company, which could see 20% of Intel’s workforce laid off.

The technology company joins the ranks of many others who are now issuing return-to-office (RTO) mandates, following the worldwide adoption of hybrid working after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, Google loosely warned remote workers that their jobs may be impacted by layoffs, and IBM employees have been told they must come into the office at least three times per week.

Remote working, however, comes with numerous benefits, the most highly cited being employee satisfaction and increased productivity. Luckily, it doesn’t seem as if Intel is working as part of a wider trend to bring workers back into offices.

Intel Staff Now Required in Office Four Days, Up From Three

New Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has announced that employees will have to come into the office four days a week, an increase of one additional day from the company’s previous remote work policy. In his announcement on Thursday, Tan claimed that the previous mandate had been followed unevenly, and the new change will come into effect on September 1st.

When speaking about the change, Tan justified: “When we spend time together in person, it fosters more engaging and productive discussion and debate. It drives better and faster decision-making. And it strengthens our connection with colleagues.”

According to a report by Bloomberg, an RTO mandate is not the only way Tan is aiming to change the company. It was reported that the company is planning to cut roughly 20% of their workforce, amounting to more than 21,000 employees. Intel has been no stranger to layoffs in recent years, having cut 15,000 jobs in August 2024.

Shifting Remote Work Policies Across the Tech Industry

Intel is not the first tech company to announce revised RTO mandates. Amazon took a bold step last year when it announced that corporate employees were required to work five days a week in the office, and Salesforce implemented a four-day-per week policy in October.

Most recently, Google and IBM have issued strict ultimatums to employees about returning to the office, with the latter even offering relocation fees for workers who don’t live near any of the company’s listed locations, rather than just having them work remotely.

RTO mandates have been in the news quite a bit recently, and a company can issue one for many reasons. According to CNBC, companies can recall employees back to work to make use of expensive corporate real estate, and in attempts to improve productivity and revenue if the company is enduring a rough period.

Not a Completely Bleak Picture for Remote Working

Despite big tech firms like Google, IBM and Intel taking this approach, it doesn’t seem that a RTO order is on the minds of many businesses. In our Impact of Technology on the Workplace report, we found that remote work remains an important privilege for employees and leaders alike.

It’s also worth noting that our research found that the option to work from home increases employee satisfaction. In our report, 35% of respondents also found that remote working allows for a more flexible schedule, and another 20% noted that it enhances productivity.

While it can be easy to look at businesses such as Intel and Dell and believe that RTO mandates are on the rise, our report found that 44% of businesses have not changed their remote work policy in the last year. Likewise a new report from Stanford and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta revealed that most companies also don’t intend to change their remote and hybrid policies in the next 12 months.

It’s difficult to name an industry, from marketing to logistics, that AI hasn’t at least been in conversation with. However, a new report by Microsoft foresees the large-scale adoption of AI agents across every worldwide organization, organizations which it calls Frontier Firms. 

Claiming that intelligence was once a valuable and limited resource available to businesses, Microsoft now states it is available “on tap”, because of the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence over the past few years. Therefore, businesses should expect to work extensively with AI models in the very near future, and move decisively and quickly to implement changes.

Microsoft reports that this transformation is already underway, with some highly successful Frontier Firms already seeing strong results. The report aims not only to inform organizations of these changes, but to urge them to act now in ensuring AI’s presence in their workforce.

Microsoft Coins Businesses Using AI as ‘Frontier Firms’ and Urges Worldwide Adoption

In its latest report, Microsoft has predicted the rise of a new organizational blueprint known as a Frontier Firm, which sees AI machine intelligence blend with human judgement. These businesses are said to make use of “hybrid” teams that consist of humans managing often several AI agents and working in tandem. Frontier Firms reportedly operate with more agility, rapid scalability and the ability to generate value at a faster rate.

Microsoft expects this mix of human and artificial intelligence to be a key way businesses should expect to operate in the near future, particularly as 81% of leaders say they expect agents to be moderately or extensively integrated into their business’s AI strategy within the next 12-18 months. It has idenfitied the journey to a Frontier Firm as follows:

• Humans working with assistants, where every employee has an AI assistant that helps them work better and faster.
• Human-agent teams, where agents are recruited into teams as ‘digital colleagues’ and take on specific tasks at human direction.
• Human-led, agent-operated teams, where humans set the direction, but agents execute business processes and workflows. Humans check on the agents as needed.

Microsoft made clear in its report that these stages do not necessarily occur in a linear fashion, and businesses can even expect to be in all three stages at once.

Future Business Setups Will See Humans and Agents Paired Together

Significantly, Microsoft sees human intelligence and AI agents working closely together in the workplace, a nice contrast to the rhetoric that AI is there to take jobs. Instead, Microsoft identifies the key areas where agents could assist humans, particularly as knowledge work increasingly consists of meetings, emails or pings that cause the average worker to be interrupted every two minutes. 

Humans, the report outlines, work best in the realms of “creativity, judgement, and connection-building” and do not exist to “answer emails all day”. Therefore, Microsoft proposes that companies adopt a human-agent ratio metric within teams that sees agents take on easily-automated tasks under human supervision, such as emails, while the human takes on tasks better suited to their expertise.

If anything, Microsoft predicts that this collaboration will accelerate people’s careers, with 83% of global leaders stating that AI will let employees take on more complex, strategic work earlier on. Likewise, in a similar fashion to the rise of social media, AI will see the emergence of new job titles that didn’t exist before. LinkedIn data also showed that AI literacy is now the most in-demand skill of 2025.

Now Is the Time for Businesses to Take Action on AI, Microsoft Prompts

While we’ve seen AI tools adopt capabilities that could be beneficial for businesses, this large-scale integration of agents and humans in workforce is something else. However, the positive results of early Frontier Firms are evident, with 71% saying their company is thriving, compared to 37% of workers globally. Significantly, 55% of these businesses say they are able to take on more work, versus 20% globally.

Microsoft’s report notes that change is already happening, and businesses should act fast in starting their own journey to becoming a Frontier Firm. Leaders should not only look to employ agents, but actively work to change the cultural mindset of employees when it comes to working in AI. Significantly, 35% of managers are considering hiring AI trainers to guide employee adoption in the next 12-18 months.

“If you have a people problem, you will have an AI problem.” Amy Webb, Futurist and CEO, Future Today Strategy Group (FTSG)

To take the step forward, Microsoft advises businesses to do three things: begin hiring digital employees, set a human-agent ratio, and get to broad scale – fast.

AI needs to be better incorporated into early education. At least, that’s what President Trump thinks, having signed an executive order instructing the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation to prioritize AI in the classroom.

AI has been a big focus of the Trump presidency, with companies like Google, NVIDIA, and OpenAI working with the administration to ensure that the US wins the race for AI supremacy.

In addition to current investments, Trump wants to plan for the future as well by making AI a bigger focus for those in K-12 education.

New Executive Order Set to Improve AI Usage in K-12 Education

A new executive order was signed by President Trump this week, seeking to better position the US to be a powerhouse for AI education and employment.

More specifically, the directive instructs the Department of Education to make an effort to integrate AI tools into the learning experience and to better educate students on how to develop and use these tools in their future careers.

“The basic idea of this executive order is to ensure that we properly train the workforce of the future by ensuring that school children, young Americans, are adequately trained in AI tools, so that they can be competitive in the economy years from now into the future, as AI becomes a bigger and bigger deal.” – Will Scharf, White House staff secretary

In addition to the instructions for the Department of Education, the executive order also directs the National Science Foundation to make research about using AI in education a priority and the Department of Labor to prioritize AI training and apprenticeships moving forward.

President Trump on AI

As is often the case, President Trump had plenty to say about the executive order, noting that, “This is a big deal, because AI seems to be where it’s at.”

“We have literally trillions of dollars being invested in AI. Somebody today, a very smart person, said that AI is the way to the future. I don’t know if that’s right or not, but certainly very smart people are investing in it.” – President Trump

Whether or not Trump knows that’s right remains to be seen, but with AI becoming a big part of the business world and beyond, getting young people acquainted with the technology certainly doesn’t hurt.

The AI Skills Gap

President Trump has taken a lot of questionable actions since taking office earlier this year, but this one might actually be the right move, particularly given the substantial implications of the increasing AI skills gap.

Given the speed at which this technology is evolving and the lack of proper education to teach young people how it works, the reality is that in a few short years, the needs of the industry could far outweigh the breadth of the talent pool.

Hopefully, this initiative will light a fire under the feet of those in charge of educating young people on the kinds of careers that are going to be available when they graduate.

If you’re in Texas, don’t freak out if you start seeing vehicles with no drivers on the road, because fully autonomous trucks are set to hit the state’s highways in just a couple of days.

Driverless trucks have been a pipe dream for years, with companies promising an autonomous future that could change how the logistics industry does business forever. Progress has been slow, though, with very few fully autonomous trucks on the road in 2025.

That will no longer be the case in Texas, though, with Pittsburgh-based Aurora Innovation poised to send out completely driverless trucks very soon.

Completely Driverless Trucks Expected Soon on I-45 in Texas

Aurora Innovation officials announced this week that the company would be launching fully autonomous trucks on a 200-mile stretch of I-45 in Texas between Dallas and Houston.

The popular freight route will be graced with just one such truck to start, but Aurora Innovation plans to add more as time goes on.

This is a big step for autonomous trucks, as the technology has almost exclusively been tested with backup drivers in the cab for safety. Now, these trucks will be entirely without passengers, potentially changing the way we haul altogether.

Why We Need Fully Autonomous Trucks

For most jobs, the fear of automation is very real. AI has shown that it can do a lot of tasks better than humans, which has many concerned about mass unemployment. When it comes to truckers, though, there isn’t much to worry about.

In fact, the reality is that there’s actually a pretty severe trucker shortage in the US that is only getting worse, which could have a severe impact on the already-fragile supply chain.

“Everybody is looking at the same economics. The federal government is saying we have to move 50% more freight by 2050, but there’s a shortage of drivers. How do I solve this puzzle with more freight to move and less drivers to do it?” – Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association to Axios

While fully autonomous trucks aren’t the only ways in which technology is being used to address the trucker shortage, it definitely has the potential to solve it more than most.

Owner Operator Backlash

Understandably, not everyone is excited about fully autonomous trucks hitting the road in Texas. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, for example, points to the lack of existing federal regulations on autonomous vehicles as evidence of the lack of safety provisions in place for this kind of decision.

“It’s absurd that AVs, which are unproven and unmanned, are given more latitude on American highways than professional drivers with years of experience like me are given.” – Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

While autonomous trucks could alleviate the stress of the trucker shortage in 2025, the endgame is clear: This job can be done by robots. And with 3 million truckers employed in the US, it’s hard to say if the economy could handle that kind of job loss.

The hits keep coming for remote work, with two of the biggest tech firms in the world issuing new mandates and ultimatums this week that will force employees back in the office at least three days per week.

It turns out that the pandemic was not the paradigm shift we thought it was going to be when it comes to remote work. While companies embraced it with open arms a few years ago, the business world has been swift in demanding employees return to the office with increasing intensity.

Now, Google and IBM have both issued new mandates and ultimatums to their employees, further establishing that the “new normal” was very much a temporary measure.

Google Tells Employees to Return to Office or Get Laid Off

According to internal documents acquired by CNBC, there are many divisions within Google telling remote workers that their future at the company could be in jeopardy if they do not return to the office at least three days per week.

To be clear, Google isn’t going to be explicitly firing remote workers. However, these employees were told that they could be part of upcoming company layoffs, which have been quite common at Google over the last few years, letting go of hundreds of employees from their Android and Pixel divisions earlier this month.

“As we’ve said before, in-person collaboration is an important part of how we innovate and solve complex problems. To support this, some teams have asked remote employees that live near an office to return to in-person work three days a week.” – Courtenay Mencini, a Google spokesperson to CNBC

The new ultimatum is hitting departments at Google in different ways, but the basics are the same. If you live within 50 miles, you have to be in the office three days a week. If not, you may be able to keep your arrangement intact, but any promotions would require relocation.

IBM Issues Return to Office Mandate

In a staff memo acquired by The Register, IBM has also told its employees that they will soon be required to come into the office at least three days per week. More specifically, employees were told “to work at least three days a week from the client location where their assigned territory decision-makers work, a flagship office, or a sales hub.”

Unlike Google, IBM isn’t as open to being flexible with employees who live 50 miles from a compatible location, and is offering relocation fees for those outside of that range, instead of simply allowing them to continue working from home.

IBM has been slowly moving towards a less remote workforce over the last few months, instructing managers earlier this year that they need to return to the office or be fired.

Fortunately, IBM has quite a few locations that could work for employees, including flagship offices in New York, Austin, Raleigh, Washington DC, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and sales hubs in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Seattle.

The Benefits of Remote Work

With more and more tech firms ditching their respective policies, it would be understandable to assume that remote work has been proven to reduce productivity and decrease revenue. However, the majority of work from home productivity statistics show the opposite.

For one, 47% of businesses notice increased productivity levels among employees who work remotely. On top of that, research shows that businesses offering remote work generally show higher revenue growth than those that don’t, making a clear case for providing the employee perk.

Suffice to say, the benefits of remote work are substantial, which most companies actually do still understand. Our Impact of Technology on the Workplace report found that 44% of US businesses were found to have not changed their remote work policy in the past year, so don’t feel like you have to follow the trends set by big tech firms like IBM and Google.

Microsoft has made significant progress in its bid to overhaul its in-house cybersecurity governance following a crippling cyberattack. The new measures are part of a pledge that the company made in 2023 after it suffered a high-profile breach at the hands of a China-linked threat group.

In total, it hopes to carry out 28 objectives. The company has nearly achieved five of these, and has made progress with a further 11. Among the suite of actions that Microsoft has taken, 92% of employee productivity accounts are now protected with multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Cyber attacks are on the rise, with AI being one of the main drivers behind the present surge in illicit activity. To make matters worse, a recent report from Trend Micro illustrates that, largely, organizations are failing in their duties to prevent cybersecurity attacks, and are woefully unprepared for the evolving nature of the threat landscape.

Microsoft Making Progress With Cybersecurity Overhaul

Microsoft’s plan to overhaul its product development, threat detection, and corporate governance structure is bearing fruit. The program, known as the Secure Future Initiative, is the result of a wide-ranging cyberattack from 2023, during which China-linked threat actors hacked into the Microsoft Exchange Online environments of 22 customers. The consequences were dire.

In a blog post published on its site on Monday, executive vice president of security at Microsoft, Charlie Bell, wrote:

“We have made progress across culture and governance by fostering a security-first mindset in every employee and investing in holistic governance structures to address cybersecurity risks across our enterprise.” – Charlie Bell, executive vice president of security at Microsoft

Specifically, it has rolled out a “secure-by-design” toolkit to 22,000 employees, linked performance reviews to security best practices, and appointed a deputy CISO, alongside other changes.

Tech Giant Bids to Set The Record Straight

In the wake of the 2023 breach, Microsoft faced widespread questions over its preparedness for such an attack. In fact, the US Cyber Safety Review Board deemed that the attack was “entirely preventable,” and should serve as a “wake-up call to cloud providers.”

Designed to address shortcoming in the cybersecurity culture at Microsoft in the aftermath of a debilitating data breach, the SFI comprises 28 objectives. Of these, the company has made “significant progress” with 16.

For example, Microsoft has rolled out MFA to 92% of employee productivity accounts, which will go some way to insulating the business against future phishing attacks. Furthermore, the company can now lay claim to a 73% success rate in addressing cloud vulnerabilities within an undisclosed timeframe. It has also removed more than 6.3 million legacy tenants, more than 550,000 of which since September 2024.

Microsoft Paves Way For Safer Future

Ultimately, Microsoft deserves credit for its concerted efforts to not only address failings in its security infrastructure, but also to upskill its employees in the critical nature of cybersecurity in modern business. A recent report from Experis – which found cybersecurity to be the top concern of CIOs everywhere – highlighted the substantial skills gap that exists in the sector at present. Microsoft’s approach is a great example of a company taking steps to mitigate that gap – as well as building the next generation of security-conscious employees.

Cyberattacks are becoming more commonplace and sophisticated. As if that wasn’t bad enough, organizations are largely underprepared for them. Our latest Impact of Technology on the Workplace report found that a shocking number of senior leaders (19%) are unable to correctly define two-factor authentication (2FA) – one of the most rudimentary defense mechanisms that a business has at its disposal.

To put it plainly, when it comes to cybersecurity, the business landscape has a long way to go. Microsoft should serve as a shining example of how a company can both take accountability and set itself up for future success.

Patching vulnerabilities quickly significantly decreases the risk of incurring cybersecurity breaches, according to new research. The groundbreaking study, which was published on March 25, 2025, identifies a strong link between patching protocols and companies’ Cyber Risk Index (CRI), which is used to measure the likelihood of an organization suffering an attack.

Shockingly, the report also finds that 78% of successful breaches in the past quarter exploited vulnerabilities that could have been prevented by available patches, but which had not been implemented. This highlights a pervasive carelessness within multiple industries where cybersecurity is concerned.

According to our recent “Impact of Technology on the Workplace” report, just 1.6% of senior leaders can correctly identify a phishing scam, while 19% are unable to correctly define “two-factor authentication” (2FA). With the threat landscape evolving rapidly, it’s clear that businesses are not doing enough to counter the rise in cybersecurity breaches.

Patching Vulnerabilities Faster Dramatically Lowers Risk of Attack, Says Report

New research from Trend Micro highlights a strong link between the speed at which organizations patch cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the likelihood of an attack occurring. According to the “Trend 2025 Cyber Risk Report,” companies that reduce their patch implementation window from 30 days to 7 days will enjoy a 34% reduction in cyber breaches.

The study looked at exploitation patterns across several industries, including agriculture, communications, construction, transportation, government and public services, and more. Among other things, the findings indicate that threat actors are highly opportunistic, moving quickly to capitalize on systematic vulnerabilities.

Hopefully, the findings will send shockwaves across the business world, with troubling implications for the nature of the threat landscape – as well as the individuals in charge of insulating companies from the worst of it.

Full Extent of Organizations’ Cybersecurity Failings Laid Bare

Elsewhere, the report paints a worrying picture of businesses’ approach to cybersecurity. At present, most organizations are failing to adequately safeguard themselves against the threat posed by bad actors.

In news that should haunt IT teams everywhere, Trend Micro observed that 78% of breaches recorded in the past quarter exploited vulnerabilities that could have been prevented by speedy patching. In other words, the overwhelming majority of cyberattacks in the period were easily preventable, but IT employees simply failed to implement available measures quickly enough.

Whether this is the result of sheer incompetence or a series of mistakes, it’s an extraordinary statistic that sheds light on the lackluster approach that many businesses are taking towards cybersecurity at the moment.

Business Landscape Not Set Up For Evolving Threat Landscape, Evidence Shows

The Trend Micro report corroborates some of our own findings. In “The Impact of Technology on the Workplace,” Tech.co observed some similarly concerning cybersecurity trends in the modern business environment. For instance, nearly a fifth (19%) of senior leaders are unable to accurately define 2FA, one of the most basic authentication tools at a business’s disposal.

There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that cybersecurity isn’t afforded the requisite level of care and attention. The statistic above, as well as the findings in the Trend Micro report, point to a world in which data breaches are an afterthought for most businesses. To explicate this, our report found that 5% of respondents were unsure whether or not their business had actually suffered a cyberattack.

With the meteoric rise of AI, the threat landscape is evolving at a scarcely believable pace. Tech.co recently reported on a new Gmail scam that mimics the official “no-reply@google.com” address. We also recently published a piece on the spike in distributed denial of service (DDos) attacks. In this climate, businesses everywhere need to be doing more to ensure that they won’t be the next to be caught cold.

The ongoing antitrust trial against Google’s search engine “monopoly” is harming the US’s AI prospects, claims the company. As the trial reconvened on Monday, the tech giant argued that in order to stave off competition from China, the US needs Google in its “full form.”

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has called for Google to divest its assets, namely its Chrome browser and search data, in order to level the playing field for the company’s rivals. Following this, a federal judge ruled in August last year that the company held a monopoly in the internet search market, kickstarting the case in question.

In recent months, the AI race has intensified, with China rolling out a number of innovations to test the US’s existing market dominance. In January, DeepSeek landed and quickly shot to the top of the Apple and Google app stores. This was followed by Manus AI, allegedly the world’s first fully autonomous AI chatbot.

DoJ Proposal Threatens AI Progress, Google Warns

The DoJ’s proposal to break up Google’s search engine “monopoly” will significantly harm the US’s progress in the ongoing battle for AI supremacy, the company has argued. With the antitrust case reconvening on Monday, Google is set to argue that divesting its assets will “hamstring” innovation, with a particular focus on AI.

In a blog post on Monday, the company asserted that breaking up Google is not in the best interests of the US. Notably, it mentioned DeepSeek in the opening paragraph, as it appeals to President Trump’s desperation to get the upper hand on China, where AI is concerned.

According to the statement: “DoJ’s proposal would also hamstring how we develop AI…That would hold back American innovation at a critical juncture. We’re in a fiercely competitive global race with China for the next generation of technology leadership, and Google is at the forefront of American companies making scientific and technological breakthroughs.”

Landmark Case Drawing to a Close, Verdict Looming

The case is the result of a DoJ investigation into whether or not Google has flouted antitrust rules in the US. The department maintains that the company has unfairly strangled competition to install itself as the de facto search engine in the US. It has called for the company to divest its flagship Chrome browser, and open its search data up to rivals. Google disputes the allegations.

Last year, a federal judge ruled in favor of the DoJ, kickstarting the landmark antitrust case. The ongoing trial will determine the consequences of that ruling, with the trial set to end on May 9, and a verdict expected in August.

During proceedings on Monday, DoJ attorney David Dahlquist also argued that Google would need strong measures imposed on it to discourage it from using its own AI products to further its search dominance.

Chinese Competition Could Force Trump’s Hand

In citing US innovation, and in particular the AI race, Google hopes to play on President Trump’s sympathies – as well as his antipathy towards China. It’s not exactly clear which steps the President could take to mitigate the punishment for Google, but with his last-minute TikTok reprieve in January, he has demonstrated a willingness to intervene where Big Tech is concerned.

The US and China are engaged in a hotly contested battle for AI supremacy, with no clear winner at present. In the last few months, a series of Chinese innovations has turned the sector on its head, where previously the US could lay claim to be the global frontrunners.

In an effort to stymie Chinese progress, Trump recently issued new restrictions on DeepSeek. Google will hope that, in his eagerness to unseat China in the AI stakes, the President throws his lot in with the company and ensures a favorable ruling come August.

Phishing attacks are a major vector for cyberthreats on all kinds of businesses, from tiny mom-and-pop operations to massive conglomerations. Now, a new scam has evolved the phishing attack even farther.

With the new tactic, users like you might receive an email that says it’s from “no-reply@google.com” — an email address that appears to be completely legitimate. Once clicked, however, it’ll take over your account.

Here’s how scammers are abusing Google OAuth for this trick, and how you can protect your account, whether it’s a business or personal one.

The Next Evolution in Phishing?

The sneaky scam actually uses Google’s own security tools against it. The scammer was able to pass the DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) authentication method — essentially getting Google’s official stamp of approval.

The trick is called a “DKIM replay phishing attack.” The scammers were able to get past DKIM by registering a domain, creating a Google OAuth app with that domain, entering the entire scam message as the name of their app, and then granting their app access to their email address in Google Workspace, which triggers an automatic Google security alert to that inbox.

An example of the impressive new phishing scam. Source: Nick Johnson, via Bleeping Computer

The scammer then forwarded the alert, passing the text of their scam message on to their victim, all while using an email that originated from Google itself.

In this case, the would-be victim was Nick Johnson, lead developer of the Ethereum Name Service (ENS). The email looked official and claimed to be informing him of a subpoena from a law enforcement authority that needed his Google Account information.

How to Spot the Scam

Thankfully, there are two key ways that you can identify this particular phishing attempt if you spot it in the wild — even if those giveaways are small and hard to notice.

First, you’ll want to look at the receipient of the email, using the email details dropdown that appears when you click the down arrow icon at the top of the email within your Gmail account.

The receipient should be your email address. If it’s instead a “me@” domain that’s designed to look like Google, but isn’t actually Google — it’s a phishing attempt.

Second, look at the portal that the email is telling you to visit. If it’s hosted on sites.google.com and not on accounts.google.com, it’s a phishing attempt. This is because the sites.google.com subdomain refers to Google’s free web-building platform, which anyone can get an account on.

PayPal Users Face the Same Problem

This scam isn’t inherent to Google: PayPal dealt with a similar one last month. In both cases, the scam hinges on getting the company itself to originate the message from its mail servers, letting it pass DKIM security checks, before forwarding it to a mailing list that passes it on to the victim.

With Paypal, the way to get the company to create the fraudulent email is to register a new email address under an existing account, since this triggers Paypal to send a confirmation email to that address.

Google has issued a statement about the scam, The Verge reports: According to Gmail Security Communications spokesperson Ross Richendrfer, “We’re aware of this class of targeted attack from this threat actor, and have rolled out protections to shut down this avenue for abuse. In the meantime, we encourage users to adopt two-factor authentication and passkeys, which provide strong protection against these kinds of phishing campaigns.”

While we’re sorry to see that our common phishing protection advice to check the domain of the email sender is no longer reliable, it’s nice to see that two-factor authentication can still help in situations like this. After all, Tech.co’s latest annual study found that a full 98% of senior business leaders in the US can’t correctly identify all the indicators of a phishing email.

Huawei’s new AI chip, the 910C GPU, is shipping to Chinese customers as early as next month, according to reports.

The chip fills a gap in the market for China’s booming AI industry, since the US has repeatedly banned Nvidia from selling its chips without an export license.

It’s good news for Chinese AI companies, since they have a strong need for domestic alternatives to this key component in AI hardware.

What to Know About the 910C Chip

Huawei Technologies’ 910C artificial intelligence chip stands as “an architectural evolution rather than a technological breakthrough,” according to a report from Reuters.

In other words: The chip works by bundling two of Huawei’s 910B processors together. The company’s Ascend 910B graphics processing unit (GPU) chip was already available on the market, so this new chip isn’t a completely new technology.

However, it’s a big upgrade from a single 910B chip, and offers a performance comparable to the Nvidia H100 chip.

The Huawei 910C Chip: Specs

If listing all the numbers of various chips doesn’t help you gauge what to expect from this new one, however, here’s a list of the ways the 910C chip builds on Huawei’s previous models:

• Double the computing power of the 910B
• Double the memory capacity of the 910B
• Enhanced support for “diverse AI workload data”
• Other, unspecified “incremental” improvements

Purely for this chip’s status as the domestic alternative to Nvidia’s now-banned products, however, it’s pretty safe to say that Huawei’s latest chip will be a bestseller within China.

How Nvidia’s Chip Bans Paved the Way

The US has been keeping AI chips away from China for years now. The process started back in October 2022 with the Biden administration, which moved to block exports of the Nvidia A100 and H100 GPUs — the most powerful processor offered by the company at that time.

Later that same year, Nvidia released the less-powerful A800 chip to meet the China sales requirements. This chip was blocked in late 2023. Nvidia’s next attempt, the H20 chip, met the new, more strict requirements. At least, it did until this month, when the Trump administration blocked exports of that chip, too.

With Nvidia frozen out, Huawei’s path towards dominating the Chinese AI chip market seems clear.

The Germany-based international logistics company DHL is set to suspend all shipments of items worth more than $800 to private individuals in the US.

The pause will take effect immediately, and it is a temporary measure. The company says it “will share updates as the situation evolves.”

The decision comes as a result of the trade wars started by the US in recent weeks.

What Does the Pause Mean for Your Business?

More specifically, the reason that DHL cited in its statement about the pause was a change to US customs. The threshold for import procedures has been lowered from $2,500 to $800, requiring a large increase in customs clearance costs for all packages that fall between those two price valuations.

B2B shipments will continue, according to a Transport Topics report, alongside shipments sent from businesses to private individuals that are valued at less than $800.

Your business will likely be unaffected, assuming you aren’t a dropshipper without the proper paperwork to qualify as a business buyer.

Big Logistics Companies Are Grappling With Change

DHL is a massive name in logistics — it has north of 500,000 employees worldwide and delivers over 1.7 billion packages per year — so even a temporary pause on shipping to the US is big news.

Businesses small and large are still trying to come to terms with the new tariffs and customs process changes, particularly since so many of them are being adjusted in response to other countries’ own retaliatory tariffs. Some businesses are simply waiting to see if any changes are reversed, while others are pulling forward inventory to buy themselves more time. The long-term impact of the new taxes will still take several months to be revealed.

Air Cargo Set to Lose $22 Billion

Just how large of an impact will the new taxes have on the logistics industry? Air cargo alone may lose more than $22 billion in revenues across three years, according to a new analysis.

“The Cirrus Global Advisors model shows the airfreight industry revenue could contract $22 billion if the White House maintains tariffs at 125% for a substantial period of time, based on assumptions about lower consumer demand, excess airline capacity and downward pressure on yields,” sums up FreightWaves in a new article that draws on insights from the Seattle-based consultancy Cirrus Global Advisors.

Since that 125% tariff increase was cited, the White House has clarified that the increase includes a previous tariff and is actually 145% in total. Regardless, it’s a clear indicator that the total losses to business operations will easily number among the billions.

The Trump administration is planning new restrictions on DeepSeek, the Chinese AI lab that sent shockwaves through the tech sector with the launch of its titular AI model in January this year. Reportedly, the President hopes to limit the company’s access to Nvidia chips, and potentially block US citizens from accessing the platform.

This marks the latest twist in a long-running saga, with the US-based chipmaker at its center. On Tuesday, the company revealed that the White House had restricted sales of some of its AI chips to China, and that future purchases would require a special license.

These moves are likely to stymie some of the progress that the Chinese company has made in recent months. Much to the Trump administration’s chagrin, DeepSeek has become a highly popular tool among AI developers in the US. The US is desperate to see off competition from the Eastern superpower in its bid to become top dog of the AI space.

Trump Administration to Place Further Restrictions on DeepSeek

The federal government is considering new sanctions against Chinese AI startup DeepSeek and its flagship model. Reportedly, the new restrictions would prohibit the company from buying Nvidia semiconductor chips, which have been instrumental in the unfolding AI race. It is also considering a total US ban on the platform.

Since its release in January 20 – notably, the day of President Trump’s inauguration – the AI model has been something of a revelation across the world. Within days of its rollout, it quickly supplanted the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini to secure coveted top spot on the Apple and Google app stores.

In the interim, it has become increasingly popular with Silicon Valley AI developers themselves, in a development that is unlikely to be warmly met by the President and his close confidante, Elon Musk.

No Love Lost Between DeepSeek and US

Wednesday’s report is just the latest twist in a long-running saga. On Tuesday, Nvidia confirmed that the Trump Administration had blocked some sales of its AI semiconductor chip to China. The restrictions represented the first “major limits” that the government had imposed on AI chips abroad – only to be blown out of the water a day later by the latest whisperings.

Nvidia, whose share price took a 5% hit following its announcement on Tuesday, has exploited loopholes in previous government directives in order to continue selling to China, which represents a highly lucrative market. Notably, it modified the performance of one of its chips, the H100, so that it fell below a threshold imposed by the Biden administration.

A couple of months ago, the state of New York banned government workers from downloading the app, in a move that is widely expected to set a precedent over the coming months. At the time, New York Governor Kathy Hochul cited “serious concerns… concerning DeepSeek AI’s connection to foreign government surveillance and censorship.”

Trump’s Determined to Keep a Lid on China Progress

The DeepSeek shakeup is just one flashpoint in the unfolding hostilities between the US and China, which have reached fever pitch since the start of President Trump’s second tenure.

Among a litany of aims, the President hopes to best China in the AI race, in which the two superpowers are currently locked in a fierce contest. A few weeks ago, a Chinese startup unveiled Manus AI, thought to be the world’s first fully autonomous AI chatbot. Meanwhile, in January, Trump announced funding to the tune of $500 billion for his Project Stargate project.

The President will hope that by clamping down on China’s access to Nvidia semiconductor chips, he can secure decisive footing in this fast-moving saga.

OpenAI has unveiled its latest AI model, known as o3. The company claims that it can think “with images,” meaning that it understands sketches and diagrams, even low-quality ones. Alongside o3, the company also unveiled 04-mini, a smaller model and presumably the precursor to a later o4 model.

o3 is capable of analyzing whiteboards, sketches, and other images. Theoretically, a user can simply upload an image, and o3 will analyze and discuss it. It can also rotate, zoom, and use other image-editing tools.

It’s been a period of extraordinary growth and development for OpenAI. The company only debuted its first reasoning model, o1, in September 2024, which was able to solve complex problems and deliberate over its answers. In its bid to outpace rivals, including xAI and Anthropic, OpenAI has pursued a strategy of rapid deployment. The tactic would seem to be working, with our Impact of Technology on the Workplace report finding that  ChatGPT is way out in front of the pack as the AI model of choice among businesses.

New OpenAI Model Can Think “With Images”

OpenAI has released its newest AI model, known as o3. The platform is capable of thinking “with images,” according to reports, meaning that users can input sketches, diagrams, and other images into the model, and it will analyze and discuss them. The tool can also rotate, zoom, and deploy other image-editing tools.

The company also released o4-mini, a smaller model that presumably forecasts the future release of o4 proper. In terms of scheduling, this latest rollout does go against the grain for OpenAI, with previous models typically released in isolation.

In a statement, the company said: “For the first time, our reasoning models can independently use all ChatGPT tools – web browsing, Python, image understanding, and image generation. This helps them solve complex, multi-step problems more effectively and take real steps toward acting independently.”

Company Betting Big on Image Generation

The company claims that o3 and o4-mini are the first of its AI models that are capable of “think[ing] with images.” This means that they can “integrate visual information directly into the reasoning chain,” as opposed to simply being able to “see” images.

The latest development follows an image-generation AI tool that the company rolled out last month, which quickly went viral, with hundreds of users mocking up their own Studio Ghibli-style creations. Previously, it had success with DALL-E, the sophisticated image generation model that found fame upon its release in 2021. There have since been two more iterations of the platform.

Image comprehension is far from the only thing that o3 is capable of, says the company. Allegedly, it is also skilled at math, coding, and science. Both o3 and o4-mini were made available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team customers on Wednesday. OpenAI did not disclose when users could expect a wider rollout.

Latest Release Caps Busy Period

It’s been a whirlwind period for OpenAI. The Sam Altman-helmed company has rarely strayed from the headlines, releasing three groundbreaking AI models since September, alongside a slew of updates to ChatGPT-4o, an introduction to ChatGPT-4.5, and an ongoing feud with X head honcho, Elon Musk.

Rumbling along in the background is the AI race, which has so far been dominated by OpenAI. However, with new models and startups announcing themselves on a near-monthly basis, this race is far from run. Barely a month ago, the world’s first fully autonomous AI model, Manus, was unveiled. In January, meanwhile, President Trump announced $500 billion of investment into Project Stargate.

OpenAI hopes its packed release schedule will be enough to ward off strong competition from elsewhere.

Trump’s own party could be getting in the way of his AI goals, with a GOP-led bill in Texas potentially putting up a lot of red tape that could slow down progress on the president’s plans.

Since taking office earlier this year, President Trump has been adamant about allowing AI technology to evolve as fast as necessary, without the threat of regulations getting in the way.

Now it seems like the Texas GOP is going to do just that, with a new bill set to increase the approval time for the project by months or even years.

Texas Bill Could Slow Down AI Data Center Production

President Trump’s AI plan — dubbed Stargate — aims to build a bunch of heavy-duty data centers that will position the US to compete with China when it comes to developing the technology.

The data centers were scheduled to go up in Texas, with the state housing enough existing infrastructure to handle the load. However, Texas Republicans have introduced and will likely pass a new bill — Senate Bill 6 — that could add six months of regulatory review to the already-lengthy process for approval.

Trump loyalists are obviously not happy, criticizing the new bill as nothing more than red tape that will slow us down and eventually lead to China winning the AI race.

“These heavy-handed mandates risk stifling investment on exactly the infrastructure needed for Trump’s AI initiative.” – Vance Ginn, former chief economist at the White House Office of Management and Budget

Why Are Texas Republicans Trying to Slow Down AI Development?

Over the last few years, the Texas power grid has been a problem for the southern state, with sensitivity to cold causing massive blackouts for residents.

This is the primary reason for the new bill. Texas Republicans are concerned that the additional power needs could cause problems for Texans, either in the form of blackouts or increased energy costs for individuals and small businesses.

“These industries understand they will have to supply their own power needs and are diligently working toward that goal so costs are not disproportionally shifted onto residential and small business customers.” – Dan Patrick, Texas lieutenant governor

Even worse, Texas is essentially the only state in the US that could handle this kind of investment, with states like Wisconsin and Wyoming initially vying for the project but eventually realizing that they were simply not set up to handle the energy commitments.

AI & Regulation

Winning the AI race is obviously important, but it really shouldn’t come at the cost of proper regulation and oversight. After all, we’re talking about the most advanced technology in the world with goals of vast job replacement, so a bit of due diligence is probably a good idea.

In fact, the far reaching implications of the evolution of AI are nothing if not substantial. The environmental impacts alone, for example, have been enough for major companies to roll back their carbon neutral promises, with the technology set to quadruple energy needs by 2030.

Indiana and Ohio officials have agreed to a partnership that would see self-driving trucks on the interstate highway connecting the two states.

Self-driving trucks have been promised by tech and logistics businesses for years, but we’re just now starting to see the industry make actual headway. Some companies are launching full-on automated vehicles, while others are still testing the technology on roadways in the US.

This instance will be nothing more than a test for now, but the interstate cooperation bodes well for an industry on the cusp of a big change.

ODOT and IDOT Partner for Self-Driving Trucks on I-70

According to a joint statement, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Indiana Department of Transportation (IDOT) have agreed to a partnership that will bring self driving trucks to I-70, the interstate highway that connects Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio.

The partnership will operate with an $8.8 million budget from the US Department of Transportation over the course of multiple years.

“Harnessing truck automation technology is one of many innovative safety efforts underway at INDOT. In partnership with Ohio, our goal is to create a safer, lower-stress environment for all drivers.” – Lyndsday Quist, Commissioner at INDOT

Are These Trucks Fully Automated?

If you’re driving down I-70 in the future and you see a truck driving without a driver, you should still be concerned, as fully automated trucks are not part of this partnership.

Instead, the technology that will be employed on the interstate highway between Ohio and Indiana is automated platooning, a system that allows multiple trucks to drive in close formation — like cars on a train — to improve fuel efficiency through drafting. This new technology will allow multiple trucks to be controlled by the leading truck.

“During portions of the I-70 trips, the follower truck will automatically steer, accelerate, and brake, supporting safe, efficient operation and consistent vehicle coordination. Professional drivers will be in the driver’s seat of both trucks throughout the deployment and can turn off the technology system and take over as needed.” – Natalie Garrett, a spokesperson for INDOT

While the technology may not be as groundbreaking as fully automated trucks, it will allow logistics businesses to improve the speed of hauling while safely cutting down on fuel costs. And considering safety hasn’t been a big priority for the new administration, this technology could have a notable impact.

Technology and Trucking

In 2025, every industry is becoming more and more reliant on technology, and the trucking and logistics industries are no different. Automation in particular has become a big buzz word, with tech being used to save as much time as possible throughout the supply chain.

It goes far beyond self-driving trucks, too. Generative AI tools can be used to improve your logistics business as well, and there are many AI training courses for professionals in the industry that can help you streamline operations.

Across the past few months, the landscape of global supply chains has reshaped itself faster than most people working in the business can remember. With cargo shipments set to fall off a cliff within a month or two thanks to sky-high tariffs and counter-tariffs around the globe, buyers and sellers everywhere are re-evaluating their orders.

At the same time, you’ve probably been hearing about the rise of AI. It’s been the top buzzword across Silicon Valley for years now, and even regular joes are talking to ChatGPT or Claude AI about their latest problems.

Perhaps you can take out two birds with one stone: If you’re still trying to get to grips with AI while trying to handle your rapidly evolving job as a logistics technican or manager, you might be able to figure out both of them at once. The right online course can upskill you, teaching you how AI tools can help you better predict the right shipments and better interact with your coworkers, whether they’re suppliers or delivery drivers.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best online courses that focus on AI’s applications for shipping or logistics. The best part? They’re all completely free, so you can get started today — no tariffs will apply.

Artificial Intelligence for Supply Chains and Logistics

⏰Length: 1.5-3 hours

This course, out from Proactive Ideas, covers the range of ways that AI can be used to better perform common tasks within the logistics business. Areas covered in the free course include inventory management, demand prediction, and other improvements to last-mile delivery.

It’s a quick course that should only take you a couple hours to get through, making it an easy way to dip a toe into AI tools while staying squarely focused on the industry that you actually need to get better at.

According to the crafters behind this online course, it’ll help you unlock “the power of Intelligent Transportation Management Systems (I-TMS) and learn to integrate them seamlessly into your logistics operations.” This term refers to the communication between vehicles and a larger infrastructure — it’s like a fleet management system, but for the broader transportation infrastructure. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT may not be included in it, but it still relies on AI and smart learning to figure out the most optimal traffic flow decisions in real time.

In this course, you’ll learn how to best optimize route planning, carrier selection, load balancing, and more. Check it out or get started today by heading to the online learning platform Alison over here and signing up.

OHSC: AI and Supply Chain Free Course

⏰Length: 200 hours

Three hours too short? Try sinking 200 hours into tackling the intersection of AI and supply chain management with Oxford Home Study’s work-at-your-own-pace course.

Across its four modules, you’ll receive an introduction to the subject before diving into how AI can be applied to forecasting and inventory management, procurement and supplier relationships, and transportation management. The training sessions earned a 4.5/5 stars across 218 ratings on the e-learning website, so you can trust that you’ll be able to get what you need out of this (admittedly pretty significant) investment of your time.

It’s specifically aimed at supply chain professionals and logistics managers, with no prior programming or AI experience necessary to get started. If you’re interested, head over to the website to try it out.

Advanced AI Techniques for the Supply Chain

⏰ Length: 22 hours

If you’re ready for the big time, check out this course, which aims to teach you “job-relevant skills with hands-on projects” in order to, once again, help you figure out just how AI can help you with your position in the supply chain.

This course is focused on how machine learning can weed out defective products with just a picture, making it one of the more specific courses in this guide. But there’s more going on than just that: The course looks at all use cases of machine learning in the supply chain, along with a general overview, analysis of potential AI models, and a final project.

Not only is this an Intermediate level course, but it’s part of a wider specialization, the “Machine Learning for Supply Chains Specialization” which also includes two earlier modules that you’re recommended to check out first — Fundamentals of Machine Learning for Supply Chain and Demand Forecasting Using Time Series — along with a final capstone project afterwards, Predicting Safety Stock.

In other words, you’re still diving into the deep end with this one, even if 22 hours is a lot shorter than our previous recommendation. Check it out over on Coursera.

AI-Powered Supply Chain Management

⏰ Length: N/A

Not everyone learns best through videos, regardless of what TikTok thinks. For those who prefer to stick with reading material, we recommend Nvidia’s extensive set of online resources. They’re not a video course, but they’ll deliver just as much knowledge.

Packaged within a mini website, a range of sub-sections coverc Use Cases, Resources, Solutions, and Partners in its quest to explain just how intelligent supply chains work and why they’re worth it. The supply chain-focused page is a part of a wider look at retail in general.

Founded in 1993, Nvidia’s valuation has been soaring in recent years thanks to its dominance as an AI hardware and software provider. Currently worth nearly 2.75 trillion, the company even briefly overtook Microsoft as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company back in 2024.

Needless to say, they have plenty of AI knowledge to share, even if it comes with a lot of bias due to their need to maintain AI hype and their valuation. Head over here to check them out.

Don’t Be the Weak Link in the Supply Chain

Between Covid, tariffs, and that time a ship got stuck in the Suez Canal, it’s been a rough half decade for the supply chain. If you’re trying to keep your head above water in the shipping or logistics business, we’re here to help. In addition to sharing the latest news (China tariffs went up while you were reading this, probably), we have a series of guides covering the benefits of the right technology solution.

Asset tracking is a big one, since it keeps your assets and stock visible, safe, healthy, and well maintained. Check out our guides to the best asset tracking companies, how to use software management solutions as well as IT asset tracking, why asset compliance is so important, and the four steps it’ll take to craft your own custom asset tracking solution. Might as well brush up on RFID tags while you’re at it.

Fleets need their own tools, too, however, so we’ve researched the best ELD devices, and we have a whole guide to the hidden costs that you’ll need to consider when getting a fleet management system.

Don’t worry: The biggest options like Verizon and Samsara have plenty of AI tools available.

Canada has decided to loosen its counter-tariffs, giving a reprieve to US automakers.

There’s a catch, though: They’ll have to keep their Canadian production plants up and running.

It’s good news for some big US automakers that already wanted to retain their current plants, and it’s bad news for the Trump administration’s goal of encouraging fully US-based production.

Why the Counter-Tariffs Are Evolving

What’s behind the new decision? It’s aimed at stopping the results that the new US tariffs are aiming for, which is a shift of production entirely into the US across all industries.

Since Canada is the US’s biggest trade partner, it makes sense for automakers to keep their plants running within the country. Now, they have some tax breaks to help them stay open.

Canada is also issuing a separate exemption for certain US goods, including materials related to manufacturing, processing, public health, or food packaging. These particular tariff exemptions are only set to last for six months before the new 25% Canadian tariffs are back in full force.

Once they’re back in effect, the 25% tariffs will amount to US products worth a total of $43.3 billion, without counting the additional auto manufacturing tariffs.

General Motors and Stellantis Avoid Some Tariffs

General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV are set to benefit, both of which operate assembly plants in Ontario, according to a Bloomberg report.

Since they also ship many of their US cars to Canada, they’d be stuck paying Canada a hefty tariff in addition to the new tariffs they’ll pay the US whenever they ship Canada-made cars back to the US.

Now, they’ll have more wiggle room — even if they still have new, steep US taxes to pay.

US Cargo Volume Set for “Cliff Event” in May or June

While the latest tariffs and counter-tariffs are making headlines, it’s worth taking a little time to glean some general information about the future of shipping in the US. In short, it’s set to fall off a cliff, likely in May but possibly as late as June.

Thanks to cargo frontloading, China-US shipments were way up in March. That’s set to change fast, however. The most informed prediction comes from the latest issue of ITS Logistics’ Port Rail Ramp Index. Citing a steep country-wide decline in new freight orders, the index says cargo operators can expect to see a “cliff event similar to the impacts felt during the immediate COVID response.”

The ripple effects are already being anticipated this month by truckers a little farther down the supply chain: In April this year, scheduled bookings for truck delivery or pick-up have fallen 41% from the previous month, which marks a 35% drop from April 2024, according to the Lodestar.

While there have been some reports of AI being used unlawfully in the workplace, Workhuman has countered those by developing a new AI tool that makes it easier for colleagues to recognize and reward each other. Termed “Human Intelligence,” the AI-optimized program takes ‘human’ data from the company’s Social Recognition platform, to deliver unique insights that empower leaders to make employees more productive and engaged.

Many studies have highlighted the importance of praise within the workplace. When colleagues have been suitably recognized and rewarded for their efforts, it can lead to higher staff retention rates and productivity levels due to overall job enjoyment.

However, experts have raised concerns about the possibility of people relying on AI to have emotional conversations, leading to the loss of human touch. There are mixed findings about the emotional capacities of AI, and whether it will ever reach the ability to match the human level of empathy is unknown.

Tech Company Workhuman Develops AI Tool to Help Deliver Empathetic Staff Feedback

Dublin and Massachussetts-based tech company Workhuman has developed a new tool to help recognize and reward the efforts of colleagues, by incorporating human data with AI to assist with genuine conversations.

The tool, Human Intelligence, takes the human data of Workhuman’s employee recognition program Social Recognition and combines it with Workhuman’s AI tools. This fused output of both AI and human data then allows employees and leaders to make informed and empowering insights when communicating with one another, with the aim of improving engagement, productivity, and retention.

Workhuman also uses a generative AI assistant within its software, which uses multiple data sources to create business and culture insights based on prompts, such as, “Who on my team is a culture driver?”

Likewise, new AI features make existing Workhuman functions, such as redeeming praise for vouchers or merchandise, more accurate by indicating to colleagues the appropriate reward levels according to company budgets.

Tool Suits the Importance of Praising and Rewarding Staff

Workhuman has long been an important platform for allowing colleagues and managers to recognize staff success and to reward them appropriately, and its recent AI update speaks to the growing amount of research about the importance of praise for workers and managers alike.

A Workhuman and Gallup report found that staff who say “recognition” for their achievements is a big part of their workplace culture are 3.7 times more likely to be engaged in their work, and half as likely to experience burnout in comparison to the people who do not report this. Similarly, a Get Hppy study found that 86% of value-based recognition programs at work can increase the happiness of workers.

Using tools such as Human Intelligence, businesses can ensure they are prioritizing time to recognize and praise their employees, in order to foster a happier and more productive work environment.

AI and The Quest for Human Empathy

Workhuman’s director of product strategy Adam Basilio has explained that despite Human Intelligence’s ability to assist colleagues in producing appreciative messages, he does not want AI writing what they term “recognition moments” between colleagues. Bruce Daisley, workplace culture consultant and former Twitter executive, has expressed a similar fear of losing the human element of heartfelt actions and recognition.

Whether AI could reach those emotional capacities is uncertain. On the one hand, a recent University of Chicago Law School study pitted AI against experienced human judges in judicial decision-making. The study found that AI judges based their decisions on legal precedent, even when faced with emotional or sympathetic candidates.

However, a Harvard Business School study found that AI was able to effectively emulate the benefits of human collaboration in group settings, with respondents working with AI reporting “positive emotional responses.”

We could be far away from AI bots sitting behind HR desks, but with the speed at which AI is moving, it may not be as far away as we believe.

For Shopify merchants looking to sell custom-designed merchandise without the headaches of inventory and shipping, print-on-demand (POD) is a game-changer. But not all POD solutions are created equal.

Gelato is the world’s largest print on-demand network with 140+ print providers in 32 countries and ensures your products are printed closer to your customers, drastically reducing delivery times, shipping costs, and your carbon footprint. 90% of orders are produced locally and 90% arrive within a rapid five days. This gives a competitive edge that keeps customers happy and coming back for more.

Beyond speed, Gelato is committed to superior product quality and sustainability. By embracing local, on-demand production, Gelato minimizes waste and empowers local businesses.

Wondering how to unlock the potential of Gelato for your Shopify store? Let’s dive into a practical guide that will walk you through every step, from setup to scaling your product catalog. Or if you already feel ready to get started, you can head straight over to Gelato.

Try Gelato now

How to Use Gelato Print on Demand with Spotify

1.Getting Started.    

First things first, you’ll need a Gelato account. It’s free to sign up, with no monthly fees. Head to Gelato and click on the “Sign up for free” button. Follow the prompts to fill in your details and complete the registration process. It only takes a few moments.

2. Connecting Your Shopify Store to Gelato

When you sign up to Gelato, you’ll be prompted to connect your Shopify store. This takes you straight to Shopify to install Gelato and give it access to your Shopify store. This secure connection allows Gelato to automatically receive orders, fulfill them, and update tracking information directly in Shopify.

3. Creating Your First Product with Gelato

Time to bring your creative vision to life! Gelato’s intuitive design tools and templates make product creation a breeze.

Once logged into your Gelato account, find the “Products” section in the left-hand menu. 

Click “Create Product”: You’ll be presented with a wide range of product categories, from clothing to wall art, posters, canvases, cards, and photobooks.. Gelato’s extensive product catalog ensures you can cater to diverse customer tastes.

Select the product type you want to create. You’ll be taken to the design editor. Here, you can easily upload your own artwork (logos, designs, photos) as image files directly into the editor. Or utilize Gelato’s built-in design tools and templates. Add text, shapes, and pre-designed graphics from Gelato’s library to create unique designs.

Drag, resize, and position your design elements on the product mockup. Gelato provides guidelines to ensure your design prints perfectly.

Once you’re satisfied with your design, click “Save and continue.”

4. Unleash Personalization

Customers love creating unique items, leading to higher customer satisfaction and potentially increased sales. Gelato’s Personalization Studio empowers you to offer customizable products, creating a unique shopping experience.

When creating a product, look for the “Personalization” option. Specify which elements of your design customers can personalize, such as text fields (for names, dates, quotes) or image uploads.Define rules for personalization (character limits, file types) and create a visual preview of how customers will customize the product in your Shopify store.

5. Showcase Your Products 

Appealing product visuals are crucial for online sales. Gelato’s mockup generator ensures your high-quality products are presented in the best possible light, with no need for expensive photoshoots.

Once you’ve created your design, Gelato automatically generates professional mockups in various settings (lifestyle, studio, flat lay) and angles.

Select the mockups that best represent your product and brand, and download them to use in your Shopify store product listings, social media and marketing materials. 

6. Setting Up Pricing and Product Variants in Shopify

Now it’s time to finalize your product setup within your Shopify store. After creating your product in Gelato, click “Sync to Shopify.” This will automatically create a product listing in your Shopify store with your design and mockups.

Navigate to “Products” in your Shopify admin and find the newly synced product. Set your retail price for the product. Remember to factor in Gelato’s production cost and your desired profit margin. Gelato offers transparent pricing, so you can easily calculate your costs.

Configure product variants (such as sizes and colors). Gelato supports a wide range of variant options for many product types.

7. Configuring Shipping Settings 

Gelato’s global production network isn’t just about faster delivery; it also streamlines shipping and can reduce costs. Orders are intelligently routed to the Gelato production partner closest to your customer, minimizing shipping distances and transit times.

Gelato automatically configures shipping profiles in Shopify based on your product and customer location. When enabled, these profiles ensure that the shipping cost your customer sees at checkout directly mirrors the cost Gelato charges you for the order. 

When you add a new product from Gelato, it’s automatically assigned to the appropriate shipping profile. For products already existing in your Shopify store, you’ll need to manually assign them to a Gelato shipping profile. Or if you want to implement different shipping rates for specific products, you can create your own customized shipping profiles directly within Shopify and assign your products to them.

You can access your Gelato shipping profiles at any time through your Shopify account. Click on “Settings.” Select “Shipping and Delivery.” Then choose “App shipping profiles.”

8. Managing and Fulfilling Orders with the Gelato Dashboard 

The beauty of print-on-demand with Gelato is that the order will be automatically fulfilled. It’s completely hands off. Everything is viewable on the Gelato Dashboard where you can manage and monitor all your print orders. You will even receive real-time shipping updates.

Clicking on the order opens up a detailed information page which includes important information like product details, recipient and shipping address, shipping method, estimated delivery date and order status. From here, you can track progress and even cancel or edit orders as needed.

9. Bulk Upload Your Product Catalog

Ready to expand your product offerings rapidly? Gelato’s bulk upload feature is a powerful tool for quickly scaling your catalog.

All you have to do is create a CSV file with your product information (product type, design files, variants, pricing). Gelato provides templates and guidelines to help you with this. Next, navigate to the “Products” section in your Gelato dashboard and find the “Bulk Upload” option. Upload your CSV file.

Gelato will process your CSV file and automatically create multiple product listings in your Gelato and Shopify stores, saving you time and effort.

Reap the Benefits of Rapid, High-Quality Print on Demand With Gelato

Gelato is more than just a print-on-demand service; it’s a strategic partner that empowers Shopify merchants to thrive in the global e-commerce landscape. By leveraging Gelato’s global network, quality products, and commitment to sustainability, you can build a scalable, efficient, and future-proof online business.

Try Gelato for free now, and get 50% off your first sample order within two days of signing up.