Thanks to the flexible working movement accelerated by the pandemic, the employment landscape currently looks a whole lot different from how it did a decade ago. It’s now easier than ever to pick up a remote job that pays just as well, or better, than office-based alternatives.

For workers looking to supplement their income, or work their career around obligations like school or child care, the job market is stacked with great part-time fully remote positions too, providing ample opportunities to experienced and entry-level professionals alike.

If you aren’t sure where to start the search, we’ve got you covered. This guide rounds up some of the best options out there, including their average starting salaries, whether or not you need experience to apply, and companies that are currently hiring for the role. Scroll down to check if any of these roles suit you, or jump to a specific section using the links below.

6 Part-Time Remote Jobs You Should Know About

Many part-time remote jobs will require you to have a couple of years of experience in a relevant field under your belt. However, this isn’t always a deal breaker, especially if the role is skills-based, or has a shallow learning curve. If you want the freedom to work from anywhere, on a schedule that works for you, see if any of these part-time remote jobs pique your interest:

• Virtual Assistant
• Data entry clerk
• Translator
• Transcriber
• Customer service representative
• Online tutor

1. Virtual Assistant

• Average US Salary: $15 per hour
• Qualifications needed? No

If you’re comfortable with handling administrative tasks and want the freedom to work independently, it could be worth becoming a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants work as independent contractors and handle a wide range of tasks for clients, including scheduling appointments, arranging travel, and organizing emails.

Because you’ll be providing support to your clients remotely, virtual assistants are able to work from anywhere. The job gives you control over your schedule too, so whether you want to work for a couple of hours a week, or increase your earning potential by working with multiple clients at once, you’ll be able to build a timetable that works for you.

Companies that are hiring for part-time remote virtual assistants right now:

• BELAY
• ABR Employment
• My BTLR

2. Data entry clerk

• Average US Salary: $18 per hour
• Qualifications needed? No

Another administrative-based job that lends itself well to flexible working is data entry. As the job title suggests, typical responsibilities include data entry, data uploads, data verification, and other data-related tasks. The job is largely computer-based, but can also entail answering phone calls and scanning documents manually.

It’s easy enough to land an entry-level job as a data entry clerk without prior experience, but the job does require workers to have good communication skills, high levels of computer literacy, and an eye for detail. If you’re interested in exploring data entry positions, take a look at the companies currently looking for workers below.

Companies that are hiring part-time remote data entry clerks right now:

• WorkWoo Technologies
• Truveris
• Acrisure

3. Translator

• Average hourly rate: $20 per hour
• Qualifications needed? No

If you speak multiple languages fluently and are confident in working with the written word, being a translator could be a good option for you. Translators work with text and are responsible for translating materials from a language they are fluent in into their mother tongue.

While speaking multiple languages is a prerequisite for this line of work, it isn’t the only requirement. Translators also need to have a solid understanding of the culture they are interpreting from, excellent writing skills, and a strong eye for accuracy. Having a degree in languages or linguistics will also make you a more desirable candidate, but for most recruiters, this isn’t a deal breaker.

Companies that are hiring for a part-time remote translators right now:

• Bureau Works
• Taia Translations
• Localize

4. Transcriber

• Average US Salary: $21 per hour
• Qualifications needed? No

For those with good typing skills and a great understanding of language, working as a transcriber could be a good alternative. The role requires you to transcribe audio or video recordings efficiently, and sometimes review transcriptions for accuracy and clarity.

Transcription is a great option for workers looking to subsidize their main source of income without expending too much mental energy. The role can be carried out from anywhere, and most transcription companies let workers pick up work when it suits them, making it one of the most flexible options on this list.

You don’t need experience or any formal qualifications to work as a transcriber either. However, because it’s so beginner-friendly, it doesn’t tend to pay as well as other part-time remote jobs.

Companies that are hiring for part-time remote transcribers right now:

• SpeakWrite
• Liberably
• TASK Transcription Services

5. Customer service representative

• Average US Salary: $18.52 per hour
• Qualifications needed? No

If you’re a people person, that wants to fit a job around your schedule, customer service roles are highly flexible and can pay well if you find the right position. Customer service representatives are typically responsible for managing incoming calls, handling service inquiries, and resolving customer queries.

Since customer service tasks can be carried out remotely, most companies won’t require you to commute to physical locations. While you rarely need lots of experience to get started, after you’ve got your foot in the door it tends to be quite easy to work your way up the ladder, making the role ideal for workers that are looking to build a career.

Companies that are hiring for part-time remote customer service representatives right now:

• IntouchCX
• Optum
• Randstad

6. Online tutor

• Average US Salary: $29 (Salary)
• Qualifications needed? No

If you’re still studying or want to earn a little alongside your full-time job, online tutoring lets you work at a time that suits you. Whether you have a depth of knowledge on a particular subject, or a decent understanding of Science and Math, working as a tutor helps you share your knowledge with students, while earning a decent income at the same time.

All you need to get started is a laptop with an internet connection and a webcam, making it accessible to most job-seekers. Online tutoring jobs tend to charge pretty high hourly rates, especially if you have strong qualifications, or tutor a subject that’s in high demand.

Companies that are hiring for part-time remote online tutors right now:

• Upswing
• Bloomington Tutors
• Varsity Tutors

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to restore net neutrality and roll out tougher broadband regulations to ensure internet speeds and access are democratized for all users across the US.

The bill will see the broadband internet treated like other essential services such as phones and water, and represent a major win for the Democratic party, who have been fighting for an open internet since the regulations were rescinded under former President Donald Trump in 2017.

The debate around the open internet has been inciting tension between big corporations and US policymakers for decades. But if you’re curious about how net neutrality could impact you, we explain what the concept means in simple terms, and what the bill could mean for the average US citizen.

The FCC Has Decided to Restore Net Neutrality, After a Seven Year Hiatus

The FCC has voted 3-2 on party lines to reinstate net neutrality – a landmark protection that was first rolled out by former President Obama in 2015. The bill, which received overwhelming support from the Democratic party, will finalize a proposal first advanced in October and will result in the FCC exerting more regulatory control over US-based internet broadband providers like Verizon and Xfinity.

Despite major pushback from broadband companies and lobbying groups, the FCC’s fact sheet cited several reasons why it was essential to reinstate net neutrality laws.

Principally, the commission believes restoring open internet will help prevent broadband providers from creating “Internet fast lanes” that would charge services like Amazon or Netflix for faster access – an argument that Netflix has been supporting for years.

The FCC also believes these rules are critical in preventing providers from censoring content and cracking down on free speech, increasing the security of all broadband networks, and giving small and medium-sized companies a more level playing field on the market.

“Every consumer deserves internet access that is fast, open and fair. This is common sense.” – FCC Chairwomen, Jessica Rosenworcel

Chairwoman of the FCC Jessica Rosenworcel said the rules reflected the importance of high-speed internet as the main mode of communication for many Americans, and compared the internet to other essential services that we “count on in every aspect of modern life”, like water and phone lines.

With debates around net neutrality often being overshadowed by wider conversations about politics and capitalism, its impact on the average netizen often gets lost in the mix. So, what could reinstating the open internet actually mean for you?

What Is Neutrality, and How Does It Affect Me?

In simple terms, net neutrality is the concept that internet service providers (ISP) should treat all data on the internet equally. The set of regulations aims to make the internet an open playing field for all users, by prohibiting any ISPs from blocking, slowing down, or speeding up the delivery of online content at their discretion.

Proponents of the movement believe that open internet results in a fairer deal for everyone, by preventing online experiences from being controlled by those with bigger wallets. For the average user and site owner, this can mean the following:

• Greater accessibility – Net neutrality ensures that everything on the internet is available to everyone, democratizing access across demographics.
• Lower costs – By preventing ISPs from charging companies for better access, services won’t need to lump the financial burden onto regular internet users with paywalls and paid subscriptions.
• Better user experience – The regulations ban internet providers from slowing down internet providers for certain sites, resulting in a better, and faster browsing experience for most Americans.
• Greater freedom of expression – Net neutrality prohibits ISPs from blocking specific content they don’t agree with, ensuring that the internet is free from censorship, and encouraging freedom of speech online.
• Better opportunities for small businesses – Smaller enterprises with smaller budgets will benefit from the open internet, as they can enjoy the same site speeds as larger corporations.

Why Is The Debate Around Net Neutrality So Heated?

The FCC’s restoration of net neutrality didn’t come without its fair share of pushback. Opponents of net neutrality argue that the bill could result in more unnecessary government oversight of broadband providers, and that could stifle innovation and competition in the industry.

FCC Commissioner and Republican Brendan Carr has been a vocal opponent of the bill. He described the new regulations as an “unlawful power grab” and previously criticized Biden’s equity plan for being ‘sweeping, unprecedented, and unlawful’.

Unsurprisingly, ISPs aren’t happy about the bill, either. Jonathan Splatler, the president of the broadband lobbying group believes net neutrality is a “nonissue for broadband consumers, who have enjoyed an open internet for decades,” and has stated that the organization will “pursue all available options, including in the courts.”

However, despite the topic stoking divisions on Capitol Hill, net neutrality is supported by a bipartisan majority of Americans, with recent polling showing that the concept is supported by 73% of US citizens, including 82% of Democrats, 65% of Republicans, and 68% of Independents. So, unless you’re a broadband conglomerate with vested interests in web privitization, its unlikely you’re going to be negatively impacted by the FCC’s recent bill.

Some things should never have ads on them, and it’s the unofficial policy of Tech.co that desktop computer start menus are among them. And yet, start menu are just what Windows 11 has recently included ads on.

Microsoft calls them recommendations, and they tell you which apps you should buy in the Windows app store “from a small set of curated developers.”

Thankfully, there’s a simple process that can revoke these ads and leave your start menus squeaky clean once more. Here’s what to do.

How to Personalize Your Start Menu

Once you’ve updated your computer to the most recent Windows 11 version (as of April 23, 2024), you’ll see the Windows app recommendations when you open your start menu. If that’s the case, here’s where to navigate in order to reverse that particular element of the update:

• Settings > Personalization > Start > “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more”

Once you’re at the Start section, you’ll be able to toggle off the switch that’s labeled “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more.”

This area will also have a range of other toggles that you might want to switch off as well, such as the functions that show your most used apps, your recently used apps, or your app list.

Why Windows 11 Updated Its Start Menu

The new start menu change comes from the “KB5036980” update, which includes several other patches. Here’s what the patch notes say about how the start menu change works and what the benefits are:

“The Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps. These apps come from a small set of curated developers. This will help you to discover some of the great apps that are available.”

To be fair, you may be looking for some cool Windows apps. Curation can be a problem when it comes to surfacing genuinely useful applications, and there are plenty of options to chose from in the Windows store.

If that’s the case for you, you won’t need to take any action, as you’ve already been opted into these recommendations.

You Can Use Copilot to Avoid Start Menus Entirely

If any of those new start menu ads are advertising for Copilot’s new Windows functionality, they might earn a click: As we covered last month, Microsoft is eager to roll out AI tools across a ton of its products, and Windows 11 is included.

With the new updates, any Windows 11 user can search online with Copilot, which can then apply the data it has found in order to generate all-new content.

Users can also talk to Copilot directly in order to change their computer settings or pull up the right files, addressing one of the biggest reasons anyone pulls up their start menu in the first place.

On the whole, Copilot for Windows can’t deliver all the email-drafting and video-call-summarizing capability that users will get from its Microsoft 365 counterpart, but it’s definitely smarter than any start menu you’ve dealt with in the past, and it comes without any ads.

The pandemic-fueled jump in remote work has opened the door to a similar hike in digital nomads — globe-trotting workers who just need an internet connection and a suitcase to do their jobs while soaking in the scenery.

But digital nomadism isn’t all fun: You’ll need to be the type of person who can buckle down to work no matter what environment you’re in, you’ll need to love scheduling and planning conflicts, and you’ll have to have a strong understanding of how to legally travel and work in other countries. We can only help you with that last one.

Turkey has just launched a brand-new and fairly flexible visa specifically for digital nomads, and you probably qualify for it. Here’s what to know.

Who Qualifies for Turkey’s New Visa?

The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry has listed a few requirements for who can be considered for its new visa. Here’s a quick list:

• Applicants must live in a qualified country. The US, UK, Canada, Russia, and some European countries are all included.
• Applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 55.
• Applicants must have a university degree.
• Applicants must be employed, self-employed, or hold a business contract with a company outside of Turkey.
• Applicants must prove they earn $3,000 USD monthly or $36,000 annually.
• Applicants must have a passport or a travel document that will be valid for at least six months after they arrive in Turkey.

How Do Qualified Workers Get the Visa?

If you’re eligible, you can get the application process started now on the official website for this new visa. You’ll have to upload documents proving each of the above qualifications.

If approved, you’ll receive a Digital Nomad Identification Certificate. You’ll then need to take the certificate (and all your qualification documents) to a Turkey visa center or consulate in order to actually apply for the visa itself.

Here’s the full list of countries that are eligible, from the official website:

France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus.

Where Should You Go in Turkey?

Istanbul is the country’s economic center, and it remains by far the largest city across all of Europe, so it’s the most likely draw.

However, cities like the country’s capital, Ankara, may offer great experiences for even more attractive price points.

Whatever you settle on, we’d recommend reading up on what to expect as a traveler. The metro system is incredibly good, but you’ll also be dealing with a lot of tobacco smoke in public areas. Plus, we can tell you right now not to use a VPN while in the country. Turkey blocks access to VPNs, as we’ve discussed in our guide to the legality of VPN use.

If you’re looking for alternatives, we’ve listed plenty of other digital nomad-friendly countries to consider in 2024.

Ring users are getting a collective $5.6 million in refunds from Amazon, thanks to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a recent privacy breach settlement. You might be able to get in on it, too, as long as you meet the qualifications.

The settlement concerns users whose private video footage was accessed by Amazon workers without consent.

Ring’s smart home security devices have long been seen as big privacy concerns, given the amount of data they hoover up. A complaint lodged in May 2023 alleged Amazon never issued adequate security measures for its Ring products, and Amazon has settled for well over $5 million.

Here’s what the allegations were about, and how you might qualify for a piece of the settlement.

Ring’s Employees Had Unlimited Access to Users’ Devices, Allegedly

The FTC’s original complaint alleges that Ring had lax internal regulations to keep employees and contractors from accessing customers’ video logs. Instead, they had unlimited access, according to the allegations covered by Bleeping Computer, and this allowed for the possibility of Amazon workers to abuse their position.

In addition, the complaint claims that Ring didn’t add basic security measures like multi-factor authentication until 2019, making its external regulation pretty shoddy as well.

This made it easier, the complaint says, for third-party bad actors to hijack Ring user accounts through brute-force attacks.

It’s all pretty condemning stuff for one of the biggest tech companies in the US, even if it’s far from abnormal amid even worse cybersecurity incidents we’ve seen in recent years, from ransomware heists to Facebook phishing.

Do You Qualify for Some of the $5.6 Million?

The FTC is sending payments through PayPal now to over 117,000 customers who had “certain types of Ring devices, such as indoor cameras” during certain time periods.

They’ll all need to redeem the funds in the next 30 days, putting a ticking clock on the possibility of recovering money that’s sure to cut off some Ring users who aren’t checking their PayPal account on a regular basis.

Ring users are eligible if their account was determined to be vulnerable due to the privacy and security issues raised by the complaint. In other words, you don’t need to prove that your account was exploited by bad actors — just that it was possible for it to be.

Check Your PayPal Account, Folks

For some settlements, any eligible parties need to fill out a form or reply to an email. That’s not the case here: This time, due in part to all that Ring data collection, the FTC knows exactly who the millions of settlement dollars are being given to.

“The FTC identified eligible Ring customers based on data provided by the company.” – the FTC to Bleeping Computer.

It’s a relatively easy settlement to receive, compared to other recent types of settlements, from the $5k data breach settlement that Webster Bank customers qualified for this month to the $150 that Canadians with old iPhones are up for. Just about the only downside, in my opinion, is that you owned a Ring device at one point.

Getting a job can help you repay your student loans, but what if the hiring business was willing to split the cost with you?

Businesses around the world have begun offering excellent employee perks and benefits to entice top talent into staying for longer. Given that retention is more valuable than anything when it comes to human resources, businesses have gotten creative with ways to encourage employees to stick around.

With the rising issue of student loan debt in the US, some businesses have decided that helping employees nix that debt is worth their while, and we’ve collected some tech companies that do so in order to help you find a job.

What Is Student Loan Reimbursement?

According to the Federal Reserve, the cumulative student loan debt in the US sits at approximately $1.7 trillion. As you can imagine, this has a decidedly negative impact on the 43 million Americans saddled with these exorbitant sums, leading to all kinds of financial hardship.

Given the predatory interest rates of these loans, combined with stagnant wages over the last few decades, it has been nearly impossible for the average worker to make a sizable dent in their debt. That’s where student loan reimbursement can come in handy.

These programs are offered by businesses that want to take care of the financial health of their employees. They offer some form of reimbursement or repayment in an effort to cut down on the financial burden of student loan debt on employees. It’s an increasingly popular employee perk, particularly with the Supreme Court shutting down President Biden’s plan to forgive student loan in 2023.

Tech companies offering some form of student loan reimbursement for employees:

• Chegg
• Google
• Hulu
• Kronos
• Live Nation
• NVIDIA
• Sofi

Chegg

As an educational technology company, it’s understandable that Chegg would make an effort to alleviate the stress of student loan debt on its employees. In 2018, the company announced that it would launch an equity plan aimed at doing exactly that.

Even better, Chegg announced that the plan would provide funds based on your employment level. Entry level and manger employees are eligible for up to $5,000 per year, while higher ups are eligible for up to $3,000 per year. It’s worth noting, however, that you will have to work at Chegg for at least two years before you are eligible.

Amount: $3,000-5,000 per year

Google

Google is considered one of the best companies in the world to work for, and that’s largely fueled by the fact that it offers quality perks and benefits to its employees. These include generous parental leave, while those who value the option of working from home will find plenty of remote jobs at Google this month.

In 2020, the big tech firm announced that it would be matching student loan payments of employees up to $2,500 per year. Unfortunately, if you’re a freelancer or a contractor with Google, you’re out of luck. The student loan reimbursement program at Google only applies to full-time employees, of which there are more than 100,000 across the US.

Amount: $2,500 per year

Hulu

There’s more to the popular streaming service than just binge watching your favorite shows. Since 2018, Hulu has been offering student loan repayment options for its employees, to the tune of $100 per month or $1,200 per year.

There are some caveats, though. You will have to work at Hulu for at least a year before you can take advantage of this employee perk. Additionally, the program has a cap of $6,000 total, so you’ll have to find another way to pay off the rest.

Amount: $1,200 per year

Kronos

As a human capital and work management company, Kronos is clearly committed to the wellbeing of employees at their business and beyond. In an effort to cut back on turnover, the company began offering student loan repayment for employees, as the rate of turnover is less than half for those having their debts paid off.

Kronos is on the lower end of the spectrum admittedly, offering only $500 per year to help manage payments. However, the company also offers reimbursement for undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are associated with the employee’s job.

Amount: $500 per year

Live Nation

Live Nation was the first entertainment companies to offer student loan repayment options for its employees, getting in on the trend all the way back in early 2017. Since then, the company has reportedly saved employees more than $4 million in student loan debts.

The Live Nation repayment options is somewhat generous, coming in at $100 per month or $1,200 per year. Additionally, the company does put a limit on total repayment options, with a cap at $6,000 in your lifetime. If only student loans had a similar rule.

Amount: $100 per month

NVIDIA

NVIDIA has had a great year, boasting lots of revenue thanks to the boom in AI technology across the business world. Fortunately, the company is passing that along to employees, offering one of the more generous student debt repayment options on the list at $500 per month or $6,000 per year.

Even better, NVIDIA keeps the lifetime cap on student loan repayment quite high, allowing employees to get as much as $30,000 repaid over the course of their employment. And with the eligibility waiting period being only three months, it’s safe to say NVIDIA doesn’t want its employees bothered by student debt.

Amount: $500 per month

Sofi

Sofi is an online bank and finance company that encourages other businesses to provide perks like student loan forgiveness to attract top talent. Luckily, the company doesn’t just talk the talk, it walks the walk, offering student loan repayment for its own employees as well.

Announced all the way back in 2016, Sofi offers up to $200 per month or $2,400 per year, to help employees pay back their student loans. And with the company helping curb student loan debt by more than $1 billion, it’s safe to say the company is on the side of the students.

Amount: $200 per month

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is making headlines this week, announcing that noncompete agreements are now officially banned for businesses across the country.

All the power in the business world has typically resided with the companies that hire employees. However, in recent years, the tide has turned ever so slightly in favor of workers, with remote work becoming more popular and unions gaining ground.

Now, this FTC decision could have long-lasting benefits for employees, allowing them to work wherever they want without the threat of punishment.

FTC Announces Nationwide Ban on Noncompete Agreements

The FTC made a groundbreaking ruling this week, announcing that the government agency was banning noncompete agreements nationwide. This means that employees will be able to change jobs whenever they choose, free from legal action, financial penalties, and any other punishments that come with these kinds of contracts.

“The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy,” – Lina M. Khan, FTC Chair

The rule change was proposed in January 2023, more than a year ago. And while the wheels of government move slowly, this ruling will have a substantial impact on the business world as a whole.

Why Is the FTC Banning Noncompete Agreements?

Noncompete agreements have been a big part of the business world for a long time, so how bad could they actually be for competition? Well, according to the ruling, these contracts have been stifling wages and innovation the whole time.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, including from the more than 8,500 new startups that would be created a year once noncompetes are banned. The FTC’s final rule to ban noncompetes will ensure Americans have the freedom to pursue a new job, start a new business, or bring a new idea to market.” – Lina M. Khan, FTC chair

That’s right, the FTC discovered that as many as 8,500 startups are prevented from launching due to noncompete agreements. Beyond that, the ruling is expected to result in “estimated earnings increase for the average worker by an additional $524 per year” and ” lower health care costs by up to $194 billion over the next decade.”

Are All Noncompete Agreements Null and Void Now?

Given this kind of ruling, it’s understandable to wonder about the status of current noncompete agreements. After all, could something like this really get rid of this many contracts in a single ruling?

Well, that is indeed the case, as noncompetes for the majority of employees will no longer be enforceable after the effective date, which is 120 days after the rule’s publication in the Federal Register.

However, there are a few exceptions. Noncompetes for senior executives — which were defined as anyone “earning more than $151,164 annually and who are in policy-making positions” — can remain in force if the business so chooses. Still, for most employees, this ruling could make a big impact on how they look for work in the future.

Mental health has a long history of being stigmatized in the workplace.  However, with new research suggesting that 64% of US workers battle with their mental on a daily basis, for many employers it’s becoming an issue they can no longer ignore.

From letting employees work flexibly to providing access to therapy apps and employee assistance programs (EAPs), there are lots of preventative strategies companies can take to safeguard worker wellbeing. And for the times when employees just can’t face showing up to work – there are mental health days.

Mental health days give staff a breather when they need it the most, and as the employment landscape softens its approach to worker wellbeing, an increasing number of high-profile companies have started offering them as a part of their benefits package.

If working for a company that cares about your wellbeing is a non-negotiable, we round up several companies that offer mental health days in 2024.

What Is a Mental Health Day?

A mental health day is a paid day of holiday a worker can take when they’re struggling with stress, anxiety, or other mental health-related challenges. Employees taking mental health days are allowed to step back from their responsibilities and focus on improving their well-being, through relaxing and resting, or doing whatever they enjoy.

Working in a similar way to sick days, mental health days give employees the space to temporarily pause workplace pressures, allowing them to feel more replenished and focused on their return.

Aside from the obvious advantages for workers, mental health day policies also stand to benefit employers by having a knock-on impact on worker productivity and employee engagement.

While many companies are liberalizing their attitudes towards mental health, finding a job where the perk is offered isn’t a given.

Companies that give employees free mental health days:

• LinkedIn
• Nike
• Duolingo
• Signal Advisors
• Netflix
• NerdWallet
• Microsoft
• Intuit

1. LinkedIn

The professional networking site LinkedIn, known for humble-bragging, endless job opportunities, and the odd scam, has also garnered a reputation for looking after its workers. In 2021 the Sunnyvale-based company hit headlines for giving its 16,000 employees a paid week off to help them combat burnout.

The company decided to offer the perk to its workforce after finding out that employees had been experiencing higher levels of stress than usual during the pandemic. On top of this collective week off, the company also encourages workers to take mental health days if or when they need them.

2. Nike

Mental health days are also offered by the American athletic retailer, Nike. Similarly to LinkedIn, Nike also provided its workforce with a week off work to unwind and relax last year. According to Nike’s global director of social media engagement ops Sami Unrau, the incentive provided workers with a chance to “step away, rest, and refill their cups.”

They found by giving workers a week to disconnect at the same time, there would be less pressure for them to continually check emails and communication channels. While this week-long benefit was only eligible for members of the head office, all Nike employees are able to take paid “Well-Being Days” if they need a break from work for a day or longer.

3. Duolingo

Duolingo is a language learning app known best for its green owl mascot, Duo, and its unhinged content on social media. Alongside offering mental health benefits like free therapy sessions, Duolingo also shuts the doors of its Pittsburgh offices for two weeks during winter break, giving its workforce a chance to fully recharge over the festive period.

The company has a generous time off policy, which allows employees to take unlimited days off work when they’re sick or are experiencing poor mental health.

4. Signal Advisors

Signal Advisors is a software company based in Detriot, which creates technology for financial advisors. The company prides itself on having an open, people-first culture. As part of this mission, full-time team members are eligible for up to 10 paid health days each calendar year.

On top of this perk, Signal Advisors also offers its workforce, a wellness stipend, flexible working schedules, and ‘summer Fridays – a flexible working policy where employees are able to leave the office on the last workday of the week.

5. Netflix

The US’s biggest streaming service, and home to binge-worthy hits like Squid Game and Stranger Things has gained a reputation for treating their workers well. In tune with their mission to embrace a culture of ‘freedom and responsibility’, and treat each worker like an adult, the streaming giant lets workers take time off whenever they deem necessary.

That’s right. Netflix doesn’t have an official annual leave limit or mental health day policy – the employer simply lets workers take time off whenever they want, for any reason. While it may seem like this system is primed for exploitation, it’s one of many companies that appear to benefit from having an unlimited vacation policy.

Find out what other companies offer unlimited PTO for vacation.

6. NerdWallet

NerdWallet is a US personal finance company that promotes financial products to users. The company offers four collective “Self-Care Days” throughout the year, so its workforce can “take time off for themselves and come back refreshed”. On top of this shared perk, NerdWallet also lets its workers take a day for their mental health whenever necessary.

In addition to mental health days, the San Francisco-based company also offers generous parental leave to new parents, to give them ample time to bond with new family members.

7. Microsoft

Undoubtedly the biggest company in this list, with over 220,000 employees, Microsoft is certainly generous when it comes to giving workers time off. Firstly, employees at the company get unlimited PTO, introduced in 2023 to salaried workers.

Not only that, but it also grants staff 10 ‘corporate holidays’, which can be used as mental health days. Sound good? If so you might want to check out the latest remote jobs at Microsoft.

8. Intuit

If a day off to reset your mental batteries isn’t cutting it, then how about a whole week? Join Intuit, the financial software company, and you can bag yourself a recharge week at the end of the year for some well deserved R&R time. Unlike the other companies in this list however, you don’t get to choose when you take the time off.

Not convinced? Intuit also gives you your birthday off work, too.

Microsoft has just launched Phi-3-Mini, a small but mighty AI model that can carry out tasks like content creation while running locally on smartphones and laptops, making it ideal for companies with limited resources.

Despite being Microsoft’s smallest AI model yet, and being trained on a dataset much smaller than models such as GPT-4, the company claims it can outperform models twice its size because of its training process that prioritizes the quality of data, over quantity.

As more big tech companies like Anthropic and Google try their hand at creating smaller, targeted AI models, Phi-3-Mini is just one of three small models Microsoft is planning to release. We cover what users can expect from the smaller, more affordable model, and how you can test it out for yourself.

Microsoft Launches New AI Model: Phi-3-Mini

For a long time, bigger meant better when it came to artificial intelligence. However, while AI chatbots trained on mammoth datasets like Gemini and ChatGPT have wider applications, many big tech companies appear to be bucking this trend by releasing smaller, targeted models, including Microsoft which just released its smallest AI model yet.

While it might sound like a Sorority house, Phi-3 Mini is one of three compact large language models (LLM) built by Microsoft – with Phi-3-Small and Phi-3-Medium rumored to be released in the coming months. The company’s smallest model has been trained on a data set much smaller than other LLMs, and measuring just 3.8 billion parameters – in comparison with GPT-4’s 1.76 trillion.

However, despite its minimal training data, Microsoft claims the model performs much better than its predecessor Phi-2 – which was released in December – and produces responses up to a standard of models 10 times its size.

“The innovation lies entirely in our dataset for training, a scaled-up version of the one used for phi-2, composed of heavily filtered web data and synthetic data. The model is also further aligned for robustness, safety, and chat format.” – Microsoft

Phi-2-Mini’s success is largely down to its unique training method, which relies heavily on filtered web data and synthetic data, instead of real-world data generated by processes like web crawling. Since synthetic data is much cheaper to source, more diverse, and easier to fine-tune than real-world data, it’s becoming the logical input for many small AI models.

Are Small, Light-Weight AI Models The Future?

Since smaller models like Phi-3 Mini require less computing power, they’re typically cheaper to run and perform better on phones and laptops than larger models. This makes them ideal for companies with smaller AI budgets, that use chatbots for targeted use cases like content generation or solving math problems.

With compact AI models displaying clear advantages over all-purpose ones, Microsoft isn’t the only company focusing on lower-cost targeted chatbots. Google recently introduced two language-focused chatbots, Gemma 2B and 7B, and Anthropic recently launched Claude 3 Haiku – a bot whose primary purpose is to summarize dense research papers.

“If you have a very, very high stakes application, let’s say in a healthcare scenario, then I definitely think that you should go with the frontier model — the best, most capable, most reliable. For other uses, other factors matter more, including speed and cost. That’s where you want to go with Phi-3.” – Microsoft VP Sébastien Bubeck told Axios.

But despite the recent popularity of smaller models, Microsoft isn’t throwing the towels in on larger models just yet. The software manufacturer says that models like Phi-3 aren’t intended to replace large models, but were designed to fulfill goals that models like GPT-4 or Gemini can’t, like running locally on devices.

How Can I Get Microsoft’s Phi-3-Mini AI?

While traditional chatbots aren’t going anywhere, if you’re interested in testing out Microsoft’s new micro-chatbot, Phi-3-Mini is now available for public use.

Microsoft has recently added Phi-3 to its own cloud service platform, Azure model gallery, and the bot is also available on open-source model sites Hugging Face and Olloma. Phi-3-Small, and Phi-3-Medium will also be available on these platforms when they’re released in the future.

If Microsoft’s compact chatbot doesn’t cut it for you, or if you want to compare it to the competition, take a look at our guide to the best AI chatbots in 2024.

The US has taken a huge step towards banning TikTok after an updated version of a divest-and-ban bill that would force ByteDance to sell the social media platform received cross-party support in the House of Representatives.

The bill is included in a broader $95 billion legislative package that include security assistance and aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

Although it still has to pass through the Senate, President Joe Biden has already indicated he would sign such legislation if it makes it to the Oval Office.

US Takes First Big Step to Total TikTok Ban

The US House of Representatives has voted on a legislative package that includes a bill that will force TikTok owner ByteDance to sell up or face a ban. It passed through the first chamber of Congress by 360 – 58.

The bill will be voted on in the Senate next week if everything goes as planned, and there’s no real indication right now that it will face any significant opposition inside the chamber. Then, it’s over to Joe Biden to sign it into law – something the president has already said he intends to do.

Why Does the US Government Want to Ban TikTok?

Washington has long been concerned about the TikTok’s alleged relationship with the Chinese government. Beijing has been strengthening its grip on private business in the country for some time now, and the US is worried that ByteDance has been compromised as a result. Some US states, such as Montana, have already approved bans, while countries like Canada have banned the app among government officials.

Concerns in the West range from the way the app could be wielded to disseminate Chinese propaganda and censor dissent to the ease at which the Chinese government could access data connected to the app’s droves of US-based users.

TikTok has always strongly denied all of the allegations relating to a purported connection to the Chinese government. Singaporean CEO So Zi Chew had his feet held over the fire by Congress back in March of last year, where he insisted under oath that the company was entirely independent.

After the bill passed this week, the company said in a post on X that a ban “would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually.”

What Will TikTok Do if the Bill Is Signed Into Law?

If the bill becomes law in its present form, it will force parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months of the ruling. However, this period could be extended to help parent company ByteDance get a deal over the line.

The allotted period is slightly longer than the original version of the bill which provided the company with just six months to sell.

However, TikTok has already said it will fight any such legislation head-on. The likelihood that delays will occur due to appeals from TikTok is high. But regardless of the final timeline, a total ban seems closer than ever.

Go to college, they say. Granted, you’ll have to shoulder the debt burden, but it’ll raise your earnings ceiling well beyond what it would be if you never attended. Plus, it’ll ensure you can secure a well-paid job at a reputable company.

In most cases, this is true — but that doesn’t mean the only way to earn the big bucks is by going to college. Companies are taking a much more holistic approach to hiring nowadays, factoring in a wider range of skills, courses, and experiences beyond a person’s education.

However, it’s not always easy to know where to start — jobs still favor specific experiences and skills, even if they’re less concerned about your college certificates. To get you started, we’ve rounded up some of the most interesting, well-paid job roles available in 2024.

The Highest Paying Jobs You Don’t Need a Degree For in 2024

In this section, we’ll go into some detail on the highest-paying jobs out there that don’t require a degree. I’ve included some jobs without eye-watering, $150,000 annual salaries but are worth considering because they’re more achievable.

For example, Executive assistant roles (average salary of around $88,000) will be within reach for a lot more people than “Entrepreneur,” which requires more business acumen and a hefty dose of luck. Here’s the list:

• Commercial Pilot
• Executive Assistant
• Distribution Manager
• Real Estate Agent
• Flight Attendant
• Train Driver
• Personal Trainer

While we’ve given the average salary as displayed on Salary.com for these roles because its more realistic, accurate, and achievable, the earnings potential will be significantly higher for some of these roles.

For example, some real estate agents will get commissions, while personal trainers will be able to charge more and more money as they accrue more experience.

1. Commercial Pilot

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? Yes
Average Salary: $189,000+ (Salary.com)

If flying planes across the globe is your dream, good news — this is an extremely well-paid profession that doesn’t require any degree-level qualifications. The ATP Flight School even states that an aviation degree is not necessary.

Of course, having a degree definitely shows you can complete projects, write reports, and solve complex problems. But if you’re set on becoming a pilot, it’ll be cheaper, quicker, and more useful for you to start taking private lessons.

As with most high-paying roles, there are other qualifications you’ll need to obtain to get a commercial pilot’s license. This includes medical tests and examinations, as well as an extensive FAA test.

2. Executive Assistant

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? No
Average Salary: $88,000+ (Salary.com)

Executive assistants do exactly what it sounds like they do — they assist executives and sometimes other members of a business who sit on the board and have final decision-making power.

Some companies have exec assistant roles for individuals, while other companies will appoint one employee to the role for the whole board. Duties include booking meetings, dealing with company comms, and summarizing reports.

Executive assistants don’t need a degree to do their jobs — if you’re an incredible organizer and good with numbers, then you’ll go far. However, having an accounting, finance, or business management degree wouldn’t harm your application.

3. Distribution Manager

Degree Required? Not essential, but preferred
Other Qualifications Required? Yes
Average Salary: $105,000+ (Salary.com)

A distribution manager will look after a company’s shipping and transportation processes, ensuring everything is running smoothly. It’s all about ensuring that products reach their predetermined location on time and in one piece.

You will need at least a high school diploma for this job, and while degrees are becoming increasingly preferred for roles like this one, they’re not yet considered essential.

However, in hiring, you’re likely to go up against people with logistic and management qualifications — so it’ll probably only be worth your time to apply if you already have some experience in this area.

4. Real Estate Agent

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? Yes
Average Salary: $104,000+ (Salary.com)

Real estate agents lease, let, and sell commercial and residential properties. They are involved in every step of the property-buying process, from the initial research and purchase to subsequent viewings and sales. The best-paid roles in the industry tend to be in commercial real estate.

You don’t need a college degree for this role, but you will have to pass some real estate exams to obtain your license, as well as a variety of other training courses to ensure you’re up to the job.

While Salary.com puts the average salary at just over $100,000 per annum, some other job websites, such as Glassdoor, display a pay range of $154,000-195,000.

5. Flight Attendant

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? No
Average Salary: $85,000+ (Salary.com)

Like the idea of traveling the world, but don’t want to go through the arduous process of obtaining a pilot’s license? Well, just hop on board as a flight attendant, a role that doesn’t require a degree yet pays better than some that do.

Flight attendants are responsible for ensuring passengers get to the right seats and have safe, pleasant journeys. Naturally, it involves lots of traveling and being away from your home for extended periods, which won’t fit with everyone’s lifestyle or personal responsibilities.

While you don’t need a college degree to be considered for a flight attendant role at any major US airline, you will have to go through extensive background checks, endure emergency training, and pass a medical exam.

6. Train Driver

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? Yes
Average Salary: $73,000+ (Salary.com)

Train drivers are pretty well paid in the US, at least compared to other roles that do not require prior qualifications. US train drivers tend to be better paid than their European counterparts and typically earn above the median average salary for a US worker (just under $60,000).

This is perhaps because it’s a little more than just getting passengers from A to B — train drivers will liaise with stationary control teams, check the train is fit for service, and follow track signaling protocols. It might be repetitive, but it’s also a job with significant responsibility. If you’re not focused, people could get hurt.

A lot of US railroad companies offer their own training programs and courses that you’ll need to complete before you’re let loose on the tracks. There are also some eyesight and color vision requirements.

7. Personal Trainer

Degree Required? No
Other Qualifications Required? No
Average Salary: $67,000+ (Salary.com)

Personal trainers do not require a degree to practice their profession, and you can be certified as a personal trainer with just a high school diploma.

Better still, while you can obtain supplementary qualifications, there’s no obligation to. However, a well-respected personal trainer course can be completed for under $1,000 over a couple of months — way cheaper than college.

This doesn’t stop some hotels, spas, fitness clubs, and gyms from demanding degree-level qualified personal trainers. However, if you can walk the walk and talk the talk, you’ve got a much higher chance of getting your foot in the door without a qualification than other professions in the same pay range.

Building Skills Outside of College

College degrees teach you a wide range of useful skills, which is why so many job roles require one. But going to college and swallowing the huge debts that come with it isn’t the only way to build the skills and experience needed to earn a high wage.

Right now, for instance, employers are looking for AI training courses to give them an edge over other candidates. Businesses are using AI more than ever and want competent, curious employees with foundational knowledge.

This is just one example of a way to stand out from the crowd — as are other short-term courses and boot camps. Volunteering for non-profit organizations, on the other hand, isn’t just rewarding — it reflects a person’s values, something businesses are more interested in now than ever.

The key takeaway is that there are loads of ways to build skills — and college-level education isn’t the only path to a better pay packet.

A vacation insurance app called Weather Promise will reimburse holidaymakers and workation-takers with up to $10,000 if it rains during their trip.

The company – which uses AI to predict the weather for trip periods submitted by customers – currently counts all days with more than two hours of rainfall between 8 am and 8 pm as rainy.

Sound too good to be true? Here’s everything you need to know about how Weather Promise works and whether there are any competitors worth checking out before your next trip.

How Does Weather Promise Work?

Weather Promise will help cushion one of the most frustrating blows any person can be dealt – an unexpectedly wet, rainy holiday that makes you feel like you’ve wasted your money and your annual PTO allowance. But how does it work?

Weather Promise uses AI to analyze data from more than 2.3 million locations an hour to predict the weather for customers’ vacations.

Then, customers pay between $5 and $500 for insurance via a travel partner organizing their trip. Prices vary depending on the length and nature of the trip, as well as how much it costs.

If it rains more than the AI-generated “guarantee” has predicted, then customers can be reimbursed up to $10,000.

What Are the Company’s Terms?

As we’ve covered, to be reimbursed for any given day, there has to be at least two hours of rainfall between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm – but it also must exceed 0.06 inches of rainfall.

Some other recent reporting on Weather Promise specifies that it needs to rain for four hours, but at the time of writing, the website’s purchase calculator currently specifies just half of that, making it even easier to claim.

While the insurance cost itself can get quite high, the payouts are also quite large. If it rains more than is guaranteed, you can claim back the entire trip cost. It doesn’t have to rain during your entire trip for you to claim all of the money.

For example, a seven-day trip to Athens, Greece at the start of May costing $1,400 can be insured with Weather Promise for around $73.

Are Other Businesses Providing Similar Services?

While Weather Promise has been hitting the headlines recently, it’s not the only company that offers weather-based insurance services.

Sensible Weather also offers similar services and is now partnering with venues and outdoor activity providers to offer high-temperature weather guarantees straight from the welcome desk.

There are, of course, broader travel insurance deals you can buy from most insurance companies that encompass weather-based reimbursements. But companies focusing solely on the weather are still few and far between – Weather Promise launched around two months ago in February 2024.

Getting a job at Apple isn’t easy – not least because everyone wants one. The company is known for hiring the very best of the best into its corporate and engineering teams, with the company totaling more than 150,000 employees globally – including in-person retail teams.

Yet, despite Apple’s top brass having a stated preference for face-to-face in-office working, there are still quite a few remote jobs available at the company.

In this short guide, we’ll look at some of the most interesting roles at Apple that the company will let you complete from your home office. However, I’d advise looking at vacant roles at Microsoft if you’re serious about getting a remote job in 2024, as there are plenty more open this month.

Fully Remote Apple Jobs: Listings for March 2024

Apple has 29 remote jobs with the “home office” tag available in April 2024 – which is slightly up from last month. Although the roles are remote, they’re still linked to an office and a team, so they have geographical locations as part of the listing. Here are some of the most interesting ones I found while leafing through the careers portal:

• Apple Professional Learning Specialist (Annual Support) (Delaware, US)
• SWE – Security Engineering Manager (Kernel & System) (Cheltenham, UK)
• Systems Test Design Lead (Texas, US)
• AIML – Machine Learning Research Engineer, MLR (Hawaii, US)
• Financial Services Enterprise Account Executive (New York, USA)
• Enterprise Pre-Sales Systems Engineer (Minnesota USA)
• Merchandising Field Leader (Shanghai, China)
• Education Leadership & Learning Executive (Vancouver, Canada)
• Release Validation Engineer, Tools & Automation (California, US)
• Employee Relations Business Partner (Retail) (Washington, US)
• Cellular Data-Plane System Modeling Engineer (m/f/d) (Munich, Germany)

New remote roles keep popping up all the time at Apple, as well as other tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft. So, if you don’t see anything that fits your skillset, don’t lose hope – the perfect role might be right around the corner!

Is Remote Working that Appealing?

As with every working arrangement, there are ups and downs. The key advantage to working from home – which is why the shift has been welcomed so much by young parents – is the added flexibility you get in your average working day.

What’s more, the amount of time you save by not commuting will be significant for many people working office jobs in big cities – if your total roundtrip is more than two hours, you’re clawing back almost 10% of your day.

However, there are benefits for people starting their careers that you get from being in an office with more senior members of staff that it’s hard to obtain naturally while working from home.

Those coffee machine chats really do matter, as do face-to-face feedback sessions and collaborating in person with people from all walks of life. Plus, there’s some evidence that remote employees will be overlooked for promotions.

Does Remote Working Always Have to be At Home?

No! In fact, digital nomads spend their time traveling and working, never stopping in one location for too long. This lifestyle has prompted countries all over the world, from the Caribbean to the Caucasus, to offer digital nomad visas.

They often include generous tax breaks and other benefits, as many governments are desperate for highly-paid consumers to stimulate their economies. While young remote workers may lose out on some important skills from not being tied to an office, being able to travel the world with a steady income can be a formative and valuable experience.

However, not everyone’s a globetrotter – and many people now work from coffee shops, libraries, and co-working spaces near their homes. However, difficult economic conditions lead to location decisions increasingly dominated by expenses. A recent study from the United Kingdom showed that a “Work from Pub” day is 40% cheaper than one spent in a co-working space, many of which are now beyond the average workers’ budgets.

Apple’s Return-to-Office Rollercoaster

While Apple is advertising a range of remote jobs right now, the company’s management of staff working arrangements has been far from plain sailing. In comparison to other big tech companies like Microsoft, Apple seemed very keen to get staff back into the office post-pandemic, and implemented a return-to-office mandate in 2022.

After significant backlash to the pilot and a company director resigning, CEO Tim Cook was forced to defend the decision, but pressed on with wanting to bring people back in for face-to-face work.

In early 2023, employees were threatened with disciplinary measures if they didn’t start commuting into the office. Almost two and a half years later, it’s hard to say that Apple has found the right balance – although most staff are expected to come in three days a week. But as we’ve covered, if a role is advertised as remote, you won’t be contractually obliged to do so.

Other big tech companies have taken different approaches. Microsoft – which has almost ten times as many remote roles open as Apple right now – lets all of their employees work from home 50% of the time. However, the company-wide mandate is a lot more flexible, and it’s up to managers to decide a policy for their teams and direct reports.

It seems that not a week goes by without news of a data breach, as companies struggle to keep up with threat actors infiltrating their systems and gaining access to private company data.

In the case of Webster Bank, the company experienced a data breach last year, via one of its third party vendors, Guardian Analytics, Inc., and a treasure trove of personal customer data was compromised.

As a result, a class action lawsuit was taken out against the company, which is due to close in the coming days, with customers affected eligible to claim from $25 up to $5,000. We explain how.

Webster Bank Settlement Explained

On April 10 2023, Webster Bank filed a report with the Maine Attorney General, stating that it had experienced a data breach, via third party vendor, Guardian Analytics, Inc. Included in the compromised information were customer names, social security numbers, and financial information. On the same day, it also sent letters out to affected customers.

According to the official filing, the number of affected customers was just shy of 200,000, and the breach took place sometime between November 2022 and January 2023.

As a result of the data breach, a lawsuit was issued against Webster Bank, Guardian Analytics Inc, and Actimize, Inc, accusing them of failing to protect customer data. All three parties have agreed to settle by way of a pay out to those affected by the breach.

How Much Can I Receive from the Webster Bank Settlement?

A settlement fund of $1,430,207.50 has been agreed on, and how much each customer receives depends on how badly they have been affected by the breach. The pay outs are as follows:

• Up to 4 hours compensation, at $25 an hour, for any time spent by customers having to deal with issues resulting from the data breach.
• “Out-of-pocket expenses” up to $250 incurred as a result of the Data Incident. These are defined as things such as phone charges, petrol, postage, credit report fees, data charges, and bank fees.
• “Out-of-pocket expenses” up to $5,000 as a result of identify theft or fraud occuring as a result of the Data Incident, credit monitoring, or identify theft insurance purchased between November 27, 2022, and April 24, 2024.
• Customers who do not opt for the Alternative Cash Payment (detailed below) can receive 24 months of Credit Monitoring Services free of charge.

Those who don’t submit a claim for unreimbursed losses and lost time, can instead submit a claim to receive a pro rata cash payment from the settlement fund. These are two tiers to this pay out option, full details of which can be found on the official settlement site.

How To Claim in Webster Bank Settlement

If you want to make a claim in this settlement, and received a letter from Webster Bank informing you that you had been affected by the data breach, all you need to do is fill in the online form.

You can also download a paper form to fill out and post it to this address:

Webster Bank Data Incident Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 2408
Portland, OR 97208-2408

The deadline for submitting claims is April 24, 2024, with the final approval scheduled for May 20th.

It’s turning into a significant week in the AI arms race, with Meta launching a web chatbot that’s similar to ChatGPT, expanding its AI within Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and rolling out a new model, Llama 3.

Almost four billion people – roughly half the world’s population – use one of Meta’s products. However, not everyone will get access to the changes just yet.

In this guide, we’ll explain how you can access Meta AI via the company’s social media platforms, take a peak at the web app, and discuss a significant blunder already made by Meta AI since it became more widely available.

How to Use Meta AI on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram

You can now use Meta AI by simply searching for anything while on Facebook Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. So, instead of having to leave the app to Google something, you can simply “pop up” to Meta AI like you would a friend.

However, you can also “@” meta AI when typing in a group chat Message to ask it for recommendations, information, and ideas.

It’s not available everywhere just yet. Along with the US, users in Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe will be the first to get their hands on it.

Excitingly, Meta says it also plans to “make image generation faster”, so is letting users “create images from text in real-time using Meta AI’s Imagine feature”.

This feature is being rolled out as a beta for WhatsApp and is incorporated into the new web tool – however, you will need to log in to generate imagery, as well as seeing your conversation history.

Along with being integrated into Meta’s social media platforms, for the first time, you can now use Meta’s AI chatbot as a standalone tool, just like you can use ChatGPT.

How to Use Meta’s Chatbot, With Llama 3

Meta AI launched this week, accompanied by CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s bold claim that it’s “the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use.” It’s now powered by Llama 3, Meta’s most intelligent, publicly available Large Language Model (LLM).

The interface, response formatting, and color scheme make it look like a straight cross between ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini:

I asked Meta AI to plan a trip to Athens for me – and I think it did pretty well! Image: Tech.co

Although Meta will encourage you to log into Facebook when you type your first response into the chatbot, it’s possible to use it without logging in at the moment too. However, it will prompt you again every time you start a new conversation.

Unlike the social media integrations, Meta AI is available to everyone – all you have to do is navigate to the page via a search engine.

Meta’s AI Already Makes Blunder

AI tools have tended to cause controversy right after they’re launched – Bard (now Gemini) made a factual error during its first public demo, while X’s chatbot Grok drew the ire of the platform’s right-wing commentators for its “woke” responses.

Meta AI seems like it’s going to be no different – there are already reports of strange happenings taking place on Facebook.

Sky News reports that Meta AI was spotted claiming to have raised a disabled child in response to a post on a private parenting group. However, the chatbot apologized and corrected itself shortly after being questioned by members.

It’s unlikely this is the last weird answer we’ll see from Meta AI – especially considering how deeply integrated into the world’s biggest social media sites the technology now is.

AT&T has been occasionally keen to downplay the severity of the recent data breach it suffered, yet at the same time the US telecoms giant has now moved to appease concerned customers with a handful of new security perks.

The latest twist in the ongoing AT&T data breach saga sees the company announcing that all of its users, affected or otherwise by the leak, can now benefit from various security and identity protection freebies.

These include a free identity theft insurance policy with up to $1 million worth of coverage, which would seem to suggest it’s starting to the take the data breach seriously at long last.

What is AT&T Offering Customers After Data Breach?

Following on from March’s revelation that the data of as many as 73 million of its customers had been leaked on a forum online, AT&T has announced a slew of new security safeguards.

As well as the aforementioned $1 million identity protection insurance, these also include “one year of complimentary credit monitoring, identity theft detection, and resolution services” as well as access to an identity restoration team.

First reported by local Houston, TX-based news outlet KPRC-TV, AT&T has apparently enlisted the services of Experian’s IdentityWorks protection arm to help reassure the more than seven million current AT&T customers caught in the crosshairs of the breach.

How Many AT&T Customers Were Affected by the Data Breach?

According to most estimates, some 71 million AT&T customers had their details leaked online as part of the historic data breach.

However, AT&T has at time sought to dispute this number, having initially denied responsibility for the breach altogether. It has instead proffered that it believes around 51 million customers were affected, the majority of which are ex-customers.

That’s perhaps unsurprising, as many people would likely leave a provider that had leaked their data. As mentioned above, the number of current AT&T subscribers understood to be impacted is around 7 million.

What AT&T Customers Should Do Today

First of all, AT&T customers past and present should all check if they’ve been directly affected by the data breach.

AT&T says it has notified all impacted parties as well as taking action like resetting the passcodes for compromised accounts, but you can also seize the initiative yourself if you’re concerned.

Microsoft security researcher Troy Hunt has long maintained a data breach checking website called Have I Been Pwned? and it remains our go-to resource for people wanting to check if they’ve been caught up in anything murky online.

We love it because all you do is input your email address and it tells you if it’s associated with any data leakage online, with its database including the AT&T data breach and many others.

Beyond that, we always recommend setting up a password manager to help make securing your online accounts with unique, complex passphrases easier.

As evidence by the recent Roku data breach, many breaches succeed because people wantonly recycle their passwords across multiple accounts, which is like leaving the door unlocked for cyber crooks.

Standing out in today’s crowded hiring market is no easy feat, but having a professional headshot to use on platforms like LinkedIn is one of the most effective ways to separate yourself from the competition. Not only is it a clear display of professionalism, but it also offers you a valuable way to express your personality.

Thankfully, due to leaps and bounds being made in the field of artificial intelligence, you no longer have to spend a fortune to create the perfect professional image. There is an abundance of low-cost and free headshot generators that generate AI-created images that are almost indistinguishable from the real deal.

Whether you’re looking for a wide variety of background options, or the ability to control your expression, we offer a comprehensive round-up of the best free AI headshot generators available, including platforms with free-forever plans, and apps with generous free trials that’ll get you your headshot.

Read on to discover why AI headshots might be one of the best professional shortcuts, and for our summary of the best free solutions on the market in 2024.

Why Use an AI Headshot Generator?

A professional headshot is key to making a good first impression – whether you’re a corporate worker wanting to get headhunted, or an actor looking to land a role. Unfortunately, hiring a professional can cost anywhere from $100 a person, which is a deal breaker for working professionals committed to keeping costs low. AI headshot generators are a great alternative for users who want hyper-realistic results, without the hefty price tag that comes with traditional methods. Recent research has also shown that three quarters of recruiters actually prefer AI headshots to real ones!

The technology is far from foolproof, but advances in the field mean that lots of AI image creators create high-quality headshots, that can be customized to meet your specific needs. The applications are pretty endless too – headshots can be used to update business profiles like LinkedIn, to add to resumes, and even to give your emails a professional edge.

Not all budget-friendly AI image creators product high-quality headshots, however, with many platforms creating unrealistic results that are clearly AI-generated and fail to reflect the user’s true appearance. To help you steer clear of these apps, take a look at our top free picks below.

Want to go beyond headshots? Check out the best free AI video generators.

The Best AI Headshot Generators in 2024

1. Remini – Best free AI headshot generator overall
2. MyEdit – Largest choice of background options
3. InstaSize – Best for customizing facial expressions
4. LightX – Best for creating realistic-looking headshots
5. Dreamwave AI – Best for creating team headshots
6. Headshot Pro – Best for money back guarantee for paid version

1. Remini

• Best free headshot generator overall
• Seven-day free trial

Remini is an AI photo enhancer that gained notoriety after going viral on TikTok last year. The app even temporarily topped the App Store after herds of Gen Zers realized they could use the tool to create realistic-looking headshots for sites like LinkedIn.

AI headshot made with Remini. Source: Remini

Like other AI image creators on this app, Remini requires users to upload an assortment of selfies to generate images. Then, after users select the ‘Casual Headshot’ option, Remini AI analyzes unique characteristics like facial features and skin tones and produces original, professional headshots.

Users even have the option to refine the results, to ensure the final images look as realistic as possible. This helps give Remini a leg up over other free AI headshot generators on this list, as this functionality lets users amend glitches and errors caused by artificial intelligence.

Remini is available as a desktop and mobile app, opening it up to a wide variety of users. However, if you’re looking to create headshots for free on a rolling basis, the image-creator won’t be for you as it makes you sign up for a paid subscription after its seven-day free trial.

2. MyEdit

• Largest choice of background options
• Free plan available

MyEdit is another hyper-realistic photo generator that lets you create professional-looking headshots for free. The platform only requires users to upload one reference image, before producing a wide selection of AI headshots to choose from. Users can choose between eight image styles too, with options including suits, shirts, or knitwear for more of a business casual look.

Professional headshot creator MyEdit in action. Source: MyEdit

You’re also able to edit the background of the shot to your liking. Selections include brick walls, offices, and solid colors, or you can choose to remove the background altogether and create your own using a ChatGPT-style promotion.

MyEdit also has a stripped-back back interface making it easy to get started on. However, while it does offer a free plan, the tier restricts users to one download per day. So, if you want to unlock unlimited AI generation and downloads, we’d recommend upgrading to its affordable $4 per month Image Plan.

3. InstaSize

• Best for customizing facial expressions 
• Three-day free trial available

Instasize is a photo-editing app that also lets you create realistic headshots – whether you need to update your model or acting portfolio, or need a new LinkedIn profile picture. It’s available as an Android and iOS app, so exclusively catered towards smartphone users, but this doesn’t mean it compromises on functionality.

InstaSize’s professional headshots. Source: InstaSize

InstaSize lets users explore a variety of styles and backgrounds, has over 130 professional-grade photo filters, and even gives them control over their facial expressions. This is a huge boon to users who want a professional headshot that doesn’t conceal their personality.

The photo editing and creation platform has a free forever plan too, but this tier only offers basic editing features. If you want to create a professional headshot for free, you’ll have to use a three-day free trial of one of its paid plans instead, which starts at $4.99 per month after the trial ends.

4. LightX

• Best for creating realistic-looking headshots
• Free plan available

LightX is another highly competitive AI photo and video generator that can be used to create professional-looking headshots. The platform lets users tailor their final images through ChatGPT-style prompts like Remini, or by selecting one of 11 different style templates.

Professional headshots created by LightX. Source: LightX

LightX is also capable of making high-quality, realistic-looking images. This gives the platform an advantage over apps that create unrealistic results that have clearly been created using AI. LightX is also very easy to use, offering a low learning curve to users who are getting started with the technology for the first time.

Despite LightX’s varied style templates, however, it offers fewer customization options than other platforms on this list. This makes the image creator less suitable for users with a very specific vision in mind. LightX’s starter plan lets you get started for free, but for those wanting to benefit from premium features like cross-platform access and unlimited background options, you can trial one of its paid plans for free for 30 days, which start from only $2.99 per month.

5. Dreamwave AI

• Best for professional team headshots
• Free plan available

Dreamwave AI is an image generator that lets users create professional headshots for individuals and teams. The platform, which was developed by AI experts from Google and MIT, uses a proprietary algorithm to create images with an impressive output resolution.

Professional headshots created by Dreamwave. Source: Dreamwave

The platform offers an impressive amount of customization options, allowing users to choose between a very wide selection of styles, outfits, and backgrounds. Its team headshot function also makes it ideal for users creating headshots for more than one person at a time. Very few free AI photo generators offer this function, giving the platform a huge competitive advantage for users who want to create professional-looking team headshots for free.

Dreamwave only requires five to eight reference images to get started, but takes around an hour to produce results, which is a much longer wait time than platforms like Remini which only take a few minutes. Dreamwave offers a free plan that produces 20 photos at no cost. However, if you want a wider selection of images to choose from, its paid packages start from $55 per month.

6. Headshot Pro

• Best for money back guarantee
• Basic free version available 

If you want a professional looking AI headshot, then it might make sense to go for the company called Headshot Pro, especially when it has a long list of established clients, such as eBay, Shopify, Dell and Hubspot.

Professional headshots created by Headshot Pro. Source: Headshot Pro

Headshot Pro’s main offering is its paid-for service, but the company does offer a very basic stripped down version, completely free. You don’t need to sign up with an email or add any personal details. Just upload your reference image, and off you go.

If you want to go beyond the free version, then the paid-for product is the real deal, which is why we wanted to mention it here. Firstly, you’ll need to upload multiple images for the best results, about 16 or so, and then you can choose backgrounds, poses, clothing, and so on. It’s about as close as you’ll get to having a session with a real photographer, without having to leave your desk.

Because the process is a bit more involved than some of its competitors, you’ll need to be patient, as headshots take around one to three hours to be ready, depending on the package chosen. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s worth the small wait, as the images produced are of a high quality, with any obvious AI images weeded out.

What’s more, Headshot Pro offers a 14-day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with the images, which is more than most of its competitors offer.

Pricing starts at $29, for 40 headshots, and it also offers team packages too.

Google is in the news for all the wrong reasons this week, not only cementing its place as one of the biggest tech companies making layoffs, but more dramatically making headlines for firing 28 employees who protested against its $1.2bn “Project Nimbus” deal with Israel.

The dissenting employees stormed the company’s offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California before staging a sit-in protest that was livestreamed on various platforms, including X.

Police were called to both premises and nine of the protestors, who were part of the pro-Palestine No Tech For Apartheid group, are understood to have been forcibly arrested.

It’s an even less flattering spotlight than the recent Gemini race swap AI image debacle, one which has left many people wondering what exactly is Google’s Project Nimbus and why is so controversial? Allow us to explain.

What is Project Nimbus? Google’s Controversial Deal Explained

In short, Project Nimbus is a lucrative cloud and AI computing contract Google has with the Israeli government. In its latest iteration, it’s understood to be worth as much as $1.2bn.

More specifically, Project Nimbus sees Google’s Cloud division, along with partner Amazon Web Services (AWS), providing AI and cloud computing infrastructure to the Israeli government.

The deal is therefore perceived to support to the Israeli military by connection, and the country’s army is currently engaged in a controversial ongoing conflict against Hamas in the State of Palestine.

Even conservative estimates say that at least 30,000 lives have been claimed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, with many people (including many Israelis) critical of Israel’s reluctance to cease its offensive.

Back to Google, and Project Nimbus itself dates back to at least 2021, based on an initial statement of protest co-authored by Google and Amazon employees published by The Guardian at the time.

What Happened at This Week’s Google Project Nimbus Protests?

Chaos, in a word.

On April 16 as part of the No Tech For Apartheid group’s “No Tech For Genocide Day of Action,” peaceful protests were staged at Google’s offices in New York and California.

The California group occupied the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, while a smaller display of solidarity is also understood to have taken place in Seattle, WA.

The group shared video footage of the protest on social media and livestreamed the sit-in

BREAKING—DOZENS OF @GOOGLE WORKERS LEAD HISTORIC COAST TO COAST-INS AT @GOOGLECLOUD CEO THOMAS KURIAN’S OFFICE IN SUNNYVALE & @GOOGLE’s NYC 10TH FLOOR COMMONS. They refuse to leave until @google stops powering the genocide in Gaza

LIVESTREAM: https://t.co/uUiPbr3oDz pic.twitter.com/vCkInh0769

— No Tech For Apartheid (@NoTechApartheid) April 16, 2024

Extended footage from the live stream was subsequently also distributed.

BREAKING: Google employees were arrested after occupying their boss's office for more than 8 hours to demand that the company sever ties with Israel.

WATCH: pic.twitter.com/W4WQO8NNgH

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyDillon) April 17, 2024

What Has Google’s Response Been?

Google’s response was to fire the 28 employees who participated in the protests.

In a company memo, Google VP of Global Security Chris Rackow said the behavior of protestors was “unacceptable, extremely disruptive and made co-workers feel threated.”

He added that it violated multiple company policies and that the company was continuing to “investigate and take action as needed,” confirming the termination  of the contracts of “twenty-eight employees found to be involved.”

It should be noted, in fairness to Google, that not all the employees involved in the protest against Project Nimbus were fired – the disciplinary action was reserved for those who staged the physical sit-in protest in the office,

According to estimates by the NYPD, a larger group of around 50 people protested Project Nimbus on the day, with “four arrests…made for trespassing inside the Google building.”

Similarly, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety noted that “around 80 participants” protested, but only five were detained for “criminal trespass.”

No Tech For Apartheid spokesperson Jane Chung criticized Google’s internal disciplinary actions, saying: “This flagrant act of retaliation is a clear indication that Google values its $1.2 billion contract with the genocidal Israeli government and military more than its own workers.”

Header image credit: No Tech For Apartheid via X

Google will soon let users pay for apps using biometric verification instead of passwords on its Play Store, according to emails the software company recently sent out to Android users.

The new feature represents Google’s next step in its wider mission to wave goodbye passwords for good, with the company making passkeys its default sign-in method for Google account holders in January, and pledging to make progress towards a passwordless future this time last year.

While the new verification method won’t officially be launched for a few weeks, users can activate the new setting today. So, if you’re keen on ditching lengthy passwords and using a more secure method to download apps, we outline how to preemptively switch to the new authentication credential, in simple steps.

Google Play Rolls Out Biometric Verification to Make Purchases Safer

If you’re an Android smartphone or smart device user, you’ve probably come across an email from Google encouraging you to switch biometric authentication when making purchases on the Play Store. For those who haven’t yet seen it, and don’t have the time to dig through their inbox, the email reads:

“On Google Play, you can set biometrics (fingerprint or face) as your purchase verification method on mobile devices that have biometric capability. If you set biometrics, it means you’ll be asked to verify it’s you with biometrics each time you make a purchase through Google Play.” – Recent email from Google to Android users

This proposition represents Google’s latest step in its long-standing mission to phase out passwords and replace them with passkeys – a safer, more streamlined high-tech verification method. When the Silicon Valley-based company first began rolling out passkeys on World Password Day in May 2023, they vowed that the change would kickstart the ‘beginning of the end of the password‘.

But with passcodes being the primary mechanism for verifying identities for decades, why is Google, and other big tech companies like Apple and Amazon so intent on making them a thing of the past?

Passkeys are More Convenient and Secure Than Passwords

Despite the longstanding legacy of passwords, they’re pretty bad at fulfilling their primary purpose – verifying identities and protecting data from bad actors. In fact, research reveals that 7-character passwords can be cracked in under two seconds, with shorter codes being decrypted in even less time – providing fertile ground for a more effective alternative.

Instead of relying on a string of unique characters, passkeys rely on biometric information, like fingerprints or facial scans. By default, this makes them leaps and bounds more secure than passkeys, as it’s essentially impossible for cybercriminals to forge this information.

Google Play has been mired with security issues for years, consistently getting caught out for selling apps riddled with dangerous software like trojan malware and data-harvesting spyware. While the app store’s switch to passkeys won’t eradicate its malware problem altogether, it will provide one more protective barrier between the user and potential bad actors and help stamp out the threat of password-stealing viruses completely.

On top of the obvious safety concerns, biometric passkeys help users authenticate their identity quickly and more easily than with passwords. This is because passkey users don’t need to commit complicated, lengthy codes to memory, and aren’t required to use software like password managers to store login information.

If you’re interested in learning more about how the verification methods compare, learn more in our guide to passkeys vs passwords. Or, jump straight to the section below to find out how to embrace passkeys on Google Play in four simple steps.

How to Enable Biometric Verification on the Play Store

Activating biometric verification for Google Play is very straightforward – as long as you know what you’re doing. Follow these steps below for a passwordless future on Google Play.

1. Open the Play Store App

2. Click on ‘Settings’ near the bottom of the page

3. Expand ‘Purchase Verification’

4. Adjust the switch so it activates ‘Biometric Verification’

Ta-da! It really is that easy. Remember, the change is due to go live in the coming weeks so don’t expect to see changes straight away. Not everyone will prefer using passkeys though, so if you’re staying loyal to passwords or want to keep your login information safe before the transition takes place, check out our guide to the best password managers for Android.

In 2024, a “remote job” is basically always some form of white-collar tech position. And given the last few years’ worth of tech layoff bloodbaths, the remote job search is now a grueling months-long process.

How can you stand out from the pack? The best method is to lean into your network and find someone who knows someone. The second best method is to figure out a way to apply to jobs that’s just a little off the well-beaten path offered by major job search boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, where every job opening is swamped with hundreds of applicants.

This might look like setting up the right Google search alerts or scouring the web for job openings on each company’s personalized account. But it might also look like finding Goldilocks-zone job boards that handle fully remote positions: Job-search sources that are fairly well-known, but not 100% mainstream, and might give you a fighting chance.

Here, we’ve rounded up all the top remote job boards that you might not know about.

Jobspresso

This remote-only site boasts “hand-picked, manually reviewed and expertly curated” job positions, and it currently lists over a thousand of them. Jobs can be browsed by type of industry, with a handy “location” section visible from the search results page that lets you know what time zone you’ll be expected to work in, if hired.

Here are a few of the positions you might be looking at:

• Content Marketing Specialist at Yelp
• Engineering Manager, Mobile at Canva
• Sales Senior Account Executive at Indiegogo

Working Nomads

As the title suggests, this site is aimed at the digital nomad — a hustling worker who’s just as interested in traveling to exciting locales around the globe as they are in working at exciting remote-first companies. So, if you’re looking for an international job board, check them out.

Working Nomads offers a salary range for its job openings, which isn’t always guaranteed for a job board. It also stands out for its free job alerts newsletter, which sends a daily or weekly (you chose) email rounding up only the job categories relevant to you.

Some of the jobs you might land at Working Nomads include:

• Principal AI&ML Engineer at Realiste, Salary between $100-$300k
• Sr. Software Engineer – EPP Product, Cloud at CrowdStrike, Inc., Salary between $130k-$205k
• Operations Analyst at Anzen, Salary between $85k-$125k

Built In

This job search board is focused on startups and tech companies, with an entire section dedicated to remote positions, even though the board also has plenty of in-person gigs.

Some positions may be listed as both remote and hybrid at the same time, which may mean that you’ll be nudged towards some in-office days alongside your remote ones. But as long as you’re in tech, this board will turn up plenty of entirely remote positions across any industry you could be interested in. And, since tech companies need plenty of sales people, HR workers, and marketers, this board lists lots of roles that you won’t need to personally own a STEM degree to fill.

A few positions currently open at the site:

• Staff UX Designer at Wonders, Salary between $200k-$250k
• Senior Human Resources Business Partner at General Motors, Salary between $83,800-$133,900
• Software Engineer – Zero Trust Client at Cloudflare, Salary between $168k-$240k

Skip the Drive

Of course a job board named “Skip the Drive” is going to deliver plenty of remote-focused positions that can help you drop that annoying and unpaid commute for good.

This board doesn’t always offer salary ranges, but it does have some helpful remote-focused categories. for example, you can browse through bilingual positions, which will appeal to any digital nomads with language skills, and you can look through a category dedicated to consulting positions as well.

A few listings you might run into:

• Program Manager of Quality Operations at Midi Health
• Data Engineer – Python at Oportun
• Implementation Consultant – Nutrition at LINQ

Remotive

This job board offers an email newsletter that can help the latest job postings come to you. Jobs are listed by tags as well as general categories, allowing you to search by your favorite skill, subject, or area, with tags covering everything from “2d animation” to “scrum” to “machine learning.”

You can also pick a non-US location to look for remote positions in, with categories that include the UK, Germany, Canada, and Poland.

Some positions you might be interested in:

• Senior Independent Software Developer at A.Team, Salary between $90-$150 per hour
• Manager, External Communications at Skillsoft, Salary around $125k
• Office Assistant at Coalition Technologies, Salary between $30k -$52k

DailyRemote

This site offers a broad swath of remote positions, from full-time to part-time to freelance, with jobs categorized by country and salary range as well as job title. The website also offers a paid plan for job seekers that says it will deliver “remote opportunities you won’t get anywhere on the internet” for plans that start at $7 per month.

You can stick to the free version instead, however, and still get a fine handful of recently-posted opportunities like these:

• HR Experience Specialist at Deel
• Video Editor at BAD Marketing
• Senior Frontend Engineer at Degreed

Remote OK

Just like Remotive, Remote OK’s site supports tags that help you locate positions in need of the skillsets that you can offer. The brightly colored interface is a fun one to browse through, with categories that include less-common options like Crypto alongside standard options like HTML or Ruby centric jobs.

If salary ranges are left off of a job posting, potential ranges are estimated by Remote OK itself. A few of the job openings you might spot on this site:

• Remote Rails Frontend & Backend Wizard at VIVA, Salary between $60k-$100k
• Remote Senior Product Designer at LeafLink, Salary between $70k-$110k
• Remote Private Client Advisor at NOBI, Salary between $75k-$165k

JustRemote

Like DailyRemote, this site offers a paid plan starting at $6 per month that promises to reveal unseen job positions. However, it offers plenty of job positions to those who won’t pay up, as well. There’s a Quick Reply option, even for free, which speeds up the process — although it might also prompt more applicants, potentially burying your own effort.

Here are a few examples of open positions at JustRemote:

• Social Media Marketing Manager at Calendly
• QA Associate at Vial
• Senior Backend Engineer (Ruby) at Salsify

We Work Remotely

One of the biggest sites on this list, We Work Remotely has been around since 2013, with thousands of remote job postings to chose from.

This site also lets you in on how many applicants have applied for each job through the website, giving you a handy snapshot of your competition. That competition varies widely depending on the position itself: One highly technical opening that we looked at had 8 applicants, while the content writing position listed below had 7,523 applicants.

Here are a few of the jobs that are currently posted on the website:

• Remote Hands-On Head of Marketing (SaaS) at FeedOtter, Salary around $100k or more
• Remote Content Writer at Groove, Salary between $50k-$75k
• Remote VP of Marketing at LeadSimple, Inc., no salary listed

Otta

The job site Otta is dedicated to tech companies, but it goes a little deeper than that: It’s aimed at showcasing “only the most exciting, innovative and fast-moving companies” and startups around. And any exciting tech company worth its salt will offer remote positions, making this job site one of the best ways for tech workers to track down remote positions without actually billing itself as a remote-only job board like many of the options above.

When you visit the site, you’ll be given a quick “initial preferences” quiz that helps Otta set you up with the most relevant openings, and “remote” is an option to pick when they ask which locations you’ll be open to. All remote positions are US-based, and they’ll also ask if you require a work visa or not.

Here are a few samples of the positions currently open at Otta:

• Intelligence Analyst at Red Canary, Salary between $100.2-122.7k
• Data Specialist at Crunchbase, Salary between $65-90k
• Solutions Associate at YipitData, Salary between $85-100k

Honorable Mention: Remote in Tech

Finally, we’d be remiss not to point you towards Remote in Tech, a website that isn’t actually a job board. Instead, it operates a lengthy list of companies in the tech industry that are known to be remote-friendly. They may be hiring, and they may not be.

If the above job boards aren’t turning up any results, you could try picking out all your favorite, most relevant companies from this website’s listings. By setting up individual Google alerts for job openings at these companies, you might wind up being the first or even the only person to apply to a job opening that hasn’t yet been listed on any job-aggregating website, small or large.

Who’s keeping track of all these AI chatbots anyway? Chinese technology giant Baidu, apparently, after it revealed that its relatively new ChatGPT alternative called Ernie Bot was already one of the most popular chatbots in the world.

ChatGPT is obviously the golden child of the AI chatbot world, but that may not be the case for long. Competitors like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot have demonstrated that there is a lot of wiggle room at the top, and with the technology in its infancy, it’s still anyone’s game.

That is clearly the case aboard, as well, with the CEO of Baidu claiming that Ernie Bot has more users than the chatbot from OpenAI.

What Is Ernie Bot?

Ernie Bot is the AI chatbot from Baidu, a China-based tech company that is considered one of the largest in the world.

The name stands for Enhanced Representation through Knowledge Integration and it has been in development since 2019. However, the current iteration is, of course, based on large language model technology, with the Ernie 4.0 being the most recent iteration from the company.

Most notably, Ernie Bot is the first locally developed AI chatbot from China, bringing the ChatGPT style technology to the East Asian country. This is notable, as China requires all AI technology to be approved before development can begin.

How Popular Is Ernie Bot?

AI chatbots like Ernie Bot have become increasingly popular over the last year, with users flocking to these platforms to improve productivity and generally make life easier at work.

This is clearly the case for Ernie Bot, with CEO Robin Li coming out recently to state that the Baidu AI chatbot has officially surpassed 200 million users worldwide. This number represents a doubling of users since December, pointing to the AI chatbot making a significant impact for the company.

And it’s not just users, either. Ernie is also reportedly contributing to the revenue of the company by transforming its advertising and helping other companies with their models, to the tune of “several hundred million” yuan.

AI Chatbot Arms Race Continues

Ernie Bot may be a great AI chatbot, but given that the writers for Tech.co are based in the US and the UK, we won’t know for sure. The service is only available in China, which means we won’t be able to compare it to some of our favorites.

However, in our research, we found that the best AI chatbot right now is hard to nail down, due to the early stages of the technology. Still, there are certainly some frontrunners that warrant your attention.

ChatGPT is obviously still quite proficient, and with new features being added on a consistent basis, it’s safe to say it’s a good choice. Google Gemini is also quite popular, as its integration with Google services makes it very convenient. Claude is another good option if you want to avoid some of the larger tech firms, as it provides a more “ethical” approach to the technology.